In which Valentine's Day is a nice break from the monotony.

As I made my way up to the register to purchase these friendly barnyard Valentine friends, I came this close to making the trip back to the seasonal aisle in the back of Target to place them back on the shelf. The incessant mooing and oinking from the pair of cows and pair of pigs were drawing stares from my fellow shoppers, and I could only imagine my house with the noise of four children AND four farm animals. But I decided to keep them because I know how my children love annoyingly loud trinkets. And of course the pig and cow poop candy. Another plus.

The smiles the farm animals brought this morning were worth the annoyance, and I will endure the mooing and oinking until I can endure it no further at which point two cows and two pigs will surely mysteriously disappear to find their place in the also mysterious Annoying Toy Heaven.

As I mentioned in my last post, our homeschool year has been quite uneventful. Things are moving along just as they should be. Kids are doing their assigned work. I keep right on assigning. They keep getting it done. I really can't complain. But I'm a little bit bored. I'm sure they are too.

I haven't done much "cutesy" stuff this year. Partly because the older they get, the fewer cutesy options there are. Also, I'm lazy. I need to stop being lazy and start planning and executing more exciting activities. So...I am planning. I have some fun things in store for next week. As for this week, though, I am thankful for the fun little break in monotony Valentine's Day provides.

The kids woke up this morning to some Valentine surprises. Yes, candy. Lots of candy.

I also had good intentions of making heart-shaped pancakes, but the only large heart cookie cutter I have is covered in red paint. As my own Valentine pointed out, it was probably made in China, and the paint is probably full of lead. It didn't seem such a brilliant idea, then, to have it sit on a hot griddle.

So I made chocolate chip pancakes smothered in powdered sugar with a sprinkling of color. So long as it's sweet and unhealthy, the kids really don't care what shape it comes in.

 

During school we learned about the various legends that compose the history of Valentine's Day. We also had a little word fun by seeing who could make the most words in five minutes out of the phrase "Happy Valentine's Day".

After my heart failure at breakfast, I redeemed myself at lunch by creating heart-shaped potatoes to eat with our leftover chicken wings.

And then it was cookie time! Valentine's Day, like Christmas, must include a cookie decorating session.

I did not have the time today to be all fancy with multiple colors and decorating pastry bags, but like I said, if there is sugar and it is unhealthy, they don't care if it's fancy.

And this one? She did enjoy decorating cookies and eating them. It's just that she's a teenager and hates to have her photo taken. You see...this is why I have a completely unbalanced number of photos of the Princess.

I love her anyway. Happy Valentine's Day!

Linking up with Ashley for Photo Scavenger Hunt.

In this post, you will find candy, kisses, pink/red, love, and smiles.

Also linking up with Kris at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers for her Weekly Wrap-Up.

Easter at Home

I can't recall ever spending an Easter at home. Usually we are up early, celebrating the resurrection of Christ at church, and then back home for an Easter dinner with family or friends. Yesterday, we slept in until 9:30 because we were kept awake much of the night by a restless, feverish little girl who came in looking for comfort between her mommy and daddy.

Friday Alex tested positive for strep throat and began immediately on antibiotics. By Saturday night, we clearly had two more down. Michael is the only one who has remained (so far) untouched. So while others were attending sunrise services, hunting for Easter eggs, and sitting down with family at the dinner table, we were administering medicine, washing sheets and pillowcases, holding the barf bucket for the Princess who pukes no matter what her ailment, and Cloroxing the doorknobs and countertops and any other surface a germ-laden hand may have touched.

But it wasn't all bad. It was a rather relaxing way to spend a drizzly day. And we certainly had some family time. The kids watched Voyage of the Dawn Treader, which they received in their Easter baskets, and Mark prepared a delicious meal which we enjoyed at the big dining room table. The fact that all 4 of the littlest guests at the table were still pajama clad wasn't even a problem since it was just us.

While I don't wish to make this past Easter a tradition, the fact that we were at home certainly does not diminish the true reason for the holiday. The fact that Jesus rose, victorious over death, gives us hope that one day we will be in Heaven where there is no strep throat, no barfing, no antibiotics. Until then, as long as we are a family through each event, it's all good!

