Thank you Tax Payers of Our County!

We enjoyed an awesome visit to a preserve in the southern section of our county yesterday!!! It was a nature hike lead by Ranger Kevin up to lookout point with a view of a River. There were over a dozen kids and their folks. We learned about why this preserve existed (as a buffer to a national laboratory next door) and invasive plant species and native plants and so much. The twins did an brilliant job listening and staying behind the Ranger as to not trip the guy up when we hiked. It was at least 3 miles there and back! No kidding... both kids asked when the next hike was and they are quite ready. Here are some pictures of them listening to the Ranger and playing PoohStick at the creek. The last picture is for Grampa, the aficionado of such things.

I let them paint...

Really I did. I put the regular school paint set in front of them with real paint brushes from the artist section of some craft store. They picked one color each and drew circles, squares and rectangles. We drew faces on each shape and made them into animals and people after the paint ran out, but it worked and no one got hurt. HA! I first had to let them have scissors, then markers and now paint and no walls were trashed in the process. There are truly miracles in parenting when something like that happens.

Well, the principal and classroom teacher know. I pray that no bridges are burning, but it's almost real. I sure pray this works. It's time to live my faith in order to set the example. I'm not playing teacher or mother or housekeeper or dietitian or friend or wife, I'm living it. Not on my own, but still... here it goes.

We've been busy...

Yes, no excuse except that life keeps us busy. Old news: twins finished their soccer season in fine form, much improved; I painted in Iowa City for a weekend; twins go their school pictures taken; our first field trip about pumpkins; #1 got a trip to Laser Quest for a friend's birthday party; the guest/ kids' bathroom is painted; the laundry room is revamped and painted; the 1st grade curriculum is ordered and on it's way for a beginning date of November 1st; "new church" is welcoming, sincere, vulnerable and becoming "home;" and summer clothes are going into storage. This week is a nature hike with the county nature preserve organization and a trip to the mall to meet a Turkish friend and her son. #1 has a field trip about pumpkins this week and his last soccer match. We appreciate his coach and the style of instruction so very much as #1's skills and responses continue to improve on the pitch. Since I wrote last, I've given away the Incil that I've carried around for over ten years to a lady whose Turkish dad may want to read the New Testament in Turkish - whoohooo! Now, I've got to find new Bibles in Turkish b/c I keep meeting Turks in Chicagoland.

First full week of November, barring all bad weather and ill health, we're on our way to ORD for a trip to MCI. #1 will be homeschooling by then and is anxious to visit Kansas friends after being gone since last December. I've got other plans too, but we'll see how it works out.

Thank you Columbus!

We got all the way to DCA on a half empty plane doing math, reading and copywork to find an old friend. We said the Pledge of Allegiance to a flag surrounding the Washington Monument. Daddy and #1 brother caught up with us only after we visited the national Mall and Natural History museum. The carousel was a bonus I had to surprise them with after the compliant walk all the way down to Lincoln then back up to the Smithsonian. We actually arrived home on the first plane out of IAD we tried with all the library books I had packed for the trip. Each has their own library card now and I can't imagine started a bad record already...

Today was a vacation day to visit with Kansas friends at the Morton Arboretum, but here is 0ne more picture of my adventurers from the spot where MLK Jr made his speech in the '60s.

Copywork on steps of Lincoln Monument

The twins started copywork today with the fourth commandment after walking down the Mall from the Washington Monument to Lincoln Monument. The sky was clouding and a cool breeze stuck around until I got them back up Constitution Avenue to the Museum of Natural History. I got to review my historical geology without a great deal of pain and the twins enjoyed the dinosaur fossils.

Today we're heading to a corn maze and then the ride home with Daddy and #1 brother. Yippee for visits to old friends. Pictures posted Monday.

Rainy Monday

It's finally raining in Chicagoland! I'm so ready for a change of season. The oven is on and banana bread muffins with blueberries and walnuts are baking. My coffee is done and tea is brewing; the twins are making weather observations, building trains, making up music on a keyboard and drums as well as listening to Wind in the Willows on tape. It's a good day.