Some Highlights of Boo's School Year...

Boo started his second grade year this year.  We do history, grammar and read-alouds with Bo.  Boo is doing PALS reading with LouLou and his own math program.  This year he has really made progress in his reading.  He has recently started The Boxcar Children.  I am so proud he is finally reading his first chapter book.  He is ahead with his math program.  Here are some of the extras for Boo this year...

Boo's fair entries...

Stuffed animal that won third place

several pieces of artwork...this is his multi-media entry

his pastel castle entry was exceptional...it should have won a ribbon

gourds...he won several ribbons for the gourds from our garden...biggest circumference...smallest gourd...three gourds most alike

peppers-this was an upset...the plate with his peppers on it was labeled with another persons name...it won the blue ribbon...but he did not get the honor:-(

okra-i think he won a ribbon for his okra or maybe I won the okra ribbon

Here is the entry created for the "Where is Your Water Shed?" poster.

He did a great job framing his painted river with green construction paper and drawing animals.

He won third place and 15.00 and I won 15.00 too because I am his teacher!

Boo wrote the cutest story ever for the PBS kids writing contest.  He wrote a story about being in the Missoula Children's Theater play.  I thought his drawings were so cute and colorful!

Some Highlights of Bo's School Year

This year Bo started his fourth grade year.

We finished Truthquest level one and have continued with level two.

He is ready to begin learning about the Civil War.

In math, he has worked on multiplication and four digit subtraction and addition.

He loves to read and he is currently reading Guns of Thunder.

We are working through Rod and Staff English 2 and Cheerful Cursive.

He has recently started the IEW Student Intensive for Level A.  He seems to really enjoy these videos

and his writing is improving.

He is still working through Walking With Jesus bible study curriculum.

Here are some of the extra highlights of his school year.

Bo wrote a book to enter into the PBS Kids writing contest.

The name of his book was Kingdom Wars

I loved the open-up flaps he made on each page as well as the surprising twist of finding the prince alive at the end!

Our local water conservation office held a poster contest

The quote "Where does your water shed?" had to be included on the poster.

Bo used paint and colored pencils to complete his poster.

Here are some of his fair entries for this year.  Bo completed several pieces of artwork.

His multi-media collage pictured above one third place.  He was so excited about winning.  He had not expected to win a ribbon this year.  He also had sewn this stuffed animal for the fair.  They boys had been wanting to learn to sew and when LouLou and I took a sewing class they were eager for us to come home and show them what we had learned:-)

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Away in a Manger...

Our Christmas Manger Scene

On a Cold December Morning...

basking in his gifts...
cowgirl hat shadow on the wall
sunrising over the frosty woods...white frost against a backdrop of flaming orange sun

a fat little bird alighting on the bench outside the office window...twittering a good morning at me

having a book discussion with that sweet oldest boy in the early morning

all of the little ones chasing each other around the yard

everyone wanting baby brother snuggles in the morning

Some Highlights of Our School Year

Art on the floor...on a messy outside day

We opened our Big Bag of Science Experiments and have conducted a few...much to everyone's delight

We took a trip to Anniston Museum of Natural History and the boys also visited the World History Museum next door...

A field trip to Hartselle Water Works...where we learned all about healthy streams and got to take a canoe trip...

 

A field trip to see the Nina and the Pinta...

Life Giving Words...

"As is the mother, so is the daughter."

Ezekiel 16:44

I open the bible study book with sleepy eyes.  I am jolted awake by the above words.

I had not remembered these words....but they are tucked away...like a nugget of gold waiting to be found.

His word is alive with words I need to hear, but I am almost too frightened to consider them.

These words come on the back of his dealings with me about an angry spirit.

Not outbursts of anger but....the spirit of anger during difficult moments of the everyday.

I was beginning to see the my girlies displaying a little too much anger in their interactions.

Why where they acting so irritated with one another?

He whispered some thoughts to me during a bible study one morning.

 

"I the Lord will instruct you and counsel you in the way you should go, I will counsel you with my eye upon you. " Psalms 32:8

I have a tendency to push little ones away when they are being especially trying He counseled me to pick them up and model gentleness and love.

I have been convicted for awhile to watch the tone of our interactions...any hint of an angry spirit...do not allow it to manifest.

Now I see why... I am teaching my little ones that an angry spirit in time of difficulty is acceptable and it really isn't...but they don't realize that...when they see it often.

His word confirmed why I might have been seeing a little more anger than I thought acceptable in the interactions of the girls especially.

"As is the mother, so is the daughter."

 

"To be a mother is difficult and dangerous but no one can replace her. Will women never see how important they are? Their power of doing good and doing harm is beyond measure and it is done in private where no one can stop them,but themselves." Florida Scott-Maxwell

Labor Day Relaxing

A trip to my uncle's farm always equals relaxation.

We spent labor day weekend

fishing, riding ATV's, going to yard sales and grilling out.

The littles enjoyed a game of marbles...

Pop taught them how to play the game he enjoyed as a child...

And the day was completed with a duck caught on a fishing hook.

The wing was snagged after the duck swam into the line.

Here's a pic of everyone helping the duck.  No harm done, but it took three men holding the duck down to free the hook!

Marbles

We took a mini-vacation to Barry's farm.

Always such fun fishing, riding in the pastures, and spending some time going to yard sales with my love.

On Labor Day, mom and dad came up.  We found a jar of marbles in the shed and dad spent some time teaching the little ones how to play.

During the fun fishing time dad accidentally hooked a duck in the wing.

Here we all are trying to help get the hook out.

The duck was fine.  Those wings have some very tough skin.

My Little Stair Steps...

Here we are on one of our hikes during our trip to 

The Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

We spent a week in the mountains the first of June.

This was a great family friendly hike that we hiked three years ago

with only four little ones...we went back this year with six little Quicks'

Silly Nina

Little Nina made us laugh so hard with her crazy hair and peanut butter face...

This Little One...

with the blonde hair

and teeth peeking through

and those blue eyes shining

He always makes me smile...

Being still...living today

(Here you are with your best hunting buddy at your birthday party)

The years are fleeting.

It is haunting me today...

as I look at that oldest boy needing a haircut

eyes green and clear

dirt on his face...smiling up at me.

Soon I'll be the one smiling up at him.

He measures us often now...waiting for the time he can say...

"I'm as tall as you!"

I was thinking the other day...

only 9 more Christmases until he is 18...

9 more spring gardens

9 more summers swimming in the creek

9 more birthdays...

I am grateful for all of the days in between.  The days that all work together to

build him into the man he will one day become.

Those beautiful days of loving him and teaching him and training him...it has been hard...

but it has been so good.

He has driven me to my knees and he has amazed me with his insight.

I am so grateful that I have been able to be the one

to teach him...

to turn over a rock and find a host of critters

to write his name

and read a book

to bask in the beauty of God's creation.

I Love...

sword fighting boys

and

little

mommies

and messy haired girls...

 and girls on gators...

and a boy with with his dog...

and baby boy napping with daddy...

 and silly sisters playing...

and funny dress-up clothes that make me laugh;-)