Summer's End

Summer has come to an end and Autumn has arrived.  I can feel it in the air, I can see it in the lighting.  It is bittersweet to have Phil go back to work but the Fall is my most favorite season.

We have packed a lot into the past couple of weeks.  The house is more or less cleaned up.  The pantry and kitchen got a thorough cleaning and the rest of the house didn't get the purging I had envisioned but closets were cleaned out and hot spot piles were sorted and organized.

I am planned for homeschooling and we are almost ready to start the new year!  We changed our strategy from last year which had morphed into workbooks and no one was very inspired by them.  This year, we visited a curriculum (Sonlight) that I previously dismissed because I felt like I could put together a similar program myself for a lot less money.  Truthfully, I probably could but I don't have time.  The program is all laid out for me - every day, every page, every chapter.  We have all the books on the shelf and the lesson plans are ready to go in a notebook.  The only component that I had to piece together was math.  I think what will make this program more successful than last year's approach is that we are mostly just reading reading reading!  I am looking forward to the start of the school year!

EddieWin turned 3 in August and we had fun celebrating.  Next year, we may have to spring for a pool (and a way to keep the water warm).


Swimming lessons was a huge confidence booster for Jubilee.  I don't think she would have ever dared a big dive like this before.

Jumping 
Jumping

and more Jumping!


Cuddling with Daddy 

Lots of Little Ones 
 

Let there be light!!  We have 5 new skylights installed.  What a huge difference they make.   

New bunny.  We have yet to give her a name but this is the sister of the other two that we had.  I really should have done a before picture LOL!  This is half way through the shearing.  

Shearing is a family affair.   

Introducing....Vienna (Sausage), the miniature wiener dog.  Yes, as if life wasn't crazy enough, we now have a wiener dog.  (I keep saying that...we have a wiener dog...how did we get a wiener dog...I can't believe we have another dog and its a wiener dog LOL!)

You know, the irony of my life, is that I am a person who really likes order and organization.  Chaos, noise, change, and a lack of control makes me feel overwhelmed and stressed.  And I have 5 small children, 2 dogs, rabbits, an urban farm, and I homeschool.  There is always chaos!  BAHAHAHAHA!  I find that amusing...and ironic.  However, this it is the perfect life for me, a life of blessings, a life in which I can grow and learn and mature in Christ, a life in which I am thankful for!

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