Boards

We are down to our last few weeks here in Mississippi.  Michael will take the next part of boards this weekend!!  We are excited for him to be done with this next section!

Alden, Calvin and I are still doing our summer routine, of spending lots of time outside. Calvin has started walking, I'm not sure if I posted that already but he is getting better and better at it every day.  He still has lots of falls as I am sure he will for a long while.  It is fun to see him get super excited as he sees himself walking across the floor! He is one happy and sweet baby.  We love him lots and lots.

Alden is learning more and more each day.  He loves doing school.  He is really good at sounding words out, but isn't very good at blending the letters so he still has a hard time reading the words, but he can sound out all of the letters!

I am trying to get things packed up, and enjoying these last few weeks here in Mississippi.  I also found out that I will be teaching Preschool next year, Alden and Calvin will be there with me which will make it wonderful.  It has been fun to think of some of things I can do with my students! I am excited for this next new adventure!

Packing Has Started

We just started packing.  Alden is loving it! He plugged in the Christmas tree today and got so excited, then he played with his Halloween costume, and the Easter Eggs.

I can't believe our time here is coming to a close.  We have loved this area!  The people, the climate, our home, we have many good memories from here.  We are excited for our next adventure but sad to leave so many wonderful people that we have come to know.

Summer Days

We have been having a nice relaxing summer.  Sometimes it is a blessing to have no money and no days off, because you don't have the option of going anywhere.  We have loved just being home and having all the time to relax and be together.

We also actually have a schedule for most days which I really enjoy and the boys seem to like as well.  Most mornings the boys wake up between 6:30-7. This works out great because then they can both see Michael before he leaves for school.

After breakfast we go for a bike ride...I should say Alden goes for a bike ride and Calvin and I follow in the stroller.  We all love getting out before the hot sun!

Calvin comes home and takes his nap, while Alden and I do school.  I know Alden is only 2 and doesn't really need to do school, but I love seeing him learn and he enjoys the one on one time with me, often school is just a bunch of games anyways.  We read words, play uno, count teddy bear counters, look at clocks, color pictures, look at our week, or we make dinner in the kitchen we both really enjoy it most days of the week.

When Calvin wakes up we all go swimming.   This is a love of all of us!
We come home have lunch and both boys go down for naps...or at least Calvin takes a nap..Alden thinks he doesn't need one anymore.

Afternoons consist of either violin/piano lessons or going to the library.
Overall it makes for some wonderful days!!

Nutrition

This is my latest love, (latest meaning it has been a love of mine over the last couple of years),I love studying nutrition and trying to make my meals for my family more nutritionally sound.  Did you know that most children are expected to live on average 10 years less than there parents will?  We are living in a time with so many advantages in health, and a time when you can get any type of food all year round yet this is both the reason for our poor health and the reason why we should have great health!

So many want a quick fix, and try to eat food that gives them pleasure.  I am not saying I am perfect I fall into this same boat quite often but I am trying to be better.  One of my favorite books is "Disease Proof Your Children"  every time I read it I try to make some change in how we eat.  This time the change I made was that before every dinner we sit down to a plate of salad, and then we eat our normal meal that also consists of at least one other vegetable.

The more I study nutrition the more I am amazed at our amazing bodies that God has given us, He really thought of everything when he made us.  It is amazing how well our bodies can function when we are not eating right and amazing how they function even better when we are!

I am grateful for the health that all of my family enjoys and I am grateful for the knowledge I have been given about what things are good for our bodies.

St. Louis Zoo

During semester break we headed to St. Louis.  We had wanted to go sometime before we left the area, this ended up being the perfect time to go.  The weather and everything with the whole trip couldn't have been more perfect.  We had a great time being together and having fun!

Bowling!

( I guess this was actually about a month ago. I haven't been the best at blogging lately. )
 
On one of the Wednesdays Michael had off we decided to go bowling, the place by us does a discount on those days.  We all loved it!! Especially Alden.  He got sooo excited every time it was his turn to bowl, and after he threw the ball he would often do his excited super dance, whether he hit something or not! It was great!

Alden's week

A while back I made this to help Alden learn and understand the days of the week.  He loves most of the activities we do each week and would ask about them, so now he can see and understand when they come during the week.