tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340189182024-03-07T02:02:23.054-05:00Notes in the Marginspausing for scribbled reflections around the edges of lifeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger548125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-66886437542359387022017-08-26T17:47:00.001-04:002017-08-26T17:47:08.366-04:00Moving Over...Hello friends. The blog has moved! <a href="https://alliebrannon.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Find it here. </a><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-50870846964812449122017-07-26T16:10:00.002-04:002017-07-26T16:10:59.748-04:00Laina Turns Seven!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This lovely girl turned seven on July 14th. How is it even possible she's so big? She had a very special birthday with both of her grandmothers in town. Here she is on her last day as a six!</div>
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Laina and Grammy went to Target on her last day as a six, so she could pick out her gifts. She got a stuffed dog that sleeps and snuggles, and a mechanical turtle that swims. She loves animals; can you tell? </div>
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And then the birthday dawned! </div>
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<i>(first day as a SEVEN!)</i></div>
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Laina asked for a doll cake (using Batgirl in place of a Barbie), sprite, and cheetos. And what the birthday girl wants...</div>
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Laina had a craft party this year. She had six friends from church, and they first colored the birthday banner...<br />
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...and then they made tissue-paper covered jars to hold pencils. Her brothers and little sister joined in on the fun too.</div>
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After presents, it was time for cake and ice-cream (mint chocolate chip, and peanut butter), and then fun on the tire swing and geo dome.<br />
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Laina, it's so hard to believe you're seven! You're a kind-hearted, sweet girl. You are helpful and love being a big sister to Mason and Ivy. And you're a lot of fun! You try hard to include your friends and make them feel at home. You love Jesus and want to follow Him. We are proud of you and we love you!<br />
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And just for memory's sake, here are Laina's other birthday posts: <a href="http://jabrannon.blogspot.com/2011/07/happy-first-birthday-laina-bellerw.html" target="_blank">one</a> (and <a href="http://jabrannon.blogspot.com/2011/09/rewind-lainas-birthday-party.html" target="_blank">here</a>), <a href="http://jabrannon.blogspot.com/2012/07/laina-is-two.html" target="_blank">two</a> (and <a href="http://jabrannon.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-m-birthday.html" target="_blank">here</a>), <a href="http://jabrannon.blogspot.com/2013/07/laina-is-three.html" target="_blank">three</a>, <a href="http://jabrannon.blogspot.com/2014/08/my-big-girl-turns-four.html" target="_blank">four</a>, <a href="http://jabrannon.blogspot.com/2015/07/laina-turns-five.html" target="_blank">five</a>, and <a href="http://jabrannon.blogspot.com/2016/07/laina-turns-six.html" target="_blank">six</a>.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-2121819338006143982017-07-26T15:17:00.000-04:002017-07-26T15:17:18.883-04:00June and July (almost caught up!)JUNE:<br />
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June was a pretty low-key month.<br />
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<i>(tadpoles! Cory took this shot.)</i></div>
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<i>(we did Bible time all summer--the book of Acts. It was really good for us all.)</i></div>
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<i>(Brannon track and field day in the backyard)</i></div>
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<i>(Jeremy and the kids made pita for Father's Day. Yum.)</i></div>
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<i>(our baby birds ready to fly away!)</i></div>
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<i>(We went on a date, hiking to the top of Kennesaw Mountain. And on the way back down, we saw a mama deer with THREE fawns.)</i></div>
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<i>(The big kids went to VBS, and the little two went in their pjs and boots to pick them up.)</i></div>
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JULY:</div>
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Where June was slow and relaxed, July was busy and full!</div>
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On the 4th, we went to the parade. It was rather disappointing, actually. Only one marching band, and lots of beauty queens and politicians. Not our favorite parade.</div>
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After dinner on the 4th, we set off fireworks and did sparklers and poppers in the cul-de-sac/driveway. It was raining, but still fun. Look at Ivy holding Cory's hand, and hiding behind Iain. SO cute.<br />
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<i>(he was actually having a blast...)</i></div>
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<i>(July 4th is our Independence Day and Rwanda's Liberation Day, so we get to doubly celebrate!)</i></div>
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<i>(patriotic pjs and one last picture on the porch)</i></div>
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Then the Whatleys came to town! We hadn't seen them in a while and everyone had so much fun playing together for a couple of days.</div>
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Jeremy preached on Jonah. His mom and mine came to town, as did Haylee and Jeff. He, of course, did a great job.</div>
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And then Grammy stayed for a week and a half! It was wonderful having her here and we hope she comes again soon (although I doubt she has any voice left after all the books she read to the kids!).</div>
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<i>(ballet with Ivy)</i></div>
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<i>(Cow Day at CFA!)</i></div>
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<i>(Laina got her hair done--doesn't she look lovely?)</i></div>
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<i>(We went to hear Nick preach at Adoration last Sunday.)</i></div>
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And that's July thus far. We also started school and celebrated Laina's birthday, but that's another post or two.</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-83930642060071712322017-07-26T14:31:00.000-04:002017-07-26T14:31:01.971-04:00April and May (Still Catching Up!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
APRIL:</div>
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April saw Cory making huge leaps in reading. He finished his I Survived book, and then went on to read several others in the series. As of this writing (end of July), he is officially a book worm, devouring everything he can get his hands on and reading for HOURS a day. We are over the moon. SO proud of all his hard work to get here, and it was so exciting to see it finally click and take off!</div>
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Jeremy and I got a scholarship through LifeSong/Promise686 to attend the Empowered to Connect conference in Tennessee. My mom kept the kids--it was the first time we had been away for a night since before Ivy was born! It was a PACKED two days and we learned a lot. We had read The Connected Child and other TBRI parenting books but the conference brought it all together and gave us a common language to use when parenting. It was a game-changer for us and we are hoping to continue to see results in our family. Also, Steven Curtis Chapman played a song to kick off the conference, which was a fun surprise!</div>
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The Annual Palm Sunday egg "hunt" at FPC was the first one held at our new building. Ivy would only choose red eggs.</div>
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Some requisite Ivy cuteness:</div>
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On Good Friday, we made our garden tomb.<br />
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We saw Nan for her birthday and had a blast watching her read the funny birthday wishes her family sent her.<br />
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Easter Sunday! Knowing that Jeremy's dad is with Jesus now made Easter Sunday sweeter. Death, where is thy sting? We spent the afternoon with the Waltzes and their family, and the kids got to play in "Simon's Bathtub" as Ivy called the hot tub.<br />
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School! Read-alouds on the back porch is one of my favorite things about homeschooling. We also had a lot of end-of-the-year projects at Timothy.<br />
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<i>(Iain had a presentation at Timothy where he made an arcade game with simple machines and cardboard. He aced it!)</i></div>
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<i>(Laina playing the boom-wacker at Timothy in her music class)</i></div>
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We had some baby birds in a nest under the back deck eaves. It was lovely watching them grow, seeing their parents feed them, and hearing them chirp <i>all the time.</i> We even got to see one take off for the first and last time when she was old enough to fly! Science: check!</div>
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<i>(Cory made a salt dough map of Carlsbad Caverns and presented on it at Timothy.)</i></div>
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<i>(riding in the Bug)</i></div>
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<i>(It's seriously one of his favorite things to do: ride around the neighborhood in the Bug)</i></div>
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MAY:</div>
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I spent some time at the lovely Barnsley Gardens, a gift from friends at church.</div>
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The boys and I watched The Great British Baking Show, so they made their own version! They set a timer, made fancy salads, and had a judge (Laina). Iain won, but Cory played a good game. Iain's salad is the one with the carrots around the edge. Cory's featured a carrot man surfing on a vegetable.<br />
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We celebrated Laina's Adoption Day at--where else?--Dunkin Donuts! We gave her a big-kid Bible and she loves it still.<br />
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Both Iain and Cory started piano lessons in August of last year. This month, they had their first recital (one solo each and the cutest duet ever!). Cory was nervous but both boys did great.<br />
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More septic tank problems resulted in 2/3 of our back yard to be completely dug up. We've had a very muddy yard all summer.<br />
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<i>(also, Mason had his first trip to the barber shop!)</i></div>
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School is out! The end of May marked the end of the school year. Fourth, Third, and First in the books. Phew. Happy students and a happy teacher went out for donuts to celebrate.</div>
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<i>(unposed princess)</i></div>
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<i>(family day at the Indian Mounds--look at Ivy's face!)</i></div>
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<i>(new sunglasses and cool kids)</i></div>
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<i>(Mason staring down a fish--this picture cracks me up)</i></div>
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<i>(Aunt Gloria gave us caterpillars that we got to see turn into butterflies)</i></div>
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<i>(and the boys played their piano duet with some other students at a local nursing home)</i></div>
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Jeremy celebrated his birthday with help from the Wheatleys (first time he's ever gotten Vegemite for a birthday gift!). Iain had his hip hop dance recital. And that's the end of May. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-57955490361158256742017-07-25T16:16:00.000-04:002017-07-25T16:16:01.228-04:00March (Catching Up Post)March was a sad, strange month for us. We went to Florida intending to stay for a weekend, and ended up there for more than half the month. For much of that time, Jeremy was at his parents' house and the kids and I were at my mom's. We did school (Read-Alouds! Bible verses for copywork and handwriting! Math drills printed off the internet! Etc.), and tried to do some fun things for the kids.<br />
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<i>(Ivy and Nan on the porch swing. Nan's father built this swing!)</i></div>
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<i>(We took the Sun Train to Winter Park for ice cream)</i></div>
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<i>(And of course, we went to the beach)</i></div>
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<i>(the beach is Mason's happy place)</i></div>
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<i>(Cory did some reading--right around this month was when his reading skills just exploded.)</i></div>
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We were welcomed back home with meals brought by our church family, and a crate full of legos and goodies left on our front porch by some good friends. </div>
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Cory did a presentation on Pyrite at Timothy, and we plugged along with more school.<br />
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<i>(My mom asks for family photos every year for her birthday. This year, we took them in the kids' new treehouse. I should have thought through how much running and climbing that would involve when the pictures were taken with a timer!)</i></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-23280060049058106932017-07-25T16:01:00.004-04:002017-07-26T16:11:13.247-04:00Kid Funnies and Funny KidsIvy is full of funnies. Seriously, if she's not being witty or silly, she's being cute and sweet. We all could just eat her up.<br />
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Mason, at age four, is rather hilarious himself. The things he says, very seriously, are witty or crazy or silly or clever. He keeps us laughing.<br />
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Enjoy some of their recent quotable quotes.<br />
