Changes

Things have been slowing down a bit, as the family has been spending time with Rachel ( now in the States) before she gets married. James had a 4-day, and we all just enjoyed time together.

A whole lot of art ( oil painting) has been going on since we watched videos of the Joy of Painting with Bob Ross last weekend. A ton of painting and cartooning books were acquired and read from the library. Hannah hasn’t painted yet, but has drawn endless pictures of horses.

There has been plenty of sporadic keyboard abd guitar playing from Micah. His dad and I are surprised at how good he is getting. He composes his own music too.

The kids finished and mailed off letters to their cousins last week. Probably the most actual writing Hannah has ever done. They have also all written and posted on the bedroom doors, Hanukkah wish lists, which I am totally ignoring.

Micah, Jacob, and Hannah made more clothes for their teddy bears.
I have been watching knitting videos with Hannah online and we have been trying our hand at it.

She is reading more and more on her own, (about 6 small books) a little bit harder level. She even offered to read some aloud to her younger sister. She and Rachel finished the Narnia book they had been reading before Rachel left.

We are still reading Amy Carmichael and enjoying it

Hannah asked me to show her on the globe where Rachel was going so we had a long discussion in geography, she located and named several countries and states. I showed her continents, countries, and oceans. This also led to a discussion about our independence from Great Britain. She was really interested for a longer than usual time.

It seems Jacob’s interest in the Revolutionary war has waned. It is resparking in the Civil War and French Revolution. They are currently watching Master and Commander; about English and Napoleon’s warships and battles.

We started a point motivational system for chores and such (more as an object lesson, but they don’t know that yet). It is helping the younger ones with math; addition and subtraction and estimating.

I bought a really nice abacus, and they all fought over it for a while. Hannah did much better seeing addition and subtraction, some really big numbers too. Jacob was amazed that he could do multiplication and division on it too. I would give them problems and they would demonstrate it on the abacus. Even Nathan was getting it. Great tool!

We did a lot of yard work as a family and really enjoyed it and the outdoors. Plenty of critter and plant discussion the whole time.

I have been noticing that after a huge wave of learning, they process and absorb for a while- like we all naturally do, I suppose-and have wanted to watch more videos than I would have liked. I guess another trip to the library is forthcoming. Or perhaps we have all just been focused on Rachel leaving the nest.
She gave Micah her guitar(her baby) and Jacob her ipod, and special gifts for everyone. She had been spending lots of time with them; sleepovers and makeovers with Hannah, archery with the boys. And I dare say we had very late nights of mayhem and giggling a time or too.

Mostly, we all really learned ( or was reminded) how very special, wonderful and loved Rachel is.