Love, Grace & Mercy in Abundance! 9.23 - 9.29.13

Monday was the FVL-hosted, elementary schools' cross-country meet.  We'd been fortunate enough to be included in this meet, with plans for both Ava and Soren to run.  When it came time for the race, Ava backed out.  Still not sure why that was... although she does have her eye on a boy... :O... and he was at this meet... Anyway (more on that, later), Soren did run, and enjoy it :)  His mile time was just over 8 minutes.  Not too shabby, for having not been running regularly, lately.  I sooo love his passion for whatever he does, and just loved watching him have enough juice at the end of the run to sprint through the finish with the look of determination, strength and success!

The rest of this week was packed ultra full!  Every time I start to get a bit overwhelmed with a week that's extra busy, I remind myself that it's blessing, heaped upon extra blessing, which makes for all of  the busy-ness... :)  And then I feel simply grateful, and blessed, rather than overwhelmed.  It's been a challenge for me to 'let go...' of much more than I've felt comfortable with, in the past...  Keeping the kids home has truly made me prioritize all of the woulda-shoulda-coulda-will do someday, stuff!  They continually keep my priorities straight!

Ava had a volleyball match against Mt. Calvary on Tuesday afternoon.  And while they lost some tough, and close games, it sure is a fun privilege to watch these girls try their best and improve!  This night was also fun, as I got to assistant coach :)

Captains, Ava and Avery, leading pre-game cheer

So very proud of my go-getter girlie!

On Tuesday evening, Gressa's very good friend, Grace, and her sister, Claire, brought over their fish.  They were off to their uncle's wedding in California, and were under the impression that Gressa is the Betta Master!  Gressa really couldn't have been more thrilled for this responsibility!

The next morning, Wednesday: Fish Display!  Gressa, with her betta, "Sweets".  Next is "Lucy", and then "Swimmy" :)  She is also proudly wearing the duct tape earrings that Grace made for her as a gift!  Lucky Girl! :)  Unfortunately, Murphy's Law undoubtedly comes into play during times like these... and we had a fish casualty during its stay at Hotel Hoyord... little Lucy, is no more... :(  

On Wednesday, we headed to the Y for our usual WINGS classes.  This week, there was a fire safety class for the kids.  There was some eye-rolling going on when the kids first heard this, as they've all had some fire safety, in the past, so it didn't sound too fun, I guess...  And then, when the fireman pulled up in a car, rather than a fire truck, and started unpacking gear from his hatchback, suspicions were furthered... ha.  Turns out - it was a GREAT demo!

The kids all stayed interested, as the fireman put on his entire uniform, piece by piece, and let the kids all ask questions and touch everything.  He got down on his knees and demonstrated how they would navigate a burning building.  The demo seemed to build on any prior fire safety info the kids may have had.  They even got to have a race with rolling out the fire hoses (they're HEAVY!), and making a planked "bridge", which would be used to cross unstable or burned flooring.

Carsten, Soren & Finn

Gressa and Adeline

Ava was on Charlie Patrol!

On Wednesday after WINGS, Gressa was able to spend time with a bestie, Greta, at our house, while her Mama was off to ultrasound for baby #4!  What fun to see these girlies play so effortlessly together, as they have spent so much time together!

And also, what a true privilege and blessing to witness my dear friend returning to reveal baby's gender to the new big sis - and all of us, too!  It's a GIRL, due around Valentine's Day!

About an hour after Greta left, our cutie pie nieces arrived!!!  Baby, Baby, BABY was the theme for this week!  

Emma & Nora were here to stay from Weds eve - Sun, while Tony's brother, Mike and his wife, Erika welcomed baby #3 on Thursday!  This would be a surprise of blue vs pink, as well... :)

So verrry much excitement filled us all, when we awoke on Thursday am... we couldn't wait to find out if it we be a little brother or little sister for these special girls!  Nora slept in the pack in play in G's room, while Emma slept with Ava in her bed.  On Thursday am, I noticed a folded up, used diaper on G's bed.  I knew I hadn't changed Nora during the night, nor had I heard her awake, at all... I looked quizzically at G and before I could say anything, she said, "Oh, yeah... she had potty when she woke up so yeah, I changed her.  Here ya go (handing me the dipe)."  Nonchalance.  And just like that.  SUCH a Little Mama!  In the pic above, Emma and Nora are dressed, while our girls are still jammied.  That's because they were all-consumed with readying the girls for daycare that day ;)  We had a field trip planned, with VHS, to 1,000 Islands Nature Center, in Kaukauna, and also thought that the girls might do best with some of their normal routine mixed into all the time at our house :)  Below, is Nora, not so sure about this gig!  And Emma - dressing Ava! :)

