366 Laughs- January 20th 2016

1/20/16

Samuel's 11th birthday!



He was so thrilled that his new panda bear came in the mail.  (favorite animal).  Yes, we're watching Piano Guys in the background.  This one.

Birthday cake.  More of a sandwich haha.  It was yummy.

It's too bad we had to clean up so much of it as stomach flu came through shortly after... Ginny is having spice cake.  I don't want to see chocolate cake again for a while.

Can't you tell he's thrilled?


Silly cat card.



Haha, another panda!


Percy Jackson books.




Another of the Harry Potter books.  :)



Yummy tradition!



And... addition to his Snap Circuits.  It's a case for all of them!   He got some for Christmas, got some more with Christmas money, got some more by earning money around the house...  another electronics lover in the house.



Yep, he's 11!  The eleven candles prove it.



We're glad to  have this kiddo in our family.  We love his quirky sense of humor and his fun impressions.  We love his quiet side and his crazy side.  He's a good big brother and a huge tease.  He's smart and cute, too.  He'll get me for that, someday.

365 Joys-December 17th 2015

12/17/15

So we are getting ready to make our new ornaments for this year and it involves finding favorite memories from the year.

Here's Emilie's.  She's very proud of completing a novel in the month of November for Nanowrimo.

(NAtional NOvel WRIting MOnth.)

365 Joys- November 27th 2015

11/27/15

Today we celebrated my oldest son turning 19.  We ate pie for breakfast.  We did some sightseeing with family.  My mother in law made a cake.  We had a fun day together.

Here's my husband and his father sharing a moment.  Haha.
No, really, they were having a good time.
Jules still knocked out in the hotel room.  They slept well once they fell asleep!

Jules and Benjamin next to the life size model of a GIANT CAT TRUCK.  This was a really cool visitor's center.  Worth the entrance fee, for sure.  Not expensive, either.

Samuel next to one of the Caterpillar toys.

Some of the kids trying out the older steering mechanisms.

What's better than pretending to drive giant vehicles?

Cousins wanting to drive the same one?

Not sure if this is frightening or just cool... Jules driving a huge steam roller...


Michael and a really big bulldozer.  He's been into this stuff since before he could talk.

Benjamin and cousin Toby.

Here's the touristy picture... Christopher and Uncle Alex and Michael.

Here's Michael next to the actual size replica of the CAT dump truck... soooo cool.


Benjamin doing a simulator (they have a lot!) kind of like their training simulators.


Emilie also working on one of the simulators.


Christopher was right in his element.  I love that toothless grin!


Typical day... Timothy running over Christopher with a steam roller.  Seen it.


Juliana climbing Caterpillar treads...


Nathanael on one of the simulators.


Dad, Michael and Juliana in trucks...


Liberty excited about EVERYTHING but especially all the new family friends we were there with.


Our awesome family.  Yes, I think we're awesome.  So is the big truck behind us!


My baby girl looking out at the rain in central Illinois.  Love this picture.


Aunt Ariana surrounded by little people.


"Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men!"


Someone took a nap.  And I rested with her.  Good day!

365 Joys- November 26th 2015

11/26/15

Happy Thanksgiving!

It was a day full of family in Illinois, some we hadn't seen in a long time, and some we'd never met before!

Cousin Holly, Liberty, and Monty.

Tom and baby Susie.  He has a way with babies.  Why do you think we've had so many?
He was teaching her about the Royals.  (her family are Twins fans)


Ginny learned about dogs.  Real dogs.  They lick.  And she LOVES them.  Chomper wasn't sure what to think of her.

Timothy found a friend for his moose in Ariana and Grandma's beanie baby bin.


Emilie being gorgeous.


Tabitha holding a baby because that's what she does.  (Baby Susie again!)


The kids' table, with cousin Toby.  Beautiful place settings and great food and family and talk and laughter.  And messes and tired kids and grumpiness, but that's Thanksgiving and we loved it.


And of course pies... always one for every person, plus those who just came for pie.

We contributed the pumpkin and chocolate pumpkin.  An experiment.  Lots of deliciousness there, folks.
Emilie, at this time, was finishing up "Nanowrimo", National Novel Writers Month, wherein she writes 50,000 words in a month's time which could be a short novel.  She didn't want to skip any days and here she is writing away.

365 Joys- November 24th 2015

11/24/15

Thankful for fun kids that apply scientific knowledge in silly ways.

And homeschooling.

This is a chocolate milk molecule.

365 Joys- October 27th 2015

10/27/15

Nathanael decided to alphabetize our Life of Fred books (our favorite homeschooling curricula).




Then he put them back into their right order.



And he took pictures.

I think he enjoyed this.

Looking closer, there's actually one missing.  Physics.  The one without a cover is actually Pre-Algebra 1 with Biology.