*Smoooooch*

Makes you want to find the mistletoe, doesn't it?



My Monkey

You love Monkey so much.

Sometimes you seem insecure without it.

Whenever you are upset, you go to your crib and pull her through the rails. Just to hug her.

If you are sleepy, none other will do. Not even Mommy.

I love to see your short little arms wrapped around her and your chubby, dimpled hands gripping her so tight.

I adore the way you cal her, "Mum*may". Not the same as "Mommy."

Daddy thinks you are too attached.

Mommy thinks you are too cute.

But I understand it.

I'm attached to my monkey too.

Because my monkey is you.

T.O.T Gift Edition

Deciding what to buy the kids for birthdays and Christmas this year has proved to be a bit mind boggling but I think we have finally decided. We try to get them something fun, something they have been asking for, and something they need. I think we may have accomplished just that. Without going bankrupt!

So this is what we've come up with:

1) For the boys' birthdays they are each getting a sleeping bag. This will be great for overnighters and the 5th wheel.

2) For Christmas, they are each getting Carhartt pants. They have been blowing the knees out of their jeans left and right this year and we wanted to get them a sturdy pair of play pants to keep their other pants stain and hole-free. Plus, what's cuter than a little boy in Carhartts?

3) They each get a set of Leap Frog dvds. Rowan gets volume one and Adam gets volume two.



4) Avril will be getting a couple Boz the bear dvds. They are her favorite and they teach Biblical principals.

5) Both boys are getting mud boots. They have really been wanting some since our trip to Vermont. These will also help preserve their good shoes.

6) For Christmas, Avril will also be getting some dishes for her kitchen set. I bought these in the summer. I didn't think she was old enough for them at her birthday.

7) The remainder of Avril's gifts will be clothes. She really needs a few things and she doesn't really care what she gets anyway.

8) I try to get one Christmas movie for them to share each year and this year I think I'll get this one. How can you go wrong with Andy Griffith?



9) The boys love to dress up and pretend so after Halloween I went and bought them three costumes each. I spent a grand total of twenty-three dollars and some odd cents. They are going to love it!



10) Each of the boys will be getting a fiddle this year. I am most excited about this gift. I hope that their daddy's musical talent rubbed off on them some.



It sure sounds like a lot but most of it they were getting anyway(minus movies and toys) so we decided to just save it for Christmas and birthdays. I'm slowly getting into the habit of making them things as well. I have a couple minor projects up my sleeve. Eventually I would like to buy them one birthday gift and one Christmas gift and make everything else myself. However, not being able to sew clothes makes it a little hard.

Reading

Homeschooling for us was the only option. We did not wish to send our children to someone else for the majority of their week. We did not wish for any extra unwanted influence. We did not wish for public schools to have control of our child. We did not wish to pay the costly tuition for a private school. We(namely:I) did not wish for it to be so...challenging. And it has had it's challenges for sure. Probably more difficult than pleasant days. And a lot more of throwing my hands in the air completely exasperated than I ever expected. But you know what? I wouldn't trade it for the world. I get to have my child home with me all the time. I don't have to worry that he's not learning what he's being taught, because I'm the one teaching him. I already know where he struggles. There's no wondering what kind of friends he is playing with or what kind of things they are teaching him. No fretting that he's not getting Scripture in his daily lessons(although I do wonder when it will really start sinking in). No dealing with an unfair teacher. No phone calls saying,"Uh, your kid's in trouble." (Hey! He is my kid after all. It would happen if he went and you all know it!) No frustration over what he did or did not leave at school\home.

And....he is actually learning to read. From ME! I can hardly believe it's possible. My worst fear is that I would not be able to teach my children to read. But he is doing so well.


Words Adam can Read:

* any word that is spelled the way it sounds
* a
* the
* words ending in "ll"
* words ending in "ss"
* words ending in "ck"
* is
* has

It doesn't sound like a lot, but it is. He can read simple sentences now.



And despite all of it's difficulties, homeschooling is still my only choice.





Today.

How Do you...

So, I decided to reorganize my kitchen tonight.

On a whim.

And I don't know really where to put everything. I want more of the upper cabinets to contain food instead of dishes but I don't want all of my dishes down where they can be broken. I don't want my baking goods in the lazy susan anymore because they're too heavy and it's kind of inconvenient but I don't really have a free upper cabinet. Lower cabinets don't really work because they are too deep and don't have enough shelves. I need a lower cabinet with a roll out drawer but alas, there isn't one.

So, how do you organize your kitchen?

Raking It In

They wanted a BIG leaf pile.




To jump in.




They didn't last long.





But I plan to build their stamina over the next few years.

Bwaaa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-aha-ha.

Ka-blam!

My son and his dynamite.
Blowing up Star Wars action figures.











I asked: How do you know when they're dead, Adam?
He answered: They stop talking.
What were they saying?
No! No! Please No!








Whatta nice boy.