I did some 4 month pictures with Kate in our living room....these are a few of them! She did pretty well and I have to say, I think they turned out pretty good considering I did it with a regular point and shoot camera and I know very little about photography. I think I'll have to save up for a "real" camera and learn more about photography. I'm hooked!


At 4 months, Kate weighs about 13 pounds and is doing great! She's in th3 30th percentile...so at least she's on the charts! I think she might be teething already, though. She's really cranky and drooly and chews on everything. Or is that just how babies are? I don't remember! Isn't it strange how after each kid, you feel like you have to learn a lot of things all over again?

School is going great. I'm feeling much better now that we have things established and the first day of school excitement is over. I'm actually wishing Whitney had some friends that I could homeschool at the same time and have my own little class. That would be so much fun! She's moving right along. And, I think that since it's cooling down (it's been in the 80's this week!) I'll start taking them to the park every day to play. It'll be nice!

Oh! And I've decided to not do my shop anymore. I've dropped the prices on everything and I'll just sell what I have listed and that's it. I'm really relieved about it, actually. It was a fun run, I learned a lot, and now I have lots of cute stuff! I've just decided that it has been the one thing that has sort of tipped my sanity scale, and my kids' attention is worth way more than that shop could ever give me!

Annnnnd, we're going back to Colorado on Saturday and will be staying for a whole week! I can't even tell you how excited I am to go home! I hope the leaves are changing on the trees. I absolutely LOVE fall there! I'm hoping to get to wear a sweater...that would be great. So, I'll have a nice update when I get back! Buh-bye!

Homeschool Diaries...Week One.

Oh my gosh, that was just too good!!! A really good friend of mine is homeschooling, too. She had this video up on her blog and I just about died laughing! I must have watched it ten times!!! I love the part where it shows the kids, "Unique" and then the dad..."Eeeeek."

Things are still going...well, they're going. It was kind of rough last week because everyone else started school here, too. There were a lot of times and tears when I was wondering what on earth I was thinking. All the other parents were so excited, and the kids were all lined up at the bus stop with their new clothes and new backpacks and the look of excitement. We drove by the school and there were kids playing on the playground and I suddenly had this freak out session. Yeah, it was a rough week. Then I read all my friends blogs about their kid going to school for the first time with their cute pictures of their smiling kids...sigh. I've looked forward to that day for so long and imagined Whitney getting on the big yellow bus with her big smile and a wave good-bye in the window...and now to realize that it isn't happening is hard. But...I just keep remembering that I prayed about it and I knew it would be okay.

Another thing that was hard was going out into public the first week of school. I felt like I was "coming out of the closet". Nobody else had their kids with them, accept for some toddlers and babies. The cashier in the checkout line asked (in her deep southern accent), "Girrrrl, why aren't you at school?" and Whitney proudly said, "I'm homeschooling!". And then the greeter lady at Wal-Mart said, "What!?! Isn't she old enough for school yet?" And I was cranky and told her that Whitney had health problems and it was easier to just homeschool. Which...is sort of true...but it seemed to satisfy the lady. People told me it would be like this, but I'm sure I'll get used to it and it won't be a big deal.

I'm starting a new curriculum with Whitney. It's called Saxton and it's supposed to be really good. She's doing very well so far and it makes it all worth it when I see her progressing and understanding things, and when she makes a mistake she wants to go back and try it again until she gets it right. She loves doing her science and science experiments most. Oh! And my good friend, Sarah is teaching her piano lessons on Mondays! She loves her teacher soooo much and is really excited about it! I got her a Disney beginner piano book and she can't wait until she can play it.

Well, that's probably enough for today! I hope you all had a great first week of school and have a great weekend!

*Nat*

So, remember the kid who smashed our car??? We got a call a few days ago and it was his DAD! Turns out, the police tracked him down and the kid told them he didn't know he'd hit the car. His dad is an ACCIDENT INVESTIGATOR for a trucking company!!! So he drove by our house and saw the car and knew right away that there was NO way he could have hit the car and not known it. The kid eventually fessed up that he just got scared and drove away! Now we have their insurance information and everything will be okay. The kid got a ticket...and I'm sure a good chewing out by his parents. Poor guy, it's hard to learn things the hard way.

Of course, I know what it's like to do something really bad and freak out and hide. Literally. When I was...gosh...probably either late middle school or freshman year, I was sitting in the front passenger seat of the van in the garage waiting for my mom to get something from inside. The van was running, and during some freak (okay, not freak, they happen all the time) moment of insanity I decided to see what that big long lever sticking out by the steering wheel did. The drivers side door was still open, and who knew, the lever switched gears on the van and I had "accidentally" put it into reverse! The van started rolling out of the garage and then "CREEEEEEEAK" the drivers side door hit the side of the garage door and bent completely backward until it was touching the front of the van. Then, it kept rolling out into the street and I was able to unbuckle my seatbelt, jump into the drivers side and step on the break. Oh my gosh, I was HORRIFIED!!! I knew death was imminent and nobody would come to my funeral from my family because they'd be too mad at me. So, instead of going inside to tell mom what happened, I decided to take sanctuary in Ginger's dog house. And there I stayed for a few hours until my dear sweet Daddy came by. (I seem to remember his face in the doggie doorway and he was just trying not to laugh). I think he then handed me a letter that said something along the lines of "When you're ready to talk, we'll talk." To make a long story short, punishment was not death and the van did get fixed and I eventually passed Driver's Education class. (Wow, huh!)

