I'm waiting

Our second modem (the Tx modem) broke day before yesterday. The phone company says this is a coincidence. I'm not certain. Because both modems have broken since we moved the phone wire from the bedroom to the addition, I think it's something Ian did when he connected the wire. The guy from the phone company says if this modem breaks within a few weeks we should check the voltage coming from the power lines. Have I mentioned that we've replaced our landline phones three times in the one year that we've lived here? Moving on...

I'm waiting. For what? I'm waiting for the mudding work to be finished in the new bedrooms. We still need two more coats. I've not been allowed to mud for fear that I might make it harder for someone to finish- but I'm getting a little impatient :)

I'm waiting for the kids bedding/sheets to come so I can match paint colors for the bedrooms. I'll be waiting for a while. When I ordered the boys' sheets- I ordered from a company who actually didn't have them available. Of course it took them two days to let me know, and thier charges are still on my credit card, but then I quickly ordered from amazon because they always have fast shipping. So, I'm waiting on them. While the girls' bedding was delivered, it was delivered to TEXAS! Oops, that was my fault- I checked the 'use same as billing address' for shipping, and actually my billing address was wrong. Sooo, I'm waiting and hoping that one of our friends in Tx can pick it up and mail it. I'm hoping that the people that bought our house will give it to our friend.

I'm waiting to decorate the kids' bedrooms. We're going all out on these bedrooms, and I'm so excited to see it go together.

I'm waiting for my mom to move in to her new house- which is 5 minutes down the road!

I'm waiting to finish the Roman unit of TOG. Of course, I can wrap it up whenever I like, but I really want to do all the crafts, so it's taking longer that it should- because we're doing all the crafts. And actually, it's not taking longer- I'm just desperate to know what happens after the fall of Rome... hehe

I'm waiting for Christmas, so we can go on a road trip in our new van!

I'm waiting for a title for our new van, so we can get a license plate for our new van!

I'm waiting to take our shoe boxes in for Operation Christmas Child. I love filling our shoe boxes every year, and one day I hope one of us can go to pass them out!

I'm waiting for this modem to break, so if you don't hear from me for a while- it's probably broken.

Actually, my list of waiting things looks pretty silly from a more serious perspective, but it's really fun for me to plan.

Did I mention that I'm waiting for Asher to miraculously potty train himself? I am.

nothing really interesting...

We have decided:

1 That Becky will manage our money again.

2 That we will buy a whopping big 15 passenger van tomorrow.

3 That we will go to California in December in our whopping big van to visit family.

4 That we will be finishing the new kids' bedrooms in time for Gabe's 4th birthday party.

5 That Gabriel is having a space rocket birthday party and the room will be space.

6 That we will have heat/air installed in the addition now.

7 That we will finish up Year 1 of TOG just before Thanksgiving and then focus on math and science till we leave for California. In January we will start Year 2, and then my yearly cycles will line up with the calandar year! That is exciting to me for no reason at all :P)

The sound of silence...

My modem has been broken since the last post. We replaced it with a modem that we used it Texas two years ago. It works fine, and it has its own router. How did we not know that in Texas? Anyone local need a router? We now have an extra. It's been quiet on the blog, and I just deleted hundreds of emails without reading them, so I have to say that the cyber world has been very quiet as well. I don't have tv and don't really go anywhere, so the world in general has been quiet also. Just not in my house. No, my house has been very loud. I'll tell you all about it later though :O) We have been faithful to do school, and we've had a lot of fun. Tomorrow is a cleaning day after our campout Friday/Saturday. We celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles Friday night with some friends here at our house. We know, it's not the right day, but it was fun to do with the kids. We've been learning about it as a group (their children and ours), and it was a fun memory to share. I'll p0st more about that later. But tonight, I'm off to bed. Ian's warming it up for me as the temp has gone down to the low 40s. I actually turned the heat on tonight. I'm nervous about being able to buy enough propane this winter, but I know God will provide for us, and I don't want Elizabeth sick because it gets cold in the house at night.

The school house!

Our little playroom/school room is shaping up. I have a couple more posters and a lot more art frames to hang, but I ran out of adhesive. I have some more organizing to do inside drawers and in boxes, but that doesn't take long. And as you can see, Ian has to put up baseboards and trim and cover the stairs. I took the picture from the floor to the stair to show if I could the legos hiding underneath. So this is what school looks like!

Micaela's new desk...

Nathaniel's new desk...
Nathaniel building decimal street...
The lower level... Micaela obviously not working, and Nathaniel being studious...
The step and the legos underneath :)...

Book shelves, games, arts and crafts hiding in the drawers...
The REAL book cases!
A wall collage of their art work. I'll be adding to this- The frames are pre cut stiff posterboard from samsclub.com. There are around 80 frames in a package.
Gabriel's little corner. Notice his abscence...

I really liked this explanation of the economic crisis :)

Unsophisticated people like me really need it broken down this way!

Life and the pox

The new week is starting, and today- YEAH!- we have desks and chairs in the playroom. As soon as we get it clean long enough for me to snap a picture, I will. I'm excited to see how our first day will go in the new room. I hope this week to get some fun posters laminated and put up on the wall. This week our schedule looks like this. Tuesday we'll be working with some of our friends and studying Sukhot. Friday Micaela has ballet and then we're supposed to be heading to Gatlinberg with my family. But our Friday plans may not workout because we seem to have the pox. At least Asher has the pox. While he has all the symptoms, he has about 12 hours left for the rash to blister and crust over. After that, I'm tempted to think it's not chicken pox, and then I'll have to go to the doctor to find out what it really is.

Sooooo- a pox on the phony king of England! That line just keeps running through my head, and I had to use it :)

Anyway, please pray that the pox is limited, that we can go on the trip, and that Ian and I have some time alone. We haven't been out since the Friday after my birthday (in July). It's been a while, and we're feeling it.

An Art Class

I signed Micaela and Nathaniel up for an art class today with a local librarian. She taught a basic class on drawing faces. They did a simple sketch looking for shapes in faces. These are their drawings, before and after...
These are Micaela's


And these are Nathaniel's



I must say, Nathaniel's scarecrow face is drastically different than his next drawing. Micaela's little girl has some serious hair issues, but then she is really much better than the stick-man head that preceded her.

Yes, since I sat next to them to make sure Nathaniel followed directions (instead of hiding under a table or screaming like a monkey), I drew too. Here's my before and after which are both pretty funny in their own way ;) I ran out of time on my after.




