8-31-14

 

It's been a good week.  Last Sunday, we did the unthinkable and SKIPPED CHURCH!  We realized that in our almost 11 years of marriage, we had never skipped a Sunday of church unless someone was sick (and then the healthy person would go to church alone or with the other kids) or we absolutely had to travel on a Sunday.  So we decided to take one Sunday and have a full day of just family fun.  The verdict: ehhh.  It started out great and relaxing, but by the end of the day, we were like "We should have gone to church." :) 

 

Breakfast at Bob Evan's, one of Micah's favorite places.  (Texas Roadhouse is his favorite non-breakfast place.  Why does he like the expensive ones???)   

 

Like my Mom, I was just the "incubator". :)  Ben will never be able to deny his boys.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

"Horsing around" at the bookstore: 

 

 

The king and his knight defending the princess:

 

We had our first week of Classical Conversations.  This is the class I tutor.  I have my hands full. :)

Actually, Caleb was the only one who almost "lost a sticker" because he kept talking when he wasn't supposed to.  The other kids were all very well behaved! 

 

Caleb working on his school work at home:

 

It took my a while to figure out why he was taking so long to color his pictures, but then I realized it was because every crayon he got out of the box had to act like a rocket taking off :)

 

Heading to the YMCA to do "gym class" with Dad.  We're pretty stylish folk as you can see... :)

 

Best part of the weekend: We babysat (Saturday and today, Sunday), this little guy named Joshua.  His Dad, Arnold, was on a fishing trip and his Mom had to work.  We (very gladly) offered to babysit.  Can you blame us??  Our kids have loved playing with baby Joshua.  

 

Abby feeding Joshua.  She and Caleb both opened their mouths wide every time Joshua needed to take a bite...

 

 

This is my first time trying to post a video.  Let's see if it works.

 

After this weekend, I am ready to adopt a baby! :)  If our bank account was as ready as my heart, I'd be signing some papers ASAP.  Maybe once we get settled into a house and Sunday morning services are rolling, I might look into foster-to-adopt to see what kind of hoops South Carolina would require us to jump through.  We'll see.  I just think our family looked pretty good with a little black baby in it. :)

 

On the house-hunting front: we would really like to get out of our rental by the end of October when our lease is up, because if we don't, the cost goes up and we automatically renew for another 3 months at a time.  We've been looking through several houses.  About a month ago, we made an offer on a house we LOVED, but prayed that if God didn't want us there he would make it really clear.  He made it pretty clear because the bank that owned the house decided to give it to the Wounded Warriors program (which helps wounded vets find housing.)  

We haven't found any other houses we loved as much as that one, BUT we did put an offer in on a house we liked this past Friday.  It's a HUD home and we offered pretty low, so we'll see within the next week if this is where we are supposed to be.  It's in a nice little simple community, and it's on a cul-de-sac which is great for the kids riding bikes or playing outdoors.  It also has a decent-sized fenced-in backyard.  It's tiny and simple;  3 beds, 2 baths, all one floor.  The kitchen is TINY, but do-able.  If we got the house, there's room to eventually re-do the kitchen (by relocating the little laundry area) so it would have more room and make more sense.  It also has a "Florida room" off the dining area!  Which would probably be the homeschool room/toy room.   But I'm most excited that it has a little garage.  Not that we would park our cars in it, but it would be a great storage spot.  There are NO basements in SC, and most places have attics that are not easily accessible, so I've really wanted a garage where we can store kids clothes, Christmas trees, bikes, etc.  PLUS I could get a freezer again! The house also comes with a washer, dryer, and stove, so I think a fridge (and later, a deep freezer) would be the only appliances we'd have to buy.  Anyway, we'll see what the Lord wants!

Here's a link to the house that will probably work at least for a few weeks:

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1726-Midbrook-Dr-Rock-Hill-SC-29732/11873314_zpid/

 



8-23-14

We finished our first week of school, although it definitely felt like a jolt from the lazy summer!   We should have maybe tried to ease into it a little more. Caleb looks forward to it, mainly because on the second day of school as we were working on reading, he was sounding out words that I wrote.  We started with "bat" then I changed the vowel sounds so he would read "bet, bit, and bot".  When he sounded out the word "but", he thought that was the most hilarious thing ever.  Thanks to school, he could read the word "but"!  (It made no difference when I explained to him that it wasn't actually "butt".)  Now everyday he asks if I could write the word "but" during reading time. :) 

Tuesday afternoon was the orientation for our Classical Conversations co-op and then the kids had shaved ice and played water games afterward.  I'm teaching the youngest class (which includes Caleb.)  It will definitely be interesting trying to keep him focused while still trying to teach the other kids.

