Pumpkin Guts...and Sunshine

Sunday was a day of tears (plus some anger). It had been one week since the miscarriage began and I guess my hormones had completely bottomed out. I sat on the bathroom floor and let it all out. Sometimes you just have to do that and it makes things a tad bit better.

We were still sick, so we stayed home and carved our pumpkins. I saw an idea on Pinterest to use cookie cutters and a mallet to make shapes in pumpkins. It seemed genius, but it took a lot of strength to hammer the cookie cutter through. Thank goodness for dads!

I guess they turned out ok. The boys hated the smell of the pumpkins once they were cut open and they gagged at the "guts." It was pretty gross. Next year we're getting a pumpkin carving kit!

 

Today has been all about apples. I've even learned some stuff...like when you cut apples the "wrong" way in half, there is a star inside!

We made slices with the stars and hung them in the kitchen window. Then we used some to do apple stamping with paint. Jude went crazy. He loves PAINT.

 

We made applesauce too. I peeled and sliced the apples and then they simmered while we talked about what it means to cut an apple in half or in fourths. The boys mashed the apples once they were soft and added sugar and cinnamon. Jude went crazy. Again.

 Ohh, sour!

Needs more sugar! And cinnamon!!

We learned the parts of an apple, basic apple facts, you name it. I feel like an apple expert now (not really, but I'm ready to move on. Haha).

 

Then there is the not-so-fun stuff, like phonics worksheets and graphs and math and Maddox whining. But he did his phonics sheet today all by himself and I'm proud of him!

This afternoon, we drove to Crestview to visit a nursing home with other homeschoolers in the area. Jude almost fell asleep in the car, which would have been a disaster, so I let him have my last few sips of coffee frap. He was in heaven. And the best part - he didn't fall asleep.

 

 

 The kids dressed in their Halloween costumes and brought prizes and goodies to hand out during BINGO gametime.

Maddox and Jude both went to the front of the dining room and called out the BINGO numbers. Well, Jude only did it once (and he insisted he could do it ALL BY HIMSELF)and then he sucked on an apple caramel lollipop the rest of the time.

Maddox loved it. They both loved handing out goodies too. Maddox picked one special older lady and gave her a stuffed bunny.

After BINGO, we went down the halls to spread some Halloween cheer to the residents who didn't get to gametime. It was so, so sad. Some of these people had no pictures hanging up and their  rooms were bare. They laid in beds or sat in a chair, looking lost.

But...when they saw the kids their faces lit up. One lady didn't want any goodies. She just wanted the kids to sing a line of Amazing Grace to her.

One man cried the whole time and apologized. He was overwhelmed by just a small act of kindness. And then one of the ladies told us she used to make dolls and then she showed us one.

There is a lot of sadness there, but a lot of wisdom too.

I'm so thankful the boys got to participate and see what letting your light shine can do for people. I hope it opens their eyes that people are lonely and hurting, and we should be as kind and giving as we can, in the little things and the big things.

 

 

 

 

"Cool" October Things

We started the Apple unit. Maddox thinks it's hilarious that apples have names like Granny Smith and Pink Lady. We sampled a few kinds and his favorite: the very sour Granny Smith!

It's been a slow weekend. I'm battling a sinus infection and this morning Maddox started with the hacking and nose blowing, so...some plans got canceled. We mostly stayed at home today. Since we had a serious excess of apples, we made an apple crisp. Andrew went to the store not once, but twice, because I forgot to tell him to get ice cream the first time. Apple crisp is worthless without vanilla ice cream. He's a good man.

We made a "fruits of the Spirit" tree on Friday. You know - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. I learned it as a song as a kid and haven't forgotten it. Maddox has really been working on self-control and patience and it shows. I see it in how he deals with his brother. And today, JUST as he opened his card from Mimi with $5 inside, the ice cream man came by. Instead of blowing his money (as he usually would), he said no to the ice cream and saved it. He really wants some light-up shoes. Since he already has a nearly brand new pair of tennis shoes, I told him he would have to buy the light-up shoes. He is being patient and saving up all his money for them. I'm proud of him! (And honestly, surprised he's made it this far.)

Jude gladly handed over his cash and got a giant Tweety Bird popsicle with blue gumball eyes. Maddox got lucky. Jude let him have one of the gumballs.

Lastnight Andrew took the boys to Postal Point's Trunk or Treat while I stayed home, coughing my head off. I did, however, get a nice, long, uninterrupted bath. :)

Maddox was bummed I didn't go, but...

...they had a blast. They collected candy, a toy snake, a play fingernail, a slinky, and some other Halloweenish stuff. 

It's been an up and down kind of week, and being sick has been awful on top of everything else, but there is something so nice about this time of year. 

