We kept our germs at home since we were dealing with colds. Relaxing, rest, and prepping for a new week were on our agenda after worshipping in the living room.
Monday, September 21st
We jumped back into school. There was still quite a bit of nose blowing, but every one was able to learn. Evie was still the worst as far as snots and attitude (she can't blow!), but we made it through the week. Mia had her first assessment in reading and did wonderfully.
Zayden continues on his review of letters and their sounds. He's doing a letter a day and we're so proud of his kindergarten efforts!
Snot sucker malfunction meant boogies on my face....it's not fine.
Mia got to start using our Draw Write Now books. She reads, then copies the writing into her journal, and gets to illustrate her work with help from the book's drawing tutorial. Her artistic ability amazes me.
Loong, loooooong day.
Outside helped.
Tuesday, September 22nd
I take so many more pictures and videos of the younger two schooling because they are sitting right beside me. The bigger ones tend to do their independent things on the sofa, their rooms, or the recliner.
The little guys traveled to China in their Social Studies unit.
{writing} trying to use those brave phonetic skills to complete writing prompts...
Natalee had physical therapy on Tuesday and did her session with Whitney on her own while I sat and read a new book. She's getting comfortable and brave.
Evie loves her bottles of milk. I love her.
We spent a lot of time outside on Tuesday. Fresh air is so good for the soul - and the baby's mood.
No piano on Tuesday because Miss Kathy was camping, but the kids have been practicing.
Wednesday, September 23rd
Evie loves her Zayden so so much.
Mia's working on some fractions - folding a square of paper to understand 1/2 and 1/4 and Natalee's behind her doing her math lesson.
Since Ev was still a bit snotty and real grumpy, Mike took a long lunch and stayed with the kids while I took Natalee to hippotherapy. Travel and session time takes us just shy of 2 hours all around.
Look at her working so hard.
It was really nice to get to watch therapy with undivided attention.
We are doing Write Shop Junior D for a formal writing curriculum this year, and these two have spent a couple of weeks learning about writing letters of invitation (like actually letters - not texts using one letter shorthand). On Wednesday it was time to edit their own and each others' work. Critiquing oneself and learning to take criticism from others is a life skill! Mom did a final edit on both pieces before they wrote their final work the next day.
The clothing theme for the drawing contest this week was comics. Mia drew "Mia Mayhem" from a book series she's looking forward to reading soon. I love it.
Giving her kitty some bedtime love.
Thursday, September 24th
He's getting so good at the song!
Mia had a grumpy moment with some rhyming work that I knew she could do. I kept my cool, told her I was completely confident in her, and encouraged her to find a way to push through it. She took her reading book to her hammock and got right with herself and did a wonderful job redeeming herself. Sometimes the fresh air and the swing of the hammock works wonders.
While Evie finished her nap, I read our new book outside in our hammocks. We're on book 3 of the Secret of the Hidden Scrolls and both kids are still enjoying them so much. Xavier enjoys reading this series, too.
When Evie woke up we brought her out to enjoy the sunshine.
We sent Aunt Beth a Happy Birthday video and then ate our lunches outside because it was too nice to go in!
This precious girl.
Waiting patiently for more bites.
Xavier's submission for the clothing comic drawing - Dogman!
And Natalee's - emojis! So far we haven't been drawn as winner yet, but it's been fun to see the kids' creativity with the different themes.
Zayden chose not to enter this week and that's okay.
The big kids played Scrabble Thursday afternoon and the younger two got out the Osmo and played.
Friday, September 25th
Evalynn slept till 10 a.m. on Friday. Sleeping off that cold.
Fridays are supposed to be "fun Fridays" and mom got a little distracted planning a couple of homeschool events and wasn't too fun this week. I also failed to plan fun things - I'm better with a plan than a whim usually. I'm hoping to redeem myself next week!
I did get out a new game, "Engine, Engine Number 9" that was a lot of fun. I played twice with the younger ones, and then Xavier and Zayden played a couple of times.
