lights at Thanksgiving Point

We started out our Christmas season celebrations with a visit to Thanksgiving Point to see the lights. It was free! We loaded the kids up in the van and drove through the lights. Then we went over to the water tower to see the reindeer. They were particularly sleepy that night. We laughed at the one whose head kept lolling to the side only to have its antlers get in the way. We finished the evening off with ice cream cones (with the most horrible customer service ever).

give thanks

We were the hosts of the Thanksgiving feast again this year. We had all of Dave's family minus Katie and a last minute addition of my parents. 23 people total. I cooked two turkeys, stuffing, chocolate butterscotch cookies, and pumpkin cookies with caramel frosting. Then, Mom made the crust for 3 pies plus a pan of mini pies and my girls and I made the filling because one must make pie for Thanksgiving. Its tradition (even if you don't like pie!).

I wasn't going to set up a nice adult table because I wasn't sure where to fit everyone. When I told Emma this, her face showed teary disappointment. Apparently, I had forgotten that she had told me that the one thing she really wanted for Thanksgiving was to have a nice table. After that there was a whirlwind of activity as we moved out a couch, borrowed a table from neighbors, located tablecloths, and gathered together miscellaneous fall decor items. I just covered the kids table with paper and set out a jar of crayons.

Who knew my girl cared about such things?

There was much feasting, conversing and playing. A wonderful day of giving thanks. 
 

P.S. Thanks to Mom for giving me her pictures since I didn't take even one!

the hat

Slade found this hat. Somewhere. Maybe in the dress up box. He decided he liked the way it looked and felt and has been wearing it fairly constantly ever since. Lately he has been sporting it with the added red head band as well. We are not sure why he is so taken with it but love that he does things his own way.

officially a teenager

We officially have a teenager in the house (and all the drama and tears to prove it!). Emma started the celebrations with French toast for breakfast and then we sent her off to school.

We brought her orange cupcakes (her favorite color) at the bus stop so she could hand them out to her friends.

Her friends made her a huge banner/poster that I hung up in her room while she was gone. It was full of fun memories and jokes that they share.

Per her request, we went to Golden Corral that night for dinner. She refused to let me have the waiters sing to her though. Then we came home and opened presents.

Thirteen Things About Emma at 13

1. She is turning into a beautiful young woman who is into fashion, hair and makeup.
2. She is anxious about getting her braces on this next year.
3. She is learning a lot through her public school experience about working with teachers, completing assignments, test-taking and making new friends.
4. She is most interested in being with her friends.
5. She is very into email, texting and Instagram.
6. She likes to bake treats. She has a definite sweet tooth.
7. She loves singing in the choir at American Heritage but definitely does NOT like violin.
8. She is adored by Anne and Ben and she can be very helpful with them.
9. She is kind and thoughtful to others (except her brothers!).
10. She has learned to enjoy being alone in her room when she is home.
11. She has a strong testimony of the Gospel.
12. She loves playing soccer but only with her friends. She isn't interested in moving up a level because that would be too much work.
13. She makes us look like awesome parents. We get compliments from her leaders all the time about how great she is.

We love you, Emma! Happy Birthday!

playing in the leaves

I asked Emma to rake up the leaves in the front yard. She enlisted the help of her friends, Eliza and Allison. They raked them all into a huge pile and then proceeded to throw and kick them back all over the yard. They had a lot of fun but the yard ended looking exactly how it started. I guess I needed to specify that the job entailed raking AND bagging the leaves in the front yard.

almost

It was good day. Almost.

Slade happily got his chores and practicing done on time. Nathan and Sawyer did not.
Emma did well on her grammar test. Slade did not.
Anne was neither whining or crazy but she was sick with a fever.
Ben took his morning nap but not his afternoon nap.
I had on a cute (well, cute for me) outfit but never left the house.
I made cookies and four loaves of French bread. However, I forgot to put the salt in the bread.
I read out loud to the kids today for an hour but Emma was already at school so she missed out.

Some days are good. Almost.

meet the challenge

Two years ago, I invited friends and family to join me for an eight week "Happy Holidays Challenge." We had a website, winners with prize money and such. I got mixed reviews from those who participated in the challenge with me so when I decided to do another one this year, I decided to go it alone. I started on Sunday and will finish on December 23. I decided to choose 8 things I want to improve or accomplish. I don't really have a way to track my success this time. I am just hoping that the extra focus will help me make good choices over the next two months. I tried to make the challenge filled with things I do instead of things I can't do. For example, while I know I should eliminate sugar from my diet, I am instead trying to increase my vegetable intake. If you would like to join me, I would love to have some company in the journey. Choose your own 8 challenge items and come along for the ride.

