Out the Window

All the excited children,
Gathered 'round the door,
Peering through the window
Into the dark,
To see the snow flying through the air
And accumulating on the grill.

Kaomi's Birthday -2014

She turned 7 this week.  We took her to pick out a bicycle for her birthday on Labor Day. 

Special Place Setting

Happy 7th Birthday!

She had a bagel with strawberry cream cheese for breakfast.  Then we went outside so she could try riding her bike again.  We had a Frozen themed day.  We made snowmen while listening to the song "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?"  Later we designed sparkly/icy necklaces with iridescent and glitter pony beads.  In the afternoon, I got the doll clothes out for their 18" dolls and the girls had fun picking out new outfits and accessories for their dolls to wear.  Then we had a snack of pink princess goldfish crackers.

Snowmen!

After dinner, we had ice cream cake.  She wanted a strawberry cake, but I couldn't find good strawberry ice cream.  It was vanilla ice cream with strawberry filling.  Kaomi said it was good.

After she opened her presents from her brothers and sisters we went to the playground.  Grammy came by while we were there to wish Kaomi "Happy Birthday".  She left a present for Kaomi at the house.  It was a pink cowboy hat that she was very excited to receive.

After School

From July 7th

Yesterday we worked on school, but took a break to go to the summer library program.  The library program was about colors.  The kids got to pick two colors of paint to mix in a ziplock bag and make a butterfly.  They came out really fun looking.  I hung them up in the window where the sun shines through in the late afternoon and evening and they looked really neat.

 

Before we went to the library Lissie and Clark were learning about Joshua fighting the Battle of Jericho.  We built the "city of Jericho" and they got to march around and knock the walls down.

 

Jeff thinks its crazy of me to keep a 2 ft. + stack of open egg cartons in the closet upstairs, but they are just perfect for building things for school.

Fourth of July

We got up early to go with Jeff to the 5K Liberty run in which he wanted to participate.  There were many participants.  Jeff thought there were somewhere around 400.  He raced well and came in 29th over all and was in 2nd in his age division. 

After the race, we went to the 4th of July parade in Denton.  Then we ate muffins on the square before we returned home.  In the evening we went to Jeff's brother's home and enjoyed visiting with family from both sides and had dinner together.  Several of us went to watch fireworks when it started to get dark.  This was the first year that we had 5 crying kids that wouldn't calm down, so Jeff and I took them to the van.  Kent got to stay with everyone else to watch the show.  We returned home tired from our busy day, but enjoying the freedoms we have in our country because of those who have been fighting for freedom long before our time.

Return to School

We started back to school part time a couple weeks ago.  Now we are back to full days, three times a week.  This schedule leaves us with flexibility to participate in any other summer activities as they come along.  The kids and I are enjoying the daily routine that school adds to our week.  Here is the artwork that was completed last week.

Kent and Katy painted a tree with a leaf falling from it to go along with a poem by Jack Frost and Kaomi painted the ocean to go along with Columbus' first trip into the unknown.

This week I gave them "special" pencils to use leading up to the 4th of July.

Clark's 3rd Birthday

We celebrated Clark's birthday on Monday.  He wanted a "cars" birthday.

He was a little excited about his birthday this year.  He's been eagerly anticipating its arrival since February.  When he came out of his room first thing and he saw the balloon and his special place setting I heard him whisper, "It's my birthday!"  He was excited to have a bagel for breakfast.

After breakfast he played outside for a little while and then watched an episode of "Chuck and Friends"  Then we loaded up the van and picked up Aunt Cathy and the cousins and headed to a local park to play.

After we went to the park we came home and fixed lunch.  Clark wanted leftover mac and cheese and everyone else had ham sandwiches.  After lunch they made scenes with stickers from the movie Cars.  Then I read a couple books to Clark and everyone went to their rooms for quiet time.  During quiet time I decorated Clark's cookie cake.  After quiet time Clark wanted to watch the movie Cars.  Daddy and Clark went to get pizza for supper and then we had cake and presents.  Clark was so excited about all of his gifts.  I really enjoy this age when the anticipation for a present is high and the excitement is catching and the joy upon the gift received is fun to watch.  Grammy came over with Riley (dog) and brought Clark a present too.  After her visit, when she was leaving he told her thank you for the present all by himself.

