Decorating the tree...

It has been years since we have had a live tree. Matthew had allergies as a baby and it was just easier to have an artificial one. For the last couple of years we have talked about having a live tree again. There is just something about the look and smell of a live tree! So, this year I sold our artificial tree on Craigslist (I LOVE that list!) and we bought a live tree! I really wanted something smaller. I like trees that aren't too tall and are kind of thin. When it comes to Christmas though, Matthew thinks bigger is better! He has always loved Christmas- the trees, lights and the decorating! Marc and I joke that when he has his own home one day he will have the most lit up house on the street!

Mariah was stressed out because she wanted me to get my small tree!

Madeline was siding with Matthew. She wanted a big tree too!

Myles woke up with all of the commotion and this was his first glimpse of the Christmas tree.

We started advent for our family "Bible time". We were all tired of the book we have done year after year. This year we made a switch and are doing Jotham's Journey. I think we were all glad for something new!

Hope you all have a good beginning of your CHRISTmas season!

Happy Birthday Marc!

Today is not just Thanksgiving day, at our house it is also Marc's birthday! I thought to tie it in with Thanksgiving I would write things about him that I am thankful for.

I am thankful that he is a Godly Christian man. I am thankful that he loves me and our children with all of his heart. I am thankful that he puts us before anything else. I am thankful that he is faithful and a very hard worker. He would be the first to tell you that he is not perfect, but I can honestly say I have never met a man that desires to live a righteous life more than him! Life is demanding and when you have six children it can be exhausting. He has a desire to spend time with each one of his children and make them feel special. Just yesterday with a list a mile long that he wanted to get done, he stopped to play ball with Malachi. I know our children will grow up and have no doubt that their daddy loved them!


I love you Marc and hope this is a wonderful year for you!

Hands on Homeschooling...

I hate mice, snakes, and roaches. I pay Matthew to catch mice in our barn and well house every fall. One day last week he came in and asked me how much I would pay for a snake. I don't think as much about snakes this time of year, but here in the south snakes don't really "hibernate" for the winter. We also learned that the term used for snakes hibernating is "brumation". (Not that I really care!) Anyway, he was out in the woods working on his fort and this lovely snake slithered by him!

The boys spent some time looking at our snake book trying to identify him. Matthew never could figure out for sure what kind it was but insisted it was not poisonous. Whatever! I hate them all! Whenever the girls practice the piano Myles hangs out at the baby gate and listens to them. It is so sweet. McKenzie lets him sit in her lap while she practices and he bangs while she plays.

Beethoven in training! :>)

Madeline and Mariah are studying ocean science right now. They made ocean boxes and add creatures whenever they study a new one.Homeschooling in the fall just wouldn't be complete without a leaf collage!

Mariah's Haircut

I took Mariah to town yesterday to get a much needed haircut. Her hair had grown so long it nearly touched her rear! Too long! I had 4 inches cut. When we left there we went to the library. She asked if she could go to the bathroom to look at it because she didn't get to see it at the salon. When she came out she said, "I think it is kind of neat to have short hair!" :>)
It is definitely short!
When her daddy came home I asked Mariah if he liked it. She said, "Well, he didn't say "Hot Dog!" I guess she took that to mean he didn't like it. :>)

Look Who's Walking!

I have only had two babies that walked on their first birthdays. I don't mind them taking their time, it only means they can get into more things when they walk! Myles took a few steps several weeks ago, but he has taken it pretty slow. Last night he took off across the room. He was so excited that he would try to run and then drop to his knees and crawl really fast. Of course he had quite a crowd cheering for him. :>)

He loves to hang out at this window in his playroom and watch the other kids outside.

It goes by too fast!

This....

is why his...

school day takes too long!

VOTE!

Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." John Quincy Adams

November 1st

During Mariah's math lesson today we were getting ready to do our "math meeting". I got the calendar out and asked her if she knew what today was. She said, "2011?" I said, "How can it be 2011 when we haven't gone through November and December yet?" She said, "Oh I know! It is November the oneth!" :>)

I have been having to deal with attitude issues with Mariah during her school work lately. If she does anything wrong, she cries. I told her today that I was going to start giving her a sticker each day that she has a good attitude, and then at the end of the week if she has five stickers she will get a prize. This evening she said, "How long do I have to have a good attitude?" I said, "Well the goal is to have a good attitude every day of your life." She said, "Oh, that will never happen." Yes, we have some work to do! :>)


Matthew is in a Boy Scout troop at our church. They recently had a big camping event where they competed against other troops. They won several things, one of which was 1st place in the uniform inspection. You gotta love those clean cut home school boys! :>)