School Begins With Lots of Glasses.

They all look so studious now. 

I love Charlie all camped out writing his novel. He says things like, "I have so much research to do for this part."

First day back, Monday morning. Backpacks, leggings, alphabet pretzels, 

homemade bread, swim goggles...

 Scarlet seems so much older with a front tooth missing.

 Check out our online shop SPOONIFUL, if you want a killer basket.

 Scarlet has been gobbling up these Classic Starts books- she's giving Jane a run for her money as far as reading goes. 

Symphony in the City was wonderful. It's neat to hear live music outside, especially after the sunset with the city all a glow.

BESTIES

 It's not everyday you meet a family that you match up with 8 for 8. We both have 6 kids, 3 girls and 3 boys similar ages. We have so many things in common that spending time together is so seamless it feels like family. I'm just sure we were friends before this life and somehow figured out how to 

meet up here :) We will love this family forever.

Cowgirl

Grammy took Jane and Charlie for a nice trail ride one afternoon. The kids loved it!

This is her mentor Brenda.

 Jane has had all her dreams come true this summer. We found a place down the road where she's been learning about horses. She started out cleaning paddocks, then grooming horses, bathing horses,  trimming hooves, then practicing groundwork with them and now she can go out there and ride anytime she likes. She was able to there to see a horse get fitted for a carriage and all kinds of other neat experiences. It's been amazing. Today she actually learned how to load horses into a trailer. SCARY! It's so rewarding to see the joy just bursting out of Jane at the end of a lesson. It is truly her element. I'm so thankful she's able to have this experience.

Beauty

I think we need to enter a contest for the most beautiful tomato.

As soon as the garden gets harvested we start school. Eek. Summer goes by WAY too fast.

This is our theme for 2016

We had our Back to School Feast with our neighbor friends.

We had fancy soup and ice cream sundaes. The kids all used their fanciest manners so now I know how mannerly they can be when they want to be :)

Scarlet is such a party animal! She's also a pure delight these days. 

She's been so easy to homeschool. 

-She's read through her scripture readers this summer on her own before bed- she finished the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, New Testament and now she's on the Old Testament. 

-She finishes projects to the bitter end which means it's usually she and I finishing things up together.

-She wore tap shoes to church without me noticing until half way through Sacrament Meeting...

-She likes to wear her younger siblings' clothes for some weird reason. She's regularly seen squeezed into a teeny tiny something that's meant for someone half her age and size.

-She has a second identity, Mrs. Carols. Mrs. Carols is a dedicated teacher to Ezra. She's taught him everything from how to ride a bike, to potty training, to manners, to the alphabet, to how to be reverent in church. She's always on the look out for something knew to teach Ezra.

-She plays this imaginary game called "Harry" with Jacob for hours. 

Ezra occasionally will join in as "Crocky".

-She recently finished her first sewing project. A picnic tablecloth made from sewing bandanas together. 

-She's in the process of writing a story titled, "Singing Trees"