Happy Birthday Benjamin!

Benjamin is 3! He is into anything trains. He is a happy boy. He loves to help, and likes to act like a big boy. If I ever slip and call him my cute little baby, he says, "I not baby! I big boy!" He loves to ride his bike, and he tries really hard to keep up with whatever his big brother and sister are doing! He is a little smarty, he knows his ABC's and knows most of the sounds of all the letters in the alphabet. He loves to sing and is spot on with his pitch! Benjamin keeps us all laughing. We are so happy he is a part of our family! We love you Ben!!

Happy Birthday Katelyn!!

Our little Katelyn turned 11 today! 11! She got a lot of new clothes and shoes for her birthday(thank you very much growth spurt!) and she also got....shaving cream and a razor! Gasp!! When did she grow up, we tell her all the time she's not allowed to!

Katelyn is a super sweet, loving, and caring young lady. She is great at noticing all of the small things. She can tell when I am having a bad day and then will get me a drink, give me a little rub. And oh her rubs are so great! She is so helpful around the house. She is great at doing her chores, and she's learning to cook meals.

Katelyn loves art, and loves fashion. She is a wonderful musician and plays the piano so beautifully! We are so lucky and blessed to have Katelyn in our family! We love you!!!!

She's too grown up.

Me to husband: What should we do when we get home?
Almost 11-year old daughter pipes in: I know, why don't you guys make a baby!

Oy vay!

Homeschool year 2010-2011

Today is our first day! I woke up early and made them a delicious breakfast, country potatoes, bacon, and eggs with juice.

We start off our day with devotional where they read scriptures (well you know those church books with pictures that summarize the scriptures for kids), write in a journal, and then we sing a church song that goes along with what they read.

Then we do an hour of math. Well today, we did 50 minutes of math becuase they got their whole lesson and problems done super fast! Now they are reading and practicing handwriting for a half an hour and then we will take a break.

After break we will do an hour of language arts: spelling, more reading, writing, etc. Then an hour of history. (We will do history one day, science the next, history, science. And on fridays we will do their music lesson and art. And that's it! We will be done with our whole day of school before 1:00!

Benjamin started homeschool today too. He woke up and was so excited. He got dressed and ran upstairs. He has his own little desk, and I have all sorts of little preschool activities for him to do throughout the day.

some cute comments from today:

Mom: You are being such a good boy at school, do you want a sticker?

Ben: I not at school, I at home!

Mom: You're right, but you're at homeschool!

and....

Mom: Make sure you listen to me because I'm your teacher!

Ben: You not my teacher! You mom!

and...

during our break Ben asked to take off his clothes. (He likes to run around the house in his underwear, the minute he gets home his clothes are off...)

Mom: Ben, you can't be naked at school!

Ben: PUHLEASE!! Yes be naked!

and now he's running around downstairs naked (okay, he's not technically naked he has on his underwear), screaming, laughing and playing with bubba and sissy for their break.

Preschool

Homeschool is about to start up again on September 7, you know after Labor day when everybody "used" to start school. Benjamin is another year older, and another year smarter. He also LOVES to do what his big brother and sister are doing. So this year when I was buying all of the big kids' school supplies I bought one of everything for Benjamin too (level appropriate of course). I'm really hoping that this will help our year run a lot more smoothly.

I also am getting ready a bunch of curriculum for Benjamin to do. I cut out huge ABC's and posted them along the border of his room. (It was after that project that I really really wish I could have a Cricut die cut machine) I made him flash cards, and I am making him file folder games. I am also printing out and laminating alphabet activities for tracing and matching, a letter a week is the goal. This really great website http://confessionofahomeschooler.blogspot.com has tons of printables for preschoolers. He is so excited to start school with his big brother and sister.

I can't believe he's almost 3! He's fully potty trained (except for at night-even his naps are all dry), he can say all of his ABC's, put on his own shoes, pick out an outfit and get dressed by himself, brush his own teeth, the list goes on! He's just growing up too fast!

Because I know you're anxiously waiting...

More potty training updates! No accidents in over a week!! Not even one! Not even at the stores, or while he's playing, or even at church! He even has gone 4 nights waking up completely dry, and all of his naps have been completely dry! Go Ben!!

Father and Sons Campout

Every year our church has a father and sons campout, usually my dad's campout is one week, and then our campout is another week so they can go to both if they want. But this year it was the same weekend, so my boys went with my dad for a grandpa, dad, and sons campout. They had a blast!

My boys really love their grandpa!

(I promise Joel was there, he just took all the pictures! So dad, if you took any of him and his sons send them on over!)