The Family at Home and July Happenings

 While the big girls and Gideon and I went to Palmyra, John stayed home with the rest of the kids. We got home to a cleaned house, even clean bathrooms, and dinner. The kids said that they had a really good week with Dad. Joshua told me that it was probably the best week because he got to stay up until sunrise playing video games with all of the boys. They also liked that I had left them with easy frozen meals and some treats like those large muffins and apple turnovers and granola bars. Anya said that she was fine and the pigeon slept with her so that she was not lonely being the only girl left in her bedroom. Sam said that he had fun with dad. I'm glad that my kids adore their dad as much as they do and that John, Johnny, and Adam worked to make sure we came home to a clean and happy house. 

For the 4th of July, we had some fun water games with water balloons and squirt guns, complained about the loss of liberty in our nation, and read Joseph Smith's writings on government. But we did not take any pictures. 

The next day was Monday and we started our new school year. We started a month early because we plan to take off three weeks once the baby is born and one more week to clean the yard up for the winter in October or November when the weather is cool and nice. 

This school year we are reading a ton and doing other things like art, sewing, and computer programming. We have math, but no workbooks. Arwen told me that she really likes how we are doing school this year but did not like it so much last year. Adam and Joseph have to work on paying attention to what they read. That is a struggle for them. Sam is learning his alphabet quickly and his chubby little 4 year old hands are beginning to form his letters. But his favorite part of school is reading lots of picture books. Susan is getting in lots of reading time both with me and without me and is doing much better this year. She needed hours of reading more than workbook work. Rachel and Anya seem to be doing fine and are reasonably happy. Though Rachel prefers all free time. 

I have been preparing for the baby. I finally got the boys some very necessary haircuts. Arwen says that she likes them better with long hair but I think that they all look a lot better and less shaggy. I have some diapers and baby clothes washed and pads and perry bottles and other things that we need ready. I still need to wash out the baby car seat and figure out what to do about a bed. 

I suspect the next post that I write will be a birth announcement and story. 

Rachel loved all the squirrels and bunnies we saw on our trip