A Few of my Favorite Things

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens















Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens






Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things













Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels















Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles












Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things















When the dog bites














When the bee stings








When I'm feeling sad




















I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad



Merry Christmas!!

ABC's and 123's

Alex, Isaac, and I have officially started our preschool homeschooling adventure. Despite calling it homeschooling, we haven't actually been home for much of it. We've already been on a few field trips and a camping trip. After the first week Alex told me it really didn't seem like we were doing enough homeschooling, so I went to work adding to our curriculum and our B and C weeks have been much more fun.

For B week we went on a field trip to the Conner museum with friends to look at birds and animals, we studied bees and bugs, copied patterns with beads, went bicycling with friends and had a story time about bears and berries. Isaac is stuck indefinately in B week. He has a new fascination with Buses. He points them out all over town. "Bus, Bus! Aaaa Bus! Mama bus! Dada bus!"










For C we're having even more fun, starting with our annual Labor day camping trip in West Richland. After an amazing weekend of fellowship, peach picking, and a dozen energetic children, we came home to study Chemistry. We had some friends over to experiment with us which made it feel more like real school to Alex. He's really missing his preschool (today he burst into tears and told me he misses the playground), but I'm still hoping that with Mops, swimming lessons, Awana, and story time at the library he'll be busy and happy with all the friends he gets to see during the week.

Summer Sun and Smiles

I had so much fun with my boys this summer. They're both great travelers, and seem to just thrive on vacation.

We visited dad and granny in Ocean Park. The kite museum was a highlight as usual.One of my favorite little stops: Fish and chips in Ilwaco by the boats.Isaac was just the right age to really appreciate the sand. Isaac also learned about baby dolls at granny's house. I think this was his favorite toy there.Alex and I raced up all 164 steps to the top of the Astoria column. Alex exploring Fort Columbia with his granddad.Isaac and Alex enjoyed working together to keep their kite in the air (with some help from granddad).After a brief visit back home to Pullman, we were off on another adventure: THE BIG CABIN in McCall.
Here are the boys at Boulder Lake, dog-fishing. Dad made the boys fishing poles out of sticks and grass tied together for a line.Isaac and my granny out for a ride in the row boat.My little sailor with his Granny.
A budding fisherman.Isaac helping granny with some gardening.The boys organized a restaurant, complete with real food and a delivery service.Water balloons in the kiddie pool.Sun babies and water cats.
A good old fashioned bath.A highlight of Alex's week: Dad's Treasure Hunt.One of Isaac's favorite parts of the week - rolling trucks down the hill.A sweet end to the week: S'mores on the beach.

Graduations

Our not-so-little boy "graduated" from his first year of preschool. We enjoyed his leadership during the military chant style rendition of the ABC's at his graduation.
Off to Spokane for Aunt Cathy's graduation and mother's day in Spokane's beautiful gardens.
One of Alex's interesting perspective photos.Vacuuming up flowers with his bug-vac.Matching sweaters from Granny and Mom.Four generations of Cochrane girls.