Brad took the older 4 boys and met his parents and sister for a day at a local state fair.  Everyone had a blast. I stayed home with Samuel for a quiet day...where I hoped he would sleep for a good long time.  He didn't sleep as long as I had hoped, but it was probably good he stayed home after our fun weekend.  The kids had a wonderful time and ate their way through the fair. They came home with stories about donuts, root beer, steak and cheese subs, fried dough and all sorts of other tasty fair food.  I think it will take me a good month to get them detoxed from the one day.

Brad took the camera and did a wonderful job taking pictures; that is normally my thing to do.  The kids loved the animals.

Matthias was picked to help an illusionist with his show and he did a great job.

They each got to pick one ride to go on.  Brad took Matthias and Augustin on a kiddie roller coaster.  Parker picked a fun house and Grant picked one of those swinging pirate ship rides.

The son of a friend entered his giant pumpkin into the competition and he ended up winning a blue ribbon in his age group, so they stopped by to see the pumpkin and got a great picture of it.

A couple random pictures

This past weekend we had another wonderful opportunity to spend time with Aaron, Beth and the kids.  The weather was just wonderful so most of the time was spent outside enjoying the wonderful weather.  The sun was shining and what better way to spend a Saturday than outside, watching the kids play, picking (and eating) tomatoes fresh from the garden, talking and enjoying each others company.

Oliver enjoying some time playing on a blanket

Uncle Aaron surrounded by boys

Wheelbarrow rides were a popular activity thanks to Grant who did most of the pushing

Evelyn wanted a ride too, but only Daddy could push her around

Evelyn and Samuel enjoyed a variety of activities; "mowing" the lawn, watering plants and playing in the kiddie pool

For dinner we enjoyed quesadillas on the grill with home made flour and corn tortillas.  They were wonderful and we all had a great time eating them

This was followed by a bon fire with s'mores...yummy.  Bon fires are always so much fun.  A picture of the 4 bigger boys (Samuel was in bed already) before it got too dark

Sunday was cooler than Saturday but just as enjoyable to be outside.  Evelyn loved the rabbits and chickens and we spent a lot of time visiting with them.

Samuel and Evelyn playing w/ one of the bunnies

Matthias and Evelyn enjoying some quiet play in the house

I've had several people ask me what our chicken coop looks like.  We had a shed that wasn't being used, so my Dad converted it into the chicken coop.  Half of it is storage where we keep the food, pine shavings, etc.  The other half of it is gated off to created the "coop" itself.  Inside the chickens have a perch and then access to the nesting boxes.

The nesting boxes are accessed from the storage area, but opening the "door" to the boxes.  So there is no need to actually go into the "coop" to reach the eggs.  This would be perfect if the chickens always used the nesting boxes, but there is at least one hen that always lays eggs on the floor.  Here is Grant opening the nesting box to check for eggs. (The upper set of boxes is actually additional nesting boxes that we use for storage until needed).

Then outside the hens have a yard that is fenced w/ chicken wire 5ft high and covered w/ netting.  We can access the yard through a gate next to the shed.

We were so excited to hear that Aaron and Beth were driving up to spend a week here in NH visiting with us.  We haven't seen them since Oliver's baptism in April and of course he and Evelyn have grown a lot since then.  We spent last Sunday and Monday with them, hanging around the house, enjoying the outside.  Evelyn loved the chickens and rabbits, the little swimming pool and all the riding toys.  Oliver was the happiest baby ever, with twinkling eyes and a great smile.  They are spending most of the week with Beth's family before heading back here this weekend and then heading home Sunday night.

Oliver..such a cutie

Hanging out with Mamma

Of course it wouldn't be a visit with someone teaching Evelyn a new trick.  Samuel decided to show Evelyn how to climb the outside of the stairs in the kitchen.  I had to take a picture of them before getting them down.

Parker and Evelyn helping make tortillas for dinner

We've been waiting for our chickens to arrive since June or July some time.  We'd ordered some "ready to lay" hens and had to wait for them to be big enough and actually ready to lay eggs.  Brad and my father picked them up last Wednesday, so we've had them for just over a week.  Everyone is loving them.  They are much more curious than I would have thought and love to "talk" to you when you come to the coop.  So far we've been averaging about 6 eggs a day, which is wonderful.

