All her own

Isobel has patiently waited and watched Everett play soccer and baseball. She has done fantastic allowing us to watch and cheer E on and often times joining herself. So, being that she is three this fall, we thought she might like to do the drop in soccer she has only watched this far. Everett was going to be one of the field helpers. I love how many of the kids we know will play with boys and girls of all ages. Alas, it was a no go. Isobel just wanted to balance on the bleachers, climb by the windows, and cuddle with me (I'm not going to turn that down!). Maybe it's not her thing. Gymnastics?

Finally Scout day

Everett has been counting down the days till the next scout event. We are not even officially enrolled. (Don't tell him, yet we own all that he needs). Everett has slowly entered this pack. Two weeks ago, we went to our first meeting as visitors and he was hooked. Today was a short hike with playground time to follow. Although this must have been the highlight about 2 minutes into the hike: a mouse ALIVE, in the old fish ladder. Oh how the boys got excited to see it while this momma and a few others curled our toes while cringing a good distance away. Everett came running for the camera. Eeew, even now!

(the mouse in scurring in here somewhere)

In our pack, siblings are welcome to join. Bel walked most of hike and did a great job listening when it was time too. She seemed to have liked our day.

Like that was not enough to do plus the school work earlier in the morning, we had planned to collect some spider webs for our up coming unit study. Because it was so late in the day and it had been a little windy, most of the webs we found were less than perfect. But they were full of bugs and stuff that we might not find on a morning hunt. Cool all the same and we look forward to preserving more and comparing them.

(web hunting at our neighbors house)

My new blog time needs to be in the morning. Hopefully with coffee it will be coherent.

Every so often my children find the camera and I am gifted with special pictures. This is totally Bel. Carefree and somewhat wild. Love it.

Praying for you

Ever feel like it is an uphill battle? Some of my friends are facing major struggles. I'm praying for you!

Frogs

Meet Hermie and Henrietta (well maybe next time they will let me take their picture). They each were found a friends houses while we were visiting. Hermie has been here for a while now. Flies are served every morning and night. They are easy to catch next to our coop. Everett cleans out the box and changes the leaves and water at least once a week. We met Henrietta today and thought Hermie would like to have a friend. Thank you Erik for sharing her with us. What great compassion and generosity you had for a fellow frog friend!

I knew frogs would be a good school subject, I just did not have it all laid out yet. It's coming together though.
Here is another school success. Glue, in a bottle, applied with a small paint brush. A whole lot less mess.

This is our new mailbox for school. In the back compartment is scrapbooking paper cut to fit into envelopes that are in the front compartment. The top drawer holds sticker type address labels. The bottom door is my favorite. It holds these. When Everett was in preschool, I made an alphabet picture book where each person's name (or pet name's) reference represented the letter. I hated to take it apart for 1st grade. On the back of each previous picture, I wrote their address to reflect an envelope (rectangle for return address, square for stamp). Now after the kids chooses a paper, write a note, places it in the provided envelope (with the same rectangle and square), they can easily find the picture of who they'd like to send it to, flip it over and correctly address it. We have used the mail for school quite often. It combines hand writing, spelling, creativity, phonics, ect. Plus grandparents and friends love to get them.I do not know why this photo is posting sideways, but this is Everett with my mom when he was 6 months or so. The other pictures shows the shapes and where the address would be.

I don't want it to end

This was suppose to be a simple walk to the park. The kids found the dress up box before we left. So down the street went a pirate, spider man, super 3 year old, a pretty lady, another pretty lady, a General, a boy scout and a boy scout hope-to-be in baseball pants. Love it

This is a different day with a new friend. He is the son of Ian's first journey man from 10 years ago. I called them up one day, and these two just have to much fun. Our friend Stevie is another one of thirteen children. Lots of fun. I like it too, his mom is great also.

After a summer like this, I do not know if I will ever get him back inside for school work.