Wednesday night we served dinner at Pilgrim's Inn.  Caleb stayed outside for probably close to an hour determined to get four shots in the basketball hoop.  (Since he's four.)  He finally made it, but boy was he sweaty and dirty!

Thursday afternoon the Ziebers were here while Carrie ran some errands.  Friday the kids went to the Ziebers around 3:00 and we walked through 5 different houses with out realtor.  They kept the kids while we went on a "date" afterward.  (Which actually ended up us just going out to eat and then driving to look at more houses that were on our list.)  The kids had a ton of fun at the Zieber's because Mike and Carrie bought a tarp and made a big water slide on their hill.  We hadn't brought swim clothes for the kids, so they made do by borrowing clothes from the girls.  Micah was "okay" with it just because they found some blue pants for him.  (No way was he wearing pink!)

Tonight, as I write, we're watching the Zieber kids and the Bucher kids while they go on dates.  It is a full, loud, crazy house right now!

 I snapped this shot the other day during one of Abby's big meltdowns.  The past several months she has been acting like a REAL TWO YEAR OLD with often one big tantrum a day.  The boys had their issues around that age, but Abby's girl drama takes it to a new level.  Lately it seems like she's getting better, maybe because she's able to communicate a little more and doesn't get frustrated as quickly.  It might also finally be paying off that we've (usually)"stuck to our guns" when she takes toys from Caleb or does something else she knows she shouldn't be doing.  She knows if she throws a full-fledged fit, we have to go sit in her room until she calms down, so now as soon as she starts, she often says "All done fussing!  Go downstairs!" even if we're still downstairs.

8-19-14

This blog is a personal place to record the goings-on of our family.  The kids are growing up so fast, and I've had no good way of recording the funny things they do and cute things they say.  So this will be disorganized and lacking in creativity... but at least it will be a quick way for me to jot down stuff I don't want to forget!

Yesterday was our official first day of homeschool for the 2014-15 year.  Micah said "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm actually excited."  That might have something to do with the fact that we've decided to start giving him an allowance so he can learn how to handle money well.  Since school is his "work", he earns $1 for every school day as long as he works hard. He loses 10 cents for every complaint/whine/hateful remark about school.  Somehow, his whole perspective has changed!  Caleb will get 25 cents a day if he works hard without complaining... he thinks that's great!  He plans to buy the Lego Death Star at the end of the school year.  (Which costs $300.... we'll have to work on math.) :)

Caleb told me to write that he wants to be a Dad when he grows up.  "Wait!  An AWESOME Dad!  And I want to drive cars and vans."  (Ben is working part-time as a valet at the airport.) :)  "WAIT!  No, I want to be a Dad and an astronaut.... write that!"

Last night's cuteness:  Abby was walking around saying, "Hulk!  Mash!" (smash)  with her little fists raised in the air.  You can tell she has older brothers. :)

We just got back from a long trip to Ohio.  First we went to Wes and Joyce's for one night.  Then we camped with Ben's family Friday night and spent the day at the campground Saturday.  Saturday night we went to Springfield and stayed at Mani and Denise Anantharaman's.  Ben preached at VCN Sunday morning and the church had a lunch for us afterward where Ben could share more about how things are going with the church plant.  (When we pulled up to VCN, Caleb said, "THIS is the church!!!  THIS is the church I wanted to go back to!"  Every Sunday when we visit a church here in Rock Hill, he was always like "No, I like the other one better."  But we never quite figured out what church he was talking about.)  We stayed in Springfield through Wednesday, then went back up to Wes and Joyce's through Friday night.  We drove back to Rock Hill Saturday.

Abby loved the bubble blowers at Wes and Joyce's

Hiking at the campground

Making crafts at the campground

 

Sunday evening we met up with Kristine and Ian Carcamo at the new Snyder Park playground in Springfield and then we went out for ice cream afterward.

