City Park Fun

Today, we went to the newest attraction in our little city, The City Park Water Park! The kids had a wonderful time cooling off some way besides the pool. It is definitely a place to go back and revisit!

One of our little pals that went, too.

This is his pouty mad look from the side! Too cute!

Our two little friends.
Not sure if the big, wet, sloppy hug was appreciated by both boys.



He loved this water soaker! It was his, he thought!

Under the waterfall!

Look at the smile!!!

Kaitlyn and Ricky both thought themselves a little old at first!

After a little while they couldn't resist the fun!

Kensli loved this waterfall!

When it would go off, they would sit and wait!

Rewarded for her patience!

"Out of his belly, shall flow rivers of running water..."

I love this picture that Lexi took!

She took most of these pictures, actually!

Nice to be able to sit while someone else takes pictures of the action!

Nicholas looks like he is break dancing in the water!

Another cool water shot!

Not a big fan of pictures of me, I have to say this one is not so bad!

Kaitlyn took this shot!

An Observation

There are way to many choices out there in the homeschool curriculum world!

Narrowing it down is time consuming and can be VERY frustrating!

Thankfully I am a pro, since I have been doing this for so long.

HAHAHAHA!

I wish!

I think I need a vacation from all the planning!

Good Old "PP&J"

How do you get a 4 year old to eat?

I am so tired of trying to force food down my little peanut! I try not to allow it to become a power issue, and I really do not think it is one! I really think she just doesn't like the thought of sitting and eating! Such a waste of her time and energy! Anyone that knows Kensli, knows that she is in constant movement!

This week she has discovered peanut butter and jelly! YEAH! She has never liked it until now!

Last night she would not eat her dinner of baked chicken, peas, smothered okra, and cornbread! About 9 pm she said she was "stahvin" and wanted a bedtime snack! I asked her what she wanted to eat and she said, "Mommy, I want some PP&J!"

PP&J?????

I kept wondering why she was referring to it as PP&J, and not PB&J. Then I realized that we use P*ter P*n peanut butter and that it has two p's on the jar! Now we know she recognizes her alphabet!

She ate a half of a sandwich! Maybe if she will keep liking PP&J, she will gain a few pounds!

Happy to Homeschool

Today, as I watched a yellow school bus rumble by my house, I was so thankful for this journey called Homeschooling!

We are starting our 8th year of homeschooling and I would not change a moment of the adventure!

I am so glad that I have been privileged to know my kids in ways that would have never been imaginable if I hadn't homeschooled. When you spend as much time with them as I do, you really tend to get to know one another!

I am blessed to be their mother and teacher!

I am thankful the Lord has blessed us so I can stay at home!

I am proud to be a stay-at-home mom of my 4 children (and hopefully one more at some point), even when that is not always considered popular or important!

I am grateful to live in a country that still allows us the freedom or choice! May we forever be free!

We will begin our school year in the next couple of weeks! I have many things left to plan, sort through, think about, and get together! Today I will plan more of our upcoming year with a happy heart and the joy of knowing what a wonderful life I really live!!!!!!!!

Guess How Long..................

Toby brought in 4 small banks that look like safes this morning for the kids.Guess how long it took one of the them to get their money locked up in the safe and not be able to get it out?

About 2 minutes!!!!

Guess how long it took me to break into the thing and get the money out so we could go to target?

Longer than I care to remember!!!!!

Queen Melince & Her New Tea Set

Today was allowance day around the old home place and the kids had some money to spend. After a lot of sweet talking on their part, they persuaded me to take them to T*rget. Taking kids anywhere that has many choices is not an easy task, especially if they are going to chose the one perfect item. We spent an hour or so going up and down the aisles. Finally, all choices were made and we came home.

Kensli chose the prettiest little tea set that I have seen in a long time and it is completely kid friendly. Oh, and it is partly PINK! That is the only criteria that Kensli is concerned with most of the time!

After we got back home, she wanted to have a tea party. She informed me that she was Queen Melince and she needed Teacake cookies and tea. So, yes, I made her some cookies, but I substituted chocolate milk for tea. Since, I was going have to participate, I would rather have the milk with cookies.

Somehow during all the setting of the table and getting ourselves all ready to eat, Kensli spilled the entire pitcher of chocolate milk on me, the floor, and her feet. After cleaning us all up, I poured another pitcher and the party began!

My cup and saucer.

She used the pink cup!

"A Teacake Cookie"

It is really called a Teacake, but Kensli says that it isn't a cake!

She always has to add the word cookie to the end!

Guess it just doesn't makes sense to her any other way!

During the tea party, Queen Melince was not happy with the way Kaitlyn was acting!

So, she told her that she was "banishing her from the party!"

Yes, she used the word banish!!!

Kaitlyn the Banished

Nicholas the "Banish-ter"

Queen Melince then called for the "Banish-ter" to come and drag Kaitlyn away!

Nicholas was not cooperative, so Queen Melince chased him around the kitchen. He never did drag Kaitlyn away! Even with all the confusion, we had such a lovely time!

Tea party is over, and she is now playing "poker" and throwing the chips around the room! Guess I better go and see that all the mess gets cleaned up!!!!!!

A VERY BUSY 2 WEEKS

For the past two weeks my niece and nephew have been with us. They live in Alaska, so we do not seem them as often as we would like. When they are here we make sure that our schedule is open for fun with them!!!!!!

The first week was VBS at mom's church, and we had so much fun! I ended up helping with the 11 yr. old group, and it really brought back memories of teaching 5th grade.

All the cousins!

What I have had to deal with! Silly, silly, silly boys!!!!!!!!
Wouldn't have changed it for anything!



What they really look like! Handsome little men!

Oh, and then there were these.....silly, silly, silly girls!!!!!!

Kensli in one of her very rare moments!

She is still and quiet, and trust me that is VERY RARE!!!

Beautiful girls!

My little rocker! She loves to bang on anything!

Not sure where she got these glasses, but she looks so cute in them!

Nicholas and his squirt bottle.

My mom bought all the kids their own squirt bottles! There was no place to hide!!!!!!!

They played lots of games

We are sad that K. and D. are leaving Monday, but so thankful for the time we spent together.