Cultivating Childhood

August has been a roller-coaster of a month for us.  We finished our trip in California, had daddy leave on a business trip the very next week, had a garage sale and birthday party, and two weeks of stomach flu for Buddy.  Whew!  We're tired, but at least we are healthy again and September doesn't look quite so crazy. Our final days in California were nice.  We spent more time again at Grandma and Papa's, but we also got to go up to Irvine to hang out with our friend, Michelle, and have one last lunch good-bye with my brothers.  The boys really enjoyed the Irvine Spectrum with their trolley rides and carousel. Before we knew it, it was time to go home.  Papa took us to the airport and spent some time with the boys while we waited for our flight. Even though we hadn't started preschool yet, the boys managed to get their hands messy! Shaving cream and food coloring Some new maze books.  The boys are learning correct pencil grip. Random p

It's nearing the end of August, and my blog (once again!) has been severely neglected.  It's going to take a couple of installments to catch-up, but I'm also excited to start blogging about our real first year of homeschooling on the horizon.  To begin with, here are some of the things we did in the month of July. While Phil's parents were in town, Phil and his dad suddenly had a great urge to build a treehouse in our backyard.  So with the Dangerous Book for Boys tucked under his shoulder, they headed to the lumber store and began to buy supplies.  Amazingly, they got a lot done in one day. Getting Started Button getting in on the action The boys enjoying the "finished" result.  It still has a lot more that needs to be done.  The corners need more support, we need a better way to get up there, and walls still need to be built.  Basically, though, the platform has been finished, and it has been enjoyed quite a bit as is. The very ne