New York, New York!

Upstate New York, that is. :) We are having a wonderful visit with my grandparents and extended family. I forgot my camera cord, so I can't upload any pictures, but I will catch up once I get home. In the meantime, other than missing Bruce, we are having a wonderful, wonderful time! It's cold up here...I am dressed in more layers than I have been since March! Even though I lived in the North for 26 years, I am a wuss after living in the South for only six years...but hey, at least I had a good reason to buy a new SU hoodie! :)

Getting ready for a trip

This may be my last post for a week or so...the kids and I fly out tomorrow to visit my family in New York. If you hear a big holler of delight tomorrow around lunchtime, that means we made it there safe and sound and my grandma has her great-grandkids in her arms! In the meantime, I am running in many different directions to try to get everything in order before we leave. I'm thinking David's idea sounds really appealing right now...a good book and a place to hide! :)

Working weekend

Saturday was a beautiful day weather-wise, which was really nice, since we had a bunch of outside chores we needed to get caught up on! Bruce had to do some caulking on the side of the house, so I did the wifely duty of holding the extension ladder while he was up there. I also mowed, ran the weedeater, and pulled weeds from some of the landscaping while Bruce tilled the garden...then we planted some of our fall garden. Radishes, carrots, beets, and spinach are all in the ground (turnips will be planted in a few weeks), and the kids planted some zinnias, too (the lovely flowers behind Abigail are okra blossoms...the okra is still going strong!)...This is one of David's favorite activities as of late. It's neat to see him enjoying this traditional childhood rite. (Note the crooked trunk of this tree -- I love it!)

In the midst of our hard work, the ice cream truck came through the neighborhood! We were excited to be able to get one last treat for the season, and especially to be able to share it with Bruce.

The opportunistic dog...

We got so much accomplished and enjoyed the time together, as well!

Quiet, rainy day at home

After school today, the kids disappeared to play together...they spent the whole afternoon happily going from game to game -- asking permission to use unusual things and cleaning up after themselves as they went along, it was quite amazing! -- and I did laundry and housework. We puttered inside while we enjoyed the rainy weather and the thunderstorms rolling through outside all afternoon long. David is still struggling with his asthma, so I tried to keep him from exerting himself too much, but David does everything at top speed! Towards the end of the afternoon he was getting too out of breath, so I put something on television for them so that he would hold still and rest a bit. Here they are sprawled out on the couch-cushions that had already served many imaginative purposes during the afternoon's play. It was lovely to have a peaceful and productive day at home today, especially since tomorrow will be another busy afternoon out and about!

Allergies, asthma, and other afternoon adventures

Today we found out that David's nagging cough is indeed a mild asthma attack (we were suspicious that it was, but he'd gone so long without one that we hoped he'd outgrown it...sigh...). Abigail had skin-testing done for allergies as well as some bloodwork, and she was a trooper throughout...she did amazingly well considering all of the discomfort. We found out that Abigail is allergic to a few trees and to dogs. We are very thankful that she's not allergic to any foods or to cats...but we have yet to decide what this means for the dog!Having gotten fed up enough with my too-long-to-do-anything-with hair that I finally did something about it, I made a last-minute appointment to get it cut. For the kids, that meant some time to read their new library books, to people-watch, and to observe the cool tropical fish in the aquarium, but even all of those were outshone by the cool sink in the restroom.

You can see why I needed some rejuvenation...

...and why I feel so perked up now.

What a strangely eclectic and eventful afternoon!

Learning our lessons the fun way!

Recently we did a project in school that put to good use our current lessons on proper nouns, penmanship, geography, and social studies. I assigned David & Abigail each the job of writing their own self-addressed envelope, which we then sent off to their cousins in New York, who very obligingly wrote/drew papers to put inside and then sent them back to us (thank you so much, Amanda and Alicia -- you made our day!). Their letters arrived today and the kids were SO excited not only to see that their envelopes indeed made it all the way back to Georgia, but also to get their own mail!Today we did a fun craft to go along with our current history lesson about the Garden of Eden...a paper serpent. It's hard to see in the picture, but it involved some cool folding for a very cool paper serpent-body!

Have I mentioned how much fun we're having with this learning-business?!

