Here we go

Highlights from our trip

We spent the early part of this week in the woods where we sat by a warm fire reading the Hobbit by night and canoeing in the beautiful spring sunshine by day. It was a quick trip, it almost feels like we never left, or like the whole thing may have been a crazy dream. Only I am tired and sore so I know I was there. The kids had a blast with their best buddies exploring the forests trails and hills. Life is so good!

My sweets

The other day I was able to spend some special time with my big three year old guy. He is quite a different person without his big brother. He'a so grown up when he is on his own. I guess he plays the baby card when Avery's around; he is still my baby after all.

We layed a beautiful quilt down on the grass that a dear friend made for us, and enjoyed the wonderful spring time weather all afternoon long. I listened to him tell tall tales like the one where his great grandfather fought a tiger and had a very long sword that could bring down the sun and the giant ate the tiger, and so on. He's got quite an imagination!

It's so good to slow it down. I vow to lay out our quilts more often and sit in the grass with bare feet and read slowly in the middle of the day.

Here's to slow days!

busy boys

My day was mostly spent in this kitchen. Baking, cooking, cleaning, crafting then cleaning again.

The boys made blueberry muffins this morning and this afternoon Emile helped make cheese straws. Tonight Avery snapped snap beans and entertained the baby while I made dinner. It feels so good to be productive as a family. Today, so I wouldn't feel like the little red hen, I made it a point to constantly direct the kids energy by giving them chores and other productive activities instead of letting them just play all day. They were so much more present, I felt like we were on the same wave length.

Just a few of our lessons today:

For science we finished his animal kingdom folder/book that he decorated and will fill with his lab sheets. In math we're counting money and learning the ones, tens and hundreds place. Grammar we reviewed parts of speech and diagramed sentences.

I found this great web site for spelling that Avery loves.

http://www.spellingcity.com/

Check out this great idea. I'm loving her idea of workboxes.
http://homegrownmom.com/workboxes/workboxes/512

The baby

He's growing so fast! I find myself constantly trying to breath him in, trying to permanently imprint that baby smell into my memory. I can't conjure up for the life of me the feeling of holding Avery or Emile at that age. I want to always remember that softness, that baby smell and how there is absolutely no resistance to my thousands of kisses!

Fresh Air

February always brings a sense of anticipation of the warmer months. You can feel it creeping around the corner...so close! Despite the chilly air we take to the woods anyway, trying to discover what animals brave the colder weather, making a game of who can identify what plant even without it's leaves. And most of all learning what it is to be silent and still, hearing the sounds around us that doesn't involve a T.V. or ringing cell phone.

It was such a nice treat to see a pair of Robins right as we were about to leave. They say when you see robins that spring is right around the corner! We're ready for you Spring!!!

Our Reading Corners

I have set up a few areas in our house where the boys can go for some quiet reading time, and sometimes not so quiet reading time. In our living room I set up a shelf that has our library books in it and also a nice stack of begining readers for Avery. Everyday he spends 15-30 minute reading aloud from the books from this shelf.

In the babies room I have a refrence center where we have our learning books. Feild guides, National Geographic Magazines, and the Eyewitness books sit neatly on these shelves. We also have a few treasure boxes on this book case for our nature findings and also a box with foreign coins and other rare treasures the boys acquire.

So on days when our school work becomes mundane, we go to our reading corners and always learn something new!

Tis the season

Feeling the love this holiday season. New babies, lots of opportunities to snuggle and stay warm inside. Reading books together, knitting gifts and baking yummy holiday goodies are our main focus these days. I've also lightened my load a bit while I adjust to having three children, I've decided to send Avery two days a week to a friend who home schools other children along with her four kids. Avery loves it and it gives me time to do age appropriate activities with my almost three year old (although he will tell you for sure that he is going on 26). Life is good at the moment, I have these super love hormones to thank for that! New babies are good medicine, actually quite addictive! I'm so crazy in love I want to have 10 of them, luckily I have a sensible husband so that won't be happening.

I will be back posting here and there, taking it slow and easy until we get adjusted to this new life. Stay tuned...

Warmest holiday wishes to you and yours!!