Two Weeks of Life

I didn't realize it had been so long since I updated, but time got away from me. I have been diligently working on putting together next years curriculum and searching out the cheapest avenues of getting the stuff, timing it out and all, and selling old curriculum online. And I have sold quite a bit and borrowed a good bit, and ultimately saved myself around $500 on next year's stuff. I also finished and mailed off the tax return which is HUGE, because it is paying for the new flooring, and Emily's braces which get put on in March, and all this curriculum. By the way, in the next four years, I will own a set of every level of Teaching Textbooks math except third grade. And by the time we acquire all the levels, it will be time to start selling the lowest levels. In addition to this, I can see I am really going to LOVE using Sonlight for high school.
SO in the home news, my very handsome son who is pictured above, spent the past weekend at a seminar called T3, learning all about the Christian walk. I think it helped him grow. He really enjoyed the classes. All the younger kids got new spelling and handwriting books this week and that is really helping us. After all these years, now that I have 5 kids schooling, I just can't keep life together without curriculum that is all together. I don't have the time, desire, or mental acuity anymore to daily/weekly/monthly try to pull my own stuff together, so the purchases happened. It just got to be overwhelming to use one spelling program for all kids and have them do it on paper, or search the web for copywork. Workbooks have their advantages, multiple teaching/learning styles, and cost effectiveness. Plus they can best meet the kids needs and save me time and mental energy. And the new stuff is working out beautifully. Better than the previous things. And they make life easier for ALL of us. A real plus!
We have been preparing for our co-op classes, too. One of the big purchases was more lego, which Jordan has LOVED. We also got about 4 sets of the new girly lego, and the girls have loved that, as well. We have orientation tomorrow and classes begin next week. It is fair to say there is a lot of excitement over that!
We have spent some time with tummyaches, but nothing significant, and spent time watching the totally precious home videos of the 4 youngest kids. We did all video via digital camera after the 4th was born so we need to look back through and try to burn dvd's of the later videos. A chore to be sure! But it was fun and heartwarming to see them as toddlers again. I love that they all love to watch.
Emily has created a piano piece for a homeschool talent show next week and is polishing that up. Jacob's movie premiere of "The Red Bat" is this weekend, complete with red carpet, paparrazzi, and a catered Italian meal. We are all looking forward to it.
Jordan has gotten to meet at two parks with his friends Isaiah and Zeb, for fun playtime, and he got to shop with both sets of grandparents which he totally loved, and he had a bb shooting birthday party. All right up his alley. He is a happy camper.
The girls were out with me and we found the dollar sale at Claire's and got cute hats (see Kimberly's above) and other neat stuff. Emily then went to a ladies tea at St. Williams with her friend Amelia, and took gifts from Claire's.
LTC has been going VERY well.
We have loved our new produce co-op and are thinking of buying a juicer.
And there has been a lot of sewing going on here.
How's that for random!
I made this baby doll top for Elizabeth to wear with her capris and dance stuff, and below is Emily's first dress of the spring. Sewing for girls in the junior sizes is almost necessary to keep covered. Her second dress is half done. It is really cute, too. Now I kind of have the sewing bug again. And after co-op, I will be teaching a friend to sew at our home on fridays, and that will be great fun. I also want to sew some dresses for me. Hers looks just like off the rack, don't you think? And that is the point. I hate when i make something and it just screams, "Look. I made this and it LOOKS homemade and unstylish. Notice my horrid choice of fabric and pattern, and my lack of sewing skill." I trash those items. Don't want to make home sewing look bad......
So that is most of our life these past two weeks. As for now, we are about to start our morning devo and get some work done so we can go ice skating and shopping, and then to a free skywarn seminar, and then have a totally wonderful family weekend of a whirlwind of activity! Soon we will be going to a museum, a hospital tour, and a formal tea, followed by LTC and spring recital........Life is a great ride! Hope your ride is blessed!