57 Days Until Christmas

....but who's counting? That means that there are even less days until the baby is here. It's all very exciting, but there is so much work to be done!

This weekend Justin and I performed a major overhaul on our bedroom closet. We found lots of things to get rid of, pulled all the summer clothes and shoes out, and I even took a deep breath and stored away anything that doesn't currently fit. (I have about five articles of clothing left...but it's wonderfully clutter-free!) We finished it off with a new paint job and new hooks for hats and purses. The final result is beautiful. After living in this house for 3 years, I finally feel like our closet is usable....even though it's hardly bigger than a matchbox. I think I might even enjoy putting the clean laundry away now!

Amidst the Great Closet Cleanout, we took the boys to a local orchard and picked 150 lbs of Jonagold apples, which are currently in the garage dreaming of their future as pies, sauce, and dried to be later added to homemade granola.

Anyone care to guess what I'll be working on this week?

Homeschooling: Outside The Home

One of my favorite things about homeschooling is the excuse to get involved in community classes under the pretense that the kids need socialization. They don't, of course; it's just a common misconception, and, truth be told, there are many days I wonder if there's a method for making them LESS socialized-- Ah, but I digress.

This week, there was an opportunity we just couldn't miss: A science class for 5-10 year olds at the Roeder House! Any of you that know Cole know how much he loves science. AND the subject matter for the first class was the Human Body, which is pretty much his favorite topic to discuss in the whole world. He watched the clock all day and kept asking how much longer he had to wait before he could go to science.

The class went off without a hitch. I worried that being in a new location with new kids would cause him anxiety. He seemed a little apprehensive when I dropped him off, but was so jazzed up when I picked him up at 4:30 that he literally did not stop talking until he went to bed four hours later. Justin and I finally had to tag-team spending time with him because our heads were hurting!

Here is the skeleton he made in class with some cut out pieces of bones and a few strategically placed metal brads. It's his new favorite toy.

He has also now decided that for Halloween, he wants to be a skeleton wearing a black coat. (He doesn't HAVE a black coat; I have no idea where that came from.) Reese, not one to be outdone, will be a ghost.....with bat wings.....wearing a blue jet pack. I think this sewing Mama might have her work cut out for her!

Questions I've Answered This Week

....all courtesy of Cole.

"Mom, is this an apple?" (holding an apple)

"Can we have marshmallows on our macaroni and cheese?"

"Where is your heart if your Feeders are right there?"


Sometimes I think my life could not possibly get any stranger.