7 months

Time flies . . . especially with bitty babies.
We absolutely adore our sweet little one, but she's growing way too fast!
Dabney Hazel is now 7 months old.  

At 7 months:

THREE teeth (!)

16 pounds

wearing 9-month size clothes

 drooling

chews everything

reaches and grabs

nurses exclusively - 6x/day

sleeps 10 hours at night (still in a minicrib in our room)

rolls and rolls and rolls and rolls

coos and squeals 

eczema and cradle cap :(

 blows raspberries

sticks out her tongue

blond hair

Dabney brings us all so much joy.  We can't seem to get enough of her big grins, coos, and snuggles.  Each roll-over and raspberry is celebrated.  Her siblings absolutely adore her, and  she is happy to be toted around by them, loving their attention.  

She is a blessing to our family.  

School 2013-2014, Month 7-8

150 days of school completed . . . 30 days to go!

Our crew of school kiddos have been busy with handwriting, reading, and math lessons; spelling tests, geography workbooks, and language arts; as well as plenty of fun logic games.  We've colored maps, colored plant diagrams, and colored Vietnamese art; we've sang songs, memorized speeches, and watched plenty of classic TV shows from the 60's.  It's been a fun (and busy) time of learning!

This seems to be that time of year when we are in need of new school books.  One huge benefit to schooling at home, is we have flexibility with curriculum . . . but that often means our books don't always fit perfectly with the timing of our year.  Several kids have advanced to their next level math books, graduated in their handwriting work, and Hendrick finished his 4th grade language arts!

We now have two kids working on cursive (Davis and Tesfaye), one more child has graduated from the phonics book (Hiwot), and another child working in first grade math (Maegli).

Our Tie-Dye "Hippie" shirts :)

Together we've been learning about the jam-packed years of the 1960's.  This such a critical period in American (and world) history: the Cold War, John F. Kennedy, Fidel Castro, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Bay of Pigs, Martin Luther King Jr., Race to Space, John Glenn, "I have a Dream", JFK Assassination, Civil Rights, Malcolm X, Vietnam War, LBJ, hippies, Nixon, Watergate, opening of China, Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong, Gerald Ford.  Wow!

We made Cuban pasta, studied world maps, drawn flags, sang "We Shall Overcome", memorized a portion of MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech, tie-dyed t-shirts (like hippie:), and enjoyed tapioca pudding (Vietnam).  The kids have enjoyed watching classic TV shows from this time period: "Gilligan's Island", "I Dream of Jeannie", and "Rin-Tin-Tin" being our very favorites. 

"Gilligan's Island" by Hiwot

 This study of history has given us lots of opportunity for great discussion with the kids: We've learned about strong leaders who weren't honorable and trustworthy people who weren't strong leaders.  There was a lot of controversy in this busy time period and a lot to be learned from studying it.

One of the most valuable moments in this study was a face-time call with Gramma and Grandpa.  The kids got to hear about their experience, as young children, living through these tumultuous years: the push of science in their schooling due to the Race to Space, the scare from the Cuban Missile Crisis, memories of JFKs assassination, and Vietnam War draft cards.  It was wonderful for the kids to get this personal insight from this not-so-distant history. 

We began a new science curriculum too!  We've started with Apologia: Exploring Creation with Botany.  We have seeds growing in a lighted, foil-lined box indoors and the kids have enjoyed looking at seeds and seed cuttings under a microscope.  Fun stuff! 

Tricks

One HUGE benefit to having lots of siblings: having lots of playmates!  

Due to a recent evening at a gymnastics center and the girls tumbling in their dance class, the kids have been practicing all sorts of tricks at home.  It's been quite impressive and very entertaining. 

The girls quickly mastered a lift that will be performed in their upcoming dance recital:

The kids have also been practicing "bunk bed."  All five boys and two girls take turns with this one:

Maclaren joins in too!

Growing Up

Miss Maclaren is getting to be such a big girl.  She's venturing out on her own and getting more independent . . . and she's drawing!  She colors on everything: paper, books, and her siblings school work, and proudly shows off her artwork.  So cute! 

Love these 4 sisters - they're all getting so big!

Playground

Following Burke's first soccer game last week, we stopped at the playground for a quick romp.  Maclaren, who tends to stay close by mama (typically attached to my side), stepped out of her shell as Miss Independent, master of the playground.  She had a ball exploring the large play space, navigating up ladders and ramps, and down slides.  

Tesfaye, my budding photographer, wanted to take pictures.  He wore the camera, followed Maclaren around, and captured some great shots of his siblings.

And one of the photographer:

Soccer

Burke is the chosen one for Spring soccer . . . and he's thrilled!

After a few crazy seasons of multiple kids playing on multiple teams, resulting in weeks of never having the entire family together due to being split for sporting events, we made the choice to limit our involvement in sports.  Our time together as a family is too valuable to sacrifice it for a sport season.  So, we allow ONE team each season - and fit as many kids as we can on the ONE team. 

This Spring season, we wanted to give different kids an opportunity to play (Hendrick and Tesfaye played this past Fall).  Due to our current age categories, we (surprisingly) only had one child who was eligible for the spring team. 

Go Burke! 

It's been fun going together as a family to each of his practices and to his first game - Burke has quite the cheering section!  It's been a few years since he's last played soccer, Burke has matured a lot as a player.  He's eager to learn and so excited to play.  He's definitely the most jolly player on the field, he's such a joy to watch! 

For this first game, he got his uniform and gear out and ready two days in advance.  He loved being out of the field with his team.  

We really want our kids to "have fun, work hard, and learn" each time they participate in a team sport.  It's going to be a great season!

