Building the Bookcase

 One of T's favorite gifts was a new little bookcase for her room.  She really wanted to build it on her Birthday, but had to wait until the following day to finally put it together.  Brandon provided some guidance, but she pretty much built the whole thing by herself.

T: I wanted to do the whole thing by myself.

T: It takes a lot of focus and skill.

In true T fashion, she decided to make a little cat bed on one of the shelves.  This didn't really solve the book problem, but T doesn't think about things the same way as me, and she was very happy with this idea. Perhaps one day she will use the shelf for storage.

T: Do you like my new bookcase?  Sunshine loves it!

We blinked and she turned NINE!

 I still can't believe my sweet T is NINE!  How did that happen?  The years fly by so quickly.  She is still very much interested in many of the things she was when she turned 8.  She is still a thumb loving girl.  I am curious when this habit will end.  She is curious about all things and keeps a careful eye on pretty much everything in our home.  She can find hidden things at record speed.  She is almost always busy, always moving, always creating.  She sees potential in many things.  Her artistic spirit brings color to our days and stretches my fashion and decor comfort zones. T has done so well in homeschool this year.  She loves history and seems to absorb events quickly and eagerly.  Math and ELA come quite easily to her as well. Some days school is a challenge, but we often really enjoy our time of learning and snuggling up together.  We recently put up a ninja course in our basement and T shows incredible ninja skills.  T is now doing some in person and some virtual therapies.  She loves the zoom therapies because she gets to play games online.  Overall, she doesn't seem to miss school or friends and she is thankful to have less drama in her life.  T is passionate about everything she does.  I am so blessed that I had a front row seat to her life during the last year.  Hey T,  I love you so much! 

The day before T's Birthday we made a plan for the day.  She was very excited to have the day off from school on her Birthday.  We had sort of a "yes day"  with fun things planned all day!

T's Birthday started out a little sad for her... and it was essentially my fault.  I was worried that she would sneak downstairs early and want to open her presents, so I kept them hidden in my room.  When she came down early (as I suspected) and saw no gifts she thought I had forgotten her Birthday and she wasn't getting any gifts.  She was almost in tears when I found her.

 

T: I thought they forgot my Birthday.

After I assured her that I hadn't forgotten her Birthday and that the schedule she created the night before said 8:30 for gifts, not 6:00am she seemed a bit better.  She was extra happy that I decided to get my steps inside and she got to watch a Hallmark movie first thing in the morning. She looks so sweet curled up on the couch.  She now weighs in between 42 and 43 pounds, so she is really as small as she looks.

T: Watching a Hallmark movie made me feel better.

After a nice romance movie to start the day it was time time for gifts.  She had quite a haul and she was thrilled with what she got.  She loves most things, so buying gifts for her is pretty easy!  Opening gifts was hard for M, so he went and did some LEGO building in the kitchen for most of the opening and that actually worked out quite well.

She looks so grown up!

Excited about more books in her favorite series.

 

 

T: Crafting stuff!  Yes!!!

T: A fashionista Barbie!  Yahoo!

T: My ukulele arrived the next day so I just got to see a picture.

 

 

Sunshine:  A box!  My favorite!

Buttercup:  Wrapping paper.  My favorite!  (Also, look at the snow, as high as the patio table!

T: Thanks for the rollerblades Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Daryl!

 

T: I practiced a lot on my Birthday.

 

After opening all of her gifts, I made the kids pancakes.  I think the kids listened to Odyssey while I showered etc.  I can't exactly remember all that we did.  I know that T did Facetime with my parents and talked to Brandon's parents too.

 

T: I took a picture of them during facetime.

 

T:  Mom and I made some fancy chocolates for my Birthday.  They were not as tasty as I was hoping they would be.

 

In the afternoon the kids had some time apart.  T had an in person meeting with her therapist from 2:00-3:00 then M had a zoom mentor session from 4:00-5:00.  Brandon came home at 4:30 and took T to Michael's craft store.  They were there for quite a while.  It is T's favorite place in the world.  She loves to look at everything and plan out what she will buy. 

 

On the way home they stopped at Culver's drive-thru for dinner. Brandon had a meeting that night so we had a fast dinner and cake before he left. 

 

T: I love Culvers!

Mid bite picture...

M:  Culver's GF buns are great!!

T really wanted to have a "Jello cake" and a two layer cake.  If you know anything about poke cakes, you know they are very heavy and stacking them is tricky... and probably not recommended.  The layers were falling apart and the cake actually was held together (not well) with frosting.  I guess it tasted OK which is the main thing, right?

She likes lighting candles quite a bit.

Awww

One more because I like this one too!

Blowing out the candles.

 

 

M needed to blow out the candles too!

 While Brandon was at the meeting we watched a movie about a billionaire dog and a man who could either read his mind/hear him speak.  Much like M's Birthday movie pic, I fell asleep during this movie as well.  After the movie we started crafting while listening to music.  It was quite a lovely day. I am thankful that I was able to spend this special day with my special girl.  I am thankful that M had time with a mentor and time alone with me while T was shopping.  I think it helped him to have a much better day too.  This is by far the best he has ever done on T's Birthday.  Please join me in praying that this year will be a wonderful year of learning and growing and great joy for our T!

COVID style friend party

I am sure some people are having a parties in this part of the covid era, but we are not.  Here are some pics of T's bestie S dropping off a gift for her and T and S playing outside near her Birthday.  This is as close to a celebration as we are getting and honestly, I am very thankful!

