Masking tape fun

 I have been wanting to do this for a while.  Finally, we picked up a roll of masking tape with the groceries.  Sean was so excited to get started.  I laid down a basic design for a race track.  He added the "book ramps."  I promise we really do actually read books, in addition to appreciating their construction value.

Parking spaces added, per request.

He actually added more to this, but I didn't get a picture. I'm fairly certain a roll of this will find its way to his Christmas stocking.

 

And here is some random cuteness with sweet Luke in the background "reading" a book (See?  We read them!).

Our first day back to school

Today I decided to just jump right back into some more intentional schooling.  I have a particular rhythm in mind for each day that goes something like this:

Breakfast pretty soon after waking. 

 We lit a candle for each of the boys so they could enjoy it and then blow them out when breakfast was finished (the best part, right?).

We did morning chores.  No pics of this because I was holding Eli.  They just cleared their dishes, made beds, got dressed and brushed teeth.  I am going to make some chore cards soon.  It will be part of an art project for Sean.

Next, we had circle time.  We worked on calendar recognition, read the Bible story and listened to the verse of the week song. I might beef it up later, but for now simple is nice.

Play time with blocks, cars and magnets.  Sean made a "tornado" out of the magnets that ate the blocks.  Luke pretty much just tried to destroy everything.

Because Luke was having a few melt-downs I put him in bed at 11:00.  I flip-flopped our Sonlight story time and reading/writing.  We started Explode the Code and Sean did the pre-test (very well, I might add!).

Then you-know-who came out ready to "be done fussing." 

Sean read a story from his reader.

Then he practiced writing some of the key words from the story (on a sweet, new wipey board).

Luke practiced writing and chewing the eraser off the pencil.  He sat in my lap the other half of the time... no pics available of that cuteness.

They went outside to play on the patio while I made lunch.  They ate while I fed Eli.  How does he always wake up right when I get the food on the table...?

Luke goes down for a nap (again).  Sean plays while I work on laundry and other miscellany. 

We sat on the couch and did our Sonlight reading.  A little about Roman dress and homes.  Some poems... and that was it.  Not too much on the schedule today.

I had to take Eli to the doctor so Jeff came home early from work.  He took the boys outside and they played with ice that we had frozen in various containers last night.  When I got home with Eli they were still playing outside... beautiful weather right now!

We ate a quick dinner (Jeff made eggs and toast).  They went back out and played right up until bath time.  Then we cleaned up toys in the living room.  I may or may not have snuck in a mommy chore.  Ahhh... the days where vacuuming is fun for them.

Then, off to bed for my busy boys. 



Welcome, Eli!

Elijah Stephen

 was born one day after his due date.

He weighed 8 pounds and 5 ounces & was 19 1/2 inches long.



Proud big brothers.

We are so thankful to God for this gift and for all 3 of our sweet boys!

My handsome boys

A very sweet and talented friend took some pictures for us of Sean and Luke.  I have not had any kind of portrait-type sitting for them since Luke was a newborn (*gasp!*).  And these boys are fast little stinkers so getting a good shot of them together has been rather challenging.  Plus, I tend to lose my joy a bit and the sweet moment I'm trying to capture gets a little bungled when mama throws a fit. 

So.... without further ado...

I am so very blessed with these two.  I am so looking forward to Eli joining us!

Glimpse of schooling

I am desperately trying to get some schooling in this summer before Eli comes.  Apparently the summer is not the easiest time to start for us!  Oh, well... doing the best we can.  I'd  rather it be enjoyable for us all, rather than stress getting a checklist done.

Here we read a little about the Egyptians.  Sean made sugar cube pyramids.  Luke just stacked his.  Suprisingly, no cubes were ingested durig the crafting of this project.

After reading a poem about a brother, we made a family tree.  I went through a box of random photos and got shots of all the family I could.  I held up each picure and asked Sean whose side of the family it goes on- mommy's or daddy's.  It was interesting to see him try to figure it out and ask questions.

We picked up our produce from the CSA after lunch. Sean helped me go through the cherries and pick out the bad ones.  I'm thinking of making some homemade pop tarts with cherry filling... we'll see!

And this is what transpires after I tell him to get his pencil box so we can do our reading/writing.  I just sat and watched for a while as he made his little boy sound effects with the erasers and had imaginary battles.  It was too cute.  We did not get to the reading/writing portion of the day.  I'm okay with that.

I am still so excited about doing this with the boys and getting these glimspes into their day that I might otherwise miss.

Beach Memories

We had the best time at the beach.  It's the first family trip we've had since Sean was born, not work-related.  I am not a beach-lover, but May was the perfect time to go.

Sean sitting in the float. Floats not allowed in the ocean...?

It's been a while since I've been- didn't know this rule!

Walking around a shopping center.

Might be my favorite picture from the trip... my handsome boys.

 Look at that face enjoying a roller coaster ride game.

He looks like a cartoon character!

I had to have at least one shot of me to prove I was on the trip, too!



Luke loved the golf cart.  Both boys acted like we actually owned it.



This trip was just the refreshing we needed after a good, but busy semester at school. We are so grateful to God for allowing this blessing!

Starting some school

In preparation for Eli, who is scheduled to be here around August, I am kind of, sorta starting Sean's official first year of school.  We went ahead (after much deliberation, brain-hurting deliberation) and ordered the Kindergarten core from Sonlight.  In a nutshell, it just seemed the easiest way to go and still get some good reading.  With a new baby in tow I am all about making it realistic.  I can add as much as I want to the daily reading... or not.  With that I am working on some ways to add in living math.  And we are still doing Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons... I am so ready to be done with that! 
Anyway, after that fine intro to Sonlight I have no pictures of us doing it.  Yet.  We did manage to shoot some science- my boys love experiments.

I think these were called Goo Worms.

Then some crane building. Looks like Luke is reading the instructions.  Sean is making his own creation.

And we have been able to get outside to play just about every day.  In this rapidly warming weather. 

**insert reminder that I'm 26 weeks pregnant** 

Every day. 

Daddy doesn't realize yet, but he is about to take over this particular adventure.

We take a walk to check mail and explore the new bushes (honey suckle and blackberry right now).  They look at puddles in a hands-on kind of way (much to my delight).  And there is always the sand box.

I do love having these crazy boys.