Homeschooling on a rainy Tuesday

We are all done our homeschooling for the day. And we've also finished our centerpiece craft for our homeschoolers 'Fall Harvest Party'. She made a 'thankful leaf arrangement', I found the idea on the internet... made some adjustments ('cause I rarely do things they way they are suppose to be done! It's called creativity!!). She had a lot of fun doing it! Later in the week I will help Ava make dinner rolls and some sort of dessert squares to take to the party as well. We are pretty excited about the party, it will be nice to meet more homeschooling families in the area. I think the more people you know the better. The kids get to be around other kids, and I can hopefully get some 'adult' chat time too!

Today's schooling went pretty well. Since the beginning of September Ava has learned her vowels, the letter 'T' and 'L'. She has also learned about numbers 1-20, the concept of 'cents' (i.e. 1 cent, 2 cents, 3 cents etc). Greater/lesser/equal to. She's gone to preschool since she was 18 months... so we have zoomed through the first part of the curriculum (oh we are using abeka K5). She knows her colours, her left from her right...and tons of other things, she is doing really well.

I really feel like I'm actually 'accomplishing' something while homeschooling. I know we will certainly have more bad days ahead (I'm just being realistic.. ) but I am really enjoying having the kids home, our schedule... and the option of homeschooling or to NOT home school some days. It really does give you a lot of room for flexibility. If the kids are sick, or we are all moving slow in the morning, if we've been invited out somewhere in the morning, or if we just take a day off ~ we can do that!! Why ... because it's what works for US ~ and that feels good!

I've been seeing more and more progress with all the kids in the last month or so. Like I've mentioned Ava is doing really well with school AND she really enjoys it! Gabriel is really mastering going to the bathroom and wearing underware (thank goodness! I really didn't want to have 3 children in diapers come this Nov!). And Grace has started to say more words (mama, dada, no, yes, Ava... ) She is really looking like a toddler too lately.. makes me sad! :( And I know she will look even bigger when the baby is here (in about 5 weeks!)

Anyway ~ back to homeschooling... I love it, Ava loves it, and it's really working for us! Thank you God for giving us this opportunity... and thank you for giving us the strength as a family to listen and follow your plan for us!

Just my thoughts...

What would the world be like if people would LOVE, CARE and RESPECT each other like they did their own families?

What would life be like if people would actually STOP and THINK... how would I feel if that was me on the other end?

How would our relationships with each other look like if we actually spoke to each other with LOVE and ENCOURAGEMENT?

Why doesn't anyone know the IMPORTANCE of just a 10 minute phone call to let someone know that you are thinking of them, and you hope they are doing well... and you wanted them to know you CARE?

I wonder why some people can not ACCEPT that we are all different, with different opinions, different backgrounds, we make different choices... and WITHIN that to be SUPPORTIVE?

I know who I am. I know what I believe in. I know what I like. I know what I do not like. I know how I want to be treated. I like myself ~ I really do. I like my life. No ~ I LOVE my life. I am confident, strong, loving, loyal, cares deeply for people, understanding, compassionate, introspective and I do have high expectations of the people in my life... and some that are new to my life. I will not lower my expectations...

This is me. This is my blog. These are my thoughts.

I know I am a work in progress... if you are interested.. stick around to see more..

Apple Picking!

It's that time of year.....apple season!!!! ....

....and believe it or not for the first time this year we went apple picking as a family! And we had a blast!!! Why is it that when you do things with your kids it seems like the most exciting thing you've ever done??? I was beyond excited going to the orchard today! I just love to experience things for the first time with them and as a family. I hope we all can look back on days like today and have the best memories... memories of love, togetherness and just simplicity!

To be honest with you I don't remember going apple picking as a child (I may have gone... but I truly do not remember). Off we went... it was a bit drizzly today... but nothing that rubber boots and rain jackets didn't solve!! We grabbed a wagon and bushel and set off down to the orchard. We decided to pick macintosh apples...yum! yum! The kids had a blast climbing the ladder and examining all the apples to make sure they didn't have any worms!! :) Soo cute!

