The Saturday 7

1. We had a really nice week off from homeschooling. I kind of don't want to go back. Haha. We slept in, lounged around, played lots of Phase 10, watched lots of The Great British Baking Show, and even read a couple books. Of course I didn't get nearly as much accomplished as I intended to. I think if that's ever going to happen, I need to take a week off without kids. Haha.

2. A major part of our curriculum is supposed to be reading aloud (as in, me reading to them). We're supposed to choose "living books" that aren't fluff, but rather contain substance and character building. Do you know what substance and character building sounds like to my children? Boredom. Haha. They want fluff. But every once in a while, I make them listen to a book that correlates with what we're studying. For the past two weeks, we've been studying Norway. It wasn't very exciting. I couldn't find much supplemental information on it. But one book came up time and time again in my research: Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan. It's a fictional account based on the true story of Norwegian children hiding the nation's gold on their sleds and sliding right past German soldiers with it. Every review I read said that parents and kids alike adored the story - that kids begged to read "just one more chapter!" so I decided to give it a try. I let the girls color and play with Legos or play dough while I read, but they still insisted it was so boring. However, at one point, things in the story looked pretty dismal, when all of a sudden there was a ray of hope. Lucy gasped and said, "They're going to make it!" before she caught herself. It was hilarious to watch the shutters fall over her eyes as she said, "I mean, I don't really care. I just want you to hurry up and finish this book so we can be done." Ha! She is enjoying it! We haven't finished it yet, but I've been enjoying it as well - even if I did have to explain to the girls what Nazis and firing squads were! #yikes #history #livingbooks

3. Last Sunday, we went to Justin's grandparents' retirement home to visit and swim in their pool. And lucky for the kids, their Uncle Jesse came home from China for a surprise visit and they got to hang out with him too. He's been gone since January, so Levi doesn't really remember him, but he loves him just the same. Jesse is the definition of "funcle." He listens to their unending stories and plays their ridiculous games and lets them beat up on him. That is right up Levi's alley. Haha. It was great to see him again and we're sad he has to go back to China!

Levi also has fun with Grandpa - who is just a big kid himself.

4. We had a great Thanksgiving. My whole family was able to be together at Niki's house. We stuffed ourselves to the brim with delicious food, played some games, sat around and talked, leafed through the Black Friday ads, and loved on all our babies. I can't wait 'til Christmas when there will be one more! (My brother and his wife are having a baby in a few weeks!)

I actually curled my hair and was so proud of how it turned out!

Nova did not want to take a selfie with me, but look at her gorgeous eyes!

Big helper holding Nash's Binky in his mouth. 

Pie and coffee and just a little bit of whipped cream. ;-)

Some of these people are more photogenic than others. Lol.

Exemplary group selfie skills. Haha. So thankful for this ever-growing group . . . and Niki's mansion that's big enough to hold us all! ;-) 

5. Once again, we didn't actually leave our houses to go Black Friday shopping this year. I actually did most of my shopping during the Veteran's Day sale at Kohl's a couple weeks ago, but I got a few more deals online this weekend. I'd say I'm about 80% done with my shopping. I still need a couple small things for our nieces, a couple things for Justin, a few specific things for my kids, and some stocking stuffers. But I've gotten all the big stuff . . . as is evidenced by my poor closet. I tried to be so organized at first, but now I've resorted to chucking stuff in the back and hoping I find it when it comes time to wrap. Ha!

6. Today was the one day a year that I work outside of the home. Our cousins run a small store in town, but the Saturday after Thanksgiving is always their family day, so they prevail upon my sisters and me to hold down the fort. It's a "burden" we gladly bear for free store credit and a day to spend together! Of course, we don't know what we're doing most of the time, and when anyone asks where something is, we say, "Well, um, that would probably be in this section over here. I can look with you." But we love doing it!

We were down a sister this year since she's nursing a 2 month old, but we made do without her. 

7. Pictures:

Justin surprised me with "Just Because" flowers one day last week. They were especially fun because the big orange ones didn't open right away. It was a surprise every few days when another one opened. And they were gorgeous!

Nash at Bible Study. Just before this he was smiling up a storm, but as soon as I pulled out my phone, this is all I got. Haha. Still stinkin' adorable. Don't you just want to squish his cheeks??

Libby and Nash met us for a spontaneous lunch at B.C. Pizza. Lucy is already multi-tasking like a pro.

Lena Red Riding Hood

Typical read-aloud session. Lucy coloring on her tablet, Lena performing calisthenics, and me reading.