First Day of Kindergarten, Second and Fourth Grade

Today, we began our new school year.

Three boys all school aged, it should prove to be a fun and interesting year.

Matthew - Kindergarten

Micah - Second Grade

Bryce - Fourth Grade

All the boys working on their copy work. It is fun to see how their writing changes through the year and over the years. 

At the end of our day, I asked each boy to pick out the book they would be most upset about not being able to complete this year. (I tried asking what they were excited for and received the answer of free time:)

Matthew picked his math book because now he is doing math like his big brothers.

Micah picked Beast Academy because it is fun math and the book is a comic book.

Bryce picked Creative Writer because for him the entire day should be about creative writing.

I am excited to see how the boys grow through their school work this year. 

Crystal Cave

To end our summer break, we spent the day at Crystal Cave.

The formations in the cave were amazing to look at. We enjoyed watching a few bats fly around the cave, although it is early for bats to begin their hibernation. A few have figured out the cave is a good place to sleep in cool air while it is warm outside. 

After the cave tour, the kids panned for gems. The loved finding the different gems and figuring out what they were. Then spent most of the afternoon looking at a playing with their new found gems.  

Summer has come to a close.
Next week, we start our new school year.

Landscape Drawing at St. Croix Bluffs

Art = a subject that brings great joy

Hiking = A chance to observe God's wonderful creation

We went hiking at St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park and observed God's wonderful creation. The kids had a fun time drawing landscapes with oil pastels.

First we drew up on the bluff. 

Then we headed down to the beach. Bryce found a great perch to draw on the beach.

Opening Ceremonies

The Olympics provide great learning and fun for kids of all ages. To kick off the Olympics the kids carried the torch around the track and participated in various track and field events. 

Carrying the torch with Pride.

Standing Long Jump

Running Long Jump

40m dash

Water Balloon Hurdles

 Water Balloon target practice.

Cabin Weekend

Relaxing, what summer is all about. 

We spent the weekend at the cabin with Grandma and Grandpa. On Friday, the boys spent the day building sand castles all over the the fire pit ring and the camera never came out. The rest of the weekend Bryce and Micah spent as much as they could playing foosball.

Matthew's activity of choice was playing Battle Ship.

Matthew also helped Grandpa assemble his new grill. 

Reading the directions to Grandpa.

Here is the part you asked for Grandpa.

"Grandpa, we can't skip the step. I think this goes here," says Matthew.

Working to get the screw tight.

The boys went swimming and Micah picked up a slug. Grandpa took it off and put the slug on a fishing hook as bait. Matthew held the pole and the bobber went under. With Grandpa's help he pulled up a Large Mouth Bass. 

On Sunday, Grandpa wanted to cut down a tree before it fell on the garage. Yet, it needed to be pulled away from the garage. So boys on the job to pull the tree over so Grandpa could safely cut it down.

Matthew Scott is 5 Years Old

Yesterday, May 8, Matthew celebrated his 5th Birthday.  

Happy Birthday Big Boy!

Matthew's birthday dinner request was pancakes and bacon with a Lightening McQueen cake. Thankfully cupcakes were acceptable. 

Deciding he needs to hide from the camera.

Now, he can get down to business of eating his cupcake.

Wordless Wednesday

Cooking Breakfast Over the Fire

Saturday morning was a beautiful time to sit around the fire. Derek decided we would enjoy breakfast outside. He cooked the bacon and mixed up the bannock. The boys found sticks and were ready to cook their bannock. 

After much patience and fighting of smoke, the bannock was done. While it cooled the boys enjoyed a few pieces of bacon, then devoured their bannock.

It was fun to watch the boys learning how to cook over a fire, a favorite past time of their Dad.

Magic Tree House: Passport to Adventure Tour

Micah and Matthew both love to read the Magic Tree House Books. They are great books to get kids reading chapter books and to learn about many different places of the world and different times in history.

Time for a Magic Tree House Adventure!

The boys are ready to go. In amazement at the huge bus. Especially that Jack is riding the Pteranodon from the book Dinosaur Before Dark, which he had started reading in the morning. 

Enthralled! Matthew sat, watched and laughed as Jack and Annie sang and shared. Micah was actively engaged in all that he could. Clapping and yelling. Both boys are becoming Magic Tree House Reading Ambassadors.

New Reading Ambassadors meeting Jack and Annie. All the books we had with us are stamped by Jack and Annie. Matthew is now more excited, if that is possible, to read all the Magic Tree House books. Micah is ready to see if he can find any that he hasn't read.

Matthew

Matthew has been making huge strides in school. He loves to find out what he will be doing each and everyday.  Typically, he reads to me, I read a chapter or two to him. Then, we work on his writing or math. Soon, he will start to join Bryce and Micah for science/geography as we start to explore South America. Matthew is an eager learner and loves to be able to read books. 

