Lately

The kids and I have been vegging pretty hard the last couple of days. We've had a busy week. Last Friday we had our annual homeschool testing. Despite having our schoolwork review on Thursday interrupted by a trip to the ER (Paul cut his lip), the kids did well on Friday. They've all made significant progress in their studies over the past year. Grace did an exceptional job of getting caught up in her math, thanks to Grandma Dianne's help, so she is now ready for the dreaded algebra.

Matt washed down the outside of the house and the back porch with his new pressure washer on Saturday. He's thankful to all who contributed for this much wanted (and needed) birthday present. Chicken poopy is no match for Matt's handy dandy pressure washer.

We had friends here for dinner on Saturday night and then my parents came down on Sunday. My mom took Elizabeth clothes shopping at Walmart and my dad took out Paul's stitches. Dad is now our official "Suture Removal Man." He's had to do it twice in the last month. We'll just add that to his list of grandpa duties.

We've all kind of been in a funk (or fog) the last few days, so last night I pulled out some old friends, the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. I started reading the series to the kids again after a three year hiatus. I got some good advice from a homeschool mom recently concerning literature. She said that it's not quantity that matters, but quality. She said she has read the "Little House" series of books to her children several times over the years. Even Joel was listening to Pa's account of "Grandpa and the Panther," last night as I read "The Little House in the Big Woods."

Well, I'd better get back to my mommy duties. Paul needs help with his piano (yes, it's coming back to me) and the others need to be directed to do schoolwork and chores. Ahh--this is the life!