Cram

Clearly I'm a bit of a slacker when it comes to updating this blog.  Every minute of my day is generally filled to overflowing with cooking, cleaning, teaching, going, parenting that there's rarely enough time to type a post that makes sense.  My extra free minutes are selfishly spent on reading and catching up on Netflix.  But not today!!  Today is the day that I get up to date!!

So I'm cramming in the end of 2016 with a bulleted list...
and be ready for a myriad of pictures.

November 2016:

• The kids and I went to the ASU Museum for the Mr. Rogers Invention exhibit and had a blast! 
• We went home for Thanksgiving and was able to spend much needed time with our SC family & friends.
• The kids and I visited our favorite playground at Craighead Park where we fed the ducks and enjoyed the last of the warm weather.
• Bobby put the toddler bed together for Shiloh much to my dismay...

December 2016:

• We chose to stay home for Christmas break rather than make another trip back to SC.  While it was sad not to see our family & friends there, we did have a nice relaxing break.
• Hannah & I went on a Tuesday evening to see Rogue One - before the boys!!  Then the next evening Bobby took Sammy & Amos to see it.  They went to a later showing and Amos was exhausted and ready for bed by the time they got home.
• We bought Sammy a bike for his birthday (in January) but gave it to him early so Bobby could help him learn to ride while he was on break.  It took him all of one day to learn.
• Shiloh fell in our driveway and completely scraped his forehead and nose.  He was tough though and quickly bounced back.
• He also learned to take pictures with our iPads.
• Cold weather FINALLY arrived!!!!!
• Sammy plays basketball for the homeschool team and they've already had several games.  They've only lost four so far.  In one game, he accidentally got busted in the mouth and I accidentally caught it on camera.  He stopped and cried for a minute but we kept yelling for him to keep going to he got himself together and kept playing.

• Ronald and Mariah came over for supper and brought a gingerbread village that we had so much fun decorating!
• Shiloh turned 2 but I'm leaving that because it deserves a separate post.

It was 27* but he was determined to learn.

 Shiloh got a close up of his snuggle bunny.

Fall --> Halloween

A few weeks ago our church (Verge) held it's annual fall festival.  Ms. Vicki -who loaned us her cabin for our women's retreat- graciously loaned her house for the fall festival.  She has a beautiful house with a large front yard and a large back yard.  There was so much to do and with such a wonderful group of people there was never a dull moment!

Football made the front yard a danger zone for little ones but they eventually gravitated to children's games in the backyard.  Gradually everyone gathered their camping chairs around the fire pit where we roasted hot dogs.  The garage was hopping with plenty to do (and eat!) -the chili cook off, a dessert contest (I entered my Spice Cake but didn't win :-/ ), a caramel apple bar and a hot chocolate bar/apple cider.  As darkness descended upon our party, there was also a hay ride.

My kids immediately ran off to play with their friends and I didn't see them until it was time to eat and then when it was time for the hay ride.  They were sad that the festival ended but it was late and everyone was cold and sleepy.

* * * * * *

Our AWANA group also had a Fall Festival last Wednesday evening.  Sadly we missed it because strep took out the older three kids.  Tuesday afternoon Sammy & Hannah both started to complain of chills, headaches and upset tummies.  I checked and they both had fevers of 102.  Right before bed time they both ended up sick to their stomachs.  Around 1am, Amos woke up with a fever, headache and upset tummy.  A visit to the doctor confirmed it was strep.  They got started on their antibiotics but had to stay home and rest (and keep their germs to themselves!)  Friday morning, strep struck Shiloh.  A visit to the doctor confirmed he had strep and an ear infection!  Poor guy.  He hardly slept at all Friday night and while I was at the ASU game with the oldest three, Bobby discovered that Shiloh also had sores on the roof of his mouth.  All afternoon he kept coming up to me and pointing in his mouth.  He normally does that when he's got a hair in his mouth so I kept checking for hairs.  I never once thought to check for sores.  

Thankfully everyone was recovered and super excited for Trick or Treating.  The kids love that we have an actual neighborhood to walk around.  It took us about an hour to cover half of it!  By the end, Amos was hot (due to the 80* weather!) and tired so we headed home.  We have plenty of candy to last us for a while.  Especially since the only thing Shiloh likes to eat are Smarties.

Ashley and Sarah are super fun!

Amos attempts the Witch's Hat Ring Toss.

I didn't think Sammy was ever going to get an apple.

 

Open it please Mama!!

All of my kids love Mariah.  She's their babysitter when Bobby & I go on dates.  Amos is constantly asking if he can go to Mariah's house.

Amos attempted apple bobbing but gave up after two tries.

-- HALLOWEEN--

 Shiloh would hold up his bucket, then look to see what he was given, then say "Thank you!"  It was too sweet.

Just Checking In...

I just wanted to check in and say we're still here!  Though we're currently being held hostage by basketball practices, crochet class and AWANA.  All things we enjoy of course but all things that consume a large portion of our time.

Sammy has basketball practices two times a week (Monday and Thursday), two hours each practice.  I've taken him to the last few practices and those boys work the entire time.  They get a few breaks for water and to cool off but their coach has them working the whole time.  Sammy's games begin next month and I'm praying all of their hard work pays off.  We're glad that we decided to go with the homeschool basketball team rather than the City Stars again.  We'll see how much Sammy likes it at the end of the season.

On Thursday evening (while Bobby & the boys are at Sammy's basketball practice), Hannah and I are learning to crochet.  Our church does small home groups and one of the groups we joined was crocheting.  I've got the basics but I've been attempting to make a scarf and it's not working out to good.  I can't keep my rows even.  Regardless, it's a run time of fellowship with some of the other ladies from our church.

On Wednesdays the kids have AWANA.  Thankfully the church is only 3 minutes away so it's nice that we don't have far to go.  And all four kids won Clubber of the month for their classes for the month of August.  I was so proud that I almost started crying right in the middle of assembly time!  While we're at Cathedral Baptist for AWANA, Bobby is at Verge for band practice.  He's on the worship team and will play different instruments depending on where he's needed (everything but drums.)

We still keep Friday nights open for our family night.  We have snacks and watch a movie or play a board game.  It's a restful ending to our busy week :-)

This past week has been particularly rough because all four kids came down with strep.  Hannah & Samuel had a really rough time with it - really high fever, headache, throwing up and eventually, a sore throat.  Amos just had a high fever with a headache and a stomach ache.  Shiloh had a fever and no other symptoms.  When I took him to the doctor I was shocked to discover he not only had strep, but an ear infection as well.  Thankfully everyone should be well enough to enjoy trick or treating on Monday.

The kids had their first dentist visit since we moved to Jonesboro.  I want to go to their dentist - the offer cake flavored toothpaste and you can watch tv while they're cleaning your teeth!

Shiloh loves his little friend Maddie...

My Clubbers of the month!

Amos and I visited the ASU Farmer's Market and had a great time.  Pumpkins were $2 each, honey sticks were four for a $1 (we bought 8!), raw honey was $7 a jar and Amos's hat was $15 (not that he needed one, I'm just a pushover.)

My sick kiddos at the doctors office.  Each room is painted a different theme and front the moment Amos glimpsed the Toy Story room he's been wanting to be put into it.  Today he got his wish, I had to take Shiloh and this was the room we were given.