What a busy week we had, especially the first four days of it. These kinds of weeks are exhausting but fulfilling.
We started the week with worship. Mike played guitar and while he was practicing he had a guest singer...an ornery one!
I feel really grateful for our church family. For older teen girls that are Godly influences to our daughters. For teachers and people who choose to love on us.
Chelsea asked Xavier if he wanted to try to run the computer during worship songs. He did great and was so pleased to be asked. This mom appreciates when someone gives our children a chance to serve and we're grateful Chelsea saw that ability in him.
After worship we flew down to Missouri. Nannie wasn't feeling well, but we did get to see the rest of our people from my side of the family. That's a love bucket filling day. The kids scored some valentines, too.
Comparing these two in size. Artie is solid but Ev's still got quite a bit of height on him! Also, she was trying to get him to stand still and said, "hims too wiggling!'
Artie got to have his first sucker. Huge fan!
We were joking because Artie sneezed at lunch and Colby about lost his lunch. He missed messy sucker hour but we're sure he would have loved it.
Evie thought maybe she would go home with Lauren. Nothing makes your baby look more like a huge toddler than see her in an infant seat.
We left Missouri and made it back for the last 3 quarters of the Super Bowl game. The kids love when Mom loosens her standards and does "fun" food for Super Bowl. This year we went with "frozen delicacies" (AKA the things they always ask for and rarely get). The mini corn dogs were big winners, with the chicken fries a close second. The pizza rolls didn't get the love they deserved. For the record I set out fruits and veggies, too....as long as they are on the table I get the mom points.
We had the kids eat during the half time show, as you just never know if it's going to be appropriate, but Mike enjoyed the throwback from his childhood of Snoop Dog, Dr. Dre, and 50 Cent.
Only Xavier stayed up for the end of the game. We sent everyone else to bed because Monday was coming in busy!
Monday was Valentine's Day and Co-op! During the night Evalynn started coughing so Mike had to take off/work from home to keep her home. We are grateful he did that and we didn't have to miss.
Some small Valentines to start the day with love. And Valentine table settings, courtesy of our friend, Kathy.
Scented pens/markers for our sweeties.
After a quick breakfast of homemade chocolate chip banana bread, we headed out for our hour drive to co-op. I struggled on the way. I felt guilty Mike had to stay home. I felt sad for Evalynn. I was worried because that tight cough came on so fast. I really had to focus and pray to get my mind straight. I had to remind myself to be so glad the rest of the children could go, that we had this opportunity at all, and that Mike was able to arrange his day and keep Ev home.
We dispersed for classes when we arrived and I headed out to teach K-2 art. I taught about Edgar Degas, who had a special interest in painting dancers. We started class by drawing ballerinas using the I Can Draw People book from Usborne. We turned those drawings into Valentines.
Then we switched mediums and made ballerinas from popsicle sticks, cupcake liners, pipe cleaners, and sharpies. These were a big hit with the kids.
The little guys go on to PE after art, and I caught a couple of pictures of them working hard. Mia is on top of the parachute in the first picture and Zayden is under it in the second.
We were doing a carry in soup/sandwich lunch for a Valentine's treat, so I stirred my soup and checked things over in the kitchen before heading back downstairs. Our friend, Sara, had a sick kiddo at home, so I subbed for her literature class. We started the class by doing our Magic Painting Famous Artists book that we hadn't gotten done in art, because there was a Degas page that the kids wanted to do. Then we read some poems, sang a bit, and switched gears to some independent reading and STEM play. Shonya had thrown the STEM activities (not toys - wink) in her bag on the way out and they were a big hit.
The kids delivered their valentines in our last few minutes of class.
After class it was lunch time!! There was so much good food!
Someone snagged this photo of the "moms"....we couldn't find Crystal and Sara S. was gone. What a privilege to be tucked among the friendships of these ladies.
Chow time!
We ate and ate and ate.
Then we quick cleaned up and switched to Valentine party activities. Each of the 3 groups did Minute to Win It games, Bingo, and a craft/activity of some sort. All the moms took a role and it went seamlessly!
