Claras Friend

 

 

 

Bugs

Amber has found bugs more interesting in the last couple weeks - as long as they are the "non-biting" kind. 

 

 

Ready for Church

G'pa and Ma-Mum Smith were able to come down again this past weekend. They snapped this picture Sunday morning before we all headed into church together.

Snuggle Time

 

 

Amber's New Loft Bed

 

Fun Days

 

 

Bike Rides

 

 

 

 

You Know You Have...

...a son, when a T-Rex shows up for the grilled cheese lunch. :) 

...a daughter (or two), when there is a princess wand mixed in with your tool set. :)

Back in the Water Again

It feels good to all go swimming again. Our community pool water is even decently warm - yay!

 

 

Bigger Still

 Crawling over furniture and eating snacks at the big table.

 

Trying out some child size 7 boots.  Then resting those feet after a good meal. ;-)

Projects

Building a very tall tree and making jewelry (rings).

Growing Trees

Ma-Mum Smith had brought these down to do with the kids, but they ran out of time that weekend. So I did them with Amber and Brent this week. They loved watching their "trees" grow throughout the day.

After a few hours, they were getting pretty bushy.

Happy Kids

Some "we were thinking of you" gifts from the homeschool conference: pop gun and a Cat's Cradle string [which apparently doubles as a lasso and a hair accessory]. Clara just loves to all be together again and have a good time. :)

 

 

Ma-Mum Smith Watched the Kids

Ma-Mum Smith came down to watch the 3 kiddos during the conference weekend. (G'pa Smith had to work in PA). The kids kept her busy, but Ma-mum came equipped with some toys and puzzles/projects and even a tea set for a tea party... They had a great time together! 

 

Homeschool Conference Weekend

Lucas and I were down in Richmond for the VA Homeschool Conference. It was a very enlightening (and sometimes overwhelming) time as we learned about teaching Amber at home this fall. But now we are set with some reading and math K5 materials, and we are feeling a little more ready/prepared for starting the primary school years.  

A tropical depression caused heavy rains to fall on Richmond during most of the weekend. When the conference finished on Saturday afternoon the sun finally came out again. So we walked down the road to the James River and took a walking bridge across to Belle Island. The river was really stirred up (and brown - big change for us from tropical Hawaiian waters. lol).

Build-A-Bear Snorkelers/Divers

Amber thought it would be fun to use the Build-a-Bear accessories as dress-up for being snorkelers and Scuba divers. ;-) Everyone got into it!

 

 

 

Birthday Chairs

I used some birthday money to get these six dining chairs off Craigslist. I'm so thankful to have a matching/coordinated set now. But I'm most thankful for a wonderful husband who would run out, last-minute, on a work night at 9pm to go pick up the chairs for me - what love! ;-D