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Ivy: We are scared of lions. They run around and eat us. But we are not scared of monkeys. They do not eat us. They just climb. Like monkeys. We are scared of crocodiles. They come in the water and eat us to death. But we are not scared of kitty cats.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjcwFkjgPUnsUWYu8IG31rdMvpE-RtE_mNSqXQ_gwetGj-1YAdEsJjja0mirJoaUk3VgUgKo4Dmg3Y4_9cQbOc-fpDkFElIeQ0IujjsU86OxPJ9XKNeogr-TmuiukKptYUkDqa/s1600/IMG_3832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjcwFkjgPUnsUWYu8IG31rdMvpE-RtE_mNSqXQ_gwetGj-1YAdEsJjja0mirJoaUk3VgUgKo4Dmg3Y4_9cQbOc-fpDkFElIeQ0IujjsU86OxPJ9XKNeogr-TmuiukKptYUkDqa/s320/IMG_3832.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Ivy, instead of saying "I don't know", always says "I do not know."<br />
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And instead of asking to be picked up, she says, "Can you up me?"<br />
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Mason: if Ivy was in the water, I would jump in and save her.<br />
Ivy: If I was stuck in a bear's mouth. I would...not get out. Because I was stuck.<br />
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Me to Jeremy: Ivy said something funny today, but I can't remember what it was.<br />
Ivy, listening: Mom, what was the sound of me?<br />
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Both littles had funny ways of saying oatmeal (though now they both say it right. Sad.) Mason said "eat-mole" and Ivy said "ut-mool."<br />
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Mason, today, playing school: My teacher told me I have to go to college right now, or I will be DUMB.<br />
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Ivy, when I asked her what her favorite part of the day was: That Minnie Mouse was comfort in my hands.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj09wzdKUN3xlwAlLwSr2GlLghGieAPHkjJS7iAfBX-jDeak2mu_nRLIpi2NhUuNVBxsbSYE03N92iI-cWnKZabTIUkKAr_dcf19rZknKmbOQsUUD4eRy5rDlKkQq23WCdUhOp9/s1600/IMG_4038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj09wzdKUN3xlwAlLwSr2GlLghGieAPHkjJS7iAfBX-jDeak2mu_nRLIpi2NhUuNVBxsbSYE03N92iI-cWnKZabTIUkKAr_dcf19rZknKmbOQsUUD4eRy5rDlKkQq23WCdUhOp9/s320/IMG_4038.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Mason, on the monkey bars at the playground: This is how monkeys actually do.<br />
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Ivy: Can I wear my Sister Baby shirt? (Little Sister shirt)<br />
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Ivy: How old are you?<br />
Me: I'm 33.<br />
Ivy: Oh. How nine are you?<br />
Me: Um...<br />
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Ivy's first joke: What does a rake say? Stop sign.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcbE5y7VBj9WAQ0tVR0xI9AiKOmFWuoYq-F_EJ1iKpfM7tl4pz9rnMEqK8EIiunuF4EokmN_yz6DTm9SgU_E2SK3B-qV-EwQncottikBG2ZOxgyaKDHJbADxS_R_BQ4zgvB4d/s1600/IMG_3807.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcbE5y7VBj9WAQ0tVR0xI9AiKOmFWuoYq-F_EJ1iKpfM7tl4pz9rnMEqK8EIiunuF4EokmN_yz6DTm9SgU_E2SK3B-qV-EwQncottikBG2ZOxgyaKDHJbADxS_R_BQ4zgvB4d/s320/IMG_3807.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Me: Ivy, you're stinkin' cute.<br />
Ivy: I'm stinky and cute? I don't want to be stinky and cute!<br />
Me: How about I change you, then?<br />
Ivy: Yeah yeah.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYttkqwGY1JRVQDHgoJ_uvJ0ek-COot6aq2Iu9w58ClKvrgLSDutUNl7KupUoV1IpBrWa_kOErwHltIDym3dlQJ-QqHfRQLlqudPqwqZ1ykuQdu9lf7udjMI7ItdM7BIXSzNo9/s1600/IMG_3789.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYttkqwGY1JRVQDHgoJ_uvJ0ek-COot6aq2Iu9w58ClKvrgLSDutUNl7KupUoV1IpBrWa_kOErwHltIDym3dlQJ-QqHfRQLlqudPqwqZ1ykuQdu9lf7udjMI7ItdM7BIXSzNo9/s320/IMG_3789.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Mason, watching the rain (not funny, but sweet): I love to watch it when it rains so hard!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn2wxciaYOgWo2JounZhdEVPPL73b0xdwtN7GvnK33J2S97wqXPgPa5VyUyfwY0Yg_df4kyIIv3Win3AT8mOFAd7vhjRTG5wji5z25w9NfsW96U5iHbWzew3LaDxOTQZ30gGaW/s1600/DSC_4833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn2wxciaYOgWo2JounZhdEVPPL73b0xdwtN7GvnK33J2S97wqXPgPa5VyUyfwY0Yg_df4kyIIv3Win3AT8mOFAd7vhjRTG5wji5z25w9NfsW96U5iHbWzew3LaDxOTQZ30gGaW/s320/DSC_4833.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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And a few from the some big kids, just for kicks:<br />
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Laina and her friend, age six: I don't know why I like my pinkie so much. Yeah, I like mine too. It just looks so much better. Yes, and thumbs are good too.<br />
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Iain: I think when you come to grownup-hood, you start liking slower and more weird songs.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-52030921061370428712017-06-13T14:56:00.000-04:002017-06-13T15:02:01.335-04:00We Miss Papa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I haven't posted on the blog in a while, because it's been hard to know how to write this post. In March, we went to Florida for a three-day visit to Jeremy's parents that turned into a three-week trip, which we really believe God planned out for us in order to have us be in Florida right when we were. Jeremy's dad, the kids' Papa, passed away on March 13, 2017.</div>
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He was such a good grandfather. My kids miss him every day. We talk a lot about Papa around here, where he is, what he might be doing, when we will get to see him again. I am glad that "we do not mourn as those who have no hope," (1 Thess 4:13), but still we mourn.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv9MH3WA20q3jSU-cIpixAdRjT8J6_CGNaMB5zTWg0ZJF4TLh1QgWjAY41ULXahyphenhyphenTsc47EgvIBL3dOJbRu2CUI_6EvMpuAlOo8vBih1Mm7FomvgG0YQ47Ull_iDNU4i7Dag7CO/s1600/100_0076.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv9MH3WA20q3jSU-cIpixAdRjT8J6_CGNaMB5zTWg0ZJF4TLh1QgWjAY41ULXahyphenhyphenTsc47EgvIBL3dOJbRu2CUI_6EvMpuAlOo8vBih1Mm7FomvgG0YQ47Ull_iDNU4i7Dag7CO/s320/100_0076.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>Papa becoming Papa! Meeting Iain, his first grandchild.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXITyD7SuLVIfeuE9VXo8sjTEBP-V9r3Og98373HNBAVQLzpEUMusRgbegvbh_3INI9mru_zQV2d5G7uepK8if8CHEGvNOTMRF2Vy9Khc-WWrWSWEbG9dPi2wOJOOz3_lTZ4uK/s1600/110_5095_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXITyD7SuLVIfeuE9VXo8sjTEBP-V9r3Og98373HNBAVQLzpEUMusRgbegvbh_3INI9mru_zQV2d5G7uepK8if8CHEGvNOTMRF2Vy9Khc-WWrWSWEbG9dPi2wOJOOz3_lTZ4uK/s320/110_5095_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>And meeting Cory.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-X0_yOZjklNsEKgQtod9cVHy8EcDQICkSlaE9kQbc5n63-z5DNvFO6YDZk9SkEfg86XDQZflxrN4zd3egvYofRM2_7KqLAvuHbQTTZ2uheKHTzTJWN-vWsABCcy46P7rovfJ/s1600/DSC_0064.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-X0_yOZjklNsEKgQtod9cVHy8EcDQICkSlaE9kQbc5n63-z5DNvFO6YDZk9SkEfg86XDQZflxrN4zd3egvYofRM2_7KqLAvuHbQTTZ2uheKHTzTJWN-vWsABCcy46P7rovfJ/s320/DSC_0064.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
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<i>Papa and Laina. They had a really special bond, these two.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GW1cOhnXKS2fgrJakBUNAPy-sOdh2zw8Ii3oDWOtZFowtRI1d1ptyx2Gv_T46KIN5PBpe-v65NO8i8-WXAn34n9vxlTju6q7vJ64nCK9hKGjnUz_cwVNG5guq4JRQ5y0UUn_/s1600/DSC_0084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GW1cOhnXKS2fgrJakBUNAPy-sOdh2zw8Ii3oDWOtZFowtRI1d1ptyx2Gv_T46KIN5PBpe-v65NO8i8-WXAn34n9vxlTju6q7vJ64nCK9hKGjnUz_cwVNG5guq4JRQ5y0UUn_/s320/DSC_0084.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
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<i>Papa the teacher--always teaching something: science, building stuff, technology, history, about Jesus.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnL73n_vzcAhSJJVam59sEfbAngnI4X5NDozs64HA8seOiscyeiU_fDVMHp32fHW2JDCxeriCmgCHTECmljkbZTghfHw9rLMaN0Sjf44fDi4oPtaKVyyVJSCU3Fr68vxMIMdur/s1600/DSC_0114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnL73n_vzcAhSJJVam59sEfbAngnI4X5NDozs64HA8seOiscyeiU_fDVMHp32fHW2JDCxeriCmgCHTECmljkbZTghfHw9rLMaN0Sjf44fDi4oPtaKVyyVJSCU3Fr68vxMIMdur/s320/DSC_0114.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Back when we only had three kids, we spent a week at the beach with Grammy and Papa. It was the first time they met Laina.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpRddlQvI6zOqJycu-Z7hluGQjKHDYzcMXZy3l5gE2eKwomhhqnNr6sgMhsIWxywp0b73AVX-zLIV_MCUCAyxkfr9Mlm54ZBQJIBTjDLR8p98Y88WfcygpY0T4d_Zq631_Nm7/s1600/DSC_0204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpRddlQvI6zOqJycu-Z7hluGQjKHDYzcMXZy3l5gE2eKwomhhqnNr6sgMhsIWxywp0b73AVX-zLIV_MCUCAyxkfr9Mlm54ZBQJIBTjDLR8p98Y88WfcygpY0T4d_Zq631_Nm7/s320/DSC_0204.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Always a favorite Brannon family pastime.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiABr4dRcm-dJiO8iLLjrIha9ufe6NGXUxXgp6uY5aTjTZyjl_Su0fuO5QwPiUyDFVUScy0Zn8g3jipTWAgIEuZNPypXn_1sUgZyxBDeG3-SRno_-t1zIxUoIKgYOrH1DKPD6N/s1600/DSCN0917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiABr4dRcm-dJiO8iLLjrIha9ufe6NGXUxXgp6uY5aTjTZyjl_Su0fuO5QwPiUyDFVUScy0Zn8g3jipTWAgIEuZNPypXn_1sUgZyxBDeG3-SRno_-t1zIxUoIKgYOrH1DKPD6N/s320/DSCN0917.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>And this one: post-marriage, pre-any kids!</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQF6EYFmDH8BnaT-s5dNB5MtITvxxO-VcKm2jTiz6oQxhpioKT3rUx_FMIXzDSdIaVQmjaCIWcqJ2PSJgYk5tej1kbc7s7Vw3qtt_LhIXcZjwxRfQyEoaR8f_kKt9qtLkNGo3g/s1600/DSC_4371.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="1280" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQF6EYFmDH8BnaT-s5dNB5MtITvxxO-VcKm2jTiz6oQxhpioKT3rUx_FMIXzDSdIaVQmjaCIWcqJ2PSJgYk5tej1kbc7s7Vw3qtt_LhIXcZjwxRfQyEoaR8f_kKt9qtLkNGo3g/s320/DSC_4371.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Grammy and Papa with the boys at my mom's house.</i></div>
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One thing we've been very thankful for is <a href="http://proverbs17-6.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Papa's Blog.</a> He set up this blog years ago as a way to connect with the kids, and although he didn't post very much in the last few years, it's got some good (and hilarious) stuff on it. Skits, stories, lessons, pictures, it's so great to have it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1iENmKMCZHsaGiSbke4dgOdM8Oupahku91ZP5qaaO7_XgPAJcSKJ_0sySf4rl0do9edYFRMOHXJ_RIoYzU-jD9BIhkp7xxg0Vt2HLbllHPShlUDzWd05hoiWH8nkbb7WG3t-T/s1600/all140.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="722" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1iENmKMCZHsaGiSbke4dgOdM8Oupahku91ZP5qaaO7_XgPAJcSKJ_0sySf4rl0do9edYFRMOHXJ_RIoYzU-jD9BIhkp7xxg0Vt2HLbllHPShlUDzWd05hoiWH8nkbb7WG3t-T/s320/all140.jpeg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<i>Jeremy and his dad before our wedding.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYts3DKzgr48FfT9PhQo3lyH0ELzR98O9-LUGXyR7rsgbZdGqiHrqZhfwsk07AE4j1sfIE0B2f42mPqVqwQZdl0RsPQvzvUwBbpwO3zW8ze_qJd-1iiwq2IHkKdkWswVXn7aKV/s1600/all228.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYts3DKzgr48FfT9PhQo3lyH0ELzR98O9-LUGXyR7rsgbZdGqiHrqZhfwsk07AE4j1sfIE0B2f42mPqVqwQZdl0RsPQvzvUwBbpwO3zW8ze_qJd-1iiwq2IHkKdkWswVXn7aKV/s320/all228.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<i>He officiated both his sons' weddings.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nXm9g7pi9BEAUzAiALF4SqXnak74tfFV26mzFQhOF87odv8jDa-h4VENwENoAMmpMlehQwCURzlv1pX-J00DOQUY2lhbeJGXrR7IJIR0FvpVnNxnOJHMi8UipM8dMwRRyy8l/s1600/IMG_0994.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nXm9g7pi9BEAUzAiALF4SqXnak74tfFV26mzFQhOF87odv8jDa-h4VENwENoAMmpMlehQwCURzlv1pX-J00DOQUY2lhbeJGXrR7IJIR0FvpVnNxnOJHMi8UipM8dMwRRyy8l/s320/IMG_0994.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>Meeting tiny baby Mason!</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig59_0l3uSRX8W7JNr1p8OS-hh3UEsRPkGz1UmgWdHlP1CoHJo1YFapRWkUkl2o6ajFU_oT-S5e_czX1rOGPH0jW0AIjrNVhrK3nOcmm_pdAJo6yxEurdonFuFmH-Kk6rbc1kR/s1600/IMG_4336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig59_0l3uSRX8W7JNr1p8OS-hh3UEsRPkGz1UmgWdHlP1CoHJo1YFapRWkUkl2o6ajFU_oT-S5e_czX1rOGPH0jW0AIjrNVhrK3nOcmm_pdAJo6yxEurdonFuFmH-Kk6rbc1kR/s320/IMG_4336.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>Papa and Laina after a long day spent at the Georgia Aquarium.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXgOHRqEWxAl_-d94oyXwzOjHvsSEpz70VQwISZGSGrO91d5sFaxhE9xDpomTXF10PzVYrb3e10tBzRPsIk0CEViwcHy1xuCUtKEceAWuKjAkpFWmW2RfHzy_4k1lquG1LGNjs/s1600/DSC_0241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXgOHRqEWxAl_-d94oyXwzOjHvsSEpz70VQwISZGSGrO91d5sFaxhE9xDpomTXF10PzVYrb3e10tBzRPsIk0CEViwcHy1xuCUtKEceAWuKjAkpFWmW2RfHzy_4k1lquG1LGNjs/s320/DSC_0241.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<i>And meeting Ivy.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi01MZYmRJwoIgtfuMrn7KMCL0FlROAJrRvgOX2xgU_1qWQ07x77C4bFF1r8Q_X4z2tAPskKxwr5sDOvKQieP5WJ6eeMWFNP2keavVU8Z6jruB_TwIZOkSteZPeLu_3SurDQ14/s1600/IMG_2102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi01MZYmRJwoIgtfuMrn7KMCL0FlROAJrRvgOX2xgU_1qWQ07x77C4bFF1r8Q_X4z2tAPskKxwr5sDOvKQieP5WJ6eeMWFNP2keavVU8Z6jruB_TwIZOkSteZPeLu_3SurDQ14/s320/IMG_2102.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>This one was during another beach vacation, two years ago. </i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5W96hCO_hdAZUmEHqtw-IB-eYnqacxvhJa2KxR7uFd39Muirb2boXhI9l8ZztvN0ZvE1g4ulMioph1HpBK4EI5z_3mzJ7JCe0bsC83bc-OB46nuzEyI5sGXm0Rh7vdu4NRUMs/s1600/IMG_2060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5W96hCO_hdAZUmEHqtw-IB-eYnqacxvhJa2KxR7uFd39Muirb2boXhI9l8ZztvN0ZvE1g4ulMioph1HpBK4EI5z_3mzJ7JCe0bsC83bc-OB46nuzEyI5sGXm0Rh7vdu4NRUMs/s320/IMG_2060.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>Papa indulging in a little Ivy Therapy.</i></div>
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<i>Papa and Ivy</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExIF5NrmAtuejpklOz_yDKFVo5MRj2S7gsQmzU5a-YgT8JcNajoSFWnulhlu-_ojOe_EGUINVZtVvyl2awq1aWoROO57aNQJ7gMXb-mRsH8ecdLST0YrwMmzsWvKM16Y3ul6f/s1600/DSC_3478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExIF5NrmAtuejpklOz_yDKFVo5MRj2S7gsQmzU5a-YgT8JcNajoSFWnulhlu-_ojOe_EGUINVZtVvyl2awq1aWoROO57aNQJ7gMXb-mRsH8ecdLST0YrwMmzsWvKM16Y3ul6f/s320/DSC_3478.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>After Mason's baby dedication at our church.</i></div>
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<i>At Ivy's first birthday party.</i></div>
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<i>The whole family.</i></div>
