lemon faces

OK, so I heard that lemons are not good for small children to eat.  Not so good for the teeth, but I will do most things for a quick photograph.

Here are a few shots of Diamonte and Azariyah trying their very first lemon.

new shoes

I can remember as a kid the thrill of getting new tennis shoes right before school started.  I'd beg my Mom to let me wear my new sparkling white shoes out of the store.  She would agree and we'd jam the old "knock-around" pair in the box and I'd rush to lace up the new ones.

I truly believed I ran faster in my new sneaks; something my kids believe now.

exclusive interview with abbie

Just days away from beginning the third grade, I pulled my beautiful little girl aside to ask her some thought provoking questions.  ;-)

Mom:  Are you looking forward to starting school?  Why or  why not?

Abbie:  Um.  No.  I am not looking forward to school.  I am having a good time in the summer and don't want to start.

Mom:  Is there a subject that you are freaked out about?

Abbie:  No.  Not really.

Mom:  What subject do you think you will enjoy the most this year?

Abbie:  Hmmmm.  History, because I get to do map worksheets like Stephen.

Mom:  Do you like being home schooled?  You can be honest, I'll survive.

Abbie:  Yes, because I like having my Mom teaching me school.

Mom:  What is the most difficult part of your school day?

Abbie: Getting up in the morning because I like to sleep in.

Mom:  What about Co-Op....looking forward to that?

Abbie:  Yes!  Co-Op is fun because I see my friend and also I get to learn the flutophone this year.

Mom:  You are only 8 right now, but what are some jobs you might be interested in when you get older?

Abbie:  I'd like to teach horseback riding lessons to kids or I'd like to do something that lets me take care of animals.

pre-middle school interview

With his first day of middle school just around the corner, I decided to conduct my first mother/son interview.

Mom:  Are you looking forward to beginning Middle School?  Why or why not?

Stephen:  Yes.  I think it will be exciting to start a new grade.

Mom:  Any subject you're a little freaked out about?

Stephen:  (with laughing)  Wordly Wise.

Mom:  Any subject you are really looking forward to learning about?

Stephen:  Probably math because it will be fun to do my lessons on the computer.  It will be fun to learn in a different way.

Mom:  Do you enjoy being educated at home, in your dining room?  You can be honest.

Stephen:  Yes, because I like being home where you can help me if I get stuck.  Also, a lot of my friends are home-schooled too so I don't feel as weird.

Mom:  What other things are you looking forward to in becoming a Middle Schooler?

Stephen:  Cross Current (youth ministry) and getting to attend things like Youth Advance, instead of just being a helper.  I'm also looking forward to being with my friends in Co-Op.

Mom:  Imagine that you are done Middle School and done High School and headed to college.  Is there anything right now, at age 11, that you think you might want to study?

Stephen:  The two would be architecture and pastoring, but architecture has the lead.

Mom:  Any advice for your 3rd Grade sister as it pertains to school?

Stephen:  Work hard because third grade is when school starts to get a little harder.

vaca favs

After two weeks in Myrtle Beach, SC, we accumulated quite a bit of photos.

Here are my favs.