Friday

Friday.

I don’t know why I say I look forward to Friday, because I really enjoy everyday of the week!

I guess when Fridays roll around, there is a sense of accomplishment to them. Like we finished another week of school. Or we finished projects that were scheduled throughout the week.

I am, by fault sometimes, a checklist kind of person!

Fridays also have that “re-grouping” feel to them. Do you use that word too? Re-group. I say it a lot around here!

Fridays are about getting the house in shape, getting the bare pantry filled again, and connecting with my hubby on date night.

Good stuff!!

We clean house everyday. Littler tasks everyday on our chore chart make cleaning SO MUCH EASIER. This place is HUGE – so any system that makes things easier works for me!

On Fridays we do the bigger cleaning jobs. Like the whole bathroom of each of the three bathrooms, even though toilets get cleaned three times a week, and sinks get wiped out daily. We also do organizational projects that need done. Like this one – deflating all the pool toys!

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Yesterday we had an appointment, so I took our brave boy and his sidekick to meet Blake at the hospital and left Addie Mae and the middles to the cleaning.

Tate was not keen on getting this imaging done. I will admit, I was wondering how bad things were going to go.

Before we left he started questioning why he has to see the doctor so much, so my day stopped and I pulled him into my lap to tell him how very, very special he is. How God chose him to be JUST the way he is. How he should consider that a privilege – because it is exactly what God wanted! How God knows EVERY single hair on his head! And how he can use this very special way he was made for good.

Sound like too much to understand for a just turned five year old? Trust me on this one – it is not too much for Tate to understand. He took it all in, but his mood did not lighten very much.

On the way to the hospital, I took a wrong turn and said out loud “Whoops! I wasn’t supposed to go this way!” Eliza piped up from the back seat “OK! Don’t panic everybody! MOM! Turn around at the next street!” Oh, the funny things they say!

We waited for Blake in the lobby, because I am getting very good at that valet parking thing!

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We waited some more to have Tate’s buzzer go off to say it was his turn.

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Blake took Tate for his imaging, and Eliza and I hung out in the waiting room. Eliza read race car magazines. Like all the adults do in the waiting room.

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Tate did very well, I am happy to say! He fussed once about tape they put on his belly, but otherwise cooperated perfectly! We will not know the results of these films until we see the orthopedic surgeon in Madison closer to the end of September. Last time we saw him, we were pleasantly surprised at Tate’s improvement, and the doctor saying that there is a possibility that Tate could stay just the way he is!! We are praying for that! But we are resting in the Lord’s perfect plan. If that means surgery, I know God will give us the grace we need to get through it.

We were back home by noon, just in time for a quick lunch so my new grocery crew could hit the road!

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I LOVE THAT CREW!!

Just a little side note here. I try, many, many times, to take photos of Sadie for you all! But seriously. It is impossible to take photos of a five month old puppy! Here was my best shot I got – after I took that photo of my grocery crew heading out –

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Last night was date night! Blake and I had a list of things we needed to pick up, and Chad earned a date night with us so he was with us too!

Chad is our quick, quick wit – and had me laughing hysterically most of the evening!

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Coffee and snacks was yummy and fun!

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We had a hard time finding some things, (maybe because I could not stand the price of things, ahem!) so it was store after store after store!

At one point this was where I found Chad!

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But I found these adorable shoes for this winter on sale! Even though I had to buy the display ones! And only because someone threw away her winter shoes last year JUST so she would not wear them again this year because they were falling apart!

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Once home we stayed up WAY TOO LATE with these two. Cause they are a blast. Everyday kind of blast.

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And yes, my hubby bought me a new toaster. Ahh, the simple pleasures! We were having to do a dance to get our old toaster to work! To the garbage it went! Do you all remember the days when you would actually have your toaster repaired? Never mind. Don’t answer that.

Friday. I DO look forward to Friday! Can’t you see why?! Life with this crew is just SO blessed!!!

Hope you all had a great Friday too!!!

Five Weeks In

I cannot, just cannot believe we just finished our fifth week of school!!