Anyway, we didn't finish school today. We did four hours, just not everything I had written down. We didn't finish yesterday because some friends and I were planning a weekly 'co-op' we'll be getting together for Tuesdays. Sooo, we're a little behind. I need to learn to schedule less on days when I know we'll be out or swamped- 14 kids (8,7,7,6,6,5,4,3,3,2,18m,1,6m,2m) and 3 moms in a 3 bedroom house is definately swamped. My grandma says on those days, I should take an aspirin and hide in the corner. Hehe, care to join me?

Just in case you ever wondered...

It takes exactly 4 rolls of toilet paper to soak up all the water in the toilet.

The Punic Wars and Hannibal's Elephants

We studied the above today. After reading them a story about Hannibal and the elephants and reading a book about soldiers and war in ancient Rome, I asked my older two children to draw a picture of Hannibal's elephants crossing the Alps. What I got really shocked me!

Nathaniel

Micaela

Someone might need to catch up to her brother :)

Back to school

Today we're back to our regularly scheduled program :) All of our material is now settled in the playroom. The kids will just be waiting on their desks, which we'll hopefully be painting this week! Saturday some men from church are coming to help Ian in the addition. We're hoping to lay the floor in the rest of the playroom and finish another coat of drywall in Micaela's new bedroom. We've hired a friend to come work when he's able, so hopefully the remodel speed will pick up.

So today I have a choice. School at the kitchen table or school in the playroom floor? Hmmm..., I think we'll try a combination- and maybe we'll end up outside! The new lesson plans are up- check them out here.

My favorite homeschool company!

In June I went to a used book fair and bought Years 1 and 2 of Tapestry of Grace Redesigned. Year two did not come with the Loom cd, so the next week I called Lampstand Press to request a cd. I wasn't sure they'd give it to me, because I didn't have any documentation, and the cd's were not for sale in their store. She said they were still in development, and they'd be sending out copies soon; in the meantime I could have online access. I told her that I'd bought it used (for much less money), and that I didn't know the woman I'd bought it from. She said, no problem! They'd just mail me the cd when it was ready. I received the cd about a month later, and thought no more about it. Today I received a letter from Lampstand Press saying there was a mistake in the curriculum for rhetoric level (highschool) which affects units 3 and 4 of my copy of TOG year 2. They'll be sending me a free updated version to replace my affected units as soon as it's ready. That is a lot of material- and I didn't even buy it from them. I'm just amazed at their customer service- and I'm not a customer!!! Well, I did order their map cd and a box of books, but I didn't spend nearly so much as the price of one year of TOG! I can't wait to use their bookstore more in future; although, I confess I hope to find years 3 and 4 used :)

Domestic Educaton Week #2

And so it continues...

On Friday we had the joy of meeting our very first cousin ever! My sister's baby Aidan Miles was born Friday morning, and I spent most of that day at the hospital. He's a beautiful little boy, and so far they are doing well.

On Saturday, we were excited to finish flooring the upper level of our new school room. Ian left to mow the jungle that was our yard, and I moved all the books onto the school room floor. He came in to help me move the bookcases and filing cabinets in, and then I spent the evening cleaning/sorting/storing/throwing out laundry and dusting bookcases and books. I'm not done with either, so domestic education week will continue. We will work on bathrooms, floors, and the new school room this week! I promise to post a picture when we're done.

Domestic Education Week #1

I had said that I would spend every sixth week of school conducting "domestic education." After a few days of practicing domestic education, I think we may need some more experience. I've made a few unpleasant discoveries, and tackled some tasks that have been looming on my horizon for quite some time. I've very nearly decided to extend this week into next.

So far I have begun to clean the kitchen grout, tackled and conquered the piles of school/kitchen papers, cleaned out Micaela's and Nathaniel's clothes drawers, cleaned out Micaela's room and closet, and worked a little in every other room of the house. I've also made (of course) a master list of home/garden/remodel projects. I love lists :) This list includes hyperlinks to items needed to complete each task. For instance, the remodel list includes links to the vanity, tub/shower, faucets, and lights I want in the new bathroom- which I like because now I'm certain I choose both what I like and what is most budget friendly. I have not tackled mine and Ian's closets, the bathroom vanities or linen closet, the pantry or the kitchen cabinets. We have not done any bulk cooking, which I was hoping to do. I'd like to make several batches of bread, muffins and dough to stick in the freezer, but there hasn't been time-or quite honestly, I've not been that motivated to use the little time available between Elizabeth's naps. She does not like me to pay attention to anything but her.

Anyway, just because I know you're dying to know- the most disgusting find: Micaela's pillow case full of rotting apples from last week (why? Uuuggghhh?!?) and the funniest find: Micaela is still wearing some 2t panties on her 6X behiney :) She can't bear to get rid of anything. She cried today because I chucked a coloring sheet from Awana last year, and she sobbed over a cardboard shoe box!

An Exciting Development...

Micaela- a true lover of the written word- has written her first story. She brought it to me early this morning as I was cleaning. I read the first few lines and told her I was excited to hear it when she was finished. She giggled and ran off. I should have noticed the wonderful spelling. She actually copied a book today- word for word, except she changed the names. Plagiarism starts early I guess! :)

the price of gas

Ok, last Wednesday, Ian filled the truck up at 3.41. The next day, we filled the van for 3.49. We were told gas prices were going to rise over the weekend in response to hurricane Ike. Gas stations are imposing a 30.00 or 10 gallon limit. Some stations are just totally out and have bags over the pumps. Others have shut down waiting for more fuel. Gas prices jumped fifty cents on Friday, up to 3.99. Sunday, the price was 4.49. I just read on the internet that gas costs have risen 5 cents nationally, and that Alaska was leading the nation at 4.31. Hello? Are the stations around here price gouging? Since when has gas in the south ever cost anything close to gas in CA, and now we are more than Alaska?
We waiting and watching to see if gas will come down again over the next two weeks. We have gas heat and are very concerned about heating the house this winter. We're considering quitting ballet and other non-essential trips to town. We'll see...
How much has gas risen in Tx? in Ca? in Wa? in the North East?

What is my husband thinking?

A few months ago, Ian used my mop for some construction purpose that had nothing to do with cleaning. It broke. It has not been replaced, and we have just been wiping the floor on our hands and knees.

Just a few moments ago, he broke my broom trying to kill a bug. I am NOT going to sweep the floor with a brush!