Today I ran by the mall with Maddox because the weather has gotten chilly and he needed a jacket. I told him he was worse than a girl! Nothing was "cool enough." FINALLY, he settled on a blue jacket and then said he also needed a "cool hat." 

It's fun to watch him grow up and step into his personality.

He has been so sweet lately -helping around the house, growing his little garden, asking the funniest questions -hard to believe 5 years goes by so fast.

Tomorrow, we tackle our pumpkins with cookie cutters and a mallet!

Hopefully, they will turn out "pretty cool," as Maddox would say.

Change is in the air....

The air is finally turning crisp, at least early in the day and toward sunset. I love the cooler weather and the thought of wearing sweaters and jeans without sweating.

The past couple of weeks went from exciting to heartbreaking. We had been trying for a while for Baby #3 and we finally got a positive!! I made my first OBGYN appointment, told everyone the good news, started planning the nursery in my head, and even tossed around a few baby names (or more than a few). But sadly, things did not work out, and our little June baby was not meant to be. Maddox is having a hard time with it. He keeps crying randomly and saying he misses his baby. I tell him he's a big brother to a special angel baby, but I don't think it helps. I know that life isn't always happy, and that things happen for a reason, so I'm confident that the future holds good things for us and I'm thankful for what we do have: two sweet boys and a loving family.

It's been a rocky start to schooling, considering Andrew's hernia surgery, out of town guests, Jude's hernia surgery, and then this. I've done my best and was so happy this morning when Maddox remembered his sight words, counted his numbers perfectly, and was so excited to start a new unit.

It took a little longer than it was supposed to to finish the L (Leaf) unit. We read a ton of books, went on leaf hunts, charted and categorized all the leaves we found, discussed different tree types, drew and labeled the parts of the tree, and even made silly leaf people. Maddox practiced patterns with the leaves and he's progressing more on phonics. Pretty soon we start the blend ladders and simple reading. I'm excited for him and he is too.

I'm not going to lie. There have been plenty of days when I wished I had left him in public school. It's not always easy being the teacher when everything is topsy turvy, when you feel bad, when he wants to be grumpy (and so do you). But then we have these awesome days, where we spend all day together learning and exploring and I realize I made the right decision for him. We've met some great friends along the way too and I'm excited for the future. Next week we visit a nursing home to hand out gifts, homemade cards, call out their BINGO numbers, and decorate their wheelchairs. Learning is a whole lot more than sitting in a desk and I want Maddox to see this. We're also going to get together with other homeschoolers and play with SLIME, since Halloween is right around the corner and all. This time of year is my favorite.




Now, for the really fun stuff. They decorated foam bats (and my table) with glitter and painted pumpkins with their friend Ava.We played pin the nose on the pumpkin, which they thought was hilarious. We visited a local pumpkin patch and they got to snuggle bunnies, feed animals, have their face painted, and of course, pick out a pumpkin.

Oh! And I got Maddox's school pictures. A fellow homeschool mom/photographer did them for free for everyone and they are adorable. Definitely a treasure. 

4-day weekend

Ok, like I promised, here is Maddox's little book. It cracks me up. He's supposed to "read" it to me in the style of "Goodnight Moon." So, he says "goodnight" to whatever picture is on each page.

So, here we have a slide and a sea turtle eating a green carrot.

Next up, a boy in the sunshine and a seesaw.

And finally, another sunshine and a diaper.

Haha.

You gotta love kids and their imagination. 

Maddox is like me all over as a kid (well, the boy version of me). He loves making cards, little books, learning big new words, and acting like he can never ever play by himself. Haha. For example, today the boys were climbing trees. Jude happily climbed the tree while Andrew and I relaxed and talked. Then, when Maddox took his turn, he refused to climb until we were watching him. He wants you to either 1) Be his audience or 2) play WITH him. 

All the time.

But I love that little booger.

He had a ball at the fair this week. He wanted to ride everything, but thank God he wasn't tall enough for the scary rides. Jude told us he was NOT riding anything and would cry if we made him, but that quickly changed.

Of course we ended the night with a fair must-have: funnel cake!

The rest of the weekend has been pretty...lazy. Football, Maddox's first project with Lowe's Build and Grow clinic, and lots of backyard playtime. 

How cute is he in that apron?!

Each project he completes, he gets a new badge to pin on. 

The boys have always loved dirt, but even moreso lately.

This is their "garden."

Today we planted lettuce and radishes, since those are about the only things you can plant right now. If they ever actually grow it will be a miracle. I hope they do, because the boys are so excited about them. I might just have to go stick a lettuce and radish out there in a month or two if nothing happens ;)

And let's not forget tree climbing!

There are no toys out there that can beat dirt and trees...of this I'm convinced!