So here is a picture of our 12 New Hampshire Red's.  I took this on Thursday while they were all still locked in the hen house.

The leaves are starting to change, already.  I think I must say this every year, but do they always start changing in August?  Not many, but just enough to know that summer really is coming to a close.  The garden is still going strong with green beans (not too many right now), potatoes (amazingly delicious), squash...both hubbard and butternut, and of course tomatoes...lots of them.  Two days ago the boys picked over 100 cherry tomatoes in about 7 minutes.  They are every where.  The big tomatoes are starting to change; I picked 3 today.  I'm just hoping they turn quickly enough and in large enough quantities to can them...tomato sauce, salsa, etc.

I'm sure the three days of rain and cooler weather helped put us all in the fall mindset...pants and long sleeve shirts were worn by all the boys (except Grant).  And to kick off the fall feeling, we started school slightly early.  The summer days of doing nothing get long after awhile.  So, after 3 days of getting adjusted to the new chores and doing a semi-school schedule we started school today.  Grant and Matthias started yesterday; those rainy days make school seem like something fun to do.  So while, I wasn't planning on starting for another 2 weeks, we've started.  Slowly at first, with only a few subjects (unless you're Grant who LOVES school and Matthias who is an eager student)...Latin and Religion.

We started a new Latin and Catechism program this year, so the next two weeks will be a breaking in and getting used to the new classes time for Grant and Parker.  We've enrolled them in the Classical Liberal Arts Academy (CLAA) for these two courses and while self-paced they are very rigorous.  Grant has had some Latin over the past 5 years and he's finding the first lesson in Grammar 1 (aka Latin) challenging.  He started studying yesterday and he passed the pronunciation "quiz" this afternoon, but still has some other studying to do.  Parker started studying this morning and he'll probably finish the first lesson some time next week.  He's had very limited exposure to Latin so this will be more challenging for him.

The Catechism is proving to be fun for both.  We've studied the Baltimore Catechism for the past few years, so the first lesson was fairly easy for them.  Grant got his lesson last night and passed his test this morning and is now working on his second lesson.  Parker should be able to take his test tomorrow morning!!!  It is fun to see them excited and even slightly competitive about the lessons, since everyone starts at the same place regardless of age, experiences, etc.  We'll see how they do; they've both set some good goals for themselves this year.

Grant has also jumped right in, feet first to the rest of school.  He's enjoying Geometry and it's a nice change from Algebra.  He's working on science and history as well.  He loves school so this isn't surprising to me.  Parker is happy to just work on the new CLAA courses right now and spend the rest of his day doing chores and being outside in the woods.

So summer is almost gone; we're still hanging on to it a little and easing our way into the school year and fall which I know will bring about some fun and exciting things for all of us.

The month of August has been exceptionally busy.  Matthias and Parker attended Don Bosco camp again this year.  Well, it was Matthias' first year and he had a wonderful time.  He was a little young, but was allowed to go because Parker was there.  I think it was a very positive experience for him and I'm so glad he went.  I took a few pictures on the last day.

The rest of the month has been spent enjoying the last few weeks of summer before school starts. This of course means I have spent countless hours working on new chore lists for the kids, doing the final push for school prep and developing what I hope is the new schedule for the year; tweaking the old schedule to fit our new and growing needs.  It is a wonderful thing that pregnancy and insomnia go hand in hand for me.  The sleepless nights are the only way I get it all done.

Aside from the feast of St. Clare, the only feast we have celebrated this month is the feast of the Assumption.  We went to Latin Mass at the local monastery and then to a friends house to celebrate with several other families.  I brought desert for the kids, which every one loved.  Blue jello with home made whipped cream to be clouds in the sky symbolizing our Lady's Assumption into Heaven.

This was super easy and I think my boys were thrilled that I actually made something that wasn't a color normally found in nature.  The blue was really a bright blue and I tend to stay away from all artificial colors.  However, a feast day really warranted something fun.

We've been busy, which means I've been busy taking pictures, but haven't gotten them all uploaded.

