our first slumber party

We survived our first slumber party.  It was not nearly as bad as I imagined.  On Friday afternoon, LE got to pick four friends (plus a special bonus friend b/c she couldn't stay the night) to come over.  We spent the evening having mani's and pedi's, pizza, cupcakes and watching the new Jungle Book movie.
Mimi came into town and took the boys out for a night on the town.  For breakfast, I had juice, milk tons of fruit and a TX size RR doughnut.  Imagine my surprise that all of the fruit was left, but none of the gigantic doughnut.
She was blessed with cash, new beanie boos, a Star Wars tshirt and craft supplies.  I am so glad we gave in because it was a super low key party and lots of fun memories were made.

a tweenager

I seriously thought you'd be a tweenager once you hit twelve; I wasn't expecting you'd turn into a young lady over night.
This one is a tough one for me because now you are in sixth grade, junior high youth groups, and becoming more independent by the day.
I love that you still want to cuddle, and kiss Daddy and I goodnight and good bye and you still sleep with Fluffles.
I should just have you type up your favorites as they seem to change every day.
I think your:
Favorite food is cheeseburgers.
Favorite book is Ramona.
Favorite subject is reading and Texas History
Favorite movie is Soul Surfer
Favorite color is hot pink

We love you and are so proud of the young lady you are becoming.

Paw Patrol Party

Gigi and PopPop's creek is still flowing and we were able to celebrate a special 4 and 5 year olds' birthdays on the water.  My brother Troy's girlfriend's daughter's birthday is the week before HR's so we celebrated their special days together.  Apparently Paw Patrol is all the rage because she wanted a PP birthday too.  Mimi made Marshall cupcakes.  Beverly and Troy made fajitas.  We picked up a pinata at the Mexican market on our weekend getaway and we spent the day down on the creek with cousins.  Happy Birthday Lynny and Hank.

first two weeks of school

little R and R

Anyone else's spouse time revolve around food?  I love food, glorious food.  I especially love food that is good for us.  We did a great job eating clean when we had the opportunity to have a weekend getaway to SA this past weekend.
We made a plan to avoid one of our favorite restaurants, to make better choices.  Imagine our surprise when we pulled into the hotel and it is across the street from temptation.  We survived without it though.  We found a new place and both enjoyed awesome salads (plus a baked brie).  For breakfast we found a quaint coffee shop and for lunch we hit a favorite for ceviche and shrimp tacos.  Ben planned dinner and we headed for the Riverwalk to try Bella on the River.  Breakfast was our other favorite, including omelet with goat cheese and spinach.  Another major victory for me as I fell for this place over their apple pancake, that would be last meal if I were ever on death row.
We also enjoyed massages, some shopping in downtown, sleeping in and of course the opening ceremonies of the Olympics.  Thank you Mimi and PawPaw for spoiling our kiddos.

a four year old

I cannot believe how much you have changed this past year.  You keep us on our toes, little man.  I cannot believe at this time last year you spoke maybe 20 words and now you are using words like actually, awesome, and sentences with 10- 15 words. You knew what you were doing.
In one day, you learned to spell your name and in another you learned to write it.  Everything is 14;  in 14 minutes, 14 bites, 14 days.  You love to count and pattern.  You love to pester your brother.  If you pause for any amount of time you are asking to get on a phone or the computer.  You love to build with legos, build train tracks and play dress up.  You are a total ham and you know it.
Your favorite food is Greek yogurt and chocolate chips, you would literally eat it for every meal if we let you.
Your favorite show is Paw Patrol, your favorite shirt is Paw Patrol, your favorite underwear is Paw Patrol, if it has Paw Patrol involved you are interested.  You do change your favorite puppy often.  I think today you said your favorite was Zuma.  Yesterday it was Chase and the day before Marshall.
We love you so much and you most definitely completed our family.

pool time for P.E?

The best part about doing school in summer, motivation; that and pools for P.E.
The girls have been waking up at 6 each morning to get school started ON THEIR OWN.  Most days they are downstairs before Ben and I.  Our first week of school, we were finished school every day by noon.  On Thursday, we rewarded ourselves with lunch at a new pizza stop in town and then spent the day at a "new to us" water park.
HR was much more comfortable in the water this time and all five of us crashed that evening with no complaints.

first day of school 2016

We started school on August 1st.  It is just too hot to do anything else during the day and we plan to take some breaks when it gets cooler and when things get busy at the gym.

We decided to go ahead and begin both boys in kindergarten.  HR has a true passion for learning and is especially interested in letter and numbers.  He learned to write his first name in just one day.  We are using My Father's World for kindergarten.  If it doesn't work we will try again next year.

LE has begun sixth grade.
She is  using Math U See Epsilon, Building Thinking Skills for logic (pre-SAT studies), Wordly Wise for vocabulary, Spelling Workout, Rosetta Stone for Spanish, Apologia Astronomy for science and Texas Weekly Studies for Texas History.

Boo is in 5th grade, a year ahead of others her age.  She is using Math U See Gamma and her other curriculum is the same as LE's except for fifth grade.

We are using Sonlight's reading list and finishing up the Little House on the Prairie for their daily reading.

They read Jesus Calling for their daily Bible time.

I think the one thing I have learned over the past six years is that we homeschool so we can do what is best for our family and our kids.  We don't follow a calendar and we hope to instill a love for Jesus and a love for knowledge over a grade.