Homeschooling 2009-2010

I know at least one of my friends used my links for the Homeschool Intent Forms to print hers last year. So, in the interest of public service, I'd like to link the Homeschool Intent Forms for 2009-2010. I'm about to print mine and I will officially be the homeschooling mother of TWO this coming school year!!!

Intent to Homeschool - part A
Home School Waiver Form - part B

You have to print both. Even though we don't have to do so, Brad will hand-deliver these because it's only about half a block from his office and I don't want them lost in the mail!

Movies in the Park

A few weeks ago I took Elizabeth and Katherine to see The Princess Bride at Movies in the Park.  I didn't really talk it up with them, just told them we were going and what we were going to see.  Brad stayed home with Harrison (who goes to bed at 7:00-7:30) and Annie (who didn't have a nap today and so needed to go to bed early).

Well, they loved it.  They've never seen The Princess Bride before.  Since they've never seen it and they're still young, when Westley would say "As you wish" to Buttercup, I'd say "Remember that. It's important!" Periodically I'd ask, "What did the Farmboy say to Buttercup?"  So that when Buttercup pushes the Dread Pirate Roberts down the hill and he says "aaaaas yooooooou wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiish!" Nin whirled around and squealed, "It's the FARMBOY!!!!"  They loved the movie, hated the Fire Swamp part, but otherwise loved the movie.  They cheered when Inigo Montoya finally meets the man with six fingers.  They cheered at the end when Westley and Buttercup kissed.

Katherine wants the DVD now and also told me, "Mommy, you are the best mommy ever for taking us to see that movie!"  {sniff} I'll take it!!!

They had so much fun sitting on the blanket, watching a movie outside.  We can't wait - and are already counting the weeks - until Curious George comes to Movies in the Park!

Harrison's room decor

Several months ago, I won a drawing on The Daily Digi. I had to do a layout about a name - I did a layout about Harrison's name. So, what'd I win? Handpainted letters by Sally Molhoek. Check these out!! They are BEAUTIFUL!

Now...in case you don't remember Harrison's bedding - here are a couple of pictures of it:

This is the crib comforter, it's trimmed in a brown polka-dot fabric (you can see it below in the valance).
















This is a picture of the valance - the dust ruffle for the crib looks just like this, too and the sheet for the crib is the brown polka-dot fabric.

Now...the letters again:

Um, yeah - she PAINTED those. When I first saw her work I thought she somehow managed to get the fabric that matches the nursery and she put the fabric on the letters. No. That's PAINT. It looks JUST LIKE his bedding, doesn't it?! Total awesomeness!

If you want Sally's contact info and you want to see her work, let me know and I'll send you her email address (you can email me via the "contact me" link in my profile).

One more thing about the kids' names

I just realized all of my kids have family names for both their first and middle names.  Elizabeth's didn't happen on purpose.

Elizabeth Jane - Two of my Grandpa Harrison's sisters were Faye Elizabeth and Haley Jane.  They also happen to be the two aunts who my mom spent the most time with when she was growing up.  (Mom finding that out also changed her opinion of Elizabeth's name...until that point, she did NOT like it...at all!)

Katherine Martin -  Daddy's aunt is Kate (we were going to call Nin "Kate") and you already know her middle name is my maiden name. 

Anne Lancaster - Daddy's mother is Anna and Bitsy's middle name is my maternal grandmother's maiden name.

Thomas Harrison - Brad, Brad's dad, my Papa Stone; and his middle name is my mom's maiden name.

A Five-Year-Old's Letter to Her Grandparents

Elizabeth is writing a thank you note to her Grammie and PawPaw for letting her spend the week with them a few weeks ago.  Katherine wanted to write a thank you note, too, for letting us spend Memorial Day weekend with them.  Here's Katherine's note:

Dear Grammie and PawPaw,

Thank you for letting us have some potato salad.  And thank you for all the fun things we did.  I like you. I love you so much. You’re the greatest and I like spending time with you.

Love, 

Katherine

I love the "thank you for letting us have some potato salad" bit - how funny is that?!  Apparently Nin loved Grammie's potato salad.  Who knew?!