Christmas 2013, Cracker Hats (gotta wear them)

It wouldn't be Christmas without Christmas crackers and the HATS!

Flower the cat

Flower the cat was a wonderful cat. He was with our family for 15 years! His name is Flower because then toddler Hayley wanted him to be named that. Flower never cared. Flower would not stay indoors but somehow didn't succumb to the wildlife as other cats we've had did. Flower was hit by a car once but lived and thrived for many more years after that. Flower never, ever put up with anything from the dogs, he didn't hurt them, just let them know that he ruled this place. I don't know how he did it, the dogs accepted it and never gave him any trouble, even visiting dogs. Flower slowed down in his final year, thankfully he never seemed weak or in pain, just slowed down and unexpectedly passed away. This picture is one of the last one I took of him in December 2013. Flower loved this box towards the end and loved it ON the table so we decorated it to fit in with the Christmas decorations.
In the manger seemed a fitting place for this King Cat to spend his final days.

First girlfriend

Late summer and into fall 2013 I found out that Colin was dating someone. It was a first for him and a big first for me as his mother! My wild and crazy, busy boy was our first to date and it scared me silly. So yet again my wild middle son is the one who introduced me to something new in life. Colin often does things first in this close in age group of siblings. He says I should not worry about him. He can't understand, until he's a parent himself, that all parents worry about their kids. It comes with the job.

Since he no longer is with this girl I'll blog with only less identifiable pictures. It was a big part of his life, and we went on a few "family dates" so it goes on the blog :-).

Tapestry

Tristan is studying medieval tapestries in history. he needed to make a tapestry with a scene from his life so chose him and Comet. I decided to make one too, a tapestry about trying to catch Speedy bun buns, our bunny, when he doesn't want to go in the house. Tristan's Tapestry is better, mine is odd. LOL

In Tristan's tapestry he made a scene and also tried natural fabric dying and also weaving to sample several techniques.

My tapestry represents me catching Speedy while Flower looks on and some rogue animal that jumped into the picture!

Fall days

lots of apples growing on our trees this year

Coconut is visiting

the terrific trio

Elle

Cleo

I made an apple crumble with apples fresh picked from our trees

beardie bath time, why is a big dog nose staring at me!

Grammy's hamster ma wearing a Halloween costume Hayley made for him.

Porcupine in an apple tree!

Elle

 

Middle earth day at Higgins Armory

We've been to Higgins armory a couple times. When I hear they would be closing, moving to the Worcester art museum instead of the unusual steel building, I knew we had to get there one more time. What better day than...Middle Earth Day!

Cozy homeschooling.

Read alouds on the couch, with dogs to snuggle with. What's not to like? Homeschooling rocks.

Court of Honor

Today was the court of honor for troop 69. Tristan received merit badges and a new rank of assistant senior patrol leader. very proud of him.

Climbing merit badge

Today the boys are doing more work on the climbing merit badge. They're rappelling down the Newbury cut.

Saphira loves fruit, the kids help me test our science experiments

yum, give me more fruit!



I have to shake the bag for how long? I like to try out experiments before doing them with my class, to make sure they work.



willing helpers, Hayley and Tristan help me try our an ice cream experiment

I think it worked!

First day of co-op 2013-2014 year

First day of co-op and the last year I will homeschool all 4 of them. Hayley will graduate next spring. I've been blessed to have a lot of time with my children, far more than I would have had if they'd gone to public school. It still seems to quick, they are growing up and moving towards adulthood and independence.

ready for the year to come

driving up to co-op for the first day of the year

in they go, walking away from me as they will do more and more in the next few years.