shut 'er down

It's been pert near a month since I've posted anything here. I think it's time to do what I've been thinking about and combine all blogs to one. Life has changed. Seasons change. And our life is about to do a complete somersault {more on this later - at my main blog}.

To close this blog out, here's some completely random photos I found on the camera from the last few weeks. The kids took about 100 very similar ones to the ones you see below. Gotta love this techy generation!

Chandler's turtle collection

remember THIS venture? well, the 6 weeks is up and these puppies are comin' out to be replaced by.....

...these turtles! what else? :)

And speaking of earrings, this is the 'taking out' process with Little Bird


What a drama queen!

Now for the big sister of the bunch.... (i'm pretty sure these are all self-taken)


freaks, I tell ya

And who could parent this buncha yay-who's but some a coupla crazies!

public school memories

Robin is the last one up after being stirred multiple times. She moves slow. If prodded, she moves slower. She will sit in the bathroom for atleast 5 minutes, sometimes 10. No joke. She almost never eats breakfast at home because she takes too long. I usually send some juice and a cup of dry cereal with her in the car.

This 'getting up' is good for her for discipline's sake but I'm sure her bent to staying up late and getting up late will be a blessing in her future. As will her relationship with food - take it (and take alot) or leave it (completely not hungry). God has passions instilled in her even now. They just seem like flaws. :)

The other girls wake up easily, trudge into the kitchen for breakfast before their eyes are fully open. They get ready quickly and usually have time to chill or study before leaving. Jaci moves quickly while Chandler can get up earlier. And go to bed earlier.

Just a few observations over the year.

living Jesus well

We had parent/teacher conferences today. Once again, all we heard were good reports. The kids are doing well academically and they are a huge blessing to their classrooms. No problems whatsoever.

A surprising report from Jaci's teacher - she is one of her top Math students! Jaci doesn't really enjoy math and sometimes doesn't understand it but evidently applies herself and learns it well.

Robin continues to be able to not only be friends with everyone (but especially Konner) but is doing very well with her Reading and Math has come easy for her so far. (they must get the math stuff from daddy - not me!)

And Chandler is her sweet, very smart and excellent student self. Her 'smart kids' teacher just loves her and had nothing else to say. And there were no comments from any of the teachers on her being 'too quiet or shy' so she's come out of her shell, so to speak - the Kindergarten teacher would be proud. :)

I'm blessed to know my babies are living Jesus well in their world!

reading habits

Over the last weeks, we've really got back into the habit of reading together before bed. We read 2 Ramona books while Mitch was in India. Now we've started through a few books from the "Beautiful Girlhood Series"~Christmas gifts from my parents.

I can't wait to get through these and on to "Here Comes Heaven!". This is the book that was stolen before we could get our hands on it. I finally re-ordered and now I'm chomping at the bit to dive into it with the kids.

girl party

Well, it's a big ol' girl party when Daddy is away for a couple of weeks so today we did the ULTIMATE girl thing. Ear piercing!

Chandler is supposed to get hers for her 8th birthday in a couple weeks anyway. Somehow it seemed like a good idea just to let Robin get hers done too. It took a little convincing {by Jaci} for Chandler to agree that though it 'wasn't fair', yeah it would be OK if Robin got hers done too.

I'm not sure what Daddy's gonna say when he comes home in a couple days, but hey, he wasn't here. :)

patient and generous almost-8-year-old

ultra-spoiled baby of the family :)

a funny one

Robin, my 'lover of sleep' told me this morning, when I went to wake them up for school at around 7am....

"Mom, you always disturb me in the night and I don't like it."

In the night!?!?! Whatever, you've had about 11 hours of sleep.

laundry machines

I think Jaci is ready to be launched out on her own with the laundry thing. Of course, not MY clothes - but I think she can do her own and her sisters. Chandler is ready to assist and Robin....well, she's just the spoiled baby of the family anyways so whatever. ;)

The girls have watched me several times but this week Jaci and Chandler actively participated and then did a load or two themselves. They sorted clothes too so they are getting the hang of that as well.

I'm sure there are many super-mom's out there that have 5 year olds doing their own laundry (my mom is one of them) but I didn't sign up for that class and have happily been doing all laundry on my own til now. But I think my job is being taken over. No objection from me!