Men- I guess you gotta love 'em :)

Coming and Going...

First, let me say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Nader! We miss you all.

Second, it's going to be crazy here for a while. In the midst of trying to resolve our termite issue, tonight we (well, Micaela the professional flower girl and Nathaniel the sometimes ring bear) have a rehearsal for my sister's wedding. Tomorrow morning, Micaela's ballet starts at 9:55. Friday night, my sister's having the rehearsal dinner because apparently there was a conflict with tonight. Saturday lunch the kids are going to another birthday party- and they're really excited. Sunday is church and wedding. So it sounds like Domestic Education week couldn't have come at a better time. And my other sister will be going in next Thursday night to be prepped for an induction. In case you see any headless chickens running around- it's probably me or Ian :)

Toddler School

I always try to take time at some point to teach my kids how to answer common questions- like their name or age. I am having a daily conversation with Asher right now.

Ashy, what is your name? Yea-ah, my name is my-yin (mine) ahahah.

No, you're Asher. Yea-ah you're Ashers.

No, I'm momma, and you're Asher. No, Bubba says you Becky. Yea-ah, I'm Ashers.

Asher, how old are you? Yea-ah I'm one birthday.

No, Asher is two. Yea-ah, Ashers is two. You're-ah two, momma.

No, Asher is two; momma's not two. Yea-ah you're not two momma. I'm two birthday. Gabey's one...

Musings...

On termites: We have them. Any advice on how to get rid of them without spending 1700?

On marriage: How many years before we learn to be totally honest and genuine with each other all the time?

On children: Why do they have to be so loud all the time? And why are they rowdy constantly when they know they're just going to get hurt? Newton apparently forgot some laws there- For every poke/jab/tease there will always be an equal or greater poke/shove/scream and then you will be bruised, injured, and hurt, and mommy will have no sympathy because you asked for it.

On cooking: I'm sometimes tired of cooking. If I don't cook and we eat less, isn't that ok? We'll just loose a little weight, right? And in our society, who doesn't need to lose a little weight?

On spelling: Is it hypocritical to teach (and expect excellance with) a subject at which I am hopeless?

Carrying on...

Well, this is our fifth week of school- at least, I think it is. I'm feeling a tiny bit of burn out, but I know it's because of the state of the house. I don't have time to be the full time nurse, chef, teacher, disciplinarian, and the maid! I am making a command decision: every sixth week will be "Domestic Education Week." We will use our time to focus on cleaning, organizing, cooking, handicrafts, and yard chores. I think it will be a nice break from school, help me focus on the needs of the home, and a good time to get the kids more involved in cleaning. We may continue daily math and phonics. I'm still thinking about it.

I think a lot of this problem will ease when our school room opens for use. Our kitchen and dining room are just a huge mess. I'm just moving piles of paper, notebooks, story books and school supplies from one stack to another as I attempt to make/serve a meal. It's driving me nuts!

We had a bad storm last night, and the internet went down, so I couldn't update. I guess I'll get back to breakfast :)

Veni, vidi, vici...

Or... I cut, I cooked, I canned! I was reaching WAY back for that Latin, so pardon any faux pas :) I have cut and sliced four bags of apples and now have about a gallon of deydrated apples, ten and a half quarts of apple sauce, and by morning hopefully 8 pints of apple butter. And one awesome fresh apple cake- thank you, Nana! Please don't remind me about the four or five bags left in the play room. I'm just about sick of the smell of apples. I don't really like sweets, and ripe fruit gets this sickly sweet smell that's just too much for me. But, thank you, Lord, for apples! Makes me feel like singing the Johnny Appleseed song...
Oh, of course I haven't done it all by myself, Ian's cut a few, and Micaela has done her share of cutting out nasty places, and Nathaniel and Gabriel helped load pots and trash bags. Asher tasted an awful lot. And Maxine, the kids and I all wore aprons.

Things I have heard around the house today...

Hey, mom, that thing (the apple peeler, corer, slicer) is like the Canadian Screw (Archimedes screw). - Micaela

Mom, you're phonics book is not as good as mine. Yours doesn't have any pictures or anything fun in it. Sorry mom. - Nathaniel

Mom, how do you spell "wore?" (were) I mean not like war, like the soldiers fight a war, but like "wore" like the linking "wore." You know, like it links Remus with brother, that "wore." - Micaela writing Romulus and Remus were brothers.

News Flash

Elizabeth now says DAHDAHDAHDAHDAH, and Micaela is now a snagglepus! (in my family that means she has lost a tooth)

Happy Anniversary!

Ian and I have been married for NINE years today. Sometimes it seems like ages, and other times it seems like the time just flies. We have made five major moves and six minor moves. We've been to Europe and discovered lots of places to love closer to home. We have bought, wrecked, or sold seven cars and one crazy scooter. We have learned to love ethnic food, and I have learned to cook ;) We've made some very special friends with each move, and of course we've had five children!
I thank God for a loving and committed husband and also for blessing us with the ability to pursue a common dream. Love you, Ian, and Happy Anniversary!
ps-hope you like canning apples :)

Nice day post #2

Today was a nice day too, except last night I felt so good I decided to stay up late working on a project. So I was a little sluggish this morning, and we didn't get started on our real day till around 10:00. Thus, we were interrupted by two meals (because breakfast was REALLY late) and we finished school around 3:00. Then we took my Granddad over to Cody's, and we picked more apples and then some pears! Ian's so excited, and tonight we're going to try our hand at applesauce, apple butter and water bathing! I'll let you know how it turns out. It's really funny that I feel like a very confident (and even experienced) cook, but the thought of canning makes me feel like I did when I first married Ian and had never browned meat or scrambled an egg :)

By the way, this week we read Brave Cloelia. This was a great book that the children thoroughly enjoyed. They were quiet and totally involved throughout the entire story. Check it out.

A very nice day!

We completed everything on the list today and were done before lunch. In fact, I told them at 12:05 if they wanted to eat, they'd have to clean their school stuff off the table. So, Papa, they're not too bogged down with school; although, I confess our day does start earlier than most. After lunch some colored, some watched Jungle Book, some played outside, some collected sticks to put in the fire pit, some played cars, and some napped while momma did a little prep work. After Daddy came home, we roasted hot dogs, marshmellows, and ate watermelon for dinner- we have a fire pit in the back yard. Then we loaded everyone up and went over to Cody's to pick apples. We got six grocery bags and one box full of apples. Cody filled her laundry hamper. They still have a TON of apples left. Tomorrow we may go get pears! What a fun day: I folded and put away 6 loads of laundry, cleaned the kitchen, dressed five kids (and me), fed the animals, watered the plants, completed school, cooked three meals, picked a bunch of apples, and feel accomplished. If only every day went this well :)

Weekly planning...