The Slow Pace

We've been taking it easy since school got out.  The week that we finished school I ended up sick.  So we I took about 10 days of just doing the necessities of the day.  Now, we've been doing our regular chores, playing, reading books, snuggling with little kids, keeping up with Clark and Quinn or watching a little TV.  We're doing the summer reading program through our library, so we go to the library at least once a week.  I've also been trying to tackle one other cleaning area each day that is either in desperate need of my attention or is something that doesn't get done often during the school year.  Staying home, checking my garden and not running around to different activities has been refreshing.  I like the slow pace.

Family Picture - 2014

Jeff, Quinn, and I found a beautiful patch of firewheels in a state park.  We went back the next day to get a family picture.

School's Out

We are done with school for the year.  Everyone passed their work and gets to move on to the next level.  Silly Katy told us after only one day of no school that she was bored without school and wanted someone to print some math worksheets for her.  I made a deal with the older kids.  If they do a good job on their responsibilities and chores they will have more time to play.  If they do a bad job, waste too much time, or complain too much they will get to work for me.  If they owe me work it gets completed at 9:00 in the morning or 4:00 in the afternoon unless I tell them otherwise.  So far I've gotten some doors, window sills and floors washed.  I had some help on a short cleaning project I was tackling and the bookshelf upstairs is on its way to having the books look like they belong on it again.  This morning Clark and Felicity were in the backyard at 7:30 picking yellow flowers for me.  They are so sweet.  Quinn has been up since sometime after 5 am and he even convinced me to give him some breakfast at 6:30.  He'll be ready for a nap soon.

Behind the Scenes During School

I heard lots of playing and giggling from Lissie and Clark one morning, but they weren't fighting, so it was a little while before I checked on them.  They were "going camping".

 While I was teaching math to one child, Kaomi who was waiting her turn with me styled my hair.  I guess that is how to do two things at the same time.

More of Clark's and Quinn's Fun Stuff

Clark told me he was getting a hair cut.

Quinn thinks its fun to play in this car.  He can get in and out all by himself.

Late night giggles and snuggles are worth it.  Even if the baby gets wound up and doesn't want to go to sleep until after Mommy's normal bedtime.

Clark was practicing his name.  I told him to put the letters in order and this is what he did ALL BY HIMSELF.  He didn't even look at the placemat on which he usually matches up his letters.

Yesterday, Clark was playing with this wrench and then he told me, "I have a holly-lop."

Other happenings:
Quinn is taking more steps and realizing it is kind of fun.  It is fun to hear all the kids exclamations of "Quinn just walked!".

Clark put a sticker on his "eyeball" this morning.  It was really on his elbow.

Kent's 10th Birthday

This weekend we celebrated Kent's birthday.  He is now 10.  He likes Ford mustangs, so we thought we would use that as his theme this year.

We started the weekend Friday night with a campfire and s'mores.

 Saturday was Kent's actual birthday.  He had waffles for breakfast.

Kent's 10th special place setting.

Happy 10th Birthday, Kent!

After breakfast Jeff, Kent and Kaomi went to help with a shift cooking briskets for their Christian Service Brigade fundraiser.  On their way home they stopped to visit at Dad-Dad and Grammy's house.  Kent was excited about the gift from their family.

Kent's gift from Dad-Dad and Grammy.

While they were gone the rest of us went grocery shopping and when we came out there was a mustang parked next to us.

Happy Birthday, Kent!  We found a mustang.

We ordered pizza for lunch and then we took Kent to a local Ford dealer so he could look at a real mustang.  It is Mustang's 50th anniversary, so the dealer gave Kent a poster of mustangs from every year.  He also got a book about the newest mustang available.

After we returned home Kent played an x-box game that he wanted to play.  After a supper of hambergers and watermelon we sang happy birthday, ate cake, and let him open his presents.

Kent's mustang cake.

He was excited to get his first pocket knife.

We wrapped up Saturday evening with hugs and kisses and going to bed a little bit later than usual.

Bridge

We had the opportunity to meet up with some friends and watch a bridge being put into place a few weeks ago.  The bridge is over 100 years old and was moved here so we could enjoy it in our park.