Don't Mess with My Girls

Congratulations to both girls for attaining their Black Belts in Tae Kwon Do today! Four years of training paid off well. In town for the big event were Grandma, Gerry, and Papa. Well done to all the testers today!

Late Mid Year Review

This may be my longest blogging drought.

It's been one thing after another since returning from Honduras: a trip to Alabama for our goddaughter's baptism, Hubby in Florida for a preaching conference, preparation for the girls' black belt test, Crockett's 7th birthday, a 3000-gymnast event that our gym puts on - which means we as parents put in muchas horas, another gymnastics meet, preparation for the upcoming National Piano Playing Auditions (this year we have two children involved), putting the finishing touches on my new book, and the countless other things that keep families busy. You would think all this would guard us from the inevitable cabin fever of this season, but no - it's been a very long winter.

I've given up Facebook for Lent, though, so all of a sudden it seems I have plenty of time on my hands. Funny how that works.

Academics are rolling along fairly well for March. We've really enjoyed and been inspired by the My Father's World Exploring Countries and Cultures curriculum this year.  The missionary biographies are not only geographically informative; they pull on the heartstrings as well.  The boys had a great field trip to the Ohio State planetarium with their science co-op. (Lots of stares from the co-eds wondering where these pint sized pupils came from). All four older children count their art class as a highlight of the week. This year they're focusing on "Faces, Places, and Spaces."

Math, Latin, and French are Math, Latin, and French.

We are definitely ready for Spring (and have been for a long time).

Our beautiful goddaughter, Eliza,
on her big baptismal day

Our church packed close to 700,000 meals for the hungry

The girls have completed their two weeks of testing!
Can't wait to see their stuff next weekend (and see them in BLACK)
for the Black Belt Demonstration Day

Late Mid-Year Roundup

March always feels like the beginning of the end for all things academic. There's lots left to do, of course, but considering many of our co-op classes finish at the end of April - the end really is in sight.

This has been one of our most successful years to date, which has been a pleasant surprise. A baby always complicates the schedule  - with lots of holding-on-the-hip teaching, talking over baby babble (which is surprisingly loud), and dealing with extra mama tiredness. Right Hand Man has been our worst sleeper by far so my Keurig has quickly become my new best friend.

Hubby has taken over the phonics work with Crockett, our current kindergartener. While it's a joy to see an emerging reader beam with the satisfaction a new skill, it's a major chore getting there! The painstaking work of sounding out every.single.letter is hard enough on it's own, doing it within a busy household can do me in faster than anything else. A few evenings a week Hubby and Crockett head up to our bedroom and work through the phonics books in peace and quiet. Then they wrestle. Win-win.

Here's where we are:

Bobo: Lesson 70 in Saxon Algebra 1/2. Still taking our time in First Form Latin. We're near the end (finally) but I think I'll stretch it out and not begin Second Form until next year. Her Literature class has probably been her favorite this year (Notable Youth of Purposeful Discussion). The book list: Call of the Wild, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Devil's Arithmetic, Number the Stars, Where the Red Fern Grows, and The Giver. Each week they post answers to comprehension questions on an online forum; they meet monthly to discuss the current book and hand in their final essays. Life Science and American History (first semester was Ohio History) - both taught by dads in the group. Halfway through with Vocabulary from the Classical Roots (A). Art class. She's working hard right now preparing for the annual National Piano Playing Auditions, again doing an International Program which involves gazillions of memorized pieces (10). She recently took her last belt test in Tae Kwon Do before her Black Belt so the training for that begins in earnest now. Her first ever basketball season ended Sunday. She loved it and wants to play again next year. Working one evening a week in our church's nursery and participating in the middle school youth ministry.

Elbow: Lesson 70 in Saxon 6/5. Reading and loving the Raiders from the Sea series. Taking a break from Latin - will begin First Form next fall (Finished Latina Christiana I and I prefer the format of First Form so I didn't want to start her on LC II). Working on writing skills with various grammar, journaling, essay writing etc. Violin - Suzuki Book 3. AWANA. Her big love is gymnastics. Tae Kwon Do. Also in the American History, Life Science, and Art classes with her sister.

