Pumpkin Patch Pics Through the Years

Seven Quick Takes

1.  I just finished filling out loads of paperwork having to do with my accident last November.  I had to sort through all of the bills I paid (and haven't paid).  It was very difficult and emotional...I haven't spent much (if any) time reflecting back on that time of trial but as I answer questions and am forced to relive that day I am remembering...I have so  much to be thankful for!  The accident could have been so much worse, the lasting effects so much worse.  Less than a year later I am able to mostly resume my normal activities.  My right knee will never be the same and will always give me trouble but I can walk and I am thankful!

2.  I spent another morning in the dentist's chair (it's been a rough day!) having 3 more cavities filled and a deep cleaning.  It wasn't as bad as my first visit or my second visit and for now I am done!  I have to go back every 4 months for a while but hopefully just for cleanings.  I now have sensitive teeth on both sides and this may be the best weight loss plan yet.  She coated my teeth with some sort of gel to help with the sensitivity and sent me home with Sensodyne toothpaste, hopefully both will help.  She said that I could expect sensitivity for a while--maybe a few months even.  Great....

3.  Do I sound like Negative Nellie today or what?  That's enough complaining!  I'm too blessed to be stressed right?

4.  Hannah and I are going with some other theatre kids and families to the Florida Theatre Conference this weekend and I'm getting really excited.  They are taking the show they just performed this past weekend (have you watched any or all of the videos I've posted?) and I think they are going to knock the socks off the judges.  Hannah will be playing the same part she played in her class' show--Roberta.  She was great and her New York accent was pretty awesome.  We will drive up to Gainesville on Friday and while the kids participate in workshops, the adults get to hang out, drink coffee, and watch shows.  It's a nice, relaxing change of pace from my normal life.  Then, on Saturday the kids will perform their show and get feedback from the judges.  I'm looking forward to seeing it, even though I've seen the show 4 times already, I haven't seen it with this specific cast of kids--each kid takes ownership of his or her part and it really changes the show.

5.  We made our annual trip to the pumpkin patch yesterday, I'll post pics of that later...Amanda and I drank our coffee and the kids ran around, played and we took lots of pics.  Julie and fam joined us this year.  When we first started going my kids were much younger and Amanda just brought her dogs dressed in costume...then she brought her baby...then her toddler....and this year her baby and her toddler!  I love to see life unfold like that.

6.  I bought an Election 2012 unit study yesterday from Amanda Bennett.  I loved that I could download it right on the spot.  It's a 4 week study and it will likely take us more like 5 to 6 weeks but we're going to do the whole thing.  I wish I had thought to do it earlier so that it could coincide with the election better but oh well.  I don't think we have ever done a government study her in our little homeschool so it's a good time for it.  I think I will be learning as much as the kids.  :0)  I've never done one of her unit studies but I hear they're great.  I'll let you guys know how it is.

7.  I am reading an interesting book called The Language of Flowers.  It's about a girl who spent her life in the foster care system and she's pretty messed up.  The story starts as she turns 18 and is aging out of the system but every other chapter is a flashback to one home that she was happy at and where the foster mother taught her the language of flowers--every flower having a meaning.  I'm really enjoying it so far.  Before this one, I read Sharp Objects by  Gillian Flynn about a dysfunctional girl who goes back to her hometown to research the disappearance of a young girl and it explores her crazy childhood with her crazy mother.  And, before that, I read a young adult novel, Okay for Now about a boy in a dysfunctional family and how he rises above it and changes his own life and his whole family's life.  I loved that one--the boy discovers a book of Audobon's original drawings of birds and in each chapter he is learning to draw the birds but also finding symbolism in the painting and how it relates to his life.  It's really cool.  The author is Jeffrey Schmidt.

Captain Louie, Home Again

Captain Louie, Captain Louie

Captain Louie, Spiffin' Up Ziggy's

Captain Louie, Loozah on the Block

Captain Louie, Trick or Treat

Captain Louie, Big Red Plane

Captain Louie, New Kid in the Neighborhood

Pictures

 The kids' latest show is this weekend, "Captain Louie, Jr."  I watched the run through the other day and I think it's going to be a great show!  Hannah has a pretty big part but Grace and Joe don't so I think I can watch it without stressing out too much which will be a nice change for me.  :0)

 The picture above was in the paper, after 6 years of theatre this is the first time Hannah's been in the picture that is in the paper advertising the show.  Woohoo!

 Last week (or maybe the week before) Hannah did a photo shoot with Joe.  Love these pictures!!

 Hannah participated in a photo shoot for a local magazine this summer--here's the cover.  There is also a picture of her pretending to study in the magazine but I don't have a pic of that.

 Above is what a typical Tuesday dinner looks like now--cheese, fruit, raw vegetables, hummus, peanut butter, and crackers or bread.

 Hannah had her first soccer game on Monday.  She did great and is loving soccer.

 A few weeks ago, Joe, Jake and Anabel all were asked to do a photo shoot where they were trying to recreate a Norman Rockwell painting.  I haven't seen the final result that was taken by a real photographer but below is them practicing.  I am not sure what they are using the photos for, something for the city, maybe a fundraiser?

Unfortunately, I have no pictures of Gracie in this round...she's still here, living life with us and bringing sunshine into my life every day!  Love that girl and I will have more pictures of her next time.  I did have a video of her from swimming but no pics...

One of Those Days I'll Never Forget...Blast From the Past

 I think this was one of Joe's best days ever even though he probably has no memory of it.  We had a few farm animal books that he loved.  We read them over and over again...all of the different animals and the sounds they made.  He knew them all by sight and knew what they all said but I don't think in his little 18 month old mind he realized that they existed in the real world.  This day at Uncle Donald's Farm each and every animal he knew so well came to life and he was ecstatic.  He was so happy and excited and thrilled with each new find..."Momma, a BAA, a NEIGH, momma a MAA, and so on."  Every time he turned around there was a new animal and they were moving and alive and saying what they say and all that stuff.  These pictures do a poor job of showing his joy that day but I will never forget.