Here is a Quick Update, or not so quick

I changed my comment settings back to only registered users because I have had too many strange and even mean comments left anonymously. If that change doesn't help, then I will have to go back to comment moderation. I just don't have as much time to check email, do research and blog (anything computer related, basically) so anything to streamline the process.

The twins are 4 months old now. Daniel outweighs Dennis by a few ounces at 15 pounds 3 ounces. Dennis weighs 14 and a half pounds. But Dennis is 1/4 inch longer. They are both very healthy and happy. Praise the Lord for this! Only by God's grace, not by my own strength. Because very often, I don't have any left...

It is so much fun to watch their very different personalities emerging daily. I love it! Dennis absorbs everything in his surroundings - watching, listening, tasting. He is sometimes easily startled because his attention is intensely consumed by one thing and gets abruptly interrupted by another noise or quick movement. Daniel is a go and do baby. He should be crawling before he is 5 months. Okay, maybe not quite. But he loves to sleep on his stomach, and he can push forward with his feet. He can also grab things with his feet and pull the item towards him. They both suck their thumbs now.

The kids are all doing well. Delainey started coop Monday. She is excited about coop this year. So am I. I hope it goes well in my classes too. I am a little nervous how it is all going to work out with nursing the twins... But, back to Delainey. She is taking Spiritual Life (Jr & Sr High girls only) first hour. Second hour is Tapestry of Grace History (Middle Ages), followed by Tapestry of Grace Literature. Then it is off to Intercessory Worship for all of us and then lunch.

The four little kids and I will leave after lunch to go home for naps, but Delainey will stay for a full day. Because she doesn't need a nap anymore. After lunch she will have science, then art in the fall and choir in the spring. And she will finish the day with Classical Composition class. The coop only meets every Monday with some breaks for holidays.

I am in the nursery and pre-K classes in the mornings. Seemed a fitting place for me to be at this time in my life... I am considered the lead teacher for 2nd hour Circle Time. That means I have to have actual plans for the class. First and third hours I am the Lead Caregiver. I am excited to participate.

Kynzie can barely contain her excitement for coop. She will have Five in a Row (a child's literature based unit study, sort of), Circle Time with me, and Character First class before worship and lunch. Max will be hanging out with me and the other littles.

As soon as I make all my decisions for what curriculum we will be using at home, I will post about that. Right now my wish list is super long, but my budget is super short! There is just so much good stuff out there; that's why my wish list is so long. I just have to figure out what stuff is the very best for us. We are only adding Math and Grammar/Spelling to coop and maybe some electives, like typing.

I am planning a garage sale soon. I am planning to go through the rest of the house with a fine-tooth comb to get rid of every little (or big) thing we do not need right now. I feel like I keep purging stuff, but not enough. So the front of the garage is filled with stuff to go.

I joined the local home school group again this year. I guess I kind of had to since I am the librarian and the library is stored in my basement right now. It is fun to get ready for a new school year and do it on my own time - what works best for our family. The school district here started so early this year. We plan to start after Labor Day, other than coop.

Give a Boy a Stick

Max loves any kind of stick - a broom stick handle, the metal bar that goes in the pack and play, the plastic rod support from the hamper, an actual stick... you name it. He loves to pretend and it seems a stick must be present for adequate play.

It's a guitar, a light saber, a gun, a bamboo pole from a song and dance in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a sword, his dancing stick as seen in such numbers as Chim Chim Cheroo and Jolly Holiday with Mary or Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (I didn't check the spelling on that), his horse, a motorcycle (handle bars)... again, you name it. Add a second stick and it can now be a violin or crutches like Grandma Pam.

It is so much fun to be a parent and watch your kids play and be creative and imaginative.