Silly Little Post...

Except it may not be little!  I am always amazed at how life is somehow able to pass so quickly.  Erik and I have made various conscious efforts to simplify our life, but still somehow, we continue to move at a very rapid pace.  But, like I told a sweet friend the other day, I feel good about the direction we are going.  

We are busy.  My life is full with 5 boys, sweet Em, church activities, cross country, Excelsior, and the renovation.  But, I feel like even in our busyness, as a family we are not moving in six different directions.  I am not pulled 5 different ways.  We are crazy busy, but the blessed part of it is that we are all moving in the same direction.  So, though we may be pulled and pushed and rushed and hurried, we are all doing the same activities, working toward the same ends.  

Okay, here are some pics of the last few weeks... 

First day of Excelsior...

The boys are excited about this year in history!  We are studying the middle ages!!  This means vikings! Huns! Vandals! Celts! Knights! King Arthur!  I know some of the things that are coming, and they are going to be excited beyond measure!  I can't wait for us to dive into some of this year's projects!!  Fun!

This is one of the first books we read this school year.

I loved this story.  I think I cried.  I almost always cry. When we get to the last chapter of any book we are reading, Joshua will say, "Mom, are you going to cry?" And, usually that breaks the dam, and the tears fall freely as I choke my way through the rest of the book!  But, I don't remember now if this one made me cry, but I do remember that it was a good read for someone with a prodigal child.  And, that is why I wanted to mention it.  Augustine was not always a Godly man.  In fact, he was quite the opposite!  But....

He had a mama who prayed earnestly for his salvation, and God answered her prayers!  Big time!  His story is a huge encouragement to keep on praying and never give up on loved ones who seem to be running away from God!

And, on we go to...

Tracing our shadows at different times of the day...

Lije playing a math matching game...

More of Eriky's monsters...

They crack me up!  Maybe I should be worried about this... but I'm not! Check out the unibrow on the green monster!  Where does he get this stuff??

Erik bought the boys (and me :-) an entire set of Children's Hour books!  Love them!  Old books are the best!  I'm picky about what books I let the boys read.  One of my sweet homeschool mentor friends (who was also an English major) said that books that Charlotte Mason called "twaddle" are like junk food.  She said if your children get used to reading junk food books, then the good hearty meat and potatoes books won't appeal to them as much.  She encouraged me to let them read the easy, trendy, fun books every now and then, but to continually put in front of them truly good literature.  I loved her advice!

Joshua and James have been running cross country with a homeschool running group this year...

Joshua is up to 4 miles, and James can run 3!  Their Daddy likes to run with them, so this has been a really fun family thing to do!

I'm loving being Emery's mom!  She brings me so much joy! Her brothers are absolutely ridiculously silly over her!  In many ways she has already changed our family with her sweetness!

We got the new TobyMac album, and the boys go crazy when I play it!  Sometimes in the middle of the school day, maybe, say, around 10:30 when they've been at it for several hours, I will crank up the music and say, "Dance break!" So, they go crazy, get their wiggles out, and dance around the kitchen until the song is over!  Breaks up the monotony a bit! This picture is of the kind of craziness TobyMac induces...

Jack loved it!

Monkey see, monkey do...

I loved this.  An excerpt from Joshua's handwriting book...

Our new window-seat partially installed (a.k.a. Jack's hideout!)

And, on that note the renovation is still in full swing.  I am so ready to move over into our new area!  Hopefully, it will be a month or less.  I'll post pictures when it is done!

These two are a pair!!!

Deana B. and I are in for it!!  Craziness.

There is nothing, nothing, I enjoy more in my life right now than making our weekly lesson plans.  This is my peace time.  It is truly a beautiful time to me.  I have to have quiet so I can concentrate, so I get to retreat for a bit with something hot to drink.  Love.  Bliss.  Lesson Plans.

Now that the fall weather is blowing in  a bit, we are spending more time outside.  So, I have been using the Superyard.  Perfection.

We've been going outside to do some of our reading and afternoon work.  The fresh air just feels good!  I think I enjoy it more than the boys. :-)

And, that is the past few weeks in a nutshell.  Life is busy, crazy, and good.  I have had some very hard days and some very good days and a lot of days that are somewhere in between.  It is hard to juggle all that is going on right now, but God has been gracious, and somehow it all works out ~ even if it isn't the way I desired or planned!  I am learning daily to depend on Him, to lean into Him.  I cannot be a mama without His help.  I fail miserably some days, but I am thankful for the grace He gives.