Oh Ginnie....

Here is a little glimpse of life with Virginia.

And yes, this was a surprise photo we found on our camera when I was uploading the latest pictures.

She isn't exactly lady like.  

At least we were doing school at the table and not eating... 

Tell me that makes it better?

School is exciting for about 4.7 seconds for Ginnie.  She has to be strapped in to her booster seat while I teach the other two.  

Oh, don't get me wrong- she loves school.  

She just wants to teach it.  

And cut things..... anything.  

Each table game or project I give her, allows me just enough time to instruct the kids in their work and replace Ginnie's distraction educational game for another millisecond of educating the big kids.  

If I miss the swap out time frame, we are all picking up pieces on the floor.

All this trouble because it isn't on her terms.  

Troy loves to remind me that this gene comes from me.

Whatever.

What happens if I don't strap that little angel down where I know she is safe and busy?

Well, she is still busy.... just not so safe.

Bad news

I think one of our 4 precious angels broke our camera.  I *think* it is broken, but I'm pretty sure Ginnie did it.  I have some posts to write on pictures already downloaded (uploaded?  I always get confused), but I'm not sure what the blog will look like in a week or so.  Ahhhh, life.  :)

Farewell mugs

If you know me, you know I love Polish pottery.  I have a small collection that I enjoy daily.  I use those pieces all the time with baking, serving, just showing off.....  

Well, I've decided that using my mugs just isn't working for me these days.  

Not just my Polish pottery, but any mug we own.  

I just can't find time to drink a whole cup of anything before it gets cold.  

Imagine that.

I've resorted to desperate measures.  

It isn't pretty.  

It surely isn't Polish.... 

or pottery.  

But it keeps my coffee warm for me to drink at least one whole cup before it gets room temp.  

The sacrifices we make to have small children.  

This ranks up there with the minivan in necessary ugly awkwardness.

Pumpkin Overload?

Muffins, pasta, coffee..... it is feeling like Fall.  We have tried a pumpkin pasta recipe (yum!), a homemade pumpkin spiced late recipe (extra yum!), and an old stand by favorite- pumpkin muffins!

This is an old weight watchers recipe that someone told me a long time ago (not in weight watchers though) and I love it!  Just any baking box mix and a can of pumpkin (I used half a 15 oz can per box).  I have tried lots of different mixes and flavors. and I love them all.  I have used pumpkin pie cans and regular pumpkin puree.  It all works, it just depends on if you want the added spices in your particular combo.

It took just a few mins to mix up chocolate chocolate chip muffin mix with pumpkin to make a tray of regular sized muffins and a tray of mini muffins.  Then I did the same thing with a yellow cake mix and added mini chocolate chips.  We had lots of muffins! 

He is writing!

George has been diligent with his school work.  He has been practicing his letters over and over.  I am a little ashamed to say that I haven't been working with him as much as Livia (her workload is much bigger).  He is very content to sit quietly and work in his workbooks.  I NEVER would have thought this possible a couple of years ago.  So, when he asked me how to spell a word, as Livia does, I just assumed he was copying her.  He was actually writing his first word!  (One that isn't his name and he didn't copy the letters from me writing it first)  Go George!

 

 

Is this a sign I should be worrying?

I'm not sure what to think.  I'm beginning to wonder if I should worry.  Not like Ginnie doesn't make me worry about everything else.  She climbs anything, is fearless with strangers, and thinks she can do everything.  But this is more about self image.  Remember the future Facebook pic she took of herself?  

Now this.


Makeup??  


Oh dear.

PS.  I'm not really worried about her self image.  She is Two.


PPS.  She used a Sharpie.  Sigh.

Silly Sentence Maker

We try to break up the bookwork here and there with supplemented material.  I love using hooked on phonics at this age.  That program has a lot to offer, and some super awesome sales if you are willing to stalk a little.  

This was the first time we opened the Silly Sentence Maker.  It was funny to see how each kid put theirs together.

Since Liv can read, she chose the words she wanted, either to be silly or serious.  She was very proud of her creations.  (That is her serious face, by the way)

George, on the other hand just chose random words and matched them by color for us to read to him.  This was just fun.  We could not stop giggling at his crazy sentences.

Oh course I was laughing too hard to remember to take a picture of one of his many Silly Sentences.

Sigh. 

 

Here is one of Liv's serious sentences.  

Well, as serious as it could get in the wild game of silly sentence maker.