Poolside Fun

Normally I wouldn't let the kids do this, but there weren't any people in this section of the pool to bother. I decided to loosen my collar and let the kids run and jump in one time at the end of our pool time and make a big splash.

Confident Swimmers

It's been a while since I posted anything regarding swimming. Marshall and Shaylen continue to love it! They took the Introduction to Swimming Class (Level I), passed into Level II, and have now started Level III. In this class they will begin to learn the basic crawl stroke and, I think, the beginning steps to diving. At this point they are doing a glorified doggie paddle (attempting to extend their arms out), but they are managing to stay afloat and propel themselves to the other side of the pool so I'm not complaining. The teacher has even had them jump into the deep, deep end, come up, and start swimming toward the edge. This was a huge step.

One of the head teachers said that if they did hand out awards or certificates (which they don't), Marshall and Shaylen would get a "Most Improved" award. She was impressed with how well they are doing.

Inquiring Minds Want to Know

We've had a request for a picture. I'm hanging my head in shame that I didn't get one myself. I must have gotten so wrapped up in the Events of this weekend. Please forgive me. So, without further ado, here is an approved picture of the two friends that graced us with their presence this past weekend. Too cute, eh?

The LONG Anticipated Weekend

I'm thinking about taking out stock in Puffs. Just so you know. I have a feeling that this weekend was the beginning of something really, really exciting. So exciting, that I'm hoping an event involving white, music, flowers, promises, cake, and Puffs will take place in the future.

This weekend the Pileggis came up to stay. (Bear with me. They play an important part in this whole post.) While we know that we are not blood related, we might as well be because we are thisclose. And even though we are thisclose, they really didn't come up to see us. They came up for An Important Event.

Marshall and Shaylen play a crucial part too. They helped me get ready for our special guests by cleaning and making Valentine themed cookies for our dessert at lunch on Saturday. This is the first time I've ever made Valentine's Day cookies. I decided not to make them Psychedelic Valentine's Cookies because this Event warranted a little more, uh, shall we say, seriousness? classiness? thought? (After all, not everything we do is crazy. We are normal, educated, mature people that make good impressions on new people. Especially people coming to THE event.)

The kids were so helpful. They helped make the cookies (mostly by being Official Dough Testers), cut them out and then helped decorate them. They turned out beautifully!

I love having a house-full. I cannot believe how fast little Lily is growing! Enzo and Julia were such big, good eaters on Friday night and the kids played so very well all weekend. It was a wonderful time together. As full as our house was, people were still missing.

Janelle was headed down for the weekend too. That's always special. All of us always look forward to times with Janelle. She is a dear, dear friend. Janelle plays a very important role in this blog story too. But not the most important. So, maybe I should say someone was missing. It was the most important player in the possible, probable, much hoped & prayed for Event.

It was a guy. Yup. A guy. Not just any guy, but a guy-friend. Dare I say "boyfriend?" Janelle was bringing a guy down to NH to meet all of us. All nine of us. And we were going to meet him.

I must say, that we were all very impressed. He fit in like he has always been a part of our group. It was a great time. Marshall and Shaylen started bombarding him with puppets and stuffed animals and airplanes and drawings and...okay, they liked him. Jason and Joni liked him. Taigen and I liked him. Enzo and Julia liked him. The only one that didn't express an opinion was Lily, but since she's only three months old, her opinion doesn't matter at this point. We played a few games and laughed extremely hard.

And so, we come to my first point. I'm thinking that taking out stock in Puffs would be a great idea at this point. I have a feeling. It's one of those feelings that you want, but you don't want. One of those tug-at-your-heart-because-you're-so-happy-and-yet-so-sad feelings. I liked him. I really did. Only if I had liked him, really and truly liked him would I have given a thumbs up to one of my dearest friends.

Pass the Puffs please.

