On The Road Again!

We always seem to be traveling! We are spending the next two weeks visiting family. June Bug is staying with friends and then they will send him off to scout camp. We are busy going out to eat (which the kids love), visiting friends and family. Next week we will hopefully go to a water park. The kids are staying up late every night--and I am exhausted! We are having lots of fun!
Dad is working the whole time so we are on our own. We love spending time with family and friends. Happy 4th!
Linz

On Her Own!

I was nursing the baby this afternoon when I look over to the kitchen and see Ladybug standing on the counter! I have never seen her do that! I quietly motioned for someone to get me the camera and I took a picture of her. I then called to her, "Ladybug, what are you doing?" She turned very slowly and smiled and said she was getting her lollipop mold and chocolates out and she didn't want to disturb me. She is so funny! She is such a good girl-always helping out and she makes good choices! What a doll! We love her!

We have seen many Ladybugs lately, have you?

Linz

ps Don't look at our kitchen mess!

We're Moving!

That's right! We don't know when but it will be sometime soon. We don't know where yet but it will be soon. We will move out of our house first and then put the house on the market. Dad got a new job and it is out of our area so we will move closer to his work. We are sad, we love the area where we live. We love our homeschool group, our friends, our church family, the slower pace of life, the museums and so much more. I know we will love the area we will be moving to once we get there and there will be a lot to explore. So today was a little sad when we packed our first box. BUT, we are very proud of Daddy and happy for him. He takes good care of us! More on the move later.

Linz

ps notice the little Water Bug helping--he pulled books off the shelf for us ;)

Zoo

I took the kids to the zoo today! It was a perfect day to go--76 degrees with a gentle breeze! The park was not crowded and we did not have to wait at any exhibit for people to move so we could see. Every animal was out and moving around except the tigers and kangaroos. Water Bug did so well! He cried only once, when a goat looked at him in the barnyard exhibit. The kids loved the sloths and squirrel monkeys the best. I was sad that my hubby could not go and experience the sloths and other animals with us but there will be other times. Here is wishing you a 76 degree day with a gentle breeze and well behaved kids!
Linz

Water Bug and Fruit

I have been trying to feed Water Bug since he was 4 months old (when all my other kids ate). He refused so I did not try again until he was 6 months-which he refused again. I strictly nurse my babies (no water, juice, pacifier or bottle ) until they are 8-9 months but I have always gave them food around 4 months. Not my last one -- he wants to nurse and nothing else! That's fine with me, he is such a chunk! I would like him to start trying to eat cereal or fruit so that when we are on the road (and we are always on the road visiting family) he can have a snack in his seat and maybe he'll be happier. Anyway, I found this pacifier looking thing (I can't remember what it's called) that you open and put fruit in and he won't get chunks of food just the juice. Here is a picture of him trying fruit. So cute!

Linz

Making Butter

Today the kids and I made butter! We read a few books on Colonial Days then decided to make butter. We put cream in a jar and shook it for about 10 minutes. We drained the buttermilk and June Bug shaped the butter on a plate. The kids spread it on bread and ate it. Everyone liked it and some ate seconds and thirds! What a great way to learn!
Linz

Happy Bithday June Bug!

June Bug turned 13 yesterday! He spent the day playing his new XBOX (he bought it himself) with his friend, watching his first PG13 movie (Pirates of the Caribbean), he visited friends in the afternoon, opened presents, he did a service project with the youth in our church and then to top it off he put his face in his Oreo Pie! He requested french toast for breakfast, chicken and rice wraps for lunch, Shepherd's pie for supper and Oreo Pie for dessert.
June Bug is a wonderful big brother and a great son! We are so thankful to have him in our family! Happy Birthday June Bug!
Linz

Summer Evening

After supper, yesterday, we went outside to play. The kids played until dark. They jumped rope, blew bubbles, rode bikes/scooters, played baseball and jumped rope. Our jump rope champ was June Bug with 46 jumps! What a lovely evening with the kids! Linz

Experimenting With Plants And Soil

Every summer I produce a calendar of activities for the kids. Each day there would be an activity they would have to do. This summer I decided that we were going to read all summer and play a game together each day. We read everyday regardless but this summer I plan to have them choose a subject and then we are going to read all about it and if an activity presents itself we'll do it!

We started this plan yesterday. It went GREAT! Our reading lasted about an hour and a half. During that time I had a chance to go over some things we had learned throughout the year. We read about plants and soil. When we had finished we thought we might do a couple of experiments. First we took a jar and filled it 1/3 of the way with dirt--Math. We added water to the top then shook it. We then put it on our counter and we are letting it settle for 24hrs. We hope to see what kind of soil we have; heavy, light or a mixture. For our next experiment we took a pan and filled it with dirt, planted some grass seeds and watered it. After a week in the sun we will cover half of the pan with cardboard. We each made a hypothesis of what we thought might happen to the grass under the cardboard. The activities ran smoothly. Each child had a job and felt good about his/her role. There was no arguing (in fact there wasn't any the whole day!) and everyone pitched in to clean up when we were done. I think from start to finish "school" took 1hr 45min! What an awesome way to kick off our summer!

Linz

Science Project Pictures

Science Fair

Last night was our homeschool groups science fair/end of the year party. All of the projects were great! There was quick sand, plants, biomes, the 5 senses, reports, bird adaptation, habitats and more. My children did very well! My younger ones had a scrapbook of what they did in science, they read it and showed the pictures. June Bug did a project on birds, the different types of beaks they have and how they adapt to there surroundings. He did a fabulose job! I love having a big kid who can get an idea and with very little help from me ("Mom, where's the tweezers and plant seeds?") do his own science experiment! I love teaching my kids at home!

Linz

No Greater Calling

Last week we went on a small trip. We stayed at my Mother in Law's house, except she wasn't there. My husband had to work so the kids and I went on a few field trips to keep us busy. The week before we took our oldest and youngest to a HS conference at Southern Virginia University. When we returned home we did laundry and went to church. On Monday we took the kids to an amusement park and then drove a few hours to stay at my MIL's house. Everyday that we spent there was go go go! The kids had stayed up late while we were gone and then every night since we had been home. My husband had to work and we only saw him at night so I kept the kids busy all day. The kids started to complain and argue over everything. My patience were running thin. One morning as we were getting ready to leave the house to start our day, my husbands Aunt stopped in. We said hello and continued to gather our things that we would need for the day and pack the car. The kids said goodbye and went to the car. As I went to say goodbye she said to me, "Linz, you really enjoy your kids--it really shows!" Wow! Here I was frustrated and thinking I had had enough and then someone comes along and reminds me that I have no greater calling than to be with and raise my children! I know that my Heavenly Father was speaking through this woman, telling me He's proud of me and that He loves me. Over the next two days I received three compliments about my family--one from my Dad, a stranger and another one of my husbands Aunts with tears in her eyes. I am so grateful to those people who felt the spirit whisper to them to uplift me when I was feeling unappreciated and tired.
We are now home and ready to kick off our summer! We will be attending our homeschool group end of the year party tonight. The kids are excited and so am I! Happy Summer!
Linz

Frying Pan Park

The kids and I went on a field trip to a farm last week. We saw a cow and a goat get milked. We petted a horse, calf and a goat. We took a hay ride around the farm and learned about the many types of crops they grow. It was hot but the kids had fun!

Linz