Natalee at Minute to Win It...
My Bingo station with Xavier's group...
Natalee's group made valentines for one of the local care facilities....
Mia and Zayden at Minute to Win It....
Xavier at Minute to Win It....
The time flew by in a flurry. The next hour was used for book club discussions that had been missed last time we gathered. While those were being led, a few of us cleaned up.
After we left co-op, we went and picked some flowers out for Aunt Annette and asked her to be our valentine (wink). There were lots of big opinions on what type of flowers to get, and I couldn't make a cohesive arrangement with the individual types that everyone wanted (roses, daisies, lilies - lol) so we went with a dozen classic red roses.
I think she sensed us coming, even though I'd forgotten to text and tell her we were, because she had the sweetest Valentine spot set at the table for each of the kids.
Missing the littlest biscuit, but Annette was even dressed for the occasion! She listened to the kids' excited chatter about our big day and they all had their snacks before we loaded up and headed back to home. On the way home the kids chatted about how Aunt Annette is so fun and festive and always has things decorated just right. They're right.
She sent me this picture later in the week of her flowers thriving.
Monday was a full day of love and everyone felt filled up when we got home.
We unloaded and unpacked and Daddy had supper ready for us.
Evalynn was excited to see us and loved looking through her valentines. We had saved back some we'd gotten in the mail and from friends so the other children had some to open yet, too. Ev doesn't understand money in cards, but it excites the others, so it's excites her, too. Thanks, Kathy!
Tuesday Natalee took the day off from OT/PT. We went to mom's group for a little bit while Mike kept Evalynn back, and Natalee stayed home with them, too. The others participated in the valentine exchange and enjoyed playing while I visited and got to know the other moms a bit better.
Then it was back home for a little bit of school and some games.
Daddy had taken Ev and Natalee for a walk while we were gone and I couldn't understand what she was saying...it ended up being she wanted to go see "Willy P" the WPU mascot but Daddy wouldn't take her in the buildings to find him (and then she broke into song...lol).
Tuesday night the boys both had basketball practice and we were supposed to go to a church meeting. Mike ended up staying home from the meeting since Ev wasn't quite 100% yet. I took the boys to practice, meaning they had to sit through each others' practices. Xavier got asked to help with the little boys, which was a lot of fun for him.
Zayden and Rogan passing the time while their brothers practiced.
Back home Mike held down the fort with the girls. When we got back, Xavier finished up his Valentine party craft.
Wednesdays are already busy, but we made this Wednesday busier by moving hippotherapy up from Thursday to Wednesday because we were supposed to get bad weather Thursday.
Aunt Penny took Mia to gymnastics for us - God bless her.
Then while I headed to hippotherapy, Mike had Mia at OT. We did a grocery pick up on our way back into town. Then Natalee had a zoom appointment and swim that night. I took zero pictures that day except of the sourdough crust pizza I made for supper. But we survived it and it meant our calendar was cleared out for both Thursday and Friday.
These were a perfect thin crust pizza and everyone loved them. Very very easy, too.
Having nothing on the calendar for Thursday was a glorious feeling.
I bought these food picks for Evie - she's having trouble being interested in meals and wants to snack all day. They do help her stay engaged in her meal and get more food down her.
We read a lot of our Little House book on Thursday (we're on By the Banks of Plum Creak). Mia, Xavier, and Zayden are loving the story, and Natalee has been listening in, too, which I love. We also snuggled up and watched a few episodes of the Little House show (after lots of talking about how it doesn't much follow the book after the first few episodes).
These three played a lot of "little house" in their free time. The table is their wagon, I believe. Photos courtesy of Xavier.
Mia plays Laura and Ma. Zayden plays the roles of Pa and Mary. Evalynn is Carrie. They are adorable and I'm glad we're in this phase of life once again. I hope someone will play little house with Ev when we reach this phase one more time.
