I have a new blog at

www.amyskin@blogspot.com

Come over and visit and see some of my sewing and knit stuff.

Whom I didn't get any good pictures of, but oh well.  Look at the next post for pics of last week's birthday girl.

Here is a picture of the cake I bought for Anna's birthday ......

And here is the birthday girl .....

My baby will be 1 tomorrow.  Can you believe how fast this year has gone by?  I know this is bad, but I think I'm gonna buy a cake 'cause I just don't feel like making one.

If you want to get good and mad, take a look at this article and the comments below.  My husband and I love our children.  We had a lot because we enjoy them.  We did not have them because we are fundamental racists raising an army.  Man, they really all seemed to not think very highly of us homeschoolers, eh?

Wow!  An Atlanta radio station has been playing Christmas music for the past two weeks!  And Best Buy is already advertising on the boob tube.  Ya know, this stuff does get me in the Christmas spirit .... however, by the time December 25 rolls around, I'm out of it.  Can't we at least enjoy Thanksgiving first????

The Sleepy Hollow Ballet was very good, and the boys enjoyed it.  I've only been to the Ballet once (The Nutcracker), and I wasn't impressed.  To me it was B-O-R-I-N-G.  But Sleepy Hollow was fun, just the right length ... only 45 minutes.

I just want to say, I really enjoy my kids.  Do you ever hear, "I don't know how you can stand to stay home with your kids all day"?  I seem to get comments like that a lot.  You know when your kids are young and you hear the silliest non-funny knock knock jokes all the time?  Well now my kids are getting older and they really are truly funny, and such a joy to be around.  I just love 'em!

We are going to the ballet tomorrow.  I wouldn't have signed up for this field trip (boys at the ballet?), but it's Sleepy Hollow ... so maybe they will enjoy it.  We'll see.

I learned about Signing Time videos from the banner ads up top.  I'm thinking about asking for a couple for my kids for Christmas.  They are always asking me the sign for something, and I have no idea.  I taught them the sign for thank you, and now they think I know every sign.

I didn't feel like resizing my pics last night, so they are big.  Also, my oldest doesn't have his glasses on (glare), so he looks a little crossed eyed without them; but still very handsome.

We are enjoying this school year so far.  Let me tell you, if you haven't tried Explode the Code - go out and get some right now.  I mean it .... GO!  I bought Get Ready, Get Set, and Go for the Code for Charlie this year for his K work.  He finished all three in 3 weeks!  I also bought the level 2 book for Matthew, who usually complains and hates writing.  He gets up every morning and does 2 pages of Explode the Code with no prompting from me and actually enjoys it.  Nathan is asking for his level now so he can do it, to.

*This entry brought to you by Explode the Code.

You've asked for them .... and here they are -

Nathan, my oldest (3rd grader)

Matthew, the full of energy 2nd grader

Charlie, my lovable Kindergartener

John, my high energy train loving 3 year old

Molly, the red headed fireball

Anna, the sweetest baby in the world

Well, we've started our 4th year homeschooling and it's been great so far.  Since Charlie is 5 now, we started him and are using Five in a Row (love it).  We still use RightStart Math, LLATL, Explode the Code, and Prima Latina. 

Now that I'm not pregnant and have some energy back, we've been trying to do some fun things to let the kids remember why it's so fun to be homeschooled.  This week's destination is a day at the lake.  Can't wait until Friday for that! 

I got an email about The Gift of Family Writing.  It looks like a great book, but seems really expensive to me.  Does anyone have it and tell me if it's worth the money?  If you haven't heard of it, visit the website at HERE.  Tell me your thoughts.

I got Nate's test scores in today and great news!  He was at or above grade level in all subjects.  I was wondering since I take a laid back approach and also we had a newborn this year and have taken a lot of time off.

I made Moll the cutest outfit today.  I'll try to take a picture tomorrow and post it.  It's out of orange material which looks so cute with her orange hair.  Can't wait for you all to see!

Did you know that since my last post 44 people have died in Michigan (I think) of a bad cocaine mixture?  Sad, the snort up for a little pleasure not realizing that it's their last.

My husband made homemade doughnuts last night and I must say, he is quite the baker.

And I'm running out of things to blog about.  So I will ask this question .....  What's up with Michael on LOST?????  I can't believe Libby is dead and we never knew her background story.  Was she following Hurly?  Will we ever find out? 

And will my Elliott get voted off tonight?  I'm afraid so, although I really like him, he didn't blow me away last night.

After going to a Homeschool Conference last week, I'm ready to ditch the rest of this year's work and go ahead with our new books!  Is anyone else that way?  The kids just can't wait until they can use their new things!

So here is what we are using next year .....Learning Language Arts Through Literature (3rd grade), Rightstart Math (Level C and D), A Reason For Handwriting (K, and cursive book), Exploring God's Creation (Zoology), Beautiful Feet American History, Spelling Workout (2nd grade), and Five in a Row for Charlie.

My oldest 3 spent the night with their Grandma last night, so today is a vacation day from school.  I haven't done a thing all day.  So now that I have the babies all down for a nap, I think I will go clean.

All you southerners stay safe and dry tonight and all my north western friends enjoy your snow this week.

Not only is Charles doing better from his tonsillectomy .... he's back up and running and he even learned to ride his bike without training wheels!  I wish you all could see the smile on his face when he did it.

Nate the great took the ITBS test last week.  In Georgia, you have to be tested every 3 years starting in 3rd grade.  Nate is only in 2nd, but I thought he should take the test to know what to expect next year when it counts.  I should get the results in 6 - 8 weeks ... I'm looking forward to seeing how he did.

Hey, guess what!  This is the first summer since 2002 that I've not been pregnant.  So the kids and I are celebrating and going to the beach next week!  My husband is going out of town for work and I hate staying home alone, so my Mom, sisters, the kids, and I are all heading out. 

So my son didn't do so good with his tonsils out.  A little while after my last post, he started running a 103 fever, stopped eating, and then stopped drinking all together.  So we had to take him to the hospital for a bag of fluids.  They ended up keeping him for 2 nights to control his pain and get him hydrated back up. 

So just when I thought he was getting better, he starts throwing up bright, red blood last night.  They had to take him back in surgery in the middle of the night and re-carterize that wound.  My poor, poor boy.  They said that this bleeding thing happens to about 2 out of every 100 tonsillectomys.  We made it back home this afternoon and he is drinking and eating again, but know we are basically starting all over with the healing process.