Our musical pursuits...

After an unsuccessful attempt at learning cello last spring, we are starting over this year with violin. Aidan has had his violin for a week, and is doing GREAT! He was ready for it this time.

Gresh the climber, playing the piano..

Ok, this has nothing to do with music, but I had to put this picture in. Gresham is learning to eat with silverware, which has been a horrible experience. He is really a "by self" kind of guy, so we have had better success getting him to eat what we offer if he feeds himself, but the clean-up after each meal is unreal...

Hawks!

Our children are really at enjoyable ages right now. 15 months is super cute. Gresham is talking (new words every day!) and learning so many things. And he isn't 2 yet, which is the best part... Actually, the terrible twos for Aidan started at 18 months, so we'll see...

Age 4 is also fun. It's a huge improvement over age 3. Aidan is doing so many fun things - learning to read, making actual friends (instead of just playing in the same room as other kids), and he's becoming sweeter, although not any less strong willed!

One of our recent activities has been learning about hawks. We have LOTS of hawks in our area, and we see them perched on power lines whenever we go out. Aidan has been interested in them for a while, so we did some internet research together and learned that we are probably seeing Red Tailed Hawks. We also learned quite a bit about them! We made a life-sized hawk out of posterboard, and the best part is that he is really retaining all this new knowledge because he is so interested in it! This is the fun of homeschooling - being able to pursue his interests and learn when the moment strikes!

Thanks for enjoying life with such exuberance, Aidan, and here's to many more exciting projects...

My Evening - by Gresham

Hi, this is Gresham. I figured it was high time there were more stories about me on this blog! My mom mostly talks about Aidan, and all the cute stuff he does, but I'm cute too! Guess it's part of being the second child. Did you know she did a photo album with pictures of him every month of his first year? For me, she didn't even take the pictures! But that's another post for another day...

Anyhow, I gave her a real run for her money tonight, and I thought I'd tell you about it!

Mom was tired tonight, so for dinner she gave in to Aidan and made him peanut butter and jelly, and she made soup for me and her. When I saw the soup, I quickly scanned the table for crackers or bread or chips, but there were none... I saw something green in the soup, however, so I wasn't about to try it! Well, let's just say mom can be very persuasive. So I tried the soup. And it wasn't bad! I ate a few bites, and then started whining for the bowl. So Mom gave me the bowl and spoon (she's not very bright, is she?). That was fun, but she took it away real quick and said something about not being in the mood for a mess. Well, we had some cheese and crackers, and I wanted to go back to the soup. So Mom gave me the bowl again. I guess she figured I might eat some more, and that was worth the mess. Well, she's never seen a baby eat soup with his hands before!!!! I tried to use the spoon, but my fat hands are so clumsy, and it was easier to just scoop it up that way. Boy was that fun, and I ate all the soup!

After dinner I wanted to play with Mom, but she just kept cleaning and cleaning. I have no idea why she does that all the time! Doesn't she know it's better to have fun and do the things you want to do? Well, finally she came to the living room, and we played this silly game with balls. I didn't understand what she and Aidan were trying to do, so I made up my own rules...

Then it was time for my favorite thing - bath time! Aidan and I can work together to make a real good mess at bath time. While Mom was washing Aidan's hair, I dumped cups of water over her arm. It was real funny. At least Aidan and I thought so. Then, after she had dried me off, I hurried off to my room while she was hanging up my towel and made a puddle on the carpet! Next time, she'll get my diaper on first.

While Mom was cleaning up the puddle, I ran back to the bathroom and found the baby wash and opened it. Too bad Mom was so fast - she found me before I had a chance to spill any!

Then we had to brush teeth. I did my favorite trick - mouth shut!!

Ah, what a night. Being one is a lot of fun. More fun than being grown up, I think. And tomorrow I get to do it all again!

Some cute pictures!

The other day, I was making the bed, and Gresham wanted me to read him a book. I asked Aidan to read it to him, since I was busy, so Gresham plopped down in Aidan's lap! It was very cute.