AND – it’s September!

We are still having a blast around these parts!

I just love being with my crew and doing school with them!

The littles learned the letter “O” this week.

There were lots of fun things to go along with O!

We read many go along books, one of them about an owl….

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….and then we made an owl! Using a celery stick to paint feathers with!

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We painted some “O’s” with a cap. I thought this would be hard for Eliza, as there was potential for her hands to get paint on them. Which they did. She didn’t even blink an eye! Thank you therapy!!

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We estimated with some O cereal! Gluten-free, of course! They loved this and giggled as they ate them all at the end!

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We spent a morning learning about an octopus.

Did you know female octopus mate when they are about two years old, go into a den and lay about 200,000 eggs, protect them for six weeks without leaving to eat, and then once the babies hatch the female dies?

I didn’t either!

Everything we read about octopus just shows what an amazing Creator we have!

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We also played a quick, little game of ABC recognition. Tate was seeming to not know what the names of the letters are. But this is not my first day being a teacher – if you know what I mean! So I tested them with cards. If they got the letter name right, they got to keep the card. If they got it wrong, I got to keep the card. Then at the end we would all trade in our cards for chocolate chips! Suddenly, mysteriously, Tate knew his letters. Ahem. Good thing he is so stinkin’ cute!

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We started rowing a new book this week too.

It is called Albert.

It is completely adorable. And kept the kiddos mesmerized!

We have so much more to learn from this book – so we will continue to row it next week!

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Well, there was just a peek into our fifth week of school!!

Minus a whole lot of other normal stuff that happens here everyday!

The weather here has been PERFECT. We have spent a lot of time outside too! I know it won’t be long before it is freezing cold!

Up next – unloading grocery! Addie Mae is working part-time now, and so I have a new grocery crew!!! YAY! She and the middles are on their way back to the farm now. I call her my mini me, but she likes to shop and I do not!

After that – date night! And tonight there is a certain young clone of Blake that gets to join Blake and I on our date because he earned it by memorizing and reciting 30 Bible verses!

Way to go Chad!

Hope you all had a great week too!

Happy LONG weekend, everyone!!

A Birthday Bash to Remember

Yesterday was Addie Mae’s eighteenth birthday!

Today was Grant’s nineteenth birthday!

It has been a FUN weekend!

After Addie got home from work yesterday, we celebrated her with a meal of her choice! Which I do not have one photo of! I KNOW! But I was rocking a very sleepy grandbaby during that meal – important stuff!

We enjoyed fish, a baked potato bar, pan roasted Brussels sprouts, and a big salad.

Just imagine all that yumminess in pictures!

Today after church, we celebrated Grant with a meal of his choice!

There has been a lot of eating going on around here!

We enjoyed steak, shrimp, asparagus wrapped in bacon, fruit salad, and Mexican pasta salad. Yum again!

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Next up was apple pie, ice cream and whipped cream.

And some candles and singing!

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There were gifts to open!

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We quickly did dishes and then the REAL fun began!

Some dear friends invited us over for an adventure at sunset.

We were SO excited!

We got to ride tandem on a paramotor!!

YES – even I took a ride!!

And had the time of my life!!

I took my big camera and forgot ALL about it. So I stole everyone’s cell phone photos! SO glad to have these photos! They really do not do justice to how high we would fly though! Or how exhilarating it was when Ethan would stop the engine and we would just glide with the wing! We were on top of the world!!

Grant was up first since it is his birthday!

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Chad was up after David! Chad did great too!!

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Lane was ALL in!! Brave boy!! He had the HUGEST smile ever!

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My turn!! The views from SO high were AMAZING. Took my breath away! The sunset was SO beautiful! I wish I had pictures from up in the sky!!

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Blake took a turn right at dusk, and Addie Mae said she will have a turn next time!

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What a GREAT birthday celebration!

One that will not be forgotten!

Thank you, thank you, sweet dear friends!!

Happy birthday Grant and Addie Mae!!

WE LOVE YOU!!