Em turns 4!

I still cannot believe our middle child is 4!

Em is one of the sweetest, funniest and adventurous kids you'd ever want to meet!

She was such an "easy" baby to deliver {3 pushes and she was OUT}, but she really keeps me on my toes {and on my knees in prayer} at times! She is just FULL of personality and has the best attitude. If something doesn't go her way, she says, "that's OK, maybe tomorrow I can do/have/eat that." She really is a blessing to my soul and I learn how to have FUN with her!

I also love and appreciate how Em is her own individual. She really enjoys playing and creating things on her own and she definitely has her own sense of style. I believe she has a very strong self-esteem and I love that about her. I will tell her, "Em, your outfit sure is colorful/creative today" and she will say, "I know, thanks!" Ha, ha!!!!!!!

One thing that is absolutely true about this girl is {just like her Mommy} she LOVES to EAT!! 

It's a good thing I feed her healthy foods and no fast food, or else she would weigh 300 pounds!

She eats non-stop! 

For her birthday, Em requested Daddy's special stuffed french toast for breakfast, smoothies and popcorn for lunch and broccoli with cheese sauce and asian chicken for dinner. 

I made carrot-zucchini muffins with cream cheese frosting as her bday cupcakes-everyone LOVED them and they were much healthier than store-bought cupcakes!

We surprised the girls with a trip to the zoo for Em's birthday. My brother gifted Morgan a trip to the zoo--thank you Uncle Teddy!  

I got up at the crack of dawn and packed up the minivan with everything we needed, included all of our food, water and snacks for the day. The girls had NO idea what was going on. We told them we needed to go to the store and when we ended up at the Zoo, they were overjoyed!!!!!!

We all had an amazing time at the Zoo!

What time of birthday traditions do you all have??

I would love to hear about them!

Blessings,

Aria:)

Our Farm Unit

As a follow up to our {HEET} Tour of the 1800's Living Historical Farm, we did a unit study on Farms!

Our Bible Verse for the week. 

We planted some seeds we got from Girl Scouts (sorry, no pics) and talked about what we expect to harvest from the seeds we planted. 

We discussed how important it is to work towards the end result that you want and not expect something positive to come from negative, etc.

 Some of our farm library materials.

 I printed this adorable "Clip and Learn" activity from 1+1+1=1. 

 Em had a great time matching the Farm things to their beginning sound letter. 

 Size sorting of tractors.

 Em had fun matching the animal puzzles correctly. But,

she had even MORE fun mis-matching them, LOL.

 Elle worked on beginning sound letters.

 Elle enjoyed the farm puzzles. 

She does all of her "big girl" school and then wants to do Em and Ce Ce's tot and preschool work, too! LOL.

 Matching baby farm animals to their mothers.

 Elle working on a coloring math sheet that was about garden veggies.

Ce Ce loves this farm puzzle!

 Elle working on some handwriting.

 Em has started learning about patterns. 

 Elle's math worksheet.

 Playdough fun for Ce Ce!

 Matching numbers of apples on trees.

 Nothing like spending time outside in nature-we LOVE it!

 Not farm-specific, but we LOVE the Free File Folder games from Mamaslearningcorner!

 The one is "Matching the Opposites." 

Em doing more worksheets. She really loves having her own school work to do!

It was a fun week!

Be a Blessing,

Aria:)

{H.E.E.T} Touring 1800's Farm Life

Our girls LOVE learning about how other people live(d) and, for years, have visited a Living Historical Farm not too far from us. 

I set up a Guided Tour for our Homeschool group and we had an amazing time learning about Farm Life in the late 1800's. 

 The guided tour provided a historical perspective of the lives of children and their parents in the 1800's. It was wonderful to see the period pieces as well as learn about the responsibilities and chores the children would have had back then. They were seated in the Parlor of the Victorian Farm House.

 Simpler times. Ce Ce playing with the wooden toys. 

 These kept her happy for a long time:)

 The Dining room of the Farm House.

 They learned about cooking in the kitchen with a wood-burning stove. 

 Fun times in the barn!

 Holding a Goose Egg.

 Checking out the baby pigs.

 Turkey time.

 Learning in the Summer Kitchen. They learned about home preserving/canning and also smoking and salt-curing meats.

 Had to snap a photo of the outhouse. 

Thank the Good Lord for indoor plumbing!

 The Smoke house--it smelled so good!

 The Canning Cellar. All of the farm employees eat the foods from the farm.

They plant, grow and harvest tons of vegetables and slaughter their own meats.

We had an amazing time!

Blessings,

Aria:)