Nutrition Simplified

Checking out a new blogger embed tool from my Beachbody site. What better way then to show a great product. It comes in two favors (Chocolate & GreenBerry). If you live near me, you can come by for a sample of each of them. Check out the www.shakeology.com site for information.

More Acclaim for my buddy Dallas Carter

I am always so inspired by this guys heart, and happy that he is now has a great platform to pay it forward. I had the opportunity to meet him last March and even every day I get a chance to Workout with many others that have the same zest for a changed life in WOWY (the Work Out With You online "gym") Come Join us!

I can Only Imagine - Father Son

Reminder of a great story.

Father to Son - Amazing and truly inspiring story. -- Slight changes in your beginning probably cause the most profound differences in your results. Choose Life!




The story of Rick and Dick Hoyt - Team Hoyt

Life Learning Center--It's Spring!

Well what have we been doing this month? Looking for signs of spring.

We read a book of nature stories called "The Crooked Little Path" by Thornton Burgess so one day while we were walking Emry said let's look for signs of spring and this is what we found:The birds are at the feeder, weeds are sprouting, people are outside and snow is melting and I will add that I have seen the first 2 wildflowers at the pond and the Canada Geese are back.

We are in the mud season because of all the run off and the fluctuation between snowy weather and sunny weather but never the less we get out to play and ride bikes as often as we can. We can feel the end of the school year approaching and the itch for days at the beach and park. But before our formal learning takes a break we want to finish up our phonics lessons and art book as well as complete our unit study on rainbows and another one on the Velveteen Rabbit.

I have already started to look toward next year. It is my goal to order our supplies before June and put it all away until August. I spent so much of my summer last year on home school research and prep that I strive to do it differently this year and enjoy 2 free months of the outdoors and fun with the wee bunch. Pray it be so.

Tot School

I have started setting up some Tot School activities for Kensley. Tot School is not forced education on a 2 year old but rather a way to spend time together and to provide Kensely some activities while I work with the other 2. Here she is sorting red and white beads.



Here she was cutting paper.



Happy to be cutting.



Putting spaghetti in tiny holes--great for fine motor skills.

A trip to the fire department!

Our homeschool group took a trip to the fire department. Emry is seen here watching the firefighter talk through his mask.



Ayden (in the red jacket) liked the alarm that sounds on the firefighter's suit if he dosen't move during a blaze.





All of the children enjoyed watching the ladder get extended on the truck--up, up and up!



Kensley pointing at the very tall ladder.

Workout with Tony!

These photos were taken at Santa Monica beach during a workout with Tony Horton of Beachbody and P90X. Jay attended the coach's summit and we all attended this workout on the beach with Tony--what a highlight for us all. I don't know what I like best about this picture--my man's Popeye arms or Tony touching my man's tookis.






Although we are strangers to Tony, he is not a stranger to us, he's at our house every morning working out and it was a delight for Ayden to meat him.





"What's Jay thinking here?" Any thought?

A trip to the desert!

At the beginning of March we took a trip to Palm Springs. The weather was nice so we got a lot of time in at the pool.



A rare photo of me and the wee one.



The children enjoying smoothies (one of our favorite things) they received for particitpating in a ring toss game.

I'm a big sister!

Kensley has started taking a big interest in photos and especially with Brady.



Several times a day now Kensley asks "hold Brady?" and Brady humors her very well.

Brady!

Brady is now 6 1/2 months old and we are beginning to think we have a replica of big sister Emry. He squeals and squawks constantly while playing and is constantly trying to catch the eye of anyone, family or stranger, passing by. All of these things he has in common with Emry--we wonder what will a little boy full of energy, joy and ideas be like?



Statistically speaking this wee one is just that wee--he is remaining in the 5th and 7th percentiles for height and weight--daddy just keeps say "he may be small, but he'll be fast."







Other Brady news: We are getting an occasional uninterrupted night of sleep, he likes to eat and is getting stronger at sitting up. He is just the cutest and sweetest thing and as I have said with all the children "I could not have thought up anything better" than the person he is. Brady's current nicknames--"Happy" because he is and "BooBoo" because he is tiny like BooBoo from Yogi Bear

Life Learning Center

NATURE IN OUR OWN BACK YARD

Did you know that the California state bird is the Quail? These pictures were taken from our Greatroom windows. Emry and I were sitting at the table one afternoon and Emry said "look Mama, Quail!" I didn't believe her until I look out the window and saw it with my own eyes and one even jumped up on our snow-covered deck. We have seen this family 2 other times over the last 2 summers but never in the winter. I was amazed, the birds were beautiful, much more beautiful than in the summer and they had a brillant dark blue around their necks, not noticable in the photos.







A MATH SELF PORTRAIT

Here you see an Emry self-portrait out of math rods. The assignment was to make something out of the rods--she was not happy with this task but whenI came back into the kitchen she had made herself and a dog and said "look Mama, it's me and my dog (no, we don't have a dog)."



Also this month we have been doing a unit study on George Washington, I wanted to include pictures of the lapbook we are making but we are not yet done with it--so next time. Along with the unit we played some children's games popular in the colonial period like Leapfrog, Marbles and Blind Man's Bluff. We also finished reading the biography of George Muller--what a wonderful, wonderful testimony of God's provison for George, his family and thousands of orphans. Our current read aloud is the Thornton Burgess book The Croooked Little Path--A Book of Nature Stories.

