a visit to the civil war

Mike took the boys on a field trip to learn about the Civil War a few months ago.


They had a blast going from station to station with a group of homeschoolers learning all about that time in history.


They of course loved all things weapons.


As I was looking trough the pictures of the many field trips we took this year, I loved seeing how many of them had Aidan raising his hand. He is just like Mike when it comes to asking questions in order to fully learn about a subject.


While standing at this station, Ethan raised his hand to ask, "How big are your guns?" That, my friends is an example of wanting to hear yourself talk more than needing an answer to a question!
They also learned about sending secret messages using quilt patterns, make-shift hospitals and some of the complexities of the conflict.


It is field trips like this one that make me so thankful that we live in an area with such a large homeschooling community. So many opportunities. And we love that we get to learn all together. What a treat!

on October 31st

Not only is it Aidan's birthday but it is also Reformation Day and we had a celebration at church. We brought with us...

A "knight-soldier," a fire-fighter,



a football player,


and a nurse.

The theme this year was "serving others." I explained it to the kids and they (except Ava) decided what they wanted to be (using stuff from the dress up box). We thought we were bending the theme a bit with Aidan's but were willing because it was his birthday. However, Stacy generously pointed out that many are served entertainment by football players :).

a first for Luke

I am so proud of Luke. He is doing fabulously with his schoolwork this year.

We recently finished reading The Boxcar Children together and he loved every moment of it. I don't know what it is exactly about this book, but Luke liked it above and beyond other read alouds that we have enjoyed together.

Today, I asked him to narrate the story back to me. Not every detail or part, but to give me an idea of what happens in the beginning, the middle and the end of the book in his own words. After speedily narrating this to me, we wrote it on little "boxcar paper," cut it out, and put it together to form a little book.

Luke is quite proud of the end result and I am really proud of him too. I really enjoyed finding out which parts of the book especially stood out to him (several days after finishing it) and seeing how he put it into words. Here is his narration (completely in his own words) for posterity.

The Boxcar Children is a great story. It is really fun. In the beginning of the boxcar children, they are looking at a bakery window. They go in and Henry, is the oldest and he bought some loaves of bread. There’s four children and their mother and father died so they have to buy lots of loafs of bread to survive. They are in a boxcar because they have no where else to live and if they live in a house, they don’t know where things were. And they found a dump for treasure. And they look for stuff like dishes, pots and Violet found a kettle. At the end of the book there was their grandpa and Henry run a race that had a golden cup with diamonds on it and a thousand dollars. It was a foot race, but he didn’t care he just wanted to run it because it was fun. When he got home Violet decided that Jessie was sick. In the very end, their grandpa came and said he had a surprise and it was very heavy. And it was the boxcar! He put it between two fountains and there was a bunch of flowers by the fountains and there was the shelves and the pot and the broom and Benny’s pink cup. And that is the end.

more about E-Bo

The meaning of the name Ethan is firm; strong. The meaning of the name Boaz is strength. Rather than coming out looking strong, Ethan entered this world looking as sweet and soft as can be.

But now that we know him better, we can not believe how true to character are these powerful names of his. Ethan is a strong leader. He is willing to tell anyone what to do (and this gets him into to trouble often).
E-Bo is strong in confidence too. Here he is on the merry-go-round at the fair.
We almost didn’t get this picture taken. Right as we were finding the line for the merry-go-round, Mike and I realized we had lost Luke (a terrible moment, but not the subject of this post). As Mike and I figured out how to find Luke and I ran around (in tears) looking, Ethan got right into line, paid his ticket and climbed into the saddle of his horse all by himself. Thankfully, I found Luke and Mike was able to take this picture of Ethan all alone on the ride (is this normal for 3 year olds?).

Ethan enjoys all aspects of life and I see this as a strength in character. Here he is enjoying God’s creation. He is so delighted by the small things (like dandelion seeds that he calls “blowers” when they are still on the stem.)
He is physically strong too, not afraid of a challenge over his head.
Ethan is a lot like his daddy growing strong in every way,
and also like his daddy, Ethan is strongly affectionate as well!

a few quotes from my Aidan James

While at church enjoying a sermon on Romans 12:3-8, Aidan hears Pastor Efflandt’s encouragement to use our gifts to serve others. Aidan leans over to me and whispers, “Momma, Pastor Efflandt asked us what our gifts are and I think I know what mine is!” I tell him this is wonderful and ask him what it is. “Confidence!” He replies.

Yep.

And recently at the table:
“I just love to hear her tender little laugh.” Aidan sighs as Ava giggles at something someone did.