The last Saturday of July was the day we attended the Our Lady of Guadalupe Family Picnic.  Matthias had his face painted right before we left and loved it.  He kept it on for all of Sunday and was very disappointed when it started to come off.

Matthias after a fun day of Don Bosco Camp.  He is a boy who is definitely having a wonderful time.

Last Saturday we finally had a day at home without big plans.  So we spent the morning doing house work and yard work.  Grant was so patient with the little boys who were totally enthralled with the weed wacker, wanting to know what it was and how it worked.  So he took some time to show them how it worked, without turning it on.

Grant and I ran some errands, spent some wonderful time together just the two of us and then went to Reconciliation before heading home for a relaxing evening at the bon fire pit.  The boys thoroughly enjoy the bon fire and marshmallow roasting.

Grant wielding two sticks at once; being the cool almost 13yr old that he is.

Parker laying on his belly to get away from the heat that was "killing" him

I guess he found a way to sit up

Brad finally got him the worlds longest roasting stick so he could stay as far away as possible and still roast his marshmallows.  Notice how far back he's standing and still has his marshmallow in the fire.

Augustin is getting quite good at getting his own marshmallows roasted

Samuel enjoyed carrying his marshmallow around and then eating it slowly off the stick; I do think he ate more grass than marshmallow though

Matthias

Grant relaxing and enjoying some time at home

Just hanging out around the fire and in the woods

Today is the feast of St. Clare, foundress of the order of Poor Clares. 

When she heard St. Francis of Assisi preach, her heart burned with a great desire to imitate Francis and to live a poor humble life for Jesus.  Catholic.org

I hadn't planned on doing much to celebrate today, aside from pasta for dinner (after all pasta is Italian) since Matthias has been at camp all week and our afternoons aren't conducive for big meals this week.  I did however find a wonderful and easy desert to make on Catholic Cuisine for today's feast.

My attempt at a monstrance; not perfect but they figured out what it was.  It was definitely good and easy to put together.

August seems to be the busiest month.  Last week and this week Parker has been at Don Bosco Boy's camp, a summer day camp for Catholic boys that is run at a local parish.  This is his 4th or 5th year going and it is the highlight of his summer.  Nothing like spending 2 weeks with a group of boys ranging in age from 6 to 17 years old doing all kinds of things boys like (most of which result in very hot and dirty boys by 4pm)...wrestling, tug-of-war, dodge ball, capture the flag and other fun games.  Add in there Mass one day and the daily rosary and it's a wonderful time.

The highlight of Matthias' summer is being able to go "early" with Parker this week.  He was invited to come for the week, even though he's not technically old enough (exceptions are made for little boys w/ older brothers attending) and he is having the best time.  The transformation in him is amazing. He comes home every afternoon and talks all night about the fun things they did.  He loves the older boys, the games, being outside and overall just feeling like a big kid.  I look at him running and playing in the afternoon when I pick him up and am just amazed at how much he has grown-up this summer alone.  He's not afraid to be dropped off and spend the day away from me (and home) and eat the lunch I packed, get himself to the bathroom, etc.  He is very secure and willing to be independent.  I know it helps that Parker is there and he knows most of the boys, even if just by sight, from other activities, but it's a big step.

So while all the big boys are gone, it's just me and the "little" boys...Augustin (who isn't really liking this new little boy status) and Samuel.  I do feel badly for Augustin who really does think of himself as Matthias' age.  He really isn't old enough to go and doesn't understand since he and Matthias are basically inseparable.  So, it's been a long week for him with just mom and Samuel (who is a baby in his eyes).  He'll adjust though; it really is part of life.

So while all the boys are busy, I'm still plugging away at getting school stuff ready for September 7th.  Binders are now labeled, dividers are put into binders, lesson plans have been reviewed and the liturgical activities have been planned through the end of Ordinary Time.  I now need to figure out what we are doing for Advent so I can plan wisely.  I'm also working on getting Faith Folders ready for the kids to work on.  I want copies made and folders ready to go before school starts so we can work our way through them w/o wasting time.

Still lots of little things to do, but it will get done...I know that from experience.