T: I have my own style and I love it!

T:  Thanks for the whole container of jellies!

 

T: I can't believe this!!

 

T was begging to knock the icicles off of the church roof for weeks.  It was finally warm enough to be outside.  She and S had a blast working together on this project!

 

T: We were the demo team!

T: It helps that S has really long arms! I was running out of the way.

 

Cute Cats... Costly Cats!

I  decided to make one post of February cat pictures.  We take way too many pictures of our cats even though they are so much sweeter and cuter in person than in photos.  They are often startled by the camera/movement and quit laying in their sweet positions right before the shot. 

Sunshine:  You set out a box, and I am there... a cake pan works too.

Buttercup: You lay out a blanket and I am there!

Buttercup:  This thing can get pretty loud.  I don't really like that.

Sunshine:  I would be fine just laying here, but the entertainment is nice too.

Sunshine:  Actually, watching her play across the room is great.

 

That paw!

The cats have chosen their people and this is pretty much how it looks most of the time.

 

I went back in the room later and got an action shot of the kids reading and the cats sleeping.   I just couldn't decide which to share so I am sharing both.

Two are focused.  Two are relaxed.

 

Buttercup staring out the window and sitting like this.  Sunshine facing away from humans in the middle of nowhere... this picture represents them so well!

 

 

On February 18th (Yes, I know that is getting ahead of T's Birthday, but I needed to for this cat post) we noticed that the string on T's Birthday balloon was much shorter after dinner than before dinner... like a yard shorter.  We decided that we were quite sure that Buttercup ate it and we should maybe take him to the vet so they could induce vomit.  A trip to the ER and two rounds of meds later... he didn't vomit.  This crazy cat helps us contribute to the local economy!  

On February 21st, after dissecting stool samples for more than two days, we found the ribbon.  Of course I needed to document this crazy affair.  It was all in one clump.  Sadly, Buttercup hasn't learned a thing.  Last night when cleaning out the litter I found something red and learned he ate the entire drawstring from a kitchen trash bag.  I guess each day he lives really is a gift!

When you are happy and grossed out at the same time!

This is what loyalty looks like.  Sunshine lays near Brandon's seat when he guesses Brandon will be coming home for lunch!

This is Sunshine's favorite spot.  You can find him on Brandon's lap multiple times a day!

The Good and the Beautiful School!

 February was a huge month for us in our homeschooling journey.  I have written about it other places, so I will just say that M's last day of virtual school was February 9th and his first day of homeschool was February 10th.  I know it was 100% the right choice.  It is the best option for us in this season.  Hopefully both kids will both be back at their awesome schools in the fall.  In the meantime we are making the most of our season of homeschool. 

Our ELA curriculum is called "The Good and The Beautiful" and I  love it. I highly recommend this beautiful and challenging curriculum.  It is fun, engaging, and targets many different learning modes.  I am so thankful to have discovered it and not surprised at all to learn many of my friends also use it.  It truly is such a gift to the homeschool community.  If we ever have another season of homeschooling I will also use it for History.  

T had an Amish unit in her ELA curriculum.  She followed a recipe in the curriculum and made shoofly muffins.  They are called shoofly muffins because they are sweet and flies had to be shooed from them, not because the are made of flies.  I had to convince M of this before he would try them!

 

The cutest baker I know!

 

 

M: They tasted pretty good!

M's first days were spent totally in his room.  He has transitioned downstairs as the weeks have gone on!

 

 

T still does most of her work in the kitchen.

 

Both of the kids learned about the Oregon Trail in History.  Brandon and I were describing the old computer game to them at dinner one night, and he decided to search for it and found a way to play online.  It looked just like the game we grew up with.  He played it during an entire family movie night.  He played one round for 3 hours and every person died!

The following day the kids and I were out sledding, and he played the whole game in less than an hour and no one died.  I guess he needed to prove he could still do it! 

 

 

This screen takes me right back!

Great job!!!

 

T: I wanted to give it a try during my screen time.

In February T developed a new art technique.  She colored a picture with marker then dipped a kabob stick in water and used it to paint over the marker.  This would smear the marker in the coolest way.  I was very impressed.  She is more of an art teacher than me.  It is so much fun to just watch her create!

 

Just beautiful!

 

 

 

Speaking of T being an art teacher... I came downstairs one morning to this creative scene!

Homeschooling does not make trauma disappear or lessen... BUT there are some sweet moments.  I am so very thankful that Brandon captured this moment of pure joy.  I happen to have been so cold that I was wearing my robe.  M had just showered and was already in PJ's.  We just received a box from The Good and the Beautiful and we were checking out the Geography cards.  We were all truly enjoying them.   They are a wonderful resource that I will use for the kids no matter our schooling choice.  Since February M has learned all the states and capitals and the state locations! 

My favorite picture of the year! (Not staged)

 

 

Another day after my shower... I discovered a roller rink in our basement! 

Another morning she was busy at work on her new sketchpad thing.

 

Geography and cuddles in the living room!  

The kids have a logic time in school where they play some thinking games.  I taught them how to play Free Cell without a computer.  It was so much fun to teach them two retro computer games in one week.  Like Brandon with Oregon Trail, I needed to play a few rounds of this game to get it out of my system.

 

T: I am just learning, but I am already really good!