Field Trip

We went on our first homeschool group field trip!  The children loved it and I am thrilled to have found this beautiful beach.  A group put on this trip for the children to learn to sail and navigate the way the ancient Hawaiians did.  They all helped to rig the boat and each got a chance to steer.  It was a beautiful morning and I feel blessed that Dan was able to get leave and come with us. 

 

Grandma is here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am beyond blessed to have this wonderful woman in my life.  The fact that she is an early childhood teacher is another thing I wouldn't trade for the world.  We are loving her company.  How humbled am I that God gave me a mother who loves children and prays for all of us! 

I broke out the sewing machine for the first time in forever to make these two cuties costumes for Halloween.  They each picked the fabric they wanted/mom could afford at Walmart and the trim and accents.  I used a really simple tutorial found here and were able to make them rather quickly.  It was a lot of fun creating again and I'm inspired to do more crafting for my home and family! 
They will get a lot of us!  Thea used hers as a Queen Ester costume for AWANA tonight and Mareea will wear hers to preschool this week.  They both wore them to the Chapel's Harvest party, too.  I promised to put makeup on them for Halloween so they can look like "real" maidens.  Technically I think that Thea is Queen Guinevere and Mareea is Elaine (Lancelot's wife).  Check out these books for some seriously beautiful illustrations of King Arthur and his knights. 
The girls are so excited about them and it just gives me so much joy to bless them in this way.  I give God the glory for helping me to find the time to make them. 

Gideon and Mareea's first day of Preschool!!!

Well, I did something I have never done before...I signed up my babies for preschool!  It was a decision I had really prayed and agonized over as I prefer them to be home with me.  However, my two year old terrorist has pretty much defeated me!  I can't even tell you what goes on in this house with this little guy running around.  I can tell you that it's not schooling the older ones, that's for sure!  Some friends suggested a preschool not too far from the house and we went to check it out.  I love that it is only two times a week for less than three hours.  It's enough time for us to get some school work done, but not so long that I feel I'm missing out on being the mama.  We decided to let Mareea go too since I was having a hard time getting to do her school with her and thought she might benefit and enjoy preschool. 
They love it.  Gideon asks to go and his teacher seems to really understand him so far.  The first day she said he was very helpful and a good listener.  um...my kid?  The one with the red hair?  Gideon? 
We will see how the year goes.  I can't believe the amount of school I can do with the olders during that hour and a half. 
Here are a few pictures of their first day.  Thea did some photo bombing as she was pretty bummed there was not a class for her! 

Thea's first soccer game

This girl has wanted to play soccer for ages.  She finally has gotten her chance this season and just loves it.  She is really into it and we love to watch her play.  I kind of feel like I felt ballet slipping away as she played this first game.  It made me sad, but I want her to do what she loves.  We love how she is always the smallest on the field, but the most aggressive.