Picking the apples didn't actually take that long.. but we all had a lot of fun nonetheless! We picked 23lbs.... I went to check out the gift/bakery shop and picked up some fresh apple cider also! Yummy and perfect for fall days like today!

Once we got home.. I added some spices to the cider and put it on the stove to heat up all afternoon ~ and let me just tell you how much I love love love the smell of apple cider, cloves and cinnamon throughout the house!! A comfort scent for sure! I popped a chicken in the oven... and of course I just had to make an apple dessert!! So I decided to attempt butterscotch apple dumplings! I had never made them before...and I have to say they are now my favorite 'apple' dessert ~ it even tops homemade apple pie!! I will certainly make them again... and sooo wonderful to serve to dinner guests as well! They just look soo inviting...and yum yum yummy!!

Here are just a few pictures from our afternoon!

Not sure if you are tired of all my pictures! But as you can see I just love taking pictures...and after looking at them again, I can't help but feel soo blessed.

Baby Update

Yesterday I went for my ultrasound to check if baby was breech. My midwife found the heart beat in the 'top' part of my uterus.. after feeling my tummy she was a bit bewildered.. so she thought the most accurate method would be to go for an ultrasound.

Results - baby is head down!!!!! Yeah for me!! Now I just have to not think about this baby flip flopping around and getting him/herself turned upright again... then I won't be happy!! So as it stands now this pregnancy is processing as normal, I am planning on having a natural VBAC. The next 'hurdle' will be the consultation I have booked with the obstetrician... it is policy at the hospital that I am delivery at to meet with an ob... but I will have to be firm, direct and very clear that my midwife will be delivery this baby... in the hospital. They are a 'tad' bit old school when it comes to VBACS at this hospital... they just don't want to be liable IF something were to happen.

Well that's it on the baby front.. still feeling big and slow! Starting to get uncomfortable.. I feel like all my organs (and this baby) are going to push out of throat!! Hopefully this baby will 'drop' and then I can be a bit more comfortable before delivery.

.. oh yeah... and I'm just about don't getting ready for our road trip to NB.. I'm hoping it's 'uneventful' as far as baby is concerned!!

Keep ya'll posted!

Breech baby?

I'm feeling slightly overwhelmed! October is such a busy month for our family... Ava's birthday, our anniversary, going to New Brunswick for a wedding (3 weeks before my due date), Thanksgiving, my mother-in-laws birthday, midwife appointments (bi-weekly and then weekly), and now there may be a chance that baby #4 is breech!!! Oh my! Can I handle all this? Yes, I know I can. Do I want to? No! But life goes on... take it one day at the time, because God knows what I can deal with. We have been through much worse as a family... so this too I will 'handle'.

I'm just feeling very overwhelmed! Just want baby to be here... and 'get on with life'... Anyhow.. I have an appointment this week at the much bigger and better hospital to confirm if baby is in fact breech. If he/she is... then I've discussed with my midwife the possibility of going to have the baby 'turned'... but first things first... need to REALLY check if he/she is breech.

So that's what baby # 4 is doing in my tummy!! Hopefully it feels the urge to turn down! Because frankly I do not want to go through another c-section again! :)

God's plan is perfect... and his timing is perfect... that is what I keep saying over and over in my head... but in the meantime.. please pray for us

Fawg Farm FUN!

Yestersday afternoon we went to visit our friends Therapeutic Farm. She works with my husband at the hospital in the mental health area, however herself and her husband also have a farm. It is such a wonderful idea! Clients can come to the farm, experience the country and interact with various animals all the while trying to work out their issues.


