Spring

What we've been up to

Spring is in full swing around our house.  We are playing t-ball, gardening and have even captured a hapless caterpillar for our own amusement homeschooling. 

Now playing for the Texas ANGERS!
(look at his shirt)

T-Ball

First up is t-ball.  This is Marshall's first year and Cooper's second and last year.  Next year (if he plays) he will be moving up to the coach pitch league.  Marshall is doing great and most of all having fun.  Cooper is getting better each game and is working on making plays in the outfield.  The babies are doing really well at the games.  I lay out a big blanket and they actually stay on it and play. I think they like being outside and and I have lots of snacks to keep them nearby. 



Garden
The garden is doing great so far.  I am anxiously watching my squash plants for signs of the dreaded vine borers that decimated my plants two years ago.  There is no "cure" for them and once you have them, all your squash plants will be infested.  I am growing a garden so we can have organic veggies but I swear, nothing makes me want to go get a big bottle of pesticide more than watching five healthy plants wither and die right before my eyes! This year we have planted tomatoes, squash, zucchini, peas, tomatillos, strawberries, peppers and a watermelon.  I also need to get some okra planted soon.  There is noting finer in this world that fried okra from your garden!

Home school

Kindergarten is going okay for Cooper and I.  I will always wish I had more time to spend with him but we have found our rhythm and are making it work.  He is reading more and more each day and working on his handwriting.  Math is mostly games that teach concepts, for instance we play "Go Fish" but the pairs have to add up to ten.  My favorite part of school so far has been our bible study time.  We started in Genesis and right now, we have made it the story of Joseph.  We first read God's word as it is written and then I ask him about what we just read.  I then go over the story and we talk about certain themes and how they can apply in our lives today.  For instance, you should NEVER sell your little brothers into slavery.  Just wanted to make that clear to him in case one day Marshall crosses a line.

Qwirkle.  So much fun to play.

Another big part of my kindergarten curriculum is that he go outside and observe.  We started bird watching and the garden has become a daily routine of weeding and checking for caterpillars.  I caught one this morning and he has been confined to a large plastic tub so we can watch him turn into a butterfly. 



Cooper turned six and Marshall turned four this Spring.  Soon my babies will be one!

Speaking of the babies, they are everywhere.  They are worse than raccoons about getting into stuff.

Barrett digging in the trash.  I moved it three times and he kept coming back.
See raccoons!

Hello, do I know you?

Next up is summer.  I am hoping we can visit grandparents for several days and maybe even a day at the beach!