Tea Party

Today JoAnna asked if we could have a tea party. I picked up the ingredients to make my "famous" chocolate chip cookies...at least they are well loved at my church. After supper JoAnna set up the dishes and we had cookies and "tea". We debated whether to ask DeeDee because last time she made a pig of herself and ate almost all of the cookies...lets just say she had chocolate all over her face and she needed a bath.

JoAnna, DeeDee, Maia and I around the tea party blanket.

DeeDee's Surgery

Many years ago Lydia had several Lollipalooza dolls and she staunchly refused to let JoAnna play with them. JoAnna wanted a doll like them so badly. Around Thanksgiving in 2002 a supporting church invited us to speak and afterward they invited us downstairs. They had a light supper and then showered the children with piles of gifts. One of the first gifts JoAnna opened was a Lollipalooza doll--she was pink and white with pink polka dots. Chris had a hard time prying the doll's box out of JoAnna's hands to "free" the doll from her ties. On our way home we tried to think of a name. Chris decided that we should call the doll Delightful, after the name of the church we had just left. JoAnna tried to say Delightful and it came out as DeeDee.

DeeDee has been loved on and taken all over. She was forgotten at a church one time...Chris turned around and drove back to get her. Dee Dee has endured several surgeries, to repair all of the love she has received. One time DeeDee complained that she didn't have a belly button. Well, lets say that while JoAnna slept I cut little pieces of pink felt and rolled them into "belly buttons" and sewed 10 of them all over DeeDee (on her ear, her foot, her behind, etc...). JoAnna didn't appreciate it, so they were removed...DeeDee was disappointed.

JoAnna and DeeDee at the back of the bus in Colonial Williamsburg.

We went on a field trip to see the Charlie Brown exhibit in Cleveland. JoAnna is playing the piano and DeeDee is watching her...like Snoopy watches Shroeder.

DeeDee driving the house boat on our houseboat vacation.

This week JoAnna performed surgery of DeeDee's neck. I taught her how to blind stitch and she sewed up the ripped seam. (DeeDee tells us she had a "brain tumber" removed.)

Here's the 'patient' after her surgery. We think she will go on to keep JoAnna happy for years to come. She is laying in the cradle my grandfather made many years ago--for my cousin and I to play with.

Catching up

JoAnna Turns 8

This is a picture of JoAnna the day she was born. She was born 8 days before Caleb's 7th birthday. We told him that JoAnna was an early birthday present. Dr. Prior gave us a special gift that morning. JoAnna and I almost died in childbirth and Caleb is holding a miracle in his arms. When Chris died I truly realized that the Lord was watching out for me the morning of JoAnna's birth, b/c Caleb and Lydia could have been orphans.

JoAnna with her pink princess cake.

Caleb Turns 15

Caleb has always been his own person. He is very much like his father, he doesn't care what other people are doing he chooses his own way and what he wants. One year Grandma asked him what he wanted on his birthday cake and Caleb responded, "I want a pineapple upside down cake!!" I think we were all a little taken aback, b/c we were thinking "cake with frosting." Not Caleb. He wanted his favorite.

Caleb, several years ago with his first pineapple upside down birthday cake--made by Grandma.

This is Caleb's 15th birthday with his pineapple upside down birthday cake made by mom. I told him that if he didn't smile I wouldn't let him get his driver's permit...thus the funky smile.

School Gets Under Way

We started school this week. Some people think it's a little early, but I like to be ahead. When things come up I like to be able to say, "Let's take the day off and go." When we are ahead I can do that, with no stress. I also enjoy being able to take the week off when my parents come down. It is too hard to get school done when the children want to play games with grandma and grandpa.

I caught Caleb snuggled under his daddy quilt reading one of his school books...notice that Tessa is getting in some quality snuggle time.

Lydia concentrating on her Teaching Textbook Math 7 program. She is already 4 weeks ahead and it is only 4 days into school. Today a look of realization came over her face and she asked me, "You mean, if I finish all my work by Christmas I won't have anything to do for the rest of the year?" I told her, "Yep. You finish the work and you're done." One of the best parts of home schooling, in my opinion, is when the student 'gets it' they can move on and they don't have to wait for the rest of the class to 'get it'.

JoAnna with her science book. After I took this picture we read our whole weeks worth of science and she wanted to read more, so we did. We are learning about mammals. Let's hope we actually finish science this year.