new addition

Cats are like potato chips...you can't just have one.

 

 

Meet Legolas (Lego for short), our 16 week old male tabby.  He is as sweet and affectionate as can be.  So far Prisma is not amused.

Josiah and spring

 

It's been that kind of spring, which happily means the drought of last year seems to be fading, but sadly means we have seen dear friends struggle with flooding.  And of course it means that even the nice shoes are now muddy!

 

He's got farmer in his bloodline.

 

Apparently farmers don't eat vegetables, but maybe growing them ourselves will be a new motivation.

 

Now that he's discovered he can read, he has opted for a daily dose of the best literature he can find: Calvin and Hobbes.

no arguing that point

 

"My dad is the best dad in the whole wide world and no one I repeat no one can change that!"-Rachel

 

Happy birthday to the best dad in the whole world, at least at our house.

seems fitting

two in braces

 

Though we are hoping one is almost done!!

Spring Break!

 

And no, I didn't take this picture a couple of months ago to share now.  I took it about 5 minutes ago.

 

March 25, and we have 9 inches!

come again?

From our math lesson on how many cups/gallons/liters/quarts today:

"Is this page loud, Mommy?" asks Josiah.

Clueless mother fumbles for a response.

"Well, I was just wondering, because it says volume."

In Rachel's words...

Creative, fun, right-brainer, silver and black, horses, scars everywhere, imaginative, dogs, hates needles, poet, artist, thinker, writer, smiles, Legos, dragons, loves holidays, reader, decorator,  hamster, crafty, love to make up my own things, tough, and stuffed animals.

Christmas hymn redux

Josiah:
Hark the herald, angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn king,
Pizza on earth and mercy mild..."

Micah: (from The 12 Days of Christmas)
"Five days til Christmas, the wait is killing me..."

in his words...by Micah

8th grader, 13 years and 353 days old, homeschooler, devourer of books and pizza, EWO youth groupie, soccer goalie/defender, basketball player, trumpet & piano player, Tolkien fan, Lego Master, dusty old fossil lover, card gamer, video gamer, one year till driving permit, and Apple warrior against the forces of Android.

Sent from my iPod and iPhone

betcha didn't know!

What do you get when you cross a chihuahua, and pug, and a poodle?

A Chipuggle.

Once Rachel fulfills her dream of becoming a dog breeder, we'll include a picture.

what's under your refrigerator?

 

We had a bit of a reenactment of this one in our kitchen this morning.  Prisma's favorite toy?  Legos, which inevitably end up in the coat closet, at the bottom of the basement steps, and under the refrigerator.

never a dull moment

Josiah: "Mommy!!"

Eric: "I'm right here, Josiah, what can I do for you?"

Josiah: "No, I mean the other Mommy."

Tractor, Tractor

Even my 13-year-old likes this song.  It gets really good at about 2 minutes in... 

Slugs and Bugs

Our family had the privilege of enjoying a concert by Randall Goodgame this afternoon at our annual church picnic.  It was so much fun I had to post a link to his website here.  This would be well suited for the preschool or elementary child in your life.  My 11-year-old even delighted in his goofiness, and I watched some empty nesters having a great time a few rows in front of me.  Still, if you are into the more "adult" genre, look up his hymn CD and listen to the song Jerusalem.  I promise you won't be disappointed!

Not just fun, I personally appreciated Randall's genuine desire to see Christ honored through music.  He's also a friend of Andy Osenga, for those in our local circle and beyond who know him. :)

all smiles for this artist...

There was a time when I would ask Josiah to try to draw something, and he would burst into tears. "I can't!" he'd wail next. I'm not sure those days are completely over, but we certainly have turned a corner!

 Mark Kistler's art lessons were recenly offered at a discount at the Homeschool Buyers Coop, and one price covered lessons for all three kids.  Josiah began the Mini-Marshmallow video lessons this week.  I have never heard him giggle so much when there is a pencil in his hand.

Starting his pencil rocket drawing...

 and adding more details, like the little boy with his legs out the window.  (He fell asleep.)  Crazy hair is pretty fun, too.  Don't forget the water vapor coming out of the rocket launchers!

This was his first picture.  Beatrice the dragon is burping bubbles.

We're not quite ready to contact the art galleries, but I do love that happy face!  (If I make the picture big enough, I can almost see what he drew.)

notice she's where the mouse should be...

I had forgotten how super-sweet kittens can be.

Back to something more meaningful soon.  Sometimes, though, I've just gotta slow down enough to enjoy the simple blessings life brings.

A Fantastic Place, by Rachel

Funks Grove is a peaceful place, but be quiet because there is wildlife everywhere. You can hike, bird watch, and play which is quite fun if I don’t say so myself. Surprisingly this place has a creek but only when it rains. As it gets darker you might begin to wonder if there is a fox spying on you.

Hiking is something which you can do quietly if you want to because you can hear the birds talk to each other if you do. As you hike it feels like a fox, who is slyly creeping along, is spying on you. The only bad thing about hiking is ticks they get on you and suck your blood. Otherwise hiking is really fun.

Bird watching is so cool, because you can hear the birds quiet talk inside. As you do this a humming bird quickly flaps its wings and sticks its tongue down in the juice. Then it’s funny when they all flap their wings all at the same time and fly away which is quite often.

Playing in the Imagination Grove is the finest thing ever. They have a creek which flows speedily because it has just rained the other day. As you’re playing in it your feet get wet. On a tower you can pretend you’re spying on evil villains that are trying to attack. This place is NOT QUIET.

All these things hiking, playing, and bird watching are all done quietly (except for the playing part). This place which is as fun as ever also has sap in the spring. It’s a fantastic place, and I love it. I’ve got outdoor genes so this place is on the top in my world.

It's Summer!! Almost...

What is it about boys?  These two were barely out of bed, and already wrestling.  

We can declare the school year officially over after a little cultural open house on Friday night.  Everyone was hard at work preparing...well, except Josiah, but he wanted a project just like everyone else.

Spending time with the youngest cousin...so fun!!!

More proof that teenagers are weird.  

Well, maybe it runs in the family.

Hooray!!

Josiah got his ear tubes pulled today!!  Just in time for the summer swim season.  For some reason, I am thankful that his eardrums will heal and his inner ear will no longer be exposed to the pool water.  Until then, look for him in the water with blue putty in his ears.

In true Josiah-form, he made his own humor at the doctor's office today.  His ENT is named Dr. Russell, and Josiah asked him, "Do you like to be a doctor, or do you like to wrestle?"  It took me a minute to catch on.  I'm not sure if the doctor ever did.