Quoting the Kids

Here are a few funny things I've heard the kids and their friends say lately:

"I'd like to bury my testimony."
"We don't want the Lord nor his goodness." (Practicing "We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet."

Build and Grow Workshop

Today we took the kids to our local hardware store to make a pirate ship. It was our first build and grow workshop. They were excited with recieving their own aprons and safety goggles along with the outcome of their projects.

Grandpa Farmer

March 28, 1926- September 7, 2008
We'll miss you!

Awaiting Hanna

Friday we prepared for our first tropical storm "Hanna". Mark had heard some horror stories at work about people being out of power before for 11 days, 24 days, etc. We gathered all our candles and matches, found the solar/handcrank radio and flashlight, and located our emergency food warming kit and spare back-up gels.

We went to Costco to buy water, more canned goods, and several loaves of bread and extra peanut butter and jelly. We arrived home just in the nick of time as the sky darkened and rain began to sprinkle.

The kids planned a "Hanna" pajama party for Friday night followed by an inside party for Saturday- watching movies, playing the Wii and board games.

So we sat around the house waiting for torrential down pours to begin. Waiting, waiting. Never came. No heavy rain, loud thunder, lightening, winds blowing over trees. What a dud.

Homeschool Heaven

Yesterday was the official 'Homeschool Not Back to School Picnic' at a local park. We arrived at 10:15 am to the welcoming sight of a park full of children running around and 2 picnic pavillions packed with parents.

Jeffrey and 20 or so boys played in the woods collecting fallen branches to build a fort that another team tried to capture. Brooklynn was busy playing with the girls swinging and having tea parties.

I've decided that we live in homeschool paradise. We are blessed with an organized homeschool community.

The First Day of School

Today was the first day of our homeschool co-op. So, we took pictures of the kids outside of the door before our 30 minute drive. Brooklynn intuitively decided she needed to hug a tree for her picture. I think she gets that from Aunt Rachel. :)

The kids loved their classes. Brooklynn is in a kindergarten/preschool combined class (all girls by the way). Jeffrey had two classes: oceanography and lego/physics. I am the lucky parent teaching the lego/physics class to all 9 boys (that's the sum total of all the boys). And it went pretty well. We learned about fulcrums and levers. Next session in on energy transfer. Then gears. Should be fun!

The Hat Lady

Just think about how nice it would be to go to church without combing your hair, worrying about a marshmallowy mid-section, taking the time to polish your toenails or wipe the dust off your sandals. Some Sundays I envy Sister Taylor,the 'hat lady', because she never has to worry about a 'bad hair day'. No one looks below her shoulders as all attention is drawn to her face and decorative floral hats.