Iain's Eighth Birthday

(Trying to catch up on the blog before little girl makes her appearance.)

Iain is EIGHT.

Here are the traditional last-day-as-a-whatever (seven, in this case) pictures. This guy is handsome, silly, and smart as a whip.

This year was a big deal for Iain. For the first time, we had a friend-only party, where we didn't invite families--just the kids. It was, of course, Ninjago/Lego themed and included lots of free-play with legos. Party guests who could come (several ended up sick) were Sam and Ben, Noah, and Bryar. Iain was in heaven. Of course, Cory (the birthday boy's best buddy) and Laina were there too.

We started off making the traditional birthday banner.

Iain requested Ninjago face cupcakes, including one Lloyd (the green ninja) for himself and one Nia (the girl ninja) for Laina.

He also requested cheetos, clementines, and BBQ cups for dinner.

He's eight!

During dinner, we watched stop-motion lego movies on YouTube.

And to wrap up a great day, Iain and Jeremy spent the evening putting together one of his (many) new lego sets.

Iain, you're growing up so fast. You are laid-back, loving, huggable, and sweet. You adore playing legos with Cory, listening to story hour, jumping with Mason on the trampoline, playing in the yard with Laina, coloring and drawing, reading, and eating. You are learning to be a good friend and you're growing so much this year as you think about others and how God would have you act toward them. You are silly, forgiving, and smart. You are a blessing, our Gift from God, and we love you so. Happy birthday.

School Plans 2014-2015

We started our 2014-2015 school year the first Monday in August--earlier than our friends but in keeping with our tradition of starting early so we can take lots of breaks. This year, with the baby coming in December, we need some extra time off between the first and second semester, so an early start was perfect.

We celebrated our first day of school with donuts and school pictures!

(click for previous school pictures: 2013, 2012, 2011)

Then we got right to work. I had plans for a really great basement school room this year, but the plans were derailed when we had a big flood in the floor of the kitchen/ceiling of the basement. So we set up in the dining room. After a little thinking and tweaking, we ended up with a shelf devoted to school stuff (books, supplies, more books, and some books), and a white board. It's simple and it's worked perfectly.

Here's a run-down of our curriculum for this year, if you're into that kind of stuff:

Iain, third grade

Math: Singapore 2b (finishing up from last year), 3a and 3b

English/Grammar: First Language Lessons this semester, First Language Lessons 3 for next semester, Explode the Code 5, 6, probably 7

Spelling: Rod and Staff

Handwriting: A Reason for Handwriting, Classical Conversations Prescript (cursive)

History: Story of the World, USA History

Reading: He reads a ton. Mostly biographies and mysteries. At least one chapter book a week, usually more.

Other: Classical Conversations Foundations. More on this in a minute, but it covers history, geography, math, Latin, English grammar, science, and fine arts.

Cory, first grade

Math: Singapore 1a and 1b, probably 2a

English/Grammar: First Language Lessons 

Handwriting: Classical Conversations Prescript (starting late this semester, or next)

History: Story of the World, USA History

Reading: Hooked On Phonics First Grade

Other: Classical Conversations Foundations.

Laina, preschool

She participates with us in history, read-alouds, and whatever else she wants. I'd like her to know all her letters and letter sounds by the end of the year. She's also learning to write her name and very proudly writes the number four.

We do a TON of read-alouds. They're everyone's favorite (well, that and history). This year our read-alouds have focused on American History. We've done four Felicity books, Pedro's Journal, A Lion to Guard Us, Arrow Over the Door, "Paul Revere's Ride," and we're currently reading The Cabin Faced West.

the boys making Nazca drawings

Classical Conversations is new to us this year. The boys and I go on Mondays and they basically spend the morning learning "new grammar"in all the different subjects they cover. It's all about tons of memorization at this age, and then as they get older, they add some more information and context. I love that the boys get to be in a class--and they do too. Apparently I need to take more pictures of Iain's class though. 

I think it'll be good for us this year as we start the second semester with a newborn. It'll help fill in some of the inevitable gaps. And we're loving getting to know other homeschoolers around here. Don't know yet if we'll continue this next year or not.

The kids do a presentation every week, which is awesome to help them learn public speaking. Cory has made a name for himself as the history guy--thanks to the cds "Your Story Hour" he and Iain know a ton of history. Iain's favorite thing is the lego trading that goes on at lunch time.

CC uses a fifteen-minute-long song called the Timeline Song to learn an overview of history from Creation to present day. It's pretty cool how much context it gives for various important historical people/events. Laina and Mason (especially Mason) LOVE it. It's hilarious to hear a one-year-old walking around singing about Babylonians or the Mayflower Compact (although that's another history song). 

We've had a rough start this year, to be sure. I was so sick this summer that we were really in survival mode and the kids just played. Way too much. Coming back to reality, to school and chores, has been quite a jarring experience for them and it's not been fun for any of us. I'm hoping now, going on ten weeks in, we're starting to see the light.

