Tidbits

From our week. Nothing spectacular- just the ordinary wonderfulness of living this life God has given us.
Watching little toes stretching for the faucet - and grasping it- as we have grown up so much we don't need to use a step stool any longer.

Celebrating being fully potty trained and proud of it. A little too well trained we are thinking- he comes into our room several times a night to let us know he has gone to the bathroom, or wants help to do so. Langston hit 3 and he seriously grew up overnight with all of the new things he has decided to do. Such as learning to read - but I'll save that for a different post.

Bob taught Ryland how to grind meat using the meat grinder my Grandparents gave us when we were out to Washington last winter. {Thanks!} They turned deer into burger for our tacos and chili this week.

I have finally found a substitute teacher for our school! All joking aside, it has been a win-win situation to have the older brothers teach Literature to our pre-schoolers. For the 20-minutes preceding the official start of our school day, Braden and Tarver read books and Bible lessons to Ryland and Langston and will have them answer questions {quiz time!} and narrate back what they have learned. This is also a great time for puzzles or short games. Not only are relationships being strengthened, but Braden and Tarver are getting experience teaching and Ryland and Langston are being filled with wonderful words and stories. During this time I am able to start laundry and make sure any frozen ingredients for supper are out and thawing.

This week the focus of our studies has been Russia. This week I also learned that Ryland can write a lot more than I thought he could, as he sat next to Tarver and did his Eastern Hemisphere Explorer {or his own version of it}. I was surprised to peek over his shoulder and find the word Russia at the top of his paper. Along with a picture of St. Basil's Cathedral in St. Petersburg. And some bad guys rushing out of the cathedral with swords drawn. . .and by the time he was finished with his paper there was an entire battle scene drawn. So fun!

The Homeschool version of the Study Buddies program.

This week I also tried to find opportunities to snap a 3-year old photo of Langston. Why is this task of taking a serious picture so hard for our family?

I think this one may be a keeper, though I'm worried about the lack of space on the left side. We'll see what happens when I have to crop it for an 8 x 10!

Though we were in Russia this week, our lessons from Mongolia last week have carried over somewhat. Tarver constructed a yurt in our basement and has slept in it the past few nights. Ryland and Tarver have been playing khans together and having a great time.

I spent some time thinking about what our school year will look like next year. This was probably the easiest session of lesson planning I have had in all the years we have been home educating- perhaps I've finally got the swing of things? We use Sonlight for the spine of our studies, but I always evaluate what is best for our family and find different things to study accordingly. Bible Study, Science and Language Arts are where I tend to stray from Sonlight, hence the need to do some planning and shopping around.

This is also the time of year for garden planning and I am so excited to start working outside and planting this Spring. I inventoried our seeds - that was quite a project - and figured out what seed we should order.

If you are looking for some good gardening books, these are a few of my favorites which I have used for several years and highly recommend.

Of course, there was a lot more that went on around here that I don't have pictures for. Everyday things such as laundry and meals and correcting math papers. Fun things like laughing hysterically with Ryland and Langston while watching Gus-Gus and Jack in Cinderella. Having an evening out with dear friends and fellow homeschooling moms Amy, Joan and Fran. Talking about raising little boys with another sweet friend, Melissa. Finding a recipe for homemade deodorant {no kidding!} Eating coffee ice cream with my husband after the kids have gone to bed.

I have so much to be thankful for, and I am.