2nd and 5th

Today was Austin's and Abi's first day of school. Austin is beginning the 5th grade (give or take) and Abi is picking up somewhere in the middle of 2nd grade. I know, 'give or take' and 'in the middle' makes it sound complicated! It is! Nevertheless, last night before bed, Mark and I had two VERY excited kid-o's. We attended a swimming party most of the day yesterday; so, not only were they excited, they were also sleepy! A good combination, if you ask me! Before they drifted off to sleep, they chose clothes for the first day of school. Austin chose "something nice" and Abi chose "a dress"!

 Austin, night before 5th grade

Abi, night before 2nd grade

Before Mark goes to bed, he checks on the AJBs every night. This is how he found Abi!!

 When Mark tried to put her back on her pillow, her eyes popped open and she started grunting at him! It was too funny not to add to this update!

This morning I woke this kids up a few minutes earlier than our schedule call for because I wanted to surprise them with breakfast at IHOP. When I woke them, they popped right out of bed and got dressed as quickly as possible. They even let me snap of 'First day of school' pictures!

Abi, still has sleepy eyes! 

Austin, sporting a pull-over on this tid-bit-chilly morning

Both Austin and Abi ordered hot chocolate to drink. They LOVE the fall like their mother. They repetitively say they can't wait for 'pumpkins, hot chocolate, and the Christmas season'!

Who need cafeteria food when there is IHOP?

Abi was so excited about hers that she ended up burning her mouth!

My original plan had me going to the Y to workout after breakfast, and that might happen someday, but today when we walked in they had no childcare for the AJBs age group until 9AM. I was a little disappointed because I had mentally prepared myself for a week! Instead of working out, we went home and got straight to work. Abi got off to a rough start. I honestly think she just got up too early and was still a little bit tired. After an 'attitude adjustment' she bounced back and the rest of the day was a piece of cake!

 We rotate around the house doing different work. Mostly we are at the kitchen table, though. My little stinkers hard at work!

Our curriculum this year is similar to that of last year.

Abi is using:

Reading and Phonics, 2nd grade, book 1

Harcort Spelling Skills, 2nd grade

Bob Jones Math 2nd grade

Easy Grammar 2nd grade

Answers In Genesis, God's Design for Life- The Animal Kingdom

A Devotional for Girls

I will be adding in Social Studies later in the year. For the time being, she is taking 'Galloping the Globe' in Friday school, along with 'Discovering Art' and a class of Dinosaurs.

She will be taking ice skating lessons in place of P.E.

Austin is using:

Bob Jones English, 5th grade

Harcort Spelling Skills, 5th grade

Bob Jones Math 5th grade

Answers in Genesis, God's Design for the Physical World- Machines and Motion

A Devotional for Boys

He is currently finishing his 4th grade Heritage Studies book. He will be taking 'Colonial America', 'Distruction!' and 'Computer Basics' in Friday school.

Austin will be playing baseball again this fall with the Texas Terrors.

 A few of our school books

 The Excel spreadsheet that I mentioned in my last post

Lunch time! Fish sticks, mac n cheese and sugar snap peas!

Lucky for us, the neighbors across the street are homeschooled too. Which means that Austin and Abi will have someone to play with during 'recess'!

Well, Day 1 was quite successful. Now, if I could just have everyday be like today!

A Little More Structure

I have never been the type of person who "just wings it". I've always made lists and plans. So, these past couple of years have been nerve wrecking!! When I quit working in July 2007 I made a decision to start "going with the flow" and to stop making so many plans. Well, that decision leaves me with too much anxiety! I HATE being unorganized and never knowing what I should be doing! It's too messy! So, this year for homeschooling we are making a new approach! In preparation of our school year starting September 6th, I have been working diligently to make it as organized as I possibly can. First, I received a magnet in the mail a few months ago and the more I stood there reading it  on the fridge while waiting for my glass to fill with water, the more I began to imagine sitting down and having a conversation about them with the kids! The magnet came from the Children at Heart Ministries and is titled 'Home Rules'. It has 12 Biblical based "rules" listed with scripture references. The kids and I sat down and discussed each one in detail as we made these posters to hang in the kitchen:

 Aren't they decorated so nicely! We used supplies that I already had at home: markers, poster board, and stickers. To hang it I used two command hooks, a hole punch, and some paper clips linked together.

