what have we been doing?

It’s been really quiet here on the blog since OCJ was born in October, but that is to be expected.  I write in my mind, thinking that I will get here after folks have gone to bed, but either I just want to sit and relax, or (more likely) I have fallen asleep nursing the baby.  And I like to :)

Since OCJ has been born, formal lessons have been very sporadic, but thanks to Heart of Dakota, when we do have lessons, we can open up and roll with it.  MG and I are starting Apologia’s Botany book, mainly for our shared interest in the subject, and more specifically, her long-standing interest in herbs.  I am also dropping Math-U-See for a while and have MG in Math Mammoth.  And Timez Attack – have you see this?  She desperately needs to work on her multiplication facts, and this game is pretty neat!  EK is sort in math limbo, doing more open-ended things, but I am thinking MM will be what I pull for her as well.  HR is popping in and out of his HOD book, following along with EK sometimes.  And SA?  Sigh….so, so busy.  But, for all the struggles and tears I seem to have lately about what is and isn’t getting done, I still firmly believe that God has called us to educate our children at home.

Knitting is sporadic at best.  I have to really watch myself on seeing what other folks can accomplish – my sister-in-law and her gorgeous cardigans that she churns out, my online friends with their cool kid knits, even local mamas with their hand-spun lovelies!  I have to remember that I am mama who is in her own skin, raising 5 children 12 and under.  But it’s easy to let jealousy take over, so I am trying to focus on other projects: like paying more attention to my children and my husband, rather than my computer or even my knitting.  WIP, yes?

Life here is busy and simple at the same time – how does that work?  Our outings are really limited: co-op on Tuesdays, AWANA on Sunday nights, church on Wednesday.  There have been so many days where they children are out at the creek, or inside playing with one another.  These are sweet times, my friends!  My time is most often spent nursing a baby, changing a baby, walking a baby, playing with a baby.  Oh, this little one gets her fair share of Big Brother and Sisters’ Time!  EK is absolutely my “little mama” – from diapers to shushing, she’s all about being a Mama!  MG softens so much with OCJ, it’s really sweet to see, and HR is such a darling, too!  What a daddy he will be one day!  SA loves on OCJ, too, toughening her up real good.  Ahem.

HR wanted to calm her down – it was so heartwarming to see that.  It didn’t work, of course, but that he would want to, was sweet as could be!

This post turned out word-heavy – oops!  Just wanted to update on life here and try to get myself used to banging away on these keys, relearning how to share here :)

Now, time to put the weight on the other foot – pictures! (these are from all sorts of things, a smidge of HOD Preparing, Beyond and Little Hearts curriculum, Apologia Botany books and then life:freestyle!)

EK got several sewing books and a sewing kit for Christmas.  At the beginning of February, she pulled out some felt and made SA a pair of mittens for frolicking in the cold!  This was as still as I could get this child!

The living room floor is often where things happen.  During the 6-week “Little House” co-op session EK attended, they made paper dolls.  For the next week solid, EK was totally engaged with adding to and making more paper dolls.  She even got SA and HR in on the action!

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HR loves to sculpt.  While working at the table with the girls, he grabbed some white paper, and for all I could see, he was just wringing it.  Turns out, he fashioned a rocket, then made a telescope!

Another party!  I can’t even remember who this party was for, but she even got dolled up for the occasion!  The table is always set with whatever she can get her hands on.  So darling!  (Just need to get her to clean up WELL after these parties)

MG is taking 2 year-long classes, band and science.  She plays the flute and is enjoying the challenge!  In science, she is getting ready for a science fair – she and Papa are going to make a periscope!  This was her first prototype, which was actually pretty cool, even if it didn’t give her the results she was hoping for.  It is fun to see her and her dad put their heads together for this project!  Love this girl!

Valentine’s Day Crafting.  Need I say more?

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MG doesn’t have a thing for shoes (no, that would be her two younger sisters.)  No, she is working on a taxonomy assignment in the Botany book from Apologia.  We are using the notebook that accompanies the main text and we are liking it very much.  so much easier to actually get things done when you don’t have to worry about printing stuff out all the time.  Because you have to have ink and paper…..

I am sort of using Delightful Reading with EK, but not really sure she even still needs it.  She taught herself to read, just recently.  Seriously.  It’s later than most, but once she decided to do it, she literally picked up a book and pushed herself.  She blows my mind sometimes, that child.

And this is just a teeny tiny bit of what we have been up to.  I hope to get back here more often to share!  Have a great weekend!