Tot School...Am I becoming one of THOSE parents??

So, there are obviously many ups and many downs for my kids being able to have a stay at home parent. As Gavin is getting into the toddler years and soon, *weep* into the preschool age I am getting more and more concerned with his social and brain/skills development. He gets a lot of 1:1 time with me and our family which is great, but he also doesn't have as much of a structure that he might get from a pre pre k daycare or Montessori type school. Ryan and I are both firm and united on the fact that kids should be kids as long as possible. I do not want Gavin to grow up and faster than he already is, but at the same time I do not want him to get behind, or not even that but not live up to his full potential. This is why I have been working on his at home "Tot School" program thingy. 

I have been doing a ton of research on homeschool programs, Christian school programs, kindergarten requirements and pre school curriculums and have been having fun customizing it to meet our needs. I am in no way finished, still very much in the beginning stages of this but I figure it will satisfy my needs for a goal and organization and Gavin's yearn for learning in a way that is loosely structured but disguised as play and fun. 

I'm excited to share what I come up with! And most importantly if I actually feel like it is working :) More to come!

Three month update and family happenings...

These past few months have seemed to both drag and fly by. On one hand, it feels like Kjerstin has been here forever and on the other I cannot believe she is already three (now almost four) months old. She is still a really good baby, but man oh man has she been releasing her diva side. She is a Mama's Girl to the extreme. I am usually the only one that can get her to sleep, and I have to hold her a certain, way, on her right side, at a particular angle swaying a particular direction all while bouncing and patting her butt. It is a process. Seriously. Princess. 

She is happy 99% of the time, but that 1% is insanity. She goes from 0-100 with absolutely no warning.

I've been super busy, I "designed" the t-shirts for our Vacation Bible School this year, and then I am helping out with our library's summer reading program (which starts next week). We are planning a trip over to the Seattle area as well which I am REALLY looking forward to. I enjoy living in the country (mostly) but I am itching to get back in the city for a bit.

There has been some kind of illness floating around town and unfortunately we got it. It started with me, and I just had a terrible headache and fatigue. I thought it was just a migraine until Ryan got sick with a headache and sinus like pressure and then I noticed Gavin wasn't feeling well yesterday and today he was really under the weather (he sat still for six hrs. that has never happened, ever). He was running a low grade fever this evening and it just breaks my heart when they get sick :( Poor guy!

Gavin and Odin...my my how he has grown!

Don't even look at me, I'm hideous!

Father's Day 2014