Linden

Linden holds so many happy memories for us. Last year five dear friends went in together and bought a house in those lovely mountains of Virginia, and this past weekend our extended group of friends gathered there to celebrate one of the many 40th birthdays happening this year.

We were all able to be there for the ceremonial hanging of the sign.  

Eight

We spent the long holiday weekend celebrating Peter. 

Eight years old... such a fun age!

His big birthday treat: Saturday morning at an indoor climbing center. 

We were all thrilled with his birthday pick. 

He LOVED every minute.

I could really get into this kind of exercise... we all could!

Monday morning birthday breakfast... all his favorites were requested. 

 Afternoon fun at Beauvoir's Outdoor Playground. 

 A beautifully mild and sunny mid-winter day. The perfect birthday for this outdoor loving kid.

Hard to believe that 2 days later I sit here looking at 5 inches of snow on the ground
and 6 degrees on the thermometer! 

Then home again for dinner and birthday cake with the Flemings.
Happy 8th Birthday to my sweet and spunky Peter! 

Happy New Year!

January, how I love thee. So cozy and uncomplicated.

I mean December was oh-so-fun, but I need to catch my breath a bit... and a big inhale of chimney-smoke scented, crisp, mid-winter air. 

But before we set sail into this new year, a few moments to share from the end of our 2013....

cutting down the tree... timber!






my cute husband serving at the women's Christmas luncheon at church


and some catch-up time with Susan (our speaker)


this sweet boy turned TEN!


first snow of the season... oh, how I hope we have more this year!


Christmas dress-up day at Classical Conversations. And the last day of tin whistle! ; )

my CRAZY class of eight 8/9 year-old boys. oh. my. 

an afternoon of gingerbread house decorating with good friends

a day at the holiday market and the National Portrait Gallery

my wonderful parents were here for a week and this is the ONLY photo I have of one of them... 

after-Christmas ice skating

Tap, Tap... Um, Hello?

This fall has been zany. Period.

I only have a few minutes before I literally collapse into bed - oh, but it's a what-a-full-and-amazing-day kind of collapse. The best kind.

A few glimpses into our fall...

Will enjoyed his first season of kid-pitch as a pitcher for his team.

Farm fun with our Classical Conversations group. 

Peter decided to be a farmer-cowboy for the day.

He always seems to incorporate some sort of costume drama into our days. Love his spunk!

  

The big 4-0 for my husband!

And Hannah celebrated her 12th! She requested homemade apple pie for her 'birthday cake.' 

Love this laugh. 

And, of course, there has been a lot of soccer going on around here. 

Back to School

We began our fifth year of homeschooling yesterday
and our eighth first day with 'The Sign' I made way back when Hannah was four.
That feels so very long ago.

Sixth grade. Crazy. And wonderful. 

The fourth grader who declared yesterday the best first day of school ever. 

Second grade for this cutie! I love second grade.  

I'm working on a post with our curriculum line-up for the year. We are thrilled to be joining a Classical Conversations community this year. All three will be a part of the Foundations program; and Will and Hannah will be in the Essentials class. I will be jumping right in also and tutoring a Foundations class. The summer practicum, tutor training sessions, and parent meetings have been exactly the boost I have needed in this classical homeschooling journey! More to come...