Uncle Tony dropped the girls off at school on his way to work, and that's when the morning reared its ugly head... I left the kids with instructions to get ready for the field trip, and went to the grocery store to get some things for our lunch at the nature center.  Yeah.  NEVER leave lunch buying and making for the hour before the field trip.  It isn't "easier" or a fraction of any other remotely positive thing, to do this.  What a rookie mistake.  I get to the store, and realize I don't have my wallet.  (It's in my WINGS bag from yesterday.)  I don't have time to get home to get it and get back to the store, so when I arrive home, a few mere minutes after I'd left... and see 3 blank expressions, I know that I have my work cut out for me :/  Deep Breath.  

"Ok kids, we have to stop at the store together, change of plans.  We actually need to leave NOW, because we have to drop off Garmin at Tailwaggers, get our food, and pick up the Jungwirth boys."  They did ok with it - I threw some ice in a cooler and we were off.  We hurried up, alright.  Hurried up, to wait for a downtown train.  For FIFTEEN minutes.  Hurry up and wait just never seems to breed patience and manners, now does it??!  Add in a dog who is ecstatic to, "go for a ride"!!, and those were the longest 15 minutes of my life.  Ok, no, no they weren't, but it was 8:09 am once the train passed, and we were to be at the nature center at 9:15.  Finally, off to drop off the pooch, do the supermarket sweep, and get the boys!  Oh yeah, and of course I needed gas.  We made it to the nature center with a minute to spare.  Phew.

This field trip was a hit!  The kids spent the am learning how to use a compass and learned about pacing, navigation, etc.  

Gressa, especially, really had fun with this!  The kids each designed a short 'course' with directional instructions for the other to use, to find 3 hidden chips.

In the afternoon, we all hiked to a clearing in the woods, with our guide from the nature center.  We learned more about navigating (and completed a longer course), and also learned how to build a shelter and start a fire in various ways, should we ever be lost. Soren, Carsten, and Finn's shelter is above.  The highlight of this trip was DEFINITELY the fact that the kids were allowed to start their own fires, using flint and steel, or as a last resort - matches ;)

 '

The boys, beaming about starting their own fire in their shelter!

After the fun at 1,000 Islands, we headed straight to Lego League.  The day's teamwork activity was for the boys to try and line themselves up, in height order, while blindfolded :)

Soren, presenting one of his ideas

MEANWHILE... The news was in, and bOuNcInG bAbY BoY, Henry James Hoyord, in all his absolutely miraculous newborn-ness, had safely arrived! :)

That night, when the girls were back at our house, we facetimed mom and dad and Emma got her first peek at her baby brother.  I feel so privileged to have been there for her joyful, sweet reaction... it's like it was all coming full circle for her... really special :)  Nora looked on in amazement, too.

The next morning, Friday, we took the girls to meet their new little brother and for them to snuggle their mom and dad!

Also, Tony and I were honored to be present for our godson's baptism that morning :) (I even got to hold Henry while he became a Child of God!)  It made me

extra-happy that the kids were home, on this day. Soren was at Carsten's, but it was really special for the girls, and Tony and me, to share in Henry's baptism and this day with the new family of 5.  A one-of-a-kind day.

Emma, giving baby Henry her gift

In love.  Completely in love.

"Soo... this means he is my, 'god brother'...?!"

Then it was time for us to go :)  We had lots of fun the rest of the weekend playing outside - a LOT, going to Gressa's soccer game, and Soren's football game, teaching the girls how to 'play house', playing with dolls, making each other giggle, and just having fun together :)  

Donut Friday!

We truly love having our nieces and nephews!  Especially in a big family... it really gives us a chance to get to know them, as people, and to be a part of their precious childhood! I love treating them like our own, and giving our kids the experience of caring for and loving them, too!  Children are such a precious blessing and this time just flies by!  So yes - if you family member reading this, I'm talking to you, too ;D

This week wasn't a traditional school week... it wasn't a even a traditional homeschool week...it WAS an amazing week, though - one brimming with compassion, love and learning, and full of what matters most.