Odds and Ends

Independence Day was uneventful. Which I suppose is a good thing. No burned meats on the grill. Maybe a few burned marshmallows, but that kind of heat just melts the chocolate better.

No unintended fires or explosives in the face. Which is surprising since the kids took over some of the fireworks. Just the weeny, Georgia ones, though. In Georgia real fireworks--as in the kind that actually leave the ground, shoot up into the sky, and go boom--are illegal. So naturally, we always smuggle some good ones in from South Carolina or Florida or Tennessee or Alabama. We had a few good ones this year, and Mr. Fireworks himself took care of lighting those fuses. The kid next door shared his box of Georgia fireworks with us. The children really enjoyed them, although I think they may have had more fun lighting them (under close supervision of course!) than actually watching them spark.

The Water Park was lots of fun until two busloads of camp/daycare children showed up. Nothing against buses or daycare/camp kids. It's just that I. Don't. Like. Crowds! Thankfully we showed up as the gates opened, so we had an hour or two of peace before the crowds descended on us--not complete solitude but not pool wall to pool wall full of children.

School Planning is underway. Can you believe I haven't talked about planning yet and we're only a little over 3 weeks 'til our next school year starts again? (We start August 2 in our homeschool--always the first Monday of August.) It's not that I haven't planned. I just haven't been very talkative about it. If you want to see our curriculum for the year 2010-11, click on the "Our Curriculum" link at the top.

And that's it. Here's hoping my creative juices begin to flow between now and August 2 because as of this moment, they are certainly dammed up somewhere (and no, Alex, that is not a bad word in that context or with that spelling).

Party Animals We Are....Not

We did watch the ball drop. We just did so from the comfort and warmth of bed. We're party animals like that. I'm aware of how boring we are when the new year rolls around. "Someday," I tell my husband every year, "when the kids are grown and gone, we are going to reserve a room at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square and do the New Year right. Of course, we could reserve such a room and take the kids along. But that sounds like a lot of work.

As far as they were concerned, they partied hardy this New Year's. We let them stay up until midnight, which all but the Princess did very willingly; she lasted until about 11:00. We warned them that watching the ball drop wasn't all that exciting on a TV screen. And we were right, of course. "Where is the ball?" "You mean that's the ball?" "Where is it going to drop?" "Will it break?" "Wait. I can't see the ball." 30 seconds and it was over.

At which point, we informed the children that they were to tuck us in for a change and go to bed. Saved us having to get out of bed.

New Year's Day was quite uneventful. We don't do football around here. Generally, I catch a few snippets of the Rose Parade because I like to watch the floats make their way through my old neighborhood. I kinda forgot yesterday it was even on.

We did get the Princess' ear re-pierced. She was a trooper. I was a little nervous because when we got to Claire's a little girl Audrey's age was in the hot seat. And she screamed bloody murder when the piercing occurred. I think time stood still for a moment as her little scream echoed throughout the entire mall. There's no way Audrey will climb back up in that chair now, I thought. But she did. And opted to sit on Daddy's lap. There were a few tears, but the cure-all Lollipop did the trick again. And now her head is no longer lopsided.

And just to show you the camera still works even when nothing of consequence is happening 'round here, some shots from New Year's Day:


She sits here every night to have her piercings cleaned and to brush her teeth. Quite the prima donna, isn't she?


I call them Grandpa Joe and Grandpa George, but even if you don't get the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory reference, they're pretty cute in bed, especially with their eye masks on. These masks were part of an overnight airline kit their uncle, who just returned from visiting Africa, supplied them with.


And my beautiful girl who spent much of New Year's Eve bragging about how this was the second turn of a decade she has witnessed. Oh, and how she has also been part of a turn of the century, though I don't think she remembers as much from her first New Year's as a 2-week-old as she claims.


This year, I resolve to take as many pictures of the other children as of the "baby". I just can't help it. She's so stinkin' cute. NOT that the others aren't just as stinkin' cute, but they do not cooperate for photos as she does. That's my excuse, and I'm stickin' to it!

You Capture - Patriotic

Mark and I always wanted our own volleyball team.

Hence the four kids.

Well, not really...although the subject did come up whenever we discussed our desired family size. Volleyball was our game in high school, and over the years we've lamented the fact that we have no one to play with.

