Thanksgiving day

Playing games with our cousin before everyone arrives.

 

Playing with some play doh while I work in the kitchen.  He's having fun and it helps me keep an eye on him.  win-win.

Towards the end of our gathering I realize I haven't taken any pictures yet, #4 decides he wants to be the photographer de jour.  This means lots of blurry shots and lots of floor shots :)  He also missed 3 people but that's ok, gotta start somewhere!

 Must have been a good story!

James Garfield

Today we were studying President James Garfield at Carroll Academy and I wanted to share these two quotes from him.

"If the next one hundredth birthday of America does not find us a great nation, it will be because those responsible for its work, its culture, and its morality do not help in controlling the political powers."

"The world's history is a poem written by God.  Although sometimes we are troubled by the sounds of cannon fire and the cries of dying men, the Christian can still hear the melody of God's song which speaks of hope and peaceful days to come.'

school days

 #1 opened the curtains so he could warm up in the sun while doing school work.

#2 & #3 having fun with science projects.

and just because he's cute(and complete with clean laundry behind him).

graduation

 I'm only a month behind but here are a few pictures.  We started out very blurry but here I am getting a congratulations hug from Sean, one of my teachers.  It was a cold night in a tent that we had our graduation ceremony.  Brrr! Then we moved inside the butterfly house and had snacks with the cockroaches-just like Hawaii! :)

 The moon was so beautiful that night!   I wasn't sure if I'd be going as most of my children decided it was the perfect time to get sick but I had someone that stepped up and watched them for me even though they were under the weather.

 I was surprised with one of my favorite things-DQ ice cream cake so yummy!!

I am a massage therapist.

Raising Boys

 The boys found a tire in the valley behind our house and I have learned what a awesome toy/tool this is for them.

 #5 checking the tire to see if it's ok after he 'fixed' it.

 Taking away the 'old' tire.  They had much fun rolling it down the driveway too.  Then the neighbor boys brought duct tape over and they thought of all sorts of interesting things to do with that.  Imagination at it's best!

 Something happened to our pumpkin(it involved a certain spider-like son rolling it down the hill) and it developed a hole.  I decided to go ahead a let the boys smash it and have fun with it.  Really? They were thrilled.

Just today I was listening to a podcast from Focus on the Family(an app on my phone, can also catch on BOT radio and maybe online).  I was listening to one on raising tween boys, I haven't listened to the whole thing yet but it's talking about the importance of kinda letting boys be boys.  Let them explore and do things that you(as a mom) don't necessarily want them to do. But how important it is for them to learn this way.  Got a little of the scientific of the hows and whys this works.  I thought it was very interesting a good reminder that even though I'd prefer not to have old tires laying around and chunks of pumpkin in my yard(or climb that tallest tree).  I am blessed to have boys and I want them to learn and grow into awesome men.  I pray they take the time now to learn and explore and test boundaries so when they are older they will have that back ground  knowledge to go from and be able to make good decisions. 

Fall Break part 2

The Zoo!

 The sea lions entertained us for quiet a long time.  Every time they swam by produced lots of giggles.

 This bird probably doesn't get his picture taken a lot but he kept picking up sticks and building while we were there.  We didn't stay to see what his finished masterpiece was but the kids thought it was neat to see him building.

#1 is on camera duty now.

I

 I was thinking I could get a nice shot of the kids with a beautiful view.  They were thinking look at all the ledges we can walk on...and make mom a nervous wreck....

 shapes

  #1 :)

A beautiful October Day in the Midwest. So thankful for the these times!

Fall Break part one

 A time to get boring appointments in and a time to have fun!  We've been able to stay up later and watch a movie.....after we've sumo wrestled over course!  (notice I still have some 'plump' children, they thought it was hilarious!)

Then we got to cross the Mighty Mississippi and

 visited Cahokia Mounds with friends.  We will have to go back because I think we were so busy chatting that the significance of the place mostly escaped the kids:)

 Up we go, one kid way at the top and one not so close. He was too busy pointing out every bug he could find!

 The kids thought it was neat that we could see the Arch.

 Who knew we'd be able to meet Hawaii friends in the Midwest :)

 

Maybe not the most flattering of us with crazy wind hair and all but I thought it was funny as both our boys kept snapping away and we are giving them the look!