Shaylen's Cowboy Compositions

I've got a bit of time today that I thought I would post some of Shaylen's Cowboy unit compositions. Sorry it has taken me so long!
On the left is her composition that mentioned California as well. Didn't realize that California was so popular for cowboys. Governators and overpriced real estate, yes, but cowboys? ANYway, whether it was too hot or too prickly, we might never know, but we do know that Shaylen didn't stay long.

This second picture was in addition to her composition of the day. She was to imagine herself as a horse. She was to describe what she looked like and what she would do. I loved her illustration on the back.

This third picture says:
I once was a cowboy and I was riding to the north. Suddenly, I kicked my horse with my spur because it had stopped. And I said, "Giddy up!" In a flash, the horse was on its way. I hung on and the horse went faster until we arrived. I was thirsty!

I'm thinking the horse was probably thirsty too.

My ultimate favorite composition from our cowboy unit was this one though. The kids were prompted to write their own "Wanted" or "Reward" poster. Shaylen decided to write up Daddy for doling out coffee cake for breakfast instead of Fiber Munchies or Shredded Straw. At least the carbohydrates helped her in school this day.

Homeschool Fine Arts Recital Video

This is my last attempt at getting this video online for all of you who are interested. The file was too big to upload as a whole, which meant it was impossible. That finally dawned on me only after three tries lasting over two hours each (I'm a slow learner, I guess). So, I split it into three parts so Blogger would like it. (That was easy because there are three verses to the song.) So, here ya go...be sure to turn up the volume on you computer. These kiddos are cuties!

We Belong to Jesus by Fanny Crosby

My Three Favorite People

I don't have time tonight to post some of Shaylen's cowboy compositions, but I do have time to share with you these two pictures of my three favorite people in all the world. I am so very blessed to have the best marriage (I'm in love with my pastor!) and the cutest, sweetest and most wonderful children.

Marshall's Cowboy Compositions

During our Cowboy unit, we had various and sundry topics for the kids to write on. On this particular day (right), it was asked of them to write what they would like to do if they were a cowboy. I'm not sure where Marshall would get the ingredients for his cake, but it probably would have sounded really great on the trail.

On the left, here's a composition that asked the kids to write down what they would need if they were a cowboy. Marshall's says, "I would like to be a cowboy!! I would wear a hat and spurs and boots and chaps and a vest and a bandanna and a rope and sunglasses!" (Talk about a run-on sentence!) It sure is cute though.

This composition on the right was what Marshall envisioned the desert being like: Hot and dusty and it had to be in California for some reason.

Apparently, Marshall slacked off one day because he had a calf get out. THEN, he deliberately didn't fix the fence. Don't know if I'd want him as my cowpoke.

And let's just say that the cows got out of line. Marshall could always whip out (literally) his whip and whip them into shape. At least that's what he did with these cows.

And here's the last one in this set of cowboy compositions. It is one that I find particulary funny because of what Marshall said after he did this composition. Part of their introductory lesson talked about Itinerant Preachers in the old days that went from village to village and preached. It was an arduous job. Imagine trekking through rain, snow, sleet and hail for each church service...on horseback. Some people have trouble doing that in cars with heat and plush seats. Hmmmm. Marshall said that being a pastor was a tough job. I told him that it could be. He then said that being a mommy was not a hard job at all.

Nice. The kid has got a lot to learn.

Sometimes You Just Need A Jammie Day

As I post this, some of you are wrapping up your day in the office. If you're a woman, you're probably like me, hoping to take off your nylons the moment you step in the front door. (Actually, you'd probably like to burn them...) And if you're a guy, maybe you're hoping that necktie regulation will be dropped in this following year.

Marshall and Shaylen don't have to wear collared shirts, belts, dress khakis or skirts, blouses and tights throughout their school day, they still are required to be dressed and at school (the guest room) by 8:30. Most days we make it, but there are a few exceptions. Even though they have no school uniform, I guess even jeans and a t-shirt seem constricting at times to them apparently, because they always long to do school in their comfy cozy jammies. Can you blame them?