Nothing like a baby brother to keep you motivated to finish your math!

Toddzilla: Almost halfway done with Saxon Math 3, finishing Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day with our co-op, beginning cursive, Pathway Readers (so excited to do Sonlight American History next year so he can read all those great books!), dictation, typing, Spelling Workout B (almost done). Art class. Tae Kwon Do. Minecraft (sigh).

Valentine's Party at the Boys' Science Group

Crockett: Hooked on Phonics with Hubby, Saxon Math 1, Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day, Handwriting Without Tears, Art Class. Skylanders on the iPad. Also, captain of the boy's playgroup (keeping them out of our way during work time)

The Patriot and Right Hand Man: Either driving us crazy or making us laugh. So, so sweet together.

Up next: our baby turns one this week!

January Thaw

It must have hit 60 today, reminding me of the January day we moved here five years ago. It's always a welcome relief when everyone heads outside again for more than just a few minutes. Right Hand Man was in his glory: chasing leaves, getting dirty, and getting pulled around the cul-de-sac.

We're in the midst of a busier than usual couple of months, which means I haven't had much time to keep track of our comings and goings. Elbow tried out for her first gymnastics team and made it. She's also preparing for her first communion this Sunday. Exciting times for our ten year old!

Bobo is playing basketball, which makes our Sunday afternoons a bit harried. She's loving the whole team experience though so it's all worth it. She also took on her first real job, which means she makes more money than I do!

The boys are busy with school work, Tae Kwon Do, AWANA, and their neighborhood gang. Here they're hard at work dissecting an owl pellet at our science co-op. 

And the littlest ones always find ways to keep themselves, and everyone else, amused.

We're about to enter round two of birthday season: Crockett will be six in two weeks, then it's baby's first birthday in March, followed closely by the Patriot's 4th. Hubby hits the big 40 in early April. I'm tired already just thinking about it all. 

I can't sign off without this:

The girls spent much of Christmas vacation planning, practicing for, and executing a Beauty Pageant. It involved quite a few of the neighborhood children (even one of the boys - a judge) but the contestants were only Elbow and our "adopted sister." 

Oh, and of course another picture of my not so little littlest one:

 It's been a good start to the New Year.

Count Down to Christmas

The decorations are up, the Advent chocolates are asked for first thing in the morning, Jotham's Journey is being read in the evenings, and our classes are winding down. So begins the countdown to Christmas.

The oldest and the youngest ready for Christmas card pictures

The boys' science reports

Crockett and his buddy at science co-op

Bobo reading to little brothers in the tree house,
still jacketless in December!

I'm so thankful for freshly painted walls in our playroom (above),
kitchen, and entryway. Thank you, Hubby, for my early Christmas present!

Elbow and Toddzilla had their belt tests for Tae Kwon Do on Monday. Two boards for both of them:

O Come, O Come, Immanuel!

Moving Right Along...

Once again, it's been a long time between posts. Things have been humming along happily in our little homeschool; it's a much faster pace this year with a variety of outside classes keeping everyone on their toes. Some highlights from October:

Crockett's first Tae Kwon Do tournament!

Toddzilla took home the gold for his triple board break.

Elbow's new hobby is cake decorating.
She's practicing with a frosting bag and tip.

Baby with his baby.
He got his first tooth this week,
started crawling, and can pull himself up to stand.
He's been busy!

We continue to swim on Thursday afternoons. 

Toddzilla's football team finished second in their division.
He's so excited for tackle next year!

These two super heroes are more than ready for Trick or Treat.

Fall fun.

Baby's first trip to the pumpkin patch!

Taking the girls out for coffee after their various sleepovers this past weekend.

This Week

Whoa... Trying to take a deep breath in the midst of a very busy - but productive - week.

