Soccer Time!

My little soccer player!  

He is getting so big!

He remained focused most of the game.

Although at one point, I had to laugh.

His opponent was pushing the ball right by him in the open field 

and Turner was looking over at the sidelines.

Totally oblivious.

For the most part, he was pretty into the game.

I love watching him play soccer.

He loves the social aspects and the running.

Ode to my Tween

My oldest is having a birthday.  I just wanted to give him a shout out.

Since day one, he has been an anomaly.   One of a kind.   In a good way.

I've heard it being defined as being a "crystal child".   Now, I'm not into hocus-pocus, pop-psychology.  However, if you google attributes of a "crystal child", you just might get a good picture of my guy. If you know him well, you will see that 90+% of those attributes listed, apply to him.

 Absolutely cannot tolerate what he perceives at injustice.  We never had to teach him tolerance for religion, race, etc.   It was just 'there'. 

Wisdom?  It's there too.  He told us once years ago, he tries not to turn down any opportunity because you never know when/if it might come around again.   That is why at the age of 8, he climbed Mt Laconte.  At the age of 10, he traveled to Ethiopia.  Today, he is on an archeological dig and white water rafting trip.

I was reading an autobiography he was writing for English.  Amazing, his understanding of who he is and what he hopes to do in life goes well beyond his years.

So, to my #1 son.  I applaud you.  I love you.  I admire you.  I hope someday to be as amazing as you.

Things That Make Me Smile

 Some of the pics are fuzzy but you cannot miss the smile on Ansley's face.

We decided the girl scout troop she was in was not a good fit for her/us.

We are dropping GS (or maybe just changing troops, not sure)

In the mean time, we have put her in the same home school co-op that Judson attends.

Those first 2 pics show the genuine happiness that she had her very first day of school.

The girls/kids were nice and accepting of her right off the bat.

(cannot say the same for the girls in her scout troop after all these years)

Evening walk.  Love it!

SuperMan

Sawyer in PT.  He thinks he is Peter Pan (The Robin Williams version)

What We Have Been Doing

Pretty boring around here!

(We are very happy with boring)

Tubing the 'Hooch in Helen, Ga

*no pics*

More Hair Cuts

Before

After

An ER visit

(no bones were broken)

Freezing Corn

(From a very nice neighbor)

Helping Dad with Car

IT's been a good week

How Bout YOu?

We are still around

We have been busy,

Funny how you look forward to summer in hopes of a break.

Doesn't seem to be as relaxing as we had hoped.

Sawyer's chemo is a trial to get regulated.

Just pop over to Caring Bridge to read up on his stuffs.

We are at some doctor at least once a week.

Judson is in Boy Scouts.  Unlike Cub Scouts,

Boy Scouts meet during the summer.

All is well though.

Turner had his Cub Scout Demolition Derby today.

He came out VICTORIOUS!!!!!!!

 The Winning Vehicle!

The kids enjoy the water....

Especially in the hot, humid South.

The heat required a haircut too....

My motto is "If you can take care of your own hair,

you can pick the style.  If I have to take care of your hair,

I pick the style"

I picked the style.

Judson and Randy ran in the Peachtree Road Race again.

And 4/6 of us visited Nana and Pop.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!

Too Busy To Take Pictures

Seems we've been a bit busy.

So busy, that I've not taken very many pictures.

We are enjoying our summer.

Sleep overs.

Visits with Grandmothers.

Trips to the pool.

(Sawyer has had his share of doctor's appointments)

I did order the 2014-2015 curriculum this week.

(Bluck...let's not think about school right now)

We have more summer to enjoy.

More camps.

More scouts. (Yes, even in summer)

(Back to back weekends of scouts:  Demolition derby,

summer camp out, tubing the Hooch.  That's just July!)

More friends to visit.

It's a good vacation.

Hope everyone is enjoying some fun in the sun!

Happy Father's Day

We had a wet and wild one here.

Neither Randy nor I were able to spend it with our fathers

but we did speak with them over the phone.

Meanwhile....

Is it wrong to make Randy to grill on Father's Day?

Summer = Camps

It's been a big week

Ansley had Cooking Camp

(while also visiting my Mom)

Judson had sleep over Boy Scout Camp

(no pics, sorry)

Turner had Cub Scout Day Camp.

It's been a quiet week for Sawyer and me, since Dad was on a business trip.

All will be back under the same roof in mere hours.

Let the fighting begin!

I also took Turner for a belated birthday dinner.

This is our Happy Place!

 

We Made It To Tennessee

It's been over 1 year since we traveled to Tennessee to visit family.

We were LONG overdue.

It was a great visit.

Sawyer did well.

He checked out Uncle Bryan's bike!
(I missed pics with Uncle Mark but he was extremely excited to see him too)

He visited his grandfather!

He rode in the golf cart.

He visited the park!

He got to visit with his grandmother, great aunt, great uncle,  and his cousins but
I didn't get pictures.

We couldn't have asked for anything better.  

Just a Few Pics

Lots going on.

3k Race for Judson, Ansley, and Turner

Ansley becoming a Junior Girl Scout

Turner moving up in Cub Scouts

Here are some pictures

Don't have any pics of Turner at his Cub Scout ceremony.

Take The Time To Enjoy The Little Things

It's A Wonderful Life

I am Blessed!

This was Mother's Day 2014

180

The Magic Number

That is the day we shoot for in our home school.

By law, we must complete 180 days of school each year.

WE.DID.IT!

Friday was out last day for the 2013-2014 year.

I had pictures but alas, something is wrong with the camara or Picasa.

For our last day, we went to the local international farmer's market.

It's HUGE.

I let the kids pick out what was interesting to them.

We picked out food to make a Chinese inspired meal.

We picked out food to make an Ethiopian inspired meal.

We picked out food to make an Italian inspired meal.

So far, we've made stir fry and wontons and spaghetti.

Sawyer had to go into the hospital for platelets and blood, so we've been slightly derailed for Ethiopian inspired food but hopefully sometime today we will do that.

It has not been a banner year for home schooling.

We've been more into 'survival mode'.

We made it.  

Next year we are making some changes that we hope will be for the better.

Judson will take 2 days in a home school Co-Op.

(fully accredited and he will have more of a brick-mortar experience

without the things we dislike about our public schools)

Ansley, we will tweak and add a few things to her routine but she will stay similar to this year because she likes the autonomy. She will get to benefit from some of the things we will be doing with Turner but without changing up the things she likes about her current system.

Sawyer we will tweak somewhat.  Although, I'm not 100% sure how.

Turner will get the most changes.  The semi-autonomous route we've taken with Judson and Ansley are not a good fit for him.  Nor are many of the books that have worked with them.

So he will be given a more classical approach.  Lots of literature, lots of Mom time, lots of exploration, and lots of music and art. Copy work.  Memory work.  Think-modified Charlotte Mason.  There are some things that did work for him this year and we will be keeping those.

That is how we home school.  Each year we try to re-evaluate and decide what worked, what didn't.  Who needs what. How can we get it to them.  We have never followed a complete boxed curriculum.  More of a adhoc approach.  It works for us.

  While we are on vacation, I will be researching and ordering materials.  We will probably start back late July or early August.

Meanwhile, it's SUMMER VACATION time!

Having Fun

This took me to my happy place

I found a store close to Judson's school that sells injera and shiro powder.

Life just got better.

Since my Mom was in town this week, we declared Spring Break.

We went to the zoo

 

 

This time of year, there are lots of babies.

So cute!

Judson took most of the pictures!

We also went to a game ranch near us.

It has been a great spring break.

We have 20 days of school left.

Then SUMMER!