March Snapshots

Climbing into chairs is a favorite activity

Singing "Jesus Loves Me" to her baby

Samuel loves slides!

My kitchen help doubled, but not my productivity

Tens Fractal!

Field Trip to the LACMA, specifically to look at ancient of the Americas and Asia. Claire was thrilled to discover that early Spanish art in the Americas was full of baby Jesuses.

Lampposts!

Look at my big kids!

Samuel loved getting to join in the painting

Our map work finally got a lot more serious with the borrowing of huge atlases from the library. Josiah has been asking for months for more topographical details. On the other hand, the five minute map work assignment for history now takes a really long time.

We came to the end of our study of "Swimming Creatures." The boys complete their ocean boxes, thanks entirely to the help of my beloved mother's helper.

Said mother's helper also got a goat to the delight of all my children that we sometimes get to help feed and walk. Samuel found his passion: barn animals! Word #4: cow; word #5: goat ("T! T!").

Spring blossoms!

[Not pictured: trip #2 to Disneyland! I showed restraint and chose not to lug the camera around. Kids loved our second trip; less crowded + better strategies for beating the crowds = lots of rides! Then Grandpa took the kids home for dinner and bed, so Dustin and I could enjoy some non-flat rides by ourselves.]

And still to come: our March Death Valley trip!

Overheard:
Claire singing, "My God is great! So strong and so mighty, there's nothing my God cannot do....for you!" To which Josiah responded, "That's not true. Even if you asked him, God can't sin."

March: Walking!

Samuel started March taking the occasional one step and ended it walking all over the place! He came home from an evening church service ready for walking practice and took 4+ steps over and over that night. Although true to form, he'd only walk *to* me; what is the use of walking if it takes you away from the mama?

Duplo training bridge: great practice for independent
standing with Samuel noticing

Uneven surfaces are tricky!

Walking is so thrilling!

Now he can "be the daddy" and take the
baby for walks.

So proud of himself!

My independent walker is still my snuggly sleeper, though

March: Watch the Castle Grow

Dustin began Project Castle in March.

At the beginning of the month it looked like this:

And by the end of the month, this:

The kids are loving each stage of the building process!

February Snapshots

Schoolwork marched a long nicely.

Sometimes, when you skip your nap, it is really hard to stay awake
to watch a documentary on the Trojan War.

Satisfying work: showing the same number with
four different manipulatives

The Ladies' weekly Bible study at church added a homeschool room this sesmester, so we jumped into that. The boys bring their work and there are two tutors to help, so the kid/teacher ratio is better than at home. Claire loves getting to sing songs and play; Samuel pretends he is a three month old baby and naps on my back while I get to study James. It's a win for everyone!

Assyrian Siege Tower

Elijah helps with the littles while I do phonics with Josiah

Lots of little fingers!
Claire likes to do her piano most mornings, too;
she is faithful about counting the beat--at least someone
is listening.

We took a trip out to Phoenix to see cousins and my grandparents.

Settlers was the game of the weekend

We spent the Saturday with my grandparents, and explored Calico Goldtown.

Dinner was a a pizza place with an organ + lights, puppets, etc.

Aunt Elizabeth took the boys to ride horses, too!

Claire was in tears when it was time to head home.

For Valentine's Day, we had a fancy dinner at home -- complete with the real silverware (thanks to Elijah's request!) and lobster tails, which Claire & Josiah adored

Decorating Valentine Cookies

This month, Claire and Samuel worked on navigating their relationship as Samuel transitions to toddler play.

But lest it seem like Samuel is growing up too fast, naptime looks like this everyday.

And because we live in southern California, lots of beautiful days for outside play.

He has been captured and is waiting for his
brother to rescue him.

We're continuing to enjoy Dustin's every other Friday off -- we headed up to the Getty Villa with dear friends, who are gracious enough to do art museums with little people. It's always so beautiful there!

Claire says that baby Dionysus "has no diaper,," and
disappointedly remarked, "Can't hug baby."