A family day

I feel like the days when we actually get out of the house and have a fun day as a family are too few and far between. Today, however, we really made the best of the whole day and filled it to the brim with fun. I didn't get pictures of everything but I will try to give you a running commentary of what I did capture.

Sleepy boy- crashed out on the way out to Cabellas (a sportsmen's store, for those of you not familiar)

Lion Cub pretty much woke up like this and spent much of the rest of the day in a similar mood. He takes terrible two to a whole new level... I can't imagine what his terrible threes will look like!
...but I love him anyway.

Nothing like looking at some big fish to cheer a guy up...

...or maybe not... (watch for it... that priceless pouty face will be making a reprise later in the day!)

Interlude- mama needs new shoes! Something comfortable, practical for winter and with a funky stylish edge (ya know, to match my Miche persona- more on that on BOLD Turquoise)...

These will do!

We stopped by a farm on our way back from Cabellas, drawn in by the corn maze. The huge slide (which dad accidentally video-ed instead of photographed... hence why there are no pictures of mom) and giant tires are what caught our boys attention though, so we made it simple and cheap and just stuck with those.

Rhythm actually is trying to smile, but he was squinting into the sun. Lion Cub, well, I have no explanation for that.

Lion Cub was a little unsure, so he slowly tested the waters with dad's help.

Sweet daddy-son moments!

Haulin' that little rascle back to the car!

Back home the boys rode around the driveway on their bikes and scooters while dad assembled parts on our replacement generator (the reason we had gone to Cabellas- we'd only used or first one once before it broke).

Lion Cub asked Rhythm to take him for a spin in the monster truck and he happily obliged, until he realized it was almost out of battery-life and running rather slow.

So he decided to push it... for a minute...

...and when he went back to riding his bike he left this in his wake (I told ya' you'd see that face again!)

We concluded our day with lasagna, playing in super hero costumes and then wrapping things up with a little Charlotte's Web right before bed.

Although it was a day not void of screaming or fits, it was a precious day with my family none the less. We need to have more of these making-memories kinds of days!

By the way- the hipsta' picks were taken with my hipstamatic app on my iPhone.

Grapevine Studies- Joseph

Hey people! I just wanted to let you know that I just featured a review of what I think of Grapevine Studies newest addition- Joseph, a Timeline Study- over on BOLD Turquoise! If you haven't heard of Grapevine Studies you should really go read about what we thought! You'll be glad you did!

Summer fun... At the cabin

We recently had the chance to spend a nice weekend with my inlaws at their lake cabin. They actually took the boys on Thursday and we met them up their late Friday. It was a nice little break and always helpful to have my mother-in-law around to give me a hand with the boys. She bathed them, changed diapers, cooked and even slept with Judah (gotta love a full nights sleep!). So here are some pics from that fun trip!

The crazy tadpole man! He caught tadpoles EVERY chance he got! Which, for this little guy who like to have his hands washed, was pretty darn impressive!

Eve this guy got in on the tadpole action!

A little Grammy Hair Styling!

The book he is reading is called "Who Pooped in the Park"- fairly appropriate if you ask me!

Rhythm & Grammy

Our little fisherman!

And the other one!

The Handsome Carpenter!

We all love that chair!

Lincoln Logs!

Brothers!

The first day fishing with Pappy!

Summer fun... At the pool

We have had so many fun time this summer and now that we are at the end, and I am getting back into my blogging groove, it is time that I get caught up on posting some of our favorite photos! So, this first catch-up post will give you some pics of a fun day at my parent's pool (ok, the pool at their apartment, but can we just pretend it's theirs'?) and my aunt and uncle's pool. The other boy you will be seeing in the lower pics is my cousin, J, who the boys positively adore! Enjoy!

Doesn't he look old in this shot?! A total glimpse of the future!

And at the aunt and uncle's...

A rare picture of my brother and I, sorry for whoever's finger is in the bottom of the pic! I'll edit it when I get a chance, I'm just happy to be posting!

My boys have had so much fun being in the water this summer! Hopefully they will get even more chances next summer and Rhythm will officially get out of that swim ring, although he did make some wonderful strides towards it this summer with his swim lessons! Look for more summer updates soon!

Week 1 Tot School- I just never expected...

For months I have considered in bewilderment what to do with my very mischievous 2 year old while we embarked on our first "official" year of homeschooling. There is not a day that goes by that I don't find him into something. Whether it is pouring an entire new gallon bottle of laundry detergent (bought desperately in the first place because I had just run out of my homemade stuff) all over my tiny laundry room floor (even under the machines), emptying a bottle of shampoo into my bedroom carpet (took "shampooing the carpets" to a whole new level for me), taking apart a brand new toy, or covering his face in super glue (this one actually happened when I wasn't at home, so I can't take all the credit there), our dear Lion Cub just never takes a break from finding new (or old) things to get into.

Many days, it utterly exhausts me.

So, as you can imagine, the prospect of having him not be either into something or a constant distraction while I worked on school with Rhythm felt daunting. Whatever would I do with him?!

Well, our first day of school rolled around this week and I had a loose plan of what I would try with him- some montesorri-inspired Tot School activities from 1+1+1=1. Right after calendar time, which we included him in, and Bible, which he pretended to draw along with, I broke out some button and a painting tray from Michaels for him to sort colors into.

And he sat there.

And he did it.

For 10 whole minutes he sat happily sort colors, mostly correctly (also to my surprise). It was bizarre.

So, as he began to lose interest I quickly switched the buttons out for some colored craft puff balls, a different tray and a pair of kid chopsticks from PF Changs. Jackpot! He LOVED this! Another good 10-15 minutes of giggly fun as he transferred balls into the tray. To be honest, we all had a good laugh a few times because the balls just kept popping out of his grasp. A little distracting, but hey- he wasn't destroying anything so I could encourage Rhythm to ignore him.

After that, also to my amazement, he went in the living room and sat down in the recliner with Rhythm's Mobigo and played for the rest of school time. Now please realize how extraordinary this is- he doesn't even actually know how to use it. He has picked it up and messed with it many times before but never for more than five minutes! Craziness!

Day two we broke out my new iPad (actually, let me rephrase that- I don't think I ever want to use the words "broke" and "iPad" in the same sentence!) and he played some games and watched the free Toy Story interactive book with headphones on so as not to distract Rhythm with the sound. That kept him busy for a good bit of time, but once that was over he headed over to play with the duplos. Once again, these are not a typical toy for him. He has never really just sat down and started building with them. But, low and behold, he sat and built, and built and built- FOR OVER AN HOUR!!!

Excuse me while I pass out- I feel a bit like I have entered an alternate universe!

I just really cannot express to you the relief that has spilled over me in this area over the last few days! SO many people asked me whatever would I do with him in order to let Rhythm actually have a shot at learning this year, and although I could tell them what I planned and hoped, I was really thinking the same thing. But somehow, someway, God worked a miracle this week. I don't know if it is the sense of structure or maybe even the more active sense of my participation with them (even if my attention is mostly focused on Rhythm, I am there with them and not busied by housework or whatever else is going on in life, which I think he picks up on)- whatever it is, it's a miracle and I praise the Lord that He has made it so!

I know we will have rough days, but just knowing that he can stay busy in a nondestructive way and we can get through school without him being a total and complete distraction is an incredible encouragement!

How did your week go with your smallest learners?