We have been learning about the four different types of sentences this week. As I read to Aidan about the fourth type, exclamations, Aidan interrupts to exclaim, “Momma, I think that of all the sentences I use, exclamations are about… (He thinks for a minute) 90% of them!” We then read that it is an exclamation if it is said with great passion and I realize just how accurate is 90%.

(I took these pictures this morning while Aidan was working on his math. You may notice that he is in his football attire. Wearing his glove so that he is ready for that winning pass at any time. He did explain to me that it would not get in the way of his schoolwork because it is worn on his left hand!).

luke, imitating his Father

Our Lukers loves to create.

He makes many beautiful things.












With all sorts of mediums.













Lately, Luke has been taping his pictures up on this wall for us all to enjoy.



We are so blessed to have such a creative guy around!

this girl

My Ava Ruth. She delights me to no end.





















So thankful.

hey momma, look what I found

The boys love to find insects outside and capture them (like all boys, I am sure). They usually put them in a container with breathing holes, feed them and observe them for a while before letting them return home.









Right now is crane fly season at our house and that has therefore been the most caught creature. The other day Ethan wanted in on the action and caught one too. He brought to show me, so proud that he is such a great hunter.




It is not a crane fly, it is a dandelion seed! But Ethan is convinced it is a crane fly.









(Ethan is not super comfortable around insects --especially flying ones. That poor boy has been stung and bit too many times to be comfortable!)









Yesterday, when I was in the kitchen, I did not think anything of it when Luke held a container up to my face to show me the latest thing he had caught.


Up to my face.

In my kitchen.

Luke presented me with this:

VOLE! And it is not small. It is quite large, having enjoyed such a lovely summer in our field.





























I would love to say that my first reaction was, "wonderful, let's take a look at God's creation." But I can't say that in honesty.
I screamed.
More than a couple times, I couldn't help myself. It was all so shocking, revolting and unsettling.




Of course the boys loved my reaction, Mike did too.



The kids enjoyed having a close up look at him for a while and then I made Mike let him go.

it's not just baseball

Today when I stepped outside, I saw Aidan dressed in full uniform.

















It reminded me that I should take some pictures and post them.















Aidan does not does not only engage in his own brand of peculiar play when it comes to baseball. He also often has complete football games all by himself. He can tell you which two teams are playing and which team he is on.












The best part about Aidan's imaginative games (besides the fun and exercise of course) is that he is always the game winning MVP, usually coming up with a clutch play to secure victory for his team..

Here, he just sacked (is that how I say it?) the opponents star player. Go Aidan!

ava, in my shoes

Ava works hard all day every day.



Isn't that shirt cute? Grandma D (or is it Gramma?) brought it back from Italy.
















Ava is so fun. I love to see the things she mimics, the ways in which she acts just like me. When Ava sees a mess like crayons out of the box or little toys out of the bin, she sings the clean up song that I taught her as she diligently cleans up.

There are some ways in which she does more than mimic me --she improves on me.















Do you see it? High heels. She is wearing heels as she works in the kitchen!
You may be wondering how she even found a pair of heels in this house. I do own one pair but I never wear them because... well because I cannot work it like my girl!

one morning's events

Yesterday I awoke to the following altercation:

Aidan: Daddy, Luke peed on me.

Luke: [through tears, sobbing] but I [garbled] blesood.  I didn't mean to.

Me: What?  You what?  Were you peeing at the same time?

Aidan: Yes

Me: Well that's not a good idea.  You shouldn't do that in future.  But Luke, you did pee on him?

Luke: But I blessood [still sobbing]...

Me: What?

Luke: [somewhat clearer] I bless-you'd.

Me: Oooohhhh....  you sneezed while you were peeing and accidently peed on Aidan.

Luke: [suddenly not sobbing] Um, yes.

Me: Okay, well, go potty one at a time from now on.

That clears up why that toilet is alway so foul.  As if it needed clearing up.  That does say something positive about his manners that he thinks sneezing is called "bless you" though, right? They have given us a lifetime of moments like this.

[Aidan and Luke, circa 2004]

Later that same day, I walked in on Aidan and Luke wrestling their screaming 20 month old sister to the ground, amidst clear audible evidence that such treatment was not in accordance with her wishes.  Sorting out this altercation revealed that little Ava was trying to take off her shirt to be like her brothers (who were shirtless for the purpose of some game).  Well, her 7 and 5 year old brothers, champions of modesty that they are, would simply not have any of that.  Even if it meant physical restraint.  

The principle was okay, but the application left something to be desired.  But it's okay.  She really is a charmer and I'm glad that I'm not the only one keeping an eye on her.