Sooooo, some days their principal & teacher (i.e. ME) is r-e-a-l-l-y nice and lets the kids have a Jammie Day (it's all approved by their school administrator of course!). This is usually because they've been up late due to their parents being the last ones at church some nights (Note: Jammie Days, if they happen, would be on a Monday or Thursday). I let them sleep in a skosh longer. You won't find me in my jammies though. Sorry to disappoint you. They are a sight, bed head and all, but they're sure enjoying their comfortable day.

Oceans, Ships, Forts, Stairways, Rock Walls...

The possibilities are endless. It's amazing to see what the twins come up with on a Saturday morning when they are in no rush to get dressed and hop on up to the classroom. Instead of putting their noses in their curriculum, they are using their great imaginations to create worlds to visit, Olympic feats to overcome and adventures to dream up. There are sixteen couch cushions/pillows, four blankets, dozens of stuffed animals and two water bottles. I promise you, each one has been used in various and sundry ways this morning. I have proof.


And for those of you who think a pastor's home is always flawless, you are wrong. Very wrong. How can it be when creativity is at work?

Be Careful What You Eat

The kids have been learning about cowboys during their Phonics and English lessons the past week or so. They have been fascinated by their jobs, their horses, their whips, their brands (ouch!) and their hats. It's been funny. Today we learned about their diets. No, I'm not talking about Atkins for Cowboys. I'm talking about what a cowboy would eat. The kids learned about hardtack, a staple in a cowboy's diet while out on the trail. Looked more like a cracker on steroids to me, but I guess when you're tired and hungry you'll eat just about anything, right?

Tonight at dinner I was prompting the kids to tell Taigen about what they learned today. When we got to Phonics and English, I said to the kids, "Tell Daddy about some of the things that cowboys eat."

They mentioned beans, bacon, biscuits, eggs & jerky. Taigen said that possibly they might have eaten things they hunted while out on the trail. That prompted a huge discussion on bears, deer, caribou, snakes and rabbits. That was a long rabbit trail, trust me.

I wanted to round-up this conversation and get back to what we were talking about. I hinted at the hardtack. "What was that stuff that the cowboys ate that looked like a huge cracker?"

Shaylen piped up, "A heart attack."

Homeschool Fine Arts Recital

A few months ago, one of our homeschool moms approached Taigen about our homeschooled church kids putting on a Fine Arts night at the church. Taigen told her to go ahead and run with it.

Boy did she. Jane contacted everyone, set up a time and then managed the how to's of getting everything done decently and in order. If the kids wanted to submit art, they needed to have it in a frame with matting. She made up placards to place in front of each art piece so we could see the title of the piece, the materials used to create the art (crayons, pencil, clay, etc.), the artist and his/her age. Fancy Schmancy! If the kids were doing music or a recitation, they were to have it memorized and were required to state their piece and bow at the conclusion. I think it pushed our kids to excel at what they did since it was going to be a genuine recital. There were poems, duet acting and other recitations, and also lots of music that included piano, cello, viola, singing and violin.

The kids and I have been working through the Music 1 curriculum this year and I found a piece that would work well for them. They memorized a little introduction to the piece and all three verses of their song. One of Marshall and Shaylen's friends from church who is a Kindergartner this year asked if they would be willing to sing I Sing The Mighty Power of God (all verses) with her. They know that piece well and were excited to help her out so she wouldn't be all alone on the platform.

Taigen and I were so proud of Marshall and Shaylen's hard work. They did a fantastic job and sounded so sweet singing in their very first recital. I have video to upload, but at present, my computer and internet are rebelling. Sorry!

Snow Much Fun!

Last Monday, we got dumped on with a bunch of snow. Between Sunday night, Monday and Tuesday, we probably got about a foot of snow. I love snow in New England. I love how it weighs down the evergreen branches and makes everything so white, crisp and clean, not to mention picture perfect. All those pictures on Christmas cards or on those pictures that pop up when you use the search engine on your computer for "winter" or "snow," just look like New England. Beautiful.

