Raking and Reading

This weekend we jumped into our annual fall clean-up (raking oodles of leaves).  The tikes took occasional breaks while daddy and mommy did most of the work. ;-)

Micah in mid-jump

Toddling

Noah is such a cutie-pants (yes, I am biased).  The little guy is finally learning to walk.  He can go forward, but he's a tad more steady walking in side steps - makes me want to join in on the Electric Slide.  Sorry, the video quality is kind of poor, but Joy's rendition of the Mulberry Bush in the background as Noah toddles around is too funny.

Sick Days

All 3 kiddos have had a fever in the last week and a half - Noah started it and is over it, I think Micah should be about done with it soon, and Joy just picked it up last night.  While Micah was in the thick of it the past couple days he had some moments when he was obviously "sick" - wrapped in a blanket, laying on the couch, no appetite, cohesive but non-active.  At times, once the children's ibuprofen kicked, he'd have some moments of energy, but I wasn't so sure I could slip school in those windows.  After talking it over with the principal (dad) :-) "Sick Days" were officially instituted.  So the last couple days have been spent playing games, reading books, creating with Play-Doh, drinking OJ, resting, cooking and lounging.

Mom's old childhood stash of stickers re-purposed

Micah's artwork

Joy's artwork

Fishing

Cooking

Noah just can't seem to keep his pants on

Couch re-purposed for the sickly ;-)

Micah's Parking Garage

"Airplane" (flying to NE, and farther to CA sometimes)

And of course...Legos

Island of Wild Ponies

This week we've been studying Maryland - did you know there is an island with wild ponies there??? That's right!  Assateague Island is home to hundreds of ponies roaming free.  Micah and I enjoyed reading some good library books on the subject, as well as visiting Miss Karin's horses (a friend from church).

 

Johnny Appleseed

This week we're studying Massachussetts, and today I introduced the kiddos to good ole Johnny Appleseed.  I stumbled across this Disney video clip which brought me back to my childhood, and I of course had to bring it into my kid's childhood (Micah watched it half a dozen times at least and loved it).



After reading a book from the library, and watching the aforementioned video clip, we grabbed a couple of Mr. Jazz's apples that we still have left, stamped with them and made our own apple trees. (Thank you, fellow mommies, for sharing these ideas online that I could find!) ;-)

  

Library Card(s)

It was a big week in our household - the older 2 got their first library cards!  I have to admit...I had ulterior motives.  I have been reserving books out the wazoo the past couple weeks for our unit study of the 50 states in home schooling this year - books on landmarks, state facts, historical figures, etc.  Only problem is, I can only reserve 10 books at a time.  So once I maxed out mine and Scotty's, I knew something had to be done - get one for the kids too (librarian said I could). ;-)  I made sure to make a memory of it; I took pictures, had them sign their names on the form, made sure they listened to the rules from the librarian, and let them use their library card for their very own first books.  But I also have been using it online to get more books on hold...Hehehe. 

We really are SO thankful for our local library!!

Glasses

Scotty has had the same prescription glasses since our first year of marriage - bless his heart, he has really made that purchase stretch!  Needless to say, it was time for a new set of frames.  The kids had a fun time helping dad pick them out a couple weeks ago.  And God had a nice surprise for us - the glasses store was having a BOGO deal, so Scotty was able to get prescription glasses and sunglasses!  Woo-hoo.  I told Scotty he doesn't have to stretch these new pairs for 7 years, since we got such a good deal on 'em. ;-)