Tuesday, October 2, 2018

A day in the life of Tuesday

Tuesday’s are our busiest day. Today, we dropped Blue off at pre-school, then came home for a few minutes. While the kids stayed in the car, I made them lunches and put supper in the crock-pot. We drove to Lily Moms for a leadership meeting. It was a wonderful morning and I’m always so encouraged just being there. Aunt Judy picks up Blue for me when we have Lily Moms so we met her back at our house to pick up Blue. They ate their lunch in the car while we drove to co-op. Today was impact T-shirt and crazy hair day. The boys wore faux-hawks and Alabama just wanted pig tails. Everyone had a great day and we stopped by Lidl on the way home to get a few groceries. (PSA- they’re pumpkin filled donuts are back and are pretty much the best donut ever!) (oh, and for the health conscious, Honeycrisp apples are 99cent a pound!) Mattie Mae fell asleep on the way home and when we got home, she stayed asleep and the kids played outside for a while. Adam finished getting supper ready and we ate tacos. #tacotuesday We are then Pate wanted to do the “dinosaur excavation” he got at co-op. He hammered away on the porch for a while then it was time for baths and bed. And by time, I mean past time. When I sat down after putting everyone to sleep, it was 9:41. What in the world happened to the night?? And here it is 12:01 and I’m about to take a shower while I listen to a podcast. If you just read all this, bless you. Ha! Also, if you have any ideas about how to get pictures onto Blogger from your phone, please let me know!!

Monday, October 1, 2018

October 1st

In the past, I’ve blogged everyday in October, and I thought it would be fun to do that again. We have lots of fun things coming up and it will be fun to make sure I write about them a little bit! We have been in “school” two months now and it has been going so well! We love our co-op and our days at home have been great, too! Everyone gets their work done most days and we’ve had some fun outings and field trips. Blue is going to preschool everyday and is doing so well! 
Our curriculum this year: 
Alabama-4th grade :

LA- Abeka 
Math- Teaching Tectbooks (she’s finishing up the previous level then will move into the next one) This has been a game changer for our homeschool life! 
Penmanship- Handwriting without tears- cursive 
Science and Art at our co-op and CC memory work
History- CC memory work 
Music-Piano
I think we need a writing curriculum like IEW but we haven’t added it at this time. 

Pate-1st grade
Math- Abeka 
LA- Abeka 
Penmanship- Handwriting without Tears
Science and Art at our co-op and CC Memory Work
History- CC Memory work
Music- Drums 

We’ve been to see Cinderella by the Columbia County Ballet at the Imperial, learned how to make a movie at the Apple store, hiked to see Anna Ruby Falls, and went to the painted piano dedication at the Book Tavern. 

Happy October 1st! 

May 31, 2018

So since I'm really terrible lately about blogging milestones, birthdays, etc....Here is an update of what Alabama is up to on THIS day. :)
Alabama is 9 and is the tallest in her class. She is finishing up 3rd grade. We still have a little bit to do in math and spelling over the summer. She is a fantastic reader and loves to read American Girl books, Who Was books, and right now is reading her first Nancy Drew novel. She's not normally into mysteries because they scare her, but she said she's actually liking it a lot. She helps me so much with everything from taking care of Mattie Mae to watching out for her brothers to teaching them in her "school." She is a little Mama through and through. It can get a little out of hand at times, though. She sometimes forgets I'm the actual Mama. She is absolutely beautiful but has started to notice things she doesn't like about her appearance like freckles. That makes me sad. She has had a lot of trouble with anxiety and worry this year. We quote Bible verses on fear often. I try to make sure she has all the information about a situation so she doesn't worry. She played softball this Spring, but didn't really like it. She had a few good hits and stops, but tells me often it's her first and last year. ha! She still loves to play dolls and dress up. We've hit a sort of sweet spot where she and Mattie Mae play babies together. MM will ask her "Play babies?" MM just got a Bitty Baby and they've had the most fun with their matching dolls. Alabama is still very shy and won't talk to people, but has gotten a little better at responding to questions people ask. She also had a solo in the Children's Musical and sang beautifully! She loves clothes and shoes and is so into putting outfits together. She still loves her skinny jeans but hates long shorts. She is so funny and witty and a lot sassy. Especially when Audra is here. She notices everything and takes in her surroundings and studies people.

Friday, March 31, 2017

Pate the Five Year Old

*forgot to publish this!

