A Conversation Over Breakfast

Me: Are you ever lonely... eating and playing and being the only kid in your house most of the time?


You: Yeah, sometimes.


Me: But you still don't want a brother or a sister, right?


You: Why? You think you could do that?


Me: Well, Daddy and I just want to make sure you're okay. We could do something about it, but we'd rather not. 


You: Well, sometimes I'd like one. But adoption would be best for me. 


Me: Why is that?


You: Because I don't want to have to go through that thing where the mom abandons the six year old for the baby.

Learning Update

With early morning recipe reading, measuring, and mixing

fresh baked muffins with apple slices.

Co-op US History

and Around the World classes.

Nature walks.

Autumn gratitude.

Park visits and tire swinging in your own woods.

Hikes. 

Unique discoveries.

Kevin's Nature Box

filled with treasures. 

We're still going strong with the hands on learning.

Your reading and writing are also coming along so nicely.

I love to hear you read. You use so much expression.

I can tell you have been OVER read to (if that's possible) all your life.

Your writing has always been good in concept,

but now that your learning disciplined penmanship

and how to use punctuation it's even sweeter. 

And your love of science. Oh, science.

 I could go on and on... later. 

Blazers

We went to Blazers Acres for some fall fun.

This has been our favorite place for farm fresh goodness

and pumpkin picking since we moved here three years ago.

We each picked our own big carving pumpkins,

and one pie pumpkin for making Mrs. Pierre's pumpkin butter, of course.

We all enjoyed the morning out in the warm sun.

And we have BIG plans for those carving pumpkins! 

Birthday Party Getaway

When I asked you what you wanted to do for your birthday party this year

you said you wanted to go to the Kalahari with Jaymee, again. 

You always dream big...

but we couldn't have agreed more with this plan!

In the art of saving time and money 

we went to an area water resort instead of the actual Kalahari itself.

It turned out to be even more perfect.

SO clean. Great hospitality. And just the right size for your age.

Oh, and might I add, it was fabulously empty.

We pulled Jay and Sarita out of school for both days

and had the entire place to ourselves.

Even Uncle Tony surprised us and showed up to play!

You enjoyed your "Happy Birthday Kevin" cake.

More on that "Kevin" bit a little later...

And we finished off the whole event with dinner at one of 

your favorite restaurants (Chili's), and a Birthday treat for all!

This was a great way to celebrate your turning six.

We all had such a nice time, and there was NO stress

or even clean up in the end. :)

Barkhausen Field Trip

When we went to Barkhausen for the first time last year

I learned about the awesome homeschoolers' field trip they

have for school agers in the fall.

When the registration came around this year

I could not wait to participate!

The day was action packed with FUN!

We got to dig stuff out of the pond, explore and 

identify different organisms and species. 

Then, you and the other kids did some exploring of your own in the woods.

You even got to see Noah for the first time in almost a year!

The two of you were happy as could be...

like two frogs in a pond.

After that we all ate together, and then we went on a nature trek.

Mr. Matt taught us all kinds of things about different plants, trees, and wildlife.

It was really awesome, and you keep asking me when we can go back. 

Neither of us can wait for next year!!! :)

Six

You were tiny once. Tiny in my hands, in your bouncer, in your onsie. 

You used to fit in the kitchen sink to play. 

You toddled around, little.

You looked up with big, unknowing, trusting eyes. 

You were so small it took you longer and sweeter even to blink. 

You chewed like you were little. 

Your fingers were stubby and so much fun to watch navigate the new-to-you world. 

Your voice was tiny. 

Your shoes and socks fit on my two fingers. 

You sat in a backward facing car seat, and until today, always a five point harness. 

You rode in the front of shopping carts. 

You checked with me before... everything. You weren't so sure. 

You held the wall when you walked down stairs, 

and startled a little before you turned to look at something loud or fast. 

You didn't care if I put you in jeans and nikes, 

or if your hair product dried like glue or not. 

You didn't say, "i can do it myself".

You didn't bring me letters that read, 

"com to my pijama perty at 5:40. bring your pijemas". 

We couldn't lay together talking for hours at night. 

