Kate's Birthday!

Kate is ELEVEN!

For Kate's birthday, we visited a trampoline park.  The girls had fun together and came home tired!  Kate & Natalie continue to grow in their friendship and are the best of the buddies.  Homeschooling has encouraged this all the more.  Kate and Scott have also developed a love for planes together.  When they talk about plane related things with lots of abbreviations and technical terms, I quickly get lost.  

 

She has become quite the baker and keeps us well supplied on sweet treats! 

Happy Birthday, Sweet Kate!  You are so special to all of us!

Pictures from This Fall

Too much wood to stack, but I'm not complaining (at least not right at this very second).  

 

                                                 

The boys took an adventurous off-roading trip to West Virginia...

And the kids met a curious dolphin at the zoo...

Okay- that's enough for now- Scout is getting bored...(yawn)

Volleyball Galore

Natalie had the opportunity to play on a homeschool volleyball team this fall.  It was much more involved and competitive than we had imagined.  She absolutely LOVED it and had a great team and wonderful coaches. 

Her team got 3rd in the State Championship.  Ironically, they beat the state champion earlier in the season.  Next year...

Natalie was thrilled to get the co-MVP award at the end of the season.  She's already counting down until she can play again.

Kate has been playing volleyball at home with Natalie and with another group and is excited to play in the fall, as well.  Kate has some great setting skills and has already mastered her jump serve.  Hopefully we can watch them play together next year!

Growing Things!

Early this fall, we got a wee bit obsessed with caterpillars and monarch butterflies.  We had done this a few years ago, but it was fun to start the tradition again.  Seemed like a homeschool thing to do after all!  We were able to watch several caterpillars form their chrysalis and then later caught some as they emerged as butterflies.  So amazing every single time!

 

 

 

Each caterpillar had a name- Larry, Mac, Freaky, Tickly, and Scoopy- just to name a few.  

 

 

Time to let them go and watch them fly! 

  

Scott poured a ton of work into a little garden this year.  We were able to eat some of the corn that he planted, and we enjoyed watching the progress (while small) of a pumpkin, watermelon, and a beautiful sunflower.  It was definitely a learning process for all of us.  I hope that he tries again next year!

Ick, Idaho, & Ice Cream!:)

The girls got on a slime kick and made several batches with their friends.  Icky!

 

 

 After a late start, the garden is beginning to grow!

The boys took a final summer trip to northern Idaho to visit friends.  Their trip involved a lot of driving, hiking, and camping.  Glad they could do these manly things together and see such beautiful scenery!

While we certainly missed the guys, we also had our own week of fun.  We enjoyed the "nature" row at Hobby Lobby, twinning, and some sweet treats!  To each, his own!:)