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Ivy just told me this morning, three months later, that she remembered when she "sing-ed songs to Papa to make him feel better." She remembered singing the ABC song to him before he passed away. She said, "And now he feel better-ed." And she's right. Because of our inheritance in Jesus, the salvation and hope and life He secured for us through His blood, Papa feels eternally better. And we do too.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-2794111467889876122017-04-11T18:56:00.000-04:002017-04-11T18:57:49.402-04:00Easter Tradition RecapSo I had this other blog, but I can't keep up two right now (can barely keep up one! Big family problems...). So before the internet ate it, I copied all the posts into a word doc. I thought I'd repost this one today, in anticipation of Easter. I wrote it a few years ago, but we've kept up with some of the traditions, doing them every year. Our favorite is still the Empty Tomb.<br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Is there any holiday that is richer for Christians than Easter (or Resurrection Sunday, to be precise)? The celebration that encompasses so much: our salvation, our rescue, Jesus’ resurrection, our reconciliation to God, Jesus’ victory over sin, death, hell, and the grave…the list goes on and on. It is the most important day in the history of the world. Celebrating it is our privilege and our joy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">And as parents we walk in this tension: we want our kids to have the fun Easter offers (egg dyeing and hunts, Easter baskets), but we don’t want to lose the meaning and the JOY of the day. Last year, we started some traditions that are fun and meaningful ways to celebrate the resurrection and all it holds.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>The Empty Tomb</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">On </span>Good Friday, we will head outside to make a garden. Here is the one we did last year.</div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">While we gather leaves and branches from the yard, we will talk about the day. What were Jesus’ friends feeling? Why is the day called Good Friday? What happened when Jesus died? What did the disciples think had happened? We will also talk about why no flowers are allowed in the garden. Flowers are for happiness, and this is a sad, sad day. This garden (dirt in a bowl with a hollow potato as the tomb) will become our centerpiece for the next few days. And the plants will begin to wilt and die. Saturday night, we will look at it again, talking about how long it must have seemed from Friday to Sunday, and how sad the garden looks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">And then.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Saturday night while the kids are sleeping, I will remove the wilted leaves and plants, replacing them with flowers. And I will open the “tomb.” Joy! He is risen! When the kids wake up in Easter Sunday, they will see flowers for happiness, and an empty tomb. Here is what it looked like last year:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Easter Baskets</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">We have debated Easter baskets every year until last year. While we wanted to do them because they’re fun, we’ve also been hesitant since we don’t want Easter Sunday morning to be more exciting because of stuff than because of the Resurrected Lord. But last year, we hit upon a good way to bring symbolism to the baskets. As Jeremy said, even if the kids end up thinking this is corny, at least they’ll know we tried to bring the gospel into everything.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">We each took five rocks and put them in our Easter baskets. Then one by one, we took them out, naming a sin for each rock, and dropped them into one basket we called Jesus’ basket, showing how He takes our sin. Then we covered Jesus’ basket with a red cloth, because He covers our sins with His blood. So now our Easter baskets were empty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The next morning, they were full of good things–because Jesus takes our sins and gives us good things instead. It turned out to be a good, meaningful, and humbling exercise that reminded us all of our sin and the goodness of Jesus.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>The Jesus Storybook Bible</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">(If you’ve never heard of or read this book, you must. It tells the stories of the Bible in a way that ties each one to Jesus. It’s beautiful and rich.) This year, we’re adding a new tradition. Starting today (Maundy Thursday), we’re reading the pages in the Jesus Storybook Bible that go along with that day. Here’s the breakdown:</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Maundy Thursday: The Servant King, A Dark Night in the Garden</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Good Friday: The Sun Stops Shining</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Easter Sunday: God’s Wonderful Surprise</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Today’s reading brought tears to my eyes. <i>“But this is how God will rescue the whole world. My life will break and God’s broken world will mend. My heart will tear apart–and your hearts will heal. Just as the passover lamb died, so now I will die instead of you…”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Homemade Matzo </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This one we haven’t tried yet, though I’d like to. There is such symbolism in the cutting and piercing of the dough, and then breaking the bread afterwards. This<a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/try-this-homemade-matzo-81256"><span style="color: #1982d1; font-kerning: none;"> recipe</span></a> looked good and fairly easy. While we’re not celebrating the Passover this year (although we have in the past and have loved it), this would be a good way to connect the dots between the passover lamb and the Passover Lamb.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I hope this gives you some ideas for ways to celebrate! What Easter traditions do you have? Please share!</span></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-85241386844217366122017-03-24T15:53:00.003-04:002017-03-24T15:53:52.542-04:00February's Greatest Hits<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I just finished a book in which the main character calls the best moments of her life her Greatest Hits. Here are ours, for the month of February, in no particular order.</div>
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Chris came to visit! He was only here one night, but we loved visiting with him. He sat and talked to Iain for a long time about Iain's stories and drawings, which Iain thoroughly enjoyed. We love Uncle Chris!</div>
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Due to the flooding in the basement right after Christmas, we moved everyone upstairs. And after sleeping with us all in the three bedrooms for a few months, we (well, Jeremy and I) decided it worked much better for our family than having the big boys downstairs. After a lot of moving, putting IKEA furniture together, and trying to find the best ways to make it all fit, we finally have it good to go! Here are the three littles in their shared space.</div>
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Jeremy got to preach at our church this month. His text was Hebrews 3, and he preached three services. He did a great job and loved doing it. And yes, I snuck this picture during church. :)</div>
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School has been plugging along. We took a week off in February, which was glorious. Besides that, we just keep on trucking. And still reading aloud a lot. We read All-of-a-Kind Family and LOVED it. And the boys and I read A Wrinkle in Time. Also great, though too scary for Laina. So far, we're up to fifteen books this school year. </div>
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Took a walk/hike with the Whatleys and Jenna and I may have overestimated the littles' abilities. We ended the walk like this. Phew!</div>
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More schooling. Laina is <i>almost</i> done with 100 Easy Lessons.<br />
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Ivy teaches how to draw Europe. She said, and I quote, "Now we gonna draw a dinosaur riiiiight here!"<br />
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She loves a good princess dress.<br />
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Iain went to TeenPact One Day! (Cory was going to go but got sick.) It was surreal and very strange to be the parent at a TP event. Made me feel old. But Iain loved it. He presented his bill on texting while driving, he participated in public speaking and debate, prayed for the governor of GA in his office, and played the bodyguard in a mock election. He's a handsome dude, this guy.<br />
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Cory, who always spends his time thinking about food when he is sick, came up with Apple Day. One day during break week, everything we ate for every meal had to include apple. We had apples on oatmeal for breakfast, apples and peanut butter with lunch, applesauce chicken for dinner, and apple pie for dessert. Next up, I believe, is Carrot Day. I vote Chocolate Day. </div>
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Here he is, the Apple Day mastermind, with no front teeth and a cute new haircut. He's so handsome.<br />
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And she's so gorgeous.<br />
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And there we have it. February's Greatest Hits. Beautiful, scrappy, messy, everyday life.</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-39706687680370330112017-02-08T11:23:00.000-05:002017-02-08T11:23:04.888-05:00Cory Turns Nine and Other Happenings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Snow Days! Right at the beginning of the year, we got a few inches of VERY icy snow. Not great for snowballs or snow angels, but the kids had a good time. At least, the big three did. A few minutes in the cold had Mason crying frozen tears (not really--it wasn't THAT cold) and Ivy saying she wanted to go inside. Fine by me! I got some pictures,</div>
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and then I got to make hot chocolate for these darlings and watch the others play, from the warmth of the kitchen. What a deal.</div>
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Speaking of darlings, how sweet is this little Ivy baby? She's the sprinkles on our donut.<br />
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<i>(kitchen elf!)</i></div>
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For exactly three weeks out of the year, my kids are perfectly spaced. This year, it's two, four, six, eight, ten. And then, Cory turned NINE!</div>
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Last day as an eight:<br />
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This year, Cory took his dad, his big brother, and several of his friends to see the new Star Wars movie. But first, everyone came over for apple pie. Before the guests arrived, the kids made his birthday banner.<br />
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He had a great time at the movies, and we put another birthday in the books.</div>
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<i>(first day as a nine!)</i></div>
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Cory, you are a quirky, smart, hilarious, responsible, kind-hearted guy. We love watching you become everything Jesus made you to be. You keep us laughing with your wit and dry humor, and you bring something special to our family. We love you, buddy!</div>
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Cory has a collection that I think I've mentioned before. Inspired by stories of the young Teddy Rosevelt, Cory collects any natural artifacts that strike his fancy (rocks, pelts, bones, a turkey beard, etc). Unfortunately, one of his rabbit skins was ruined in the flood we had in December. Nona came to the rescue by giving him a huge and very smelly coyote skin for his birthday.<br />
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In non-birthday news, repairs on the house (inside and outside) continue. The kids got to help with the digging and gravel, which was fun.</div>
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Mason got this tire swing for his birthday, and it, plus the rope swing in the front yard, are his happy places.<br />
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Ivy is in her happy place if she can choose her outfit for the day, especially the shoes. She loves shoes.</div>
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And I love them!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-8094963088344182372016-12-31T15:51:00.002-05:002016-12-31T22:04:47.690-05:00Christmas Break, Ivy's Birthday, and More<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It was not our best Christmas this year. Lots of sickness, and a septic tank issue that led to massive house problems topped the list of why this year wasn't our favorite. But. There were lots--<i>lots!</i>--of lovely moments that broke through. Christmas isn't actually about us and whether or not we make piles of gingerbread memories and twinkle light moments. We celebrated the birth of the One who came to be with us in all our sickness and mess, and we made some memories besides. I'd say that makes it a success.</div>
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<i>Ivy loved the tree.</i></div>
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<i>possibly my favorite Christmas picture this year</i></div>
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Since Ivy's birthday is on Christmas Day (little stinker), we celebrated this year on the 15th with a family party (us, the Whatleys, my mom, Lena, and Laura). She couldn't decide between brownies and cupcakes, so we made brownie cupcakes! They were better in theory than in execution, but icing and sprinkles helped.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbegt_OQz1iCra5nIEZi62VYL9EhIY9fPEifUj6Ma4h_p2eXlDwLlCaH-k0U5OBHslhJ9A2qeWDaoL-iXdEaZPSm0XmxOzVsQjxF7tvrwO0NrjEtDEmOSa0xxKJORMww-ccY0q/s1600/IMG_0663.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbegt_OQz1iCra5nIEZi62VYL9EhIY9fPEifUj6Ma4h_p2eXlDwLlCaH-k0U5OBHslhJ9A2qeWDaoL-iXdEaZPSm0XmxOzVsQjxF7tvrwO0NrjEtDEmOSa0xxKJORMww-ccY0q/s320/IMG_0663.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Of course, we made the traditional birthday banner.<br />
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When <a href="http://jabrannon.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-m-birthday.html" target="_blank">Laina turned two, I made her a green M&M dress</a>. For Ivy, it was a purple cupcake dress that says Tiny Wonder. She loved it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5Ork6PA0YP7Uzs7aSqF3CL7Biwza3wF5VMk_pepRmsxTrDoqUICwM7zMljYsTdwUDaBb-JR1IhF7ooztLLUDICEQjeDsE-F8qoNvZwtT2RKRcZjweonyHLJxaLHOD5GsxffE/s1600/IMG_0674.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5Ork6PA0YP7Uzs7aSqF3CL7Biwza3wF5VMk_pepRmsxTrDoqUICwM7zMljYsTdwUDaBb-JR1IhF7ooztLLUDICEQjeDsE-F8qoNvZwtT2RKRcZjweonyHLJxaLHOD5GsxffE/s320/IMG_0674.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>So proud of herself for getting those two fingers up! She tells me "other guys go down" (other fingers, that is) and shows me two fingers multiple times a day.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnLjipC-6kxwv3piFfKY4iSwq-7pr6Q1W2wldDq2au7oCToCk7VLCZpegaQJJh2Dyl8yrqxFf6KQuuWrGmcvev-a0LlpVPg9KehgQ0T7zxQtqdkeszuxUG6P2aDrwJxzmREJ7F/s1600/IMG_0699.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnLjipC-6kxwv3piFfKY4iSwq-7pr6Q1W2wldDq2au7oCToCk7VLCZpegaQJJh2Dyl8yrqxFf6KQuuWrGmcvev-a0LlpVPg9KehgQ0T7zxQtqdkeszuxUG6P2aDrwJxzmREJ7F/s320/IMG_0699.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>the brownie cupcake!</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim4o1fxzszls_kl9MkgQXzsrpucei_RT3WeB8R16T-vpfoIxdheUXMPZYTZUf7rEA5J5knNlu5knhr40VqERScWcbwzfC8DYPrGUAiQ2BTtVJdVYz9JWRDCJcXjQ1XT4KiaWLk/s1600/IMG_0739.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim4o1fxzszls_kl9MkgQXzsrpucei_RT3WeB8R16T-vpfoIxdheUXMPZYTZUf7rEA5J5knNlu5knhr40VqERScWcbwzfC8DYPrGUAiQ2BTtVJdVYz9JWRDCJcXjQ1XT4KiaWLk/s320/IMG_0739.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>She liked it!</i></div>
