Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Memorial Day Visit

Yesterday we headed to Riverside to see my sister in law who had just arrived from Utah for a visit, which meant we got to meet our newest nephew, 2 month old Miles. Oh my goodness, is he so cuddly and sweet! I even got to rock him while he took a little nap. A little baby asleep in your arms is the sweetest. Max and the kids also had fun playing in the spa and running around. It was a nice visit, getting to have the cousins together. I'm glad we'll get to see them again later in the week :) 




Must Be Summer


Swimming lessons have begun. 




Wednesday, May 25, 2016

End of 2nd Grade






First and last day of the 2015-2016 school year. Henry doesn't seem as drastically changed as Thea and Leo. Originally I was trying to just get a picture of Henry but when the other two saw him stand against the wall for a picture they lined up right next to him. Oh, now you all like taking pictures for me? 

We ended our year by going to a park play day for our charter school. They brought popsicles and cookies and the kids all played, and I even got some information from other homeschool moms about lessons, and groups etc. I'm not very good at making homeschool friends for the kids so I made a goal to at least make one today and I did! I remember being surprised about how nice the kids of all ages played together so well at the park day last year and that continues to be true. I love seeing the older kids helping and the younger kids following direction from them. Leo mostly hung out with me or Thea. A girl a little older than Thea took her under her wing and they played pretend puppies, while Henry shifted from one group of boys to another until he found a some siblings and their friends and played with them, then requested we all do another park day soon. A good end to the 'formal' homeschool year. 


Wednesday, May 18, 2016

A Golden Time

I was realizing today that we've hit a golden time in our family life. We're in our own home. Johann has a job close to the house that enables him to come home for lunch frequently. I'm able and want to stay home with the kids. When our kids aren't with us, they're with extended family, but mostly they're with us, and they still want it to be that way. They still want us to read to them, hold them, hug them, and tell us about their lives. There are also times they fight and drive us nuts. The house isn't as put together as I'd like it, and we can feel short on time, money, or sleep, but we worry about that stuff enough, and let it get in the way of realizing that all those times we talked about and dreamed of having our own little family within four walls, growing together-it's happening. For however long it can last, I am grateful.