powers

H: jay, can you fix the tv?
J: yep (fixed it)
H: how do you do that??
J: powers
J: (to me) I'm just kidding...

End of the Season Party

They played hard, worked together, and gave it their best! It was a fun season!
















Jay, I'm so proud of you! :)

Soccer {in pictures}

It has been a super fun season!!

{this moment}

Inspired by Soulemama

This rainy weekend

Crafting



More crafting



Playing in the rain




Birthday presents



Star Wars




Playing




Pumpkin pie

This is my favorite recipe:

1 Graham cracker crust
1 canned pumpkin
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
2 T pumpkin pie spice
1/2 t salt

Preheat oven to 425. Combine filling ingredients, mix well and pour into crust. Bake for 15 minutes at 425 then reduce heat to 350 and continue baking for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Enjoy!!!

Hope you are having a lovely weekend as well. :)

Four and a half months

I changed her clothes and her diaper, sat her up and she sat by herself for the first time! It's funny how one day they aren't and the next they are. She growing so fast...





















The boys were so proud of her! Jay said "I don't think there's ever been a 4 1/2 month old who can sit up alone!" Sweet big brothers.

The School Post

I recently read one of those "You know you are a homeschooler when..." lists and one was "when someone asks what grade your child is in and your answer ends in 'ish' " That's us.  Jay is 2nd grade-ish.  And really the only reason I keep up with a grade is so that I have an answer when someone asks!  This is our first year of formal schooling.  The past years have been learning through living.  "How many people in our family? 5, right? There are 3 forks in the dishwasher.  How many more forks do you need?"  Reading LOTS of good books and just letting him ask questions, find answers, play and explore.  That tactic worked great!  This year I bought real school books and have a real plan and it seems he is right where he should be.  That makes a mama happy!  So here is what we are doing this year.

Bob Jones Math

 Explode the Code bk 2

Handwriting Without Tears Bk 1

First Language Lessons by Jessie Bauer

We are also doing geography loosely using Geography for Every Kid and the library and internet fun worksheets mostly found here.

October- Human Body Lapbook
Novemeber-Thanksgiving, Pilgrims, Indians...all that jazz.  Bringing in the geography we are already studying.
Decemeber-German Christmas Traditions

That will get us through the end of the year.  I have plans for next year but they are still dancing around in my head!  They will get on paper soon. 


Hunter has been right in the mix as well.  I've picked up a couple of little math books that he loves.  He also finished a dinosaur workbook.  He is always telling me that he wants harder books!  ok!  He's loving this school thing.  That makes a mama happy too! 

Copying math problems out of Jay's book to his own notebook! So cute!

He also has his own Explode the Code

So that's the school post!

{Birthdays} today's and a few belated

::Today's birthday::







Happy 5th birthday Hunter Bunter!







::Your smile makes me melt
::I love how you like when I wear dresses
::you luh-uv legos
::you would live on pbj sandwiches if I let you (and sometimes it's tempting)
::you are so excited to start soccer
::you love school and always want to work in a "harder" book
::you have decided that you don't like kisses because stick on you
::you are amazing






I am so grateful for you and the beautiful morning that you were born at home. Perfect.
I love you, Hunter all the way to the moon, around the sun, to all the planets and back.

::Belated::







My 30th was in April we celebrated with my Dad, Bro, Sis, and the rest of the fam in late July.




















It was a blast! Thank you guys for an amazing 30th!

::Another belated::







Jay's 7th!
We decided to wait to have his party until after the baby was born. Finally in early August we got a party put together for the sweet boy! He wanted a party at Jackson Park so we braved the heat with pizza, watermelon, popsicles, science experiments and of course, good friends! Good times I tell ya!








Jay, I love you so much. I can't believe how much you are growing up. You are so helpful to me. You make eggs for breakfast, you pick out clothes for Mia, you help me keep tabs on Tyler. I don't know what I would do without your sweet self in my life. I love you....ALL the love!
(what's cool about having your party 4 months late is that you don't have to wait as long for your next one!!)

Happiness is....

flowers from my boys!

"because I wanted to make you happy" ~Hunter

Our Nature Walk

A cool morning (finally!) in Texas!





























Perfect.