New Glasses

I'm guessing that perhaps for the first time (maybe ever?) my sister and I have different frames. I wore them all day yesterday, but had a headache and was dizzy most of the day. I'm hoping that won't happen every time I wear them.

Lizards are not our thing.

Today we had a little encounter with a friend who none of us like. His name was Mr. lizard. ewwww. None of us like lizards, so we trapped this little guy in the laundry room and called some friends over to help us.

Cute Baby and Summer days

This little cutie doesn't ever get attention as you can tell. P will sit at the table for quite a while and play with his little peg set.

Company and Cooking

Last week was an especially busy one for us in the hospitality department. We invited many people whose dad's were away on business, or had moved to another city and were waiting for their house to sell, or who wanted to come over because we had a pool (all scenarios which we are all too familiar with). One other person wanted to come to ask homeschool questions, and have me show them around Florida Virtual School's website. While on the computer with her, Peter climbed into my lap, but couldn't get comfortable, so I put him down and told him to go lay down and I would be right there to read him a book. When we turned around exactly 1 minute later, this is what we saw on the rug behind us.
Every store has fresh peaches lining the produce department now, and N. is in the cooking mode. Here, he was de-pitting and peeling peaches in preparation of a new peach cobbler recipe.
It's supposed to be peach crisp with maple cream sauce (which was really tasty) but it didn't get real crunchy, and we decided for the extra amount of work, we really like our simple recipe from Mimi. What fresh produce are YOU enjoying?

She's home!

The littles made confetti to welcome K. home-they were so excited to see her. It was the longest she had ever been away.
H. made a special dessert, Chocolate trifle (with a little bit of help from Mom) to celebrate her homecoming. We love having a big family.

Poolside reading

O. got her hair trimmed too, I forgot to mention the other day because I didn't have a picture. She made sure I had one today :) (note to self: get closet doors for their room before the next self-picture taking session).
Yesterday I did something I haven't done since we moved here 3 years ago. I sat by the pool and read while the kids swam. P. was very content to play w/kitchen stuff in his little pool, while the bigs had a rousing game of "let's-see-how-long-we-can-keep-the-beach-ball-in-the-air-without-it-hitting-the-water" (one of my favorite games). I browsed briefly through the Plow and Hearth catalog that came in the mail, even though we don't utilize a plow or a hearth, and I read another chapter of "To Kill a Mockingbird." Apparently considered classic high school reading, I had never even heard of it until I started homeschooling. It's recommended for K. to read this year so I thought I would read it first.

off to visit with the 1st of our group of guest swimmers today. stay cool!

mid July miscellany

Self-potrait of H's new haircut (she got about 6" off). Doesn't it look cute?
Curious Silly George. He really does act like him sometimes. We caught him pulling out the large drawers in the kitchen last night, and using them like stairs to climb onto the counter and start rearranging the spices. He was having a grand time.
We're currently on a Beatrix Potter kick after watching "Miss Potter." This book (which M. has asked to be read to him more than once a day for the past week) is called, "My Dear Noel: The Story of a Letter from Beatrix Potter," and tells the story of the origin of the Tale of Peter Rabbit. I had forgotten what delightful stories these are for the young ones. M. enjoys reminding P. when he gets in trouble (like for using drawers as step stools to stand on counters and get in forbidden cabinets), "Petah--mom said don't go in Mr. McGregor's garden!" and then tells him he has to go to bed with tea instead of getting blackberries for supper. Of course P. doesn't understand what any of that has to do with climbing, but I think it's an incredibly intelligent transfer of thought for a 4 year old.
This is the kid who flies under the radar too often, and doesn't get his picture posted often enough. Here, he was filling ice cube trays, and sticking army men in them so he could launch them into the pool with his slingshot after they were frozen. The water temp is hovering around 86*, so they didn't stay frozen long. But it was fun retrieving them!

Horses and the GOP

This picture was taken last fall. Our neighbor, and friend, Ann-Fraser brought her horse over for the kids to each get a turn riding. P. sure didn't know what to think. Doesn't K. look long? She's at camp in San Antonio this week, say a prayer if you think of it.
This was back in March, what our two potential politicians looked like as they went to "work" each day. N. has definately passed H. in the height department since then.