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Ivy is seriously the most polite birthday kid ever. She opens each present slowly and looks at it delightedly, and then says "thank you for my present" without being prompted. She said "Thank you for my bike, Nona," about six times, and again when Nona was leaving.</div>
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<i>be still my heart!</i></div>
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A few random December pics: At nap time, I put Mace down first, because Ivy takes longer. So Ivy tags along while we tuck Mason in and sing to him (current favorite is Raindrops on Roses, and he and Ivy both yell out the line "schnitzel with noodles!"). I love this picture.<br />
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It reminds me of this picture of nap time in January, 2015. How things change in two years!</div>
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I think we might have a budding artist on our hands. Ivy, right before her second birthday, told me she drew a penguin. Can you see it?<br />
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These two are good buddies. They sit here and play while I cook dinner, almost every night.<br />
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Christmas time! My mom and Lena and Laura, and the Whatleys, and Haylee and Jeff celebrated at our house this year. This was a few nights before Christmas--I love how everyone is crowded into one room doing their own thing but enjoying being together.<br />
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<i>Park time on the 23rd. Look at him jump!</i></div>
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Because everyone was sick and the weather wasn't too cold, we spent most of Christmas together-time out on the back deck. It was really nice being outside this year!</div>
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<i>Karolina turned three a few days before Ivy turned two.</i></div>
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<i>On our way to Christmas Eve service at our church (first Christmas service in our new building!)</i></div>
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<i>And sweet Ivy's last day being one.</i></div>
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Christmas Morning! We did stockings inside, ate a yummy brunch outside, and then opened the rest of the presents outside. </div>
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<i>Ivy tore her minion sticker in half and gave me half of it, like a BFF necklace. Sweet!</i></div>
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<i>Ivy got a bitty baby. </i></div>
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<i>Ivy and Karolina, the fairies.</i></div>
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<i>Her first day as a two!!</i></div>
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<i>Candles in her banana. She LOVES us singing Happy Birthday to her. She LOVES her birthday.</i></div>
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Christmas night, we discovered that our septic tank had overflowed into the bottom story of the house. Thankful for family being in town and willing to help, we spent the next two days moving stuff out, throwing stuff away, ripping up floors and walls, etc. It's nowhere near done. Cory and Iain moved into Ivy's room, and Cory made a storm trooper in his bed with pillows and a wall hanging.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFD6KGkGdLR2e2YASIBhi4_PouEwrHSpZNoxzfyTeruKPHC-BoAYDfdda0d5bXqJEnOUBTIBDnNAdHD_HwtKw2dCk9i-Ccqj8INfvGomkm2swbXYA021crbrJZdaQPcnc3Rc71/s1600/IMG_1020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFD6KGkGdLR2e2YASIBhi4_PouEwrHSpZNoxzfyTeruKPHC-BoAYDfdda0d5bXqJEnOUBTIBDnNAdHD_HwtKw2dCk9i-Ccqj8INfvGomkm2swbXYA021crbrJZdaQPcnc3Rc71/s320/IMG_1020.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I took the kids to the park yesterday to get away from the madness for a while. It was COLD, wet, and windy, but they had fun. </div>
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And in spite of the chaos, we managed to meet one of our Christmas break goals: teaching the boys to play hearts. Iain wins almost every time.<br />
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I don't have a good way to wrap up this post. It's New Year's Eve, and I don't have a tidy way to tie up the year. Some things don't start over because you turn the page on the calendar. We're still smack in the middle of the house mess/repairs/work, still have sick kids, still facing some not-fun stuff in the New Year, still facing challenges in our home and homeschool. But this I know: in this year and the next, He will be with us. And that is good.</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-21075447783617050112016-12-23T15:29:00.000-05:002016-12-23T15:29:00.972-05:00Mary Consoles Eve: A Christmas Poem<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJytVMo3J18DGD132TIPe3svFsiG80ZsFeEPOVwG8c1sh0_W1I845D_nt7PJSCC3K5wueuu67MJm0JWSP7rfnxp-4YH9LfGOsEYV1rxfYYYDWzC_hfDTe91o80CtbMMaZasUXt/s1600/mary+comforts+eve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJytVMo3J18DGD132TIPe3svFsiG80ZsFeEPOVwG8c1sh0_W1I845D_nt7PJSCC3K5wueuu67MJm0JWSP7rfnxp-4YH9LfGOsEYV1rxfYYYDWzC_hfDTe91o80CtbMMaZasUXt/s320/mary+comforts+eve.jpg" width="229" /></a></div>
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<i>(Virgin Mary Consoles Eve, </i></div>
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<i>painted by Sister Grace Remington, OCSO, <a href="http://www.mississippiabbey.org/" target="_blank">Sisters of the Mississippi Abbey</a>)</i></div>
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<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
I stand</div>
<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
Head bowed in shame, the weight of every sin upon my narrow back.</div>
<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
My sticky fingerprints, fruit-stained, sin-stained, are on it all,</div>
<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
From the bombs that fall on Aleppo</div>
<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
To the machetes wielded in Rwanda</div>
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To the yellow stars pinned on Jewish coats.</div>
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<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
Our holiness tarnished now, from my fingers.</div>
<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
Unkind words, selfish thoughts, pride.</div>
<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
Fear. Because I broke the perfect love.</div>
<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
I cannot meet your eyes.</div>
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<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
I did not trust</div>
<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
So now none of us is trustworthy.</div>
<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
I did not worship</div>
<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
Now we all worship ourselves.</div>
<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
I disobeyed.</div>
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I ruined His world.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
I see you standing there,</div>
<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
Large with promise.</div>
<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
The mercy in your eyes mirrors the Mercy in your womb</div>
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And you say</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
Sister. He is coming. Feel His kicks.</div>
<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
He will take it all. He will kill the snake that bites our heels.</div>
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His shoulders are broad and His fingerprints holy.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
And the weight of sin on us all will fall on Him instead.</div>
<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
You cannot break Perfect Love.</div>
<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
It is breaking through</div>
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<div style="font-family: Cochin; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 18px;">
For you.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-7063644994216482672016-12-10T18:35:00.000-05:002016-12-10T18:40:01.472-05:00Ivy Hope, And Other Sweetnesses<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In the name of not losing the sweet moments of life that seem to be slipping through my fingers as fast as so much sand at the beach, I'm writing a catch-all blog post: Ivy Grows + Family Moments = Things I Don't Want to Forget.</div>
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Ivy is a delight. She is the definition of delight. She sparkles.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZtKZhz3XSksxvlRztyeob2ZqDLpTFVfHI3JZfB6R6_5uDilE0wrfDXsJHY0IY_aRqGOxForJx8V_JDdSb8xVXhm43hyphenhyphenGZYFUyK6bpmcrWHdaPZ7RpGyutbeNFGCkWp0BQPZM/s1600/IMG_0527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZtKZhz3XSksxvlRztyeob2ZqDLpTFVfHI3JZfB6R6_5uDilE0wrfDXsJHY0IY_aRqGOxForJx8V_JDdSb8xVXhm43hyphenhyphenGZYFUyK6bpmcrWHdaPZ7RpGyutbeNFGCkWp0BQPZM/s320/IMG_0527.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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She has her own sense of style, this one. With strong opinions about what she wears (and what she doesn't!), Ivy tends to pick out her own clothes and accessories, with a little help from me or Laina. She loves this octopus shirt, as well as anything with cupcakes or sparkles. And headbands! And bows! And SOCKS! And her sprinkle shoes (silver glittery Sunday shoes, which she wears all week long, with socks on). She does NOT like to wear jackets, even in freezing cold weather, but I win on this one. She has specific ideas about hair too, choosing between a headband, one spout, two spouts, or a ponytail. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjepzv5MaSm6Hm_2qefiE3jdIu7xeJJxRNCiwJg6XNRKS4BFxJuUzqawUiUGZs-KhPydJ0_F-9t0it8AgXcF7J9bsCBxX5y8aPApS-x3jJdHOl_QZPHZBjJ-LKzpT2nrp6hrVm3/s1600/IMG_0529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjepzv5MaSm6Hm_2qefiE3jdIu7xeJJxRNCiwJg6XNRKS4BFxJuUzqawUiUGZs-KhPydJ0_F-9t0it8AgXcF7J9bsCBxX5y8aPApS-x3jJdHOl_QZPHZBjJ-LKzpT2nrp6hrVm3/s320/IMG_0529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>(Ivy is my buddy--she says she's "Mama's baby!" unless she's saying she's "Daddy's baby!")</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3htmKEgmrHyd_WwaI3VeMZobByIho0lEvqqXRtFhDwg_EiBrH0rCXtHAQJk_70QNOLjSu7Lk9VIfKPAbqAUZlofHlEcPmBqt3891eVgFm3WcUSmpSHmcBGjkRzBiEIE7OIRz_/s1600/IMG_0569.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3htmKEgmrHyd_WwaI3VeMZobByIho0lEvqqXRtFhDwg_EiBrH0rCXtHAQJk_70QNOLjSu7Lk9VIfKPAbqAUZlofHlEcPmBqt3891eVgFm3WcUSmpSHmcBGjkRzBiEIE7OIRz_/s320/IMG_0569.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>(She got herself dressed to go to Target, complete with sprinkle shoes and a backwards hat.)</i></div>
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Ivy is very verbal, able to say pretty much anything she wants. She regularly puts together four- or five- (or more!) word sentences. She has ideas and can communicate them well. And if all else fails, there's always a well-placed shriek.</div>
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Sometimes I rock her at night until she falls asleep. Other times, Jeremy walks her around the dark kitchen and sings to her. But before any singing can start, they have to look out the window and find "da bess-ed moon!" (the blessed moon)</div>
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Favorite toys: her Little People house and any baby dolls, but especially Laina's Bitty Baby. Nona got her the Little People dollhouse a few months ago and she plays with it all the time. For Mason's birthday, we got him the camper and we got enough specific Little People to make our family. They both LOVE this. They talk about the people as Little Iain, Little Laina, etc. Ivy likes Little Ivy and Little Mama best, and they do a lot of talking to each other (ADORABLE!) and kissing each other. And dancing, which looks like jumping up and down. I love watching her play, and seeing her amazing imagination come out.</div>
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And she's getting her own Bitty Baby for Christmas/Birthday. Don't tell. :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXOmre5alX7-n2C6zSpwPGEBcB6XdNqUEEnaeIOtD1G3yTbTCvl5aZZlmXonQwuXRlbfFtBSCi8vfI4MMx5wesqtSCYsZ1vPibh34HO7bv9G54xAsCgsZlqLkGsgJjlwayJah/s1600/IMG_0330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXOmre5alX7-n2C6zSpwPGEBcB6XdNqUEEnaeIOtD1G3yTbTCvl5aZZlmXonQwuXRlbfFtBSCi8vfI4MMx5wesqtSCYsZ1vPibh34HO7bv9G54xAsCgsZlqLkGsgJjlwayJah/s320/IMG_0330.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhtAumGqEveuMRVWd4x6vyyF24iu2ZHHZkS5ejJ8WWGTrusdQq-Q8e_U6rkb0UrbtxMoHskfRYpWy4Boi3RONg5MojN5dJoSGfNkH1OpjpsGnNgV1FJ5rTs7psn6FmGVQ7tWD/s1600/IMG_0615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhtAumGqEveuMRVWd4x6vyyF24iu2ZHHZkS5ejJ8WWGTrusdQq-Q8e_U6rkb0UrbtxMoHskfRYpWy4Boi3RONg5MojN5dJoSGfNkH1OpjpsGnNgV1FJ5rTs7psn6FmGVQ7tWD/s320/IMG_0615.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifG-TKsB_JzfGrdl3Rgu-ubZFhBM4gptqaIYl6Lk2zvWksm3f1hu4YnWbXBM4uaKXXVqE_8_YJKJp12fm7QoBMMxAaMORuR__fH7MGPag2E3zp19anBe2ajnvPIiOyIh8CBBHW/s1600/IMG_0634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifG-TKsB_JzfGrdl3Rgu-ubZFhBM4gptqaIYl6Lk2zvWksm3f1hu4YnWbXBM4uaKXXVqE_8_YJKJp12fm7QoBMMxAaMORuR__fH7MGPag2E3zp19anBe2ajnvPIiOyIh8CBBHW/s320/IMG_0634.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>(sweet baby sleeping)</i></div>
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Call me no fun, but I was relieved when our church decided not to do Trunk or Treat this year for Halloween. The costumes the kids wanted were SO complicated and I just didn't want to spend the time and money! But it ended up being perfect: we were invited to join friends at another local church's Trunk or Treat, with very little warning. If they kids wanted to go, they had to make up costumes with stuff we already had. Of course, they did, and had a great time!</div>
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Iain was Obi Wan, Cory was George Washington, Laina was a Rwandan princess (love it!), Mason was Batman, and Ivy was a minion.</div>
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Ivy has started to love dressing up. Kate Burton passed on these princess dresses to Laina years ago, and Ivy's using them now. She calls them her ballerinas.</div>
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Tell me these aren't the sweetest sisters you've ever seen?</div>
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Ivy is happy now to go to her class at church. She's been our easiest one, once she decided she wanted to go! One week, she was walking in the hall with me (I was hall coordinator that week), and she saw that, in her class, there was a green plastic chair. She wanted to sit on it. I stuck her in the class, and she sat there and ate puffs and looked at books. And she's been happy to go to class ever since.</div>
