What We Are Reading

We have been reading all month, but I just haven't gotten around to documenting what we read. We have just read easy light books that most of the kids have enjoyed. Reading is something I really enjoy doing with the kids and they always beg for more so I know they love it, too. I also bought a new mark-my-time bookmark since we lost our old one. I just started using it last week, but I plan on using it every time I read because we have so much fun seeing how many hours we have read every month. We only read for 6 hours and 5 minutes this past week but I think we will pick up the pace in September. 

We have read James Harriot's Treasury for Children, The Children of Willow Farm by Enid Blyton, More Adventures on Willow Farm by Enid Blyton, George's Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl and we just finished Song of The Brook by Matilda Nordtvedt this afternoon. I think most of these books were a hit. I do know that I have never heard the kids laugh as much as they did when I read George's Marvelous Medicine. They just loved this book and have asked me to read more by Roald Dahl. I think maybe we could get one more by him read before school starts. 

I'm trying to pull together all of my books and unit studies -- some old and some new -- for our new school year. I have a few new things planned for this year to go along with all of our usual studies. I have bought notebooks for the kids to journal in and they have written a couple of times -- though I got them for the new school year. I think they are going to enjoy journaling about their days along with the nature journals they always do. 

Potpourri

Andrew made some potpourri yesterday. He used a food dehydrator and picked flowers from my garden to use. It was his first time trying and it turned out pretty nice. We just need a bowl and a little oil and I think it will look and smell really nice in our family room. 

Oh, and Andrew broke his wrist Friday evening as he was skateboarding. It has been a long time since we have had a broken bone here. 

Ending Summer

Last evening some of the girls and I met a friend and had pizza outside. The girls ran around and played while my friend and I talked. They have fun almost anywhere we go. Piper told me the pizza was the best she had ever had so it must have been good. We are trying to do a few things before summer is over. It has gone much too quickly, but I do love fall.

Finn

Monday, my oldest daughter gave birth to a beautiful baby boy - Finn. I was there for his birth and I was also there for the birth of her other two children. I am so blessed. 

Saturday Play

These girls played outside long and hard today - I think they realize that these long summer days are coming to an end soon. I'm not quite ready for summer to to be over. 

Another Vest And Machine

Bethany just got a new replacement machine for her vest this summer and we have already had to replace it -- with only 140 hours on her machine it failed and would not inflate her vest. This machine is extremely important and being without it for just a few days is hard. But, we did a few days of hand PT -- like we did when she was small. She now has her new machine and a new pink vest to go with it and hopefully this one will last for awhile. 

Just picked a few random pictures of some of the kids to post. 

Stable

I had not mentioned that our son, Joey, would be seeing his doctor today for the results of his latest MRI. Again, we have good news -- stable. No change. We are so happy. We would love shrinkage, but stable is good. We have been blessed, again. Thank you to all of you that remember Joey in your prayers. 

Yesterday and today the girls have been doing crafts and making things like crazy. They have made bracelets and potholders, pillows and dream catchers. They pretty much spent all day yesterday and a little of today working on projects. Some took a long time to finish and others were done and working on another project quickly. The good thing -- they had fun and stayed busy. 

Bethany made a pillow yesterday. It is for my bed this Christmas. I asked her to make three for me and she said she would. 

Sophia watched. She likes to just be there and see what everyone is doing.

Caroline worked on her dream catchers. It took her a very long time -- she worked on them for two days. She is definitely persistent.

Jordan made a bracelet and Piper worked on potholders. Piper finally finished hers tonight. She was very proud of herself. It was the first one she has finished.

Three Years Ago

I was going through old pictures, deleting some to kind of clean up my folders and I found these pictures of my granddaughter, Reagan, and Bella. This was three years ago almost to the day. Reagan and Bella were always such good friends and Reagan used to always say that Bella was her very best friend and she just loved to come over and play with her. It was so sweet. My daughter and I always said it would be sad when they were not as close. Well, in just a few weeks Reagan starts kindergarten and she is moving on, though she and Bella still play some. Reagan is a very mature 5 year old and I knew the time of being best friends with Bella was growing short. I am sure Reagan will find a new best friend and will do very well this year. They will always be friends and Reagan is a very sweet child and will always include Bella when she is here, but those days of being very best friends are over and it kind of makes me sad. 

So Much Rain

It seems to rain constantly. Daily. I love rain and sitting on the porch with Bill and the kids watching it and enjoying a storm. But, lately it's just too much. Today Bethany told me for, I think, the first time in her life she was kind of bored. I don't think I have ever heard those words out of her mouth before. We have all just been inside so much that I think we all are a little tired and bored. 

It didn't take Bethany long to discover something to do and her boredom was forgotten. She hasn't had her sewing machine out for quite a while and today she decided to make a doll carrier or snuggle or something like that. She found some fabric -- it did have pumpkins and apples and autumn leaves on it but it was pretty and it was just about all she had. Anyway, she went to work making her pattern and drawing and cutting. She did a really nice job and was pretty happy with the end results. 

These pictures may look like it is nice and sunny but it had just finished pouring down rain. 

It kind of turned into a family affair with so many kids interested and watching. Tess decided today that she was going to ask for a sewing machine for Christmas so she and Bethany can sew at the same time. Then Sarah said she wanted one, too. I can see this idea snowballing. 

After the doll carrier was finished we decided to make some cinnamon swirl bread -- one more thing to do on this rainy day. It was a success and enjoyed by all. Hopefully, it won't rain everyday next week.