Thankful

I am so thankful for my family. They are so sweet to watch. They are crazy sometimes too, but their kindness is amazing. 

We work really hard with our kids on showing God's love to others. Others includes their siblings. Sometimes that's hard, but they usually do a really good job, especially the bigs ones with the little ones. Every morning we have reading time where the big kids read to the little kids. I am so thankful that they love stories, the time with their big brother or sister, and the time it gives me to clean up breakfast and other odds and ends.

After story time, Kivi does typing while Eben does his morning job and then they switch. They are getting really fast! Eben can type 22 words per minute at level A and Kivi can type 28 words per minute at level B. Since computers are part of everyday life now-a-days, we figure these are good skills to learn and I'm thankful they are picking them up so well.

I am so thankful for homeschooling. We can learn things we wouldn't otherwise spend time on like the Sewing Week we had Nov. 12-16th! Eben and Kivi both learned to crochet (Kivi made the headband she's wearing.), sew a pillow and embroider.

 Kivi made a hedgehog (we also learned all about them, and found a very addicting song about the Boogie Woogie Hedgehog) and Eben made an acorn. Very Fall. I love Fall!

I'm thankful my Mamacita taught me how to sew. It really is a lost art. Not many people know how or have a sewing machine. I am definitely passing on this skill to my children.

I'm thankful for my littles and that they love to take a bath together now. This is the first time we put them both in the bath together and Berg went from crying the whole time, to happy as a clam that he got to take care of Pella in the bath. Opal did a great job supervising and washing them both.

The Sunday before Thanksgiving Poppie and Nonnie came up and on Monday Mimi came to stay with us! We are so thankful for our family and the time we get to spend with them when they come. Our friends loaned us their trailer, so we were able to have Poppie and Nonnie sleep in there while Mimi got the girls' room. Thankfully the trailer also came in handy for all four big kids to sleep in too because the boys' room got moldy from all the rain. I think they would've slept out their with them anyway though. It's a cool, roomy trailer. 

I included Mimi in our homeschool plans for the week and she taught the kids how to make pie crust in preparation for Pella's Pie Party. Nonnie also did a whole day of learning with the kids while she let Mimi and I go to the thrift store and grocery store!

Nonnie found this cute recipe for little peanut butter acorn candies which she helped the kids make. Poppie spent some time with Peter working on the McKinley rental which eased Peter's mind tremendously, we are so thankful that we have such talented and helpful parents!