Pate,
My sweet boy. You are a whole hand now! You were so excited and counted down the days on your tractor calendar by your bed to when it would be your birthday! I can't believe how much our lives have changed in five years.
When you were a baby, people would stop us and say, "Yo baby so juicy!" and now you are the one loving on our baby girl.
When you were a baby, you always went to sleep so well and when I tried to rock you to sleep, you would rock for a few minutes, then point to your bed and want to lay down. Now, you want the lights off, door shut, Blue quiet. But....sometimes you ask me to lay down with you. Then you ask me what my favorite part of the day was and you tell me yours.
When you were a baby, you didn't talk very much at all. Now, you have lots to say and have many conversations. Especially with your cars and trucks. I love how you have the bigger ones be the Mama and Daddy and the little one the "son."
When you were a baby, you loved to eat canteloupe and blueberries. You still love fruit, especially apples, grapes, strawberries, oranges, and bananas. But not canteloupe or blueberries.
When you were two, you knew right away how to drive your little tractor. Now, you fly through the field on your four wheeler and are a great driver!
When you were a baby, we were so amazed how you walked at 10 months. Now you are super fast and can even beat Alabama in a race. But only when you have on your "fast shoes."
You love to play outside, "play" football, ride your bike, drive your four wheeler, play with your animals, play with your cars and monster trucks, read books, play games (you are the master at Memory) and watch TV.
We love you so much, Usry Pate, and are praying for the man God has called you to be! I pray you will follow Him with your whole heart and love Him more than anything else! We are so blessed to have you as our son!

Mattie Mae is One!

Mattie Mae,
This was seriously the fastest year of my life! How in the world is my baby already one? It feels like just the other day we were meeting you for the first time and falling in love with your sweet beautiful face! We are just thankful beyond words that God saw fit to add you to our family. We love you so much and I am overjoyed and honored to be your Mama!
We celebrated your birthday a day early on Wednesday because Daddy is working the outage at his new job at Plant Vogtle and only has one day off. We went to see the animals at the zoo! You saw the gorillas, elepahants, and  giraffes, We all had a great time together!
On Thursday, we woke up and gave your presents from Alabama. She bought you some tissue and puffs. You LOVED pulling out all the Kleenex. Dream come true! We played and sang and had a fun day. Nana came over with Papa Ralph and Mimi and brought you a little party. She had a balloon, and a present (a mama and baby giraffe, and a cute outfit), and yellow cupcakes with a 1 candle. That was so sweet of her. She wanted you to have a cupcake on your birthday. You had no trouble at all knowing what to do with that cake! ha! You ate it and wanted more!
At one, here are some things you are doing:
You can stand up alone, but have only taken one step. You just fall to the person if we try to get you to walk to them.
You still have NO teeth.
You can say Mama, Dada, bye, stop (a much needed word in your vocabulary!). We also think you say other words like there, alabama, kah kah, and "i did it"
You like to wave and clap. You dance when you hear music.
You wake up many times at night. But, I've been hoping that the one year old birthday would be magical like it was for Blue. You slept until around 4:30 this moring! #allthepraisehands
You love your Mama and if I'm not available, your Little Mama, Alabama. You have just started to occasionally want to go to Daddy.
You are a screamer. Like ear piercing. We've got to work on that "more" sign.
You like to play with your toys. Your favorite things are taking items out of something or putting them in. You also like to play with your house and your walking toys.
You make us laugh everyday with your funny faces and mannerisms.
The boys are all over you all the time. Pate's name for your is Cutie Pie. He must say it 20 times a day. You are quick to let them know when you've had enough. They love you so big!
Alabama carries you around, gets your dressed, plays with you, watches you, and loves you so much! She made you a birthday card that says you're a birthday princess and has a bible verse "You are worth far more than rubies!" So sweet! She loves for y'all to match as much as I do!
Side note: it's now 8:52 and you're still asleep. #morepraisehands
You are beautiful and I just love to stare at your sweet face! I think you look a lot like Alabama, but like Pate, too. Your hair is long enough for a big ponytail on top and a big bow and I just love it!
You wear size 12-18 month clothes and size 3 shoes and size 3 diapers.
We love you and are so excited to watch you grow and learn! I know God has a special plan for you and I pray you will follow Him all the days of your life. You are the perfect baby of our family and we are so glad you are ours!


Sunday, January 15, 2017

6 months

9 months

So, I got a little lot behind, but here's the latest!
Mattie Mae, you are nine months old! How can it be? Weren't you just born the other week? Well, now a days, you are doing lots of new thing. You stand up in your crib, you have pulled up on the couch, you wave hey and bye. You had your first Christmas and enjoyed opening the gifts and playing with your new toys! You weigh 18 pounds, 6 ounces and are 28 inches tall. You wear 9-12 month clothes and size 2 or 3 shoes. You can get to sitting from laying. You started crawling this month, just in time to get to the Christmas tree. You also had your first ear infection and cold. boo. You want your Mama most of the time and are excellent at finding all the tiny things on the floor. You still wake up at least one or twice a night. You love to eat baby food, yogurt, advocados, and nurse every 3 hours. We love you sooo much and are thankful beyond words to have you as the baby of our family.