Living Like Kings

We started homeschool yesterday and oh what a day we had.  We started out the morning with my last ladies meeting here at the house and our 18 cumulative children!  We had a brunch and just enjoyed eachother’s company.  The kids were great and the house was even intact!

In the afternoon the two little guys laid down and the 4 older kids looked over their books for the year.  We got our curriculum from Classical Academy which is a charter school.  The work is supposedly well suited for homeschooling  so I thought I’d give it a try since its free.

At this point I’m a bit overwhelmed which is very natural.  The lesson plans are very detailed and my work has increased times 4 this year since I had combined Zaccai and Hannah last year and let Wes and Kaeli set their own pace.  I have discs to consult each morning and online instructions and hard copy instructions…. oh the direction we have.  I guess they set it up so anyone can teach because some of the instructions are a bit overkill.  We’ll get into a routine and things will ease up.

This week is busy for George too as school at Light and Life gets ready to start next week.  We have been a bit short with eachother since we both feel overwhelmed but we are experiencing God’s grace in our marriage and are quick to make up and clarify.  I forgot how much I like summer!

Last night a few of the non-jiu-jtsu kids went with me to gather the last few supplies we would need to get rolling.  We stopped my Michael’s and found the most AWESOME treasure box things.  My friend Shayna helped me come up with some systems for motiviating my learners and it was an instant attitude change when they saw all the goodies  I’d bought and the charts to track family responsibilities and homeschool cooperation. Yeah!  I look forward to the crying fits diminishing as my kids get used to the new expectations of the school year.

I’m not an one to get thrilled about instructions for anything so all the endless directions for this homeschool program are freaking me out.  Our internet is patchy so we signed for Cox cable internet…. I guess we’re prewired at the house but which cable to use?  We’ve never used our cable before.  Our small group sessions are over now so today’s Friday night will be, “Let’s see if Daddy makes a good cable guy.” Once internet is working I can use a lot of online helps that the school offers and hopefully it won’t take 15 minutes to log on.

I know transitions take time and things will pan out.  It’s just I hadn’t really planned on doing this curriculum until 10 days ago and I got the actual books 2 days before we had to begin.  I’m not used to the detailed paperwork I have to chart and keep track of everybody’s progress.  I just figured they were learning and we saved the work they did in case we were audited. 

I appreciate the structure and hopefully the acountability will make quality education possible at home.  I need a kick in the pants every now and then.

My mom left yesterday morning and we are missing them.

All those CA grandbabies

I really appreciated having help with the kids while Mom was here. I got so much done…. Dr. visits, dentist appointments….   It’s rather a challenge fitting 7 people in those little waiting rooms so I am thrilled to have had backup to take just the patients necessary.

George and my Mom have a good relationship.  I’m thankful they have always loved eachother and respected eachother. 

We had fun playing poker while they were visiting but this is not Mom paying up…. she just loves giving and in this photo I caught her emptying her change purse.  George is the grateful recipient who was given instructions to SHARE!

Zaccai had so much fun with Derek. They got to get slurpees and go on dog walks and lots of big guy stuff.  It will take me a couple of days to remind Zaccai that he’s really only 10 and should stay close to home now that his big uncle is back in Wenatchee.

Leandra, my youngest sister, had a lot of fun playing with the kids.  Her visit was very short but the girls made the most of it.

My mom is a hard worker but she does like to have fun.  We always have a water fight and this years was the biggest!

Leandra was 4 when I got married and she has grown into a lovely young lady while I’ve been off raising my own kids.  I’m glad she got to pop in for a bit.

I know they don’t really seem like they go together but they both bring huge smiles to my girls’ faces. Kaeli and Hannah used their birthday money to purchase hamsters and have had a lovely time getting to know their new pets.  Kaeli especially is enjoying her hamster, which she named Trousers.  He is enormous for a hamster and has a slow steady personality.  A perfect companion for our exuberant daughter. Hannah picked a peach and white girl hamster that she named Trixie.  She’s a bit of a biter so we are being gentle with her socializing.  I on the other hand wanted a rabbit.  So I enjoyed a few moments at the petshop down the street holding bunnies.  George even took me on a date to go pet them, cheap date!

