Summer is all over..

The Fourth of July was like the top point of a rollar coaster, and it's all down hill from here. School will be back in session before you know it. Or at least that's what I was told every summer I was in school. Thanks Uncle John!! The worst part is: he was right!

Still, "Back to School" was always a happy time. The smell of new crayons, the feel of fresh notebooks, a fresh resolve to get 100% in every class and not miss a day of school... lol it was great. While none of my kids are old enough for school, as I said Gabi and I are going to be starting a kindergarten curriculum soon. I'm sooooooooooo excited. Some of the coloring books in the kindergarten curriculum I found on ebay for $1-$1.25 instead of the $3 they were charging at OLVS. I also found the Children's Bible and Little Talks with Children About God cheaper at this same place on ebay. They should be arriving in a day or two. Amazon had "How to Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Lessons or Less" for about half price. They also had the Saxon kindergarten kit for about $15 less, so I bought both, and they're coming in today! I've read a lot of good reviews on the "Teach Your Child to Read..." book. The Duggars even have it listed on their website as a Family Resource. I think the whole thing is going to be great!

I also ordered from Solve Family Problems--a Baptist website the Duggars also recommend. I got the "Character Series" the "Parenting Series" and my mom ordered the "Fear Series." We are super excited about this, too. We actually ordered the mp3s almost a MONTH ago, but we still haven't been able to listen to a single sermon. Why would someone order an mp3? To get it immediately! The mp3 part of their store is new and they're working out kinks, but I'd spoken with the receptionist half a dozen times, and we still hadn't gotten the mp3s! Finally my mom called and this receptionist, bless her heart, said, "Well you know why you haven't gotten the tapes, right?" Mom was pretty taken aback, and of course said no! "The devil." I about died laughing when Mom relayed the story. She went on to say that whenever someone is going to be greatly helped by the tapes they have an awful time getting them out and that they have to battle often. I believe her, BUT I did tell Mom they might benefit from some good ole Catholic Holy Water!! Okay I did more than tell Mom that. I emailed the lady and told HER that!!!! Ohhh so bold. LOL! Her response? Well, no ACTUAL response, but she sent a new invoice saying she added a few extra titles--none that a Catholic would need lol "questions and answers about eternity" and "can I be saved from all my sins at once?" I'm sure it was a kind gesture. Oh, and what did mom respond to the devil comment? After being taken a back.. "GOOD ALWAYS PREVAILS!!"

I pretty much feel like I am where I need to be as far as financial knowledge for the time being. We know where we want to go, what we need to do, and we have a plan. So instead of reading gobs of real estate and finance books, I'll probably be reading about parenting and education.

I've also got a lot of projects lined up in my head for the bed rest months, which don't seem so insurmountable as they did when I was pg with Rafe. I basically went on bed rest with him at 12wks, and here I am now 19w1d outside on the laptop while the kids run through the backyard. I'm wanting to knit 7 stockings for Mitch, the kids, and I for Christmas. I've found the pattern, found the yarn, now I just need to learn how to knit! Unforunately I missed a Groupon for "Twist" last month $15 for a $40 class. If anyone has one they aren't going to use, hook me up! OR if anyone else is interested in a beginners knit class, COME WITH ME! Mitch's mom is going to help me with a couple basic sewing projects. We are starting with a SUPER simple skirt for each of the girls, and hopefully we'll be culminating in gorgeous Christmas dresses. Gabi really, really wants me to make her Christmas dress for some reason, so I'm going to at least give it a shot!

The garden is doing great. Lots of flowers, but no fruit that I've seen yet. ACtually we may have beans, but I'm not sure what immature beans look like as I've never grown them before. Not sure if these are flowers or baby beans. Everything is green and growing. The corn is taller than Rafe!

Our rooster started crowing this morning... lovely. 5:46am. Sorry neighbors!! Grandma hasn't made it up for the buterching yet. She called Sunday, and I think she's coming over Thursday.

I have another sonogram scheduled for next week to check cervical length. Addy is probably enjoying the pregnancy the most of any of the kids. She is always kissing my belly and talking to the baby via my belly button of course lol. Gabi will occasionally kiss my belly but ONLY if my shirt is down, and Rafe I think is feeling rather jealous. He alllllways wants me to hold him, and more than once has tried to hit my stomach!

Okay one more quick story.. Yesterday I was laying on the couch with my face to the wall when I heard Gabi telling Addy, "Sit still, your hair is going to glow." Then she started singing the "Flower Gleam and Glow" song from Tangled while brushing Addy's hair. It was so cute that I made them do it again while I videotaped!

Have a Great Day!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!

Cake pics from the 65th anniversary. I shooould have taken pics of everyone or at LEAST of Grandma and Pa, but I didn't. We got there a few hours early because lunch was at 12:30 and we normally have lunch at 11:15 or 11:30 followed by naps around 12, so we were exhausted by the time we left at 1!

The first cake is the "Elopement Cake" Grandma was a nurse and Pa was in the Navy hence the hats on the ground. I believe this building is supposed to be the nursing dorms where Grandma was in school. Pa was home on leave and they just decided to get married! The tied sheets coming out of the window signify the elopement.

Second cake is self explanatory :P

This last cake is of the cabin. It's got 8 pairs of booties for their 8 kids, bottles, toys, sports equipment, and fish. Happy Life

OLVS

We got a 2 room 8 person tent yesterday. I can't wait to use it! I found it on Craigslist new and unopened for $80--saw it on ebay for $250, so Mitch went after it. Hopefully it will be cool enough on Sunday to pitch it in the backyard for a little staycation.

The big news is that I've decided to buy a kindergarten homeschool curriculum for Gabi. She doesn't turn 5 until the end of October and August 31st is the birthday cut off in Kansas, but she's more than ready and biting at the bit for more. We're going to be using a Catholic program, Our Lady of Victory School. I think we're both going to love it. I think the curriculum looks really good and is definitely Catholic. From Catholic phonetics, handwriting, and science books to Catholic art books (math is Saxon), the whole thing is heavy on Catholicism. Praying the Rosary daily and Stations of the Cross on Fridays are also part of the curriculum. I'll let you know how it goes! If she ends up too far ahead for kindergarten next year, Kansas law says she can go straight to 1st grade by virtue of completing kingergarten. I'm not concerned with that right now. We'll just try it out and see how it goes.