 

Abby really liked the hats and the swing set at the Anantharaman's :) 

 

 

 

Puzzles with Zane Anantahraman

 

Monday and Tuesday evening we got to join in the "community dinners" at our old house.  When we were living in Springfield, Jenn made dinners on Monday nights and I made dinners on Wednesday nights.... now with the Slyes and Craycrafts, they have expanded to Monday, Tuesday, and Thursdays I think.  It was SO GREAT to be back and to hang out with our old friends like old times.  There are so many people in Springfield that we love like family... it definitely made me a little homesick! 

 

It was a little sad that Abby obviously didn't feel comfortable with everyone like she used to.  I thought if she remembered anyone it would be the Reeves and Craycrafts since we all lived so close together and saw each other almost everyday.  She may have remembered a little, but not enough to "feel at home" with them.  By the second night, she had warmed up a little more to Avery and Noah.  Of course, it doesn't help that Abby is scared of guys for some reason. :)

 

I was also worried that Caleb would have a hard time walking into our old house and seeing that it's not really "our's" anymore.  The "green house" is what he talked about the most when we talk about what he misses in Springfield.  But he did great.  Abby ran right up to her old room to play. :)  I had a hard time remembering to call our old side of the house "the Slye's" and not "our side."  I also started twice to go get something (a photo album and a kitchen item) before I stopped short and remembered that our stuff is South Carolina. :) 

 

Tuesday for lunch we met the VCN staff at a park (so the kids could play while we ate.)  It was great to catch up though it was cut a little short because Caleb got diarrhea and I had to run back to the Anantharamans' to get him new pants. :)  It's my fault really... we had this gift card to Tim Horton's we needed to use up because we don't have a Tim Horton's in SC, so I got sandwiches and donuts from there Tuesday morning.  Caleb, who usually doesn't care much about sweets, ate two donuts for breakfast.  Whoops!

 

Wednesday morning/lunch we went to Young's with Ian and Kristine again.  We left from Young's to go back to Wes and Joyce's... although before we even left Springfield, we got stuck in traffic (completely stopped) for a full hour.  There was a wreck just up ahead.  Thank goodness for portable DVD players... I don't know how people with kids used to take long trips without them!

Not sure why Abby thought she needed to show her muscles while sitting on the cow:

 

She knows what to do :)

 

On Thursday, Joyce took us plus Chuckie and Chloe (Ben's niece and nephew) to the Infield.  Caleb was JUST tall enough to drive a racecar on the kiddie track.  He was thrilled until it was actually time to make it go.  Then he drove - slowly- with a very serious face for the first three laps.  He eventually averted his eyes to look at us and would quickly wave but his hand would always return to the wheel very quickly as though he thought he would wreck if he took it off for just a second.  By the end he was all smiles.

We went to the Buckeye Museum on Friday with Joyce.  Ben and Wes were golfing.

 

In the afternoon, Wes and Ben took the boys golfing.  The introvert in me was feeling tired after such a busy people-filled week, so Joyce and Abby and I just relaxed on the porch with books and toys.  Note the sweatshirt on Abby.  Joyce actually turned on the heat for a little bit in the morning as the house was in the mid-sixties.  Such cool, beautiful weather made it hard to come back to hot and sticky South Carolina.

 

Backtracking a little bit, here are a few photos of the past couple of months that deserve to be posted:

 

Our kids LOVE having the Ziebers in South Carolina.  This was fourth of July... Mike's boss got us all tickets for free food and a concert at the festivities.  The concert got rained out, but I was the cool mom who went back at 10:30 at night with her kids in pajamas to watch the fireworks.

 

Abby never takes naps anymore, but this day she especially pooped... she fell asleep on the dining room chairs.

 

Zuri Bucher, one of Abby's favorite people:

 

Caleb was walking around with spiderman like this.  I said "Oh no, what happened to Spiderman's head?"  He said, "No, he's swimming!"  He's my imaginative child. :)

 

On our one-night trip to Greenville, it rained all day so we couldn't go to the zoo or walk around downtown like we hoped.  So instead we went to Cabela's (and quickly left because Abby threw a fit) and a bookstore and Chic Fila... Abby liked her milkshake. :) 

 

This one doesn't need a caption :)

 

Abby "holding" baby Selah.  The Anantharamans came to visit us in July. 

 

Micah and Caleb with Deavonte, a neighbor boy who comes over all the time.  We really like him. :)