But, like I said...it stinks to learn things the hard way. And in the wise words of wisdom from Michael Brimhall, "The best policy is to come clean."

Things are going pretty well for the most part. Our Freestyle got smashed already. I mean, I KNEW it would happen eventually because that's just our luck. But, I didn't think it would happen THIS fast! A kid who just moved across the street came to our door on Saturday and told us that his "friend" had given him a ride home from football practice and when he backed out of the driveway he smashed into our car and then sped off. It really touched me that the kid came and told us what had happened. I worry about him though, being the new kid at school and turning in a fellow football player who, by his behavior, doesn't seem to be the most praiseworthy kind of person. I hope he doesn't get beat up or something. So, anyway, the State Patrol came over and did a report and they'll get the kid at school. Wow. Here's a pic...

Things with homeschool are going pretty well. I can't believe how much Whitney is improving. She amazes me! Here's an example of her handwriting. (We were learning about adjectives)

Not bad for only four weeks of Kindergarten, eh? And I didn't even tell her what to write or how to spell anything.

I've started making beanies for my shop. They're really popular right now, so hopefully they'll sell well! I've seen them selling for over $20!!! So, being the nice person I am and not wanting to rip people off, I've listed mine for $12. Let's see if not being greedy pays off. Though, sometimes with all the dang glue gun burns I keep getting I should try to cover the cost of band-aids and burn cream? Just kidding...just kidding. Here are some of the beanies I've listed.



Annnnd....that's about all I can think of at the moment. We're all doing well and healthy and I hope you are, too!!!

Love,
Nat

I used random.org to draw a winner for my Bella Bling giveaway, and the winner is.......

Stephanie Wesley! Congratulations, Stephanie! Leave me a comment to know which item you would like from my shop!

To everyone else who entered, THANKS!!! I really appreciate your support! If you would like anything from my shop, too, I'll give you 25% off of your entire order!

*Nat*

Bella Bling Giveaway!

How would you like to win one of the headbands or hair clips from my Bella Bling shop? Even if you don't have little girls, if you have a niece or a grand-daughter or even just a friend with a daughter this is for you, too! All you have to do is "steal" one of the buttons for my etsy shop, which are located on the left of this page under my pictures of the kids. You copy the code for the one you like best and go to your blog and click on "layout". Then you "add a gadget" and then click on "HTML/Java Script." When you do, it will open a little window. In the content box, you'll just paste the code into the box and hit "save". THAT'S IT!!! Then, leave a comment on my blog (on this post). On Saturday, I'll use the people who have put up a button and use random.org to pick a winner! I'll post a comment on your blog to let you know that you won and then we'll work out the details of what you would like from there!

Where's The Love, Yo?

I am just about in tears. Seriously. I just need to vent a little. You all already know I've decided to home school Whitney. I don't have anything against public school and I don't think that parents who send their kids to public school are evil. I think public school is great! I know the kids have a lot of fun, I know the teachers are wonderful and the kids absolutely adore them. I know they have fun playing out on the playground for recess and playing with their friends. I know there are tons of fantastic things about public school. I absolutely loved my elementary school! But I want to home school, and that's what Whitney said she wanted, too. I asked her over and over if she was serious that she wanted to home school, because if she wanted to go to public school she could. In fact, on our first day of it, we had a really hard time with her penmanship and she was frustrated and put her pencil down and refused to try again. I was frustrated and I just gave up and said, "I just can't do this, Whitney. I think we'll need to send you to public school." And Whitney seriously started to cry and she threw her arms around me and told me that she didn't want to. She wanted to home school and me to be her teacher. And then I realized that this was for real, that this is what SHE wanted and it wasn't so much about my decision at all. So, that is why we are home schooling. I prayed about it and I felt peaceful about it. The part that I'm having the hardest time with is the lack of support. The strange looks from people who ask when her first day of kindergarten starts and I tell them we're home schooling and we've already started. I can't believe how many people, even my friends, who have flat out told me I'm crazy. That Whitney is going to be socially backwards. (Okay, do they even KNOW Whitney? She has NO problem there!) They've told me that I don't have the qualifications to be a teacher. That there is NO way home schooled children can be as smart as other school children. (Again, Whitney has been reading since she was three. She can do addition and subtraction. Obviously I must be doing something right) On and on and on...and it seriously cuts me to the soul! I have spent hours and hours researching different curriculum to see what will be best. I have put HUNDREDS of dollars into supplies and books. I have given up my personal alone and free time that I would have while the kids are at school. I have the responsibility of now being a mom, a wife, a cook, a maid AND a teacher. Shouldn't I get some credit for SOMETHING!?! I'm not some government hating hippie who is convinced that public school is going to slowly turn my child into a Nazi-like spawn. I'm not trying to shelter my child from the world and holding her hostage in my house so she doesn't get corrupted. I just love my Whitney. I WANT to spend the time with her. I WANT to be with her and teach her. I don't want summer to come and to think, "Oh my gosh, I can't wait until school starts again so the kids are out of my hair." I know it's hard work. I know it takes a lot of time. I've thought it over and over and over and prayed about it again and again. I didn't jump into this with my eyes closed and I wish people would just understand that. So, hopefully, through our home schooling experience I can show the rest of the world that home school CAN be a good thing. That kids CAN turn out normal. That we ARE NOT FREAKS. Okay, I need to go finish crying now. Thanks for letting me vent. :)