What we've been up to lately

We had a sick family for a while.

Evan and Lexi got sick first, then Preston and I were sick too. Then Preston, Lexi and I started to get better but Little Man kept getting worse and worse. 

Finally we decided he had more than a common cold and took him to get antibiotics.

Then, wouldn't you know it? As soon as Evan started to feel better, Kara started to throw up and have diarrhea.

Thankfully everyone is better now, but whew! It's been an exhausting few weeks!

Sick, sick, sick little guy.

This is pretty much all he wanted to do.

 But after 24 hours on antibiotics, he was acting much more like himself.

(He eyes even started to sparkle again once he felt better.)

It's amazing that your heart can expand three times over.

Just a random picture of a cute little fella.

Oh my, look who sits up now.

He can't stay sitting up for long.

He gets tipsy easily, but he can do it.

Lexi went with me on a mom & daughter date and look what was right inside the front door!

BIG BabyBears!

My husband did this to my son.

He was so cute, I had to take his picture.

He didn't know what to think about the bananas at first.

But, well, like all food, he couldn't resist.

Yummm.

I realized Lexi (A.K.A. The Middle Child) has far less pictures by herself than the other two, so I've been trying to catch her just going about her normal day without someone else around.

Last week in school we were learning about penguins.

It just happen to snow in Texas on the day that we learned about Icebergs and Antarctica.

Sometimes brother does school too.

I took this picture to show that Evan's head is shaped exactly like Preston's with that bump-out and flat spot on the back.

I've been looking at next years curriculum and trying to decide what to do about 1st grade math.

I'm not sure that the math MFW suggests will challenge her enough, but I'm certain that the 2nd grade math will be too much.

I gave her a placement test just to see where she's at.

On a FIRST grade placement test she got 20/40 correct.

Here's an example of the math she did today.

~

 I've been noticing that Lexi Lynn seems to be taking after her namesake.

She's much more artistic and detailed than Kara was at this age.

Here's some comparisons of Kara's pictures near her 4th birthday and Lexi's pictures from the last few weeks.

The first three are Kara's 

(It's a family portrait. The picture is upside down and I don't know how to flip it.)

These are Lexi's.

(She asked me to draw Aslan. She drew the rest.)

A mommy space ship.

A bug.

It says 'white bear' in case you can't read that.

 Mom and Lexi and I can't remember what she said that is on the right.

Also, for a long time Lexi was writing her name backwards and mirror-imaged.

We've been working on it every day since Christmas, and if she notice in this picture, she's doing it correctly now!

For comparison's sake, Kara might not have been as detailed and artistic, but she could plainly write all her letters and spell several words, whereas Lexi can only write mom, dad, and Lexi and a lot of her letters don't look correct. 

I predict that Kara's going to be our Science/Math child while Lexi's going to be our Artistic/Musical child.

She notices little details like eyelashes, ear rings and forehead wrinkles that Kara didn't at this age.

Fortunately for us, Kara's first grade curriculum comes with some "teach your child to draw" type books, so it can be a benefit to both of them.

Sweet, sweet Kara

Kara:  "Mom, I think the devil is in my heart." (Because she didn't finish her dinner.)

Rachel:  "Well, you can't have both Jesus and the devil in your heart. Just like your verse, 'No man can serve two masters' you have to choose if you want the devil or Jesus."

Kara:  "Well, then I choose Jesus in my heart!"

 ♥

 

~

 

In other news, it appears that I have maxed out the number of pictures that are allowed on one blog. (I know, you're shocked! Say it aint so!)  I can either pay per month for more storage room or set up a whole new blog. So, once I get around to setting up a new blog and whatnot, I'll let you know.





Just kidding. I'll tell you now.
You can find the new blog here:
http://allthingshoffman.blogspot.com/

Family Pictures and Other Adorableness

 

A friend gave us these hand-me-down boots right at the same time that Kara hit that size..... except it was summer so she outgrew them before she could ever wear them. 

 Lexi was SO EXCITED when I pulled them out.

She loves to wear them.

 

 

 

Kara said, "Look, I made Jack and the Beanstalk!"

 

 

I Love That Sweet Face!

(See? Lexi does school too.  See how she draws lines between all the numbers and colors the pictures?)

 

 

"Mama, take a picture of me laying on this pillow."

 

 

She likes to dress up!

 

 

Kara said, "Take a picture of us!"

 Then after I took the picture she looked at it and said, "Oh, daddy's gonna love it!"

 

 

We decided to have a picnic at the park.

There was only one other little boy there and he kept asking the girls to play "Robin" (as in, I'll be Batman, you be Robin.) Except my girls had just watched Robin Hood that morning so they thought they were playing Robin Hood. It was hilarious to watch the three of them playing 2 different games. 

Anyway, the little boy was using this as his bat-mobile.

 

We found this neato bridge at the park.

 

 

I love that look of pure excitement on their faces.

 

 

 

She's watching a fly buzz around and land on her.

 

Hello! The Library!!

With as much as our girls love to read I can't believe we didn't think of this sooner.

This picture is from the first day we went to the library. They were ssooo excited they couldn't settle down enough to take a nap. When I was reading to them later that day Lexi was having a very hard time keeping her eyes open. She kept slowing leaning over until she was eventually laying down.  

Kara was teaching Lexi to read. 
"Lexi, see c-a-t. Can you say, CA?  Can you say AT?  Can you say CAT?" 

My helpers folding the laundry. 

Our girls love to draw.

Kara drew a dragon.

Lexi drew BabyBear.

 

Best Friends!

Look at Kara's schoolwork.
Isn't it cute?!

Reading with Daddy is so much fun.

Lexi came up with this all on her own.
She was saying, "I doctor." And then she would hold the bottom of the belt to our hearts and say, "Bump, bump, bump."
Or she would hold it to our rear-ends and say, "Toot!"
Isn't that funny?!

She tucked BabyBear in and said, "Doctor take dis baby out of my tummy."

While Lexi was playing doctor, Kara was playing "Van-Car." She was making them buckle up and drive back and forth from the table to the couch.

We put bread outside for the birds.
 Then we watched, waited and giggled every time a bird came.

Precious moments in my world.

Kara thoroughly enjoys being Lexi's teacher.
And Lexi thoroughly enjoys all the attention.

Daddy makes the best snuggle-buddy.

On a quest to get our family eating healthy.
(Don't worry. I asked Preston's permission to sneak these into food. He said yes as long as there are no big chunks and it doesn't change the flavor.  We'll see how well this works out.)

Pictures from today.
11/18/12

(BabyBear needed a picture too.)

Practice shot before we took the real ones.
(That's our "Thankful Tree" on the wall. More about that after Thanksgiving.)
(That's also our Halloween pumpkin.  We were going to carve it but decided to save it for a Thanksgiving pie.)

I couldn't decide which I like best so you get to enjoy them all.
You'll know which one I finally decide is my favorite because one of these will probably become our Christmas card picture.

My husband loves me and humors me when I tell him we "need" a family picture.
I love that guy!