Photo session at the park....

 Their idea....

 Another one of their ideas...very staged...

 Stephen not cooperating....which is normal...

 Stephen looks pained, but it's one of my favorites anyway because of the LOVE!

We're done.....it's not going too well......

So the winner was...the one I put as the new blog header....Stephen looks like he is seeing a ghost,

but that's pretty much his personality-at least you can SEE his eyes in that one, and I love that Silas' dimples pop out when he grins really big!

PE Time for Solid Rock Academy!!

This is our new play set, we'll call it compliments of one of my Pop's IRAs that he had. It's sad to think that he and my mom did not live to enjoy the fruits of his YEARS of labor, but we used some of the money we received to have the boys a new play set built. I think they would both approve....

Cabarrus County Fair

This is the second year we have gone to the fair. It's just one county over from us, and the boys have had a blast each year. Stephen became our dare devil this year! Last year he would hardly ride anything, but this year he wanted to ride almost everything! Silas rode some of the bigger rides, the ones that scare the bejeebies out of most grown ups! We told him to have at it, we would be waiting on him at the exit. Every time he got off he was super excited and declared all of them "AWESOME!" The weather was outstanding and we had a GREAT time! Can't wait until next year!

Slip N Slide Fun

Both of the boys LOVE anything that has to do with WATER! Most of the time they just play with the hose washing their numerous vehicles or just getting each wet....

Summer Recap: Discovery Place

 We were adventerous and rode the LYNX in from the I-485 station....Silas declared after our second trip that he hated the train....guess we won't do that again!

 The fountain across the street from Discovery Place

 Fun with air

 The bed of nails....no, I did not try this myself!!

We bought the family pass for Discovery Place in downtown Charlotte. The boys and I have been on two "field trips" there so far. We also get admission to the Charlotte Nature Museum and Discovery Place Kids, but we haven't been to either of those yet---we'll have to do those this winter when cabin fever sets in and we HAVE to get out of the house! 

Summer Recap: Mountains with the Downs Family

 All the kids, youngest to oldest: Daniel, Stephen, Silas, Maggie, Anna, & Christopher!

 Stephen "flying" down the slide!

 Lots of pool playing...

 Silas enjoying the sliding fun!

 The hot tub on our deck was a hit!

Catching a ride from the pool to the cabin!

I'm a really BAD blogger!

I pulled up the blog and looked at the date of my last entry...July 28, exactly 2 months ago. Bad. You would think that not being employed would mean that I am less busy....at this point, I'm not sure how I had time to work! Of course our lives have taken a new turn with home education, but I find myself wanting to have down time and it just seems like I'm not doing all I need to do! Of course we had a great summer going on vacation with the Downs Family at the beginning of August, then multiple trips to our local theme park, Carowinds with friends. I even scored $5 tickets to Great Wolf Lodge (a fundraiser for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Charlotte) and the boys and I have gone twice this month.

For school, we are studying the Civil War, Astronomy (Apologia), States and Capitals, Math-U-See, and doing some vocabulary with crossword puzzles. We are doing Analogies for critical thinking, and will soon add some grammar work in (may recruit Daddy for that one!). We are all participating in Wednesday night church, the boys in AWANA (Stephen is a Cubbie, Silas is in T & T), me in with the 5th graders, and Scott with middle school youth (as if he doesn't get enough of that age all day at school!). Thursdays we go to Co-op from 8:30-1:30. We're busy, but enjoying spending more time together without the interference of a retail schedule!!

More to come later...I have to get ready for church tonight, an appointment this afternoon, Co-op tomorrow, and a consignment sale this weekend.....