You didn't know enough to tell me what you thought of 

life, death, dreams, stars, God, me or yourself.

You couldn't have been left at home alone if I walked across the street to visit the neighbor. 

You didn't make your own breakfast if I wasn't out of bed when you woke.

You couldn't read the Bible to me in the mornings. 

You didn't chose your worship songs or ask me what they meant.

You never washed windows or emptied dishwashers or fed pets 

or started and finished your own showers or recorded your own shows on TV 

or figured out how to call someone back on a cell phone 

or picked out your own clothes 

or ordered your kiddie cocktails at the bar in restaurants... 

You just weren't this big and ready and full of ideas and plans. 

But you have always been my baby boy,
and you always will be.

And today, you are six years old!!!

Six years ago began the best years of our lives.


We are so grateful to God for you. 

Happy Birthday Big Boy. 

I can't wait to see what He has for us this year! 

Hamster Time

This is Pebbles...

or is it Ralph?

Who can keep up with all the name changes around here?

You asked us for a mouse or a hamster for months.

I told you about a ten times that if you could take care of it yourself

and you still wanted one "next month" you could get one then. 

I could only hold you off for so long. :)

Jay came over early on a Saturday to join us

on our hamster getting extravaganza.

At the pet store, you selected the sweetest, tiniest, 

miniature, dwarf gerbil I've ever seen.   

We bought him a race car that he runs himself, 

as well as a rolling ball. 

So far, you play with him all the time,

AND take perfect care of him.


And so, we have a hamster.
and a cat. and two dogs. and some fish... :)

toothless

You lost your first tooth on the afternoon of September 22, 2011! 

I pulled it out for you, and you skyped with your Daddy at work 

right away to show him the missing tooth gap. 

You said to me, 

"Mom, I know the tooth fairy isn't real, but do you think if I 

put my tooth under my pillow tonight there might be 

somethin' special for me in the morning!?"

I assured you that Mommy and Daddy are way better than any old tooth fairy. 

We put your tooth in a little envelope, 

and you tucked it right under your pillow.


After you went to sleep I pulled out your envelope, 

replaced your tooth with a five dollar bill 

and put a new toy from How to Train Your Dragon into a gift bag. 

Then, I left you home with Sarita while I snuck down to 

the gas station to load up on treats to throw in with it.  

You were one happy boy in the morning.

And the tooth right next to the missing one

is SO loose it's not even in the right place.

We should have another any day now!

A Little School Update:

On Wednesdays we are supposed to have the day "off" 

from text books and worksheets for school. 

We are supposed to use the day to explore God's Creation in the world.

Due to your current schedule of Tuesday co-op

and Friday fitness, we don't often have the luxury of 

using Wednesday as a "free exploration" day.

We do, however, make a point to get outside and get into it 

whenever possible throughout the week.

We've turned over just about everything we could find

to discover all the creatures and eggs below.

We've collected caterpillars who've gone into

cocoons and never come out.

We also did the above worm activity/experiment/observation.

It was fun to collect them and put them in the jar with layers of sand and soil.  

It was even more fun to watch them worm their way through the layers

leaving their hole-trails along the sides of the jar. 

You made clay and formed a jar and lid with it for your mini scrolls. 

And even your Daddy has been joining in on the fun

with rocket building and launching,

and doing experiments out of your science book

with you on the weekends. 

This toothpick experiment was AWESOME. 

When you put the drop of water in the center, all the toothpicks 

spread apart like magic! 

We found this old clock from your nursery that had no numbers on it.

We took it apart and made a new insert for it out of blank paper.

You created your own numbers and art on the paper

and we glued it onto the face.

It hangs in your room and is the cutest clock I've ever seen

IN MY LIFE!

This week you learned how many books there are in the Old

and the New Testament of the Bible. 

We gathered the same amount of our own separate books

and stacked them high next to your Bible.

We talked about the reasons the Bible isn't as thick as the book pile.

You really liked the hands on and visual learning of this activity.

We are staying as hands on as possible, with cooking,

creating, building, experimenting, exploring, etc...

So far this year has been nothing but fun. 

Not a moment of stress or concern.

We both LOVE school! :)