A Few Homeschooling Perks

This year we are attempting homeschooling out kids.  I have to admit, the first few days (weeks) I really thought it wasn’t going to work out and we were insane to even attempt it.  After getting over a few bumps we are all really liking it.  Here are a few of the perks we’ve been pleasantly surprise to discover.

The park is normally pretty empty when we go there for a little break mid-day.

These two boys actually get along pretty well….when Zack isn’t hitting Andrew with a hard object.

I have lots of help whenever I babysit cute babies.

Homeschoolers have their own swim team!  The classes are small and they get some one on one attention.

We can have friends over and not worry about getting kids to bed right at 7:30.  They can sleep in a little the next day and be fine.

Ben is amazing at teaching Andrew math.  I love watching them teach each other!

Art projects with Zack are fantastic.  And can be done in pajamas!

This is just adorable so I had to add it.

Big brothers can be around to show Zack the coolness of jumping in rain puddles and getting soaking wet.

All in all we are really liking homeschooling.  Some days are better than others and I haven’t figured out how to keep my house clean with four kids home all the time….and how to get dressed and have time to go grocery shopping and make dinner….but those are all things that I’m sure will come in time!

Andrew’s Birds

Andrew has a thing with birds.  Every morning (and several times everyday) he goes outside and lays dog food on our backyard wall.  He watches was the birds come in huge flocks to eat it.  We have a ridiculous amount of birds always in our backyard.  In fact now before the dogs go outside Andrew runs out first to tell the birds to fly away because Coco is coming out and she’s already killed a bird.

The other day it was raining like crazy and I look out to see piles of sopping, wet dog food all over the walls.  I knew he was feeding the birds, but I had no idea it was so much!

This little man has such a soft spot in his heart for animals and I love it!

Sunday Fun

Sadly summer is coming to an end and it’s time to put summer things away.  We’ve been slowing draining the pool this last week, but all the crazy rain hasn’t helped much.  Tonight the kids were outside playing and Andrew asked if he could jump in.  I told him no since it was Sunday.  He really wanted to jump in with his clothes on.  Not thinking he’d actually do it I told him to go ahead.  He climbed up on that green chair and cannon balled right into the middle of the pool!

As you can guess Zack thought that was pretty amazing and quickly climbed up to follow suit.  I was quick enough to get his diaper off, but he was in too big of a rush to have me take his socks off.

These two (and Coco) had a blast playing in the freezing cold water and running around and falling in the mud and water.  It was so adorable to hear their cute belly laughs!

Best hour of my day today!

Andrew’s Birthday List

Hello Friends and Family of Andrew

This morning Andrew ran into my room to show me something very special….his birthday list.  Now, I know his birthday isn’t till April (we counted on the calendar for school yesterday and figured out it was about 230 days away), but one can never be too prepared!  After that conversation it got him thinking about what he really wants, so he got Kallie and with her help wrote out the following list:

1.  Helicopter (one that can lift him up like Uncle Anthony’s)

2.  A big thing of money (he would like two of these)

3.  Two pet cats (the kind that dad won’t get sick from)

4.  A big box full of notebook to make books

5.  TV (a really big one…like in the family room…for his bedroom of course)

6.  Candy.  lots and lots of candy.  any kinds

7.  Two pet parrots (I told him cats eat parrots…..he informed me the kind that don’t make dad sick also don’t eat parrots…good thing!)

8.  a seed.  not any seed….a seed that would make trees grow in our backyard.

9.  Rio (the movie with a blue parrot….that finally finds happiness with another blue parrot…possibly the reason Andrew would like two?)

10.  Ben Ten (movies, action figures, wrist watch)

11.  A book you can lock

12.  Super Buddies the movie

13.  Pudding (the costco kind for school lunches.  His own box that no one else can eat from)

14.  A laser

15.  Big bottles of lemonade…the kind dad blows up (if you watched Christopher’s TED talk you will understand this)

16.  Caramels (I’m assuming any kind would be fine with him)

17.  Bottles of soda (again…not picky on flavor)

18.  Pop tarts (only the hot fudge sundae kind please)

19.  His own 72 serving can of nesquik powder to make chocolate milk.

20.  Drums.  The real kind.  Like the really really loud kind.

I told him he won’t get this many gifts for his birthday.  That’s where the idea of reaching out to grandparents came up.  I decided why let grandparents have all of the fun?!  This list is too amazing not to share with all our loved ones. 