We also got to visit with the Cranks who are in town! The kids had fun playing and got along well (mostly). We watched a movie, and Aidan was scared of one part, and Savannah told him, "I will take care of you..."



Here are all of the kids - except Gresham who was napping.

Americans must have forgotten how to cook...

One of my personal pet peeves is "recipes" on food packages. I don't know if you've ever noticed, but there are "recipes" on just about everything from graham crackers to salad dressing to macaroni and cheese boxes.

Jordan and I have been reading them for years. Our favorite was on a bottle of barbeque sauce (before Aidan was born!) Here is the recipe: one chicken, one bottle of barbeque sauce, one hour. Wow, what a concept!!!!! I never thought of putting barbeque sauce ON chicken!!!

Here are some that are currently in my pantry...

On the graham cracker box:
"Classic S'mores"
4 HONEY MAID honey grahams, broken in half
1 (1.55 oz.) HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Bar, quartered
4 JET-PUFFED Marshmallows (note the brand references...)

Toast 4 marshmallows over hot campfire grill using a long handled fork. Supervise the kids if they are toasting the marshmallows. (Really??) Use a second fork to carefully slide 1 marshmallow onto each chocolate-topped graham square. (Wait, it doesn't say how to get the chocolate onto the graham square!!!! I'll call my mom and ask her...)
Cover each with second graham square to make sandwich.

Makes 4 servings, one s'mores each.

And on the Kraft colby jack cheese package:
"Quick Broccoli Ham & Cheese Potato Topping"

1 hot baked potato
1/2 cup KRAFT Finely Shredded Colby & Monterrey Jack Cheese, divided
1/4 cup each chopped ham and broccoli flowerets

Split baked potato. Place on microwaveable plate. Top with 1/4 cup cheese, ham and broccoli. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Microwave on high 1.5-2 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Take it out of the microwave. Sit down at your table. Pick up a bite with your fork. Blow on it, if it's hot. Try 3 little blows. Eat a bite. Chew it up. Swallow. Repeat until it's all gone.

Okay, maybe I started adding a bit there, but up until the "take it out..." part, it was all word for word!

Also on the same package they have a recipe for double cheese chili that involves putting cheese in the bowl before you put the chili in, and then putting more cheese on after. Fancy!!

I'm starting to feel better about the fact that most of the things I cook are pretty simple...

Aidan's View of the World

The other day, we were driving down the road and saw some people riding a tandem bicycle. Aidan said, "Mom! I just saw two people riding on one bicycle! I'll get that for Grandma and Grandpa for when they get old and can't walk anymore!"
"I don't think that will be what they need..." I told him.
"Yes, it will. When they go on their morning walks, they can just take that!"

And then this morning we were playing grocery store in the living room. This is my favorite game because it involves getting out lots of toys, books, and play food, and putting them all over the place. Aidan pointed out that I was "shopping" without my purse. "I'll just go home and get it," I said. "Why do you live so close to the store?" he asked. "You live in America, and this store is in India!"

Happy New Year!

We had a New Year's Eve party with just us, and some ro-tel dip and little smokies...

Jordan and Aidan putting together the lego airplane Aidan got for Christmas

Poor Gresham had a terrible cold this weekend, and has been spending lots of time with paci and blankie... he loves to sit in his chair

Gresham reading in his chair. He LOVES books.

Aidan's Helpful Hints for Good Grades

Tonight at dinner, Jordan and I were talking about teachers we had in school. I have no idea how we got on that topic... Anyway, I was telling him about a weird science teacher I had in middle school, and how I may have gotten a C in that class, but I couldn't remember if it actually went down as a C or not. I think that may have just been on the progress report; I think it was a B by the time the end of the 6 weeks came. I was blaming my lack of an A on her bad teaching. At this point, Aidan piped up and said, "Mom, next time (like there will be a next time!) the teacher tells you not to be careful and make an A, just write one like I do." He demonstrated how to write an A with his finger on his napkin. It was adorable.