About the time that spring turned into summer this year, we discovered that a group of people from church play every week. We joined them and now not only get to satisfy our volleyball cravings, but we've also gained some really great friends.

We were thrilled that our volleyball friends were able to join us for the 4th of July. We had quite a crowd here and enjoyed great food, swimming, and fellowship. Afterwards we escaped to our park where a sand pit and a net awaited us. The kids were able to see and hear fireworks all around us while we played. A great way to celebrate Independence Day!







For one more patriotic picture and some thoughts on the 4th, see my previous post "What the 4th means to me..."

What the 4th Means to Me

I haven't always been a proud American. Growing up, America was a place I visited for a year's furlough. Aside from good-byes from my MK friends, furloughs weren't half bad. A furlough was a year's time to enjoy the conveniences of America, to indulge in McDonald's hamburgers and a plethora of other treat options. Of course, furlough also meant a new school, new people, and a different church almost every week. I enjoyed my time here, but I was always thrilled to be heading back "home".

I still miss Africa, but I have now spent as much of my life in America as in Africa, and, well, America feels like home now. Even as I've learned to call it home, I can't say I have passed all of my time on this side of the ocean with a great deal of patriotism. But my patriotism has certainly grown over the last several years.

I can point to one specific thing that caused an inner awareness about my apathy toward this country and the freedom and opportunity it offers. Shortly after the bombs began to drop in Afghanistan in 2001, I remember watching some sort of Presidential thing honoring soldiers. In it was a slideshow depicting soldiers saying goodbye to their families, the background music of "I'm already there" (Rascal Flatts maybe??) adding to the poignancy of the moment. With tears streaming down my cheeks, I remember experiencing that sudden epiphany: These soldiers are sacrificing potentially everything for MY country, for MY freedom. What an awesome call to service they have.

The 4th of July used to be, for me, just a merry day for fireworks and barbecues. I get it now, though. I get that I live in a great country, a country where I can worship as I want to worship and teach my children in the manner in which I want them taught. Those are freedoms which have come at a cost, and I am grateful for all of those who have paid that price.

Right now I have two friends in my thoughts and prayers whose husbands have been deployed. They are sacrificing too. I thank them from the bottom of my heart. I thank them for what they give up so that their husbands can serve this country. I thank my two friends for their act of service in that sacrifice.

As the celebrations wind down. As the last firecracker pops. As we go about our normal routine tomorrow, I hope we won't forget the freedoms we enjoy here and the people who offer their service for our independence.

Eggstravaganza

After our never-ending Valentine's Day, we cut short all but one Easter egg hunt, thus doing less to take the focus off of the significance of this holy day. Our church's children's staff did a fabulous job putting together a fun-filled morning for the kids. Audrey was beside herself all week anticipating the "Easter hunt"; however, the weather did not match her very warm enthusiasm. The forecast looked promising, but they failed to note the lingering winds from yesterday's thunderstorms and tornadoes. It's probably a good thing I didn't know just how cold it was until we got to the park where the "Stonemill Eggstravaganza" took place. If I had known, I probably would have canceled the whole outing, which means the kids would not have had a chance to hunt Easter eggs:

or listen to the preschool director narrate a puppet show:

or "egg" Pastor Chris (with whipped cream and pudding):

or carry an egg with a spoon:

or take part in a 3-"egged" race:

or play on the playground with their friends:

What's That Smell?

I have fond childhood memories of decorating Easter eggs...of watching the stark white orbs transform into sparkling swirls of color. And we've had our share of Easter egg decorating sessions since the kids were born. What I don't remember is the stench that can fill a room when a dozen and a half hard-boiled eggs are laid out to dry so they can receive their color treatment. Even the children wrinkled their noses when they came in the kitchen. And during the egg decorating, occasionally one would lift an egg to his or her nose and comment, "This really smells funny." You know what, kids? Truth be told, eggs really don't smell that good. But they sure do look cute all decked out in bright colors and funny faces.

Honestly, they really did have more fun than it looks like they're having in these pictures. Must have been the smell...



Note to self: Don't let these funny little guys hang out too long at home; if we show the house, we need to allow ample time to air the place out.