Quick Update

Here's just a quick update on everything going on around here. I've been having problems with my computer for a couple of months. I finally took it in to the Apple Store last week, and they have it there now. I'm really hoping it gets fixed soon! Thankfully, it's still under warranty since we bought the extended warranty when we purchased it a couple of years ago. So, that's why I haven't been posting much. It just kept crashing on me. Not good! Last update was that the part it needs has been received and it's in the queue. I should have it back early this week. Yay!!!

Brad is still searching for employment. He seems to have phone calls and interviews nearly every week, but nothing more than that. I'm really proud of how he has stayed persistant with sending out resumes and following up on interviews, etc. It's been incredibly stressful, but we're hanging in there. We've had such generous gifts from friends and from people in our church who we have never even met. It's definitely been a humbling experience.

The kids have been doing well. B has been reading like crazy lately. I plan on posting reviews of some of the books over the next couple of months. I finally had to make a deal with him that he had to read some "school" books every day before his fiction. Right now he's in the middle of The Eldest written by Christopher Paolini (who was homeschooled by the way.) He's finished the first five books in the Harry Potter series, the first two books in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, the first two Leven Thumps books, the first three books in the 39 Clues series (all that's out so far) and the first Paolini book, Eragon. All of this over the last couple of months. I've been trying to pre-read the books (he is only 8 years old), but am having a really hard time keeping ahead of him.

Reading and sounding out words is starting to really click with C. I don't really push academics much for Kindergarten, preferring to wait until the First Grade to start formal work. However, we've been working through some phonics teaching and occasionally some math, mostly through games. I was shocked when C went shopping with me a few weeks ago. I was telling him how much I wanted to spend and how much a couple of items cost when he, without hardly even thinking about it, told me how much money I would have in change. I was shocked because I didn't know where in the world he learned how to do that. I knew I didn't teach it to him. ;-)

We have finally convinced A that she is in preschool and doesn't need to keep up with the boys. She loves to have her own school work. She really cracks me up. Lately, she's taken to sitting next to Daddy with one of her workbooks every morning. Apparently, he's much more attentive than I am. Last week, she saw that one of her friends could write her own name without help. She was very put out by that (a little competitive I think.) So I gave her an index card with her name printed on it in Sharpie. She kept practicing her name until the whole family room seemed to be covered in papers with her name on them.

Well, this update sure didn't end up being quick! Hopefully, I can post some photos of a recent knitting project this week. I also want to post how we made the coffee filter butterflies soon too since I think they came out so cute and are perfect for spring. Aaahhh, it all depends on when my Mac is back home. Is it unhealthy to miss a computer???