We went on an awesome family field trip a few weeks ago, to Chattanooga to see a WWII ship that was docked there. It was a lot of fun and reminded me why we homeschool.

As far as the day-to-day goes, we've found a good pattern. We divide subjects up based on what they can do alone (ETC, handwriting, spelling, maps), what we do together (CC work, history, read-alouds, FLL), and what they need my individual help on (math and reading). I write the subjects on the whiteboard and we cross them off as we go. It works pretty well. Laina and Mason color, cut, play with the toy kitchen, participate some, make hair, and basically hang out while we do school. We're done around one each day.

And there you have it. Homeschooling with a new 8, a 6, a 4, an almost-2, and a baby on the way. Phew!

Mason Says

Oh Mason. May-May. Macey. 

You guys, seriously. This dude is the funniest, smartest, silliest, loving-est baby around. 

He sings constantly. Happy Birthday to You, the ABCs, Rock-A-Baby (more on that in a minute), I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles, M-M-M-Mason (K-K-K-Katy), This Little Light of Mine, and on and on the list goes. He was even singing CC's Timeline song yesterday. It's amazing how recognizable his tunes are. 

He'd been asking me for a few days to sing Rock-A-Baby, which I assumed was Rockaby Baby. Then I hear him singing, to the tune of Rock of Ages, "rock-a-baby, clap for me..."

When I put him down for his nap or at night, I ask him what he wants me to sing. These days, he usually picks Bubbles. Sometimes he'll just choose a word and I will try to think of a song for it. (Ears? Do Your Ears Hang Low.) Whenever I sing a new song to him, he gets the biggest grin on his face like he's thinking, there are more songs? There's a song about THAT? 

He asks me every afternoon if he can, "jump-on-da-trampoline? Get muddy?" His two favorite things to do. 

In the morning, when he sees me, he says "good morning Mama! Happy birthday Mama!" Every single time. Then sometimes he adds, "How you doin' Mama?" And then, he asks for "more boppas?" Translated: more breakfast. Meaning cereal from my bowl. Because he never stops eating.

Honestly, more than half the time, he calls me Nom or Nama. On purpose. When I correct him, he laughs and does it again.

His favorite things are his stuffed monkey Banamana, his stuffed bunny Bonny, and his blanket Banket.

He comes into the kitchen when someone is cooking and says, "Making? Doing?" until he gets his answer.

He is the KING of silly faces. And he knows it.

He likes to list off the kids in his class at church. Randomly he'll yell out, "Max! Luke! Asher! Martin!" This is him and his buddy Max. They were born a week apart to the day, and they're so sweet together.

Just in the past two weeks or so, he's learned to say "I no like it" or "I like it," and sometimes he adds in "I love it!" These phrases usually apply to food or something he does or doesn't want to do. Or sometimes people. "I like Aunt Curtis!" "I like Karolina!"

Cucumbers are "cumbers." Bananas are still "banamanas." He still loves pretzels, which used to be called "fesh-tools" but are now ordinary pretzels.

Mason was a very early talker. And he talks a lot. But my very, very favorite is when he says "I love you too, Mama." Sometimes it's after I tell him I love him. Other times, like last night in the car, just him and me after we dropped the kids off at AWANA, he says it before I do. "I love you too, Mama," from the backseat. And all is right in the world.

My Big Girl Turns Four

We were in Florida for Laina's birthday--went down south for my sister-in-law's baby shower, and Laina was thrilled that she got to celebrate her birthday with Grammy and Papa at the beach! She decided on a Little Mermaid party, though she hasn't seen the movie, because she felt it was beach-appropriate. :)

Last day as a three, in her new dress and ready to go to church:

And first day as a four, in another new dress! (Laina is quite the dress-wearer. She almost never wears anything else.)

Making cupcakes with Grammy.

Party time! We spent some time down by the ocean, and then found a great place for dinner, cupcakes, and presents. 

(at the party: all of us, Grammy and Papa, Phil and Kelly, and Kelly's mom) 

(Legos! A gift from Cory, and not the only Legos she got that day. Also present: lots of Tinkerbell stuff. And more dresses.)

 (bubbles!) 

Turning four is a big deal at our house. It marks and important rite of passage: being allowed to play with Legos. Laina got some great ones for her birthday, including some special ones from her brothers. The next morning, before they were even out of pajamas, Laina and Iain were trying them out. Love these sweet pictures.

Although we didn't light a candle this year (since the party was at the beach), this day in my girl's life did not pass without me thinking of and praying for her birth mama. How I wish she could see sweet, happy, full-of-life Laina turn four. 

Laina Bug, you are a delight. All it takes to make your face break into a beautiful smile is someone catching your eye and smiling at you. You are so eager to embrace life, to enjoy it, to laugh and play and have fun with your brothers. Your moods might be a little more prone to drama than the boys, but your return to joy is so fast. We are so very blessed to have you in our family. We love you, four-year-old girl!

(See Laina turn one [and here], two, [and here] and three!)