I sometimes feel ambitious ;)
So today I wrote out next week's schedule for Micaela and Nathaniel which can be viewed here. What do you think? Micaela is in first and Nathaniel is doing K4 (he'll do K5 next year). I love these charts because I can fill them out the week before, and the kids and I both love making sure we get it all done. Each day they choose a different color highlighter to highlight their assignments, and by the end of the week every square (with writing) should be colored. Using the highlighter is a motivating privilege!

Also, I changed my email again- MWAH HA HA HAAA :) I now have a fairly anonymous email address which I'm very happy about.

This week we're beginning to study Rome, the life of Christ, and the early church. I'm excited!

The embryo that is me...

Last Tuesday we read in science that a bean is a seed, and a seed is the embryo of a plant, just like you were an embryo in your mommy's tummy. Yesterday (three days later), I told Nathaniel to "draw a picture of a seed that is you; color it the color that you would like to be if you were a seed, and tell me about the kind of plant you would be if you were a baby seed." I should have stuck to the more specific script in the book- "Design your own testa," but if I had I might not have received this wonderfull picture of "the embryo that is me that was in your tummy." Yes, that is me with the Nathaniel embryo in my tummy! How can you save a construction paper drawing forever?

Mixing Metaphors?

For a long time now, Gabriel has been saying "my tummy wants more..."
"My tummy wants more food."
"My tummy wants to go outside."
"My tummy wants to watch a movie."
"My tummy wants to go to the hamburger store."

This saying has been getting progressively whinier; so whiney, in fact, that I have begun to make him rephrase his wishes without the tummy part (or the whiney tone). This morning I was greeted with "Momma, I'm starving for a movie."

my new address

I have had a new email address for a little over a year now. This is my final notification :) I will no longer check my old address as I am receiving some really nasty spam. After 90 days, it should hopefully close. So Maxine and Michelle and Micaela's ballet teacher who I'm sure will never read this :) - change your address books! I will attempt to check the old account in January just to see if it's gone :)

a not exactly productive day...

This week we invested in a library card from the downtown library in the city where Ian works. It costs money for us because it's in another state, but it's soooo much bigger- i.e., it has so many more resources! I searched for a few books to complement our history outline and found a ton. Ian brought several that I asked for as well as a child's film on the artist Edgar Degas. I'm so pleased to be able to use this resource.
However... I have a confession. I CAN'T SEEM TO CLOSE A BOOK AFTER I'VE OPENED IT! This morning I let them watch the Degas film twice (and a kids' music video once) so that I could finish a book on Alexander the Great (from the picture online I assumed it was a child's picture book) before school. I started it Tuesday and couldn't finish Wednesday because of an errand. Last night, I stayed up late talking to Ian about important stuff (I felt guilty trying to read because it was important), so this morning under the 'pretense' of starting laundry, I got up at four and read. I finished the book by 11:30 and was able to cook lunch and finish most of our lesson plans today. But I didn't do anything else- except those three early morning loads of laundry. By 3:00, I was a zombie!
I used to do this as a child too. I'd sneak away and avoid all contact with people while I was absorbed in a book. It's slightly amusing and very frustrating. I MUST learn to limit my reading time so that I can be a responsible member of my family. AAARRRGGGHHH!!! Why can't we all just be happy to go hungry while momma reads a story?

Am I the only person who has this problem? I'm so convicted right now I'm just going to say it was a lack of self-control. Since I can't govern myself, I'll have to swear off anything but the kids' school books and the Bible for a month. I know that's not the answer, but what is?

Where has the summer gone?

Since my last post, we have knocked down the wall to the garage and added five rooms to the house (well, when it's done we'll have added five rooms); Elizabeth has grown into a rolly polly, noisy five month old; Asher has begun to speak as plainly as Gabe; Gabriel has discovered a preference for wearing swim trunks (because then he doesn't have to wear underwear); Nathaniel has learned to write his name, count to ten unassisted, and has turned five; while Micaela has learned to find passages of scripture on her own. We've also had Nathaniel and Asher's birthday party- a pinebox derby in our backyard! The summer flowers have come and mostly gone without any attention from us. Our garden produced pitifully from lack of attention- but we have five new rooms, a new fence, a new septic tank, a smooth derby track to donate to our church Awanas, and a new baby, so we weren't exactly lazy :) I've thrown a bridal shower for one sister and seen another get married. And finally, we've done three weeks of school.

I've decided I can't go this long without updating. I miss recording all the sweet and funny things they do- as well as all the stinky rotten messes they make :) I've been disappointed because I don't have that many photos to share, but I need to journal anyway, so that we won't forget. I'll add pictures later when it's not so frustrating.

Anyway, where we are now...
Micaela is a couple of weeks away from finishing our second grade grammar book. When she's done we will take a few weeks to review the definitions of and uses of the parts of speech, and then we'll begin English for the Thoughtful Child (because I have it). She's doing scripture searches, handwriting, and spelling daily. She's covering 1st grade math again using Math U See, and I can see that she's doing better remembering facts. She completes her own assignment chart daily which I think is great!

Nathaniel is steadily working through the Rod and Staff Preschool ABC series; he does handwriting and phonics work daily, and he's working in the Math U See Primer. Nathaniel is meticulous. His handwriting (tracing) is almost always smooth and neat, and when he finally wrote his name for the very first time, it was completely legible. He did it by himself, and then brought it to me. I was so impressed! Nathaniel also colors daily. He's attempting to color every single page in every coloring book we have- yes, he goes in order. Everything he does takes FOREVER, but it's done pretty well!

We are studying botany (the Young Explorer's series) and currently doing experiments in a light hut. We are also using Tapestry of Grace. We picked up history where we left off last spring when Elizabeth was new and the wall coming down made such a mess. This week we're learning about Alexander the Great, the Hellenistic age, and Hanukkah (Year One, Unit 3 Week 27). We are loving all the books which I'm reading aloud to Nathaniel and Gabriel AFTER Micaela has read them. She likes to "sneak into the history books." We also love all the craft ideas which I'm happy to say I'm actually using! Also I love the ease of switching between levels. Sometimes Micaela does the Upper Grammar level because I think she'd enjoy it, and it's so nice that it's available for use without having to think much about it. I also love all the background information for the teacher.

