Last Hurrah

Summer is fading here in Jackson. Today we walked outside wearing fleece and wishing we had mittens. I know there will be more warm days, but fall is definitely on its way. I thought I would post a few photos of one of our last summer hurrahs. I have been trying to fit in adventures and fun while summer lasts. We have enjoyed trips to the fountain park at Teton Village (the ski resort), where they also have an outdoor story hour at 5 PM on Tuesdays. I never remembered my camera, unfortunately. So fun. We've been loving our bike. We love the park and our backyard and our friends' backyards. :) It has been such a wonderful summer.

On Friday, we met my friend Jenn, her two daughters and her brave mom up in the national park. We rode our bikes along the bike path to Jenny Lake, where we hopped on the locals-free ferry across the lake. Then we hiked with all five girls about a mile to Hidden Falls - a very popular tourist trail. We picnicked, picked loads of yummy huckleberries and then took the boat back across. Sadie and Zoe conked out in the Chariots on the bike ride back to our cars. Then - to cap it off, we got ice cream on the way home! It was an epic, all-day, amazingly fun adventure. I was tired.

And- my hubby wanted to camp that night. So, when we arrived home, I threw together camp food, clothes, and a quick dinner, and Erik loaded the car with our gear. We ended up only camping for about 13 hours, as evening and morning were punctuated with lots of thunder and lighting and bursts of rain. Still - we managed another trip, and my ever optimistic husband was blessed! :)



Trinity and my girls - looking at the waterfall after their long, brave hike to the top.

Our whole crew. Can you tell both my girls have band-aids? We took a few tumbles on the rocky path.

Elisa searching for huckleberries. Yum! They were so good. Sorry, bears, if we ate your stash.

This isn't from that day, but I thought I'd stick another photo of the bike set-up with me hauling. Elisa does such a great job.

For the Love of Books

A few days ago, I was picking raspberries in a backyard garden belonging to my friend's mom. Hanging on her clothesline was a fabric clothespin bag bearing this C.S. Lewis quote.

"There has never been a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit my tastes."

Amen, Clive Staples. I love it!

For the love of books and tea, I am dearly excited that we are beginning our "Five in A Row" preschool curriculum this week. Crisp new picture books line the shelves in our school room, waiting to be opened - one a week -as we explore the world through literature.

Mondays - Social Studies.
Tuesdays - Art
Wednesdays - Language Arts and Bible
Fridays - Science and Math.
All based on fun, beautifully illustrated children's literature. Thursdays we are taking off for adventure and friends - so I guess we are really doing Four In A Row. :) It's a fabulous program, and I am really excited! We read the same book each day and then follow it with lessons and projects that are drawn from the story. If you want to check it out, visit fiveinarow.com. We will also be supplementing this simple curriculum with a basic Pre-K phonics lesson for Elisa. That curriculum is from Winter Promise, another home-school company with great, literature based lessons.



First day of school - impish little Sadie-girl

Elisa Joy

My precious tagalong

Why do we want to homeschool? Obviously, a love of books is a strong pull for me. I want my kids to love learning as they discover life in story form. I love the idea of teaching history through narrative, living books, rather than textbooks. There are, however, many more important reasons. :) I am a little bit tentative to share our thoughts because I don't want to sound as though I believe the path we are choosing is the only "right" one. We certainly know many godly families who have evaluated the same factors and made different choices about how to school their little ones. We think homeschooling is the clear path God is setting before us as a family - but we know He leads others differently. That said:

• We want our teaching - and our kids' learning - to be centered around Biblical truth. The truth that math exists because God created order and logic. That the world is full of scientific miracles because God is marvelously creative. That every question and situation throughout history highlights sin and fallen man's need for a Savior.
  
• We want to be the primary influences in our girls' hearts. We feel strongly that a big part of our role as parents is to protect the hearts of our children from ungodly influences. They don't need - as young children - to be in the world. Their little hearts and minds are still soft and impressionable, and we as their parents want to be the ones shaping their worldview and instilling Biblical values. And then, as they grow older, we pray the Holy Spirit will draw them into a saving faith.
  
• We believe God calls parents to be teachers. Deuteronomy 6 is clear that we need to be speaking to our children of the things of the Lord, day in and day out - when they rise up and when they lie down. Certainly we can do that even if our kids are in school during the day, but the time is more limited.
  
• We want our family relationships to be the most important relationships our kids have. We want our daughters to be best friends. While they absolutely have other social interaction and grow friendships outside of our home, sisters need to come first.