Our Week! 9.16.13 - 9.22.13

We continue finding our groove... It seems Tony had an easier time, this week, with working from home on Monday, while I was at work, which is great... because the 1st week he was home with them, the email I got at work was something like, "This is insanity.  They are animals...bouncing up and down, chewing gum and talking while they work.  Works for them.  Drives me nuts."  Ahahahah... let's chalk that lil ol' day up to "Adjustment Period" for everyone! I love seeing his comments and corrections on the kids' stuff.  

We really are still trying to figure out our best method for getting it all in.  Some days, one or two want to stay immersed in read-alouds, while the other seems tortured to hear another word.  Or, on another day, someone wants to know every.single.thing. there is to know about Egypt, while the others are ready to move on to math.  Needless to say, the challenges we run into are typically not academic.  Homeschooling is a whole new lifestyle; it's not simply just "doing" school at home: we do our best to help and love each other through mind blocks, lack of motivation, and frustrations, and we also encourage each other and celebrate each other's mini-successes throughout the days and weeks.  We have to! Ha. We are a 24/7 bunch these days :)  It's really been a bonding adventure, even already.  If I said that every day was a breeze, I'd obviously either be lying or loony.  It's not.  But it is, SO worth it.  

Ava & Soren using the atlas to fill in the states that they missed when they tried to name them all on a blank, US Map.

On Tuesday, Ava had a volleyball game at Mt. Calvary in Neenah.  

I love watching her play (and smile)!

Wednesday after school in the morning, it was off to WINGS.  Gressa really enjoyed craft time this week, and Soren definitely gets his boy-time fix, with Minecraft time, as well as gym time.

Ava is loving her baby time with Charlie!!

It's really fun watching her develop care taking skills :)

Soren woke up full of intention on a couple of different mornings this week... s i g h....!  One day he decided out of the blue, that he NEEDED, and I mean desperately NEEDED to take Karate.  Today.  Yesterday, for that matter.  

Here, he's found some free online karate skillz instructional class and has rushed upstairs to show me what he's learned.  This kiddddd!

I entertained his idea (mostly because he fixates if he can't develop an idea; I'll admit it).  I helped him research cost and commitment, and then he formulated a concise paragraph with all pertinent info and typed an email to Tony to ask his opinion.  sneaky little English lesson... :D

On Thursday, Soren thought it a fine day for an insect scavenger hunt and bird watching.  Phew.  I have to be ready for anything.  Everyday.  I'm sooooooo excited, though, that the creative juices are flowing, and that the creativity is sparked!

looking for birds :)

We took Garmin to the dog park...

.

and we did our "sun" science project on the picnic table, while the dawg ran like a maniac.  

We had been learning about how when the sun is shone through a lens (either magnifying, or the lenses in our eyes), the light is refracted to a concentrated area.  The chocolate melted quickly! 

We enjoyed hiking with Garmin and the kids had fun hanging out in the trees.  Interestingly, they actually ASKED ME to take their picture in the tree, together!  Of course they were being clowns, as usual.

 "like we're falling, Mom!"

"silly and crazy" 

"Ok.  Let's be nice."

I think about how temporary life's moments are, when I look at this photo.  Soon... big teeth will transform Gressa's impish grin, and Ava's ever-changing brace-face (her words, not mine!) will change her overall look, time and time again, until a brace-less, teenage face finally settles upon this sweet girl of mine... Sigh.

Crazy, Random, Crack-Up Moment of the Week:  for an English assignment one day, I summarized the story of "Rapunzel".  Gressa was to write down something she remembered from the story (main goal being correct punctuation and capitalization).  After chuckling at her answer, I asked her why she kept it so simple.  She responded, "Well.  It IS right (which is true... the man did lie about his daughter being able to spin straw into gold).  Anddddd, I know more, but then I'd have to write more.  Soooo... that's it, Mom."  And off she went. 

And then it was Friday...

So, we declared Fridays Dunkin' Donut Friday!  This way, at least I get one!!  Friday is usually a cheat meal or two from Primal eating, for meeee!  

