Friday, April 30, 2010

Math

Okay. Confession. I am one of those crazy people who happen to think that math is fun. Teaching it to my sons is not the least bit intimidating (hey, after all, I already taught Algebra to a room full of kids because the teacher had decided she was only willing to instruct people who "cared," and that apparently she thought that was me, and that if anyone else wanted to pass her class, then they were going to have to get me to show them how to do it... ahem, but that's another story).

I'm not considered weird at all within the walls of our own home, as the boys and my hubby like it too. In fact, if Levi is feeling daunted by his handwriting practice (please, Mama, can't I write the alphabet in capitols, instead of lowercase??), all I have to do is get our math work out where he can see it, and tell him he's got to get through the other stuff with a good attitude if he wants to do math today. Presto, chang-o, good attitudes abound and work is finished well and quickly!

Isn't that a riot? And of course, the Puzzle King wanted to participate in the lesson today, which was right up his alley. After he finished finding all the hidden Bb's on his worksheet, which he thought was quite fun!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

thursday

Yay! It worked! I loved that little pinafore pattern. Love, love, loved it! But I didn't want to buy the infant size pattern, so I got out the two store dresses we have and did my own altering to the pattern, and presto! It worked!

We also had a bit of fun getting ready for birthdays! Micah made a card for his Grandma! (normally I wouldn't spoil her surprise, but I doubt the card will make it on time, and I wanted her to feel the birthday love!)
Happy birthday Gramma!
And Happy birthday Gram!
We love you both!

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

bunk beds

Ask and you shall receive.
And look what we received!




Somebody is definitely due a thank you card, don't you think?!?

Monday, April 26, 2010

nature

We've been enjoying the spring weather, and ambling at a local public garden. The place is beautiful, and it hasn't been very crowded, because we've been walking in the drizzle. We just put our hoods up, or pop up an umbrella, and keep going (though I will confess that we start circling towards the van if it's looking like it might really start raining).
Right after we got to the gardens today, a robin flew up and landed in her nest, where she stayed tucked in tight. The boys thought it was amazing!





(Ahem ~ you aren't allowed to pick flowers there, but you can collect the ones that fall on their own).

And here is what it looks like when your three year old is sitting on your lap, going bananas because he is "SO ES-CITED!" and wants you to flip the camera over and take your picture...

What was he excited about? You'll have to come back tomorrow to see!

Friday, April 23, 2010

in a day

Micah started some beginner schoolwork! He was "so es-cited!" We are going to stick with the one letter a week approach, just doing a tiny bit of work at a time, so that preschool stays fun.

And here are a few more moments...


King of Corn. Doesn't he crack you up?

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

things to come

Okay. This post is totally self-indulgent. No bright ideas, no cute phrases, no crazy boys-with-chickens pics. Just a quick shot of how I spent my evening after the boys went to bed.

Yup. Girly things. Now, if you will kindly notice, both the pinafore and the bonnet are fully reversable, and they are blue. With puppies. I have had these patterns and this material stashed away, for heaven knows how long (probably a good 2 years), just waiting.

You know, people keep asking us: "What are you going to do with a little girl?" Which I find hysterical. Yes, boys and girls are different. I know that. I get that. I was surrounded with boys (and redneck, country boys to-boot) growing up, which accounts for much of my oddness (I don't know why my best-friend gave me such an odd look that time I remarked that a Mack truck was beautiful).

So, in case you too are wondering what I'm going to do with a little girl, I'll put it right here: I'm going to sew, sew, sew. And then I'm going to put her in all those fun, easy-going clothes I've made, and set her right down in the dirt/sand/grass that the rest of us are playing in. I'm going to make sure she knows how to ride 4-wheelers and shift gears, and start a good fire. I'm going to let her get good and dirty, climb the trees God made, examine the worms that till His earth, and teach her about nature.

And if you're thinking, "Good luck with that, just wait till she becomes a teenager," then I have an answer for that too. I refuse to worry about that. God isn't giving me a teenager. Today He's given me two awesome, fun little boys, and a tiny little girl. And I won't let the chubby fingers, the diaper changes, and the baby laughs slip through my fingers unnoticed because I'm worried about tomorrow.

He wouldn't want that.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

canoe

I almost forgot these! Levi found this God-made canoe on the beach, and he loved it! Pappy put some twine on it so he could pull it around, and the thing even floated! He played with it in their fish pond, but wanted to show it off for the camera...


And here's Micah, singing and dancing to his own tune!

Happy Tuesday!

Monday, April 19, 2010

three

Micah turned three over the course of several days, since we were going to be traveling on his birthday. He was so very, very excited to help make his cake, and he informed me that "Me will be three when it's all gone!"


And then Uncle Kevin surprised him with a birthday campfire! We had dinner and cake around the fire. I'm pretty sure that Levi's cake & ice cream had kicked in by the time this shot was taken...

And this is where Micah enjoyed his party from! He ate his dinner, cake & ice cream in the tree fort. He opened his presents there, watching the fire crackle several feet away and below. He was very, very, very happy.




And here he is in the big kid booster. I figure that it's time to move up when you can explain exactly what discomfort a regular car seat causes you.


And here we are on our road trip. I hid a few little presents in the car, and gave them to the birthday boy as we were travelling. It's amazing how excited a kid can get over a matchbox car, a barrel of monkeys, bubbles, and a genuine slinky.

And as all these little moments were flashing past, I was watching my little guy get bigger and older and more well-spoken. He's loud, and happy, and so excited about the little things in life. He's excited about others - their birthdays, their little celebrations. He's excited about his little sister coming. About being a big brother.
He's my boy, my little comedian.
And he's three.
Wow.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Farm Part 3

Okay, so this is the last of our farm pictures! The place was heaven for anyone who likes to take pictures... See? here's my lambs petting little lambs!


The chicks were 8 days old, so they put them all in a basket and came around, handing one to each family... Levi was thrilled (he hasn't held a chick since Nana's hatched last year).





Love this old John Deere!

This is Levi lecturing the rooster. Apparently it spends a lot of time in the goat pen...



The only problem with this trip is that it has re-inforced both my sons desires for a horse and several chickens (the kind that lay eggs)! I would get a couple of layers (oh, fresh eggs...), but you have to have so many feet between the coop and your neighbors' buildings! As for the horses, I told them that horses need lots and lots of grass to eat, and that if God ever gives us a really big yard, then maybe He'll give us some horses to go with it.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Farm Part 2

Well, if you know my boys at all, then you know they were so excited about riding on the farm train...



We loved the small animal house, where you can hold the most docile rabbits and guinea pigs. I do not recommend the hedgehog, though...

And when they say everyone gets to try and milk a cow, they mean it! This was the one thing that Micah was a little over-whelmed by. He stood safely to the side as Levi and I took our turns!

And here's the front end of Sweet Lips, which surprisingly few people visited (isn't that funny?)

The whole place was dotted with photo-opportunities!

One more day of the farm to come!