Emry continues to progress in her reading surprising both myself and her when she can randomly read a sign or some other literature. Some people might think "I could never teach my child to read" but I must say, "you can!" You just provide the tools and the time and the child does the rest.

Check out the 2 toddler wiggits on our sidebar. I found some great toddler activities (but I bet my 2 older ones would enjoy them as well) here--just the refreshment our home needs.

Until next month.....

Snowplay Day

Snow Girl

It was a beautiful snowfall--we all doned our garb and went out to the snow hill behind our house. The snow was falling lightly and the temperatures were warm. It was a much needed jaunt in the fresh air I could have stayed out all day.


Kensley the snow baby


Snow Boy

Brady Brayd is 5 months!

This is a shot of Brady's first meal--do you think he liked it? It took about a week for him to get the hang of it but now instead of this disgusted look it is an impatient cry for more.


Just a cute bright eyed picture.


So this is what it is like to be the 4th child--Emry put the Mr. Potato Head glasses on Brady when I wasn't looking and not a peep out of him for the torment.

Happy Birthday Ayden!

Ayden is now 5 and it had to be a Wall-E celebration. In this photo he is wearing a Wall-E mask and you can see Kensley in the background with one as well.


Ayden with his much wanted Wall-E transformer. The boy loves anything that transforms, some of his favorite things to transform are office boxes, 3x5 card boxes make great planes, salad spinners are great and his latest discovery the silverware holder in the dishwasher makes a great car park.


So I got to try my hand at some cake creativity--a Wall-e cake.


Ayden eating his breakfast of choice--Daddy's crepes--mmm good!

Steven Curtis Chapman on 'Huckabee'

Amazing Faith and powerful testimony

Found at Huckabee

PART 1


PART 2


Cinderella

Sustainable Sushi

Okay I am not a huge Sushi fan, but I have enjoyed the it a half dozen time. I thepought that this report was interesting. Okay call me a tree-hugger ... or just a good steward.

Sustainable Sushi

Also a link from Monterey Bay Aquarium

Homeschooling IS fun!

It was just this month that I concluded that homeschooling is fun. This photo is from one of our recent nature walks. We went out to the pond and looked for the colors of winter. It is great to get outdoors and enjoy our beautiful weather.

Our school name is Life Learning Center because we believe learning is a life long venture occuring in our day to day lives. This past month one thing we studied was snowflakes and winter. Did you know that all snowflakes have 6 sides and form around dust particles and winter is the result of the Earth tilting away from the sun. We also read several great books. The children especially enjoyed the old classic "The Boxcar Children"--I remember this book form my school days. We read the book and then found the audio tapes at the library and Emry has listened to them over and over during her afternoon quiet times. I even heard her say to one of her friends "let's play The Boxcar Children." We also read a Magic School Bus Book about the human body--did you know our bodies have 206 bones? For fun on cold and snowy days we danced the Hokey Pokey and learned the Chicken Dance from a YouTube video.

Homeschooling is fun and there is so much to learn. This month we are doing a unit study and lapbook on George Washington--I am excited to take the virtual tour of Mount Vernon. We will also continue working on our gratitude lapbook, measurement, time and read the biography of George Muller (a missionary in England who started several orphanages and day schools in Bristol, England) and perhaps the second installment in the Boxcar series.

What's Jay been up to?

This photo is decieving, one might get the impression that Jay is enjoying his winter lounging about on the couch but nothing could be further form the truth. This picture of daddy and the fellas was a brief day where Jay got to sit with Ayden and watch one of their favorite science shows--Robo Cars.

He cleans up well, doesn't he? Here is Jay in all his fancy apparel heading out to work. I know, I know you are saying I thought Jay works from home, he does but in this slow housing market he has started working for H&R Block as a tax preparer. We are so blessed that this job is possible and here locally in Truckee. It is strange to have Jay out of the house and I look forward to every night when he gets home.

Also this month Jay has finally perfected making sourdough bread. I wish I had a photo to show his beautiful creations but trust me they were beautiful and tasty. Next he aspires to making homemade ricotta cheese.

Brady Brayd is the best.

Brady is now a bright and aware 4 month old. He is busy rolling over, sucking his pointer finger, making vocalizations, spitting up (a lot) and still not sleeping through the night.


The verdict is in, Brady is a small little fella--12 pounds and in the 5th percentile for his head size and 10th percentile for his height and weight.


Brady loves bathtime--Jay says "is it bathtime?" and he smiles and kicks with glee.
Have we mentioned how beautiful his blue eyes are--look out ladies!

Trasferring Executive looking to buy a home ...

In the depressed Market many of our houses are actually under valued when considering future values (two years or so). Tammy and I receive many letters like the following :

Dear Friend,

We are a firm that relocates executives from around the country and are looking to purchase a luxury home in your area We noticed your home and would like to know if you are interested in selling?

Please contact my assistant at (area code) xxx-xxxx at your earliest convenience so we can get the necessary information we need to make an offer on your property.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

John Doe

P.S. If you are serious about selling, please don't hesitate to contact us as our window of opportunity is closing quickly.

While this is not illegal it is misleading. these letters are from people wanting to "flip" under valued property for a profit, so talk to me first before selling, I may be interested (joking).

Here is a link to a descussion about such letters

Is this a Scam?