Who's the big girl with the latte? Sigh.  Again.

On the way back from the donut shoppe, we noticed that the Target parking lot was being re-paved.  The kids noticed that it was quite the operation, and even Ava wanted to take it in.  

I think we sat there for half an hour or more.  Good talks, good talks :)  I love the moments of   n o t h i n g.

On Saturday, Gressa's soccer team had a bye, but we enjoyed watching Soren's fb game.

With Soren and Gressa at friends' after the game, my Ava girl and I headed to the Trout Museum, a place she's been wanting to check out for quite awhile.  Currently, the Katharine Hepburn exhibit is there.  It's... fascinating!  Ava was unfamiliar... (shocking!?) and so was I, kind of?!  But boy, the fashion influence and overall impact that the woman had on Hollywood is really something... a stage and movie career lasting 6 decades?? And a life of more than 90 years.. wow.  We were impressed.  Ava took this picture of costumes of some of her films:

After the movie, it was on to Cherry Berry for more candy than yogurt (for her), and after that, it I was subjected to, "This Is Us".  Not familiar?  Count yourself lucky.  It's the new One Direction movie.  Well, it's really more of a documentary of their lives. Not horrible... just that by the end I felt like I'd heard fans from every nation on earth, screaming in hysterics for these 5 boys.  Oh, wait- that's because I HAD.  Gahhhh.  Oh well, because I'm blessed that the girl wanted to see it with me :)  I hope I keep getting invited for a looong time.  It's a lot to hope for, I know...

Sunday brought church, and Sunday School and a Packer loss!! :(  It also brought Primal pumpkin cupcakes:  http://ancestral-nutrition.com/pumpking-cupcakes-with-maple-cream-cheese-frosting-grain-refined-sugar-free/

And that's that!  It's a new week; can't wait to find out the adventures that await. :)

Cilantro-Thai Chicken and Garlic-Sauteed Veggies

I found myself wondering why I don't do this more often... it's so easy!  Bacon is GREAT - don't get me wrong.  Me love cave person diet. Ya.  But we can't forget just how much we also need our veggies!!  This is a great way to get them in: simply cut up peppers, onions, and asparagus and saute in pan with a little garlic and olive oil.  I'm quite sure that coconut oil would be just dandy in place of olive oil, as well.  Just remember to cook on low heat, on account of coconut oil's low melting point.  This is fine, anyway, as cooking the peppers over low heat makes for the most nutrient retention.  Add a cover, even better.

Peppers are oh-so-good for us!

Orange & Yellow: healthy amounts of vitamins A and C, B6, and folate, as well as minerals, in a high-fiber, low-cal package.  Yellow peppers have a ginormous amount of vitamin C, due to the concentrations of carotenoids, and so offer lots of antioxidants to fight cancer and other chronic illnesses

Red: many of the same great benefits as orange and yellow, and also a great source of vitamin B6 and magnesium.  This vitamin and mineral combination has shown a decrease in anxiety in some studies.

I served this tasty side of veggies with the following chicken recipe:

http://www.artsy-foodie.com/2008/09/wonderful-tasting-chicken-breast-recipe.html

Nutritious and delicious, and easy peasy, I tell you. It's the only way to cook and eat!

Our 1st Full Week ~ 9.9.13 - 9.15.13

Ahhhh... our first full week is in!  And it's been a busy week!  

We've been working on getting into a good rhythm and being content with being around each other, 24/7! :O It's such a feeling of great joy and fulfillment, overall, though, at this point.  

math goin' down on a Friday

There is still enough sibling rivalry, to be sure, but the tables are also starting to tip a bit... with all of this time together, the kids are forced to figure out how to stand each other... he he ;)  There has been MUCH more laughing and playing together this week, than before; I love it!  They are starting to figure out, on a very primal level, who they are and how they relate to each other best.  When they were in school, they typically spent 3pm-bedtime arguing quite a bit.  So much of their "best" had been given to others, that they didn't have as much left for each other.  This has really been a blessing to ALL (meee, tooo) of us. :0)

They are up, dressed, beds made, and having breakfast downstairs by the time I greet them in the am.  Read:  I stumble downstairs in search of my coffee and my smile. Gressa is responsible for letting Garmin out, and Ava feeds him (Soren feeds him later in the day).  I leave their daily school work schedule out on the table before I head to bed, the night before, and often, I find Ava at work, right away in the am.  She's definitely a Morning Person, like her dad... lucky girl!! 