After school & lunch the kids were able to don all of their winter garb and head out to play in the white stuff. They never tire of it. While they played and I snapped pictures, Taigen cleared off the driveway. He even let Marshall have a go of it.

Once that was done, we piled into the van and went sledding at a nearby park that has a nice, long semi-steep hill. We probably sledded for about an hour. The kids would have done more if we had let them, but it was getting close to dinner time and we knew their tummies would be growling soon.

Homeschool Sledding Day

Each year, the homeschool moms and kids have gathered together in Rochester for a fun sledding day. Today was the scheduled day for this year's and it turned out to be the perfect day for it. It wasn't too cold. About 40 degrees. The snow was a bit packed and slick, but looking at the enjoyment on the kids' faces, you would never had known there was anything to complain about. Most of our homeschool families were able to come out and play.

I love how all of our kids play well together. High schoolers sledding down with pre-schoolers and lower elementary kiddos too. It's not too cool to be seen with the little ones. When you homeschool, the little ones are your friends, or, at least my kids and the teens think so. Snowballs were occasionally being tossed too and fro, there were lots of "trains" made with several sleds and some even pulled out their snowboards. It was a cool hill!

After we (and yes, I mean even me) had spent about an hour and a half going up and down the hill sledding, laughing and crashing, and snapping up pictures, we went across the street to the Perdues for hot cocoa, brownies, cookies, chips (and for some of us, coffee).

Marshall and Shaylen were whipped tonight. They both took a long shower. We were able to put them to bed early and I haven't heard a peep from them since.

The Blessing of Busy-Ness

Sorry it's been so long since I posted. It sounds redundant to say "we've been busy," but in all honesty, well, we've been busy. Last week on Thursday I had a ladies' meeting. We all cozied up in the Meroff's living room and we enjoyed a great time of prayer, time around God's Word and a time of fellowship. For those of you who don't know, last year we met every month at the church. It was spacious, but very cold (physically) and impersonal. I decided to shake things up a bit by having us meet in homes this year. The feedback that I've gotten from the ladies I've spoken to has been all positive. But here I'm rambling. Sorry, that was quite the rabbit trail. Back to the busy weekend...

On Friday night the Sheltons came to our house. Stan and Grace Shelton (and their four boys Kaleb, Lukas, Micah and James) are here from Austria on their second furlough. We were elated to be able to spend the entire weekend with them. Marshall and Shaylen were only two when we saw them last AND we were up in Maine. Thankfully, Heritage supports them too, so we were able to reconnect. Stan was going to speak at the men's breakfast on Saturday morning, Sunday school on Sunday morning, and then preach in the evening service. In between functions, we were able to crash at the house, let the kids play with each other and sit and chat.

As you can tell from the photo, our kids made themselves quite at home with Stan. I love the fake "I'm Dying" look that Stan has on his face. Funny as it sounds, this is a blessing of having missionaries in our home. It gives Marshall and Shaylen a connection; a relationship with those that we pray for on a weekly basis. They aren't just some face on a prayer card. They know them personally.

On Saturday when the guys got back from the breakfast and book study, Stan mentioned that Grace had hoped to hit The Christmas Tree Shops while she was in town. Would I be able to take her? Of course, I jumped on the opportunity and we made an afternoon of it. We first went to lunch and then over to the store where I told her to take her time and enjoy wandering around. (This was such a priceless iron-sharpening time for just the two of us.) The guys in the meantime took the kids out sledding. I have to say that all ten of us had a fantastic time enjoying each other's company.

Sunday we were able to have the Meroffs over for spaghetti and meatballs, salad, fresh bread, lemon cake and good coffee. Scott and Amy had spent some time with the Sheltons the past two times they had been at our church, and had wanted the opportunity to do that again. Amy contributed a ton toward the meal so between the two of us, it was an easy prep for the masses.

