I'm not dead!

I can't imagine anyone is checking in here anymore, since it has been nearly 4 years since I last posted.  FOUR YEARS!  My, how the clock ticks on!  But my girls have discovered this blog recently, and they absolutely LOVE being able to look back at this digital scrapbook of sorts.  At their behest, I'm going to try to be consistent again at blogging.

I won't try to update 4 years of life in one single post, but here are the basics:

In 2015 we moved from idyllic northern Michigan to North Carolina.  I went back to teaching after 10 years out of the classroom (!), and all 3 girls went to the Christian school where I taught... Olivia in 4th, Ellia in 2nd, and Brienna in 1st.     

Olivia, 4th  

Ellia, 2nd

Brienna, 1st

As for me, I taught 6th grade English and Bible. It was difficult, exciting, overwhelming, rewarding, exhausting, exhilarating, frustrating, and challenging.  

yours truly, 2015.  

But the Lord was good to us, as He always is.  We grew so much during those three years in NC and learned a whole lot about our family's needs and God's desires for us.  

at a friend's wedding in SC

We have so much to be thankful for after having experienced that season.  The girls grew like weeds.  I absolutely can not believe the changes in them!

2016

2017

All 3 girls played organized basketball and soccer in NC in the intramural leagues offered.  

Olivia took one year of piano, and Ellia took 2 years.  They will be continuing to learn this instrument, as they both have a gift for it!

Brienna took one year of violin and did well.  Against her wishes, we're going to try to find someone to continue teaching her.  :)  

Olivia played on the interscholastic middle school volleyball team last year in 6th grade.  She LOVES team sports and wants to continue honing her skills.

Olivia and Ellia had opportunities to compete in state academic and fine arts competitions.  Between them, they competed in choir, piano, speech, academic testing, spelling, and art.  We're very proud of their hard work!

After 3 years in NC, the Lord led us back "home" to Michigan, athough in a different area than we had lived before.  I am not teaching anymore, and the girls are in their 2nd week of their new Christian school.  

2018, just last week.  

Um... WHERE are my 3 baby girls???

And as for me, WELL!  I am in an entirely new season of life!  The girls are all away at school each day, and I am not working outside our home.  This is the first time in my adult life that I have not had a job or kids at home, or both.  I'll be honest with ya, I'm not hatin' it so far!

First Day no kids/no school.  *limited time only*

But you know us... life is never boring!  I'm hoping for some subbing opportunities in their schools, and I'll be volunteering in the elementary cafeteria once a week.  

Oh, and there's also THIS new development:

a precious gift from the Lord, a darling baby BOY!

It was a happy, happy Friday.

Following an inconclusive and frustrating doctor appointment yesterday, this text from my dad:

"God is not on vacation this week."

It's true, it's true!

I'm terrible about transferring my own stress and aggravation onto my poor kids.
A low-key day was in order!

We stayed out of the schoolroom and the textbooks and the worktexts.

Olivia worked on her Kids4Truth book for our church's Wednesday night Bible club.  She filled in the verse blanks and I was blessed. 

"...He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness."  Psalm 107:9

We snuggled on the couch and I taught her about the fun Japanese poetry form, haiku.  We giggled at the funny poems as we clapped through the syllables and guessed the riddles.  She dove right in and wrote a couple of her own.

I am white and black.
I eat grass and I say moooo.
Uh-oh!  What am I?

                                                           ~Olivia Adams

She played several math games online, now dragging slices of pizza for fraction practice, now "coloring" pictures to correspond with correct answers.  Why are kids so adaptable and resilient and I am decidedly... not?

We started a new book, enjoyed a leisurely lunch, finished a homemade coloring book for a grandma having a birthday soon (SHH!),  listened to lots of great Christmas music throughout all of it.

Tonight, we're enjoying dinner brought to us by a compassionate friend who stuck around for a visit.  So grateful.

After that, we'll go downtown to our local library's tree lighting, where we'll sing Christmas carols and enjoy cookies & cocoa.  Delightful!

Topping it all off:  movie night with the besties.

Yes, they sat like this the whole time.

I needed a day like this.  We all did!  What a novelty to enter the weekend feeling refreshed and relaxed!

Fall: loving the slower pace

 Maybe it's the rhythm of our days, 

or just the coolness of the days themselves...

but the slower pace of autumn is so refreshing.

We make good use of the park across the street, 

and the nature trail just past our dead end.

These glorious fall colors prove irresistible to budding artists.

And fall is just as good a time as any to enjoy good books.

October Field Trip

Last week our home school group took a field trip.

It was a perfect day!

3 friends on the hayride.  We learned about irrigation, different pumpkin varieties, and..

...saw an eagle's nest--those things are HUGE!

cider & fresh doughnuts

Solving the apple pie mystery in the corn maze

tractor-pulled barrel rides--CUTE!

Who thought of THIS???  A giant box of CORN!  The kids thought it was great fun.

High Tea

Right to Left:  Queen Isabella of Spain, Queen Elizabeth of England, and...

...Rapunzel???

How we do school

We are all enjoying this homeschooling adventure.

We are a blend of formal and casual schooling styles.

**baking**

**art**

Last week we did very little formal handwriting practice (BLAH!).

Olivia instead wrote many lovely thank-you notes for her birthday gifts.

 **nature studies**

 **interpersonal relations** (ahem)

 **reading**

(**and heritage studies**)

The assignment was to write one sentence, telling her favorite new fact about a Native American tribe, and then to draw a corresponding picture.  Completely independently, Olivia came upstairs with this!

**heritage studies**

We are enjoying the flexibility of Homeschooling and the wonderful family time it provides (translation:  Olivia actually gets to see her Daddy during the week!).  We're tailoring the English & Reading programs to suit Olivia's needs.  (She's reading the Little House series, along with many other supplemental books.)  Extracurriculars are lots of fun!  Ellia and Brienna love to "do school" with Olivia, though I expect that will wear off sooner or later.  We have been pleasantly surprised, and we look forward to many fun-filled days of learning!

We've Got Spirit, Yes We Do!

Last week was Spirit Week at Olivia's school.

I love the dress-up part of it all.

Monday she was a ninja.

Tuesday she was a bunny.

Thursday she was mismatched.

Friday she was a junior cheerleader. (shown here, at the end, pointing)

Olivia is in the 2nd row of sweeties, toward the middle of the screen.

I thought I would die of all the cuteness!  She adored the big-girl cheerleaders, who were all totally fantastic (read: patient!) with the little ones.  She has already informed is that she WILL be doing this again next year!