I've also been thinking about how long it sometimes took Abi to complete her assignments during the day, and how sometimes both Austin and Abi would need my help at the same time. I'm hoping that I came up with a decent solution:

 3 out of our 5 days have the same schedule. On the appropriate day I will hang the correct schedule for the AJBs to follow. Each subject is allotted a certain time and are staggered according to the kid so that I may be available to help one at a time. I'm hoping that with giving each subject a certain amount of time it will (a) help Abi with her time telling abilities and (b) help her stay on track while doing her school work ridding her of the overwhelming feelings of what to do!! I used colorful scrapbooking paper backed with cardstock to make it more durable. I used command hooks to hang it on the foam board so that schedules can be changed.

 This idea came from another blog that I frequent: Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers It is a chore card system that gives the AJBs their chores for each day without me having to remind them everyday what needs to be done. I used clip art in a Word document to make each card, they are laminated in Scotch self-sealing laminating pouches. I used scrapbooking paper to make the card holding pouches. Then I added some scrapbooking stickers just for the fun of it!

This might be my favorite idea that I've borrowed. I found it at...wait for it...another homeschooling blog, Confessions of a Homeschooler! While her chart is directed to smaller kids, I took the idea and curtailed it to our needs. When the AJBs need help and they notice that I am busy (helping the other AJB, on the phone, etc) they take the clothespin with their name on it and clip it to my shirt. The pin will remind me that they need help. And while they wait for my help this chart gives them things to do: Put together a puzzle, practice their spelling words, or read a book. This idea is exciting in theory and I have HIGH hopes that it will work!!!!

The last organizational tool that I will be using this school year we uses last year. It is probably what kept me sane!! At the beginning of the school year I collect all of the kids' school books and sort through them. I  divide the book into assignments based on how many days we will be in school. At the beginning of each week I make an Excel spreadsheet for each child. The spreadsheet is labeled Monday through Friday across the top and then has each subject listed in the far left column. I list each assignment per day. I punch holes and place it in the front of their school binders. The binders have dividers per subject. I place each assignment into the appropriate divider. So, hypothetically speaking, on Monday morning Austin can open his binder to his assignment sheet and see that he needs to complete pages 62-64 in his math book. Then he will flip to his math divider and find all of his work for math that week, complete the assignment on his list and then check it off when he is done. This worked VERY well for us last year!! It also gave the kids a good look at the work that needed to be completed for the week.

I am getting more and more excited about our school year starting! I can't wait to see the exciting things we will accomplish and learn...together!!!!

Missed

We miss the cool weather! A LOT! The kids and I made a trip to Hobby Lobby the other day. When we got out of the car, Abi said, "It's so hot out here, I just got out of the car and I'm already sweating!" We made the decision then that when we return home, we would do our first experiment since the school year. We cracked an egg on the cement to see how long it would take to cook!! It took longer than we anticipated, but by the next morning it was totally cooked!!

The Beginning

30 minutes after cracking

This past weekend we had visitors. Since they have gone, we miss them TREMENDOUSLY!!! Mark's brother, sister-in-law and nephews, Aaron, Georgiet, Xavier and Sebastian, visited Thursday night through Monday morning. We had a blast and can't wait until they come back to Houston!

Mark having some summer fun!

Sluz, Georgiet, Kenzie and Bastian

Bastian and Uncle Mark

Austin and Uncle Aaron

Air surfing?

Alex and Cooper wanted to join the fun!

Zay!

Abi AKA Snowflake the hugging dolphin

Love of my life!

After dark gathering  for live music, Georgiet and Kenzie

Aaron and Tom played their guitars and sang for us

Papa, still kickin'!!!

Grandma Tink, Bastian and Cooper...the music was very relaxing!

I miss the cooler weather. To usher it in, I have already broken out my fall decor!!! (You hear that God, bring that cold weather please...we are ready!!!) 

I don't care how silly this looks on my door in the middle of August in Houston!

Most of all, I miss Mark when he's not around! This past Sunday he was on a plane headed to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for work. He said it was absolutely beautiful and the weather was worth being jealous over!

One last hoorah, we had date night Friday night at Shogun's before skipped town

While Mark was gone, a HUGE thunder/lightening storm pass through. We lost power for about 30 minutes, which isn't too bad considering how big the storm was! To entertain themselves, the kids collected my battery-operated tea light candles and used them for fire bending. (It's okay if you don't know what that is, chances are if you have a little boy, it won't be long before you find out!!! If you just can't wait until they're older and want to know now, you can find a video here.)

