As a way to do a quick ‘catch up’, I am posting several pictures of our happenings during the last months of 2017. I often hide moments in my heart and head and try to forever imprint them there….but they do fade. So here is a recap:
A trip to the Children’s Museum. Reading in the car, holding his lovey or ‘ZooZoo’ (his grey and white zebra lovey).
Thanksgiving tablescape and shelf decor. We dipped leaves into a small crockpot that now permanently houses beeswax. Those leaves were scattered down the middle of the table with a wooden cake stand, brass candlesticks and eucalyptus. White mums, cabbage and kale filled the front urns.
We bought a golf cart, which I promptly name Gloria. We took Gloria rides everyday until the snow fell. Riding around the property got me outside and further from the house more than ever and allowed me to see the sunset from various perspectives.
Our school routine has changed drastically this year. I had started pulling back, scaling down and doing less outside activities beginning in the spring of 2017. So this year we are having a very rich Morning/Bible time all together most days. We read aloud (so far we’ve finished Trumpet of the Swan, Across Five April and are concluding Five Little Peppers). The yellow poster board is a running plot, character, event chart to help us all remember what is happening to who and where during our read alouds. This particular picture is our 5 year old, Abe, reciting the poem My Shadow by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Birthdays. Our 3 oldest boys have birthdays within a month of each other so we are in birthday mode up until Thanksgiving! I am completely smitten with balloon arches. You’ll see them at every party from now on. You need: Two different sizes of balloons, clear fishing line and a needle. Blow the balloons up. Tie them off. Thread the fishing line into the “tail” of each balloon! We set up an assembly line and whip these babies out in under an hour. 
The Christmas season includes heading to our local farmer’s market in the Township Center and watching the ‘Tree Lighting’ ceremony. You do see that my son, who turned 13 that day, is now taller than me?!
Family Pictures by the amazing Kelly Braman
We decorated our tree at home. I watched a few youtube videos on ribbon toppers and went full tilt on the ribbon tree toppers this year!
I also decorated our office for our first Christmas in the new building. Yes, more ribbon toppers, ribbon and picks. 
Holiday Parties at home, and in the city.
On Christmas morning, I go downstairs, make coffee, put 2 quiches in the oven and light the fireplace. My husband and I wait downstairs until all the kids are on the steps together…THEN we take a picture THEN they can come down :). Tradition.
Jammies this year were from Old Navy (older 3) and Primary (younger 4).
2017 had one big inside building project. Bookshelves! These were walls that had built ins on the original building plans in 2009 but we took out for budget reasons. Well this was the year! I sketched out what I wanted and here you see the first part being installed. They turned out beautifully and will post an update. We are avid readers and the consumption of books only continuous to increase as the children grow older. I love it! Having baskets and shelves of books readily available to young and old is a gift.
Some indoor winter school day happenings. Block towers and play doh. Lots and lots of play doh.
