What's Been in the Work Boxes

This post is soo soo late! So much is happening and I am barely keeping up! ;) We had a busy couple of homeschool weeks...and busy of course means fun! ;) I think I did a little better job at capturing the moments to share, but this is just the "different" things we do! Each day still consist of the usual stuff which I am too wrapped up in to photograph! ;) So here it is...

We had our first zoo class! The zoo is offering a class once a month at a very reasonable price, so we jumped on the opportunity and it gives us that time at the zoo every month! Can't complain a bit and I was very impressed with the programming! This time it was all about the rainforest! :)

A firetruck came to Grady's preschool to teach some and let us play around after the classes finished so that was a lot of fun! 

All of them enjoyed a minute as a fireman! 

This past week we got to incoperate his Bible reader and notebook! It was a wonderful addition to our studies! And finally found something he really really enjoys reading out of! He's already read most of it, even though we technically are only on the first story! ;) a little repeat won't hurt a bit! 

Ada and her curly handwriting! We may just spend a summer unit on cursive because she loves it so much! ;) 

"I LOVE vowels!"...pretty much music to my ears! Haha. She's loving learning to read...no fight with her! It's wonderful and definitely very different from her math brain brother! ;) 

Grady joining the dinosaur stamping fun! 

Rosey and Nina kidnapped our big boy for a few days, so Ada and I had the very rare opportunity to do school one on one...and we were living it up! ;) We made clay dinos, stuffed dinos, dino stamps, dino print cookies, and went for a dino dig! She was definitely enjoying the extra mommy time! 

These are their dino roars. ;) Everyone needs a dino roar with their cookies!

We also used the extra time to focus on math and work with the math rods some. She hasn't spent quite as much time on these types of things as Grayson did, but she still is catching on! ;)

Using his counting bears for word problems. Yes! I said word problems....eeeek! But we survived and he absolutely eats that stuff up! He will be teaching me this math before long!

Very cool thing happened during exploration Friday! They found a butterfly who let them each hold him and observe him and then he was off! Very cool! The kids loved it! And Grayson is totally convinced that one of his from his butterfly garden last year came back to see him! ;)

It's been a jammed packed, busy couple of weeks. But fun! Loving every minute! :)

Listening and Letting Go

For months, I have struggled with whether to keep up with social media or not, particularly Facebook. I do well managing the blog and Pinterest because that's usually done after bedtime!  I won't lie, I love it. I am a junkie! And this is going to be a huge adjustment! I enjoy lots of things, the mommy networks, the support, my praying friends, family from far off, and so much more. It's often a place I turn to for "quiet" time or just a little interaction with the outside world! Let's face it, a homeschooling mommy of three just doesn't get out much! ;) I Pinterest, blog, Facebook...but with these things comes distraction. And distraction leads to all of sorts of things. On occasion my mind would get consumed with totally irrelevant stuff that had little or nothing to do with me, I would find myself pausing the important things to entertain the so non-important, and I would notice, on my most distracted days, that my children would compete for attention...and lets be honest, that's just messy! ;) And often leads to a worn thin mommy!

I love social media, I do! But these days, with three small children, homeschooling, and juggling all that goes with life, social media just gets in the way and can serve as quite a distraction for me personally! I have prayed and tried to justify my use of it, but today, right out of the blue, God slapped me right in the face. I couldn't hide from it anymore. God showed me exactly what I needed to do! He gave someone the words I needed to hear and then he put it right where I would see it....on Facebook, nonetheless! ;) Ha! No really, a very well written article was shared, I clicked, and instantly knew this was the answer I had been praying and seeking. And had I not, literally a couple hours before, stood, with tears in my eyes, frustration in my heart, and  with my face towards heaven asking that He make me the mother my children need. Asking Him to help me to be the person who glorifies Him. Help me to approach my strong willed child with compassion and with HIS heart. Help me to be tender with my sensitive girl, and loving yet firm with my two year old who is discovering himself and the world around him! I asked for those things, today, just a little while before the post. And just like that, he put it right in my face. And that's just something you can't ignore! So, it's about time I listen and let this go for awhile! 

I want to be ALL in with my little ones. I want to make the most of this one shot! They are my reason for existence. Some people can juggle it all, I obviously lack the self control necessary to juggle it "all". ;) 

And as much as I love seeing bright shinning faces of my friends' children and keeping up with the goings on of their lives, and staying connected with family near and far, at this time, I have to step away. My little ones won't be little forever, I know that all to well when I look into the face of my almost 6.5 year old. I will continue blogging , which you can, of course, follow by email.  I love to keep up and preserve these sweet times. Maybe one day, I will rejoin the world of Facebook, but for today, I bid farewell!! I am so thankful for my friends, and I know that if God is leading me this direction, he will continue to sustain those relationships that are meant to last! XOXOXO! 

Daniel Tiger Birthday!

We had a small little party to celebrate my baby boy's two year old birthday! It was beautiful weather, we had lots of family, and our closest friends! It was a fun day :) Yall know, parties are my thing, they make me happy! So party we did. This one was easy though, we just face painted, bounced, and had a little hay ride! We hired out an aunt to do the face painting, had a friend nice enough to loan out her small bouncy house, and Grady's uncle is a tractor man so he helped us out with the hay ride part and the kids loved it! :) And I, of course, had to make the cutesy food to go with the party theme...thanks Pinterest! ;) Here's just a few pictures to recap the day!

 The precious birthday boy! <3

 Caramel apple bar! This was a lot of fun to get together and so so yummy. At least for me it was. ;)

 Owl smores for "O the Owl" in Daniel Tiger.

 Fish for Katarina Kitty on the show :) 

 And Tiger stripped snacks for the tiger himself! ;)

 I attempted to make a number two cake...it was a good try! And this cake has ALMOST convinced me that I am not the best cake decorator...which I knew...but I keep trying! ;) And I probably will just keep trying! Ha. It was fun though. :)

 The fooooddd! 

 The face painting...fun little fall party activity!

The sweet little ones enjoying the bouncy house! :)

 The hay ride! I think everyone really enjoyed this! :)

Grady and Uncle David! The tractor man ;)

I love this picture!! two of my favorite boys, having fun! :)

Enjoying the food :)

Letting two birthday balloons go! 

Happy second birthday to my sweet baby! I think he had a fun day and we did too :)