Malachi's 6th Grade Year

 

Malachi wrapped up 6th grade this year. I was so worried about homeschooling in the older grades but I have to say it is honestly easier so far than Elementary was. The big kids know the expectations and can take initiative to get stuff done themselves. Malachi did a great job this year and he is like a sponge and remembers so much! Next year he will have a huge increase in work load but I have full confidence he will do a great job! Bring on 7th Grade!

Nicknames: Mal, Mally Wally 
How old are you?12
What is your favorite color? Yellow 
What is your favorite animal? Lion 
What is your favorite book? Left Behind Kids 
What is your favorite TV show?  Doubling Down with the Derricos 
What is your favorite movie? Remember the Titans
What is your favorite song? Way Less Sad
What is your favorite food? Spaghetti
What is your favorite drink? Mt Dew
What is your favorite breakfast food? Bacon
What is your favorite snack? Goldfish
What is your favorite outfit? Skinny Jeans and a shirt that says something on it  
What is your favorite game? Madden
What is your favorite toy? Teeny Mates
Who is your best friend? Eli
What is your favorite thing to do? Play outside 
What is your favorite thing to do outside?  Basektball/baseball/soccer 
What is your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving
What do you like to take to bed with you? Elmo  
Where is your favorite place to go? The Store
What is your favorite restaurant? Chik Fil A or Five Guys  

Favorite Subject? History 

Least Favorite Subject? Science
Where do you want to go on vacation? Hawaii 

What do you want to be when you grow up? Sports Commentator

Sabrina's 4th Grade Year

Sabrina wrapped up 4th grade this year! She is always an easy student who works diligently and tries her best. One of the best things she learned this year is the power of note taking and once she started taking notes she rocked all of her tests. I am so proud of her and how much she learned this year and how hard she pressed on when she struggled in subjects. She is a very easy student to teach! She is very excited to move into 5th grade so she can start going to church Bible study and run track next spring!

Nicknames: Beans, Bina, Bina Baby 
How old are you? 10
What is your favorite color? Teal 
What is your favorite animal? Dogs and Bunnies 
What is your favorite book? Babysitters Club 
What is your favorite TV show?  Bringing up Bates
What is your favorite movie? Sonic 2
What is your favorite song? Anything Rend Collective
What is your favorite food? Mac and Cheese
What is your favorite drink? Rootbeer
What is your favorite breakfast food? Cereal
What is your favorite snack? pretzels
What is your favorite outfit? dresses  
What is your favorite game? Kirby
What is your favorite toy? American Girl Dolls
Who is your best friend? Ella Grey, Brooke, Esther, Natalee
What is your favorite thing to do? Ride my scooter 
What is your favorite thing to do outside?  Ride my scooter
What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
What do you like to take to bed with you? Poodle  
Where is your favorite place to go? Chik Fil a
What is your favorite restaurant? Benihana  

Favorite Subject? Science or Health 

Least Favorite Subject? I don't really have one
Where do you want to go on vacation? Maui 

What do you want to be when you grow up? Hair Stylist 

 

LB's School Year!

Miss LB finished up her school year too! This year was a huge stretch for her, as we kind of knew it would be and she did so good!  She learned so many new things and really solidified a lot of concepts.  We were so borderline trying to decide if we should move her into 3rd grade or repeat 2nd grade this coming year as she is a summer baby. We ultimately decided that we think another year in 2nd will really help propel her forward into the later elementary grades and I have full confidence that she is going to rock 2nd grade this coming year!  Good job LB!

Nicknames: LB 
How old are you? 7
What is your favorite color? Orange 
What is your favorite animal? Horses 
What is your favorite book? Horse books 
What is your favorite TV show?  Bluey 
What is your favorite movie? Toy Story
What is your favorite song? My Girl
What is your favorite food? Spaghetti
What is your favorite drink? Strawberry Lemonade
What is your favorite breakfast food? Eggs, toast, and bacon
What is your favorite snack? Carrots
What is your favorite outfit? A dress  
What is your favorite game? Slapsy
What is your favorite toy? My Kitchen
Who is your best friend? Selah
What is your favorite thing to do? Play with my kitchen 
What is your favorite thing to do outside?  Swing 
What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
What do you like to take to bed with you? My Big Pink Blanket  
Where is your favorite place to go? The Park
What is your favorite restaurant? Chik Fil A  

Favorite Subject? Health 

Least Favorite Subject? Math
Where do you want to go on vacation? Disneyland 

What do you want to be when you grow up? A Doctor 

 

