School, Snails, Silly Dog Faces, and Sam!

Random sampling of last few weeks...

 

Nathan working on an entry for the upcoming Fair

 

We are back to school...using some great curriculum we are familiar with and also trying out some new computer based classes that we are really happy with so far.

 

 

Nathan made friends with a little snail and I love the way this picture turned out with our hands together and this delicate creature who felt so at home in Nathan's care.

 

 

Finnegan makes the funniest faces & I managed to capture this one.

 

 

We are all feeling a lot more at home with our new normal of being a family of six. Sam has been home for 4 months now and is doing well. He is the most mischievous of all the boys and often has a twinkle in his eye that keeps me wondering! He loves all fruit, his big ride-on truck, the toy shopping cart, going to soccer with his big brothers, his Daddy, and Veggie Tales. He is a sweet, personable, busy little fellow and we all love him bunches.

 

 

 



Dancing in the Kitchen

 

 

...on a Saturday morning...

 

 

Yes, that is a messy kitchen, but we decided to just not worry about it.

 

 

 

 

 



Pool Time

We are very thankful to be able to go to the pool a lot. It's close to our home and includes a regular swimming pool and also a shallow water park...perfect for our family.

 

 

I love the way Mark is looking at Sam!

 

 

Daddy love

 

 

This isn't the prettiest picture but I loved their game. The big boys were letting Sam push them and were then falling backwards with great drama as if he were SO strong! He loved it!

 

We are a normal family with normal sibling bickering so when I see this kind of brother-style-love, I savour it !

Sam Update

Our precious Sam has been with us over three months now.

 

He is becoming a very funny, mischievous, busy little boy...he makes the funniest raised- eye- brow faces (to make me laugh), and likes to wrestle with his Daddy and try to do everything all the big boys do.

 

 

"helping" Mark with the new game

 

 

 super hero time

 

 

sweet little boy giggles

 

 

We are amazed at how God brought us this amazing little person and made him our son. We are so blessed...and thankful...and...trying to keep up! :)

 

Summer So Far

Oh, I am so behind with blogging....but these little boys are keeping me hopping!

Here's what we've been up to...in point and picture form...

 

Hugging/wrestling - around here it can go either way!

 

 

 

Taking care of lots of pets - Nathan has "Big Mac" (his much-loved French Angora bunny) and Mark has tropical fish and 50 or so tad poles. Then there are the three dogs, three cats and 10 hens!

 

 



 

 

Anniversary - John & I celebrated 18 years of marriage last week!

Yay for love and so very thankful for all God has done!

 

Also...

 

*finished up another great season of swim team with all three older boys making the All Star team

 

*playing at the pool/water park - Sam is getting braver with the water every time we go and really has FUN!

 

*gearing up to begin soccer

 

*starting to think about school again...I'm wrapping up my curriculum plans for everyone and trying to create lots of little busy activities for Sam to do. I confess I am nervous about trying to home school with a toddler in the mix but we will just jump in and se how it goes, making changes as necessary. I'm starting Mark on some on-line classes and hope that will be a big help to all of us. If we love it, we'll also begin transitioning Luke to some similar curriculum.

 

*So, that's our Summer so far. We've kept it busy and fun but pretty low-key. We're trying to allow ourselves lots of time to adjust to being a family of six. It's hard work but good work!  We feel everyone is doing well and are delighted and thankful for the way God has brought us all together.

 

 

 

 

 

 



Bed Time

It's the fourth of July and we're happy and it's been a fun day and now that it's bedtime, we're feeling silly. Even me. So, instead of just going to bed, this happens....

 

Mark gets in bed with Sam & Sam thinks it's funny

 

 

Mark gets in Nathan's bed & Nathan puts on his 3-D glasses.

 

 

Boys decide it will be funny to pretend they are choking each other.

 

 

 

Sam tries on Nathan's glasses

 

 

Mark, who is supposed to have brushed his teeth, blows a bubble (thanks to all the candy thrown at the parade we went to today).

So, that was bedtime tonight.

I think it might be awhile before anyone actually falls asleep!



Busy Toddler

 Sam is a busy little boy! He has three big brothers he loves to tag along with after all. :)  He loves to explore and to learn new things and it is so much FUN to see him soaking in new experiences like the water park, our sand box, the big field near our house, viewing the world from up high on Daddy's shoulders, the long hallways at church.

 We have a shelf of learning toys for him and he often asks me to get one down so we can play with it. Here are a few of his favorites...

 

Stringing wooden beads

 



 

 

 

Sorting plastic bears, saying their colors and counting

 

 

 

 

Play dough