south carolina: the kids' first fishing adventure.

my mom and the kids went fishing off the dock.  both kids actually caught fish and had a great time.

weekly whut update.

YOU GUYS, IT IS FRIDAY.  already!  there is hope for the rest of this life if it can be friday already.

things that happened this week:

1.  my sister got us hooked up with netflix for the first time ever, and oh my word, y'all, we have watched so. much. 30 rock. it's almost embarrassing.  three words: awwwwwwesommmmme daaaayyyyyyte noooyyyyyt.

2.  since todd's been home all week (more on that later), i've spent the week trying to get the house deep cleaned.  i got a chance to make it happen for the first time since we moved in last summer, so i snatched up the opportunity. needless to say, my house is all torn up right now, since i've been cleaning out cupboards and closets and pulling up rugs, but have not gotten everything put back... todd is rethinking his decision to enable me in this.

3.  in art, the kids are learning about fra angelico, who painted all kinds of religious frescos for the vatican and such.  there are like zero lesson plans out there on this guy, so i just winged it and taped some paper to the wall, and let them pretend to paint a fresco.  

fra angelico's 'thing' was illustrating stories from the life of christ, so i asked the kids to choose a story from jesus' life to paint.  atticus chose the birth of jesus, penelope chose the baptism of jesus.  this is what the painting turned out looking like:

yes, that is definitely a black hole and also a fire truck.  just like in the bible.

4.  finneas had a pretty normal week:

and the big kids joined in.

5.  we found a ladybug!  like, a real, live lady bug, not a japanese beetle.  it's been a while since we've seen one of these.

6.  and best of all, laurelai is beginning to walk!  she's regularly taking steps here and there.  exciting times.

video vednesday: some motivational speaking, courtesy of apollos hester.

so.  much.  jibberish.  i.  can't.  even.

south carolina: now, there's a first.

i bought gum for the (biggest) kids to try for the first time.  it was a perfect time to give it to them, as we were waiting for our food at a restaurant and y'all know how nuclear that can turn in no time flat.  their responses were positive, though not easily and accurately captured on film memory card.  (that doesn't quite have the same ring to it, does it?)

and just because i like being gratuitous (i'm a giver at heart), here are more restaurant photos of some of the same-old, same-old: the little kids being adorable and hungry.

you know what they say:  at some point in their lives, all the greats have chewed gum OR eaten a sandwich in south carolina.  now, i'm not implying anything here, but the van voorsts have done both.  so there's that...

so, we went to the zoo like a million years ago.

i'm pretty sure this trip happened in like august.  but they're perfect it's-cold-and-it's-monday-let's-pretend-life-is-different photos.

we went with my sister and had a blast, blasts, and half a blast.  (thanks for taking all these photos, lauren!)

i think finneas may have instigated a sword fight with his burger.  as per usual.

oh good gracious, how i love this photo.

(todd inadvertently appearing to be grabbing his tortoise-boobs.  whoops.  when at the zoo, do as the zoo do.  assuming the zoo do that.)

one of the many joys of going places with others is that we actually get photos with all of us in them.  of course, not everyone is looking at the camera, but what else is new?

BROTHAZZZZZ.

so, not to brag on my bicep or anything, but...

so that was the trip we took to the zoo back before the dinosaurs were invented.  i'm just going to pretend like the sunshine is still around and that tank top is still an active part of my life.  and that, friends, is how you successfully utilize some serious denial on a cold, october monday morning.  blech.  

weekly 'what's up.'

atticus' biggest news of the week:

a popcorn party for a superhero.  a superhero named Word Boy who carries his own homemade guitar.

penelope's biggest news of the week:

since school began, the kids haven't been required to nap everyday.  penelope is having a difficult time adjusting.

finneas' biggest news of the week:

punk cakes.  hmmmm.

he looks like he's celine dion, singing it a power ballad.

laurelai's biggest news of the week:

yeah, i know.  she's thirteen months old and still using a bottle.  the other kids were weaned like day numero uno after they turned one.  i'm not prepared to undergo such extremes at this point, so she still gets to milk babyhood for all it's worth.

and that was our week! how was yours?

in homeschool lately.

yeah, so i get that most of these photos are in terrible focus and the zoom is weird and whatever.  so sue me.  i just thought it might be fun to occasionally let you in on what's going on at school.  JEEZ, WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS SO CRITICAL????? jk jk jk jk.  (these are actually the things i say to myself when i'm getting ready to post a blog and i've already eaten like three bowls of cheesy rice casserole in the meantime.)

**this month's folk song has been 'barbara allen,' which, if you're really into 70's folk singers, should be right up your alley.  pete seeger's version has been the one we've been listening to.  penelope's verdict? 'i don't like this song.  it isn't good.'  i really kind of agree with her, but only in secret.

**this month's hymn has been 'abide with me.'  So. So. Good.  the kids could care less about it, but that's because they don't recognize the theological goldmine in lines like, 'thou hast not left me, oft as i left thee; on to the close, lord, abide with me.'  here is the version we've been listening to: the original lyrics set to new music.  it's great.

**our character focus has been on compassion.  we're trying out a book from this series, and i'm liking it for the most part.  the problem i foresee running into a lot with character training 'curriculum' is legalism, and there honestly is some of that in here.  i just try to keep the focus on why we try to grow in godly character: we have already been given a record of perfection in christ, so now we're free to grow in true christlikeness by cooperating with the holy spirit's work in us.  we want to grow in character because we love and want to be like our Jesus, not because it earns us brownie points with god or people.

**math is penelope's favorite subject.  she is All. Over. It.  we use math-u-see and are loving it so far.  it comes with a 'math movie' that they get to watch once a week, which is basically comprised of a bunch of low-budget, thirty-second clips of a middle aged guy with a mustache drawing some numbers on a white board. hands down, it's the BEST PART OF THE WEEK AT OUR HOUSE. Math Guy has become a deeply loved parent-figure in our home.

**our artist for the term is Fra Angelico.  never heard of him?  neither had i.  but he's actually kind of awesome in that classic-religious-art kind of way.  plus, he uses a lot of pinks and blues and gilding, so you know i love him.

**our memory verses this month have been micah 6:8 and ephesians 4:32, and we've also been working on memorizing 'if i can stop one heart from breaking' by emily dickenson, and my phone number.  (and by that, i mean the kids have been working on memorizing my phone number.  i've had that one down for a while.)

**and lastly, we choose a different worship song to focus on each week.  this one is crazy good.

so, welcome!  you're now basically part of our homeschool.  if you want me to give you a Homie name, all you have to do is ask.  you know i will be more. than. happy. to oblige.  also, my attendance records show that you should show up to class more often.  mostly so we can skip class and drink coffee together instead.

video vednesday: i'm pointing my wand as hard as i can!