We have settled nicely into a routine. Get up, get dressed, clean room (kitchen for me), eat breakfast, clean up, and start school between 7:30 and 8:30. I thought logging 4 and 1/2 hours honestly would be difficult with a kindergartner and a first grader, but it's really easy. We've been cleaning up school fairly consistently around 2:30 (sometimes later for Micaela because she likes to dilly dally). Then they play or watch a movie while I rest a little before I make dinner. I guess I'm still tired from having Elizabeth, but for whatever reason- I just can't make it through the day if I don't rest.

Well that's enough for today, I've got to run now because breakfast, rooms, and school are all late already!

Things I want to remember about Gabe...

Gabriel is now three and a half. It's a magical age :)

For the last month he's been catching wooly worms. He sticks them in his pockets-several at a time- and then he carries them around. He takes them out to feed them every once in a while. He sets them on some grass and says "He's hungry" (he's usually squished and dead). After a minute he picks it back up checks it to make sure it's wiggly and sticks it back in the pocket.



Last week he cut his own hair. He laid the scissors flat against his forehead and opened and shut them over and over again till he had a nice wedge taken out of his hair. It looked like a mustache on the top of his head. It's now buzzed short.



Thursday we took our first homeschool field trip with a local group to the Huntsville Botanical Gardens. Gabriel was completely independent. He was best friends with the elderly docent, leading her around by the hand. He talked to all the adults and most of the children. He'd wander waaaay ahead and behind of my place in line with Elizabeth and Nathaniel (Asher did not attend and Micaela stayed with a little girl named Charli). He dropped his shades in the water garden and when the teacher helped him pick them up he was so grateful he told everyone thank you. He tried catching goldfish and tadpoles with the other students, but he just wasn't long enough, so he rejoiced over every one's catch.

1, 2, 3 somping

A few weeks ago I was bribing Nathaniel to count by offering him as many animal crackers as he could count. He managed six or seven I think. Anway, ever since then Asher has been counting for food. Any and all food. He has been saying random strings of numbers and standing at the pantry for the last couple of weeks. Last sunday at Nana's Asher begged for a piece of lemon ice box pie- "more somping, more somping." Two nights ago at dinner we had ice cream. As it was coming the table Asher says in an ecstatic voice- "1,2,3 somping!"

Micaela is Six!

Last night Micaela talked to Ian on the phone before bed. "Daddy, did you know that this is the last day and the last night that I will ever be five? I can't believe it!" She's so cute when she's dramatic. Well, sometimes ;) Anyway, today she turned six. She got up EARLY and daddy made her a special breakfast before he left for work. I declared a school holiday and renewed our aquarium membership, so the kids and I went to the aquarium at 10:00. Elizabeth was an angel and slept in the sling through both buildings! Asher was almost as good riding in the stroller. By 1:15 we were done and starved. Micaela opted to go to Olive Garden because she LOVES their soup and salad. Nana and Papa met us for lunch and treated us to a nice birthday cake there. Afterwards we came home as quickly as we could to make cupcakes. Micaela is six, so now she can make cupcakes she tells me. She did. She read the instructions, and all I had to do was preheat the oven, put them in, take them out and set them on the plate. She measured, cracked eggs, mixed, put them in the pan and iced them. I didn't even have to help her with the fractions! She even decorated them with sprinkles. She proudly carried them in to children's choir tonight to share with her friends. When she got home the boys were asleep, and we made a sun catcher (because she LOVES crafts) and played Sequence (because she LOVES games) and I read her a story (because she LOVES to read, and now that she can, I don't read to her enough). She said this was the best day ever.

I think it was a pretty good day too! I'm tired though, so I'm going to curl up under my blankets and read Nehemiah. Did I mention I got stuck in 1 Chronicles? I'm eight days behind, but I hope to catch up this weekend.

This week

is not a normal week. Ian usually works in the office from 8 till 5:00. This week and next week he's leaving at 6:30 and coming home at 8:00 or 9:00. Saturday and Sunday too. I'm lonely for him. The kids are missing him. The grass and weeds need him. And I need him too! Anyway, I want to post pictures of our new kitties (born yesterday morning from their almost six month old mommy), Micaela's ballet, Elizabeth growing, and Asher being a mess. It's hard to do during the day, and I'm just too exhausted to do it at night! My computer needs RAM. It's running so slowly that turning it on, loading the internet and going to the first web page takes about 25 minutes. So posting pics takes FOREVER. Well, I'm exaggerating-it takes about 30-45 minutes to load photos after I get to the blog. Tonight I'm using Ian's work laptop which feels like lightening, but it has no photos. Apparently, I feel the need to justify my picless posts again :)

Anyway, who knew that kitties needed to be spayed at 4 months? I had no idea. The kittens are precious. There are five- one orange and four black. Three black ones are going to be mottled with orange and brown I think. The other is going to be striped. Two of them have a white/grey mask on the face so far. I don't know that I've ever seen kittens so tiny. Gabriel says they're "cute as baby Lizabet." Micaela says we're keeping them all, but I'm giving them away when she's not looking :) Want one, Chas?

Things really aren't that interesting- except for the kitties. We're just plugging away at school. Addition is finally clicking with Micaela. She no longer has to count on her fingers. We're about 2 weeks and 5 or 6 lessons into MUS Alpha. Nathaniel loves Primer. Some days he can count. Some days he can't. Gabey is doing Proverbs for Preschoolers, and he likes it. We're studying Greece, and we've just parked it on myths and heros. They're fascinated. And Micaela and I are discussing how they exchanged the truth of God for a lie. So many of the stories have an element of truth that's been twisted! We're learning to classify plants and draw and label their parts. I think that's fun. Nathaniel's really doing well forming letters within mazes or by tracing. Micaela's handwriting is like Nathaniel's counting- creative at best.

I'll post before I go insane. I just keep reminding myself to do one day at time. And then I look at the number of days ahead before he'll be home again for a day or an evening and I get overwhelmed! If I can take five kids five and under to Walmart and buy two carts worth of groceries, I can do anything, right?

Back hoe Boys

We had our septic tank replaced a couple weeks ago. We thought we wanted a 1500 gallon tank, but we couldn't get the hole deep enough. We went with a 1000 gallon instead. That's ok, because it replaced a 300 gallon tank! Daddy stayed home from work to watch, so the boys were out almost all day watching the tractor make a mountain of mud. He let the boys ride with him which they LOVED.