Eli's 5th Grade Year

We have made it to the end of the school year!  Whew, this has felt like a long year between really hitting it hard before the baby was born, then a long break and then pushing really hard from January until now to get it done!  I am always thankful and relieved when we make it to the end of the year and realize how far we've come!  Eli was the first one done this year and he had a pretty great 5th grade year. He would still rather be doing pretty much anything over school, but he puts in the work when he needs to and is very smart! We will do a little celebration for him soon as he "graduates" elementary school and moves on to middle school! I can't believe I now have 2 middle schoolers. I worked with middle schoolers for years and years at church and it is just hard to believe I have kids in that age group now!  

Nicknames: Eli and E
How old are you? 11
What is your favorite color? Blue 
What is your favorite animal? You're still asking these questions? Um, a dog maybe 
What is your favorite book? Big Nate books 
What is your favorite TV show?  All That or Draining the Ocean 
What is your favorite movie? Star Wars, doesn't matter which one
What is your favorite song? The Wellerman
What is your favorite food? Grilled Chicken
What is your favorite drink? Water or Strawberry Hi-C
What is your favorite breakfast food? French Toast
What is your favorite snack? Pretzels
What is your favorite outfit? Sweatpants and a t shirt  
What is your favorite game? Clash of Clans
What is your favorite toy? Meaples 
Who is your best friend? Malachi or Sammy
What is your favorite thing to do? Play with meaples and legos, I'm building a kingdom right now 
What is your favorite thing to do outside?  Play Soccer  
What is your favorite holiday? My Birthday
What do you like to take to bed with you? The Tiredness I want every night  
Where is your favorite place to go? Bowling 
What is your favorite restaurant? Five Guys 

Favorite Subject? Math 

Least Favorite Subject? Language
Where do you want to go on vacation? Hawaii 

What do you want to be when you grow up? A Construction Worker 

 

Leeland 6 Months

6 Months have passed way too fast, that is all I am going to say about that! But we have loved having Leeland join our family and he feels perfect in every way to us!  

Leeland now weighs about 17 lbs.  Putting him around the 40% for height and weight.  He is fascinating us with all his new tricks and we couldn't believe how early he started crawling. He also sits up now! So he loves to explore. He is trying more and more new foods. We've started adding some baby led weaning foods (toast, steamed apples, eggs) into his routine of purees. He really likes the real food!  He still eats around the clock which is a bit of a bummer because we are TIRED parents.  We cannot figure out how to get this boy out of the sleep rut but we keep trying!  I am not a huge fan of crying it out and even the few times we have tried to, he never relents so it doesn't really work anyway.  He's strong willed like the rest of us in this house! 

All that to say he has a very sweet personality, loves his siblings and is generally happy and loves to explore. He really only gets upset when he is hungry or tired so he's pretty easy going. He is already getting quite clingy to mama which feels really early. Honestly everything he's doing feels really early! We love him so much and are enjoying him so much! He's as sweet as sugar! 

 

Sabrina's 10th Birthday

They all continue to grow too fast!  It is unbelievable to me that my precious little happy baby Sabrina is growing into this incredible young lady right before my eyes!  I adored her as a baby and I adore her as a big kid too! 

Her 10th Birthday was a VERY big deal to her and it is to me too, double digits!  She wanted to go someplace nice and new for her birthday lunch!

They were both mesmerized!

Then off to one of her favorite places to play games. This girl is pretty dang good at getting stuffed animals, balls, candy out of these machines!

Then we had a little party to celebrate our ballerina! 

All she really wanted for her birthday was an electric scooter and she was thrilled when she opened it!

Happy Birthday Sweet Sabrina! It has been a joy and privilege to watch you grow up over these last 10 years. You are growing into quite an amazing young lady. It is so fun to talk to you and spend time with you as you get older. I love how you talk a mile a minute. I love that you are silly and fun. I love seeing you grow into all God wants you to be. You are smart and tenderhearted. You love animals. You are up to try any new experience and have so many hopes and dreams for your future.  I can't wait to see all the amazing things you will do in your life! 

 

When I First Saw You

This is my first Mother's Day as a mother to 6.  Wow, I have 6 little ones who call me Mom, what an honor. I know I take this privilege for granted at times but I am truly so thankful and so blessed to be a Mom.  It is the most ordinary, extraordinary thing title I will carry in this life! 

