An Ode to our Sofa

After 9 years, we are finally letting go of our favorite living room furniture. It was given to us by our friends, Mark & Michelle Helweg. This sofa & chair have given us comfortable rest when we have been sick and after surgeries, has welcomed friends, family, and acquaintances into our home. They have been the seat of choice for hundreds of weekly men's Bible studies. There were a place of physical rest after long days at work, delivery of three babies, and mourning two losses. Jeremy first told me that he loved me while sitting on the chair at the Helweg's house, before they were even ours:) Although I realize that they are only couches, they have been a blessing since the first day we received them. We have outgrown them and need to move on, but as the set leaves our home today, they carry with them many memories. The cushions have caught our tears and our laughter. More recently, they have become a source of fun for our children as they build forts with the cushions and pillows, practice acrobatics, and wrestle together.

Thank you Mark and Michelle for passing them on to us so many years ago.

 — 

And.....here is our new sofa!

Besides the fact that I will never purchase something from American Signature Furniture again, I love these sofas!  We can finally all sit together.  Jeremy and I can sit comfortable with one another, and still lay down or see the TV if we are watching a movie (which we haven't yet....can someone add a few more hours to our day?).  I am super happy with it!

Just being silly together

A few weeks ago, the girls went to a birthday party where they got their hair put up in a fancy hair do.  Since then, we've had fun trying our own styles as well.

The other day, we did a sideways french braid.

Sassy!

I thought it looked cute.

Then Nicole added a headband, feather, and dress up outfit to look like an Indian.

As always, school is more fun when you are dressed up.

We went to the museum and played in the theater area.  The kids love that section.  We dress up and act out our stories.

The girls, with their friend Claire

Nate is a frog, hahaha

Nicole really likes to run the lights and sound.

Nicole has been enjoying the nice weather lately and been outside a lot.  She has created her own rope swing.  Here she is...chillin like a villain.

Nathan had his last day of nursery last Sunday.  He will be moving on to the older class with Nicole and Hannah next week.  After 7 1/2 years of working in the nursery, I will now serve there without any of my children being with me.  It's bitter sweet.

I bought Nathan a Pez dispenser the other day.  He calls it a Candy Machine.

CC weeks 10 & 11, and other random school work

Week 10 of CC, our community did sunprints.  The kids thought it was pretty neat.  We had extra paper, so we did a few more sunprints at home with some neighborhood friends.

Nicole, walking her sunprint to the shade to be deactivated

Our review game- puzzler.  Students form groups and race to put together a puzzle of the world or USA.  In order to earn the pieces, they must answer a memory work question.  Then they roll a die that tells them how many puzzle pieces to receive.

Lunch with the girls:)

This past week, our community made constellation viewers.  This is one of the coolest projects we have done so far.

 At the clear, lid end of the pringles container is a paper with holes poked out to make the constellation.

 At the tin end, we tapped a hole with a nail.  Now they can look up and try to find the constellations.  Here are the directions that we used.

We also went to our monthly science class at Crystal Springs Preserve.  This month, we dissected owl pellets (which we have done before in CC).

The girls really enjoyed playing a game to learn about the five owl species in Florida, and then listening and mimicking their calls.

Hannah is enjoying her new math curriculum.

Hannah made a graph about transportation in our neighborhood.

Hannah and her little friend Viana, reading together outside

Nate is practicing writing his name, using scissors, and general CC information.

When daddy's away, the kids will play...

That title is a lame copy of "When the cat's away, the mice will play"....except that we would much rather play while daddy is around than when he is away.  However, he had to go up to Canada for a few days last week.  I try to make the times when he is away a little extra special for the kids.  They miss him, and so it helps them when we have 'traditions' to sort of look forward to when he's not with us.

We have "girl's night" movie nights (except, we have Nate now...not sure what to call it anymore).

But, we also had a garage sale.  Nicole and Hannah were trying to raise money for Operation Christmas Child, a neat ministry that we participate in each year.  The children fill up shoe boxes with supplies for another child overseas.  So, the girls try to raise their own money to go shopping with.  most people are happy to chip in anything from a quarter to a dollar.

Hannah sold hot, homemade cinnamon rolls and water, and Nicole "sold" adventuring tips.

Who wouldn't buy a cinnamon roll from this little cutie!

Nicole certainly won the prize for most creative table display, but there was little interest by children or adults for her adventure knowledge.

It says "I need money for shoe boxes"

"Open  Now a out back fun wild store is hear.  If i am not here I am helping someone. Are you happy?"

Her sign up sheets

However, Hannah sold quite a few cinnamon rolls and drinks.

The girls made $30, which paid for two more shoe boxes.  I made $45 selling some of our things, which paid for bowling and dinner ;)

So, I took the kids bowling, and we had a grand time together.  Nicole bowled the whole time the correct way.

Nate used the ramp a few times, but most of his turns I help him carrying the ball and "push" it toward the pins.

 Hannah tried doing it on her own, but she resorted to the ramp about half way through

Nathan bowled a 99, Nicole a 91, and Hannah somewhere in the 60s (this may not be her sport of choice ;)

After bowling, we hit up the arcade.  I let the kids play video games, which goes against my general feelings of video games.

Nathan did an awesome job on the race car game.  He kept meeting the time minimum and extended his game by several minutes (I never can do that).

Nate doing his race car game

Hannah had fun on the motorcycle game

The girls also did a dance game.  Unfortunately, I picked a really hard song out for them to dance to.  It was sort of a flop.

Since I spend pretty much every moment of my days with the my children, I wanted to try to let loose and have a little fun with them.  I think they had a fun day (but we missed daddy!)

Just in case you think our life is all fun and ice cream....there is also some of this going on....

Oh...and here's a little airport fun while we waited for him the next day.

Thankfully, his plane was even about 20 minutes early.

waiting for daddy.

 We love him so much!

This flag flew over Iwo Jima to commemorate the 65th anniversary.