This week's book is "Storm in the Night." Elisa has the first few weeks memorized (the order we get to read the much-anticipated new books). I know there will be days when Raina's nap is short, and I am juggling a crying baby, an antsy toddler, and an impatient pre-schooler, but I feel so blessed to be able to do this with my girls. And we aren't even in kindergarten yet! :)


Developing my own love of books - I have been building a list of "must-reads." I am going to post it for two reasons. One -to suggest birthday gifts for my upcoming 30th birthday. :) Hee hee. Two - because I keep losing the handwritten list and I don't want to forget!

John MacArthur - A Simple Christianity (I already have this one)
Farley - Gospel-Powered Parenting
Joshua Harris - Dug Down Deep
Leslie Ludy - The Lost Art of True Beauty
Paul David Tripp - Instruments in the Redeemer's Hand (I can borrow this one)
Martha Peace - An Excellent Wife and A Faithful Parent
Dave Harvey - When Sinners Say I Do
Younts - Easy Talk
Clarkson - Educating the Whole-Hearted Child
Grubb - Rees Howells: Intercessor
Tedd Tripp - Instructing A Child's Heart

I know I am a little silly - but every time I read one book, I find a handful of others that sound interesting in that author's notes. So - I had to make and then narrow a list. :)

Maybe I need another bookshelf.

Elisa's First Report Card... and other Summertime Fun

It's cliche and redundant... but it's true. Time flies! And time with the third baby especially flies in comparison with the first and second. I can hardly believe my sweet little Raina is five months old. I want to hold tightly to this fistful of precious moments... but they are still passing me by. My Raina-girl weighs about 15 pounds. She rolls back and forth from tummy to back to tummy. She sits with help. She sleeps twelve hours at night and eats five times a day. She laughs - contagiously. She puts up with constant, in-her-face attention from two big sisters. And she brings us joy every moment of the day.

Many have asked me whether the transition to three has been easier or more difficult than the transition to two. Erik and I give different answers. :) I know that I rely on his help more than I did when it was just Elisa and Sadie. So, for him, the transition has been more hands-on, more intense. For me, in the day-to-day, it has been simpler. Instead of trying to entertain the older one while feeding the baby, I am settling squabbles from my rocking chair. Raina is a happy, schlepped along little munchkin. She just gets tucked in my arms and we follow the big kids through their routines. I am so thankful that my beautiful girl has also proven sweetly unflappable.

It is interesting how you adapt as a mother through the years. Hopefully that adaptation is growth and maturity and not backsliding. :) I remember being pregnant with Ellie and just thinking that I would know everything instinctually. I was so thrilled to be bearing life, and it all seemed natural and easy... until I brought her home and realized how many simple decisions you have to make daily, and how those small choices add up to a sort of backbone philosophy or method that becomes the new framework for every future choice. In many ways, each new child has been "easier," simply because that gentle framework and mission is already in place, and I find myself stressing far less over the unimportant details as I allow myself to simply love my little ones by God's grace.

We have been busy -- hosting family, enjoying the sunshine, swim class, camping trips, bike rides... It seems surreal that it is now August and I am starting to plan for fall. :) Trying to enjoy each blessed moment.


Elisa swimming. Isn't she big? Her "report card" from today, the last day, was filled with Es and Gs. (Excellent and Good) She is clear to move up to the next level - from Guppies to Polliwogs. Anyone know what a Polliwog is?

I was so proud of her. She learned so much!

A June tea party with a lot of frilly little ladies.

A group date to the shooting range. I shot only once. Not my cup of tea, or Becca's (on the right). But Dancy grew up in Texas and took shooting lessons. She even showed up the guys. :)

Camping up the Buffalo Fork.





With Nana at Jackson Lake

The Way We Roll

Enjoying our new bike set-up - four Wachobs on one bike, with Mama trailing behind. :) We can go anywhere!

Quinoa

This quick post is for Heather and Amy - who have both requested this recipe. It is my girls' favorite food, although it is really more of a conglomeration of yummy foods than an actual recipe. I don't measure anything! In case you don't know, quinoa is a tiny, high-protein grain that packs a lot of nutrition. Prepared with some simple additions, it is an awesome side dish for those grilled meat dinners we all love in the summer!

Sautee 1/2 of a diced onion in olive oil or butter.
Add about 2 c. of raw quinoa and quickly coat in oil before adding 3 cups of broth.
Add about 2-3 sliced medium carrots (or a handful of chopped baby ones) and a diced apple. Bring mixture to boil and then simmer for 10-15 minutes. I like to add a cup of white wine if I have it on hand, or a cup of apple juice. (You need about double the liquid) Add a generous handful of dried cranberries and continue cooking until water is absorbed. Sometimes I need to add more liquid because the quinoa isn't soft. It gets little tails when it is fully cooked. :)

And... serve and eat. Yummy!

Raina's First Camping Adventure.... and some Overdue Summer Sun!