Ian also had him dig up and bury some giant stumps that were in the garden/orchard area. So we're excited to have that done. Afterwards the four older kids were covered head to toe in dirt and clay, so they all took baths and went to bed early.

Jaspers

Yesterday was Micaela's ballet recital, and we were all ready to go an hour early. So I let them watch a movie. They watched Wee Sing's King Cole's Party. After a while I hear Nathaniel say, "What are those ears on him?" Micaela responds "Those aren't ears, that's just cause he's a jasper. And jaspers are funny." Take a look at the jasper here...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uogrErtRCU&feature=related I've not taken time to figure out how to load a you tube video here, so you'll have to click the link if you want to see him :)

Time

I don't have time to blog now, and I don't really feel guilty. I began this blog for Ian's family in California and for my family in TN, but Ian's family doesn't read it very often, and we see my family weekly. So it's ok that I don't update for a few months- or a year. I seem to be going from the minute my feet hit the floor in the morning till about 9:00 at night, and then Elizabeth starts fussing. She thinks you have to fuss a good two hours before you can go to bed for the night.
So in case you're wondering what we're doing I'll tell you- on a normal day:
-Elizabeth needs to nurse around 5:00
-every male in the house MUST be up by 6:00 (Only they know why)
-someone wakes Micaela up shortly after and she's a grump
-Ian lets me stay in bed with Elizabeth till 7:30 when he leaves for work
-I put in a load of laundry, eat and make the kids dress and clean their rooms
-the kids play for a while, but by 9:00 Micaela starts school and I sneak a shower!
-hopefully by 11:30 she's done with the dayly stuff
-we eat lunch and then have story (history&Bible&fun) time/nap time/quiet time
-Nathaniel does phonics/primer around 2:00
-The older kids go outside around 3:30 and I start making dinner while Asher cries to go "side door" and Elizabeth makes it as complicated as she can
-Ian comes home around 5:30/6:00 and works outside- because we have a neverending list of garden/yard related chores and I'm tied to the baby monitor
-We eat together and sometimes I clean up right after, other times I'm too exhausted and we sit around playing games with, reading to or ignoring (shameful, but true) the kids
-then it's 'jamma time'- or baths first if they're filthy
-by dark we have worship time. we're pretty much reading straight through a children's bible; although I confess to have skipped the story of Yael and the tent peg and a few other things. We've been in the old testament for a LONG time now, and I think our boys have become a little obsessed with violence. Then we sing. Sometimes they dance. Then we work on our questions (like a catachism).
-then it's bed time for children; although Micaela now wants to stay up to read and you can hear her giggling in her room about stories for an hour or so
-then I do laundry again and again and again and I read and I check email and Ian falls asleep on the couch while Elizabeth cries and nurses and fusses and insists on standing up and does her nightly poopy
-she conks out around 10:30/11:00 to wake up again at five!

Did I mention that I'm reading through the Bible in 90 days? Somewhere in all this I'm reading a lot- I'm in Chronicles. I also take Elizabeth out with me for at least a half hour each day and we've been planting herbs/veggies or pruning shrubs or weeding. I do promise to post a few pictures of Elizabeth growing, of Micaela's ballet, and of Nathaniel and Gabriel driving a back hoe, but I don't know when. I guess I like going back and reading the text as much as seeing the photos, so you'll have to suffer through picless posts!

Goings on...

We're doing well. Elizabeth is really growing and last Friday weighed in a 9lbs 13oz. This Friday I'm sure she's about 10 and 1/2 or so. Asher is longing to do things. He likes to feel like he's accomplished something big. Gabriel is trying hard to be kind, but it doesn't always work out in his favor. Pray for him to learn gentleness! Nathaniel is trying to learn! His number/letter recognition is finally growing, and he loves his new lessons (MUS and the phonics museum). Micaela is trying hard to be a helper for mommy, and mommy is trying to catch up at home and be a good mommy. Daddy's working, gardening, and putting up a fence, so we're all really busy.

Blossoms again...

A wild cherry?
Hostas coming up all around the oak tree (and every where else). I need to divide these too, but don't have a place to put them.

Another plum!
Something coming up everywhere in the flower bed.
I have tulips!
I think this is phlox, but I haven't checked a book yet. It could be my imagination.
One of the redbuds.

Spring is really pretty around the house. I just wish it were a little more organized/neat. I'm going to try to move flowers around the beds and condense everything over the next few years. There's no way I can maintain all this as it is, and I feel so clueless!

Things that make you go... hmmm?

Elizabeth, Micaela and I went to the grocery store on Saturday afternoon. Have you ever wondered what happens at your house when you're gone? I had some buggy wheat from the store and didn't realize it till it was already in the bucket. It was pretty full and heavy, and I have been largely pregnant, so I did not empty it. Ian has been busy. Saturday I asked him to empty it, clean it and put the new grain in while I was at the store. I came home and found this on the camera....

Unfortunately, that was NOT the buggy wheat, and yes, Nathaniel DID clean it up by himself. Why on earth my husband put an open bag of grain on the counter is beyond me!

Excited about the coming year...

I've been on a spring vacation from school- well, really all of us have been on spring vacation :) But now I'm feeling like digging back in. We started Monday with math for Micaela and Preschool ABCs for Nathaniel. I guess I'm just inching back in. I hope tomorrow to include some grammar/memory review with Micaela, and then next Monday start back with spelling, grammar and math daily. I may wait one more week before we pick up history again- or maybe not. Since we've had so much vacation/sickness lately I do not intend to take a summer vacation. We will just school through summer and take off when we like. This really doesn't matter AT ALL since none of my children have hit the compulsary school attendance age.

ANYWAY, the reason I'm excited is that I ordered some supplies for next year. I bought Math U See for Micaela, Nathaniel and Gabriel- that's Primer, Alpha and Beta, the blocks and the box. Micaela will finish her Rod & Staff Math in about two weeks, and I intend to have her do Alpha before Beta since the skills don't exactly overlap, and she can use the review while she learns to use the blocks. I'm debating about whether I should let her move quickly through Alpha or not. Advice? Nathaniel and Gabe will both start at Primer, but I expect Nathaniel to move more quickly than Gabe. I will only start Gabe if he's interested anyway. He may wait till next spring.

