I love homeschooling!

It is a BEAUTIFUL day today. I could definitely get used to this weather. Just warm enough but not too warm. Perfection, in my book! As we have seen the past few months, our weather here is pretty fickle so if there is a pretty day, we enjoy it to it's fullest. We did all of our school out back today. The kids (and Big T) bought a picnic table for me last year for Mother's Day and it is perfect for school. Today, we all ended up piled on our tiny picnic blanket (mental note...time for a bigger blanket!) and I had P make me a note. I am starting on my summer sunburn (I don't tan).

I got to take pictures of our homeschool community on Monday. We did individual and class pictures and are working to put them into a yearbook. Here are the kids' pics...I can't believe they are about to finish 4th, 1st, and PreK. Time is flying!

Palm Sunday.

Princess P made this cross in Sunday School today and since I missed my Friday Foto, which was about Easter, I decided to use it for a picture today.

I hope everyone takes extra time this week to reflect on what Jesus did for us so many years ago. Hosanna!

Karate kids...

Captain C started taking ABKA karate a little over 2 years ago. At the time, they wanted a parent to join with the younger kids, so I started with him. I made it about a year, got my yellow belt, and dropped out, totally ok with being a karate mom and not a karate student. C has done so well and is much better at it than I ever could be (I think boys are more wired for this type of sport). He now has his blue belt and is doing great. Tricky T just started this year and they are taking it much slower with them because they are so young. He is having fun and hopefully getting a good foundation. They also started offering Tai Chi this year at the same time/place (our church) and I started that. So...just be warned, if you ever come to the E house, be sure to call first or you might be sorry ;o)

It was tough work looking so tough ;)

New Kid

On his facebook page, Dr. Kevin Leman asked for people to send in pictures of their kids reading "Have a New Kid by Friday". I ran T upstairs and had him start reading. Not sure this is what he had in mind but I thought it was cute :) BTW, if you haven't read this, it really is a good book that we really should put into practice. Actually, all of his stuff is good, in my humble opinion.

I spy, with my little eye...

Big T and the kids had a snowball fight this afternoon (I had to take pics so couldn't get involved *wink, wink*). After they were done, they all went their separate ways to build snowmen, volcanoes, etc and I snapped a quick picture of me and Big T. When I looked at the pics after we came in, I was pleasantly surprised to see that I had managed to get a picture of our entire family, with no bribing or crying from any of us. How about that ;) I know there are no words in it...I really was just messing around and never intended this to be seen (especially since I have no makeup on and my unbrushed hair is in pig tails!), but this is my blog and if I want to post a picture (or 3) without words then by-golly, I'm gonna ;o) So I spy, with my little eye, my family...do you?

First Day of Spring!

After our crazy winter, we are all looking forward to spring. Yesterday, it was 70* and gorgeous for the last day of winter, and today it is 30* and has been snowing since, well, since the sleeting stopped about 9. Gotta love it. We just had (hopefully) our last bowls of snow ice cream for a LONG time and are enjoying one last snowstorm before we all start complaining that it is too hot ;) The poor birds don't know what to do. There were several FAT robins on the porch so I took a picture of one through the window before opening the door to write my spring blessings in the I-have-no-idea-how-many-inches of snow.

Fun Friday Foto: Spring Colors

I have been wanting to try a picture of a water drop for a while but never made time to play (and don't have a macro lens either). I was looking for something with spring colors for our Fun Friday Foto challenge and found this shirt of P's...and decided to try to get a water drop to reflect it. I don't really know what I am doing but had fun trying ;)

It sounds like white could be our "spring color" tomorrow so we are heading out to enjoy the warm weather today!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day :)

We looked through a bunch of quotes from St. Patrick and I let C pick his favorite. He chose this one. I agree...good one! Happy St. Patrick's Day from the E family :)

Fun Friday Foto: A lucky charm

I missed last week's Friday challenge but wasn't going to miss two in a row. Since Princess P is sick and you don't want to see Mr. GunkyEyes again anytime soon, I asked Captain C to help and this week. I asked him if he had a lucky charm and he said:

Hmmmmm....

Tricky T woke ME up last night falling out of bed (their room is right above ours) so when I saw his eye, I thought he might have hit it on something but he said he only hit his bum and that his eye was sticking together when he woke up. Yikes...this doesn't look good. I would rather sky dive than put eye drops in any of my kids eyes but it looks like we are going to have to take him in. Ugh.

And zoomed in....

Thoughts? I don't think we have ever had pink eye but I thought that would be more goopy. Maybe he did scratch it? He says it hurts and itches though??

Silly girl

I was taking a few pictures today for a local homeschool co-op and brought the kids along, since it was only going to take a few minutes. I have all the kids write their names on a 3x5 card before I take their mugshot and my first picture is always of them holding their name so I know who they are. After all the kids finished, Princess P comes walking up and plops herself down. She had written her name and thought she was pretty funny ;)

When it was time for the group shots and I asked her to stand by the wall so I could adjust the lights. She ran over and posed for me...like she does. When I was taking the second shot (to adjust the lights more...it is hard in a huge room with high ceilings to get the light all the way to the wall and looking nice!) she said, "I am being as cute as I can be". I think she thought I was retaking it because she wasn't doing the right thing...but I meant the lights weren't right yet. Princess P, I always think you are:

Is that spring we see?

WOW! There is a big difference between today and last week. Yesterday, I spent the entire day in bed with a little stomach bug so I am not sure if yesterday was like this but today is GORGEOUS! Praise the Lord! He must have known we needed some nice weather around these parts. We did all our school out back today and the kids have been cleaning up the backyard, getting ready for spring. I hope it isn't too premature but we will enjoy every nice day we get.

Tricky T was actually swinging higher than the other two but I apparently caught him at the bottom of a swing and P at the top so it looks like he is just sitting there ;)

And it doesn't look like I will get to the Fun Friday Foto this week :( I have had too much to do and yesterday really threw me behind. I'll be back next week...sorry, guys!