Happy holidays Challenge

1.   40 workouts (average 5/wk, at least 30 minutes)

2.   Increase vegetable intake to 4 servings/day or more.

3.   Study scriptures (15 min. Book of Mormon, 15 min. General Conference)

4.   Go to bed by 11, get up by 7.

5.   Do 8 deliberate and prayerful acts of service.

6.   Write on blog at least weekly.

7.   Go on a one-on-one date with each of the kids.

8.   Complete office makeover.

cornbellys

We went to Cornbelly's at Thanksgiving Point with our homeschool group on Friday, November 2. It was nice that it was after Halloween because the crowds were minimal. The kids had a good time but I am not sure that we will go again next year. They have made everything cost extra and I am not sure it is worth it anymore. We missed Emma too.

the Sawyerinator turns six

Sawyer started out his birthday as a star on the soccer field with a morning soccer game. Then we came home for pancakes.

Later in the afternoon, five of his friends joined him for his Robot Design Academy party.

 

 

 

 

Six Things About Sawyer at 6
1. He is taking off in his reading ability and reading everything in sight. Maybe there is hope for me to get one bookworm among my children.
2. He loves playing video games, especially Super Mario Brothers.
3. He is very coordinated in sports and dance.
4. He has a wicked temper.
5. He is entering into his destructive phase that both my older boys went through. Giving himself haircuts, cutting blankets on beds, carving into his bedroom walls, and on and on. AGH!
6. He hates being alone especially at night. He gets scared easily and often has bad dreams.

Emma and friends

I was itching to take my new camera for a spin so I asked Emma and two of her friends to model for me. This camera is a beast and I have a lot to learn still. I think we will get along just fine though in the end. And can I just say that my daughter has totally awesome friends? I am so very thankful that she has surrounded herself with such wonderful friends.

 

brain week

just love this happy shot of color sitting on my table everyday

Several years ago, I came across the idea of integrated thematic instruction and brain-compatible learning. I found it intriguing. While I explored it a little but didn't implement it into our schooling. This happened probably two or three more times. Recently, when I came across some information on it yet again, it hit me that perhaps I was receiving a gentle nudge from a divine hand to use this methodology. So I am. Finally.

Our theme for this year's learning adventure is titled "Raiders of the Renaissance Mind". With this being our first year, I purchased an  "epic adventure" from Courageous Beings so I could get a feel for how to put a thematic study together. This is how they explain the rationale behind the theme:
"The unifying concept of Raiders of the Renaissance Minds is to help students recognize the distinctive traits that characterize a Renaissance Mind and apply them to recognizing their own potentials. We have chosen people who made tremendous leaps and affected mankind profoundly thereafter. We relate one Renaissance Mind to another, searching for common threads. We help our students not only to recognize a Renaissance Mind but also to understand the sacrifice and hard work that produced it. Our goal is that each student may catch the vision of his or her own potential and what it takes to develop it. 
"As we, alongside of our students, become raiders of great minds we are given a means of seeking, through repetition, the patterns necessary to understand what qualities great minds have in common. We are also providing a fun way to perceive learning. Learning is no longer a dry biographical book report, but an adventure. We are raiding, like archeologists, like an Indiana Jones, those great minds of the past
and present. It becomes a quest that directly applies to our own minds and how we can tap into the greatness that exists within each of us."

This week was Brain Week. We started with the concrete study of the brain, its lobes and functions and then moved into abstract ideas like "thoughts precede actions". Our activities this week included dissecting a sheep brain, building a neuron out of Play-dough, watching Hoosiers (to illustrate "beginning with the end in mind"), and listening to "Choosing" from My Turn on Earth.

We ended the week with a Renaissance feast celebrating our learning yet to come, complete with costumes, fancy dishes and fantastic food.

Today I spent all day finishing up preparations for the year. I hope it all comes together the way I have envisioned. I am taking a leap of faith. It is hard to let go of the more traditional subject-based learning we have done for 8 years. Adventure awaits!