Heritage Days

Jonas was Sir Gawain, one of King Authors knights, this year for Heritage days.  He recounted the story of nobility when he cut off the head of the Green Giant!  We thought he would be put in the category of a character from historical fiction, but instead he was paraded to the front with all of the pioneers,  pilgrims, and Indians.  He definitely stuck out as well as his story! ha!  

 Ella was Louisa May Allcott, the author the the novel Little Women.  Ella loves the book on cd of Little Women and the movie (also one my favorites!).  This was her idea.  Maybe we'll have a writer one day. :)  We looked through many google images of Victorian period dress and came up with this hat made from half of a paper plate.  I decoupaged black fabric onto it and as it dried formed it to this shape for her head.  The fabric flowers were from another project I've done before.  So, it was simple and cheap and turned out perfect for our little author.

The first week {of school}

Open House:

 Ella was SO excited to find her desk, see her friends, and meet her teacher.  We had to keep going back to the classroom about 4 times that night.  She wanted to LIVE there over the weekend until school started on Monday.  She also wanted me to take pictures of everything.  Jonas, on the other hand, wasn't excited about me taking a picture of him.  He played it cool.  He did light up when he saw his friend Zachary and seemed to enjoy seeing his new classroom.  Mrs. Macalas will be very good for him!

 Ella with Miss Dekkers:

 Jonas with Mrs. Macalas

 First Day of School:

 Homework on the first night:  Ella's first-day-of-school summary/ report was very fun to fill out and Jonas' books needed to be covered.  He surely has the most awesome book covers! :)  This book of maps comes in handy for SO many projects here. It's pages are really thick and perfect for book covers.  

The first week of school went really well.  I thought Ella would be much more tired.  She is doing well though.  We are into a nice routine in the mornings and the little two have had so much mommy time.  I'm enjoying them.  We are very thankful that the kids got to go back to Fourth this year!

1st and 3rd

Our summer has flown by.  Our summers as youth pastor always have.  They go something like this: camp, missions trip, trip to visit grandparents, camp, squeeze in family camping, camp... so on and so forth...  Jason has also taught a class at the Bible Institute here for the month of August for 3 hours at a time on Thursday nights.  That's not something you just throw together.  He creates the curriculum, syllabi, reads a billion books, and puts together some powerpoint presentations.  He's a GOOD teacher.  I can brag.  This is MY blog. :)  I love listening to him and he can make any topic interesting (even for 3 hours!).

With the close of summer is the beginning of school.  Jonas is starting 3rd grade and Ella is going into 1st grade.  I'm sad that school's starting.  I enjoy the kids at home all summer.  Jonas is a very good student.  He's been reading books like White Fang, The Call of the Wild, Redwall, Hardy Boys, Robinson Crusoe, and way too much to list.  Ella is, well, very friendly.  I'm nervous about her going to first grade.  That's real school and real work and all day every day.  Ella is SO excited for school to start though.  She can't wait to meet her new teacher and to be with her friends everyday.  Jonas plays it cool.  He's not very excited but he realizes that summer fun can't last all year long.  

I'm thankful these two can attend our churchs' school.  It's excellent.  The facilities are wonderful and the teachers are even better.  However, It just won't feel right to send these little 2 out the door on Monday morning and not see them again for 7 hours x 5 days a week.  It will make me happy one day when we are all home together.  In the mean time I'm comforted with the fact that they are friends and they are headed to school together.

pictures by Em Marie Photography

I'm reminded of this post at this time last year, and smile.  This is God's will for them (and me) at this time and my attentions will be focused on the little two, starting Monday.  There's a lot of work to be done and fun to be had there! 

my heart is happy

Jonas and Ella were having a conversation in the backseat of the van the other day.  They were talking about school.  Jonas will be in 2nd grade next year and Ella will start kindergarten.  It melted my heart when I heard Jonas say this to his sister:  "Ella, I hope you can go to my school next year so that we can see each other sometimes."

Our little graduate

Congratulations, buddy!  You are finished with your first year of school!  You're such a big boy.  Where has the time gone?  I'm so proud of you.

First day of school

Happy boy: Happy mom

Jonas has been upset for a little over a week now when he wakes up and it isn't time to start school.  My kids usually get up at 8:00 and this morning when I opened his bedroom door at 7:00 he sat up with a huge smile and jumped out of bed and gave me a big hug and said, "is it finally time for school?"  Jason took him this morning and I got to pick him up at 3:15 this afternoon.  It was a fun 20 minute ride home listening to all of the things he had to tell me about his first day at school.