I also *Invested* in Veritas Phonics Museum for the boys. I bought the K/1 Combo Kit. OUCH! But I figure if you divide the cost by four it's not that much (about $30 per child, per year), and Ian and I both think that Nathaniel especially will enjoy it. Gabriel enjoys anything so far. Nathaniel is wanting to learn to read, I think, so this is a good time to start with him.

Ian was supposed to have been teaching science this year, but he let it slide. He can't work without some sort of guide. I wrote something out for him, but it was too general. Anyway, I also bought an Apologia science book for him and the kids. We're going to try botany for the spring/summer, since gardening is such a huge priority around here. I hope they like it, and I think that Ian will enjoy being the teacher for a little while each week.

I'm throwing out handwriting for Micaela in favor of copy work. Copy work is already incorporated in her grammar book weekly, and she does it fairly well. I bought a CD that includes copywork from A Child's Garden of Verses on appropriately lined paper with the idea that if she doesn't do it neatly I can print it again and repeat! Now she just slops through handwriting workbooks however she likes, and short of making her erase the entire page (which would leave it looking like swiss cheese), I really don't know what else to do. Assigning another page just gains me more slop. So we'll try this approach for a while and see.

So now if I can just cough up enough money for Tapestry of Grace and a telescope I'll be perfectly happy-hehe. I'm content anyway, I'd just love to use Tapestry of Grace! Ian thinks I should go ahead and buy it, but I just don't think I can spend that much on something really geared for older students. I do want to use it in the future, and it's possible the price will just go up, so maybe Ian's right?? I'm still thinking about it. I'll probably think about it for another year. If any of you use it, tell me what you think. I know De'etta uses it. What do you think? Wait till they're older or invest in it now so that later I can invest in something else- like maybe the library that goes with it or braces or stock in BlueCross BlueShield :)

Crib Comics

My dad bought us a new crib! Ours has been through my four older children (who definately put it through the ringer), and I bought it used, so it's been through at least five if not more. Anyway, the drop side wouldn't stay up if you put pressure on it in just the right spot (Asher was a pro)- and then when it went down, it wouldn't raise up without coaxing (yanking, jerking, and grunting). So... the new crib!

Tonight we put together said crib. It was a group effort. Micaela took apart the nuts and bolts; Nathaniel helped with the alen key; Gabriel placed and misplaced dowels; Asher tried to misplace everything, and Elizabeth screamed because she had gas. I read directions, and Ian tried to follow them. This was NOT a recipe for success. Backup. Let me say at the beginning that Ian thought it would be good to put this crib together in the living room because "it's a lot more narrow than the other one and it will fit through the door." I said, "Ok, but my vote says there's no way it will fit through the door."

Back to putting the crib together. It went together fine, till we realized we screwed the decorative top to the front of the headboard. OOPS! There's no fixing it, and it's our fault, so there's no returning it. We put it all together and debated returning it because the finish on the front of the drop side was damaged from the packing tape- except that we could see that it was really the back and had been labelled wrong. Of course, we didn't mess that part up. We messed up the one labelled correctly. We realize we've been rapidly losing intelligence in the last five years or so.

So it's all put together, and Ian vows he's not taking it apart to return it. I like it- the finish and style match the furniture already in the room, and it feels pretty sturdy. It just has six small screw holes across the top. I decide that I'll cover that piece with girly fabric, and it will be cute as can be. Now it's time to move it to the room.

Ian wheels it (it's on castors) down the hall-did I mention we have a pokey hall?- and managed to get it stuck trying to turn it into the girls' room. He had it wedged in the corner between our door and theirs, and Ian's body was in the boys' door. At this point it's humorous. He concedes defeat. I have to concede that if he could have turned it, it would have wheeled right through the door. He did have to take the crib apart, but now it is safely in the girls' room waiting for a wash, some girly fabric, and sheets. I hope to make matching bedding for the girls sometime this year. I'm not too ambitious, see, and a year gives me plenty of time to try it and plenty of time for you to forget it : )

Tomorrow I'll try to add a picture of my wonderful crib- prefabric. Who knows when I'll get to the store for fabric!

A no photo update...

Little Miss Elizabeth looks like she's already growing and filling out. Her face and head have changed still more since the first couple of days. She is a good eater and an even better sleeper. I have had to wake her up to get her to eat. She eats about twice in the night, and I usually end up getting up to change her diaper/burp her sometime after midnight. She's very content. She's been sleeping with me, and I have to say I love the feeling of having a baby in the crook of my arm during the night. I just hate my husband's flailing elbows :)

The children just love her. They can't wait to hold her and 'pet' her, and Nathaniel says "she's adorable" about 20 times a day.

Yesterday was my first day home alone with everyone and it went great till nap time. Just after 11:00 I laid them all down (we- no they get up early), and they slept till 2:00! Then my Grandma showed up, so I wasn't really alone. She asked if I could use help with the laundry. I gratefully accepted, and she proceeded to wash clothes, floors, toilets, windows, kitchen counters, dishes, tables, vacuum, and organize the kids' rooms. She can clean circles around anyone I know. I'm embarrased and thankful too.

Yesterday was my mom's birthday, and yesterday Vicki had her twins! I'm so excited and can't wait to see pictures and hear how it is to add the fourth and fifth children to your family at the same time!

Patience is a virtue that I have still not learned- and neither has De'etta :)

Or- sorry for making everybody wait!

She was born at 12:34 Sunday morning, so she was a Resurrection Baby! Saturday I talked Ian into taking me to town for a walk along the river. I walked at least 3 miles and- surprisingly- labor started right after. It was about 7 or 8 hours long I guess; although, I think if I'd not been so tired and ready for bed after the walk, I'd say it would have gone a little more quickly. She was born posterior, so my mom and Ian who were on either side of me got to see her little face come first. I hear it was quite a sight! There was some meuconium in the water, so the nurses held her/suctioned her first, but then my mom got to cuddle with her till I was ready. She was beautiful, alert, active and loud at birth, and has been pretty much the same in three hour intervals since.


I will say that the hospital experience was not that great, and there were a lot of things I was disappointed with. But I'm so grateful that she is here and healthy and now home, and God definately met me where I was. He calmed me and held me there during the labor. I felt unsafe and pressured to do some things that I thought were dangerous, and I could feel fear in the room- their fear- but it just seemed to roll off me as I prayed.


