We're a Samaritan Family

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This week's news:

Well, we have had a busy week to start out 2010!

Today is Dave's birthday and we celebrated by ruining his birthday cake and not having his gift from me arrive on time. Sigh...such is life! Thankfully he's a wonderful man who just laughs these things off and appreciates what we tried to do for him anyhow. 8-)

The batter shifted all to one end because the baking sheet this disposable pan was resting on was a little warped....Dave says we'll still eat it. What a guy!

Kailie and Emma made him their own gifts from Christmas crafts we hadn't completed. I suggested he take them to decorate his office at the church.

Made with love by Emma



Made with love by Kailie - she also made some sledding gingerbread people to go along with the church

Isaac found an old Charlie Brown Christmas book and wrapped that as his gift to Dave. He agreed to this one after I squashed his idea of giving Daddy one of Dave's "work shirts" with paint splatter all over it from the various around the house projects he's done...why do kids love giving people stuff they already have? It always makes me laugh....anyway.... Isaac tried to hide his book gift from Daddy yesterday, by putting it in the middle of the living room floor with Isaac's huge (and glowing-bright-neon-orange-trimmed) Toy Story blanket on top of it. Hmmm......maybe it makes sense when you're 4?



Our washing machine broke. Yes our not-even-2-year-old washer broke. That left us with over a week's worth of laundry to catch up on today...yuck. Dave found the part on line for $78 instead of paying someone over $300 to fix it. Thanks honey!

It looks much better now! 8-)

We have endured the PAINFULLY cold weather, including a snow storm which shut down the schools here for 2 days. And if you're wondering, yes we took a snowday too!

The view across the street.

My husband knee-deep and shoveling out our driveway and front steps. Note to everyone - before you even CONSIDER moving to Iowa: Buy a snowblower!

Our porch after shoveling.

In school-news we studied the founding of Jamestown, the Lost Colony of Roanoke, Pocahontas and early Colonial life this week. Next week we tackle the Pilgrims and the Mayflower. Kailie is working on some wonderful projects for history including her own book on Colonial America and a long term project on life in Plymouth Colony. Pics of those will be posted later on.

In geography Kailie learned many places this week including: the Labrador Sea, Buffin Bay, Beaufort Bay, the Canadian Shield, the Coastal Lowlands and the Piedmont Region. I told Dave that if she just learns 1/40th of her geography she'll be LIGHTYEARS ahead of her mother! ha!

School Starts Again

As the second half of the year starts we are making some curriculum changes, as I am often want to do. We are switching back to Tapestry of Grace now that Kailie is old enough to read well on her own and complete work independently. We will be beginning with Year 2 Unit 3 which encompasses the time from Jamestown through the establishment of the 13 colonies. We will finish the year with Unit 4 which covers the American Revolution and the beginning of the United States as a nation. I'm really excited as this is probably my favorite era to study (well, so far anyway!). Here's a look at the books we'll be using:

A quick look at the past 2 months:

Happy 2010 Everyone!
In Review:

1. Lauren turned 2, Emma turned 6, Will was born, Kailie turned 8 and Abby turned 3
2. Halloween - we had a Reformation Day party at the church.
3. Dave's Mom and sis Krys, and Krys' hubby John all came out to meet Will.
4. My parents came out to meet Will.
5. Thanksgiving - we had dinner and spent the day with our friends the Lauger's. We also played Settler's of Cataan....and I still didn't win. Sigh.
6. Dave and I celebrated our 10th Anniversary!
7. Christmas - spent here in Iowa, just us and the kids and we had a wonderful time.
8. New Year's - I was home with the kids. Kailie and Emma and I watched "Emma". Dave was at the church for a NY Party with the youth.

New Year's Resolution: Don't start things you don't intend to keep up with or finish - INCLUDING BLOGS! ha!