I don't mind which order the kids tackle their subjects in, as long as we complete all of the work.  We start with Bible and Geography together, and then they each choose what's next, for themselves.  I've found that it works best to let them decide; it's been motivating for them. 

The kids breeze through their school work at this point; I give it to them, and they just do it... but I realize that a lot of it is review right now, and that that WILL change, eventually. So, I'm really trying to help them to not rush, and to take their time, even though they just want to fly through and conquer.  The fact that there aren't any major learning struggles does make it easier on me, though, because I can focus more on logistics and getting us smoothly sailing and hopefully somewhat prepared for any rocky waters ahead.

Bible, Math, Spelling & Reading are daily non-negotiables.  English is 4 days per week and we hit Geography nearly every day, doing more than one lesson per day, whenever we get into it.  Apologia Science curric is layed out for two days per week, and we recently added "The Story of the World" for History.  I am teaching it as a read-aloud, and it's great, so far!  It presents the bible as the true book of history that it is, and addresses so many questions, etc., as well as superbly explaining WHAT history is, how we go about learning about it, and why it's important in so many ways!  

Ava continues to exceed my expectations in Math, and to meet my expectations in the fashion in which she accomplishes that:  she cannot concentrate for extended periods of time, but she is completely learning how to work with that, and still accomplish what she needs to get done.  

Soren had his 1st Math test at the end of the week, and he did great.  He is so math-brained; English is his challenge. He worked on shape creations during all of our read-aloud today.  

Gressa is doing really well with her phonics and reading.  She is starting to recognize basic punctuation and write more complete thoughts/sentences.  She is sooo much more detail-oriented than Ava and Soren, and really likes to do neat printing. She recently finished her 1st official school reader/phonetics, and was very proud of this... as you can see :) 

I am so thankful that I have personally experienced the phenomena of increased auditory comprehension while keeping my hands busy!  For instance, I don't hear anything the tv says, in general.  Nothing.  But, put a crochet hook in my hand, and suddenly I could summarize any boring sitcom episode that was on, in seconds.  It's crazy how keeping our hands busy can increase comprehension for some of us!! "Idle hands, idle mind"... so true, I guess!  Knowing this is the case, I allowed all of the kids to engage in whatever kept their hands busy while I started our read-aloud today.  We are reading a book in the Christian Heroes series: "Nate Saint".  They were each able to describe to me, details of the story, even though they appeared inattentive (fidgeting with various objects, being antsy, etc.) during the reading.

The Astronomy science lesson for the week ended with project of making the solar system.  We worked together with the Jungwirths, to measure approximate planet sizes in relation to each other.  In one lesson, the kids were encouraged to develop a mnemonic for remembering the planet order.  This is Ava's :)

This little Neptune, was made by my G.  I just love it.  I know, it's just a lil blue balloon!   But it's one of those sweet little nothings that just melt your heart; such pride she took in her contribution!

The boys had fun trying to fit in costume-layering, while doing the project...

 

My Father's World's, "Window on the World" this week introduced us briefly, to Judaism, Hinduism, & Islam.  We learned about specific prayer needs of these people - most importantly their need for Jesus and God's Word.  We prayed for missionaries' work in places where Christianity doesn't exist.  The kids asked so many questions, and it was fun to be able to google and discuss all of their thoughts, ideas, and questions.

Geography!  This has been SUCH fun!  In an effort to maximize learning and catch a wave of peaked interest, I added the app, "Stack the States" to Soren's ipod.  If you haven't checked it out, you should!  I'm not big on apps for learning, because they are so easily overused, but this is a really good one; it's completely educational, teaching various state knowledge, and it's also very fun.  We've also found a couple of fun youtube videos to supplement our study of the world/United States: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E2CNZIlVIg, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZFF8EuaGjM  After several days of continent overview, I think that next week, we move begin a deeper study of our continent, North America.

"Mom, I wish we could do Geography all day, every day!"

Ava's final Geography project this week was to make a world cake, a project she embraced.  She was off to the Dollar Store for ingredients on a couple of different occasions, in which she received both exercise, and questions about why she wasn't in school... ;D  The cake turned out really well! 

