Mr. Puzzles

When I begin my homeschooling day I work from youngest to oldest.  So I start with Charlie and after his core subjects are done, I read religion, Literature,  and science to him and Tucker together.  By the way, I'm reading through Kindergarten Gems.  Then Charlie wanders off to find something to entertain himself with.  He doesn't like to go up to the playroom by himself so he usually quietly works puzzles while I finish up with Tucker.  He is so quiet- I almost wouldn't know he was there. 

The bottom-right shelves have his puzzles and books. 

Sometimes he doesn't use the back to make it "a really harwd chawwenge."  :)

And sweet brother doesn't mind being last.  He  is almost always working quietly in the dining room.  

We are trying to get in a couple last days of swimming before summer if officially over.  Thank you Lord for these sweet, silly little boys.  

Sunday pics and Marc's story about Tucker

I know I am not objective at all, but I think Marc is just the sweetest and most earnest boy.  He works so hard and always tries to do the right thing.  We went to Chuck E Cheese with friends on Friday, and Marc helped the children count the tickets and figure out what prizes they could get.  It was a big job that took diplomacy skills.  :)  The cashier came and said, "This boy is amazing, Mom.  I can't get over how responsible and kind he is with these little children.  I was so impressed- I can't get over how mature he is."

He is working through the second half of Writing With Skill as his writing program this fall, and I love it.  We've done all of Susan Wise Bauer's writing and grammar programs and highly recommend them.  I was grading some of his work today and found one from earlier that I had overlooked.  It was in the biography section of his binder- there was a biography of Dickens, Shakespeare, and this one on Tucker.  Talk about bringing a tear to my eye.  (typed out below)

     My little brother is named Tucker.  He has curly hair, a roundish face with a dimple, and a smile.  His mood is almost always happy, but sometimes he has trouble with his temper.  He has an extremely good self-taught knowledge of flags, countries, U.S.A. states, and space.  He has lots of energy, and has a hard time sitting still.  He has a very long attention span, and will play with something another kid would have abandoned a long time before.

     Tucker loves to make crafts, and our floors are covered in them.  He makes state and country flags, U.S.A. maps, and solar systems.  He would never stop unless he had to. 

     Tucker loves to play outside.  He can climb very well.  He climbs higher than the rest of us in our fig tree.  He likes to jump on the trampoline.  He is willing to have himself launched by me.  He is very brave. 

     Whenever people are around Tucker, he tends to make them happy.  He is not mean, and is not shy.  In fact, he will not wait to be introduced, but does it himself!  He makes friends with most people he meets.  He is a good brother. 

Marky, that was so precious- you melted Mommy's heart.  Tuckerman, you are so blessed to have siblings who adore you.   *Editors note:  After posting this I mentioned it to Marc Jr and he said, "I don't remember writing that- oh- that must of been that thing I wrote last year."  Apparently he wrote this in 6th grade at age 11.  Still sweet. 


You had a good day today.  You asked to do your work out on the porch- just the two of us.  It was my treat!  Everyone knows the porch is my happy place. 

You are looking more like your Daddy every day.  :)

And Daddy apparently took this pic as he was leaving this morning.  I had no idea.  It might be the only picture of me teaching we have. 

This and that- Tucker style

I don't know why I have more pictures of Tucker this week- that's just how it turned out when I looked back on my phone this morning.  Mr. T is doing so well at school this year- it's night and day from last year.  He's always been bright and interested in learning- but he's never been interested in sitting still.  :)  This year he's much calmer and focused. 

Now when we went to Children's Holy Hour on Wedensday I still lost him and found him in a tree- so he's definitely still Tuck Tuck-

The art is always coming.  Yesterday he asked me to decode this note-

When I protested that I was not familiar with signal flags, he gave me his book and then I discovered he had written, "I love Alabama."

This morning he woke everyone up saying, "Behold my masterpiece!  The solar system!"

 Daddy went to a men's conference on Saturday morning so BB came up and we had lunch and a movie with the children.  Tucker was thrilled to have someone play his space memory match game with.  The pictures were of remote moons of planets- we kept saying, "what is this one Tucker" (because there were no labels) and he would say, "oh that's Calisto, Oh yay-we found Mimas!"

Tucker won- he stacked them up to see.  :)

Last night we went to our favorite hibachi grill and it was closed forever!  We drove until we found a new one and we liked it just as well. 

We all thought Charlie's fortune cookie was spot on.  :)

By the way, we started the book King of the Golden City at night for First Communion prep for Tucker.  I just love it.  It's an allegory and so beautiful. 

Also- on Friday night movie nights we've been moving through these old Kurt Russell Disney movies.  They are campy and cute, and we have enjoyed them!

Take me out to the ballgame...

On Saturday we finally took our children to a baseball game.  We've lived here 12 years and never gone to a baseball game- that's crazy!  Our church held "altar server appreciation night" so Marc got a free ticket and meal.  First- lunch at Johnny Rockets.  :)

During the inning change, Marky held Charlie up by the fence and the pitcher put the ball in Charlie's little hand! 

Tucker loved sitting with his buddies-

 This game also happened to be their fireworkpalooza game with the biggest fireworks show of the season. 

P.S. Zaza sent the children fun back-to-school socks. 

And we started piano lessons for the year- and Mr. T is taking!  When he walked out his teacher said, "wow- he has a lot of energy!"  (I always laugh when teachers meet Tuck when they've only had M and J.  They think they know what our children are like and then surprise!)   I asked Marc what he had been doing to make her say that- she said he was singing the words on the page as he played.  "I'm a little mouse and I dance upon the keys....."  :)  We love our little elf!

Charlie at five

I realized I never wrote a birthday post for Charlie.  This blog is as close as I have to a baby book so I want to keep records.  :)

Charliebear, at age five you are nothing but a delight to this family. 

You are such a sweet, sweet boy.  You are gentle and kind and super cuddly.  You love everybody and everything- you are almost always in a good mood.  You're very calm.  You always want to help- you love to go grocery shopping with me and you love to cook dinner. 

Teaching you to read was easy as pie.  Teaching you anything is easy- you are a very bright boy and want to obey.   I want to put down all the things you know at five, but it's just too much.  Basically you know everything that Tucker knows!  He works with you to make sure you know your geography, space knowledge, states, capitols, countries, flags, chess, animal facts, skip counting.  You love to watch him do his math lessons.   I'm not technically doing history with you this year, but you always answer the questions I'm asking the others because you are quietly absorbing everything around you.   And you are wise beyond your age- you can understand abstract ideas.

You go with the flow and don't mind going second or having second choice.  You have a great sense  of direction.  You have a good memory- you say, "Wemember, Mommy?"  You and Tucker are best friends and are together almost 24/7. You absolutely adore him!

Even though you are so gentle and mild, you still are all boy.  You love sports of all kinds, you love wrestling,  you love lego, and you love superheroes!    You attack Marky all the time.  He will just be sitting and then out of nowhere here comes the Charliebull to tackle him!   Also, you are prone to wander off.  Your science teacher lost you one day; your vacation Bible school teacher lost you one day.  You will just wander off quiet as a mouse.  We have to keep our eyes on you!

Everyone in our family adores you.  Marc and Julia are always smiling at your little baby voice.  Your voice is about the cutest thing ever.  It melts my heart.  You have the sweetest smiling eyes.  When you are laughing I can't see your eyes at all!

You are the shyest of all of us, and if you are wearing a costume and we mention it you immediately take if off.  If you are singing and I mention it you stop.  You blush when people talk to you.   We love your two big dimples.  We just love you to pieces- thank you, Lord, for this angel baby!  Happy Birthday sweet boy!