What we're reading - Advent

   The Lion Storyteller Christmas Book has been a perfect family read aloud.  Each story is 2-4 pages and the illustrations are fun.  We've really enjoyed this book.




The Handel's Messiah Family Advent Reader is a very special book and one we will certainly enjoy for years to come.  It comes with a CD of Handel's Messiah and each day's reading connects to a  portion of the Messiah.  It's definitely over River's head but Scout has been following along pretty well.  I think I cry every time we read it.  Hopefully they will get more and more out of it each year.

This is a really sweet book that explains who Saint Nicholas really was.

Little Women is Scout's read aloud.  Love this Classic Christmas Novel.

The Gift of the Magi.  Another Timeless Tale.

Ally's reading Cathy Day's The Circus in Winter.

 Tony's reading Jack London's Tales of the North.

Thanksgiving 2012

                               The wishbone : )

 Ryder got very spoiled being held and played with all the time...

 Scout and River helped Nana make the pumpkin pie - their favorite. 

 Football time!

All the girls attended a Christmas Tea in downtown Cheyenne the day after Thanksgiving.  Scout was so excited!  It was precious.  Sweet memories...

Nana and Poppa took the kids to have breakfast with Santa Saturday morning.  River said he would go as long as Santa didn't sit next to him...

Canaan Ryder - our "promised baby" is 7 months old!

 Now that Scout has studied the land of Canaan - "the promised land", she says Ryder is our "promised baby" just like God promised Canaan.  Ryder certainly was prayed and prayed for and I just can't believe that God knew all along that we'd have this precious little "promised" blessing at just the right time. 

Oh my goodness how I love this little guy!  I think I must kiss him at least  hundred times a day.  Of course we have our moments when he spits up (on everything!) and gets a little cranky when his gums hurt (still no teeth!) but honestly, Ryder is just the sweetest little baby ever.  So content, peaceful, quiet ( at least for now : )  He just likes to be in the room with the rest of us and he's one happy camper.   I do need to work on his "roomtime"  since eventually he won't just be sitting in the bouncy seat, but crawling all over the 3 floors of our house (note to self: need to look into babygates). 

 EATING

He is eating like a champ and I couldn't tell you what his favorite foods are because he seems to like everything we give him.  I have really enjoyed making baby food for him in my beloved blendtec : ) (I've taken a ton of pics for the baby food post.  Just need to type it u

SLEEPING

I feel like we've finally gotten in the groove of naps.  It took a few months, but I think he understands that sleep is good.  We need sleep.  Don't fight the sleep.  He takes 2 long naps a day and then sleeps 12 hours straight at night.  Scout did this exact schedule.  River did not.  I didn't expect Ryder to sleep so long, but I am beyond thrilled with it!  We just lay him down in his crib and tell him it's time to sleep and he's good to go.  Scout did not do this; she had to cry a little at each nap.  I can't remember when River started going to sleep without crying, because I've blocked out most of his first year lol.  Of course, Ryder grins and giggles while I tell him goodnight, which makes it slightly hard not to scoop him up and cuddle him a few more minutes.  

We finally got him out of the swaddle and in to the zipadee zip (miracle product!)

The next step will be to move him to the sleep sack, but I'm not messing with this good sleep right now.  Maybe we will try after he gets some teeth in.  

SCHEDULE 

I LOVE his routine right now! I could do this forever (well, maybe not the nursing part)

  8ish        Family Breakfast (I nurse him after he has solids)

10am        Nap

12pm        Lunch (nurses after solids)

 2pm         Nap

 4pm         Nurses

 6pm         Dinner

7:30pm     Nurses/Bedtime

ACTIVITIES

bouncy seat, jumparoo, having "sibling time" in his bumbo, rolling around and playing with his toys, going anywhere and everywhere with us, enjoying a run in the jogging stroller : ), bath time, family reading time... He loves to be right in the middle of whatever is going on.  

FAVORITE TOYS

giraffe and lion and anything else he can chew on : ) 

What We're Reading - Fall 2012

 

Our Family Read Aloud:  The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne.  This is really 2 books in one.  It combines Winnie the Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner.  We have had so much fun snuggled up on the bed together (yes, all 5 of us on our queen size bed.  It gets crowded and someone usually falls off, but it's worth it for the memories : ) Tony and I do the voices; we argue over who does them better.  His Tigger is hands-down the best.  I think my Piglet, Owl, Kanga and Eeyore are pretty awesome.  Try as we may, neither of us has mastered the voice of Pooh Bear.  River gets pretty lost in all the dialogue, but he loves the voices of all the characters and I'm pretty sure will remember his first time reading this classic and much-loved book.  Scout surprises us with how well she follows the storyline and the subtle humor she picks up on.  One of my favorite things about this book is how entertaining it is for the parent reader as well.  Of course Ryder just drools on the pages and looks at Tony and I like we're crazy, but I look forward to reading this again with him in a few years. 