 

Ava's been enjoying her busy schedule of sports, too.  She is back in her Acrobatics class once per week, and on the Valley Homeschoolers' Volleyball team, which has been great fun for her!  She loves that she can go to practice in the middle of the day, to burn some energy!  She has also been running again :)  

Soren is in heaven, playing flag football, once again, with his 3 buddies: Will, Carsten, & Bennett.  This is the 4th and final year they'll play together! Next year is no joke, with helmets + pads + tackling for them, and probably a heart attack for me... :O  Soren's also enjoying running/biking/skateboarding anytime he can, as always.  He continues with Lego League twice per week, and is excited about its challenge.

Broncos! Carsten, Will, Soren, & Benett

  

Gressa is having a blast being part of the Park and Rec soccer team, "The Crew", with her friends, Lily and Greta.  All smiles on the field, all smiles :) The artsy girl would love to take a pottery class, too.

Also, this week, we started WINGS (Walking In God's Service), which is a homeschool co-op type thing, held at the YMCA on Wednesday afternoons.  Gressa is doing crafts and gym time, Ava is paired up, one-to-one with a little one (while Mom helps with WINGS).  She is SO excited to do this!  Especially, since this time she was paired up with Charlie!  She is hoping that's the case again, next time!  Soren has gym time, and then is participating in Minecraft on a shared server, with others doing the same.  While the kids were at their stations, I helped out with some outside games for the littler, littles.  The kids are looking forward to going again, this week.

Lesson planning is going more smoothly now, and taking less time than initially.  I was definitely burning the candle at both ends (even more than usual, for this night owl), trying to maximize all of my planning for them, and I ended up ill, and needing antibiotics.  I learned my lesson. Sort of.  I am missing CrossFit, BIGTIME, and hope that this week I can get back on track with that.

There is soooo much more I could write about, and ponder on... like what happened on Friday afternoon while Soren was skating in the driveway.  Our neighbor's sister came home and announced that our neighbor's 10yr old pet bunny, Oliver, had tripped his arthritic little body down some stairs and d i e d.  The kids indirectly received an impromptu lesson in empathy and made our neighbor some cards.

   So, so many things happened last week, in the short time we call One Week.  This week is sure to be the same!  Tony is working from home on Mondays, while I work at the clinic all day.  I have the kids set up to have a lighter day on Mondays, still completing Math, Reading, Spelling, and English.  This week, I assigned Ava some read-aloud for the other two... looking forward to hearing how that goes!  It should be a good experience for her.  The reading is about the life of missionary kids, and how to pray for the children of missionaries. 

Here's to a new and blessed week ahead, and to the Lord of it all who strengthens me and lifts me up, daily, in order to keep walking down this amazing path!  I truly feel like I am working for a cause, His cause.  I am wonderfully, happily exhausted in such a fulfilling way.  Bring on Monday!  No whammies... no whammies...

"I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn." - Albert Einstein

Blackened Garlic Salmon & Better-Than-Noodles, Noodles

Blackened Garlic Salmon 

& Better-Than-Noodles, Noodles

I feel some football food  (primal cheat!) comin' on, later today, with the Packers' 1st regular season game...!  This means, I needed a solid lunch game plan, to stay on track. 

I'm continually amazed at how my sheer hunger while I'm making lunch or dinner can lure me into believing that the portions I end up with on my plate, will not be sufficient.  Veggies are filling, peeps!  Good food is filling.  It's only the junk that leaves us feeling unsatisfied and hungry for more.  

After I cut the zucchini noodles for our lunch, I continued to cut, with my julienne slicer (please refer to previous posts re: my love for Julienne...).  I saved some in mason jars; this will make for a super easy, no-prep lunch, another day.

Recipe

Sprinkle salmon fillets with pepper and garlic.  Place in 375 degree oven, to bake.

While salmon is baking, cut desired amount of noodles from zucchini with julienne slicer. Keep in mind that zucchini portions really "shrink", during cooking.  Heat small amount of bacon drippings over medium heat on stove top.  Add noodles and cook until soft.  Add small amount of butter and garlic.  Stir to combine.  Remove from heat.  Serve with salmon. This is such an easy one!

I'm full.  Now, Go Pack GO!