Matthew reading to Daddy in the afternoon.

Matthew retold me the story of Corduroy after reading it to me. He copied the first sentence and drew the picture. I wrote the remaining sentences of his retelling.

First Day of Our School Year

On August 15,2011 we started our new school year. Although, we do some school year round I try to make a point of doing something different on the first day of a new year. Now, the boys are "officially" in their new grades.  It is also a time for us to get back into a full day of school, as during the summer we typically drop down to one or two subjects a day to allow us more time to be outside.

This year, we ate lunch outside and took pictures after doing our work.  The boys have also asked for a weekly assignment sheet, so they know what is expected of them each day. This will take some more organization on my part but if it cuts down on the arguements about what needs to be done each day it will be worth it.

Bryce our new third grader.

Micah our new first grader.

Matthew our new Preschooler.

Fred and Ted Go Camping

Who needs to eat when there is a new Fred and Ted book to read?

Not Matthew!  On Sunday morning, as we were packing to go to Hidden Bluffs, Matthew found this book on the kitchen table waiting to be packed. He stopped eating breakfast to read the book. Micah and Bryce were anxious to read it to.  As soon as Matthew was done reading and they were done eating they stood at the kitchen table to read the book.

All three boys read this book through out our week of vacation. Matthew picked different people to read it to all week, some days more than one person.

At the table or on the table, Matthew was happy to read his Fred and Ted books.

Fixing the "Big" Lawn Mower

Full of concentration, Matthew helped Daddy fix the "Big" Lawn Mower.

Matthew on the News

Last week, Matthew was on KARE 11 Extras. They did a follow up story on his Eosinophilic Colitis.  The piece was really fun and did an excellent job capturing Matthew's personality and the struggles we have as a family due to his condition.

Banana Muffins

From 2010-09-17 Matthew Muffins

Matthew enjoyed eating Banan Muffins for lunch today. I am so thankful for Kids With Food Allergies. The recipes available at this site, through membership, have been indispensible as Matthew trials foods and finding new ways to make the foods that he does have.  Today, I took a recipe for sweet potato muffins and pretty much changed everything to make the banana muffins, but I was only able to do this because I had some idea of how much flours vs 'wet' ingredients to add.


Over this last week, I have come to realize that having a child with food allergies is both a privledge and challenge.  I have known the challenge part for some time but the privledge well that is new to me. This week Matthew has started going to Awana, where gets a snack, and Homeschool Co-op, also with snack time. Wow has this been hard. I am so protective of who serves Matthew and what he gets. He only has 10 ingredients in his diet that we know are safe. So protective I guess comes with the territory.  God has used Matthew this week to stretch me.  I have to trust his teachers, I have to trust Matthew and most of all I have to trust God. God will watch over his child that he has given me the privledge to raise.  As Matthew grows, he needs to be able to experience groups and being with peers just like his brothers. I see that God is going to use Matthew to continue to teach me to trust others and to trust him in ways that I currently think are impossible.  For our God is good and gives us good things. I know Matthew will learn to manage his allergies just as we have. He will learn to caustiously trail new foods and when to question the foods being offered. The challenge for me will to be allow him to grow in his independance, by providing safe places for him to do so. He can be and will be a boy who participates fully in life despite his food challenges!

Now for the recipe - so I remember and for any one else who wants to try Matthew's Banana Muffins
1 mashed banana ~1/2 cup
3 Tablespoons Sunflower Oil
1/4 cup Brown Rice Flour
1/4 cup Potato Starch
1-2 Tablespoons Sugar - depending on taste
2 teaspoons - Corn Free Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract - I used vanilla powder.

Mix the banana and oil well. Add dry ingredients, mix well. Make sure the oven is to tempurature. Once the baking powder is wet it starts to react and you want to get it into the oven as quickly as possible.

Fill 6-8 mini muffin cups 3/4 full.  I did not grease the pan and the muffins popped right out after cooling for a few minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Enjoy - I know Matthew did and I am sure he will again in the future.

First Day of School

On July 26, 2010  the boys started thier school year.

Bryce is now a second grader.

From 2010-07-26 First Day of the School Year

Micah is a Kindergartner.

From 2010-07-26 First Day of the School Year

Matthew is a Pre-schooler.

From 2010-07-26 First Day of the School Year

Our first day of school was all done outside. The boys thought it was great to be able to work at their own train table. The highlight of the day was Art. (Guess I need to make sure to do art more often.)  Matthew was so excited to use glue. The boys really enjoyed making picures out of construction paper and then having thier pictures taken. I loved how they were willing to work hard even with the distratiions of being outside.