Malachi, the first time I laid eyes on you, my heart was beating a thousand beats per minute. I had been picturing this moment for months upon months. We flew half a world away, waited what felt like forever for the van to arrive to go and get you.  I will never forget when they called us to go into the baby house, walked up those stairs and saw you for the very first time!  You were facing away from me and all I could see what this chunky little boy with a head full of hair sticking straight up, sitting in a bumbo.  I didn't even think, instantly I just knew I needed you in my arms!  You didn't cry, you just stared and took us in!  It felt like time stood still!  You were a dream come true and finally in my arms! I couldn't wait to get to know you! 

Eli, the night you were born was something!  The second I saw you I was scared for you. I will never forget the look in your Dad's eyes when I told him my water just broke. The scared drive to the hospital because I really had to do this!  The fairly smooth labor, it honestly felt too easy for a first labor!  Seeing you born, you were so tiny and you were fighting to breathe. It was the scariest moment of my life and I couldn't believe you had to leave me in an ambulance. I cried and cried in that empty hospital room after you left.  I will never forget walking into the NICU the next day and seeing the cords and wires keeping you alive.  I wasn't prepared but we both stayed strong and you were finally put in my arms, right where you belonged! It was exactly what we both needed! I never wanted to put you down!

My Sabrina Fair, the day I held you was pure bliss! The perfect, redeeming moment I needed!  Your labor was a dream come true, quick and fairly easy.  Before I even knew it, you were in my arms and the world stood still again. You were the perfect little dream girl and I snuggled you for so long and just soaked in the time with you. There was no rush, no hustle and bustle, the room emptied and it was just you and I (and Daddy). I couldn't even believe I had a daughter! You were amazing and easy and precious and just everything we needed! 

Our precious LB, you were another whirlwind. I was a ball of nerves as we traveled to be there for your arrival. The wait for word on your induction. The call that we were to meet your birth  mom at the hospital.  We learned so much in that short time with her.  Going to lunch and giving her some time to rest. Arriving back to find we had just missed your arrival (you arrived much faster than they anticipated). I will never forget standing next to your birth mom as she introduced you to us! You weren't even that old, but that sacred moment where she handed you to me - wow! We went into a separate room and while the time was stressful your Dad and I soaked you in. You were so tiny and cute and just everything - our second daughter! 

Then our Ayla!  You my dear, we waited years for you to join the family and you took your sweet time arriving on the scene.  I had never experienced a labor like yours. It was a long day in the hospital and quite painful as we approached pushing time, but you finally decided to join us. I will never forget coming face to face with you - hearing we had another daughter and seeing your sweet face for the first time!  Another baby I got to soak in the moment with for as long as they'd let us. You gave us an earful about joining the party but I just marveled at your perfect little cheeks and how alert you were!  You seemed perfect in every way! 

And then our Baby Leeland. You just continue to surprise us in every way.  Your arrival was full of twists and turns. I will never forget waking up to labor pains, a very painful drive to a different hospital than we were planning, with different doctors and contraction after contraction. You were in a hurry and not waiting for anything. It was the most intense thing I have ever experienced and I was just full of relief as I reached for you and brought you to into my arms. I was the first one to notice we had another precious boy after 10 years! I am so glad we had that hour of snuggles because things went downhill from there in a blur of hard days! I couldn't even really process that you would also be leaving me in an ambulance. There is still a mix of emotions surrounding your birth but I am just so thankful you are okay and the perfect little addition! 

 

What a blessed Mama I am to have these sweet babies. The journey's were all so different but the feelings of meeting each of them was the same!  They were mine and so loved. I owe Mother's Day to them, they made my dreams come true by just existing! 

Easter

 Easter was a blur, sandwiched in the day between 2 birthday's in our house. So we knew this was going to be an incredibly busy, but fun weekend! The morning started early with the kids hunting for their baskets!

Then we headed outside for the kids to hunt eggs. This was a tradition that Peter's parents started and they just so happened to be in town for the holiday so they were able to do the work of the big egg hunt! 

This year was Ayla's year as she really got the hang of the egg hunt! 

Little man was full on observing so he will be ready to hunt next year! 

Ayla is always thinking

After the egg hunt we hung out and had lunch with Peter's parents before heading over to my Grandma's house for what has been a tradition my entire childhood and now passed down with my kids.  The big kids often hide the eggs for the younger kids, who in this case were LB and Ayla! 

It was a great day and we had way more dessert than we could ever need, especially with all the birthday fun too!  We jumped straight from an exhausting Easter into birthday gear for the next big birthday in the house!