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This is one of my favorite pictures of my girl. Except that she's so BIG. My heart!</div>
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Meanwhile, out in the yard, the kids play nonstop. This is the latest thing: a fort that takes up almost the whole side yard. They ADORE it and work on it all the time. I'm sure the neighbors love us.</div>
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Donuts with sprinkles. Nothing makes her happier. She literally jumps up and down at the thought.</div>
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Ivy loves meatballs. And "popcorns." And grapes. And chicken and fries. She likes reading books (Goodnight, Moon and Cat in the Hat, or any other Dr. Seuss book). She loves playing outside, especially with her cousin Lina. When you ask her a question, she always says, "Um..." before answering. She laughs at her siblings more than anything else. She demonstrates what her daddy looks like when he's exercising. She likes watching Bo on the Go and Rescue Bots.<br />
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<i>(this guy is one of her favorite people.)</i></div>
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The highlight of the kids' year: going to Survival in September. Jenna and Curtis run TeenPact Survival camps all fall, and this year, they invited us to come to the one in south Georgia. We were there from Wednesday to Saturday and the kids loved every second of it.</div>
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The boys sat in on classes in water filtration, making fires, making rope, camouflage, and more. They played games--including one where they put their camouflage skills into action and then crawled through the woods. I think these few days were their favorites of the whole year. Seriously.</div>
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<i>(Mason's favorite part was the rope swing.)</i></div>
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<i>(Ivy in the rain--and not too sure about it.)</i></div>
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<i>(Ivy and Lina, best buddies.)</i></div>
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<i>(This was Ivy's favorite part: sliding down the trailer door on her back, over and over again.)</i></div>
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Common questions we hear from Ivy:</div>
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"Can I sit wif you?"</div>
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"Can you up me?" (pick me up)</div>
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"Can I do my fingernails with markers?" (seriously. She colors them pink with highlighters almost every school day.)</div>
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"Where's my cuppie?"</div>
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"Shoes on? Socks on?"</div>
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(to someone who is crying) "You sad? Okay. You hurt? Okay. You feel better? Okay."</div>
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Jeremy and I celebrated our eleven-year anniversary in October, with a hike up Pine Mountain. A lot has changed in eleven years (namely with the addition of five kids!), but this hasn't changed: he is still my best friend.</div>
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Life is nutty these days, but full of blessings. Five of the biggest ones sit right here.<br />
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<i>(This was after family pictures this fall. I love these crazy nuts.)</i></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-90726883565501705872016-12-10T14:10:00.000-05:002016-12-10T14:10:08.645-05:00The Dinosaur-Fireman PartyMason, dear, delightful Mason, turned four last month. And in true Mason style, a week or so before his party, he decided that he didn't want to go with his friends to a fire station (this boy LOVES all things fire truck). Instead, he'd rather have just his cousins come over.<br />
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And he wanted a dinosaur-fireman party.<br />
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Everyone was to come in costume.<br />
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There was to be NO laughing. Even if you snorted, you couldn't laugh.<br />
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Yes, he really did make up all these rules.<br />
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So in the end, he had his dinosaur/fireman/costume/no-laughing party, although he loosened up on the laughing rule. It was just his speed and super fun.<br />
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<i>(Mason's last day as a three!)</i></div>
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<i>(look at that smile)</i></div>
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<i>(and he's four!)</i></div>
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<i>(coloring the birthday banner with his cousins)</i></div>
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<i>(Meanwhile, Ivy got into the cake and ate giant handfuls out of the middle </i></div>
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<i>t</i><i>hat I later tried to hide with frosting.)</i></div>
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<i>(fun birthday entertainment: watching Jeremy, Jenna, and Curtis try to get the camper into the backyard!)</i></div>
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<i>(party time! He's decked out in dino clothes! </i></div>
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<i>That hoodie, from Nona, is his favorite. He wears it every day and adores it.)</i></div>
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<i>(the guests. Haylee and Jeff also came. Mace said they had to wear costumes, and believe it or not, they didn't play ball!)</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32SbzPxIN5Ik_SfMAzTavHFt8qEtRVlYfpbhM3SKp8IHK4HV9Um7NeH2pwgG2sopJc-5jEomYZNE-hJJC2UtGWEQ8FjvUTQgdwDcxHHz1IBSHxoBYES8E2jouSpUHusDRCwem/s1600/IMG_0290.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32SbzPxIN5Ik_SfMAzTavHFt8qEtRVlYfpbhM3SKp8IHK4HV9Um7NeH2pwgG2sopJc-5jEomYZNE-hJJC2UtGWEQ8FjvUTQgdwDcxHHz1IBSHxoBYES8E2jouSpUHusDRCwem/s320/IMG_0290.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>(the dinosaur-fireman)</i></div>
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<i>(Elmo, with a dino mask, made an appearance.)</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWHVfHpmaVWpNW4QPEA-e2vDtPswa-f3m4Hk5mra_7IPVmgAJzBUlGoV4dxvWwGqkZcoHFYp4mNZ-O4yhdiihvP2M-cfOkPlyt_X9N8FNoNEBY8HpQ0aRumN3VMIg0_Y0OK7a/s1600/IMG_0327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWHVfHpmaVWpNW4QPEA-e2vDtPswa-f3m4Hk5mra_7IPVmgAJzBUlGoV4dxvWwGqkZcoHFYp4mNZ-O4yhdiihvP2M-cfOkPlyt_X9N8FNoNEBY8HpQ0aRumN3VMIg0_Y0OK7a/s320/IMG_0327.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>(He asked for yellow cake, chocolate frosting, and lots of sprinkles. You bet, my buddy.)</i></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Mason, you're such a cool kid. Your million-dollar smile, your songs, your kisses, your laugh, your crazy ideas, your boundless energy--we are forever thankful for you. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">We love you, dude. </span><span style="text-align: start;">Happy Birthday.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-70328125163973413792016-10-16T14:01:00.001-04:002016-10-16T14:01:49.172-04:00Ten!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
On September 14, 2006, our lives were forever changed when Iain Mark came into the world and made me a mom and Jeremy a dad for the first time. How is it possible that that was ten years ago? We've spent ten years with this guy, this smart, funny, sweet, goofy, loving guy. </div>
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Iain's name means gift of God, and that is exactly what he is. He has made our lives rich and full and I can't wait to see what God does in and through him as he grows up. His middle name, Mark, was my grandfather's name. Iain is his first great-grandchild and shares his outgoing, congenial personality, his ability to talk to anyone, and his love for the Lord. I pray he will also share his legacy of a family who loves Jesus and each other, when Iain is the great-grandfather.</div>
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Because he's cool like that, Iain decided that he wanted to have his tenth birthday party be themed after his favorite book (he's a bookworm like his mama!). He currently loves <i>Holes</i> so a Holes party it was!</div>
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(last day as a nine!)</div>
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Iain, Cory and I spent the night before the party getting it ready. He thought of most of the games, and he made this sign for the front door.<br />
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Everybody's favorite game turned out to be this one: Pin the Face on the Warden. Haha!<br />
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The "cake" was Iain's idea too: monkey break (because it has a hole in it) with toy lizards crawling out.</div>
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Party time!<br />
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(He's TEN!!)</div>
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First, the birthday boy and his friends made the Brannon family traditional birthday banner.<br />
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Then I read everyone a summary of <i>Holes,</i> for those who hadn't read it or seen the movie (several of the boys have read it since the party! That's us, doing our part to spread good books wherever we can.)<br />
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Then it was Pin the Face time.<br />
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And next: a freeze-dance party to Toby Mac. When they froze, they got tickled with toy lizards and had to stay frozen.<br />
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Then after a hole-digging relay race in the backyard, it was time for cake. I LOVE Iain's face in this picture.</div>
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The party gang!<br />
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(Isn't he handsome?)</div>
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After everyone went home, we had BBQ cups for dinner (birthday boy's request), and watched Lego stop-motion movies on the computer while we ate. It was such a fun day celebrating our boy.</div>
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Iain, we love you and we're so proud of you--who you are and who you're becoming. You're an awesome kid and we're thankful to be your parents.</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-88651047325294427102016-08-27T15:31:00.003-04:002016-08-27T15:31:54.785-04:00Brannon Academy, 2016-2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Welcome to my beginning-of-the-school-year post for all those who are dying to know just what goes on behind the doors of our homeschool. Okay, really, to help me remember from year to year. But you're welcome to read along. </div>
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This year, we have a fourth-and-a-half grader (more on that later), a third grader, a first grader, a three-year-old, and a one-year-old. It's busy and loud around here more often then not, but no one can say they are lonely or bored (least of all me!). On the first day of school (July 20th), we took our traditional school pictures. Can I just say that Iain's grown-up self is killing me? (See previous years here: <a href="http://jabrannon.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-nuts-and-bolts-of-our-2014-2015.html" target="_blank">2015</a>, <a href="http://jabrannon.blogspot.com/2014/10/school-plans-2014-2015.html" target="_blank">2014</a>, <a href="http://jabrannon.blogspot.com/2013/08/schools-in-session.html" target="_blank">2013</a>, <a href="http://jabrannon.blogspot.com/2012/07/first-week-of-school-2012.html" target="_blank">2012</a>, <a href="http://jabrannon.blogspot.com/2011/08/first-two-week-of-school.html" target="_blank">2011</a>)</div>
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We decided to move keep Iain in fourth grade for another year (which really means nothing since he's just doing the next thing in all his classes--some fourth grade, some fifth). We want him to graduate with his peers instead of a year ahead like he was scheduled to. We are calling it fourth-and-a-half and it's really no big deal except that he doesn't know exactly how to answer when someone asks what grade he's in. Oh the problems of a homeschooler.<br />
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We are now firmly in the six-week on, one-week-off scheduling camp. We've done it for several years and I can't imagine ever going back. We are almost at the end of Summer Term now, and because of the dates of various holidays, this term has ended up being seven weeks. That's too long for my liking! We did kind of a soft launch this year, starting some subjects right away and adding in others as we go. I have mixed feelings about this way of doing things. It's nice to get back into routine slowly, but it's hard knowing there's still more you're not doing, when the days are already feeling very full.<br />
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After a lot of trial and error, here's the schedule and curriculum we've ended up with.<br />
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<b>Before 8:30 - </b>Circle Time, if I can fit it in. Mason, Laina, Ivy and I read books, check and draw a picture of the weather, sing nursery rhyme songs, and draw a picture showing something about God ("God loves Mason!" "God made the world!" etc)<br />
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Also in here, Jeremy does a reading lesson with Laina using Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. She's in the 60's and will move to Hooked on Phonics next. I am so thankful that Jeremy is doing the lessons this year. Reading lessons make me want to pull my hair out. Ha.<br />
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<b>8:30-9:30 - </b>Math. We're still plugging along with Singapore Math. Lana has been doing a lot of addition flash cards using an app on my phone (she, like every other kid in the world, thinks it's fun if it's on the phone).<br />
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<b>9:30-10:45 - </b>Morning Time. Our favorite time! Here we do prayer time, Scripture memory, memory work, Latin root words, our very favorite - read alouds, and a Morning Time loop. And SNACK.<br />
-Prayer time: self-explanatory<br />
-Scripture Memory: we do about a verse a week using Desiring God's Foundation Verses<br />
