Learning at School and Home: Year 5

First day of school (7th, 4th, and 9th grades)

 We took an unexpected trip to the Grand Canyon

The boy studied hard, taking dual credit courses as a freshman

He also learned to cook.

 Sharpened some existing skills

 (the sisters couldn't be outdone)

 And changed a few light bulbs in awkward places

 Our county Fire Department opened a new station in October, so we gave it a visit

And the girls went on a school-sponsored fishing trip

Ember caught the biggest fish and won a hoodie

We took walks with dogs

We had bunnies in the yard

Ember's self portrait was featured in a local gallery

 Willow played all of the sports

And tried a few new things (things that need a little more work)

 Marching Band is Ryvre's sport

Of course, Willow does that too!

Ember's softball season has just begun

Learning at school may be finished for another year, but there's plenty to do over the summer.

New Hair, New Glasses

Ember's 6th Birthday

Glasses

Figured out Ember's headaches: she needed glasses!  Her vision is 20/30 in one eye and 20/70-80 in the other.  Doh!

Here she is at the bus stop

Does the Tooth Fairy Take Returns?

Ember lost her first tooth on Monday (7/4). She put it under her pillow despite her siblings rolling their eyes and reminding her that she already knew the tooth fairy wasn't real.

The next morning, she woke up to find a quarter in its place. She was very excited about it, showing it off to everyone. But near the end of the day, she grew somber. She missed her tooth and worried about what bizarre purposes that weird little fairy might have collected it for. She wanted it back. I told her that she could try putting the quarter under her pillow, but a refund wasn't guaranteed.

She woke up very disappointed to see that the quarter was still there and the tooth was not. I suggested that perhaps the Tooth Fairy didn't understand her request. It should be submitted in writing. She took this very seriously, going as far as asking her dad to help her spell out each and every letter of every word she wanted the letter to say. Major points to my husband for demonstrating epic patience.

Last night the letter was folded around the quarter like an envelope and placed under the pillow with a great deal of hope.

This morning, her tooth was returned. The quarter was left too. We are speculating that change is too heavy for a fairy to fly around with, and that is why they leave them under the pillows of children—teeth are of course lighter than coins, and fairies love gifts, so mystery solved.

That Kid

"I brought you something from outside," Ember said.  She then presented me with something wrapped tightly in a blanket, handing it over delicately.

I was terrified.

My husband was paralyzed with morbid curiosity.

I reached for it.  I unwrapped it slowly, fully expecting something alive and seriously icky to leap out and claw my face off.

...

It was a rock.

Exaggerate Much?

Ember: "I haven't had cotton candy in, like, a decade."

Me: "You're 5."

Ember: "Then about 8 years."

New Shoes

Reasonably priced kids' shoes tend to be flimsy and ridiculously decorated.  And the more decorated and less sturdy, the more expensive.  My husband's solution: find a very boring but well-made and inexpensive white pair, and let the kid decorate them herself. 

Here's the result:

$5 shoes from Payless + a box of colored Sharpies we already had = shoes for Ember

Sweet Dreams

"Sleep tight; don't let any bedbugs bite--or crawl in your ear and lay eggs in your brain!" -Ember

HallowBirthdayPalooza

Today we celebrated two birthdays and Halloween, all at once!

My oldest is 9 now



And my youngest is 5.



They decorated their own cakes



Ryvre's



Ember's











This year's Trick-or-Treat lineup: Black Kitty (Rome), Percy Jackson (Ryvre), Prairie Girl (Willow), Ariel (Ember), Orange Kitty (Kassi), Prince Zuko (Tristan), and a Christmas Tree (Toly)



I loved how they ran to each house

Ember's Fifth Birthday

Somehow she's gone from this squishy little baby (one day old)
 


to this lovely little girl (today)

 













Happy Birthday Ember!  We love you!

First Laugh

Ember laughed for the first time last night. i missed it, because she and Dale were in another room, but i'm kind of glad, as it got to be THEIR moment. This is the first "first" of any of my kids that i've missed, and the only one that Dale has been there for alone (its always both of us, or just me around). He got her to do it again for me (he's still the only one that can get her to laugh) and it was hard to describe--kind of a half-whispered, breathless, magickal sound. *sigh* i'll miss having babies!

Six Weeks

i can't believe Ember is already 6 weeks old. It's all still very surreal.



Dale isn't happy that i posted the pic of him holding Ember in the sling. He doesn't think it's a good picture of him. I think he looks handsome. What do you think?

Baby Pics

Here are a couple more Ember pics

taking a light after-dinner nap:



her first bath: