Random Pictures

Garrett had to visit the doctor.   While waiting, this is what I was able to see.  They are working on a seek and find book together.  Side by side, big and little, working together.  So love when I see these moments.

 

Seth is on the poster at our church from the fall festival.  Red Morph suit

Far right side

 

 Jeff and Garrett were gone to play hockey out of town.  I was able to snuggle bug with my little one.  Why don't I take more time to STOP and let these sweet little moments happen more.

 

yes - In her pj's again

 

This is our dog.  Really - lazy dog but too cute

 

 

 

 

I never can capture a good picture of this but I love these eye shades she wears to bed.

They would drive me crazy

 

School time - Gabby  is helping Garrett with his journal.

 

 

New pj's and she fits on the ottoman. 

For morning bible time, they chose to sit on the couch TOGETHER.  Really - savor these moments



 

SNOW

We saw snow.  This was earlier in the day on Saturday.  We had a hockey tournament all weekend.  We were able to enjoy seeing it snow.

 

Valentine's Day and the Great Date Night

We start counting down to Valentine's on Feb. 1.  Each day we pulled a strip to see what the prize would be.  Silly little gifts would be waiting on the table each morning.

 

Ella's favorite part of Valentine's is the little mailboxes.  We have a "make a card" station full of stickers, markers, and paper - She is the #1 card maker of all times.  Each of our mailboxes were full of love notes from her

 

We stayed at home on Valentine's night

Candles, Our real china, and goblet glasses.



 

 

 Each of our special Valentines

yes, she has her pj's on.  She lives in them if she is a home

 

 

 

 So trying to have a picture of Jeff and I turned out to be a chore

Take 1 - my husband being silly just as I turn my head and Seth snaps the picture.

 Take #2 - Hand in the way - photo bomb

 

Take #3 - A nice picture of mom and dad

 

I love holidays and making them a big deal.

 

Jeff's gift was envelopes for each month with date night ideas. 

The first of each month we look at the calendar and choose the date night.

We open the envelope which contains "things" to do on the date night.  I found this here.

Great Date Night

This helps us focus on us as a couple and family not just go out and talk about kids, problems and our busy calendar.

Our used the first 6 date night ideas and the others I adapted from what I learned here.

 

We had a great time on our date night.

 

 

 

Sundays

 

Usually I spend my Thursday afternoons planning for the following week for school.

 

This week I left planning to Sunday afternoon.

 

Nothing says welcome to planning like a cup of coffee( Appalachian State cup) and chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. These cookies have become my families favorite. 

 

The cookie jar stays full of cookies.

 

 

 

 

That little boy

 

When the kids were each 18 months old we had their pictures made.  We have them framed and hanging in our house.

 

One day I was looking at Garrett after getting his hair cut.  I realized he still looks like that little 18 month old little boy. 

 

Looking at the pictures, makes me laugh.  He was a character then and still is to this day.

He always has something going on and loves to talk. 

 

 

 

He still has a long slender face, chubby cheeks and little smile. 

The Choice

Hockey is the choice of sport at our house. 

 I look at these hockey sticks in my garage and laugh. 

How did this become the sport of choice for our house? 

 

 

Yes, we have hockey sticks.

 

This is second nature for us now.  I remember when Garrett decided this is something he wanted to try.  We started with skating lessons then moved to hockey the following session.  I remember standing in the pro shop that first year.  We were taking lessons on what equipment we needed, what order to get dressed and how to get dressed. 

 

Now I look at these sticks remembering those first skates and that first stick. 

 

This is the choice he has made and stuck with it for many years. 

The Beauty of Homeschooling

I count these pictures below as "Beauties of Homeschooling"  These are moments and things that happen because the kids are homeschooled.  Seth had a friend spend the night a few Thursdays ago and Garrett had a friend the following Thursday. 

We still have a full day of co-op on Thursday.  The friends spent the night and went home on Friday morning.  This gave us time to do our work on Friday just with a later start.

 

I enjoy seeing how all ages gather together to learn from each other.  What a gift to be able to spend time with your brother and sister and teach them.

 

The 4th week of co-op is project week.  Garrett and Seth both have been planning, creating, writing, working, and typing for their presentations.

 The "Beauty" in this is seeing it happen.  Teaching them the thinking and the process from beginning to end is such a work but smiles when all is done.  Both boys are intently working on items for their project.  At this moment, my house was calm and quiet.  Ha.

Allowing myself to take advantage of these moments is hard for me.  But after schooling for 5 years, I am beginning to stop and let these "Beauties" happen. 

 

These moments happen often at our house.  I could capture many "Beauties" that happen throughout the day.  To catch them when these moments of learning are taking place is why I love being their teacher.