1. Weekend Festivities
We experienced a very festive weekend!
On Saturday, Margaret experienced her First Confession (click here), followed by John attending his monthly Math Olympiad meeting, the children building a teepee out back, and then an evening excursion of Chris and the two older kids going to another family's home for an evening of board games.
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| First Lenten rose of the season |
On Sunday, Chris and I celebrated our twelfth wedding anniversary (click here).
2. Yummy Breakfast
Big family breakfast life hack . . .
Whenever we make pancakes or waffles, we make a double batch. Considering how big a batch is to feed eight of us already, a double batch is really big. We refrigerate or freeze the leftovers and serve them on a weekday morning, so we're getting a homemade breakfast on a quick school morning.
We will use different mixes, but our current favorite is Kodiak Cakes pancake/waffle mix, sold at Costco. When one uses milk and eggs in it instead of just water, the protein is 21 grams per serving (three 4-inch pancakes).
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| Tots coloring at the table while waiting for me to be done preparing breakfast |
I almost never bother setting the table: with this many kids, I like to have a stack of plates, and piles of flatware to serve from more easily.
3. Thomas Is so Cute
Mary made Thomas his own little piano out of wooden blocks. Throughout the week, Thomas would rebuild it himself. I love creativity.
This week, Thomas (2-1/2) began a "Stevie Wonder routine" (not that he knows of that musical artist) while eating foods he really enjoys. For example, while eating this muffin, he kept his eyes closed the entire time while humming Ode to Joy enthusiastically and eating his muffin, waving his head to and fro . . . just like Stevie Wonder! It is just the cutest thing.
4. Super Moon
On Wednesday, I agreed to get up with the children for the 5:51 a.m. for the trio of a super moon, a blood moon, and a full lunar eclipse.
It was pretty funny for the children to bundle up and go stand on the driveway in the bitter cold. The moon really was brilliantly big and bright!
5. Well-Baby Visit
On Wednesday, I took in three children for joint well-child visits. David had not been seen since his first newborn visit because at one of his appointments, we were all sick and couldn't come, on another appointment, I was very sick and couldn't drive them, and at the next appointment, it was the Big Snow Day, so the doctor himself cancelled all visits.
Now that David is 5-1/2 months old, he weighs 17.5 lbs (57th percentile) and is 2 feet 3 inches long (77th percentile). He wears size 9 months clothing and a size 3 diaper. Big boy!
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| The five-year-old took a photo of Mama. |
6. State of the Union Address
Chris and I watched the State of the Union live, and then we gathered all the children to watch it recorded the next night--and starting earlier in the evening.
Not all parties were interested, so one chose to read a biography on Helen Keller instead . . .
. . . but most of the kids were intrigued. The 11- and 9-year-olds watched with rapt interested and asked many and frequent questions. Because we were watching a recorded version, we could easily pause over and over again to go on "discussion rabbit trails." Even the 5-year-old had a good amount of interest for his age, and made observations. We enjoy talking politics!
- "The Homeschool Trap" at Homegrown Learners
- "Planning Your Charlotte Mason Education"--excellent, step-by-step directions on how to design your own homeschool curriculum, whether or not it is Charlotte Mason style
P.S. Friday is my birthday. I will share our little celebration in its own post!
For more 7 Quick Takes Friday, check out This Ain't the Lyceum.
Love the stick teepee, and a happy belated anniversary!
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up!