After church we headed over to the farm. The kids had soo much fun! Ava just loved the other little girl and played with her all afternoon! She also was lovin' the horses! She wasn't able to ride this time because they was actually another girl there riding and training as well. Ava had a ton of fun nonetheless! Gabriel was just in overdrive! He couldn't take everything in fast enough! He thought the chickens and chicks were a hoot and just loved all the bikes and ride on toys! Gracie spent most of the afternoon chasing the kittens and chickens!

By the end of the day they were sooooo dirty!! But I know they had sooo much fun! It was great to watch them experience a bit of farm living. I actually grew up on a farm from the age of 9 to adulthood. It was a lot of hard work most days... but I know it really did have a big impact on me and the person I am today!


Here are just some pictures from our visit to FAWG FARM:

Our OWN 'Not Going Back to School' Picnic!

Yesterday was our local home learners group 'Not Going Back to School' Picnic by the river. Pretty self explanatory... all the families that home school decided to kick off the school year with a day long picnic in the park where everyone can connect and re-connect after summer break.

I was feeling horrible yesterday... went to the midwife and baby is head down... which means his/her feet feel like they are lodged in my throat!! I was feeling pretty nauseous... thus not allowing me take the kids to the picnic. I felt really bad for them... but I know right now.. with expecting baby #4 .. and being 32 weeks I have to really listen to what my body is telling me and not push myself.

Soooo... today I woke up feeling pretty good (tired... but I don't think that will end until they are all gone to college or university!!). Ava and I home schooled in the morning and then I packed a picnic lunch for us to take to the park ~ AND Jay was able to meet us there! The kids just love seeing him in the middle of the day.. he gets an hour and a half lunch .. so it's a great way to break up his day and the ours!

This is just another reason why we are totally going to love homeschooling.. even though there are 'planned' events that the home learners group that I am associated with put on... there will be times when we just can't make it (especially when baby comes)... so this will give us opportunities to have our own family 'events'. Sometimes I feel stressed to make most of these 'planned' events... and sometimes I really don't want to go... but I know that there WILL be days when we CAN do things as a family during the DAY, when Ava would 'normally' be in 'regular' school!

Here are some pictures of our OWN picnic!

What a blessing our children are and I am soo thankful that God in trusted us with them and with the opportunity to home school them and strengthen our bond :)

Dinner Etiquette...

Here are some tips from Grace on dinner etiquette...

1~Always, always smear your food across your face...

2~Always store some food for later.. ears, hair, pockets and anyother crevices work well... just like your very own dogie bag!

3~Your dinner guest will always think you look sweet if you hold your cup using ONLY your teeth (it really is a skill)

4~And when you are done and clean yourself up... put on a cute pair of oversized bear pjs --- gets them every time!

First Day of Homeschooling

Today I started homeschooling Ava ~ and it was amazing... I'm sure not all our days will go soo smoothly and I'm sure we will get frustrated with each other. But I thought it was a great way to start off this new chapter in our lives... She loves it... I feel I can 'handle' it... so here are some pictures of Ava's first day of 'home school' senior kindergarten:

Day one ~ done! Hope we have many many more of these awesome days together!

Campfire Fun!!

We had soo much fun last night! Last night we had a family campfire, the kids had soo much fun roasting and eating a ton of marshmallows! This was the first time Grace EVER roasted or ate marshmallows... and I could tell by the expressions on her face that she was thoroughly enjoying every bit! They also had soo much fun running around the yard at night ~ fun for them ~ terrorizing for us! We have thick bush on three sides of our property... so we were hoping we wouldn't loose one of our kids in the bush!!

My in laws came by to drop off more wood and stayed for our campfire. As I served up the coffee and hot coco the kids indulged in more marshmallows ~ and so did us adults! Nothing like a campfire, roasting marshmallows, staying up late and looking at the stars to make you feel like the kid (ok ~ minus drinking the coffee... because I'm sure we all didn't do that when we were kids!) :) It was soo cute the kids ending up calling their play structure 'the coco clubhouse'... sweet!

Here are some pictures of the night:

Another wonderful night that we shared as a family... and memories that we will have forever. A blessed night! :)