Saturday, September 26th
On Saturday the boys and the girls split up and went separate ways. The girls and I went down to a bridal shower for my cousin, and the boys and Daddy went to a conservation day field event.
We both had to be up and out of the house by 8, which we are not used to. Ha. We made it!
I didn't take many pictures at the shower. Mia did love the orange juice fountain, though - so much.
After the shower we stopped by Grammy and Papa Beeler's and Aunt Kea gave Evie a birthday present - and I left my phone in the car (no pictures). Then we went to Papa and Grandma Num's for lunch and a visit.
Mike did a great job taking pictures of the field day! There were lots of activities for the kids to try and both boys said they had a great time! (for the record....the field day would have been a bit too much walking for Natalee to do comfortably and we did give Mia the option but she chose bridal shower, making this day a boy/girl split - but not because we don't think little girls can't/shouldn't shoot, fish, etc)
I got an idea to invite Kea, Miguel, the girls, Grammy and Papa up to Iowa kind of midway between our town and theirs (Kea's family was "home" for the weekend) and called Mike with the idea. He set up the details and, with help from a friend to locate a safe and not too busy park, we met and had a wonderful evening. The kids played so hard and my heart was filled up watching them love each other and getting to visit.
Not so good with candids but I did take a group shot. Grammy brought a lovely picnic to share and the weather was perfect.
This was the perfect ending to our week - we're so glad we kicked our colds and were able to get together with our people!
We started our week by finishing our camping trip at the state park. When we got home we were exhausted. We unpacked, I started wet, muddy laundry, and then we fed the children and got them to bed early.
I thought Xavier was having an allergy attack from playing so hard in the damp outdoors, but it seems he had picked up a cold virus, as it spread throughout us all this last week. Only Evie Lynn had a fever, the rest of us (oh, yes, Mom too) just had snots and head congestion.
I was too weary on Monday to fully do school - we hit survival mode and did our best.
I did finish the book I started on the camping trip and it gave me a thousand thoughts to think.
Tuesday was a bit better. We accomplished school.
I got the rest of the laundry done up.
Art by Xavier...
I love this picture.
{long eyelashes - so sweet}
Wednesday morning I was up at 4:30 with a feverish Evalynn. Poor precious girl.
She slept long long stretches all day Wednesday, just recovering. She continued to eat and drink well, and I'm so thankful for that.
We got our school done while Evie rested.
Thursday was much the same. Rest and recovery. Evalynn's fever broke but she was a grump - such a grumpy girl.
Okay - a nice moment - but mostly a grump.
We survived the day - Thursday was probably my worst day of feeling poorly - and Evie, Mia, and I went for a walk before dusk to blow the germs off of us.
Friday, September 18th
Evalynn has a bad new habit. Thursday night her dad caught her eating fistfuls of spaghetti out of the trash can - Friday it was an apple core. The trash can lives on the other side of the gate now. She's very sad about it.
Evie's first smoothie. She wasn't quite sure what to think but drank a good bit of it. Banana, blueberries, a little oat milk.
The weather was lovely and we ended up eating our chicken fried rice outside for supper. Natalee came in at dusk and made everyone some no bake cookies.
Saturday, September 19th
We blew and cleaned the germs out of the house. Washed everyone's bedding, dusted, did floors, dishes, made a big midday meal of friend chicken and the fixings - whew.
Evie still requires extra snuggles, and is getting plenty, but she's feeling better overall.
We ended Saturday with an early movie night watching a double feature of The One and Only Ivan and the new Lady and the Tramp. We listed to the audiobook of Ivan back in January on the way to St. Louis and the movie was very well done.
Tomorrow begins another week and we'll start it at home. I truly don't think we have "the rona," however we do have a cold virus and we need to keep our germs to ourselves. We will worship here and continue mending everyone so that hopefully we can get a little more back on schedule next week - Natalee missed hippotherapy this past week due to Ev's fever and our snots and she was very disappointed so I know she'll be glad to get back!