Ended last week with a first paper due for Bobo's literature class. She got a laptop for her 12th birthday from Gramma, Gerry, Nana, Papa and me and Hubby; a huge treat for her but also a necessity for us. We've been living on one computer for the 7 of us at home (Hubby has a work laptop) and it's not cutting it this year with all the additional writing our oldest has to do. Her paper was on The Call of the Wild. Now the group is reading The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. 

Sunday I got to hear another rousing sermon from my good looking pastor (applause from the congregation to confirm the first point, I hope I'm the only one who gets to comment on the second). Rushed off to see my boy have another triple touch down day on the field.

The girls' Ohio History class took a field trip to Flint Ridge in search of arrowheads and other fun stuff on Tuesday.

Wednesday was our usual craziness. We added to the excitement by bringing three additional kids to AWANA. Oh my.

Thursday Bobo turned 12. One of her best buddies dropped in at lunch to take her out for a surprise celebration. You gotta love homeschooling for impromptu fun like that.

Today the boys had a science field trip; the girls' group had a quiz and their fall bug collections due. Twenty insects required for each student (that's 40 for us!) and of course there's the work of classifying each one. Again, oh my.

Up tomorrow is a Tae Kwon Do tournament for Crockett, Toddzilla, and Elbow. Bobo has to miss it because she has a previously scheduled piano competition at a local university. Which, I may add, has required months of preparation.

In the midst of the craziness we did get out to celebrate Bobo's birthday tonight: dinner on the town at a local swanky, organic joint. Lots of stares coming our way. I'm not sure many local, swanky people have six children.  Happy Birthday, Bobo!

It's been a good week.

Overrun

... by boys this weekend.

My girls are off and I'm home with 5 guys.  Can't wait until my girls come home and bring a little civility to this establishment. (How many different ways can a boy describe things no one wants described anyway?) I'm hoping there's a special place in heaven for the moms of many boys.

Speaking of my girls, though, it's been a busy week. Elbow had a Tae Kwon Do test AND a violin recital. Bobo finished basketball camp, tried to open an Etsy store ("They charge you to post things?!") and continued to work on a short novel along with all her buddies in Writer's Guild.

Nesting?

Things I've done this week:

• cleaned all main level floors - rugs and hardwood
• had carpet on stairs and bedrooms professionally cleaned and deodorized
• cleaned out my email inbox
• packed my hospital bag (something I failed to do in time with the last baby)
• had Hubby raise crib mattress to highest position, awaiting it's sixth little occupant
• contemplated starting our taxes

In other news:

Girls tested last night for new Tae Kwon Do belts. Elbow is now a brown, that makes her a senior belt! Bobo is red, getting closer and closer to black. Crockett, in his debut junior session, is eagerly awaiting his first chance to break a board next week:

Elbow is back after a great time on a special 9 year old trip to Disney:

And the weather is nice, perfect for my littlest two adventurers to be outside during school hours:

Back to Work

It was a slow moving crowd on Tuesday morning when we started back to our school routine. The older children came down with their comforters wrapped around them and plopped themselves on the couch for family bible time those first two mornings, definitely more asleep than awake. By the end of the week we hit our groove again, but I will say it's tough coming back from two weeks off!

A few highlights:

Toddzilla and Crockett working on notebook
pages for Story of the World: The Ancients

Elbow getting literally blown away at science this afternoon
while learning about hurricane force winds and other climate related topics.

You gotta love the things only home schoolers can get away with!

My motivation lags a bit in January and February so I bolstered up some perseverance over break by re-reading two of my old standards: Margin and The Underground History of American Education. (There's no one quite like John Taylor Gatto to remind you - from time to time - why you do the things you do).

Crockett gets to start Tae Kwon Do tomorrow. Considering all things Ninja/Samurai/Power Rangers are his ab-fabs, I'm banking on martial arts being right up his alley.

Tournament!

Big Tae Kwon Do tournament on Saturday:

Elbow before breaking her board. She took
home a gold for her Pal Gwe.

Bobo after winning the board break
competition for her belt level

Don't Mess With My Girls!

Gold Medal Day

A marathon Tae Kwon Do tournament yesterday... 

... also begins a marathon week for us at Living Waters. 

Happy Holy Week!