Saturday, November 23, 2013

Just around home

A few pics from September…

DSC08015

These two are great buddies.

DSC08021

We were learning portraits and some techniques to prep for an art lesson I was going to be teaching. I think she did a great job putting the techniques into practice! Too bad it was on a dry-erase board. Had to snap a photo so we would have record of her beautiful artwork.

DSC08055

Charlotte at 2 and a half. So stinkin’ sweet…and so blonde!

Camille visit

Janey and Dwayne came to Gainesville to visit and to go to a Gator game and we had the pleasure of watching Camille so they could go. Our kids were beyond excited to have a ‘baby’ (she’s over a year old) in the house.

DSC08007

It was Charlotte’s week to do the silverware. She’s an amazing little picker-upper of a two-year-old.

DSC08008

Hi, Camille!

DSC08009

Rosemary wanted a pic with her.

DSC08011

And so did Charlotte!

DSC08012

I’m pretty sure Charlotte gave Camille her pacifier just for the picture, because in her mind, ‘babies’ are supposed to have their pacifiers at all times!! :-)

Camille was so sweet and just a happy little girl. Thanks for letting us watch her.

Kika Silva Pla Planetarium Visit

WP_20130920_002

Our co-op took its first field trip to the Santa Fe Planetarium in September. We snapped this shot after several family had already left, but it was still a good sized group. And it was a fun field trip.

More Soccer

Soccer seemed to consume our September and October. While practices and games were just two nights a week, they seemed to throw a lot of things off, just because of the time. We managed though and really had a great time. By the end of the season, things were cooling off and it was just wonderful to be outside and visit with friends.

DSC07945

Charlotte did a great job for the most part just hanging out and watching her brother and sister play. Some game days were tougher than others since we had such busy Thursdays. If she didn’t nap, it made for an interesting game!

DSC07946

Rosemary’s on the bench watching her team play.

DSC07947

Jonathan coaching Ben’s team

DSC07948

Rosemary on the field

DSC07952

Jonathan leading his team at half time.

DSC07985

Coaching 5 year olds was pretty interesting.

DSC07986

Ben giving Grandma and Grandpa Peine a thumbs up.

DSC07989

DSC07990

DSC07992

Game times were different this week so Rosemary got to watch Ben’s game.

DSC07994

DSC07995

One of Charlotte’s rougher days. She was less than happy at that moment.

DSC07998

DSC07999

DSC08001

First Day of Brownies-and a missing tooth!

The last of our regular activities kicked off in September also when Rosemary started Girl Scouts again, this time as a Brownie!

DSC07977

DSC07978

DSC07980

Ben and Charlotte wanted in on the picture taking, too. And do you see that missing tooth? That fell out the night that Jonathan was gone for his mud run. I was a little nervous the tooth fairy might forget to stop by, however, Rosemary left notes for the tooth fairy, one on her behalf and one on Ben’s. The one for Ben included a request for $1 and a fake paper tooth. They were excited to find not only a bit of money the next day, but also notes back to them. The one to Rosemary read:

Dearest Rosemary,

How exciting that you lost your third tooth! I have been waiting for that tooth to come out for weeks so that I could visit you. It is a lovely tooth and I can tell that you take excellent care of your teeth. I believe that it is the whitest one that I have picked up all week!

I wish I could wake you up so that we could talk and play with your American Girls and other toys, but that would spoil my magic. I really am quite small. It makes it much easier to fly.

Keep brushing and flossing!

Love,

The Tooth Fairy

And Ben’s read:

Dearest Benjamin,

I don’t believe we have met before, so allow me to introduce myself. I am the Tooth Fairy and I collect baby teeth from children around the world. Whenever I collect a tooth, I must weigh it on my magical tooth scale. The tooth I found by your pillow weighed as paper! Were you (or Rosemary) trying to trick me? I am much too smart for that.

I look forward to collecting your real teeth in the future. Until then, enjoy the quarter that I left. This only works one time, so next time Rosemary loses a tooth, I can only leave her a gift. When you lose your first tooth, I will leave you something special, too. I am so looking forward to that day! I think it will probably be soon.

Keep brushing and flossing!

Love,

The Tooth Fairy

Ormond Beach–last beach trip of the season

Jonathan’s parents invited us to Ormond Beach for a quick getaway one weekend in mid-September. Jonathan had plans to do a mud run with Bennett on Saturday morning, so he drove down to Clermont Friday night and we all met over in Ormond Saturday afternoon.

When the kids and I arrived and met Janice and Richard, we unloaded then headed to the pool for a swim. Jonathan arrived a bit later and we enjoyed taco soup for dinner. After visiting a bit, we headed to bed.

In the morning we met up for breakfast downstairs, then got ready for a day on the beach. While we were getting ready, Charlotte found Rosemary’s pink chapstick and applied ‘a bit’ to her lips, chin, and cheeks.

DSC07961

This girl…she keeps us on our toes!

DSC07963

At the beach! The kids were all a bit leery of the water ever since watching Shark Week the month before.

DSC07966DSC07967

 

DSC07969

About the farthest out they got that day. Soon after this, a woman came up and told us she’d seen a fin in the water. A few minutes after that, a lifeguard came by and told us a fisherman reported seeing (and having to fight off) a bull shark so we needed to stay out of the water. This was the first time I’d ever been called out of the water because of a shark sighting.

DSC07970

DSC07971

The kids were happy to play up in the sand anyway.

We enjoyed leftovers for lunch then I got showered and changed and headed back to Gainesville so I could work. Jonathan and the kids stayed and got to see a fisherman actually catch a blacktip shark. It was all very exciting.

Rosemary Reading to Charlotte

Just thought this was sweet.

The girls dressed in matching nightgowns, sitting together in the glider, reading the Very Hungry Caterpillar.

DSC07954DSC07955DSC07957

First CCH Co-op of the 2013-2014 Year

We kicked off our co-op year in September. This year we’re learning about Astronomy and music and art.

Ben was very excited to officially be a part of co-op this year.

DSC07923

DSC07926

Bag is packed and super ready!

DSC07928

I had the older kids for art first. We learned about Michaelangelo.

DSC07929

DSC07935

DSC07940

DSC07942

Ben didn’t like painting on his back so much, but he did a bit of his background.

DSC07943

Rosemary really got into it.

It was a fun first day. We are so thankful for the families that are in our group.

First Upward Soccer Game

Soccer season kicked into high gear at the beginning of September when games started up on Thursdays. Half of Ben and Rosemary’s games were at the same time and the other half were an hour apart.

DSC07916

DSC07915

Ben is ready!

DSC07918

So is Rosemary. This was her very first soccer game ever and she was as cool as a cucumber.

DSC07919

Rosemary scored two goals during her first game!

DSC07920

Rosemary’s team (unofficially) won. They don’t keep score in Upward…but all the kids knew how they did.

Jonathan’s Birthday

DSC07909

While Jonathan’s birthday typically falls over the Labor Day weekend, this year it landed on a Wednesday. So to celebrate we made jambalaya and beignets.