Exploring

First off-- thanks to everyone who contributed to Malia's winter wardrobe.  Isn't she adorable!!

This week, the weather has changed and we have been outside enjoying it.

My mom and dad took us to a place called Spring Creek Greenway.  It is right after Old Town Spring and I have driven passed it  hundreds of times and never knew it existed.

It has a really cool nature center with snakes and butterflies and animal pelts for the kids to touch.  It also has countless trails to explore.  We walked about a mile and half before Andrew's little legs gave out on him.

We will be heading back soon if anyone wants to join us!

Pinteresting again

 Fall has brought many crafting opportunities into our house.

The kids loved painting pumpkins

These are the crafts that I made for Kai's class at school for a Halloween treat.  Since we can't give out candy we made coupons for the classroom.

These milk carton crafts turned out super cute.  I cant wait to put lights in them and see them shine on Halloween night.

Happy crafting!!!

Homeschooling

Ever since I have started staying home with the kids, Andrew loves to tell everyone he meets that he is home schooled.  

We do  try to do a little learning every day.

Some of my students are more focused than others....

Malia is more into imaginative learning.

Andrew gives in to her and lets her have her way more than he would like to admit.   Here is he on a picnic.  He tried to manly it up by calling it "camping."

Kai gets in on the edible lessons.  Here he is eating a delicious dessert we made together.

Thank you Pinterest.

Ryan even gets involved with "home schooling-- if science or religion is the focus.  Here they are safely watching a massive ant bed that the kids discovered.  Ryan had just poured poison over the bed so they are watching the ants scatter.

I have always been interested in homeschooling my kids-- but never thought I had the patience to do it.  We will see how the rest of the year goes....Right now Andrew has been sent to his room and Malia is currently drawing all over herself with markers-- I could consider that arts and crafts time, right?

Pinterest Craft of the week

Here is the Youth's new prayer bucket.

And here is a list of prayers I would like to add to the bucket:

1. direction for my family

2. direction for our church

3. for my brother to grow in his relationship with Christ

4. for my children to start sleeping in their own beds

5. that my heart be open to change and willing to forgive

Pinterest

I might have a slight pinterest addiction.  Ryan told me that since I was staying home, I should attempt to do at least one thing from Pinterest a week.  ( I really think he just wants to see some kind of payoff for all the hours I spend pinning things)

Well this week I tried my first craft.... Ryan had these old Coke and Dr. Pepper bottle crates that he kept from the home he grew up in.  They have been sitting in our garage for 6 year now, and I haven't quite known what to do with them, but they were too cool to get rid of.  Well, the other day after searching for the umpteenth time for one of Kai's lego men, I found the perfect solution.  I used the old crates for display cases in the boys toys.

Andrew used his for all of his superheros and cars and we used Kai's for Lego men.

Here is Andrew trying to decide which Lego man to steal while Kai is off at school.

I really did not see this on Pinterst, it just looks like something you might see on there, so I am counting it.

I will start my official Pinterest crafts next week.

Future Ms. Texas

Malia got a big bag of clothes delivered to her from her older cousins this week, so she took the opportunity to practice for her future in  beauty pageants.

  

Here she  is in her formal wear.

Now she is ready for the swim suit competition.

And you can't forget the talent portion.

Thanks for the clothes Ella and Sarah!!!!

A new start

School started, and for the first time in seven years, I did not start with it.  I am officially a stay at home mom and this is how we spent our week:

Playing dress up,

Playing trains,

Painting,

Exploring,

going on walks,

And of course, sleeping in!