Addie-Wan Kenobi

She's been watching the kids, and learning their moves. Now it's her turn to attack. The force is strong with this one. Although it seems her favorite part is when she "dies".

Go Cardinals!

And Go Grandma and Grandpa for sending us these shirts!!!!

We love them!

And we love you!

And Mom especially loves the shirt Ella is wearing, and wonders if they make it in adult sizes?

2 more. . .

I can still only load four pictures at a time with blogger, so here are two I didn't want you to miss.

Ella's basket:

Josiah's basket

Apple Picking with friends

Last weekend, we went apple picking with some good friends from Fort Riley--Jess and Jeremy were company commanders together in Iraq. We rode go-carts, fed chickens, pet kittens, and, of course, loaded our baskets with apples.

I was reminded of one of the first trips I took to Jess's extended family's farm for their annual apple picking and cider making. While cousins and aunts and uncles got to work, I became Laura Ingalls, or maybe Anne of Green Gables, sitting up in the tree enjoying my apples. If this was farm life, I wanted in! Of course, like I said, those seasoned farmers around me were busy picking, hauling and pressing apples, and probably laughing at the silly city girl. I LOVED that trip, and LOVE that farm!

I'm so happy no one bought this Ella Bella Baby shirt at the last sale I did! It looks too cute on little Addie-that and the pig tails!

Friends

One of the best things God provided for us here: friends for our children! Wyatt and Abianne, both 7 and homeschooled, live in the apartment above us. The children have round the clock playmates, as does Amos, since Wyatt and Abi also have a black lab!!!!


Good friends from our last time in Kansas, the Murphy's came up for a visit--it was so fun to see these boys, their new baby sister, and of course, their mama!

Our neighborhood potluck and movie night

Walking to church. Did I mention I loved that dress? Do you think she could have pulled off the cow print in Savannah, the land of smocked bishops?

You asked for it. . . .

Here we are again, filling you in on weeks and weeks worth of Curry family fun!

We have enjoyed our late summer. To say we are eagerly watching the color in the trees to announce autumn would be a huge understatement. We can't wait to experience autumn after years in the humid pine forests and beaches!

Warning: The next few paragraphs describe our lives in detail, because I have been horrible at calling or returning emails and haven't really told anyone what we're up to. Skip over it if you are not extremely interested either in the Curry family or homeschooling. Do not read while driving or operating heavy machinery.

Homeschooling is going well, although it is definitely a work in progress, as we try to figure out what works best for our family. We have partnered with the Leavenworth Virtual School as part time students. Basically, it is a program within the public school system which provides homeschoolers with curriculum, advisers and tutors, field trips, social events, extra-curriculars, etc. I was wary, at first. I don't like being told what to do, :-) but joining as part time students has been great for us! The advisers are not suspicious of homeschoolers and are not just out to make sure we do a good job. They recognize that we parents are the teachers, and they are there to help. As I mentioned, we enrolled part time, which meant that I have chosen to use some curriculum (Sonlight) which they don't provide or oversee. We still use their curriculum (Calvert and Saxon) for math, some phonics, some science, and a few odds and ends. Sorry if this was boring for some, but I've had a lot of questions about it, so I thought I'd fill you in!

Here's a little of what our week looks like, although, as I said, we're still trying to figure it out!

During breakfast we work on catechism questions and memorizing our bible verse, which is written on our beautiful blackboard in the dining room. Then we get dressed, do chores, and meet back in the dining room at 9am. Si usually wants to sit and "do school" with us. Addie has been a problem. We tried waiting until nap time, but that wasn't working well. Now we are training her to play on a blanket in the dining room. After 4 days, it's improving (i.e. tantrums are shorter). By 9:30-9:45 she's ready for a nap. We work until about 11:30, when Addie gets up, we eat lunch, and play, usually outside until nap time for Si and Addie at 1:30. When the Littles go down, the big kids and I settle in the sun room to finish up, usually just read-aloud. Sometimes I feel like we're working all day, other days seem more relaxed. We change the schedule a bit for my Women's bible study on Tuesday mornings and Ella's ballet on Wednesday mornings. Fun field trips are planned for about one Friday a month, but on most Friday afternoons, we head to the Virtual School building for "Fun Friday". This is usually a PE and an art or science, followed, for Sam, by Lego Club. The other children and I hang out in a fantastic playroom while Sam builds away. Then we hit Sonic's happy hour for slushies on the way home.

It has been WONDERFUL to have Jess walk in the door sometime in the afternoon. I often ask, "Are you home for now, or home for good?" when it's seems too good to be true, and usually the answer is "home for good." Well, unless it's a pretty day and he has time for a round of golf. Jess is chugging along in his classes. This week he also started an intense combatives course--8 weeks, 5 days a week, from 6am-7:30. Why would my laid back husband be taking this, you wonder? Well, in his own words, "I can't live in a world where my baby sister can beat me up." It seems that when his baby sister, the one he picked on for 22 years, became a boxer, yes a real live boxer, he decided he better learn how to take down a terrorist, a robber, or a threatening 22 year old girl.

There's our story in a humongous nutshell. Here are a few pictures of the fun we've been having around Leavenworth:

This is Adeline at the Irish Festival. I just loved the dress (didn't make it) so i had to include it.

We've headed to Weston Red Barn Farm a few times for produce, picnics, and pumpkins. LOOK at these pumpkins!

We were lucky to get the "train table" at this downtown Leavenworth restaurant. There is an actual model train running around in the table!

Sam was excited about soccer this year (miracle! remember last year?!). After much deliberation, we put Ella on a "Smart Start" team, designed to build skills and confidence with one on one time with a parent, but no competition. We were going to put Si in that slot, but decided Ella would benefit tremendously. I think we were right, but Si really really wants to do soccer like the bid kids.

Birthday Presents

For Sam, LEGOs from Grandma and Grandpa, Mimi and Papa, and Mom and Dad.

He took pictures of ALL the sets he's built with bday presents, but blogger still doesn't like me uploading pictures.

Here is Ella with one of her presents from Mimi and Papa!

And her Kit Kitridge, American Girl from Grandma and Grandpa, Mom and Dad.

Thanks, everyone, for WONDERFUL birthdays!!

Happy Birthday , to my Prince Charming.

Memories from August 31st

5 years ago.

I had hard, fast contractions all of a sudden, after finishing a piece of leftover pizza and a diet coke.

The doctors couldn't find the anesthesiologist--the paging system was down, so they offered me another drug which made me feel drunk, but still completely in pain.

It was in this state that I realized that the doctor who was to deliver my baby was from the family practice clinic, and had catheterized my two year old just days before.

My water broke as I was getting the epidural. . . the baby was coming, and there was mild chaos in the room as the anesthesiologist tried to finish up and everyone else took their places. No, I'd say it was full blown chaos.

She arrived just after 6pm. She looked like her daddy. We didn't know her name for a while, but Jess was anxious to call family. We asked the doctor and nurse this question: We have a 'Sam.' We might name her 'Ella.' Do you see anything funny about that?" No one immediately thought of a food poisoning, so we named her Ella Rose.

The minute Jess left the room I changed my mind. It was too late, though, for he called everyone. Good thing. She's definitely an Ella Rose.

The first night, we realized our little girl wanted to be held and snuggled all the time. She still does.

Our makeshift hospital room was a joke. Tiny, stuffed with unnecessary equipment, loud. We were anxious to leave.

We walked out of the hospital with a screaming newborn AND a tantrum throwing toddler and knew life was about to change! And it was for the better!

Rosie, in my bed, the morning of her birthday. She snuck in in the early hours of the morning.

waking up five.