Indeed...

It has been a long time!

It seems as though I have blinked and weeks have gone by! I don't know that I have ever gone this long without a post! My apologies to those who keep coming back to find nothing!

So there have been lots of little things going on, but where to start?!!

SCHOOLING:
Camden has been doing marvelous in his schooling! We start school each day by no later than 9:00 but on average get our start earlier. By early afternoon we have covered all the lessons and we have the rest of the day free! Something both Camden and Mommy enjoy! Camden has had several pre-tests and tests since the start of school 7 weeks ago. He has aced all but one and the the one he did not he only missed one question (which he realized after giving the incorrect answer the correct one). I am so thankful to have this opportunity to spend this time with him. He seems to be thriving in this learning environment!






We have done several different projects including going on a nature walk and coming back to make leave presses and pine cone bird feeders. Both kids really enjoyed that project because they got to get dirty and play in peanut butter! We also did a project with celery in colored water to watch how the water traveled through the veins of the celery. Camden loved that project. He constantly went to the kitchen to check to see if it had changed color yet!




Just this past Friday I planned a field trip for a group of the kids friends (both preschool aged and school aged homeschoolers) to my family's apple orchard. My grandpa's brother Mathias Haus (my Uncle Matt) owned and ran the orchard until he passed away. His son Mattie and his wife Cheryl have run the orchard since. I remember as a little girl going to Haus' with my school class on a field trip. It was such a proud feeling to say they were my family! And though it is my family, I am partial to their cider. I've had lots of different ciders and I have always loved theirs! I've said it's like drinking an apple and after the field trip I realized you literally are drinking an apple. Their cider is made through a simple process and nothing is added to the juices that come from the pressed apple. It is amazing! Let's just say that I brought home a gallon and within 2 days it was gone. Here is a little slide show of trip.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

IN OTHER NEWS:
Things have seem to be one event after another. After the accident back in August, just days after, we started schooling. The adjustment has gone well but it seems so hard to find time to anything else other than what is required here at home. Any extra time I get I spend trying to get things caught up at home or with my photography. I haven't had much personal time these days.

Just after schooling started my family came home for Labor Day weekend. It was nice to see my family but having several teenagers around for the entire weekend wore me out! I realized quickly that I am not ready to be the parent of a teenager! I understand why it is a gradual process of getting there! Phhew! ;)

We also celebrated Uncle Frank's big 60 the following weekend. We were also celebrating his recovery from the stroke! From what I understand the Dr. has said he's made a full recovery! Not that I am surprised because we all believed he would! So happy to have Uncle Fran himself! Love you Uncle Frank!


Just two weeks ago we got a devastating phone call that my Aunt Patty (my mom's only sister) had passed away from a heart attack. It was such a shock and my entire family was taken back. Aunt Patty suffered from a lot of issues but never did we expect her to be taken so quickly and unexpectedly. My mom was really shaken at first. She and my Aunt Patty had gotten to be extremely close over the past several years. My heart broke for my mom and still does though she has a peace about her passing. I have never seen my mom so upset. Aunt Patty was the youngest of my mom's siblings (my mom being the oldest).

My cousin Mike with his Mom, Aunt Patty Sept. 2008

Aunt Patty was a great cook. Each and everyone of us kids in my family had Aunt Patty cater our wedding rehearsal dinners. She made awesome rigatoni and meatballs! And we all know she makes good cakes. She has been known for years for the cake she made my dad for his 30th birthday. She made marshmallow men with...ehem...well I will leave that to your imagination! She recreated the exact cake for his 70th birthday this past June, but omitted the extra parts this time! It has been great that through the years, even though my parents divorced, my parents and their families have stayed in touch and somewhat close. The day Aunt Patty passed away my dad went to the hospital to be with my Uncle Tom and my mom. And my Uncle Howard (my dad's brother) and Aunt Eloise came to the calling hours and funeral to support my mom. Amazing to me how God takes a yucky thing and can still turn it into something good.

BIRTHDAY:
Amongst the craziness of everyday life, our little Merci girl had a birthday. She turned 3! So hard for me to believe it was three years ago I gave birth to my sweet baby girl! We celebrated with a little friends party and then a family get together. Merci chose to have a Dora party and I think it turned out great. You tell she was just thrilled to be the birthday girl. Mommy had fun too, doing the favors and making the cake, but mostly seeing her little girl so happy! ;)




So there is just a small recap on the happenings around here. I am sure I could find lots more to blog about but for now I think this a good catch up. I do hope to get back into the swing of regular postings. I won't make any promises as to how often, but I am going to try. Thanks to all my bloggy friends who keep coming back.

Hope you all have a wonderful day and rest of the week. Until next time my friends...TTFN