A Quick Update...

to prove I'm not completely neglecting my blog.

SK turned 9 last week. WOW! Her last year before the double digits. That is hard to swallow. We had a great bday week. She got a ton of books (I couldn't narrow the list down any further). She got a new wallet, since she's lost two. I won't buy her another one, though. She also got a math game, some puzzle/game books, a small cross stitch kit, sewing pattern book, and a painting book. That was what we gave her, anyway. Her grandparents (3 sets!) gave her a museum membership, Little House dvds, and a shopping trip to her favorite store where she got lots of crafty things. Her stocking was filled with chocolate (to share), gum, pencils, and a marble. The dc like to collect marbles. They're only 10 cents at the store I mentioned.

TJ bought her a pack of mints and AB, with my help, bought her a little doll that matches the doll she's taken to this last year. SK has never been a doll person, but when AB was born she was given a Gund Sweet Dolly with her name embroidered on it. I always wanted SK to have one, too, and I got her one when she turned 8. She named hers Madelyn and now carries it everywhere. She even bought the doll a bday gift since she is now one! Anyway, this little doll AB gave her is almost identical, just much smaller. SK had seen it in the store and really liked it. She was so surprised to get it. I love to see the dc pick out gifts for each other and never balk at spending their own money for them.

SK's desserts of choice this year were blueberry muffins with crumb topping and chocolate chip mint ice cream (the green kind... that's important). Of course, there was no green kind the day Daddy went shopping, but she was quite content with white!

J turned 42 yesterday. We celebrated at Shady Maple Smorgasbord where you get a free dinner on your bday. You MUST visit there if you're ever in Lancaster County. (Dad, they had a special prime rib weekend.) The girls made him some kind of gifts. I'm not sure what they were. One was a colored tissue "hanky". I gave him two Rush cds. We have 4 more days to celebrate. Today I'll have to make his chocolate pecan pies. I didn't have a crust yesterday, my bad. But we were going to Shady Maple anyway!

Hmm... what else?

For those that don't know we're expecting a new baby late June. I'm getting close to half way. The dc are excited.

School is going very well. SK's cursive is beautiful imo. I must learn to write in cursive! So many of the past generations have beautiful penmanship. It's a dying skill. We started more formal spelling with Spelling Power and we're really enjoying that. AB is reading better. It's not her strong suit. She's very good at math, where SK struggled. Her handwriting is also getting better and both the girls are enjoying the new border sheets used in A Reason for Handwriting where they get to copy a bible verse (or a thank you note) on a page with a border picture then color the picture in. It's added incentive to do their best. I started teaching TJ to read. He was showing an interest. So far he is whizzing along. We'll see if it continues that way. I'm using Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons like I did with the girls. It has worked well for us so far.

I think I'll stop there. I could ramble on, but who's still reading by now, anyway???

I've got a new computer (thank you, Dad!) and I need to figure out all the picture stuff and then I'll post some pics from the last year.