The Big Boy Bed

First, P learned how to climb out of his crib. We switched him to the pack-n-play. That worked for a month, until we went to NC. Tonight, he decided that if he could climb out of it at cousins, why not at home? Hence, we've decided to do the big boy bed ceremony. When I took the first picture, I asked, "are you sleeping?" which is why he's covering his eyes, and trying not to smile.
But, he couldn't contain his excitement (until he tried to stand up real fast and hit his head) and has since been trying to hang by the wooden cross beams. It may be a long night....

N. is off to the ortho. to see if he's ready for braces. We're going to try and put it on hold until one of the girls gets theirs off. K. goes for a recheck. Happy Monday!

H, P and Amanda and Sierra

The Dad was throwing balls to the kids, and they would jump in over the deep end, trying to time their jumps just right (except the baby who really just wanted to see himself in the camera).

O and Alyson

It's July!

We've gone much too long without posting, our apologies. This is what we're doing today---church, friends over to swim, and a parent meeting for the high school missions trip coming up Friday. What are YOU up to today?

Sweet Baby

We had fun at the park today. It was nap time, and I enjoyed a rare moment of cuddling. Couldn't you just sop him up with a biscuit?

Now and then

A special Flashback Friday sequence. Do you think they look much different? They don't act much different at all. Notice in the "then" picture, N. is the only one wearing shoes. It wasn't any different today. The girls are all wearing no shoes, but N. decided (yes, at 13 years old) that he didn't want to have his shoes off for the pic. What's up with that?

Original Art

Can you guess what it is? I'll give you a hint. It's a famous monument given to America by France. Yep-the Statue of Liberty as seen from inside a computer. We finally got rid of our first computer in our city's "cash for trash" program (they gave us $5 off our ridiculous electric bill). However, Dad Ru, being the conservative that he is, didn't want the memory going down with it (you never know who will go dumpster diving in the city dump. ew.) So, he took the memory part out, and told the kids to have at it. They had a great time. I think in all, it was smashed into about a bijillion pieces, and what was left, O. made into this masterpiece using hot glue. Who told her she could get old enough to use a hot glue gun by herself? Pretty inspirational anyway. Maybe she and her like-aged cousins could open an art school. Doesn't that sound like Lea and Sar would enjoy?

Ru cousins

Here's a picture of Stefan, Gloria's youngest. Yes, he's in Iraq (how did he get that old that fast?) If you think of it, pray for him. He's not walking with the Lord at this time, but knows Who is in charge. I wonder if his sleeping roomate knew this picture was being taken? They are not allowed to take pic's outside. At least not where he is at this time.

flashback friday

For some reason, I can't upload the flashback photos sent by you and Jerry, Mom. So, here's one K. had uploaded to her MySpace. We're off to teach co-op at the park this morning until this afternoon, and then I'll spend more time trying to figure out how to post the other pic's.

Flashback Friday

Okay, so the color gives it away--wish there was a chance of this happening here this winter.

Our apologies for being AWOL the past week - time is flying by too fast.

The story behind this picture, if you don't remember, is the Dad was having so much fun pulling her down the driveway in this plastic laundry basket until she started to cry. I kept saying, "I think there's something wrong, she sounds hurt." But the Dad insisted she was fine. When he finally tired and brought her in, we noticed that there was a hole in the bottom of the basket, and her poor little tusshie was cold and wet. She loves that story now. Wait until she's engaged.....oh, the stories we'll have to tell...........but what a great smile, eh?

World Geography

This week's assignment for the two taking world geography through Florida Virtual School was to pick a European country, and make a graph of its particulars, and write an imaginary 5 day itinerary. Once they had submitted that, they had to pick a food indigenous to their country, find a recipe, shop for the ingredients, and cook the food for their family. This class has been tough for all of us. Full of "busy work" and assignments that don't match whats being studied, and miscommunication between the teachers and what's expected of their students. Throw in some inappropriate emails from unknown classmates, and we're wondering if this is a path worth taking, even if it is free. However, since H. chose Italy, she made stromboli for lunch, and since N. chose France, we had crepes with strawberry and whipped cream for dessert. At least something has come out of it!

Flashback Friday-cousins!

It's not flashing back too far to see this pictures. It's just been a long day, and I don't want to take the time to try to download other pictures, and we can't figure out how to post the pictures Jerry sent us (I haven't asked K. the computer guru yet, though).

Still hot and steamy in Florida-----