End of The Year Folders 2013-2014

So...other blogs I read that homeschool are posting their "End of the Year Folders".  These are supposed to be actually folders with work that the kids have done inside, but they make these cool covers.  I decided to try it.  This is my second attempt trying to do it, and I decided to stick it out.  Granted we're at the beginning of another school year already, but I would like to actually make a whole folder next year. I think the idea is cool.  Without further ado...2013-2014 School Folder Covers! :(  I didn't notice Logan's has a mistake because the word "subject" is cut off, and it won't let me fix it without doing the whole thing all over again.  Sorry about that.

Well?  What do you think?  I have to play more and learn other techniques, but I don't think these are too bad right off the bat.  I can't find colors that show up to read well, but it might be the pics are too busy.  Still, I love them!  All answers were given by the kids.  I asked the same questions as the other bloggers.  I'm going to print them out and put them in their baby books.  

Logan's 8th!

Let's see if I can muster up some pics of Logan's birthday for you.  It seems so long ago!

Logan was my hardest baby and is my easiest child.  I can't believe he's 8!  Happy birthday, Logan!  You are the best boy a mom could ask for!

Are You Ready for Some Football?

I think Logan is running in this one.

And tackling in this one.

He's doing good.  There was a minor breakdown where KJ had to tell him that this is football.  It's hard work.  He had to quit or buck up.  He bucked up.  :)  It's bittersweet.  That's my little boy they're yelling at and torturing, but he's surviving, growing, and excelling.  Games start next weekend, and then it's football every weekend until mid-October.  I'm not quite sure how I feel about that right now, but I'm pretty sure how I'm going to feel about it later.  Then again, if there's a time to be outside for football games, fall will be lovely.  I say that now!

Weekend Ramblings

We had a free weekend this past weekend meaning there wasn't anything pressing to do.  Logan had football, but that was all on the schedule.  We decided to give the kids their rewards for filling their jars.  I don't think I've explained this reward system yet, so I'll do that in the next couple posts.  Anyway, we headed out to Rory's pick of Goodwill and dropped Kevin and Logan at Sweetfrog (Logan's pick).  Rory had her heart set on a porcelain doll she saw at Goodwill a while ago.

We walked in and headed right to shoes because they were first.  Marley quickly found a pair of blue/rainbow Sketchers sneakers.  They were her size!  She doesn't need sneakers, but these were super cute even though they were lace-ups.  I turned them over to check the price.  Any guesses?!

$1.67

Yes, you read that right.  Now here's the pic, so you can jump up and down with me and Mars.

These things are in better than mint condition.  There's barely any wear on them at all.  It reminded me of my consignment shop shopping days with Maureen.  We would get so excited about finding all these great deals!

Next up was the book section.  Since I'm teaching kinder this fall, I want a decent library for the kids.  I'm hoping to check out seasonal books from the library, but I want a constant learning center for them too.  I was given a budget by the co-op, and I figured it couldn't hurt to look.  I was mainly searching for the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.  It's an alphabet book that I'm decorating my door after.  It's going to say, "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.  Look who's in Mrs. Bucy's Room."  You need the book you're going to reference your door from!  I priced it at the book store for $15 for the paperback.  While I was looking for that book, which meant going through every title of two, five shelved book shelves, I found all these other great books.  And then...

Ladies and gentlemen, the hardback book I was searching for priced at $.95.  What the what?!?!!?  I did a little happy dance right there.  Here's the stack I ended up with for $11 (and that's the price INCLUDING Marley's shoes!)

I am now on a mission to Goodwills everywhere.  I know of another one the next town over that I'll be visiting soon, and let's not forget when I visit my moms.  I'm so excited!

Sunday brought a travel to a different church for us.  All was fine and dandy until I had to take Marley to the bathroom even though we had gone RIGHT BEFORE MASS.  We had just said the Our Father when I heard the priest tell someone to call 911.  Apparently the altar server had fainted and fallen off the altar where her chair toppled onto her afterward. It was quite the commotion, and by the time the priest continued on with Mass, there were EMTs walking down the Communion lines trying to get to the girl.  They could've walked around the back of the church but whatever.  She was taken out on a stretcher in a neck brace, and my kids were worried.  They want to go back next week to see if she's ok.

We finally got to the pool this afternoon much to Logan's delight.  He got to show daddy how he can go down the slide, off the diving board, and in the deep end now.  There was hardly anyone there and more than once, we had one of the pools to ourselves.  It was lovely except for when you got out of the pool, and the breeze hit.  Brrrrr.  

Back home Marley requested a game of Hedbanz.  You have to wear a headband with a card displaying a pic that you have to guess by asking questions.  Follow me?  I love this game because it's funny, and we can ALL play it together.  Unfortunately, I ended up with this card.

Everyone was laughing hysterically, even Kevin.  I started out with, "Am I an animal?"  Kevin said that I wasn't but everyone was still laughing.  Then it came to me.  I blurted out, "Am I ketchup?!"  When they confirmed my guess, I threw the card off my head. 
YUCK!  Then I got this one, and it was Kevin's turn to be grossed out.

Kevin does NOT like mice.  Long story.  We were all rolling at this point and then this little one broke out with this.

We all tried to gobble her right up!  She turned to me and said, "Mom, why didn't you give me a clue and say it was your favorite?"  HaHa!  It was a great weekend all around.

Logan Videos

Growing Up

Marley has lost her first tooth!  I can't believe it.  Luckily, it's not one of the ones we just fixed.  Those have two years before they're supposed to come out says the dentist.

Thanks to Dayce losing a tooth while he was here, we have adopted the Canadian tooth fairy tradition.  When Dayce lost his tooth here, my seester put it in a glass of water along with a note asking to if Dayce could keep the tooth.  In the morning, the water in the glass was red/pink meaning a girl tooth fairy had visited him.  If the water is blue, it's a boy tooth fairy, and if it's purple, a boy and girl tooth fairy visited.  We got Marley all set up, and I wrote the note verbatim.  The next morning she awoke to a Frozen book (with 50 stickers!) and purple water.  She wanted a boy tooth fairy, but since purple is her favorite color, she liked it.

Next up is Logan.  At our pool, to be able to go off the diving board, down the slide, or in the deep end, you have to pass a swim test.  This test requires the child to swim a lap without touching the wall or the lane rope.  They get a break and then have to tread water for a minute.  Logan had taken this test at the beginning of summer, and we have not been the pool as much as we wanted given the guests and the temps.  He wanted to try today, so I told him to go for it.  We got a lifeguard, and he jumped in.  When he got halfway, he started slowing and the lifeguard and I cheered him on.  He did it!  Then he had to tread for a minute, and I noticed the lifeguard didn't have a watch or anything.  I thought, "Great!  He's counting.  It's going to take forever."  He told Logan he had 30 seconds left, and I started counting.  He told Logan he was done earlier than the 30 seconds were up, and I didn't care one bit!  We were all so excited!  Rory, Marley, and I were hugging him and jumping up and down.  Kevin was at home working.  :(

So what did Logan do with his new swim bracelet?

Apparently, Google is having an issue right now, so I can't upload the videos I have.  I'll try again tomorrow.  :(

Hidden Canadians

I completely forgot that I had my camera on me for the 4th.  I found these pics a couple days ago.  Missing my Canadians even more all over again.  :(

I updated my blog pic to this.  I love it!  We have to teach Logan and Marley to jump up and out.  Look at Rory...like a walk in the park.

Look at Logan and Drake.  Cool guys.