The biggest boy in the room

I overheard the boys playing in Caleb's room yesterday. Here was the conversation:

Caleb to Christian:
"Who has the biggest bed?" {insert 'nanny-nanny-boo-boo' voice}

Christian:
{not impressed} "Caleb."

Caleb:
"Who is the biggest boy in this room??

{..... pause}

CJ:
{not impressed} "God."

{..... pause}

Caleb:
"You're RIGHT, Christian!!!"

You tell 'm, sweet boys!!!!

swirly lollipops

had to share these fun pics.
for 69 cents a piece, so much joy. Who knew?

Classical Conversations

Today is our first day back to "CC." We are just coming off of a long winter break, and we are excited to go back and see our friends. And get back into the swing of things.

If you have never heard of Classical Conversations, I urge you to check it out. It is a classical 'method' of teaching that is used to enhance your homeschooling classroom, and it also serves as a community support for your homeschooling as well.

Once a week, we meet. Caleb is in a class with 8 other children his age, and he has a tutor. His tutor guides both the moms {or dads} and the children through the material for the week. In addition, she leads the children in a science project, an art project or music project, and a snack time. We also have the opportunity, because of CC, to have lunch as a community, followed by recess. I actually get to hang out with other homeschooling mommies {very cool ones, I might add}, once a week for lunch, while our kids play.

Classical Conversations has been an amazing experience for our family. I love how it adds structure and community to our homeschool year.

One of the greatest blessings is the community of families. To be surrounded by other moms and dads, who share the same schooling journey, is supportive and encouraging in many ways. Our son loves his class and his tutor. And I love that he has an instant community of friends... I even love that he gets a classic recess. The community experience really creates the 'best of both worlds,' for home schoolers.

Regarding the education: I can say without hesitation that the level of excellence surpasses some of the education I received in College and Grad school. And my five year old is soaking it in!
I have been amazed at how the Grammar phase of classical education really triggers his interest and confidence in learning. For example, he memorized a history sentence about Shakespeare. At five, I had never exposed him to Shakespeare directly before. And, at the time of memorizing, we did not review any understanding. I never explained to him who Shakespeare was. At least, not right then. All he knew was: "During the Renaissance period, from 1350 -1600s.....Shakespeare was a famous playwright...."

Then, recently, the subject of Shakespeare came up among adults in our home, and it caught Caleb's ear, and because he knew the Grammar, he had immediate interest in learning more. Classical learning really does take advantage of the natural ways God created us to learn.

And I must mention, our 3 year old, Christian, knows nearly as much just through hearing the CD's. CC makes it easy to teach all of these things to your children.

We are grateful to God for Classical Conversations. I just love their motto: "To know God and make him known."

Never in my wildest imagination did I think that my 5 year old would be able to do this:

his precious heart

Like so many of you, we have been praying for Edie and her family every day, a precious blogger who lost her home to fire.

This morning, on the way back from bringing Christian to preschool, Caleb spotted some construction equipment building a house. Here was his precious conversation with me:

Caleb: "Look, mommy!! Look at the cool crane and backhoe! Are they building a house?"
Mommy: "Yep."
Caleb: "(very excitedly) Are they building a new house for Edie???!!!!!"
Mommy: "Oh, no honey. Edie does not live here. They live somewhere else."
Caleb: "(determined) When I grow up, I am going to drive a loader, and I am going to build a big house for Edie!!!!! And then, I am going to go to buy them a lot, a lot of toys, from Toys R Us, and I am going to fill their new house up with toys. And I am going to get them a new garage."
Mommy: "Baby. That is a GREAT idea. Edie will love it."

Don't you just love his precious heart?

If you are not already, I invite you to join in on praying for Edie and her family.

Favorite Christmas pictures and a mini blog-cation

Hey blog friends!
We have family in town, so I will be on a mini blog-cation. Hope to see you back here next week. I will still be posting at my new Interiors blog, Fieldstone Hill. See you there? You are awesome! Thanks for supporting my dream, blog friends!!

In the meantime, I leave you with some of our favorite Christmas pics. Enjoy!!!

My absolute favorite!:

 Getting ready for Saint Nicholas:

 Twas the Night Before Christmas:

 The most wonderful story; according to Luke:

Christmas morning. Can you see the "ashen" kisses on their cheeks from St. Nick?:

 Caleb kissing baby Jesus who had just been discovered in the manger Christmas morning:

 hmmmm. Looks like Santa was reading Luke too:

 Happy Birthday, baby Jesus!!!:

May all of you have a SAFE and fun New Year's Eve!
Happy New Year 2011!!!!!!!

precious

"I scared."

These words, uttered by Christian {just turned 3}, led to this.

Now. How precious is that?

The Fruit Crown

I couldn't resist sharing these pictures.

The boys are tickled with themselves.

They are wearing the Fruit Crown. Whenever I catch one of them displaying a Fruit of the Spirit, they get to wear the crown.

It is fun to see them trying to outdo each other with kindness and other sweetness :)

"but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control." {Galatians 5:22-23}

Last moments of Fall

Pics from an Apple Farm field trip. What a joy it is to be able to experience all of these things with my kiddos. {I didn't even have to sign 10 permission slips! Another reason why I love homeschooling}.

As we say goodbye to the last days of Fall, and usher in the Holidays... I think I might go get myself another bag of crisp, crunchy Autumn Apples.

Halloween cuties

may I present:
two good shepherds.

well.
mostly good.

My little monsters

*You can find these cute little monster shirts from Boden.
{thanks Nana!}

the funniest compound word ever

Today. Caleb accidentally made me laugh. Really. Really. Really. Hard.

today we were eating pineapple.
and as a result, an interesting conversation ensued:

Christian: "How do you spell pineapple?"
Mommy: "P.I.N.E.A.P.P.L.E"

Caleb: "Hey...! That's a compound word!"
Mommy: "Yes it is! Pine and Apple!"

Caleb was excused from the table.
He headed over to a pile of library books on the moon, sun, and solar system (our upcoming studies).

Caleb: "Look Mommy! A compound word! {pointing to the title of his book:} The. Moon. !!!"
Mommy: "No, Caleb. 'The' and 'Moon' are two different words that are separate. Compound words are two different words that are written together. Here. Let me find an example in your book and show you."

so. I poured through the books quickly, but no compound word turned up.

I picked up the Solar System book, and Caleb was excited. He is digging planets these days. He spotted Saturn immediately.

Caleb: "Mommy!! Is Saturn a compound word??"
Mommy: "No..."

Caleb: "Oh! Is Uranus a compound word??"

long. long. pause by mommy.
then. I laughed for about 20 minutes.

and I was the only one laughing.

Memorizing:: Philipians 4:4

"rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say rejoice." -Phil. 4:4

{photo credit: our cool babysitter Sarah}

Brotherly Love:: a narration

The Brothers:

The Debatable Hug:

The Adoration:

The Kiss:

The Toot:

The Smeller:

The Instigation:

The Tackle:

....Brotherly Love:

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love..." Romans 12:10

A Creek Party

Caleb's Fifth Birthday Party was A Creek Party, where he had several of his friends and family over for a day of playing in our creek....

The Invitations:

The Five Year-Old.... Golly. I love this boy:

Ready to hit the creek:

Birthday Creek Fun:

Birthday cupcake time:

These are supposed to look like lawnmowers. I had a last minute cupcake-decorating-disaster that I do not care to discuss =):

More party fun:

Happy Birthday to my precious five year old boy.

Weren't you just born yesterday, baby??........