Cousins!

We got to host my sister's lovely daughters yesterday, and I think I only sunburned one of them. (Of course, all three of my kids are burnt. I think I need some lessons in sunscreen application.) We baked cookies, went to the pool, and made a masterpiece on the patio with sidewalk chalk. It was an awesome day. And insightful. One of the best unexpected benefits of staying home - I get to actually know my nieces. For instance...Alyssa has a bottomless appetite and is very sensitive to other people's feelings. In the middle of doing something annoying, she stopped and asked, "Am I annoying you? I'm not trying to annoy you." How can you be annoyed after that? She also kept looking in the fridge saying, "but can't I have something healthy? You have to have something I can eat in here. Don't you have any apples?" Sarah likes to do her own thing - correction: she WILL do her own thing - and she has a way of refusing to follow instructions that tricks you into thinking she should get her way...I think it's the dimples. But she had a blast playing with Esme and her dolls. And Haley is like having Em around - she's smart and funny and can hold a conversation like a grown up.

 Watching Mr. Bean.

 My two primary chefs - Simon and Alyssa.

 Can we make a silly face? And when can we lick the bowl? No, wait, the spoons. No, wait, the bowl AND the spoons.

 Drawing Jesus and the world on the chalk board. I swear I didn't stage this.

Ta-da! Jesus, the earth, and I think that might be Saturn over on the right.

Last night, the Schoonover family made a trip to Swan Lake for a homeschool family picnic, which was also awesome. I need a better word. It made me feel reassured and a part of something special. First, there was homemade ice cream. That alone made it worthwhile. Even better, we got to meet a few new people, the kids got to play with new kids, and we got to talk homeschooling with people who have been doing it for more than a decade. The big Niche conference is next weekend, and the pressure is on...I feel like we need to leave there with our curriculum picked out for next year. Check out how intense this schedule is: https://www.homeschooliowa.org/2011conference/conferenceschedule.html. Yeesh.