Elizabeth roomed with us during our hospital stay. She left our room for two hours Sunday night so that I could rest (because her tummy was uncomfortable, she'd had trouble going potty), and for 45 minutes Tuesday morning (for the PKU, billi-test, and discharge stuff). Since coming home Tuesday afternoon, she has been the center of attention. Micaela sings and sings to her. Nathaniel and Gabe watch her every move and long to gently touch their baby sister. Asher runs between playing with his toys and petting sister's head. None of the children have held her yet. They still are coughing and running fevers off and on.


And now the real reason I'm sure you're here...
Elizabeth Ann weighed in at 8lbs 5 oz (same as her brother Nathaniel) and measured 21.25" (.25" shorter than Nathaniel)


Nana was very happy to get to be there
Elizabeth wanted her mommy, but the midwife wouldn't let momy have her yet
Daddy was proud
Mommy's in love

And Asher has his own personal baby

And it Begins!

I lost my plug this morning, and I'm still having low contractions. Some mild. Some intense, but all fairly short. Maybe tomorrow?

A great praise!

I've had horrible back aches for the last several weeks. My upper and lower back have been sore, painful and tender. I've woken up every night when rolling over because it hurt so bad. I get up all bent over like an old woman. Anyway, last night around 4 I got up to go potty, and I noticed the pain is gone! I'm not tender at all or the least bit sore. I feel normal! Well, normal for being 9 months pregnant. I have no idea what caused it or what made it go away, but THANK YOU, GOD!
Also, I had mild, low contractions all night, and I feel like baby moved down a little more. I can now say that I'm excitedly expecting, and I don't feel nearly as depressed as I have. I actually feel capable of managing the house and children in this state.

Just another day...

Nothing really special happened today. I had to get the kids up and out early to make it to my ultrasound this morning. They had wanted to do it next week at 41.5 wks, but the tech was going on vacation with her children, so they just moved it up. It was fun to see the baby. She is high still. She had two hands and one foot in front of her face, so I have a picture of a nose surrounded by appendages. It's pretty funny. Her other foot was sitting on her bum in my rib cage. The tech couldn't believe how far up she was! After the appt, the kids and I went to eat lunch with my mom. We had soup and salad from Olive Garden. They have Micaela's favorite soup. Everything we eat is her favorite, so I don't know if it's that much better or not : )

All the older children are now getting croupy, and Nathaniel and Micaela are running fevers. They were very mellow this afternoon. They had some hot chamomile and honey tea and colored pictures for me. Nathaniel wrote me a long letter of random letters.

When Ian came home we had breakfast for dinner- eggs, toast, sausage, and potatoes. And then.... the UPS man came! The orchard had messed up our order last month, sending us an extra peach instead of one of our apples, and then a different apple had been on back order. Today they mailed us both our missing apples and an extra one to boot! We received ten trees for the price of eight, and Ian's thrilled to have our little orchard plot filling up. We'd like to get two cherries and another plum and almond next spring, and then I think we'll have exhausted our space for trees. This fall I'd like to get blueberries, but we'll see if we have the money. Anyway, we all went out after dinner and planted the three new trees. The boys are such big helpers, they each had their shovel out and helped move topsoil and break up clods for their dad. Micaela wanted to help too, but she really wasn't feeling well and I sent her inside to cuddle on the couch and read a book. Asher chased kitties.

As a little side note- I'm finally having a few Braxton Hicks contractions!!!!!! The full moon is tomorrow- maybe? I'm taking evening primrose on the advice of my midwife- actually I haven't yet taken one, but I'm going to as soon as I get up. And that's the end. My loving husband is working on his second load of dishes tonight (I made a mess this morning before I left), and I'm about to go do my fourth load of laundry today (I've been slowly washing bags of hand me downs- so I've got extra to do each day).

Still at home :)

Vicki called last night after I was in bed to see if I'd had a baby- I haven't yet. I'm still not having any contractions or any other indications. I did have an appointment with the midwife. The baby's heart beat was soooo high she thought that maybe she was not feeling the head down, so we did a quick ultrasound to check. Baby is still head down, but her head is floating very high, and her bum is in my rib cage! I think that baby is posterior, but that doesn't mean anything since she's so far from being engaged. I'm still 3cm. Basically there's no change at all. The midwife doesn't think there's any visible reason for the baby to stay up high. She seems to think that labor contractions will push the baby down; of course, I can't be induced so we have to depend on natural methods to stimulate contractions if they don't come. If I don't go into labor by 41 wks, they'll schedule me to come in and have my water broken during the folllowing week. There are two risks there- with 3 of my pregnancies, my water was broken way longer than 24 hours without labor (which means c/section at a hospital) and also since baby's so high, there's the danger of cord prolapse. Anyway, I've had to come to terms with the fact that God knows when and how this baby will be delivered, and it doesn't matter if it's naturally or surgically- there's really nothing I can do to change it.

A few more photos..

Here are some photos of Asher before and after his first hair cut...

One of the mystery shrubs.. any ideas? The flowers look like mini daisies with yellow centers. They covered the whole stem before there were any leaves, and now there are more flowers and just a few leaves.


A pretty forsythia, and another photo of a quince.
This is one of the mature plum trees. We assume it's just for decoration, but of course we have the faint hope that it might produce fruit :)

This is Micaela with Sally the kitty kitty.

This is Micaela modeling some of the daffodils. She informs me we have thousands, and that is good since she has picked hundreds.

This is Micaela with Striper, the shy kitty. It is really strange that Asher can catch Striper, but Ian and I can't.

Gabriel wanted his picture made too. He is always accompanied by his dumptruck, hoe and shovel.

Here he is swinging. I love the grin ;0)
I'm not posting a photo of me, but I still have a ginormous belly.

Except for the haircut, all the pictures are from today. I'm using this to help me remember when things bloom, and where they are. So far I've given away about 25 clumps of lillies from the lilly bed. I'm trying to make room for strawberries and peas. There's at least 50 more clumps in that bed, and they can all be divided about 6 times I think. The irises are in very bad need of division. I've never done any flower gardening before, and I'm afraid to ruin them, but they all need to be moved to make room for vegetables. I'll keep a few, but I don't need 100s and 100s of bulbs! Chas, if you're reading stop by any time for lillies or irises. I can't promise you a certain color, but I can promise a profusion :)

While we were outside today, Asher was catching up on his sleep. He hasn't run a fever at all since the hospital, and his breathing is sounding 100% better. His cough is not bad at all now unless he's mad. Nathaniel didn't want to come out- he was working puzzles.