Fast trip to Florida

A friend from church got married in Florida last night; we decided that we would go since it was a trip we could make Fri-Sun and we could squeeze in a visit to Matthew and Caleb besides! Free lodging, family time, and a friend's wedding...how nice!

Here are the kids at the Big Cow on the way to Florida...

And here is a picture especially for my mom -- proof that I knitted on the way down here!

I don't want to post a bunch of wedding pictures and steal the newlyweds' thunder, so I'll just post one of them from the back as they left the reception under the glow of sparklers. It was very pretty...

And we came home to find two sweetly-sleeping babies, all tuckered out and having been well-tended by their doting uncles...

Today we are going to spend the day with the boys (yes, I know they're men now, but we've always said 'the boys' as an easy way to refer to my brothers and it's not likely to change anytime soon!!!)...and tomorrow we'll head home.

Second week of school complete!

It's hard to believe another week of school is done...and so will go the whole school year, flying by before we know it!

We're all continuing to enjoy school...the kids are excited to learn and I am excited to be able to teach them. In particular, we're really enjoying the new history curriculum we're doing this year...we're studying history from the beginning (Creation) through the Egypt's fall to the Roman Empire. Here they are taking their history test this week...

If you've noticed our markers on the sidebar to the right, then you'll know that we already have less than nine months left to go and we've already completed 6% of our school days for the year...like I said, the days are flying by!

Zebra fish and hearing loss

Click here to read a Wall Street Journal article about some research involving regrowth of hair cells...a process that has the potential for a cure for sensorineural hearing loss. Perhaps David & Abigail will see a cure in their lifetime...

Another lost tooth!

We're taking a quick break from our regular school schedule to share David's big news of the day -- he just lost tooth #3!

Swimming again...finally!

As happened last year, Abigail was petrified of the pool again this year...but she has finally conquered it and is loving to swim again! Here is some video of her swimming on Saturday...

Today we spent a couple of hours at the pool -- it was a perfect pool afternoon, with a warm baking sun, a pleasant breeze, water temperature cool enough to refresh but warm enough to swim in for a long time without getting chilled, and to top it all off -- we had the pool to ourselves! I love August days...the excitement of school, the summery afternoons at the pool...and lots of time with my babies!

Hide N Seek Woodland Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Hide N Seek Woodland Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Trip to the Rodeo

Last night we took the kids to a Rodeo being held in our town -- it was so much fun! We met up with some friends and enjoyed watching the many skilled riders and their beautiful horses.

This isn't the greatest picture, since I look rather drunk (I assure you, I wasn't! :), and you can't see Jon, but...this is our pastor, his wife, and one of his sons, with Karen peeking through and Bruce, Abigail, and me bringing up the rear!Jon and Karen (and David, climbing, of course!)

By the calf pen...

The kids each got to choose one ride before the rodeo started. Abigail chose the ponies...

David chose the mechanical bull. He did great!

A local equine drill team presented the colors for the National Anthem

Buckin' broncos

Bruce and Abigail watching the cowboys

The kids got a chance to chase a calf! David is in the blue shirt in the middle of the picture, right by a girl with a plum-colored shirt, behind the girl in the pink shirt!

Cowboys calf-roping

Cowgirls calf-roping

Saddle broncs

Steer wrestling (although down here, it's pronounced "rasslin'!) :)

Barrel racing -- my favorite event! Abigail was so excited that there were cowgirls there, too, and we both loved all of their sparkly, girlie belts and shirts!

Bull riding

This pick-up rider (in my opinion, the most skilled rider there...it was amazing to watch him and his horse work). In between riders, he waited in this spot and told Bruce several times how cute Abigail was! She did look adorable in her western-ish shirt and braids! :)David also spent a lot of time climbing in, on, under, and around the bleachers (he was about ten feet off the ground in this one)...can you picture this?!

David and a friend enjoying the show from the top of the fence

New scanner = Wedding pictures!

We recently got an all-in-one printer so that I have the capability to make copies for school (especially important since our new history curriculum requires a lot of duplication).

Of course, Molly inspected it to make sure it was acceptable.

And since it's also a scanner, I have been able to start scanning some of our wedding pictures -- hooray! I have a lot more left to add, but this is a start!

It was such a wonderful day...an amazing start to an amazing life together! (...it was eleven years ago now...we look like such kids!!!) :)