-Memory Work: this term, we're memorizing the Prologue to Shakespeare's Henry V. It has been so much fun and they've almost got it all down. We will also be doing a song from The Hobbit (the book, not the movies, and by Iain and Cory's request), a speech from Teddy Roosevelt called Strength and Decency, The Eagle, the Armor of God passage, the names of the presidents, Hamlet's Soliloquy, and A Mighty Fortress is our God hymn, and over Christmas, all the words to Joy to the World. At least, that't the plan. We also review one of last year's pieces of memory work every day.<br />
-Latin Roots: we use the flash cards from the English from the Roots Up program.<br />
-Read-Alouds: So far this year (this term, I mean), we have finished Holes, Hatchet (just with Iain and Cory), Nory Ryan's Song, and The Golden Key and Other Stories (just with Iain and Cory, read by Jeremy). We are currently reading A Door in the Wall, The Hobbit (just with Iain and Cory, read by Jeremy), and The Magician's Nephew (just with Iain and Cory). We're also listening to The Penderwicks as an audio book. Can you tell we love read-alouds? My goal is three per term, and I think we will hit that just fine. We bring our current book with us everywhere and find time to read it if we're waiting for something.<br />
-Morning Time Loop: This term, we're doing Worldview using Apologia's Who is God book. We will rotate through doing Squilt (classical music study), and learning to draw Europe, and hopefully North America.<br />
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<b>10:45-11:30 - </b>Language Arts. Iain is doing Shurley English 4 for the first time. He's also doing a lot of independent reading. He finished Treasure Island and is almost done with Charley Skedaddle. Cory is doing First Language Lessons again, and is on lesson 96 of 100 Easy Lessons. He'll be doing All About Reading next. Lana is doing First Language Lessons and 100 Easy Lessons.<br />
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<b>11:45-12:30 - </b>Lunch and History. While I'm fixing lunch, we turn on Story of the World audio (this was a big purchase for us and so worth it--by this time I am quite through with reading aloud!) and the kids draw pictures of what they hear. Then we eat and take a break!<br />
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<b>12:30-2:00 - </b>Nap time and break time. My favorite part of the day, heh heh.<br />
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<b>2:00-3:30 - </b>Science, piano, letter loop.<br />
-Science: the big boys are both taking science at Timothy this year and it comes with a lot of homework. We have yet to do it every day like we should.<br />
-Piano: another big change. The big boys are taking piano once a week from a teacher at our church.<br />
-Letter Loop: we still haven't gotten this one off the ground, but the loop will be spelling, handwriting, and for Iain, typing.<br />
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Iain is also taking hip hop this year. So fun!<br />
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We are praying this year for three very specific things: to do everything without complaining or arguing, to do all for the glory of God, and to learn to love what must be done.<br />
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Our school time is loud, often frustrating, often funny, and always character-building (for the students and the teacher. And the littles!). It's not an easy road but it is a good one. Soli Deo Gloria!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-42759501064864432432016-07-21T15:11:00.000-04:002016-07-21T15:15:22.975-04:00Laina Turns Six!It seems that most of my posts these days are birthday posts--I guess when you have five a year to document, and you don't post very often, that's what you get. Ha.<br />
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Our Laina-Bug turned six last week! Six! Six is a fun age, and a good one. She had such a fun birthday because her friend Avivah (who was adopted from Rwanda at the same time as Laina) was here with her family, spending the week with us. So much fun.<br />
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<i>(Laina's last day as a Five)</i></div>
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Laina and Aviva were inseparable the whole week (and the fun continues: they're face-timing right now as I type). I am so very thankful for their friendship. What a gift to grow up with someone whose story is so similar to yours. Laina actually spent Avivah's second birthday with her, in Ethiopia, which is pretty amazing.<br />
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Birthday Banner Time! A Brannon Family Tradition:<br />
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We had Laina's birthday party on Wednesday (the day before her birthday) with the McLennans and the Whatleys. She requested sugar cookie bars with purple frosting and sprinkles.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3a6bunYeOX9RjN4NNmDzALJVhdQvKDHhixXUARUt6bEAy27AcTzFUP2_H-PBiNIpb_JWFi9ufbW72W6vxnifkQ3gDuvT0ZcswD1xJgc6LYCWSpjtOBMVjqKPJrJUKeXYfSaw1/s1600/IMG_8285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3a6bunYeOX9RjN4NNmDzALJVhdQvKDHhixXUARUt6bEAy27AcTzFUP2_H-PBiNIpb_JWFi9ufbW72W6vxnifkQ3gDuvT0ZcswD1xJgc6LYCWSpjtOBMVjqKPJrJUKeXYfSaw1/s320/IMG_8285.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>(Lania got Bumblebee, the DC Superhero Girl from Nona and loved it. Also, a dress from Nona and a skirt and headband from the Whatleys, and a baby ergo and hair beads from the McLennans. And I have no idea why she and Avivah attended the party as Snow White and Tinkerbell. :) )</i></div>
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The other big news of Birthday the Sixth is that Laina got an American Girl doll. I had bought it for her on sale a year ago (a year! I've been waiting and <i>waiting</i> to give it to her!) but we decided she wasn't quite ready for it yet. For Christmas, she got a My Generation doll from Target and we told her it was a test to see how well she could care for it. She did very well, and that, along with the fact that she's taking an American Girl class at Timothy this year, meant that it was time!<br />
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She was just a little excited.<br />
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<i>(yes, she is kissing her doll through the box!)</i></div>
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And so was I. :)<br />
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On Thursday (her actual birthday), we loaded up all the kids and drove to the American Girl Doll store where Laina very dreamily and happily spent her birthday money from Grammy and Papa. She named her doll Amanda and got its ears pierced. The boys spent the morning at the Lego store, so they were very happy too.<br />
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<i>(I had been waiting for years to take her to this store! I loved my American Girl Doll--Kirsten, if you're wondering, and yes, I still have her--and couldn't wait to share this fun with my girl! Also, note Laina's party hat. The girl has style.)</i></div>
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We love you, Laina Kate. You are growing up to be such a lovely girl, inside and out. You have a quick and beautiful smile, you love to help people, and you are a joy to be around. We are so thankful for you! Happy birthday!</div>
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<i>(first day as a Six!)</i></div>
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First birthday (cupcakes and pink lemonade at the park):</div>
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Second birthday (and one of my favorite pictures of her of all time! M&M party at home):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwhAHf1ckC-bUEkda_U32eB41KK3JCH2E4Ktl-3CF2wVCH4sbAhz5rJW6BcabhIJdn2Ruh5h7LayL0dfJbAJuaDzIbVQm426A8UhWkORcFbOtVGb5lfQT9gUTllyqiHpHj6xw/s1600/599462_10100177865774467_1371426957_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwhAHf1ckC-bUEkda_U32eB41KK3JCH2E4Ktl-3CF2wVCH4sbAhz5rJW6BcabhIJdn2Ruh5h7LayL0dfJbAJuaDzIbVQm426A8UhWkORcFbOtVGb5lfQT9gUTllyqiHpHj6xw/s320/599462_10100177865774467_1371426957_n.jpg" width="234" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Third Birthday (Butterfly party at home):</span></div>
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Fourth Birthday (Mermaid party at Grammy and Papa's beach):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEqV9ctQNHkwe1UVmwku2aheiPdZyWe86izeMwbuiepyjYC7T2kBT94DiqU2o8_rjXWPXttZSYlOkDv8YicdW1wcWAeZDW5Uk6ZCSzSak9wiveVlZB13LECO5uRcXESFFXfON/s1600/IMG_8212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEqV9ctQNHkwe1UVmwku2aheiPdZyWe86izeMwbuiepyjYC7T2kBT94DiqU2o8_rjXWPXttZSYlOkDv8YicdW1wcWAeZDW5Uk6ZCSzSak9wiveVlZB13LECO5uRcXESFFXfON/s320/IMG_8212.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Fifth Birthday (Craft party at our house):</span></div>
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Sixth Birthday (party at home and at the American Girl Doll store):<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-30314432304243801952016-03-27T18:12:00.000-04:002016-03-27T18:12:18.013-04:00Ivy Grows: 15 months<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Two days ago, Ivy Hope turned fifteen months old. She's in that delightful phase of babyhood where she's growing and learning and changing so much every day, and I want to remember what she's like <i>right now.</i> So, since we write to taste life twice <i>(Anais Nin)</i>, I'm writing now in order to taste these days again later. </div>
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Ivy's three biggest siblings are school-age, so she spends some of her time waiting for them. Tuesdays they go to classes and Ivy, Mason and I wait and eat snacks. And play peek-a-boo.</div>
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<i>("peek-a-da!")</i></div>
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She has so many words and is learning more every day. Her latest two are kite and chair. She also says the names of her family (Dada, Mama, Eeen, Kiki, Naina, May-may--and can point us all out in pictures), book, pa-pa (pacifier), cup, peas (always said PEAS!! with delight), baby, go, doggy (and the corresponding woof), book, pretty (said mostly about her shoes, her own painted toenails, and jewelry), uh-oh (first word), cracker, cookie, no, stinky (always when she needs a diaper change), clean, okay, hot, warm, thank you (which is purely tonal and sounds nothing like the words), and my personal favorite, yes. Which she says as HEY!<br />
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She signs all done, I don't know, more, hot, and cold. More is the only one not made up. She also accurately nods and shakes her head.<br />
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She has four teeth solidly in, and is working on a few more. She still doesn't walk more than a step now and then, making her my latest to walk. Which is perfectly fine by me. She crawls in a silly way sometimes, high-steppin' with her hands. Mason used to to that, too. It's hilarious. </div>
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She likes hanging out with her mama. She wants to be held probably 80% of the time, and the rest of the time, she plays with her toys. She cries heartbreakingly if I put her in the church nursery, so I don't. She'll have her whole life to spend going places without me. This time is so short.</div>
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She generally wakes up once or twice a night, but lately it's been a lot more often as she works those teeth in. She nurses several times a day and at night when she wakes up. She loves it, and so do I.</div>
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<i>(showing off her green shoes)</i></div>
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Ivy seems to be very mechanically-minded, which is pretty cool. She thinks several steps ahead to reach her goal. She knows how to open doors, even round-handled ones. She pulls down on the doorknob with one hand while pushing on the door with the other hand. She scoots chairs out of the way when they are blocking the cabinets she wants to get into (those darn chairs!). She can open the screen door and crawl out onto the deck. She knows what to do with everything: washcloths, toothbrushes, pencils, books, etc. </div>
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<i>(Ivy loves ceiling fans!)</i></div>
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<i>(she's very proud of herself for standing, especially because her four biggest fans--her siblings--cheer enthusiastically every time she does.)</i></div>
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<i>(sometimes she gets around by walking on her knees. It's so cute and unique.)</i></div>
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Ivy loves this perch (below). She kneels on the trampoline and watches the neighbors' dogs on their back deck. She points and yells "Goggy! Woof!"<br />
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Her other favorite place is the big trampoline outside. Her delight is boundless when she's crawling and bouncing on it.<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;"><i>(And swings. Always the swings.)</i></span></div>
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Ivy is the most affectionate baby we have ever had. She gives hugs, kisses, and snuggles freely. She loves holding my hands (she cries in the car unless I've got my hand back there for her to hold). She gives out huge smiles and grins, and her face lights up when she sees someone she loves. Ivy has a sweet, loving, happy personality--a little shy and very silly. She melts our hearts a thousand times a day.</div>
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<i>(Ivy's first Easter Egg hunt. She was not too sure about it until her siblings showed her what to do and then crouched down beside her, cheering her on.)</i></div>
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<i>(Baby at the beach. When she saw this picture just now, she said "kite!" which is what she was looking at when I took the picture. She's a genius, I tell you.)</i></div>
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<i>(signing "I don't know.")</i></div>
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<i>"peas!"</i></div>
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She's funny, delightful, smart, and adorable. She's happy and loving and always up for reading a book. She likes playing with her babies and her toy kitchen. And her monster truck. She loves that too. She likes to snack on pretzels and cheddar bunnies. She loves drinking out of her cup. She hates the carseat. One of her happiest places is in the bathtub, and she still fits in her bunny towel when it's time to get out. Sometimes she will "make mama's hair" like her big sister does, and she is always very serious about it. Her voice is high and sweet. She looks like Cory. Her belly laugh is wonderful. She's our sweet baby girl.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-63116949478190662032016-03-27T16:54:00.000-04:002016-03-27T16:54:28.036-04:00Cory Turns Eight!Cory is a funny guy. Today, for example (Easter Sunday), he said he didn't want to eat outside on the porch because "the moisture in the air is rather unpleasant." He's an old soul, this guy. He loved Teddy Rosevelt, and has followed Teddy's example in starting "a collection." When Teddy--called Teedie as a child--was young, he collected animals. Dead ones. Taxidermied animals, skulls, pelts, etc. Cory has his own collection that consists of a turkey beard (SO GROSS), some birds' nests, cicada shells, etc.<br />