My little fire benders

It wasn't too long that Mark was gone before the kids began making his 'Welcome Home' sign along with many, MANY other craft projects! My favorite is this one that Austin and Abi made together:

 Mark is the stick figure guy on the boat and both of the kids are at the top of the lighthouse. The boat is connected to a clothespin that sails to the lighthouse.

Once the boat arrives at the lighthouse, the stick figure kids flip over a 'welcome home' sign and the Daddy stick figure climbs to the top of the lighthouse!

Austin showing Mark how their masterpiece works!

You can follow this link to see pictures that Mark took in Pennsylvania.

What's New

We have a few things going on lately. First, I forgot to post this back with the updates about our cruise. A couple of nights after we returned, we had a 'fancy' dinner with the kids just like the formal night on the boat. So excited about the experience, Austin ran upstairs before we started dinner to grab his book, "The Boys Book: How to Be the Best at Everything". Apparently, the book discusses proper etiquette at a dinner table. The tips include Do's and Don't. Do:Put your napkin on your knees right away.
Start with the outer silverware and work your way in each course.
Finish your mouthful and wipe your mouth with your napkin before sipping water.
Say, "Excuse me" if you need to leave the table.
Don't:
Lean your elbow on the table.
Eat french fries with your fingers.
Eat with your mouth open.
Yell at the waiter.
Say, "YUCK!" if you don't like something.
Mark and I thought that was really cute! As I browse through this book, I find that it covers quite a few VERY cool topics!! Some examples of other articles are: How to get out of quick sand, How to read a compass, and How to get an egg into a bottle. Needless to say, it's a pretty neat book! Austin has informed me that they have one for girls, and we should by that one for Abi! And our dinner was quite nice, in case you were wondering how it turned out!

Austin posted this sign 

Austin and Abi enjoying themselves! 

The Brewer house in the summertime is always full of new adventures! It's amazing what the kids can come up with when the TV is turned off! A few weeks ago, the AJBs decided to do crafts during their downtime and Austin built this really cool dog for Abi out of scraps of paper.

Paper Pup 

My mom, also known as Grammy, came into to town to get her air conditioner fixed in her car. It was an overnight trip, so we got to see her for almost a whole day (she stayed with my sister on the other side of town). We went to our FAVORITE restaurant, Chuy's, for lunch. As usual, absolutely delicious! While waiting for your meal to arrive, you can request dough for the kids to play with. The AJBs love it! Just before we left, Austin came over to me and started speaking in an Italian accent...and looked like this:

Mario and Luigi...and Abi couldn't leave Rebecca out! 

The new school year is quickly approaching. That also means that sports will be starting soon, too. Sadly, Austin's baseball team from the previous two seasons is not staying together for this fall. We started last fall as a Metro team. We signed Austin up through the Cy-fair sports website and he was placed on a team with other kids nearby. The team wanted to stay together for this past Spring, so they formed a Friendship team; which means that they played in the Metro league but brought back all the same players . Or in our case, some of the same players. After a team plays in the Friendship league, in order to stay together, they must move up to the next level. The next level is Select and it is more competitive. The Vipers originally planned to stay together and move up to Select this fall, but things fell apart at the last minute. We had the option of signing Austin up to play in the regular Metro league or letting him try out for another Select team. Austin is a competitive athlete by nature. I remember when he was three he played soccer. All the other kids would be playing in the grass, or standing in the middle of the field crying because they didn't want to play. Not Austin, there were times when he would be the only kid running with the ball...from either team! So, the logical choice for baseball was to let him try out for another team. We are now on the 'Texas Terrors'! Also, one of his teammates from the Vipers will be playing with him this fall! Everyone in the family is stoked about baseball starting back up. Everyone but Abi! She was actually wondering why baseball was ever created the other day!!! With her, she doesn't want to do anything that requires her to sweat! But with them homeschooling, I want to make sure they get proper exercise since they do not have a PE class. This year Abi has been trying to decide what sport she wants to try. She narrowed it down to Jiu-Jitzu (with her best pal, Luke) or ice skating (where she could request an ice skating outfit for her American Girl doll). Ultimately, she has chosen ice skating. At the beginning of September she will take a 7 week class for beginners. We also will be starting our co-op soon!!! I'm teaching possibly two classes this semester, which I am excited about! The classes that I anticipate signing the kids up for are:

Austin- Computer Basics using Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; Destruction!, they will learn the mechanics of small appliances by taking them apart (which is REALLY awesome because Austin's science for this year is on machines!!); and Colonial America through a pocket storybook.

