We use a LOT of music in our homeschooling.  We have music for our memory verses, our Kids in Motion that we do once a week, our classical music that we use with each unit, and music that the kids have to practice for church.  That’s a lot of CD’s and soundtracks to juggle!  Sometimes I’m tempted to use something like a save on mixtrack pro to handle it all. If I have to add in one more thing, I just might have to!

We are finally home from Wisconsin!  It was such a fun, chaotic, crazy few weeks, but it is definitely good to be home.  Well, except for the part about how I’m so behind on everything.  That part is not so much fun.  I’m desperately hoping to be mostly caught up by the weekend, though.  At least on all the time-sensitive stuff.

The older kids had a little trouble adjusting to getting back in their routines, but I think they’re back in their grooves now.  We got back into our school routine today.

Carter was happy to be home from the start, though….he went crazy exploring all the stuff he’d missed while we were gone.  He is so into EVERYTHING now!!!  I just don’t know what to do with him.  LOL

I have some plans up my sleeve for this here blog in the next few weeks (if I ever get caught up on stuff), so stay tuned!

We are finally having spring weather!  The kids and I are still in WI and our temps up here have actually been warmer than the ones back home!  Before we know it, it will be time to buy juicy swimwear and spend long afternoons at the pool!  At this point, I don’t even care if we skip most of the spring weather and skip straight to summer…..I am just so tired of cold temperatures!

…Not really, but I couldn’t come up with a better title to communicate that we are OUT.

We have been spending the last week with family and it has been so much fun!  Last week, we came up and spent the weekend with Chad’s family.  Then Chad had a brief visit with my family and left for home, and the kids and I have been staying up here ever since.  It’s been crazy, since ALL of us kids are staying here, along with our kids.  It’s like 18 people or something.  Chaotic, but awesome!  This is the last time this will happen for awhile, since David leaves for SOI next week and from there, he’ll be going straight to the base he’s stationed at.

Today is trying everyone’s patience, though, because it’s raining.  Send reinforcements…or coffee!  Or both!

You guys.  For some reason, these last few weeks in our house have been SO. LOUD.  It’s probably cabin fever, but the kids have been bouncing off the walls, and the noisiest game they’ve been playing is “concert”.  They line Chad, Carter and I and several stuffed animals up on the couch and start playing their toy guitars, drums, xylophones, whistles, and of course singing.  Before we know it, it will be time for us to buy snare drum kit .  And we think it’s loud now….LOL

My brother David graduates from Marine basic training this FRIDAY!  I am so excited….I have written to that boy twice a week nearly every week and prayed for him every day for the last thirteen weeks.  It will be so awesome to see the fulfillment of his dream.  I can hardly wait to see the videos and pictures from his graduation and get to visit with him during his leave.

We will be going up as a family to see everyone and then Chad will be going home while the kids and I stay to spend extra time with my family.  I’m excited, but also stressing…I’ve been packing since last week, but I’m still nervous I’m going to forget something.  As my mom keeps reminding me, “We do have stores up here, you know!”  LOL

I’ll have my laptop with me, so I hope to keep up with posting on at least a semi-regular basis!

Break out the alec bradley cigars …it’s time to celebrate! Introducing Miss Lilly Evelyn…my newest niece.  She is my brother Daniel and sister-in-law Jessica‘s third little girl, born just a week ago!  I’m so excited to meet her in a few weeks…I just want to squish her a little bit.    Even though I have to wait awhile to see her, I’m going to be packing up my newborn cloth diapers in the next few days to mail off for her to wear.  I can’t wait to see newborn fluffy bum pics!

I made a delicious cabbage soup tonight.  Even the kids ate it…Kelvin loved it and Ava tolerated it, which is a big deal for my picky girl!

Crockpot Cabbage Soup

1 pound browned ground beef or turkey
1/2 small head of cabbage, shredded
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, sliced
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
32 ounces beef broth
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. dill weed

Combine all ingredients in the crock pot.  Add enough water to cover the ingredients.  Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.

I didn’t do any baby sign language with Ava or Kelvin, because they learned to talk very young and it seemed pointless.  I think I may have to with Carter, though…and not because I don’t think he’ll talk early (after all, the boy’s a genius, he’ll probably invent some sort of updated electrosurgery generators or something someday. LOL).  Because he’s making it up on his own!

He has started signing “all done” by waving his hand side to side in front of him.  He does it quite a bit, whether he means that he doesn’t want more food, doesn’t want to be tickled anymore, is done playing, etc.  A few nights ago, he woke up while I was in the shower and Chad had to take care of him.  He’s a Daddy’s boy, but not at night.  It ticks him off royally to see anyone but Mama at night.  So he was not happy to see Chad there and he said, “Dada” and then did his “all done” sign.  I wish I would have been there to see it….so cute!

I posted last week about how Carter was slowing down his weight gain.  Well, lest you think the little guy is wasting away, I thought I should post this picture from tonight so you would know that most of the chub is still intact!

I have a feeling that his slowing weight gain is just a result of him being more mobile now…he’s scooting on his butt all over the place!