A few pictures of Evelyn at her Youth Conference for MSA (home-school co-op) and then her big group class called Key of Liberty (a leadership study of American history). Evelyn enjoyed a week of fun with her buddy Reha who stayed with our family while her family traveled. The girls did make up, sang music.ly's, created photo shoots and learned songs on the banjo. They did their school work together (Reha is also home-schooled) and baked. It was a fun week for the two of them. And in recent news: Evelyn now has braces. I cannot begin to describe to you the pain she experienced that first week of braces. Ev, I think because she is red-headed, has a very limited capacity to handle pain. She was miserable, truly miserable for an entire week. Boy, it was hard for her. Boy, it was hard for me to listen to her moan. Haha. She's doing much much better now.
Dane: This kid is doing so well in school. Man, was he ever nervous at the start of the year. But he loves his teacher, loves everything he is learning and has become truly so responsible. I've enjoyed watching him increase his love of reading, and work on his own to memorize multiplication tables. He no longer needs reminders to do his homework because he is on top of things. When did this happen? I'm so grateful and so pleased to see him growing up in this way. I think Dane likes new shoes more than I do. This kid loves to save up for cleats or sneakers. I don't mind as I'd rather he spend his money on shoes then toys. He works hard to earn money and then cannot wait to pick out a new pair. This month we journeyed down to the shoe store and each child picked out new sneakers. We never did this before school started, and they needed new shoes. It was fun to see their excitement. I think they may have inherited Blake and I's love to shop for clothing/shoes. But I love how Dane sets a goal for himself and then works towards it at an obsessive rate. He is a hard worker to say the least. I've enjoyed seeing Dane blossom on the soccer field with his team. He is doing so well personally, many times scoring a hat trick per game. But even more importantly, he is improving in his ability to reach out to others and be a friend. He is overcoming his shyness and telling his team mates "good game." This is so wonderful! His teammates value him and this is boosting his confidence. Nothing makes me happier than seeing this growth for Dane.
Grant: There's always someone having a hard time in the family at every given point in time, right? This month it's been Grant. Poor little guy just does NOT like school and it's heartbreaking. He just cannot figure out the reading thing, despite the work we put in at home, and the work he puts in at school. I pray he is just not developmentally ready, rather than an actual learning disability about to blossom in full view. I know children learn to read at different rates and I shouldn't be too petrified quite yet, but I am worried. I hate to see his confidence plummet at the end of each day and hate to fight him every night with his homework. It sets a bad tone between he and I. He just isn't himself and teases more, is more stubborn and generally a little unhappy. My intervention plan includes a new computer program we will work on together 20-30 minutes a day and just trying to fill his bucket with loads and loads of love when I am with him. Everyone in our family knows to cut him some slack right now... but it's hard on Anna and Dane who take the brunt of his anger. His happy place is definitely the soccer field. He continues to be a stellar member of both his teams and we've discussed the fact that soccer is a skill and talent he was blessed with that comes easy. Reading is something that he'll have to work at to get better. Not coming easy does not mean won't come at all and does not mean he isn't "smart". I think he believes me... absolutely love the darling little notes he wrote to himself and taped next to his bed. He had a picture he drew of a rattle snake and he said he can't think about the worries or fears he has (school, reading) because that just upsets him. (we saw a rattle snake on our last hike and he was really scared.) He drew an X for STOP thinking about this. Then numbers 1-6 for deep breathing to relax and then a check mark to make sure he's done all the steps. He thought about this all on his own. How precious! I couldn't be more proud of him!
Anna: This little girl has come up with some seriously funny stuff lately. She is just too funny and keeps us all laughing ALL the time. 1. Mom! I love your Lick Stip! 2. Mom! I love this hanitizer (hand sanitizer) 3. mom! Hildegard (Sophia the First's friend) just got sick from eating a choking hazard! Anna's hair is the cutest on earth when she first wakes up. We love to tease her about her crazy hair. But don't you worry.... she will have it ironed out in no time as her favorite thing to do is get dressed and brush her hair each day. She is on top of it, let me tell you! Anna has been spending a lot of time with her friend Lavender. Nora is now in kindergarten much to Anna's dismay. But thankfully Lavender and she get along nicely and they always have a fun time together. Love how Anna enjoys dressing up.... and pretending. She is planning to be the evil queen this year for Halloween. Costume ready- check! You better believe she picked this out immediately! Sometimes when Anna is playing-- I stand outside the door to listen. She has such a vivid imagination and I love her pretend play. See below lego friends on a space ship, horse whom she named Nila after Troy's dog, and playing barbies with Uncle Troy- cutest thing on earth. Anna continues to be my little buddy for every errand. She comes all over town with me and we get stuff done. Maybe wasn't the smartest thing to have her with me when we heart attacked the primary president's door WHILE she was home! Anna kept whispering a little too loud and it was quite difficult to keep it under wraps. Haha. But most days there is no one I'd rather have as my little buddy.
