Mid Winter (long)

I'll start off with a little holiday cheer, Happy Valentine's Day!

Holidays are becoming more fun as the kids get older and are able to understand what is going on and are able to participate. This Love Day we talked about love (of course) and how there are different types of love. I don't know if they understood but they enjoyed cutting out paper hearts and coloring with pink and red crayons.

At the moment our family is doing school at home. I purchased a Bible based Preschool curriculum from Heart of Dakota. It's very simple (about 30 min/day) and basic. The kids just love it. Today (Tuesday) is our second day and we are just having a blast with it. I like it because it gives me ideas and confidence on how and what to do. The kids love to play the games, act out the fingerplays, and learn the letter of the week in different activities. Each week is based on a Bible story which coincides with a letter of the week. There are dramas, counting and all kinds of good learning stuff. Anyway, that is what we are doing right now. Joshua is not going to Preschool anymore, sadly, since he enjoyed it so much. There was an issue that could not be settled so as a result, we had to remove Joshua from the class. But Joshua is adjusting, and with doing this curriculum, so far, he has seemed more cheerful.

I have enjoyed watching Rachel blossom over the last year. She is really starting to participate in Sunday School, Wed. night church, and here at home. Potty training is looking more hopeful (about 1 accident/morning, I usually forget to change her diaper after her nap, so the afternoon doesn't count). She is growing taller, able to climb into her car seat by herself, dress herself, and doing more and more things by herself. Hallelujah! Of course there are moments, emotional ones and clumsy ones. But I believe those are becoming less.

Both Joshua and Rachel have chores now. They help Mommy with laundry (They help me with the whole process minus folding and putting away-we'll tackle that one later) and dishes (one puts dishes into dishwater, I wash and then hand rinsed dish to the other to put into the rack). I am starting to see more of a helpful attitude in Rachel since we have started this.
And they both are learning to make their bed (with Mommy's help of course.)

Joshua is learning to read. Yes. I can hardly believe it. I'm not pushing him, but I want him to be challenged as he continues learning his letters and their sounds.
Rachel is also learning her letters. We have been using an online phonics program (it's free!) called Starfall. Wow, it's so great. I started it with Joshua and he loved it. Of course Rachel wanted to participate. I didn't have any real expectations for her, but she just loved it and can now recognize several letters. So we do this together for about 20 minutes/day and I see dramatic improvement in the both of them.

Madelynn is changing. Yes I'm sure you know that. But let me be more specific. Not only is she getting cuter, her hair getting longer- but she is no longer "so easy". With her high pitched squealing and her intense desire to stand and jump it can be quite difficult to get much done. She has her second tooth now (bottom), and still loves to smile and laugh and yes, be held. That's my fault though. I held her quite a bit for the first six months, so now she is trained. Trained to be held, lots.
Since her second tooth popped through, she has been sleeping through the night. Another Hallelujah!




Joel continues to work 40 or so hours/wk. And we are grateful.

Renee continues on with her two Bible Studies (The Faces of Grief and Living Beyond Yourself) along with going to the Truth Project. (This has been so so great. If you have the opportunity to participate in one near you, go for it.) She also finds a few moment here and there to keep up with the blog and crochet.
I am also trying very very hard to keep from thinking about Spring. But so far so good. It is only February and in 2009 we didn't have summer until September. That is a long ways away. So I am taking one day at a time and enjoying each day as it comes, whether it's windy or sunny or snowing.

Our housing situation is still the same. Our lease is up May 1st. Meaning, we should be out by April 30th. We are still seeking God as to where to go, and if we should rent or buy.

So that is what is mostly going on in our house. Thanks for reading this far! God bless you!