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<i>(last day as a seven!)</i></div>
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All of this does relate to his birthday.<br />
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He wanted his birthday theme to be "mammals of the North American Plains." So, of course, we made it happen. For one thing, his gifts from us: a fire starting kit, a whet stone to sharpen his pocket knife, a cow skin rug, and a rabbit pelt. Those last two were to add to his collection. He adored them, and he sometimes carries the rabbit pelt in his backpack.<br />
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<i>(making his birthday banner)</i></div>
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So how to carry out that theme? My aunt Samantha is an artist, author, illustrator, and art teacher (see <a href="http://www.samanthasbell.com/" target="_blank">her website here</a>). She was in town and stayed and extra day to lead an art class for Cory and his friends. They painted buffaloes, and it was amazing. <i>(Thank you Aunt Sam!)</i><br />
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He also requested pizza bites and brownies and ice cream. And his grandparents gave him a motorized go-cart thing. And his Nona gave him some stuffed plains animals, which he loved. All in all, it couldn't have been a better birthday for our history-buff naturalist.<br />
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Cory D, we love you. You are one cool kid. You're smart, talented, thoughtful, clever, hilarious, and kind. You take good care of your sisters and brothers, always looking out for them. You always want to be on God's team, and you say that worshipping Him is the most important thing. We are proud of you! Happy eighth birthday!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-36144727745991262052016-01-23T14:15:00.002-05:002016-01-24T14:44:54.027-05:00Ivy's Birthday Party!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
What do you do for a girl who was born on Christmas morning? You celebrate her birthday a few days early. :)</div>
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Ivy had her first birthday party at Eastwood Park in Florida, on December 23rd. It was a (loosely themed) swing set party--since swinging is about Ivy's favorite thing to do. Here's her simple, non-Pinterest-y brownie cake with a swing set on top. She loved it (she's a brownie lover like her mama. Leave the cake and bring on the brownies!).</div>
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It was SO windy. We lost a couple of balloons, and the ones that survived didn't cooperate for pictures. Ah well.</div>
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Jeremy's parents came up for the party. My mom, two sisters and their families, and several aunt, uncles, and cousins came. Ivy is a loved, blessed little girl.</div>
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Ivy with Papa, Grammy, and Nona.</div>
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See that 1 candle? It's the same one all of my one-year-olds have used. I may have teared up while lighting it for this little muffin. But then the wind blew it out.<br />
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Told you she loves her brownies. </div>
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Favorite gift? A four-dollar baby doll from Target. She still loves it.</div>
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It was such a fun, simple, sweet little party. Just like our fun, sweet little girl.</div>
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Ivy's last day as a "zero." Oh my heart!</div>
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Last night as a zero.</div>
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And she's ONE! After we opened presents and ate brunch, Ivy and I headed outside for a one-year-old photo shoot. I love these pictures.</div>
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Sweet girl, how can you be one? We all adore you: your smile, your silly faces, your snuggles, your babbles, your signs, your personality. You bring so much joy to our family. We love you, Ivy Hope!</div>
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Want to see birthdays past?</div>
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<a href="http://jabrannon.blogspot.com/2007/09/birthday-weekend.html" target="_blank">Iain's Itsy Bitsy Spider party</a> (I was five months pregnant with Cory).</div>
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<a href="http://jabrannon.blogspot.com/2009/02/corys-birthday-party.html" target="_blank">Cory's Airplane party</a>. He liked his cake too.</div>
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<a href="http://jabrannon.blogspot.com/2011/09/rewind-lainas-birthday-party.html" target="_blank">Laina's Cupcakes and Pink Lemonade party.</a></div>
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<a href="http://jabrannon.blogspot.com/2013/11/mason-is-one.html" target="_blank"> Mason's M is For Mason party.</a></div>
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Ivy's Swingset Party</div>
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We are so blessed with these five. Love them so.</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-18748693578523833332015-12-24T14:09:00.000-05:002015-12-24T14:10:38.516-05:0052 Blessed Weeks<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Dear Ivy,</div>
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Today, we take the 52-week picture. Tomorrow, Christmas Day, you turn one year old. You've been with us for a whole year. </div>
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I watch you grow and I love to see it--but I hate it just a little bit too. I wish I could have kept you a newborn longer, kept you an infant, a baby who was just learning to sit, to stand. Not forever. But for just a little longer. These days with you have been precious.</div>
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<i>(the day after you were born)</i></div>
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<i>(the day after you were born)</i></div>
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In the middle of two difficult years, your arrival was a shining, bright blessing. Your little life has brought us so much joy, so many smiles and so many snuggles. As the song says, you'll never know, dear, how much we love you.</div>
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We have savored every moment of this year. It's true. We paid attention, and we didn't let it speed past us. We enjoyed it all. You still don't sleep through the night, and as much as I would love a full night sleep, I really don't mind getting up with you. I know--how I know--that these moments with you are so short, so fleeting. I have soaked in all the moments we've had together, little one, nursing, rocking. The small moments, the little patches of slow in the middle of fast, quiet in the middle of noise. Your daddy has held you, rocked you, breathed you in and breathed out the cares of life. That's the magic of your babyhood.</div>
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Your siblings adore you. We all do. You bring so much joy--your happy smile, your sunny personality, your easy-going nature, and the way you prefer your family to anyone else. We all--all six of us--delight in you.</div>
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But for now, I just want to think about your daddy and me, and how much you have changed our lives for the better. You, sweet girl, are a gift to us. When you grow up, you may not like having a Christmas Day birthday, but to us, it seems like the perfect day for you to be born. You are a gift, a mercy, a blessing, grace wrapped up in a blue-eyed baby.</div>
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And I know that the days to come will be wonderful as we watch you grow into a little girl and beyond. But for today, I am so glad that you're still my baby. I will still hold you while you go to sleep, rock you when you cry, kiss your cheeks and hold your baby fingers. You're still my baby, even though tomorrow you will be one year old. And I'm still soaking up every minute of the blessing that your babyhood is to us. We love you, Ivy Hope. You're a gift, now and forever.</div>
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Happy birthday.</div>
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Love,</div>
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Mama</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-74717236263915628622015-10-25T18:56:00.000-04:002015-10-25T18:56:20.295-04:00What You'll Remember<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Sometimes I wonder what you'll remember about this, your childhood.</div>
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Will you remember the time we forgot to bring Laina clothes to change into after ballet, and we wanted to go to the park? So we loaded up and bought her a clearance dress at Old Navy, and then played until you were all tired?</div>
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What will you remember about your elementary school days? Doing your work in front of a wall of books, reading aloud together almost-daily, learning to recite poetry and speeches, figuring math problems, doing school outside or at the park? Or will you remember how loud it was <i>all the time?</i> How we all get tired around about Thursday and want to call the whole thing off? How I fuss at you way more than I should?</div>
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Will you remember the early, early mornings? When we're up before the sun? Will you remember Dad making oatmeal every morning for whoever wants it? </div>
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I know you'll know certain things when you leave home someday: how to do the dishes, sweep the floor, fold the laundry. Also how to make chocolate chip cookies and what music is the best to clean up the house to. You might have to do more chores than some of your friends, but that's part of large family life...and you have more best friends in your siblings than many kids do.</div>
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Which hiding places will you remember? This one, behind the rocking chair? You guys sure are back there a lot. There's the two small trees in the backyard known as Cory's Tree and Iain's Tree--I often find one of you there. You all like the side yard where you've dug deep holes in the Georgia clay. And your beds--you guys make them your own, decorating the walls with pictures and drawings, adding blankets and stuffed buddies that you love. </div>
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Soon our church will have a building of our own, which will be wonderful. But all of you cut your teeth on church-in-a-school. You know how to set up and tear down, how to not touch the school's property but to admire the students' artwork on the hallway walls. You know how it takes so many people to pull off a Sunday service, and you know how to pitch in and help. You also know the fun of running around in the gym after it ceases being the sanctuary. I love that you know those things, and I do hope some of you will remember this time in our church family's life.</div>
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I have no doubt you'll remember the Naughty Circle, and the pouty moments you spent there. Good old Naughty Circle.</div>
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What books will be part of your childhood memories? The Little House books for sure. Narnia. Caddie Woodlawn? And farther back still, Hand Hand Fingers Thumb? All the Dr Seuss?</div>
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What of small group nights? We've had weekly small group meetings in our home since before any of you were born. Will you remember the cleaning? The hurried dinners? Or, hopefully, the yummy desserts? Will you remember hanging out with your friends?</div>
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I don't know what you five will remember. But I hope and pray that when you look back someday on the years you spent here, young, growing, learning, that you'll smile and be glad. And then you'll call one of your siblings or me and your dad we will all remember together. I'm saving these moments, these sweet, busy, chaotic moments in my heart, knowing that one day I will really miss this.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-6254007773397278192015-10-10T14:13:00.000-04:002015-10-10T14:13:17.715-04:00My Firstborn Turns Nine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Dear Iain,</div>
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Half a month ago, you turned nine. You posed for your "last day as an eight" picture, went to bed that night, and woke up the next morning a year older. Not really, but you know what I mean.</div>
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You're getting to be so handsome. I love the new haircut you've been sporting, and when I told you so, you said, "Oh no. Now all the girls are going to love me. I better get a new haircut." Your confidence is awesome and hilarious. </div>
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On your birthday, we made you a birthday banner. We cooked hotdogs over a fire in the backyard, and we played corn hole toss. I can still beat you, but that won't last, I'm sure.</div>
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A few days later, we met your friends at the bowling alley for bowling and laser tag. I loved watching you play! You were so excited, you had so much fun with your friends, and you delighted in the whole morning. You asked for lemon bars instead of cake, and I was happy to oblige. </div>
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I was secretly hoping you'd win the game. And you did. You even got a strike and a couple of spares--what fun! Look at that score. :)<br />
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Nine years ago, you made me a mama. Today, and every day, you make me smile. You make me proud. You are brave, smart, funny, kind, clever, creative, and deep. You are a good brother, and you lead this little pack of kids well. I pray that you will always love and serve and follow Jesus, that you'll know Him more every day and in knowing Him, will love Him. I pray that He will make you bold, courageous, kind, and strong. Your daddy and I love you, Iain Mark. Your brothers and sisters adore you. Happy ninth birthday!<br />
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Love always,<br />
MomUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-1683037287041428862015-09-20T15:08:00.002-04:002015-09-20T15:08:57.196-04:00Tallahassee Trip, 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In August, we had planned a trip down to south Florida to visit Jeremy's family. Since we travel at the speed of a turtle, we decided to break the trip up with an overnight and morning spent in Tallahassee. Jeremy and I both went to FSU, both lived and worked at the Wesley Foundation, and we wanted to introduce the kids to that part of our lives.</div>
