Eureka Springs Pics, pt 1

We're still on vacation, but it's a slow-paced kind of morning, so here are some pics!



War Eagle Mill--the grounds are the site of a HUGE craft fair for four days each October.









Quigley's Castle--a registered historic site, which is basically the rock collection of some eccentric old woman; it was the kids' favorite tourist spot so far.











There are two foundations, with 60-year-old plants growing in the dirt between.  The whole wall behind the smallest kid is a floor-to-ceiling butterfly collage.

Wild Strawberries

Gifts from nature!



Tiny little wild strawberries!



Ryvre spotted them to the side of the yard, next to the wild black raspberry bush that blessed us last summer.  Willow got a closer look and identified them.  Sadly, the neighbor children then descended upon them and probably crushed most of the plants under their feet. *sigh*  My own children were gentle and mindful as they picked the tiny berries; the others were not.  But we did manage to get a little bowl full; i hope i can pick a few more in the morning, without the neighborhood wildebeasts on my heels.

Our theory is that, since we're kind to our yard and let the wild things grow as they will, nature blesses us with little gifts from time to time.  I've never been able to nurture a plant from seed to fruit, but i can stay out of the way while Nature does it's thing, and i think it appreciates my not meddling, hence berries and pretty things throughout the year.

Update

Goodness, it really has been awhile since i've posted!  Family members keep telling me so, but I hadn't fully realized. Homeschooling is going well; as always, i lack in organization, but the kids keep learning anyway.  That's the biggest lesson for me in the whole thing: Kids will get what they need if you only pay attention.  No amount of planning or forcing will get things accomplished better than that.  Ryvre is reading very well, i think.  He's still sounding out some words, but he's tackling books like Harry Potter because he wants to.  He's also a wiz with a gameboy, but i suppose most traditionalists wouldn't see that as a good thing. I really don't mind; the games he plays are helping with his math, reading, and critical thinking. Willow is writing more, and teaching herself to spell a few simple words, like people's names and "love" so she can write short letters.  She constantly hovers over Ember, correcting and trying to help her write letters as well, but Ember doesn't seem to mind the attention. A couple of nights ago, all three took part in their first role-playing game session.  It was a simple game, but they were amazing!  They each created a character with unique abilities, and worked together to defeat a group of monsters and save a damsel in distress.  They seemed to understand the rules and did their own math to determine outcomes in combat and skill usage.  And of course they were imaginative and had fun! I do still have some readers here, so i will try to be better about updates.  I use facebook a lot more lately, so if you would like to add me, please send a message with your info--my profile there is friends-only, but for the sake of convenience, this blog is not, so you will have to ask for my name and location privately.

Halloween

This year we tried out the "Halloween Alternative" at the Baptist church.  I would consider it a success, and we will probably go next year.

There were crafts



And face painting





And food.  I suspect Ryvre was trying to sweet-talk Willow out of a bite of her cupcake, painstakingly decorated.  She was having none of that.



Meanwhile...NOM!



Busted.



Two princesses and an alien. 



We also did some late trick-or-treating and hit seven houses that were still giving out candy.  No one felt cheated out of their Halloween expectations, and we went home with a moderate amount of good candy as opposed to tons of "meh."

Birthdaypalooza

Ryvre's Ben 10 Cake (Dale's artistic rendering of Diamond Head in the center)



Psychadellic Rainbow Cupcakes! 



Swimming!



Coloring!



Ryvre's favorite gift...



The Omnitrix!



Probably one of Ember's favorites...but hard to tell by the expression.  She was really tired.



Blowing out the candles!



Ryvre's turn




I am still tired.

Updates

Ryvre is reading to his sisters.  He still has to sound out a lot of words, but he's confident and rarely gets frustrated anymore. Of course once one kid realizes you're taking a pic, they have to look at you weird. Willow is taking on more responsibilities; she retrieves items from the dryer, keeps her little sister's cup full if water, and helps her in the bathroom.  She also helps prepare and serve lunch.  Willow has a very nurturing personality, but it often comes across as...um...bossy.  So i'm trying to play up the positive by giving her things to do that are helpful. Ember is about halfway potty-trained.  There are good and bad days. Random learning moment: Prisms!  Brought to you by pirated WoW CDs on the endtable. And one more random thing: kids at a local grape stomping festival. The police department did fingerprinting, which was probably the coolest thing there

Silver Dollar City

Our trip to Silver Dollar City, earlier this month: Kids posing by a "pumpkin tree" just inside the entrance Ember "helping" with the basket weaving.  The others wouldn't try it, but the lady was very nice. They love the rides, of course, but the bigger two are getting bored with the "baby area." Note the look of fear in the third cart.  The next time around, i caught Ryvre's arm tight around his little sis to comfort her, but that one came out blurry. Frozen Lemonade.  Guess what?  We all shared it.  I kid you not. Possibly the most fun she had all day; running around the rock wall i probably shouldn't have let her run around on. Scratch that, playing in the fountain i probably shouldn't have let them play on was most fun. It IS fall!  PROOF! For some reason this young lady was running around with her friends (two pirates and a Dorothy) in costume.  Ember was absolutely enamored.