*****
School work has been going along as one would expect by this time of year. We've switched Natalee's math to have her do a specific amount of time of math each day and then stop, instead of working until the lesson is complete. This is helping with burn out and frustration. Xavier is almost finished with level 6 of Teaching Textbooks math, and Mia is working her way through multiplication in level 3. Zayden and I are learning temperature, graphing, measurements, and all things important in his level 2 Masterbooks math. Mia and Zayden are both working on Level 1 Rod & Staff reading. She's a few lessons ahead of him, because I stopped his a few weeks ago in order to have him finish his Sing Spell Read and Write well. They both have an independent assigned book to read one chapter a day in. Zayden is reading Janette Oke's Animal Friends series and Ameliya is reading the Nancy S. Levene Alex series. Both are Christian fiction with good moral/character lessons and I scored both sets at thrift stores. Natalee and Xavier are continuing the YWAM Heroes of History US History series and loving them. They took two weeks to read the Harriet Tubman book and finished it this week. Together we continue our study of the United States, covering two states a week. We finished the Rocky Mountain states this week and only have around 9 states left to go! It's been a great year having everyone learning together. I've enjoyed it so much. Natalee and Xavier get their science through co-op and Mia and Zayden (and I) are still working through the human body unit. Everyone enjoys writing some creative writing passages that are prompted from our geography 1-2 times a week - on the other days the big kids do cursive handwriting and the younger two do their Draw Write Now journaling. We keep busy, even if I don't blog specifically about what we are studying.
*****
Sourdough pancakes for Thursday supper (with sausage, egg, potato, bacon, & cheese breakfast burritos and bacon. I'm making myself use my sourdough starter every day or every other for a couple of weeks to get comfortable with it.
Late night math lessons with Daddy.
Friday ended up being another day at home. The older children could have had piano, but the two days with nothing on the calendar was good for our minds and bodies, so we stuck to it.
This dolly, ready for second breakfast, announced "the sun is shining so it's time for a snack now!"
The children finished up their book work in pretty good time, and went to playing by after lunch.
When Evalynn got up from her nap, we went to a store on the hunt for ISU gear. My niece, Emma, signed on to be a Cyclone this coming fall and we wanted some gear for ourselves as well as some for a project Nannie was working on. Emma will be just an hour and a half to our north and I am determined to make those miles feel like "not a big deal" just like I do when I want to run 'home' to Missouri.
(straight up stole this picture from Andrea)...
We definitely understood the assignment. (And also a bag of books....#homeschoolnerds.)
I dropped the kids round to Mike and ran to one last store on my own to finish the ISU gear hunt.
I made sourdough whole wheat biscuits to go with supper and they were a hit with everyone! Mike and I were having home date night, so I just had one biscuit to try them and to hold myself over while the kids finished supper, showers, and got into bed.
And then, somehow, it was Saturday again. It was Zayden's turn to bring team snack and Ev was here for that...
Zayden got called out several times for stealing the ball from the other team during a dribble. The rule hadn't been enforced to this point, but I guess they are only supposed to steal during a pass at this age.
Taking a break....I love his baby cheeks....
Once he understood the rule, he was respectful of it and waited for his moment. He got complimented for being an aggressive player and staying on top of his game when he was in.
I almost deleted this video but loved that the boys redeemed themselves. Probably not the wisest pass initially for Zayden, but they made it right as a team.
Xavier's team played a great game and were much more equal in score by the end of it. They've had a tough season but I see their steady improvements and appreciate how hard they work. I struggle to get not blurry pictures of him - they just move faster I guess.
Mike worked on hanging some TVs and sound equipment in the house Saturday afternoon which meant a trip to Wal-Mart. I was hoping for a couple of take and bake pizzas so I didn't have to make supper, but they were out. Alas. The day went on without a supper plan until I finally rallied myself and went and made another round of sourdough crust pizzas. A few minor adjustments and these were even better than the ones earlier in the week.
We finished the night with a couple of episodes of State Plate to go along with our geography unit, while the girls played dolls.
The full moon week went by in slow rhythms and fast flurries all at the same time. We are thankful to be healthy to get to do all the things and that little Ev recovered from her cold with just a couple of nebulizer treatments, lots of fluids, rest, and fresh air.
No comments:
Post a Comment