LA County Fair

      I didn't bring my zoom lens, so I focused on things close to me.  In a crowded place like the fair, that meant taking pictures of the children I surgically stitched to my waist.

Buckley

     We do have another four-legged creature in the house.  His name is Buckley and we love him very much.  He barks when he should, does not jump on our visitors, and lets the baby annoy him.  He is definitely a member of our family.

First Day of School

     We began our homeschool year in mid-August but this past week kicked off the school year with our classical school coop Alpha Omega.  So I get the best of both worlds--classroom instruction once a week and teaching the children at home the rest of the week.  I love the mothers at our school and of course, the children.

S waiting to board the van to school.

E would rather spend that time reading...

S waiting patiently...

Lots of notebooks for lots of notes :-)

Anxiety builds before chapel.  

D was still sick.  So he got to stay home that day and wiggle his toes for Daddy.

1st Birthday Cake

Someone turned 1 today.

He was a little too suspicious of the number.

But the lure of sugar can be overwhelming.

What's wrong with a little taste?

How about a big bite?

This is good!

Look Ma, no hands--but all face!

I like it!

Even better with sister's encouragement...

Or silliness....

Happy Birthday to me!

Hike the Heat: Hellman Trail

     A couple of days ago, I met up with a good friend and her girls to hike up Hellman Trail in Whittier, CA.  It was a hot day to be hiking 3 miles, half of which was uphill.  But there were cool breezes from the not-so-distant ocean and eventually, plenty of mature trees giving shade.  So many wild things in bloom from wild squash, prickly pear, wild aster and lavender could be found.  If we had been stranded there, we probably could have lived for a couple days on the food all around us.  

My lovely gazelle.  She typically can hike ahead of us but the initial switchbacks and hills were a challenge for this undaunted girl.

Once we reached the summit at Rattlesnake Trail, we were able to stop and in this case, smell the lavender.  It brightened E's day.

This is the view from the top of the switchbacks.   I found it incredible that wildlife could be found so close to concrete jungle.

One of the last hills before we hit Rattlesnake Trail.

Weeds all dried up.  I wonder what they are...

Prickly pear by the dozen.

Wild Aster. 

Back from the hike:  wild squash and calming lavender.

Learning at Home

     It was a bit of a rough week.  We all got some sort of cold with fever.  Sickness sucks but homeschooling continues.  Praise God that we're better.  

Someone is trying to get the little one to stand.  That's his academic goal, as determined by his sisters...

Not ready yet. 

The other little one was knocked out from the cold.  But she did her homework for the day.

Love these toes!

According to her, E must do homework with ballet clothes on.

Digging deeper...

Warm and Fuzzy Mornings

     Morning is the best time for us as a family.  R usually makes a hot breakfast of eggs and bacon and then ends our meal with a time for prayer and Bible study.  We bond with God and with each other.  I will never forget these special times.  

Even the baby feasts on food and the Word.

There's sure to be laughter and girl giggles.  

Baby eats everything, including himself.

S cuddles with Daddy.  Sometimes she does this by hanging on his shoulder as if she were a lamb.

Baby doesn't have the height nor weight to overcome his sisters and climb on Daddy...yet.

Creeds = Love