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Plus, the CUR (the beloved Chapel of the Upper Room) is scheduled for demolition this fall, and we just had to smell it--that is, see it, one last time.</div>
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Wesley is such a special place to us. We spent so many hours there in worship, prayer, Bible study, family groups. We cooked meals in the kitchen to serve on Wednesday afternoons and Thursday nights. We played four square in the fellowship hall. I remember on September 11 going into the TV room at Wesley to find it already full of people watching the news and praying for the country. </div>
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When we were courting, I lived in Apartment A, and Jeremy would come see me after classes. We'd sit on the front porch steps and talk. Later, that's where he proposed. He played drums on the worship team and I ran the projector. We participated in Rez Week where we took early morning prayer shifts. There was the amazingly beautiful Maundy Thursday service that the CUR was designed for specifically. I could go on and on about the memories wrapped up in this special place.</div>
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(The Wesely Foundation of FSU)</div>
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(Cory on the back deck behind the fellowship hall)</div>
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(our beloved CUR)</div>
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(the kids in the CUR. It smells comfortingly the same.)</div>
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(this one was when Iain was a baby)</div>
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(Times sure have changed!)</div>
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(Jeremy explaining the Maundy Thursday service)</div>
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After we saw the fellowship hall, the CUR, and the small chapel, we headed to "our" steps. We had told the kids the story of Jeremy proposing here, and they referred to them from then on as the Steps of Romance. </div>
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We have a pretty cool timeline of pictures on these steps!</div>
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(a few days after we got engaged)</div>
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(one of our engagement pictures)</div>
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(with Baby Iain. Somewhere there's one of us with the two boys, but I can't find it.)</div>
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(And present day. The boys' reaction cracks me up. This may be one of my favorite pictures ever!)</div>
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After our tour around Wesley, we walked around the campus for a while. We took the kids past my old dorm, to Landis Green, past Strozier, to the music building, to Williams and Diffenbaugh, and then to watch the demolition of an old dorm. They liked that part best.<br />
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Then we headed to Chick-Fil-A to meet up with some dear friends. Christina (who took us around Wesley and took the awesome picture above), Julie May (who also lives in Tallahassee and was due to have her baby--and has had him since), and Sidonie (who lives in Germany but was in Tallahassee when we passed through). It was so, so good to see them. What a fun day!</div>
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We left Tallahassee and headed south and--glory be!--we made excellent time. More on that part of the trip next time. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34018918.post-80283409263721185392015-08-28T21:43:00.001-04:002015-08-28T21:48:07.702-04:00The Nuts and Bolts of Our 2015-2016 School Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Warning: a very long, detailed post follows, more for my records than for human consumption. If you read it, I hope you can find something helpful in it!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPupssyxY_44E8PONT3cctSuR13ewipK4mdAtukxRfCL3KR9g95lu_D1_JfGF5wfPvfzVNYQhNTwgwoyl2i_PxCRuOvYMW47MG9iiCMaUZPywxSOBEdrqx-vHh-OyUTilBKzed/s1600/schools+in+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPupssyxY_44E8PONT3cctSuR13ewipK4mdAtukxRfCL3KR9g95lu_D1_JfGF5wfPvfzVNYQhNTwgwoyl2i_PxCRuOvYMW47MG9iiCMaUZPywxSOBEdrqx-vHh-OyUTilBKzed/s320/schools+in+2015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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So, the school time nitty-gritty. We have a very full house this year, with a fourth grader, a second grader, a kindergartener, a toddler, and a baby. It's loud and busy here all the time. Take a look at our school pictures this year (and go back to past ones -- <a href="http://jabrannon.blogspot.com/2014/10/school-plans-2014-2015.html" target="_blank">2014</a>, <a href="http://jabrannon.blogspot.com/2013/08/schools-in-session.html" target="_blank">2013</a>, <a href="http://jabrannon.blogspot.com/2012/07/first-week-of-school-2012.html" target="_blank">2012</a>, <a href="http://jabrannon.blogspot.com/2011/08/first-two-week-of-school.html" target="_blank">2011</a> --my word, they get big fast!), and then I'll share our schedule and booklists.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwGITChyphenhyphenvQR4M9UCdOaUyBh65dT8hlE4vUUKsAMA8fEj7Uo8JEV_15cQTJ_1Y5YuC9g-h5Xh57XpHQYj1mO2Y9e4-FAkZeElpMn6Atm9fqEX2k2jUu_euXv0xMWy3do7OwOTbx/s1600/iain+loves+15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwGITChyphenhyphenvQR4M9UCdOaUyBh65dT8hlE4vUUKsAMA8fEj7Uo8JEV_15cQTJ_1Y5YuC9g-h5Xh57XpHQYj1mO2Y9e4-FAkZeElpMn6Atm9fqEX2k2jUu_euXv0xMWy3do7OwOTbx/s320/iain+loves+15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieuu4BAoP9akcDBAr5Baht4MhofJE87kM5BmIGN3dVJzvSSo4jvSWU0GuR_sWYbj0-mipRtYmrl8TqOuO8xVOZjpBHpPAuI2gbEJEWqHGT6io0dPw3Q8ijr1RAC8L1n3HX_TOg/s1600/cory+loves+15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieuu4BAoP9akcDBAr5Baht4MhofJE87kM5BmIGN3dVJzvSSo4jvSWU0GuR_sWYbj0-mipRtYmrl8TqOuO8xVOZjpBHpPAuI2gbEJEWqHGT6io0dPw3Q8ijr1RAC8L1n3HX_TOg/s320/cory+loves+15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF6sG60oPUpKdBsq4BQG2I6zrfky3e82h6Ev_jVFAVGmdlipCJXaVMcUYLaX_zGYjcp9xJ3gWEIUXLrsZuhISj4hsCw9t2UNwXLg4rk-841RR-LyhFlvok_0Bn0WzK7CH_HCEt/s1600/ivy+loves+15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF6sG60oPUpKdBsq4BQG2I6zrfky3e82h6Ev_jVFAVGmdlipCJXaVMcUYLaX_zGYjcp9xJ3gWEIUXLrsZuhISj4hsCw9t2UNwXLg4rk-841RR-LyhFlvok_0Bn0WzK7CH_HCEt/s320/ivy+loves+15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The best way to make this pig fly this year is by breaking the day down into hours and assigning each one a task, AND (very important!) planning tons of margin in the day. So I schedule about 30-45 minutes of work into each hour. This leaves us with time to regroup at the end, time to change a blow-out diaper or feed a hungry baby (hello read-alouds!), or get everyone a snack, or send them outside to run off some energy, or do a quick clean-up of the house because I can no longer see the floor, or help a kid who is stuck on a difficult problem, or whatever. And it's usually many of those per hour. So here's how it goes:</div>
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<b>8-9: eat breakfast, get dressed, do poetry reading using <i>A Child's Introduction to Poetry.</i> </b>When we finish that one, we'll move on to another poetry book. I just read two or three pages and we talk briefly about the poem. I like starting the day with something fun, lovely, and inspiring, before we hit the harder stuff.</div>
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The other day, Cory was talking about Iain's "death" in minecraft and he said, "Iain went gentle into that good night." It made my day. Week, even. :)</div>
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<b>9-10: math.</b> Iain is in Singapore 3, Cory is in Singapore 2, and Laina is in Singapore K. We're also using this time to drill the multiplication table and work on skip-counting. Iain has to do 30 minutes of focused math, Cory and Laina do 15. Plus the drills. Usually, Cory ends up doing more than 15 minutes, and he's making steady progress.</div>
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<b>10-11: Language Arts.</b> This one is tricky because it requires lots of help from me. Iain has two loops to work on, each for 15 minutes. A loop is basically a list of a few subjects he needs to work on, but rather than them being assigned a day (spelling on Monday, handwriting on Tuesday), he works on the next one on the list, regardless of the day. So if he misses a Tuesday, say, he will just pick up again on Wednesday. Loop one is spelling, handwriting, and Wordly Wise, and loop two is typing/spanish, spelling, and Explode the Code. He's using Spelling Workout C, CC's cursive handwriting book, Spanish at our local program where he does extracurriculars (he's also doing gym), and we don't yet have typing set up. I wrote the loops out in the back of his assignment notebook (more on that in a second), and he moves a paperclip down the subjects every day to remind him which one he's on.</div>
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Iain is also doing a writing class taught by me. A friend of his is in the class too. We're meeting once a week, and I'm using the curriculum I developed when I taught at Circle Christian School the year I got married. It's a hybrid IEW and other stuff program. I'd love to have a few more kids in the class, so if you're local, have a fourth- or fifth-grader, and want a free writing class, let me know!</div>
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I chose a bunch of readers for Iain this year--mostly from Sonlight's Core B read-alouds (thank you <a href="http://alisonmclennan.com/" target="_blank">Alison</a> for the core!), but he's such an avid reader, he's pretty much going to read for an hour or more every day whether or not I ask him to.</div>
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Cory is doing reading with my friend Sarah this year. She's been tutoring him once a week, and my word, has she been a God-send. Literally. He's doing great with her. He's doing some spelling with her, too, and some Spelling Workout A, and he's also doing Explode the Code, which he hates but is good for him. He's doing Handwriting Without Tears at the program I mentioned above (he also does art).</div>
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Laina is doing Handwriting Without Tears also at the program above (a different class than Cory; also she does ballet. Hello cuteness!), and Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. She rocks it and loves it. </div>
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So the way this hour works is that I start Cory on spelling and Iain on his loops, and read with Laina. Then she plays or does handwriting while I read with Cory, and Iain continues his loops. Then Cory does handwriting or plays while I do writing with Iain. Phew.</div>
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<b>11-12: Morning Time.</b> This is my favorite part of the day. We do Scripture memory using Desiring God's Foundation Verses (we are currently learning the Ten Commandments, so we also sing the campy Ten Commandment song, "number one, we've just begun, God should be first in your life..."). We practice the poem we're learning, and talk about it (currently "The Tyger" by William Blake. And Mason quoted part of it to some friends at CFA last week and landed us squarely in the homeschool nerd camp.). We read some geography from <i>Peoples of the World</i> and eventually I plan to rotate geography with music (hymns and appreciation) and art (picture study and art projects). Then we do what we do best: read-alouds. To be fair, we actually schedule it here, but usually do it earlier, and often later too. We do it when I'm feeding Ivy, and if we're somewhere we have to wait. I have always practiced the very good tradition of always, always having a book with me. Now I have two. One for me, and our read-aloud.</div>
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We're reading <i>The Green Ember</i> right now. I have heard so very many good things about this book, and my opinion is that it's...okay. It's a fun story. Not the best thing we've ever read. I'm also reading <i>The Far Side of the Mountain</i> with just the big boys at night after Laina is in bed. Jeremy just finished reading <i>The Princess and the Goblin</i> with the boys, and as a family, we're working through The Chronicles of Narnia (we're on <i>The Magician's Nephew,</i> reading them in the order they were written). I have so many fun books waiting in the wings. Many are historical fiction taken from the time period we're studying this year: the Middle Ages.</div>
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<b>12-12:30: Lunch. </b>If we've made it this far without eating, which doesn't usually happen. We try to learn one Latin or Greek root word at lunch.</div>
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<b>1-2: Quiet time. </b>Mason naps. </div>
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<b>2-3: Afternoon Loop. </b>Mason still naps. (Sometimes we switch this and quiet time.) This is another favorite. Our loop here is History, Worldview, History, Science. (When you loop, you can put one subject more times than the others if you want to do it more often. It's all about ratios. I hope I'm explaining this well!) For History, we're using Story of the World book two. Worldview is Apologia's <i>Who is God? And Can I Know Him?</i> and Science is <i>Science in the Beginning.</i> This is a fun loop, but to be honest, it is hard to get it done. Once we dismiss for the morning, it's hard to get traction again. That's why we eat the frogs first with math and language arts, and save the fun stuff for later--it's more likely to get done that way!</div>
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One more thing: for Iain and Cory, I started last year writing their assignments out each day in spiral notebooks. We love this system and we're doing it again this year. Sarah at Amongst Lovely Things does an excellent job <a href="http://amongstlovelythings.com/spiral-notebooks/" target="_blank">explaining the system.</a></div>
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Okay, one more thing, really: during school, where are the little two? Mason is playing, coloring, eating a snack, running the water in the bathroom, jumping on the trampoline, coloring on the walls, or throwing things. Ivy is in the pack n play (and if she is, she's crying), in the ergo, on my hip, napping, or trying to eat cheerios under the table. It's loud, chaotic, and crazy. It's all part of my plan to teach my kids to concentrate under extreme circumstances so if they ever have to do math or underline the nouns or remember who Beowulf is during a fire drill, they'll be fine.</div>
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If you've read this far, I'm impressed. </div>
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Also, if we can fly this pig, I will be impressed.</div>
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Homeschooling five kids eight and under: it's not for wimps.</div>
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