Swimming fun

We took a much-needed family vacation/Thanksgiving visit to Massachusetts over Thanksgiving week.  For a trip to qualify as "vacation", we must stay in a hotel with a pool - at least according to Lael and Jaden!  So that's exactly what we did!

Noah enjoyed the water - as long as he was held close in Daddy's arms!  Otherwise, the water was a bit chilly for him . . . but he still didn't want to get out!

 Jaden loves everything about the water - whether it's hanging on the side of the pool . . .

 . . . or jumping in!

(Of course, making the biggest possible splash is a given!)

Lael loves the water too . . . and I've been so pleased to see how confident both of the big kids have become with their swimming!  They were swimming several laps the length of the pool! 

Jaden's also gotten quite good at floating on his back.

 One game everyone - even Noah - could play was "catch the ball" . . . Noah enjoyed throwing the balls for Lael and Jaden to swim after!

First Haircut

It was time for a haircut - just a trim!

Here's the before . . .

. . . and during . . .

. . . and after!

Isn't he so handsome!

Snapshots of our homeschool co-op

This is our third year as part of our homeschool co-op . . . the focus this fall is the arts.

Jaden has an art class taught by his most favorite teacher in the world - his mom! :)  Called Meeting the Masters, each class has focused on a different artist and his artwork.  Today we learned about Vassily Kandinsky . . . here Jaden is working on his own version of Concentric Circles in Squares.

 He also has a building class - they've made all kinds of Amazing Structures from many different building materials - like marshmallows, pound cake, toothpicks and raisins, grahams and marshmallow fluff . . . here he's working on his popsicle stick bridge.

 While the big kids are in class, Noah spends time in the nursery - being cute, of course!

 Lael is taking a drama class - we are excitedly awaiting the premier performance of their play next Friday night!

 And no co-op would be complete without a gym class - Lael and Jaden have their gym class together.  Here they are having fun with the parachute . . . you can see them, right???

We enjoy our Thursday mornings so much, so we thought we should share them with you! :)

Exploring Lego Digital Designer

This is a scene created by Jaden. 

The characters are based on those in Indiana Jones movies. 

Indiana Jones himself is front and center in this scene.  Can you find him?

(Here's a hint:  he's holding his trademark whip in his hand.)

Beautiful fall day . . .

On a beautiful Sunday in October, we decided to take a few pictures . . .

Jaden

(in his favorite picture-taking spot outside our church)

 Noah with Daddy

 Lael relaxing at home

 And Noah being his sunshiny self!