Abi- Galloping the Globe, learning about new countries and map/atlas skills; Discover Art, learning the colors of the color wheel and different techniques with oil pastels and watercolors; and American Girl Felicity, reading about the historical character, Felicity.

All of us Brewers are really excited to get school started!!!

 Austin, practicing pitching

Austin, practicing catching

Last, but not least, I have been doing a little sewing. Our family doesn't really celebrate Halloween, but I found some really cute fabric and decided to make Abi a Halloween skirt. I also made her a coordinating bow. It all turned out super cute!!!

Special As Can Be

One of my favorite and most special possessions ever given to me is a pillow that my grandmother, my Memaw, made for me when I was 4. I was very close to my Memaw. She was my mother's mom. I was born in Odessa, Texas where my family lived until I was 7. I saw my Memaw frequently there because she lived within minutes. Right before I started 2nd grade, my family moved to Houston. When we moved here, we left my Memaw behind. I didn't see her much after that. On November 5th, a couple months into my 3rd grade year, my Memaw's car was hit by a train as she tried to cross some railroad tracks that lacked guard rails on a foggy morning. When the train hit, my Memaw was killed on impact.
This post has taken a turn for sad, but that was not my intention at all! Back to my pillow! I still sleep with my pillow every night. Aside from being special, it is really comfy! Mark teased me about sleeping with my pillow when we first got married. I had my mom make him his very own pillow and now he understands just how comfy the pillow really is!!! He sleeps with his pillow every night now too! When Abi saw just how special my pillow was, she requested one of her own from her Grammy. Austin followed suit! It only took a couple of years, but Grammy finally finished their pillows this summer!! And now they both sleep with their pillows every night as well.

Mine and Mark's pillows 

Austin's and Abi's pillows

Back to Life, Back to Reality

I'm not gonna lie. I think about this...

and this...

and this...

and especially this...

A LOT!!!

Life after a cruise is not as much fun as life before the cruise. So many great memories leave you longing to just get in your car and start driving just to see the beautiful world that God has given us! I have always said that I do not want to leave Texas. I take it back. I want to see the world and spend time admiring all of God's creation!!!

But my reality is life as usual and dreaming of the next vacation!!! I am blessed that I have a family to spend each day with. Last weekend Mark and I took the kids to the drive-in movie theater to see a double feature of Transformers 3 and Captain America. It started out very hot, but by 2AM when the movies were finally over, it was pretty chilly outside! We had to get there very early because we knew with those two movies, the good spots at the theater would fill up fast! Both movies were just so-so for me. Austin even mentioned his disappointment for Captain America! Abi talked (as usual!!) through both movies.

Abi, waiting for the movie to start

One of my favorite things to do is have lunch at a restaraunt with Austin and Abi. It's a chance for us to just sit and chat...and I don't have to make lunch! A few days ago, the kids opted for TGI Fridays. They had never eaten there before, but the gorilla from 'Zookeeper' sturred up some curiosity! 

 Ready to eat

Me and Abi

We spend a good chunk of our time at the swimming pool. We have the selection of our neighborhood pool or the YMCA pool. Now we have an additional choice, Mark's dad and Wendy had a salt water pool installed in their backyard. After much anticpation, we got to break it in!!

 Abi

Mark, Abi, and Sluz

Abi and Mark

Austin and Mark

I have been feeling my sewing itch lately too. We took a trip to Joann's recently and bougth material to make a few projects. I completed one project this past week, Abi's tutu. She proudly wore it to church on Sunday, excited to see some of the glitter mark her spot anywhere she sat!! It actually didn't require much sewing. I measured her waist and cut a 1inch thick piece of elastic the same size. I sewed the elastice together and that was all the sewing required. The rest of the tutu making was cutting and tying. I followed the directions in this video (I substituted the elastic for the ribbon):

Here was the finished product:

Abi's tutu

I have some more projects lined up in the weeks to come. I will be making another cowboy vest and chaps this week for an order in my Etsy shop.  I also will be making a Halloween skirt for Abi as well as a pair of pajama pants for Austin. I am working on a few bows too.  Busy, busy...but I wouldn't want it any other way!!