My sister Leandra flew in last night with my brother Patrick who will be living with us again while he finishes college.  Leandra hadn’t seen her nieces of nephews for a few years so they are having fun catching up.

So I think relations trump rodents  but we are enjoying them simultaneously. 

Our time together has seemed to evaporate but honestly living life together has been so sweet and full. And oh, how thankful I have been for the help with the house, kids, appointments and other responsibilities.  Community is a beautiful thing!

My Mom brought a truckload of legos down with her from Wenatchee, Washington.  My brother, Derek, has been the official lego gatherer after they play… oh, how I’ll miss him!  The kids have been having a blast and George too, on his day off.

Hours of big fun!  Some of the legos are from 2 generations before Zaccai.  Classic!

Aravis and Gina Silos

Hannah King and Hannah Silos

Timmy Silos, Zaccai and Jeff

We have been enjoying swimming with friends and afternoons at the beach.

Nick Nielsen and Zaccai

Mary Nielsen and Aravis

Buried Treasure

Staying cozy

Cheetos!  These were soooo stale and impossible to chew, I don’t even think the sea gulls wanted them.

Grandma Melka kept a watchful eye on the babies

Sand crabs are fun to catch

Swimming with Darsey Smrt and her girls

 Timmy loves wearing goggles.  He says he’s a rock star when he wears them.

Avery is very brave

Kaeli, Avery and Hannah...little water bugs

Summertime needs summer hair

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We are now done with our vacation laundry and the car is cleaned out so I decided this would be a good time to post.

We enjoyed 5 days away and some major family bonding.  Our 8 hour drive took us more like 11.

The kids really did pretty well on the trip up and back.  They squabble but they make up quick and we loved playing the alphabet game as we drove around.

Our dear friends let us use their family cabin near Twin Pines Lake and we really enjoyed dipping our toes in… and jumping off the buoys.

Aravis is part fish and it was great to play on the easy graded shore, no big waves to worry about and it was much quieter than the beach.  A very fun experience for all of us!

Zaccai and Hannah got to do some fishing with Daddy. We felt a bit of a strain this trip with our broad age range.  Our activities were very modified to fit the toddlers and it seemed like we made the best of it.  I guess its a good thing for all of us to learn to put the needs of others above our own.  I am looking forward to doing this again in about 5 years!

Well, Hannah stood up for  Kaeli when they were swimming with a new friend.  This was huge considering that Hannah really values her peers and this was an older girl.  I was so proud of her and I hope this continues in all her friendships.

We enjoyed a trip to get ice cream in nearby Jamestown. Aravis especially enjoyed it!

Yosemite was amazing.  It looked like these huge boulders just popped out of the ground.  I did read the information at the park and know that the granite was left as layers of softer rock was peeled off bit by bit through time.  I am still amazed.

We weren’t even able to make the 1 mile hike around the visitor center at the park.  But we were able to enjoy the beauty all around. And all the kids got sworn in as Junior Rangers.

Now Aravis was really into this whole nature thing and felt a particular sense of freedom in our new surroundings.

We laughed until we cried as the kids played with the only toys they brought on our trip.  I guess it just shows how creative you can get when you have a little time on your hands. The littler two were asleep so safety was less of an issue.

We certainly did come and find refreshment at our cabin retreat.  Many thanks to the Byroads for letting us  enjoy their hospitality.

Zaccai has been being a boy, with the help of Nick Nielsen.  They are teaching Hannah to shoot  too.

They have a fort that makes my front lawn look ridiculous but it is so much fun for them.  What else is summer for anyway?  I just keep my eye on them in the front yard and I keep all the ammo in the backyard.

My sister, her husband and their two kiddies came into town yesterday.  What fun we’ve had catching up.

Only Hannah, Aravis and I had met Waverly before. Uncle George has been known to walk by and smooch the picture of Wavey on the fridge.  He was delighted to get know this little lady personally. My sister’s husband, Uncle Bebo, is having a ball with all the kids. As an army guy I guess he knows how to deal with my brood.  What patience, I tell ya!

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I don’t know if these will play but we’ve been getting our groove on lately.