David

David practicing his swimming

Showing Lizzy her pictures

Aperture

We watched fundamentals of photography episode 4 on aperture, 

 Making the background blurry was what we were going for.

Photography is much more complicated than it looks!

My baby boy started cub scouts yesterday night. On the way home in the car he must have said twenty times "I really love cub scouts!" First thing he asked me this morning, "How many more days until I get to go to cub scouts again?" Thanks Bro LeBaron and Bro Haueter for making his first time at scouts so great. (He was even practicing his push-ups this morning just in case the boys get rowdy again.)  — with Sheldon Maughan.

Rachel had Emma Judd over for a play date on January 11, then went for a sleepover to Emma's house. We didn't know it until after we invited her over to play that is was her birthday!

David and Zoe showing me the Little People princess castle they built together

Zoe 9-29 and 10-2

Digital scrapbook made with Smilebox

This scrapbooking design made with Smilebox

First Day of Babysitting Zoe

First day of babysitting our sweet little Zoe now that Cami has gone back to work.  Sweetest moment of the day was when Cami dropped her off a little early so we had some time to talk and she told me that Zoe said to her that she had "four best friends".  She said Cami, Meme (Cami's Mom), Grandma (me!), and Eric were her best friends.  Feeling so happy I made the "best friends" list!

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"Dad Helped Me Face My Fear!"

When we first moved into our house in August of 2008 David had only just turned 3 and loved going down the pool slide with his life jacket and floaties on.  At the beginning of the next summer the kids helped him climb up the stairs and pushed him down the slide; his feet went up in the air as he slid down on his back.  He was totally terrified as he slid into the pool basically head dunked- feet up.  He has been afraid of big slides ever since.  Even when we would go to the park he quit going down the slides...he was too afraid.  It has been three summers since and finally he was able to overcome his fear of the pool slide today with his Daddy's help.  I got home from a Walmart trip and David couldn't wait to show me that he wasn't afraid to go down the slide. It was so cute when he said, "Dad helped me face my fear!"

David with his new "swimming" haircut.

 Amanda came over and brought some new pool toys with her.

 David had tons of fun with his new pool ball.

Love this little boy so much; that tan little nose is so kissable!

 Amanda relaxing in the pool.

Fishers Swim April 23

Another digital scrapbook by Smilebox

Justin Beaver

Rachel:  "I hate Justin Bieber"

David:  "I don't, I like Justin BeaVer!"

 Daddy gets home from his Ulink meeting and gets hello hugs from all of his babies.

 Julia's inventive hairstyle for Rachel's tumbling class.

 Silly goofy David and Rachel.

Waffles

I've been making lots of waffles lately. It's an easy way to use up some of the wheat I have stored and since wheat is one of the few foods that Rachel is NOT allergic to, a good way to fill her tummy. Yesterday I experimented with a savory waffle that Rachel used to make a "waffle pizza" with for lunch, minus the cheese of course since she is highly allergic to any milk product.  Then I made some "Apple-Pumpkin-Cinnamon Waffles for afternoon snacks. I added some brown sugar to the recipe so the kids would eat them like a cookie instead of needing syrup. The kids loved them! Rachel is allergic to butter but here are David and his friend Nolan eating fresh, hot waffles with butter. So satisfing to hear their "Ummmm's" and see their little eyes roll back in their heads as they ate their waffles.

Then the boys decided to go strawberry hunting to complete their afternoon snack.

4 c Freshly ground whole wheat flour

1 c brown sugar

2 T Baking Powder

1 t Baking Soda

1 t salt

1T Cinnamon

1t nutmeg and ginger

1/2t allspice

1/2 c olive oil

2 t vanilla

2 T Vinegar

About 1 1/2 c dried apples blendered till smooth with 2-3 c of water-aprox.

1 16 oz can pumpkin

Add dry ingredients to liquid ingredient.

About 1c batter per waffle.

Cook for about 10 minutes on med in waffle iron. 

add more water if too thick 

(I would add 1-2 eggs if Rachel was not allergic)



Yucky Kisses

Julia: I don't want your YUCKY KISSES!

David: "But you smell so pretty!"

David was finally able to get his kisses even though they are a little slobbery...

So Sweet:)

Handsome David

David got a new suit for his birthday...He said, "I look good! Very handsome!"

Out by the Pool

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After a hard day of swimming, David fell asleep while drying off.  My baby boy is so cute;)

Hair Cuts and FHE

This free digital collage made with Smilebox

March Swimming

My poor little blog is so far behind...these pictures were taken back in March.  The water was freezing of course but my crazy kids were out there in the pool the first sunny day that came around.

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David Swam All the Way to the Waterfall

Jared helped David swim all the way from the shallow end steps to the waterfall. David was so proud of himself in this picture!

Sweet Big Sister

Rachel is such a sweet big sister to her little brother David. When we are all getting ready to go somewhere I can count on Rachel to patiently help her brother get dressed and get his hair combed.  She takes such pride in getting his part straight and bringing him downstairs for my "inspection".  She is a little mommy in the making and I can't describe how proud I am of her for being so helpful and kind. David can be a little buggar sometimes and she has learned how to coax and motivate him to get ready.  She is an awesome big sister and an incredible Mommy's helper.  Thank you Rachel- Your Mommy LOVES you!!!

A Day in April

Yesterday while Julia and Jared were at tutoring for math, I took David and Rachel to Patriot's Park in Fair Oaks. So funny to me how one of the concerns people always bring up about homeschooled children is "socialization". Yet David went to the park yesterday and easily struck up conversations with two little boys, one younger and one older, and had fun with both boys. Rachel took this picture. David and his new friend played pirates, starwars and avoided stepping in the "hot lava" all around the park.

Zoe's Aunties and Uncle adore her...

Zoe with her Great Grammy Lynn.

Watching "Guardians of the Owls" yesterday at my Mom's with David and Zoe while the other kids were at piano/voice lessons. Zoe was watching the owls and I would say, "Oh, look at the pretty birds, Zoe, see the owls...." Then a few times I thought I heard her try to say "bird". I turned to my Mom and said, "Mom, Zoe's saying bird!" My Mom looked at me in total disbelief until I again said, "See the pretty birds" and she repeated it again. In this video Rachel gets back from her lesson and when we tell her about Zoe saying bird she says to her "Owls, Owls, Bird. Can you say bird?" and guess what she says? She'll be 8 months old in three days. In the beginning of this video she gives Rachel one of her big slobbery kisses like she usually does but Rachel had just put lotion on her face; so funny when Zoe gets a taste of the lotion! Be patient and wait until the end of this video to hear her say "bird".