Almost felt like Fall today ...

We had the hottest summer on record here in Virginia and have only had a sprinkling of mild days the entire month of September. Today was rainy and the temperature was pleasant. The leaves seem to have made up their mind and have started the process of changing.

It was the perfect day for the boys to put on their boots and head outside. I am almost certain Benjamin tried to eat something that was covered in mud. Either way they both had a glorious time ;) So much so, that we didn't even pick up with lessons in the afternoon for Samuel.

School is going well

School is going good

School is going okay

School is going.

Honestly, all added up, we have more above average days than not. It's the moments that don't always deserve the honorable mention.

The running late, overwhelmed, baby screaming, toddler screaming, momma screaming, no dinner cooked, laundry heap, Algebra II makes me twitch, scary car smell (like is something dead in here?), no make-up, NO 6+6 DOES NOT EQUAL 66, are you serious?, you gotta be kidding me!, I'm not gonna tell you again!, Help me Jesus ... moments.

Moments.

I cannot ever recall being more tired in my entire life and newborn babies can't touch this kind of tired. At least then the entire world gives you a reprieve ;) When you homeschool, the entire world gives you the "I told you so" and besides I can't act like this whole shindig is impossible or else they'll be right!

But they are right ... sometimes.

It really is impossible.

And God is all about impossible. You know He has done more miraculous things than help a homeschool mom get through her day ;)

But there are days when it does seem to be a supernatural occurrence when we all make it through the day alive. I started homeschooling three years ago and if I have learned anything at all in that time, it is that this whole process has little to do with academics.

Like I just told Samuel today during our little Wigwam making party that it was all about attitude not about the craft.

I may have said it more like, "WE CAN MAKE 72 OF THESE BLASTED WIGWAMS OR WE CAN FINISH THIS ONE. EITHER WAY, YOU WILL DO IT WITH A GOOD ATTITUDE BECAUSE MAKING WIGWAMS IS FUN! YOU GOT IT?"

See what I mean?

So after the Battle at Little Wigwam we booted up and went outside. All kinds of miraculous things happen when my boys go outside and they are able to "release their wiggles".

It's almost supernatural ;)

Samuel's room before ...

Sam made his big-boy transition many years ago in this room from his crib to the infamous firetruck toddler bed.

Who knew that little bed would hold such a special place in a boy's heart? He actually choked up talking about it a few weeks ago as we were bunking the beds for him and Benjamin.

"OH, I REMEMBER THAT BED! WHY, OH WHY DID YOU TAKE MY BED AWAY??? THAT WAS VERY MEAN AND WRONG TO DO!!!"

He is a little dramatic.

Plus the whole crib-to-toddler-to-twin bed process was a little longer than necessary but at the time I thought he was my last baby!

Hat-tip to the ways of the Lord.

So Samuel's room has looked like this since he was about 3 years old. The giant wall unit was built by Chris' dad back in the olden days when we used to wait on the television to "warm up". It was passed to us during the beginning of our marriage and we used it as our "entertainment center" for a very long time.

Too long.

When Samuel was born we lived in a much smaller house with three bedrooms and itsy-bitsy closets. The girls shared a room with a teensy-weensy-itsy-bitsy closet just a little bit wider than the door opening. I used a double hanging rack and managed to fit almost all of their clothes in there but the off-season things (mine and theirs) were put in the third bedroom closet (which was Samuel's). Since that left him without a closet, I made these curtain thingys to hide the make-shift closets (behind the red curtains) that Chris made with wooden dowels. It was really the perfect size for baby clothes! The bottom shelves I used for toys and the top two shelves I put baskets and racks for pj's, socks, shoes, etc.

Even after we moved into this house with much nicer closets, I kept this in Samuel's room to hide extra blankets and things you would store in a dresser. I planned on moving it out when we bunked the boys but we don't have a spot for it anywhere else and we can't get rid of it.

It has too many memories being the "center of entertainment" during the early years.

Plus it is a very well-built piece and obviously can serve in so many different ways. So with that in mind, I have given Chris my rough draft plans and we'll see how it turns out!

Just thought I would document the big brother's room before Benjamin moved in.

Samuel's First Piano Recital

Sam had his very first recital last night ... and he did a lovely job :) After his first song he was a little confused about the sequence of events and hopped up to head back to his seat.

He still had two more pieces to play.

His teacher gently encouraged him while I hollered (with dignity) from the back of the room, "YOU'RE NOT DONE YET SAMUEL!!!"

And then I straightened my shirt, sat down, and continued to sweat profusely.

The combination of having my first boy-child play piano for a group of strangers AND the joy of sitting in a turn-of-the-century charming little home with no air conditioning was a recipe for a HEAT STROKE.

But we all survived (babies included) and enjoyed a sweet time of ice cream afterwards while our piano playing young men ran their wiggles out.

"Sweetly Sings The Donkey"

"Oh, How I Love Jesus"

"Star Wars"

Ice cream ... note the girls socializing with everyone

eating their ice cream and hoping no one notices them.

Ahhh. The beloved water feature.

Every mother-of-boys worst nightmare.

I will taunt my mother whose clothes are

already drenched with sweat and see if I can

bring about a full-on nervous breakdown.

It's that face that buys this boy more time

here on earth.

Same for this one.

Hobnobbing.

Samuel & Mrs. Townsend

Wiggles Removal

2nd Period ... Story Time

Benjamin's morning routine always includes the window seat ... and some form of nourishment.

On this day, the nourishment came in the form of a sweet little story about Rachel's Birthday - More Days Go By ... and some apples.

Story Time is a pretty good gig, don't you think?

I think the Story Teller enjoys it too ...

Samuel's Birthday Party

I used to blog about the things we did and I tried to mark the special occasions with meaningful words and beautiful pictures.

Then I had two more babies and was introduced to Facebook and it has been harder and harder to find the time to blog ... but I miss it so much and I am really looking to purpose some special time each day to post.

With that in mind, please forgive the absolute randomness of the posts that may follow in the coming weeks. Please also forgive the obnoxious number of pictures because that is the easiest way to tell a story with a minimal amount of time ;)

We celebrated Sam's birthday with friends at the Playroom in Chester. To sum that up, it meant that Sam and his friends could bounce off the walls ... holler and get sweaty ... all while the momma's of his friends could sit with me and discuss life.

Or the woes of breastfeeding ... which right now is my life.

Cupcakes by Jenn

Clone Wars Cake by Jenn

Birthday boy in all his cuteness

Birthday boy and his best friend ...
Who has since moved over 1,000 miles away ...
Gulp ...
Can't go there.

The friends

Goodies by Dusty

Presents!


Benjamin ... aka: Lashes

Surprise visit from Daddy!

"Lashes" bit it on the big slide.
Momma kisses worked like magic

We had nighttime festivities at our house. We let the kids pick dinner for their birthdays. The girls are all about going out to eat but Sam spared us the dollars and ordered up Chick-fil-A!

He loved his special gifts from his brother and sisters, Gigi & Papaw, and Uncle Curt & Aunt Cinda.


Um. Mine?

So the truck was supposed to be a gift FOR Samuel?

We had a happy day celebrating our biggest boy!