June in Wyoming began rainy and cool. Scattered snowstorms meant we were still bundling up for walks and outside play... This week, God turned the face of the sun towards us and we have been enjoying warm, sunny days with temperatures up to the 80s. We are thankful for sprinklers to run in and backyard swings, a freezer full of popsicles and the promise of many hours outdoors. :)

We ventured out for a camping trip with our three daughters and brave grandparents last weekend... simple meals, warm clothes, a huge tent, and a bag of marshmallows to roast were all we needed for a day of fun with our family. We fueled ourselves with Hagen Daaz ice cream and drove about an hour up the Gros Ventre river where we set up camp in a perfect meadow. A few scattered showers passed through as we set up tents and prepared our dinner, but then the weather stilled and we enjoyed a quiet campfire and oodles of gooey s'mores. Raina was unflappable, although her shortened naps meant days of adjustment upon our return home. We had a lazy morning (it was Father's Day) and returned home mid-afternoon to welcome Aunt Belle.

My sweet sis stayed with us for a week - blessing the girls with tickles and laughter and attention. We enjoyed an outing to Jackson Lake to throw rocks and wander the shore, and several morning hikes up Cache Creek. Michelle got to see all the people on her "list" and still spend plenty of time with her nieces and boring big sister. :) Last night we celebrated with lobster tail and filet mignon, then sent her back on her way this morning.

Once again, this month, I have found myself forming thoughts and essays in my head that never get written. One of my favorites was "Messmaker, Messmaker, make me a mess!" We've had some doozies, including an exploding garbage bag full of chicken carcass, potato salad, burst tea bags, broken egg shells and splintered glass. :) I have also been thinking, praying and reading a lot as I continue to formulate my personal mission statements and philosophy for mothering. Maybe someday I'll write a more serious post about those things. :) In the meantime, enjoy a few photos of life with the Wachobs.

Riding Daddy

Aunt Belle

Sweet Raina



Sprinklers



Chalk Bodies

Angels



In the air!

Sadie's first roasted marshmallows!

Smile for Grandpa

I want s'more!

May in Wyoming...

One of Erik's favorite May activities is a weekend excursion to Yellowstone to see wildlife. Last year we took Elisa and Sadie and had a wonderful, warm weekend. We stayed in the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and had a fantastic two days of sunshine. Elisa's favorite memory was visiting Old Faithful and eating ice cream after the geyser had spewed. This year... I wasn't feeling up to two days of car travel with my precious two-month old peanut, especially since this year's forecast included snow, and the plan was to camp (yup, outdoors) with Erik's mom and dad. Instead, I packed a bag of warm clothes and gear for my brave oldest and sent her along with her daddy. They had a great weekend together... and, sure enough, Elisa remembered the ice cream and suggested a stop to "see the big geyser and eat an ice cream cone."

Sadie stayed home for a special weekend with Mommy and Raina. We made pizza together, snuggled with stories, played with friends, and attended a baby shower together. She got to sleep with me in my bed, and she is still convinced she had the "more fun" weekend. :)

Bison and calf

Bundled up!

On Daddy's lap

With Grandma and Grandpa in the snow





Sadie, loving her baby sister

Because I am not very consistent about updating my blog, I always feel like I end up writing a Christmas-letter style note.... you know, little snippets of life condensed into a few succinct and upbeat paragraphs. :) If I were better at updating, you would get to read more of the funny day-to-day stories... but I'm not, and I forget the funny stories by the time I sit down to write!


Raina is almost three months old. She weighed 11 lb 14 oz at her two month check-up (75th percentile.) She is a sweet smiley girl. Se sleeps great -- she takes two 2-3 hour naps early in the day, then usually an hour late in the afternoon and half an hour catnap before bed. She sleeps 8-9 hours at night (from about 7:30 - 3:30) and goes back to sleep quickly after her early morning feed. I dropped her 10 PM dream feed because it wasn't actually prolonging her nighttime sleep hours. She is easy-going, but she also has a touchy temperament that means she does much better at home that being out and about. I try to get the bigger girls on one outing a week, but we do well just staying close to home and enjoying our wonderful backyard and quiet dirt road.

Sewing lessons! I try to have "creative time" each morning while Raina sleeps... sometimes coloring, or painting, or dancing, sometimes baking.... this week we tried some hand-stitching on scraps from Raina's nursery.


Tea party! Yup, I let them eat chocolate chip cookies and drink tea with milk and sugar... at 10:00 in the morning.

Last night we hosted 64 people for a going away party for some good friends.... it was supposed to be in the yard, but rain meant that we picnicked in our house! 33 kids under 12 (most were under about 7) ate sloppy joes on blankets and ran around like crazy. I wish I had thought to take pictures.

Looking forward to summer and sunshine!