Just Checking In . . .

**Howdy! I had this post mostly written up earlier this week but wasn't able to finish it until now. Mostly everything is the same except the sunny part. The sun is hiding again. :)


The weather outside is . . .
Lookin' up! It's been brrrr. . . sub-zero. And cloudy. Today it has started warming up and I see some blue skies. Oh thank the Lord! Maybe I can get the kids and I outside for some fresh air and recreation. We still have a few colds to finish off first though. By tomorrow we should be good to go.

I'm listening to . . .
Pandora and Mace digging through the cabinets.

The kiddlings . . . (if I make up that word should it have one d or two?)

Mace:
He took his first steps a few days before his birthday. Ever since he's been experimenting with walking but still, his go-to choice of getting around has been crawling (and quickly!). The last twenty-four hours he made the big switch. His preferred mode of ambulation is now walking. I don't think I've seen him crawl at all today. Oh my goodness, the older kids and I can't get over how cute he is! The past week he has been walking with his arms straight over his head for balance. Two days ago I noticed that his arms were out to the side. Last night and today he's been carrying things around the house. Especially balls. Oh my HOW this kid LOVES to play ball. Can I get a sports scholarship out of this one? J/K. Only if he wants one.

Nutmeg:

Nutmeg and I had to finally can the cutesy preschool alphabet-themed activities and books. I am a bit sad. Booho. It really is so much fun! I just couldn't do it. Too much stress. I just couldn't spend all that time planning. With four kiddos now I realize it have to be all about family learning. We pretty much have to learn on the same topic and with similar activities. We are moving on and aren't looking back. Nutmeg and I have are several lessons into Phonics Pathways. I used this with the boys as well. Simple, easy, and works like a charm. You've got yourself a good reader in a couple years. Most afternoons Nutmeg and I cuddle on the couch to do some phonics, counting, and casual handwriting with a white board. In the next couple weeks I plan on ordering her the kindergarten workbook from Singapore math and supplies from Handwriting Without Tears. Lots of stories with mom on the couch, art with mom and brothers, working with mom around the house, listening in on everything else, and she's good to go.

The boys just began the second unit in the Student Writing Intensive A by IEW. Story sequence models. Today they finished their second story. I asked them which of their stories they would like to share with ya'll and here are the stories they chose. Please don't critique us too carefully; we're new at this. ;)

Sage:

"How Two Magicians Got An Assistant"

     One cold March evening two magicians, who were friends, were practicing their magic tricks in their theater. They were very skilled at magic tricks because they attended to their magic book thoroughly.

     However, they didn't have an assistant! With no assistant who would help with the magic tricks?!  They had to think of an idea because they badly needed a assistant.

     The next day one magician brainstormed an idea that they would put on a spectacular magic show! When the people come someone in the audience could volunteer and that person could be their assistant!  So it happened all the excited people arrived and the chose the volunteer who was in the front. After the show the magicians asked if he cold be their assistant.

"Of course!" he answered.

     So they thankfully took him as their assistant.

The end.

   

 Basil:

Don't Lie!
     Once upon a time in Middle-earth there lived a foolish hobbit boy.  He loved flowers of course, and liked to eat and drink but most of all he enjoyed playing with his friends.  
     One day in his hobbit hole he was peacefully washing dishes. He longingly wished he could go but you must remember he was a little hobbit boy who had a mother to obey.   She warned him that day to beware of Orcs and told him to stay in the house. He had to wash dishes by himself because his mother had gone to buy fresh eggs and celery. When he was washing dishes he found it so dull that he decided that he must catch some attention, so he yelled as loud as he could "Orc!" When the other hobbits heard the echo they rushed up the hill with axes, sticks, and every kind of weapon you could think of. One hobbit girl even had a feather!  Anyway, when they got to the top of the hilly they found the silly hobbit roaring with laughter and saying "Ha! Ha! Ha! You old fools!" They were very angry and burst out saying "Do no do this again!"
     The next day the hobbit was washing dishes and was so miserably bored that he could not stand it and howled "Orc!" at the top of his lungs. For the second time the hobbits ran up the hill and into the hole. The hobbit was laughing. This time they were outraged and shouted in his ear, "You really must not do this agian!"
     The next day the hobbit found a real Orc in the house hissing, "I'm gonna kill you halfling!" The poor hobbit mightily shrieked "Orc! Orc."  The other hobbits just ignored him thinking it was just the same lie. "Orc! Orc!! Or-.." The hobbits were startled at this and ran up the hill but they only discovered blood and hobbit's clothes all over the floor. 

The end.

The boys and I have been knee-deep in long division. It hasn't totally clicked yet. Working on it. ;)

Around the house . . .
Almost finished packing up the Christmas decorations. Phew. Doug and I have been working on a list of "Projects that Require Time And/Or Money." (okay, mostly me but I think he appreciates the whole idea) I wrote our list up in the "Notes" app on the iPad so it won't get lost in a pile of papers. I've been scheduling out our projects for the year in the "calendar" app. Best Christmas gift EVER that iPad has been. So we'll see how this attempt at organizing will go. The next couple of weekends we have "green bathroom" up for a makeover. It's a long overdue project. Maybe I can get some pictures of it for ya'll sometime.

It in the kitchen . . .
Good steady rhythm. Do any of you enjoy the menus I post? Ever try one of the recipes and I liked it? Shoot me a note if you do/have.

Here's what we had last week:
Pasta with sun-dried tomatoes, sausage, and kale
Orzo salad with garbanzo beans, kale, feta, lemon, etc.
All Pumpkin's Night Stew (the caraway seeds in this are so flavorful)
Apple spice waffles, eggs, fruit
Oven barbecue chicken with mashed potatoes and broccoli
Crockpot Chicken Burrito Bowls (easy!)

On my nightstand:
Bleak House by Charles Dickens. I'm either going to read that or The Von Trapp Family Singers.  I finished Kristin Lavransdatter.  It was epic.

We are reading aloud:
Yesterday we finished a biography about Thomas Aquinas. Those biographies by Mary Fabyan Windeatt are extraordinary. The kids are riveted every time we read one. Even Doug read the one about Thomas Aquinas and said he couldn't put it down. I'm not sure what we'll do next. I need to check my list. In the meantime we are enjoying all the tales and folktales in My Book House. I adore these books! We checked out three volumes at the library and are relishing them together. I don't want to give them back. It's an old series. If you see them at a garage sale or something, let me know.


Love you all!!