Spring has Sprung!

It's spring!! And that makes me happy. :) Isn't this bouquet so pretty? Selah pieced it together from flowers and greenery around the yard! I love her artistic eye.

The kids and I made hot cocoas to celebrate the last day of winter on Monday. We also made it a celebratory/fun school day and we ended the evening with pizza as a family. Selah said it was nice to have a fun Monday. ;) Ha! 

I'm learning from older wiser women (who have homeschooled) to occasionally take random days and make them special by making an unusually fun lunch, or taking our reading to a coffee shop and ordering pastries, etc. And to embrace seasons or days that aren't our favorite by making them something fun for us all to remember. I love these ideas because it's easy to be overly efficient as adults and forget to have fun. And now that the kids are older, it's much easier to get out and enjoy what's around us! I think I could easily embrace the last days of winter in a tropical setting next year, as well. ;)

We recently signed up for the Tinker Crates that come monthly and the kids love them! I ordered the Kiwi Crate for Ben (science, art and engineering), the Doodle Crate for Selah (art and design), and the Tinker Crate for Jude (science and engineering). Selah and Ben were so excited to work on theirs while Jude had speech therapy yesterday. Jude has been working on his this afternoon; he's building a spin art machine.

Selah's crate was full of supplies and instructions to put together a felt succulent garden. She loved the whole process.

Ben made a claw and some little yarn guys that he could then grab with the claw.

Have I introduced you to our tiny chick that became this big fancy rooster? I don't think I've ever shown him fully grown. His name is Frightful and he's a noisy, handsome, busy guy. We couldn't bear to get rid of him because the kids love him so much. He's kind of grown on me too, but he is noisy.

While Selah was at 4H with Josh, the boys and I ran around the farm rejoicing in the fact that it was spring! I couldn't help but take pictures to capture all the beauty and oh man, I wish you could be here to smell the amazingly fragrant air! The plum trees are always the first to bloom and they smell the sweetest!

Selah has really been enjoying 4H this year. She's learning to care for and show her bunny. She and her friends are just the cutest.

One of our favorite things to do these days is listen to an audio book while we color or paint, and enjoy a smoothie, cocoa, or tea. It's a nice way to break up the math, writing, history/science, etc. Today we finished The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street and it was really cute. We're planning to listen to The Green Ember next.

I love watching Selah work. She's always efficient and diligent. So proud of the way she always knows what needs to get done, and does it, and without complaining. She's a smart girl. And I love how she makes our home beautiful with all of her artistic touches.

I'm super proud of Jude and how he's blowing through his new math program. It works much better for him and he got to start sixth grade math last week. He also took the first two of his state tests for 5th grade and did great! I'm confident he'll do great on the next two as well. This has been a big year of growth for him and I'm so proud of the ways he's maturing.

Always a business man. ;) This kid tells me regularly that he wishes he could get a real job. Josh always tells him that school is his job; he needs to master learning first. I'm proud of Ben and how quickly he catches on. He works hard, and is always trying to reach where his siblings are. He's definitely a self-learner (kind of has to be at times!) ;)

I hope your spring is off to a great start! These pics are all "big camera" pics and make life look extra "pretty". I need to go dig up all of my iphone pics from March, to show the "real" version of life, if you know what I mean. ;) 

xo, 

Bethany