Snow......Alabama Style

Well, it finally snowed. The schools were closed, so Dave got to spend the whole day with us. It was beautiful outside. I kept telling the kids we were in Narnia tonight. Our yard looks like we just stepped out of the wardrobe right into Narnia. All the beautiful snow covering the trees and the ground. I got some good pictures of the kids playing and of what the yard looked like covered in white. Who knows when we will see this much snow again.

Tonight we went to the University for a piano festival. Anna Magdalena Bach told the story of her husband Johann Sebastian Bach. Well, it was a lady dressed up like her telling the story, but I assume you know that since they lived in the 17th century. It was wonderful. She told the story of his life and played his music on the piano. She told of how late in his life he lost his sight. He got it back for 10 days and during that time he wrote his last hymn. I think it was called "Before Thy Throne O God I stand". It was a beautiful song. I'm searching for the words so I can post them . I would love for us to sing it at church also.

Our drive home was a slippery one. I think the roads are actually closed. That's what happens when we get 2 inches of snow, the roads and the schools close down. All in all today was a good day. A happy snow day!!! Alabama style.

happy new year......just a little late

Well my blogging has been lacking for a while. I got in a weird funk around September last year....and I'm still working my out of it. I would start to blog and just quit with nothing to show for it. I started this blog as somewhat of a journal slash scrapbook. So much for those few months...I've got alot of catching up to do (with the scrap booking part, that is). So where do I begin? I think I'll just start with January, where the new year begins. What a month this has been. We have had just about every sickness you can think of. It started on January 6th with Dave. He had a sinus infection. Then Samuel, Erin, and Abby came down with a stomach virus....Dave and I both followed shortly afterwards. Then Samuel had Pneumonia, Abby had a sinus infection, Erin had the swine flu....all the while I was having a really bad cold. We all were just about well, when I got another stomach virus. To say the least we are ready for some warm weather!!! Ready to get out of this house and feel some sunshine on my face!

School is going really well. There is just always alot to do! I never feel adequate to teach math. At this point I can still do the math (4th grade). I'm sure we will need a tutor in a few years. Dave is teaching Latin to the girls. He says they are doing really well. I can tell it's helping them with their English work also. Even on the hard days, I still love homeschooling.

OK....something fun. Dave and I are going to Hawaii. YAY!!!!! I am so excited. Well, I am getting excited. We are going with the band and choir students. I've been checking out what to take, what the temp will be, stuff like that. It is like 80 degrees there all year long. How cool is that? I'm sure I'll have more to say about that later. :)

Christmas Pictures

December is always a busy month. This year has been no different. We are DONE with school as of today. Hurray!!! I know I am more excited than the kids. We will start back on January 6th. We had Abby;s piano recital last Saturday and the kids Christmas choir program on Sunday. They all did so well. We are ready for Christmas. The presents are wrapped, we have firewood, hot chocolate, lots of good creamer for the coffee and cookies......isn't that everything. James Spann even eluded to a chance of some white stuff on Christmas day. How fun would that be? Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

Samo is 7 Today!!!

Wow. Seven years old. I can hardly believe my baby is 7 today. He has really grown up over the past year. His r's are a little more easy to understand :( He still loves swords and shields and fighting the battle. He plays well by himself. He loves playing with action figures and building with legos. Every night he says "Mommy, will you lay with me?" and most of the time I do.....just for a minute. He loves his Daddy. He hardly ever lets Dave leave without running to the door to give him a hug. He has started reading really well this semester. He still loves for me to read to him. He loves playing soccer and wants to play football next year. He has aspirations of being a drummer........he drums on everything. He gets his rhythm from Dave......that's a good thing! He likes to skate in the kitchen and ride his bike on the street. He asks alot of questions. His little mind is always going. He is starting to understand salvation. Some of his questions are hard to answer.

Dave and I were quite surprised when we found out we were expecting Samuel. But oh what would we do without him. He has brought so much to our little family. He is such a sweet little boy. He should be up in a little while. He asked for pancakes for breakfast. Then he's going to help me bake a chocolate cake with sprinkle icing. Then, being the disciplined (no laughing please) Mommy that I am, we are going to do our school work. You should have heard the protest when he realized we would be having school on his birthday. We took him out for his bday Friday night and he got a Nintendo DS. He has not stopped playing it. He has told me a bunch of times how much he loves his new DS. I love that little boy! So happy birthday to my baby boy.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

You can feel it in the air. The cool temperature. Leaves falling. The smell of a fire in the fireplace, cooked apples, warm cider. The anticipation of the holidays to come. My birthday. ..... :) So many reasons why this is my favorite time of the year. I even like to turn back the clock and lose the hour or so of sunlight. I know that's weird..huh. This really is the most wonderful time of the year....makes me want to sing :)

We are having a great school year. Abby is still taking piano and begging Dave to teach her to play the trumpet. Erin is now taking violin lessons, which she loves. Samo wants to be a drummer.....

All three played soccer this fall. Three different teams. We won't be doing that again. Too many different directions. Next time at least two have to be on the same team! Samuel's team won the area tournament. We were so proud!

I am sooooo looking forward to the holidays. I love getting to spend time with family and traveling and shopping and the good food and.........you get the picture. I am going to try to keep this blog updated more often for all of my many readers...haha...jk. We are off to a soccer team party at CC's Pizza. Fun Fun Fun!

School Days

I LOVE THESE KIDS!!!!

My blogging has been a bit lacking lately. We have been BUSY!! We are having a great school year so far. We have completed 15 days. We start around 8 every morning and end whenever we finish. Some days that is well into the afternoon. The kids are learning alot!! I am so proud of how well they are doing. They are really working hard and it is paying off. I am rewarding them for making 100's on tests. They are all into that. They get trips for ice cream, extra hours of tv, trips to work with Daddy.....needless to say, they are all trying really hard to make 100's on their tests.

School Days

We have completed 6 days of school. The first day was overwhelming!!! We are doing all new curriculum this year. It is great, but there is alot of work to do each day. So here's what we are doing......

Samuel -1st grade

Sing, Spell, Read, and Write

Horizons Math

He is doing Bible with Abby each day.

I include him in Erin's Science lesson.

Erin- 3rd grade

Horizons Math

Bob Jones Reading

Rod and Staff English

Bob Jones Science/Big Science Book

Story of the World

Matin Latin

Bible

Spelling Workout

Abby- 4th grade

Horizons Math
Bob Jones Reading
Rod and Staff English
Abeka Science
Story of the World
Matin Latin
Bible
Spelling Workout

Abeka Health

We have full days!! The kids are also playing soccer, girl scouts, cub scouts, and piano for Abby. Dave is teaching the girls the Latin class in the afternoons. It's going to be a good semester.