Working With Dad . . .

We believe that an essential part of our kids' learning and growing is working with their Dad to learn many different things. They have loved to each take their turn with Dad in the basement, measuring, painting, etc. The older girls also like to be Dad's helper in the garage when he is doing maintenance on the cars.

A couple of weeks ago, we needed to make a bean bag toss game for a festival that our church was doing. We saw one at a museum, in their childrens room, that we really liked so we decided that would be a great family project. After a trip to the local home improvement store to buy all the necessary supplies, we gathered one evening for a little "family project".

Ky and Bugaloo were able to help with the sawing, painting, and assembly. They did a great job in listening to their Dad and he, as always, did an amazing job of patiently explaining each step; the whys, hows, and whats.

He is careful to call all the tools by their proper names and ask the kids in helping with specific tasks.


They all did a great job and everyone enjoyed working together. This will be fun to leave up in our family room for the kids to play with. Great job everyone!!

The finished product . . .

Update . . .

We have had a busy few weeks. Trying to get back to a routine has proven a little difficult. We get a few days into a great routine and then someone gets sick, we have a doctor or dentist appointment, or family comes to visit. While we love all those things, minus the sickness, it is nice when we can have a "normal" day. Here is a bit of what we have been doing and working on.

We finished reading Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. This is the original story, not the Disney version, and I have to say that I really enjoyed this version more. It took us a while to finish it. I liked to watch the reactions of the kids to the many ups and downs of the story.


Ky, especially, was emotionally charged. She would get so angry every time Pinocchio would choose badly and disappoint those that loved him. Here is what she says about it:

"At the first of the book, I thought Pinocchio was a little stinker. Then
closer to the end of the book he learns to make good choices,
take responsibility, and to obey.I won't tell you the details or else
I would spoil the surprises this book has in store for you.''

Bugaloo's Review:

"Pinocchio is a stinker . He even ran away from his Father. I won't
tell you what happened because it would give it away.You
will love this book because I do. It is a wonderful book.
In the end, it is happy. "

Ky has been reading the Little House series and has really loved it. She is on the fourth book now. Bugaloo read Black Beauty and is now deep into the Narnia series. She is on the third book.

During devotional, we have been reading the Old Testament. We are now deep into Genesis. We have also been learning the names and faces of our church leaders (there are 15). We have been reading from American History Stories and just finished a story about the Battle of Bunker Hill. Next, we will read about and study the Declaration of Independence. We have also started a book called, The Story of Young George Washington. We have loved the few stories we have read in Mathematicians are People Too. It has really opened up the kids' eyes and thinking to math and science and it's origins.

We have spent some time baking, sewing, and playing games and have had a great time being together.