A Buncha Random Stuff

Maybe a preggo belly pic is in order for some of you far-aways. Everything is going well with baby, I am enjoying this pregnancy an awful lot! We just can't wait to meet this one, though no names are jumping at us yet--any suggestions? (Rollie is out, sorry, and probably any "A" names--can't bring ourselves to be one of those "themey" families...) I know the picture isn't that great, but gotta do what you gotta do.


When the weather cooperates, we (the kids especially) spend several hours a day on the porch...story reading is our favorite porch pasttime! Bj bought me this lovely patio furniture for my birthday/Mother's Day, and it's so glorious to have a place to luxuriate in the sun! He's the bomb-diggity. (As you can see, pants are optional when luxuriating.)




Our second favorite porch activity is eating. (And as you can see, pants are also optional when eating.)

There's only been a little sewing and crafty time here and there, but here's an inexpensive, easy little project I put together for the kids...it's a flannel board--pretty much a chunk of flannel in a frame and a bunch of shapes cut out of felt. I still need to find a spot to hang it, but here's Abs working on one of her masterpieces.

As you maybe guessed from the underwear pics, Alex is officially a Big Boy. We worked on potty training this week, and he's day trained, yay! For a boy, he was a pretty apt pupil in the art of pottying...I was expecting a much more drawn out process, our goal was for him to be trained before the new baby arrives, so he's well ahead of deadline!

We've decided to give home schooling a shot. To be honest, I was still a little on the fence about it until I came across a curriculum that I'm almost certain will thrill Abby to death. It's literature based, which for a girl who wants to be read to 30 thousand times a day is a dream come true. Her little love cup should be running over when we start school! I'm excited to get going, in fact, we may begin a couple months early so we can take November and December off, which I'm sure will be hectic with the new baby and holidays.

Homeschooling is a decision that will be reevaluated with each year and each child, but for now, it's where we are. I've gone back and forth a little, having not attended the public schools, I didn't quite feel qualified to make a judgement call. Bj did attend them, and homeschooling is his favorite option for elementary years at least. Our school district is quite homeschool friendly, and there are homeschool programs at our community center, library, and a host of extra curriculars (especially for preschoolers) offered by the school district both during the school year and summer. There are several homeschooling families in our church who are a wealth of resources and support, so I'm hoping we're set up for success! The thought that I don't have to send my kids away to spend the majority of their waking hours with someone else, and that I get to be there for all their "firsts" is thrilling!

Bj walked two houses down to "chat" with a friend 2 and a half hours ago. He either got lost or abducted. Caio!