Its only been 6 months!

I think I blinked and it's already been 6 months since my last blog post!  I use to faithfully blog at least once a month but our life has been so crazy this was the first thing to go.  I don't even know if people read blogs anymore??!!  Let me know if you still read it!

The last time I posted it was end of May when we made the decision to continue to homeschool.  Then summer hit and we had the time of our lives!!!  It was the best summer ever.  I will kind of recap what we've been doing from May until now and then do additional posts with pictures of everything. 

This summer we took a nice fun break from all the hustle and bustle of the school year.  We did continue to do reading and writing almost every day with Reece.  She started her 1st grade writing curriculum in the summer  - cursive!  We of course got the pool pass and made it there a few times a week.  In June I watched up to 7 children a day as a back up sitter for several families.  That was nuts!  We got a new toy for the yard - a big Banzai water slide which was given to the kids as a gift from our neighbors who love them like their own grandkids.  Both kids did gymnastics over the summer.  It was really one of the only things they both agreed on and that they could both do at the same time.  They also did swimming lessons for a month. At the end of June through July 4th, I took my best friend Kristy and her two kids (who are also 5 and 6 and girl and boy) to Branson to my in-laws condo.  We had such a great time!  The kids and I went back to Branson alone in August before school started for one last bang of the summer!  Brock pretty much finished the 53 Ford and we went to several car shows. 

This fall Brody started pre k at Sharing Tree preschool where Reece attended.  Reece started full 1st grade at home and also doing Classical Conversations on Thursdays.  It has been so hard keeping up on all our activities and responsibilities!  But everyone is learning so much.  Both kids are still in Awana.  Brody is in his 3rd and final year at cubbies and Reece is in her 2nd year of sparks.  Reece also started taking ballet this fall (as opposed to tap like she did last year).  She loves it! She of course tried out for the nutcracker again this year and got two great roles as Bon Bon and Soldier.  She loved every minute of it and can't wait to try out again next year! 

Another thing that has been going on at our house is a lot of loosing teeth!  Brody lost his first and Reece is on her way to loosing her 6th.  If she loses it before Christmas, she will be asking for her 2 front teeth! 

In September I decided to do something more with photography.  I had been taking pictures for people for a couple of years when they asked.  I absolutely love doing this but didn't really want to do it for a "living".  I wanted to offer something different than the other 50 photographers in town.  So I turned it more into a ministry where the profits are going to families in need.  Families who are adopting, families who have a child with an illness, etc.  I fell in love with taking photos when I was in the delivery room with birth clients and just absolutely love taking photos of families.  I have a couple of sites you can view if you want to check out what I am doing. My facebook page is under Purposeful Photography.  You can also find me under this link

We took the kids to Shedds aquarium for the day a month ago.  2 weeks later I traveled to Chicago alone on the train to visit my childhood best friend for the weekend.  Brock met us Sunday and we all went to the Bears game.  While at home, there was a tornado that went through and destroyed Washington.  We were evacuated at the game and our kids were evacuated at church.  It was pretty scary but fortunately ended well for us and the Bears won in overtime! 

Now that Nutcracker is over, we are looking forward to Christmas and what the new year has to bring!

Bauer photos 2013

Every year we try to get family photos.  Instead of paying someone, I trade off with a friend.  She takes mine with my camera and I do all the editing.  Then I take hers on her camera and she does all the editing.  Works out nicely!!!  Got some great ones this year!

Here's us with the old finished 53 Ford.

There's the beauty with all the missing teeth.  I think all the other teeth loss photos are on my phone :(

Nutcracker 2013

We had such a fun time preparing for the Nutcracker this year.  She loves being on stage and was sad when it was over.  She was in the ISU homecoming parade in September and then had practices every Saturday for 2 hours until this past week when they practiced every night.  There were late nights, but it was such a magical time.  I'm sad that most of my pictures of her are on my phone and not on my camera.  This year she was "promoted" from the small little room where we sat on the floor, to her own mirror with lights!

During tech week we had to eat lunch on the floor of the dressing room.  They worked so hard!

 In her bon bon costume.

 Reece in her soldier costume.

Halloween

Hopefully this wasn't the last year that I can dress them in coordinating costumes. 

Brody turns 5

I can't believe Brody is 5 already.  He is so funny!  He makes me laugh every day and he has a heart of gold. 

Branson July and August 2013

 

 

Branson in July

 

Kids enjoyed craft time with Kristy every evening!  They made shirts, plates, & picture frames.  I did all the cooking :)

We went to moonshine beach for the first time

 Of course, go karting when daddy came up for the weekend.

Swimming every day in the pool.

 Harley made his first appearance in Branson as well.

 All 4 of them - BFFS!!

 Another pair of BFFs :)

Saw Despicable Me 2 at the big IMAX theatre

 Went to the Todd Oliver show

 

Branson August 2013

 

In August I drove to Branson with just the kids and the dog for the first time ever.  I was a little afraid to travel this far with them but since they have done the trip so many times they knew how long it would take.  They were excellent in the car.  Only stopped once to go to the bathroom and get food. 

 

The kids always wanted to stop at this Great American Steak and Chicken house for food.  We went here one morning for brunch.  It was not all that their marketing indicated.

 

Made some time to take some good photos of the kids for the beginning of the school year.

We went to the Promised Land Zoo.  It just opened in the spring.

 We also went "goofy" golfing for the first time.

We went to the Dogwood canyons and went on a 7 mile bike ride to Arkansas.  It was one of the coolest things I have ever done.