You’re welcome.

And now Ben and Kallie are at the kitchen table writing their lists.  I’m so excited.

Eight is GREAT!

Kallie turned eight on the 3rd and was baptized!  Every birthday in our home starts out the same way…DONUTS!  (Don’t let Zack’s face fool you…he was mad because he couldn’t get on the table right then…not because we were doing donuts)

It was so fun to have so many cousins to do donuts with us this year!  It’s truly impossible to take a good picture of kids trying to get a bite out of a donut using no hands.  They just move too much!

Best picture of Aubrey!

After we bathed the kids and got all the sticky stuff off of them we headed over to the church for Kallie’s big day.  She was so excited.  We were able to run into my family when we arrived at the church.  We were a little late so I missed taking my usual 1000 pictures….but if any of you readers out there have pictures please send them to me!  These are all I have!  Joy….

I think this picture of Christopher and Kallie walking down the hall is so precious.

Kallie and Christopher in front of the font.  Thank goodness someone reminded me to take this one!  How sweet is this father/daughter duo!?!?

Before we got started I looked down the row and saw all these cute cousins sitting together.  It was adorable until about 10 minutes before the baptism was over and Andrew and his two cousins (all three born within four days of each other) decided they were done and started miss-behaving.  Of course Mr. Andrew was ring leader.  At one point he and Hunter took off and I met up with them on their was out of the church.  I tried to get them to come back in and be reverent by reminding them why we were here.  When that didn’t work I offered first pick on the cupcakes.  Andrew looks at me and in dead seriousness says, “mom, I don’t want cupcakes, I want cold-hard CASH!”  I had no idea how to respond to that so I just went back inside.  Thankfully they followed.  At the end of the baptism my dad (who always has change to give to Andrew) cleaned out his pockets and handed over some coins.  Andrew looked at me like he had just won.  I couldn’t help but laugh.

I have no idea who took Kallie home from the baptism, but while I was looking for her I snapped a few of the guys who gave Chase a blessing.  I would have loved a picture like that with all Kallie’s grandparents, uncles, aunts….you get the picture (haha)

Kallie was so excited that Chase was going to be blessed at the same time as her baptism.  This is the first baby blessing I’ve been to for my brother Chris.  He lives in Virginia so it’s not a close drive.  Joy and Ahma drove up to be with us too!

Ligaya’s family who live close came too!  Love our Pilipino (Li – did I spell that right?) side

Ligaya made him the cutest outfit for his blessing.  I love how it matches the bucket perfectly!

Here’s Kallie’s adorable invite.  Thank you AMY!

Since Kallie was baptized on her actual birthday we decided to throw her birthday party after the baptism and have everyone up for lunch and to swim.  Her theme was under the sea.  My mother-in-law is one amazing party thrower!

Some of the party food.  Megan….any other pictures you have to share?!?

Dad, Ligaya, and Chase

Mom, Kennedy, and Megan

Andrew eating a cookie on a stick.  The bouncy house in back was really fun! 

Chris, Chase, Dad getting photo bombed by Donna

Mimi, Mom, Mike and Christopher

The girls chatting…when my mom wasn’t losing Zack while babysitting (a story for another day)

Swimmers!

Zack loving his pudding cup!

Kallie starting her treasure hunt.  This is seriously the first time I’d seen her since the party started.  She was off with friends/family having tons of fun.  Come to think of it I really only ever saw Zack!

Our awesome friends the B’s came! 

Kallie opening up treasure box gifts

The amazing quilt Grandma made for Kallie that I may or may not have borrowed to hang in my hallway.  Stunning isn’t it?!?!

Kallie’s birthday went by so quickly for me!  It was all just a blur!  Kallie had such a great day and I loved seeing so many people who loved her come to support her.  I’m so grateful we were able to have so many friends and family come.  I love this sweet, happy, spiritual, always trying to do right little girl of mine!