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.

The Beginning of a New UnSchool Year

First Week of School! I had planned to make a post for the first day, but...well, I just plain didn't get around to it. The challenge this year is on my end.  DOCUMENTING everything the kids learn, and how much time they spend doing it.  That is what the state requires, should They ever happen to ask, and I must have these things in order now that Ryvre is (almost) "compulsory age." Day 1 (Monday) was uneventful, and even a little tearful.  I explained to the kids that we really must make an effort to do some "schoolwork" every day.  Even if it's just a little.  They did not want to do it, so we had a nice long talk.  Ryvre and Willow both agree that they would rather stay home and do the work here than miss each other all day while stuck in "regular school" classes, even though they would be with other kids.  It's sweet that that's their main concern: missing their family for most of the day.  Day 2 was spent running errands.  It may not be everyone's definition of classic education, but we did have enlightening conversations about taxidermy (thanks to the decor of Lonestar Steakhouse), finances ("Daddy, can we have..." anyone?) and the water cycle ("Ember's cup is DRIPPING on me!") Day 3 (today) started out rough, but after 10 minutes of instruction, Ryvre has mastered the concept of Place Value, and is adding numbers well into the hundreds!  More importantly, after moping and resisting all morning, he is officially excited about math again!  And he also lost a tooth, as a sidenote. Willow is doing very well with addition; i have to ask her not to yell out the answers when Ryvre is doing his work aloud.

Math Genius

Huge News!

Willow can Add!

She just showed me.  I had no idea!  I suppose she's seen and heard Ryvre do it, but i've never actually sat down with her and explained the hows and whys.  I never "made" her do it.

Grandma Sollars' 80th Birthday

This summer has been hot and yuck, so i haven't had much motivation to blog, nor many fun things to blog about.

This weekend though, we celebrated Granny Sollars' 80th birthday! 

i only hope that a) i too make it to 80, and b) i also look this good! 



Here's my mama doing all the work--she looks nice though, doesn't she?  She bought that outfit on the way; i teased her about it being bright, but it looks like she planned to match the decor. 



Willow spent most of her time in a quieter room, coloring.



Ryvre had a job; he made sure everyone stopped to sign the guest book!  And boy did he.



Ember, being ladylike as ever.





Sweet pic of Willow with Aunt Kristie



They're identical twins, actually, for those unaware.



Some decor pics, as i have a very slight obsession...







Near the end, the girls let loose a little.  No one seemed to mind.



I love this action shot



And, because you were so good and read today's blog, i give you...



Mutant-Siamese-Triplet-Squash!  Straight from Grandma Mona's garden.

Willow's Party

Willow's 5th birthday party was on Sunday, and i finally have the time to post about it!  It's been a very busy week, what with planning, shopping, errands, both cars being in and out of the shop, and a recent lightning-induced brush fire in the next yard, *whew* but i'm catching up.  The party was awesome!  We had four friends in attendance.  As always, there was swimming and cake; this time we also had a craft and watched a couple of movies when everyone was ready for a break.  They really were as calm and well-behaved as the pics suggest! Even when it was time to open gifts. The theme Willow chose was 'Barbie Island Princess,' which i am not crazy about, but a girl only turns 5 once.  I cannot take credit for the cake; it was purchased at Wal-Mart. She blew out the candles before we got a chance to sing.  So that part was done afterwards. THE easiest craft ever: colored sharpies on canvas tote bags.  Who knew something so easy would be so much fun!? When the other kids had all gone home, Dale had the crazy idea to put colored hairspray in our childrens' hair.  I do not recommend this, as it is horribly messy, and i have not yet succeeded in removing the color from their clothing.  Their bathwater looked like red paint.  I'm so glad i didn't do this to the other moms!  But it's still kind of fun to see what it would look like to have red-headed children!  hehe Willows is still kind of pink and stiff and dread-like...which i think is cute!  You can see what i mean below; i snapped a couple of pics in Toys R Us while we were spending birthday money.  Ember's hair is stained pink, lightly, but it's still soft. In the last two, the girls are wearing dresses made by our dear friend Tabitha.