Five

Nathan turned five today. Wow.

Kindergarten!

Nathan and I started homeschooling on Tuesday. What a big boy! I totally meant to take pictures, but... well, one can only do so much!

So we worked on the letter N, patterns, and we're studying Jonah for the week. We're also working on building healthy morning habits like brushing teeth (mommy fail, there) and making beds.

He's enjoying himself, as am I, but I'm EXHAUSTED!

I'm sure I'll update you on our progress.... sooner or later!

A Very Important First

French Braids!

Just a note:
This girl loves to have her hair played with, and those of you who know me well can imagine my joy! However, this was the first time I attempted to make her sit still long enough to do braids. She rocked.

Yay!! Our Harvest!

Here is some of what is coming out of our garden right now. Unfortunately, the melons and cucumbers are not doing well in pots, so we don't have nearly as much of them as we did last year. But the colors! They make me happy!

Oh Good.

Nathan: When we start schooling, I'm going to be even more patient than usual.

Cough, Cough, Gag

This is our new chalkboard! I'm just thrilled with it. It was a nice, easy project that only took a couple days, and that only because I had to wait for the calendar layers to dry. I came across the pattern when i googled "chalkboard paint" on Martha Stewart's site. I plan to write something pithy or wise at the top. I'll let you know how that goes ;)

Please note the pink dust on the floor. Awesome.

Now if I can just stop gagging on the chalk dust...

7 Quick Takes Friday

I'm participating in 7 Quick Takes Friday over at Conversion Diary today. I read this blog regularly, and love Jennifer's thoughtful faith.

Isaac is STILL TEETHING! Please, God, let these teeth come through soon, so that we can all sleep!

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I realized this week (and then when asked, I actually had to say it aloud) that I am totally inconsistent in disciplining Brenna. We are smack in the thick of the "MINE!" phase, and I have no idea how to handle it.

A friend is letting me borrow Don't Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Plowman, and I'm hoping that I can apply some wisdom about using scripture to discipline.

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We start homeschooling in a few weeks and I AM PANICKING! What if I'm a terrible teacher? What if my child never learns to read? What if he hates me for keeping him at home? But I've had several women (both homeschoolers and non) encourage me, and I am so grateful for it!

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I painted a wall in my kitchen with chalkboard paint this week, and it is SO FUN! I'll post a picture of it in a day or two, when I put the finishing touches on it. But we started using it yesterday, and the kids love it. I have, however, a very sore throat from gagging on all the chalk dust.

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This week was Brian's birthday, and the kids and I got him the game Mancala. It's very simple and I love it! I remember playing it on a camping trip with my godmother when I was a kid. It's still fun! And easy to play with little ones, if you can get two year old girls to leave the pretty rocks in the game.

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Brian's parents have given us their (practically new) old dishwasher, so we're trying to figure out what needs to be changed in our vintage kitchen in order to fit it in. The conversation keeps going something like this:

Brian: We'll take out this cabinet, put the dishwasher here, and we only need to buy one small cabinet to fill the gap and new countertops.

Me: Okay, one small cabinet, new countertops, the cheap ones from Lowe's. Got it.

Brian: But if we want to move the stove over, we'll need a cabinet over here and a space filler. So we should probably take out this weird wall, I can do that, then we can change out this lower cabinet to a lazy susan cabinet. It'll be much more usable.

Me: Ummm, okay. But if we take out the wall, put in a new cabinet, then all the rest of the cabinets have to go too, right? Because they won't be the same depth.

(vintage kitchens have shallow cabinets, this is why we're having this whole conversation... the dishwasher doesn't fit)

Brian: Yeah. So do you still want to move the sink? We could do that now.

Me: But we have to buy a new sink, right? Because that one won't fit over there.

Brian: Yeah (he's deep in thought, mentally putting everything where it ought to be).

Me: So we're replacing ALL the cabinets and the sink?

Brian: (Still deep in thought) Yeah.

Me: Um, no. Our budget for this project is zero dollars and twelve cents. One cabinet, new countertops, the cheap ones from Lowe's. THAT'S IT!

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Have to go... we're late for gymnastics!