#Wearefamily

I love my hastag. It's true. Being a family is cool. I think its even better when you go through hard times and you work through it. It brings you closer. Your feel united and stronger than  ever. 

This is the most recent pic of us and I love it because its so real life. Here is what is really going on. Hope says NO she didn't her picture taken by Auntie Launie. Grace was laughing at a dog that was in the back of a truck that drove by and Ry is tickling Sophie because she was being a crabasaurus rex.

Always a challenge to get a great shot. 

We just finished off a two month (pretty much the whole time we've been here) visiting spree. We love our families and are very thankful that they came. I also really enjoy my own space and the peace that comes with that. Now to get the house clean, ready for Hopes 3rd bday (GASP) and we are hosting a Thanksgiving dinner with some families that we have met that have NO one else here. SOOOO...we will all be a family together. One of my friends said I am kind of a refugee in my own country! LOL! Its true. A few of the families are FAR away from home. I'm only 14hrs from home. Scotland, Korea, Nova Scotia to name a few. 

I'm really excited to host this! Eeeeek. I've never cooked a turkey let alone a whole thanksgiving meal for a bunch of people. 

We've done a bit of work around the yard getting it ready for winter. The old lady who lived here before was old and hadn't touched the trees/bushes/yard for years...sooooooooo you can imagine things were out of control. 

This is how over grown it was. Trees on the roof or close, and so much over growth down the trunk of the trees. 

For some reason the after pic wont upload even though I tried a zillion times. BUT very cut back, trimmed and neat looking. My mom and step dad came and visited and they love this kinda stuff soooooo away we went. A whole day later and 4 trips to the dump the yard is like a new babies butt. WAAAHHOOOOO!!!! Now if we only could paint out the purple/pink before fall.....prob wont happen in reality. 

FOUND THE PIC!!!

Before on the left, after on the right!

What else is new? mmmmm......mmmmm....mmmmm. Oh, I know. How is homeschooling going?

WELP, I must say its going WAAAAYYY better than I thought and its a lot of work. I am doing a Distributed learning program where I have my own teacher and we email, she sends me EVERYTHING I need and away I go. I have lists to complete for 3 terms for each kid. The A in me LOVES the lists and I've told our teacher I love her 100x because shes so organized. 

There is prep work and I've learned I need to be organized and have a plan for the two hours we do school a day. THAT'S it. I have taught adults, taken a few classes with PDP and worked with a comprehensive curriculum before and I needed to prep and be organized with those classrooms. Not sure why I thought this would be SLACK....lol...

I suppose it could be slack based on your personality BUT for me. I need to be on the ball and have a routine. My kids have grown up this way so they thrive in this environment. I have had my frustrating moments OR moments where I'm not sure the best way to teach this certain thing and I call Mrs.Sabrina and VOILA....done. 

I feel very supported and hopeful that I can accomplish this! LOL..... ALL in all, I"m not stressed as of yet (I'm almost 2 months in) OR feel like I want to RUN away from home with a sack full of tuna and some water. HA! 

This is our classroom. I quite love it. I worked at our dining table for a few weeks while this was being organized and it was great.  You can do it anywhere BUT I am truly loving this space. So bright and calm. 

Hows Stash you ask? 

Cuter than ever and rocking his camo coat. It got really cold here a few weeks ago so we were excited to finally wear coats and actual shoes not just flips. *sigh* Its back to hot temperatures so I am REAAALLLLYY ready for fall and winter. Yes, I know its going to get really cold. I am a fall/winter cold weather LOVER Sooooooo I for one am pumped to have a real winter!! EEEEK!

The blog posts should be interesting during those LONG months....bwahahhaha!!

WELL blog peeps. I gotta run. We are having hamburgers and fries for dinner and I need to get CRACKING.

I'm headed to my very first kickboxing class tonight. I'm nervous. 

Have a great night

LOVE LOVE

Jen