After lunch, we all sat around and chit-chatted: the ladies in the living room, the guys in the basement (with football) and the kids, well...everywhere. There were fifteen bodies floating around the house. It was glorious! I loved every minute of it.

Many times missionaries or special speakers will say what a blessing it was to stay, but I know the truth: the fact is, we always receive the greater blessing. Pray for the Sheltons. They return HOME (Vienna, Austria) in February.

The Spirit of DuWayne Lives On

Grandpa Rutledge was known during his lifetime for his various and sundry projects. According to Taigen, he tinkered with a lot of stuff. So, when Shaylen said that she wanted a garage to go with her new dollhouse, I volunteered Taigen's services. While Taigen isn't a carpenter, I figured a garage for a six year old couldn't be that difficult, right?

Taigen pulled out the scrap wood and started in on becoming his little girl's hero. She was elated! She specifically asked for a flat roof and no garage door, so essentially, a carport. Once the carport was done, Shaylen could hardly wait to paint it.

Today we finally had the opportunity to paint. We had such a great time being creative. We both primed it and then let it dry. After dinner we got out the craft paint and got busy with the details. Shaylen was so happy with how it turned out. Her Loving Hearts dolls' car will have a fancy-schmancy place to park come tomorrow morning.

It isn't the perfect structure, but we all know that Grandpa would be proud.

Enlisting Little Prayer Warriors

This past Sunday, we had to send off a dear friend & quiet, godly leader at Heritage. Sonny is in the National Guard and his battalion (or whatever you call his group of soldiers...sorry) has been called to active duty in Afghanistan. He'll be leaving Wednesday and won't return for a whole year.

We've promised him that we'll pray for him while he's away and help take care of his sweet wife and son that are still here. One of the things we did was take a picture of Sonny with the twins so that we can print it off and place it in our missionary notebook. While Sonny is not an official missionary to Afghanistan, he will no doubt have many opportunities to talk to his fellow soldiers. We'll be proud to have him as an ambassador from Heritage Baptist Church!

I cannot imagine having Taigen away for a year. What a sacrifice! If you think of it, as you're praying for our troops, would you mention Sonny too? We'll surely miss him and will eagerly await his safe return.

Continuing With Our Boat Theme

Today during the Phonics and English lesson, the focus was about ferries, yachts, warships, submarines, sailboats, etc. The teacher instructed Marshall and Shaylen to write about their favorite ship that they had seen pictures of during their introductory lesson.

Shaylen wrote about ferries. I love that her rotor blades are spinning, but clearly out of the water. I hope we're not planning on getting anywhere soon. She did do a great job. She loves composition.Marshall, being Marshall, decided to write about aircraft carriers, because, of course, it has airplanes on it. Surprised? What's funny is that he proceeded to draw passenger jets on the aircraft carrier. Not sure I would want to fly those friendly skies, but hey, at least the kid is predictable. AND, just so you know, he does own a miniature aircraft carrier and yes, his diecast airplanes land and take off from it. He knows it's not supposed to work like that, but he enjoys imagining it this way.

Ever Wondered How...

On this particular day of school, Marshall and Shaylen were supposed to write out the directions for something. Shaylen decided to write about how to clean the toilet and Marshall wanted to write about how to play the piano. As I type I am laughing out loud because both of my impressionable young munchkins included one very important direction that I've given them. Can you tell which comments are from their Mommy?

Where Would YOU Kayak?

It's been a while since I posted some of the kids' compositions. I thought you would enjoy these from before our Christmas break. They are working on a boating theme during their Phonics and English class. On this particular day the focus was on kayaking.

I always crack up with their illustrations. Please notice Shaylen's comment bubble above her person kayaking (2nd picture). When I asked her who the "we" were, she said, "No, Mommy. That's me saying 'wheeeeee!'"