Repticon

For our ten-year-old to save his chore money for two months, instead of spending it immediately so it didn't burn a hole in his pocket, you know it was something pretty exciting.  Enter Repticon, the premier herpetology convention in the states.

Herpetology is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians (including frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and gymnophiona) and reptiles (including snakes, lizards, amphisbaenids, turtles, terrapins, tortoises, crocodilians, and the tuataras).

Mike and Hendrick spent the day in Nashville last weekend, with Repticon as the centerpiece of the trip.  Hendrick walked each exhibit, made a list of the new critters he wanted, talked to the sellers about herpetology husbandry, and eventually made his move.

This interest consumes a lot of his time and energy.  We have 4 tank habitats housing his growing collection of critters, and he orders a monthly shipment of hundreds of feeder crickets to satisfy these critter appetites.   

We don't know what the future hold for him, but it's been fun to watch this passion grow and mature in our boy.  

Hendrick's house critter pets:

2 Fire Belly Toads
2 Cuban Tree Frogs
1 Fire Salamandar
1 Leopard Gecko
1 Pac-Man Frog

Teething

rolling

drooling

raspberries

squaking

fussing

chewing

and a needing extra snuggles

teething is rough

Notebooks and Gold Leaf

Bookmaking AND Gold leafing . . . the kids thought this was the coolest project ever! 

I have been a part of a bookclub that meets monthly for the past 4-1/2 years.  I love getting together with this group of ladies, sharing books and sharing life.  We take turns picking the book and hosting the meeting.  Bookclub night is always such a treat, and always a late night out (us stay-at-home moms can chat it up late into the evening).  I enjoy going and I always look forward to my turn to host.  When I find a great book, I plan around the theme: food, music, decorations, and an activity or craft. 

I hosted our club last week for my pick, The Help by Kathryn Stockett:  Crisco, rock and roll music, bouquets of flowers, fried chicken, great discussion, bottles of Coca-cola, chocolate pie . . . and we made notebooks.  Writing is a theme throughout the book, and the power of the written word: writing down stories and writing out prayers. 

Our books were made with cut printer paper pages and heavy card stock covers, scored and bound together with bookbinding PVA glue.  For something special, we decorated the cover with gold leaf. 

The kids look forward to helping with bookclub.  They are always curious about our books (and offer their own recommendations).  This past week, they helped plan, sampled the food, and were eager to make books too. 

 

Now they each have their very own book.  They've been busy filling the pages with critter notes, princess drawings, and journal writing/scribbling . . . fantastic!

I made two for myself! 
Mine are a smaller scale with more pages:  perfect for taking notes and making lists . . . I'm really good at making lists :)

My past book picks:

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
House Rules by Jodi Picoult
Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls
Under the Overpass by Mike Yankoski
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
What is the What by Dave Eggers

Princess

Little Miss Mac has quite a lot of personality . . . she's absolutely adorable! 
At two, our shy Maclaren is coming out of her shell a bit and becoming more verbal.  She's growing more adventurous and bold and is thrilled to communicate all her fabulous ideas with us. 

The other day, while her big siblings enjoyed an evening at a local gymnastics center, she and I went out together, for errands and a dinner date.  While at the craft store, she loved walking along with me, pointing out EVERYTHING, and putting EVERYTHING in our shopping basket.  It was wonderful!  She kept me quite busy, returning things back to their proper places.  In the checkout line, she grabbed a sweet crown, placed it on her head and looked up at me, absolutely beaming . . . I didn't put it back . . . I bought her a princess crown :)
And she proudly wore her princess crown our entire evening together. 

I love my Maclaren :)

Snuggles

Adventure

Melting snow left the ground a bit too mushy and slushy for our planned family camping trip this past weekend.  Plan B for a long weekend and planned vacation days?

A family adventure in Chattanooga!


We drove to East Tennessee early Friday morning to hit (our very favorite!) Crust Pizza in Sewanee for lunch.  After eating our fill of the amazing Mighty Isis pizza, we drove on to Chattanooga and explored the Arboretum & Nature Center nestled at the base of Lookout Mountain.  The kids especially enjoyed playing in the impressive bamboo grove alongside Lookout Creek.

We feel incredibly blessed to be able to enjoy a getaway as a family.  It's always such a luxury to enjoy a hotel stay.  Our family requires two hotel rooms, we typically have a boys room and a girls room.  This time, we were fortunate to find adjoining suites in a hotel with an indoor pool - such a treat! 

For dinner, we made PBJs in the hotel room and watched "Gilligan's Island" in our beds :)

The next morning, after enjoying a large breakfast at the hotel, we explored the amazing Tennessee Aquarium.  Maclaren was especially animated throughout our aquarium visit.  A 2-years-old she was enthralled with the butterflies, stingrays, penguins, sea turtles, and fish, excitedly pointed to everything, giggling, and babbling. 

We grabbed lunch a few blocks away from the aquarium at a delicious Indian restaurant, where incredibly we were remembered from our visit 5 months earlier.  Our waiter even recalled our family's order!  I guess we're fairly memorable - I hope for good reason :)

The Tennessee Aquarium is housed in two separate multi-story buildings: Oceans (saltwater) and Rivers (freshwater).  In addition to the typical aquarium greatness with several hand-on experiences, "Oceans" also houses the butterflies and penguins, "Rivers" houses the seahorses and the critter shows.  We explored one building before lunch, and finished up with the other after lunch. 

Before loading back into the van for the drive home, the concrete sidewalk landscaping around the Aquarium provided a great playground for the kids. 

The kids captured a picture of us too:

As well as the scene around us :)

It's so much fun to share adventures as a family.  I am so thankful we have opportunity to enjoy spontaneous getaways together!