 

Scout's Read Alouds: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis.  Oh the magic and adventure of this book - such a treat!  This is one of the first chapter books that we read to Scout when she was four.  She enjoyed it then, but now, at 6, it's a completely different experience.  We are truly savoring every page.  I thought this would be the perfect book to read during the holiday season and hopefully we will celebrate completing the book by watching the movie.   

 Lugalbanda: The Boy Who Got Caught Up in a War: An Epic Tale From Ancient Iraq written by Kathy Henderson, illustrated by Jane Ray.  This book really surprised me.  It's like a little treasure.  It lines up with our study of the first ancient civilizations but I didn't expect it to be so captivating.  The print is large so Scout and I could read it together.  The story is rich in history (especially the introduction and closing that contains a nonfiction account of the people of places discussed in the legend) the legend is whimsical and engaging and the illustrations are incredible.  I'm so glad we stumbled upon this special book and I would highly recommend this book as an addition to any home library. (note: I would not read this with River quite yet, since, as with all early civilizations, there is a heavy emphasis on false gods, idol worship etc.  Scout is old enough to understand what a myth/legend is and after studying the Egyptian gods and goddesses this was nothing new to her) 

 

River's Read Aloud: Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo.  When River turned four in October, we told him he could start reading (or being read : ) chapter books.  This is sort of a rite of passage in our house and is so proud.  I wanted to start with My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannet, but he didn't seem to be quite ready to follow the irony yet.  We decided that the Mercy Watson series would be perfect for him; short chapters, simple storyline and pictures on every page.  While they definitely lack any real depth or vocabulary, I think it's a good start for Riv. 

 

 

Ally's current read: The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease.   I checked this book out from the library mainly for the index included in the second half of the book.  Jim Trelease provides a fantastic list of books to read aloud to children.  He organizes them by genre, appropriate age level, book length etc.  He also gives a brief synopsis of each book.  This alone is an incredible resource for any parent.  What I didn't expect was how entertaining, engaging and informative the first half of the book was.  I found it very inspiring.  Trelease is passionate about reading and his writing is smart, witty, well-researched and has an overall optimistic tone.  He tells countless inspiring stories of everyday parents, world-changing teachers and home-town heroes.  It definitely makes you want to do something in your own world to get books into the hands of the children who so deserve them.  He also gives great practical tips too ( I'm all about practical things I can actually start doing right away, before I forget or get distracted by some other great idea : )   

  

Tony's current read:  Eggs by Jerry Spinelli.  Tony says he's enjoying this but beyond that I don't know much about it.  I hope to read if after he's done. 

Halloween

Our little Nomad Adventure

This year we have discovered the Story of the World by the authors of The Well Trained Mind (the book that inspired our choice to home school).  I cannot say enough good things about this series.  We are a month or so in and are loving our adventures! With a such a heavy focus on phonics/reading and math this year I wasn't sure we would be able to devote much time to world history.  The Story of the World has allowed us to easily integrate our history studies into our curriculum.  The book reads like a novel and keeps both Scout and River's interest and the mapwork and coloring is perfect for both kids to do at the table while I fix dinner.  We use the resource lists and gather stacks of books at the library that go with our units, listen to the audio cds on the way to and from bible study on Wednesday, and on Saturdays Daddy helps the kids with the hands-on projects for each chapter.  These pictures are from our first 2 weeks studying the "First People."  We mapped out the Fertile Crescent, created Cave drawings and built a Hut in the backyard.  More to come as we travel through ancient Egypt, Africa, China, Greece and more...

Shepherd River turns 4!

I can't believe my big chubby 20 pound baby is a 4 year old!  Has it really been 4 years since we brought this little guy home from women's hospital in Flowood, MS?  Although, he cried most of the first year of his life and refused to sleep, he has grown into such a sweet, pleasant young man.  (He's actually the best sleeper out of the 3 kids right now! Who would have thought?)
River has the sweetest heart and always makes us laugh : ) While I worried he would always be shy and clingy, he has proved me wrong by turning into a very playful, outgoing, fun-loving guy.  He is ALL BOY  (thanks to those Hawkins genes - Lord, help us!) but is also very sensitive and kind.  He and Scout are best friends (most of the time) and enjoy reading together, playing outside, pretending and making each other (and Ryder) laugh.  River is into all things super hero and has been planning his "Spiderman / Batman" ChuckECheese birthday party for months now. Here are some fun facts about River.  So very grateful for this precious blessing.  Thank you God for sweet River.

All About River:

favorites
Food:     cheezits, oatmeal, bananas, granola bars
Books:   Whinnie the Pooh, Mother Goose, My letter books
Music:    Beethoven : )
Restaurants:  Chickfila and Noodles and Co.
Achievements: makes his bed, learning to read : ), learning to swim, tracing and coloring
Best Friends:  Scout, Paisley
Activities:    preschool, CBS, AWANAS, swim school

River is into:
Spiderman, Batman, Cars (still) playing with his siblings, playing with toys, being outside, letters and reading