Pics

So thankful that the photo updater is working now! These pics don't really fit together but so glad that it works now!

CEF Bowling fun

Harvest Train 2018 . We went back up to Falcon for their annual Harvest Train program. This year the theme was the "Greatest Show" So good! 

After Harvest Train, we were headed back home and realized Daddy missed c's Tuesday birthday donuts which has just  become one of our new birthday traditions. In Baltimore, we went to Cold Stone. Now, I think Duck Donuts!! 

Homeschool soccer

The boys played homeschool soccer for the first time this year. What a great season! They didn't win any of their games but they grew so much as players and a team over the year. This was by far our favorite sports season (well besides tennis.)

I should find some pics of the girls and V on the sidelines. since part of the fun was also how all the families got to know each other. But I want to go ahead and post. so I'll just post our top 10 reasons why we like Crusaders soccer (in no particular order):

1. great group of boys
2. great group of families
3. boys could all be on same team
4. there's a playground by their practice location
5. practices in the afternoon = free evenings
6. games during the week = free Saturdays
7. lots of years ahead to play soccer together

Soccer

We've just finished our second season of homeschool soccer. All of us loved it again! Such a great group of boys and families. I love that these are not just boys the kids play soccer.  We hang out together.  Several of the boys go to to student group with our boys.  Most of the families go to our co-op. They've improved so much at soccer but more importantly they're learning to work hard, to lose together, to win together, to pick each other up...

team BBQ dinner after one of the games

Homeschool 2017-2018

As we near the end of 2017-2018 school year, I really want to treasure the good. Today was a good reminder- yes there are frustrating times. Things that don't go as well as I'd like, but seeing the joy on c's face as she can really read is so good!! Watching one work hard at writing what he learned about this year is good.  and here's some more things I don't want to forget

• watching kids help their siblings is priceless
• seeing K compete at Math Counts and Debate and doing his Ted Talk - K asked me to write that :)  but it really is and the fact that he's excited about it even more!! 
•  hearing V ask "Who made that?" on our mornings walks
• having kids have opportunity to cook and serve each other
• watching kids humble themselves and do their thoughtful apology 
• getting to practice our GPS
• seeing K practice his CEF story with his siblings
• seeing improvement in Spelling
• watching C really enjoy writing 
• seeing T shine in Math
• enjoying days of soccer and playing with siblings by the soccer field

We just got home from the homeschool conference where the Family Man talked about putting important things on the transcript- I think these are those things!!

Family Fun Day

A few weeks ago we got to spend a Saturday afternoon at Carvers Creek State Park.  The park is only ten minutes from our house and such a nice place for walking. We went to the Festival of Yesteryear and go to to try games from the old days. We also went on the Rockefeller House tour. The kids were excited to see some homeschool friends there. We enjoyed a nice afternoon. I'm so thankful of the changes in our family since our first visit there. 1- James is back home from Korea. 2- V is here and such a cutie! 3- KG is all better! In Oct 2014, we went hiking with Hannah & her son and KG kept dragging behind. I thought she was just being lazy  but it turned out to be the beginning of her arthritis flare. Now 4 years later, we've traveled through days of crawling across the floor, riding in stroller, getting weekly shots, to now no shots, running all over, dancing, tennis, .... So thankful!!

God's Girls at Smith Lake- we learned Spanish! 

Catching up

we've had a busy/ fun year and not kept up to date on our blog. Here goes trying to record 2 years quickly :)

what have we been up to this year?

Our homeschool group HOME started back up in September- last weekend we went to the square dance- a fun family night!!




CE learned to read! She finished her 100 EZ lessons- we celebrated with lunch out at Chick-Fil-A and picking out her Bible!



Many trips out to Rick's Place- so pretty there!

I'm so thankful that I can run again!! Woo-hoo! What a blessing! I really enjoy it. My friend and I did the Neon run last year but I could only walk and this year ran it all no problem!! 

Kids enjoyed student group- this pic was at the student costume skating night! 

Second annual Boo-Ritos at Chipotle! 

My handsome teenage son dressed as a homeschooler complete with PJ pants and math counts shirt

One of our tennis outings- never enough tennis but we had fun each time!! 

Finally

I'm able to upload pics. I've not updated this blog for so long bc I couldn't upload pics- and who wants a blog without pics :) But today I figured it out!! So time to catch up on the last year + of no pics. I know I will miss lots of details but still good to help capture memories! We are so blessed!! Here's a few pics to start! 

Our God's Girls October meeting at Smith Lake.
We were missing several families but still had lots of fun!

We love Crusaders- year two- boys are bigger, stronger, faster, and having even more fun!

My favorite part of the Crusaders is that these 3 boys can all be on the same time.
Winning, losing, sprinting, being stinky, .. all together!!