Not the greatest picture of her?
How about this one?
These pictures are "Part 2" of our hike to the Kentucky river at Raven Run. This is the best (out of only 3 pictures) I got of Phx. He's just so fast. It's hard to pin him down.
Lu, on the other hand, will sit and chat a while.
Making picture-taking much easier.
Oh, wait! There he is.
While reading Little House in the Big Woods, we made a list of things that Laura and Mary did that we also wanted to try our hand at. Paper dolls was one of the first things Lu worked on today.
Here she is explaining to me *exactly* what she's doing. She's very process-driven. She's an idea girl . . . not always great at the execution. But dang, she's got some great ideas. And boy, can she explain them.
We also made dried apples in the oven today, just as Laura's family prepared harvest food for the long winter, but I won't show pictures of those. Needless to say, we will be using cooking spray on the pan next time we make them.
Last Saturday we went hiking at Raven Run Nature Sanctuary, our favorite go-to hiking in the area. It's so peaceful and living. We took a different trail this time, going a little farther with the kids, with the promise of a great overlook of the Kentucky River. The kids needed more than just a view. So there was licorice. But not just any licorice. Red vines.
This bench, about a mile into the hike, was a perfect place for our first red vine break.
There was more for the overlook (pictures forthcoming), and more for the third and final break (about a mile before the end). Candy. That's all it takes to make good hikers.
That . . . and being carried. That helps too. In Phx's defense, he only got carried about 1/2 of the way. Lu got carried about 1/4 of the way, and Stayc got a very short break. What a trooper.
We're proud of Lu though; she's getting to be quite the hiker . . . on a good day.
She's more into the licorice than into me here. And I have licorice tucked into my cheek like a squirrel. But hey, it's a picture of me and my girl.
"Hey buddy. What's that in your hair? Is that a spider?"
"Let me just check that out for you." Now that's love for you.
These silks are my new favorite toy. Who needs costumes when you have silks? The kids play with them *daily*. (Thanks Mom.) I LOVE them! WE love them! I highly recommend them.
Relishing the splendor of silkiness. And watching Phx find another use for them . . .
Not only are they costumes; they are puddles, moats, bridges, picnic blankets, doll blankets, and most anything else the kids can think up.
"Bow to me! BOW to ME!!!!"
Lu insisted I take this last on. Can you tell it's posed? "Ok, Mom, now take a picture of me walking my horse." Ok.
I came across the kids today while Lu was doing a reading activity on the computer and it simultaneously warmed my heart and freaked me out. It's amazing to see a little five-year-old use a computer mouse like an expert (I know, I know, there are three-year-olds out there who are already this adroit with the computer . . . which freaks me out even more, but perhaps for different reasons.)
And have you seen our little desks yet? A friend from Church mentioned wanting to give these away and I snatched them up. We lowered them, cleaned them up a bit, and brought two of Lu's chairs down from her room. I love them! Can you tell which one is Phx's and which one is Lu's?
Ahem. In case you couldn't tell, here's the name tag she wrote so we would all know this was *her* desk.
And finally, this project was the bulk of our "writing" activities for the week. Thank you cards. Of course the fun part was painting them. The kids did wax resist painting (watercolor over crayon). I sat down with them and did a couple to show them what to do. Mine were really cutesie--fish underwater with bubbles; bugs, etc. Then Lu did her own thing. And in the end, when I looked at hers and mine side by side, I found I much preferred her brand of abstract expressionism. (And Phx *really* did his own thing. But at least he didn't dump the water out. Huge step.)
You will all be receiving these in the next couple of days. She hand picked them for each person. It was a good project, but, oh, by the second day of her writing them, we were both on edge. So enjoy them, and please don't judge my homeschooling abilities on the quality of her penmanship. Oh, please.
I'm really backed-up in my blogging right now. We took these pictures on Phoenix's first day of pre-school, which was actually last week. He attends the same place Lu went, My School. It's just just one day a week and has a Mom's co-op vibe.
He seems a bit less mature, for lack of a better word, than Lu at this same age (a bit crazier, not potty-trained, doesn't listen or obey), so I've worried a bit. Actually, now that I read that description, I guess he just sounds more like a typical boy. Which, in fact, he is.
But, oh my, he loved it. More than Lu did. He talked about it all week and was soooo excited to go back today.
Not only that . . . he kept his diaper dry the whole time and went on the potty there!! (Ok, so he often does that at home too, but still!) And then did the same this week. Maybe something other than the ABCs will sink in.
And he's off! With a backpack that's almost as big as he is. (I purchased it last year from Hanna Andersson when all their backpacks went on clearance, along with one for Lu for Kindergarten this year. HA! Silly me.)
Anxiously awaiting his ride to My School. Have I mentioned how much I love my Thursdays now?! Definitely our best homeschool day of the week!
Our good friend Esther brought the kids butterflies and caterpillars for their birthday party (remember the bug theme?). They were pleased at the time, although said pleasure was totally overshadowed by the anticipation of candy and ice cream and the general mayhem of ten small kids running around like crazy. Needless to say, this picture was taken three days after the "Bug Bash."
Much to my surprise, the kids got really interested in the butterflies and we spent days playing with them and making more of them. By the end of the week I think we had about ten butterflies around the house. Here's Lu showing them off.
Here's Phx doing what he does best . . . licking something . . . whatever.
He did, however, enjoy the butterflies just as much as the next guy (who also happens to wear tutus). But his were in much more boyish colors. They were *manly* butterflies.
Aaaaaand there was even butterfly school. Where butterflies learn how to sit still and fly only when called upon.
Despite the fact that Lu thought her birthday seemed like just another ordinary day, there were a couple of special things that happened (other than presents, cake, and a birthday breakfast). She got a special date with Dad, which, I was told, involved lots of candy.
We went apple picking with friends on Labor Day, September 1, also Phoenix's birthday. All you can eat apples while you pick (our rules, not theirs) . . . which ended up being just one.
Maybe in Phx's case, more.
You can see the "Birthday Boy" shirt on Mr. Phx, just in case you didn't believe me that it was really his birthday.
Really, I have nothing witty to say. I've tried to post this for a couple of nights now, and our internet service keeps failing us intermittently. I am just trying to type fast enough to post this thing before service goes out again. Darn that Ike.
Lu insisted on toting her own apple bag. She did an especially good job of picking good apples.
Here's Lu doing the same thing as last year. But if I remember correctly, she was a pig.
Now, with more apples than you can shake a stick at in our fridge, and birthdays over, we are ready for fall to commence.
Yesterday was a busy day. At one point, as we were driving home from a visiting teaching appointment, with just 45 minutes to spare before we had to head out to dance class, Lu said to me, "Mom, why is my birthday just like any other day?" Sorry sweetie. Welcome to life.
Nevertheless, much of the day was *about* Lu. Since the only thing she'd actually asked for was a stuffed horse (don't ask me why; she's not really into horses; she just got it stuck in her head), we made sure that Scott's was the first present she opened during her birthday breakfast.
She didn't like it at all. Nope. Not at all.
Then she opened all the big presents that she'd been dying to open since Phx's birthday. When I'd asked her what she wanted for her birthday, she'd just said a stuffed horse. After pressing, I got "fairy wings." Anything else? "No Mom, just surprise me. You can just surprise me with the other presents." Ok.
Luckily, she was very excited by all the "surprises."
We pretty much scrapped homeschool for the day, and any time we weren't running around town, she was playing with new toys (and telling Phx why he couldn't play with them.)
He got some playing in despite her best efforts. Go Phoenix! Go!
