Wednesday, January 29, 2014

The Hundred Dresses

We started off our homeschooling week with a BANG!!  On Monday we went to the 9:30 showing of The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes at the Des Moines Playhouse!  What a great show!  We had read the book earlier in the school year and signed up for tickets about 8 weeks ago when they were selling them at my homeschoolers meeting.  The girls were giddy with excitement and were SO happy that our neighbor, Amy, was able to go with us because I got a free ticket from a friend!

We had GREAT seats – they ALL are at the playhouse!  We were in the second row!

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The school room….

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Old Man Sevenson’s House…

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Maddie’s House…

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The photography skills of a four year old…

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We had a fantastic time…

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We always have fun at The Playhouse.  I can see the girls performing there in the future… Can’t you!  :)

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Can't get a word in edgewise!

It is no surprise to those of you who know our family that our girls are BIG into words.  They love to talk, they love to read, they love to sing.  They just love words... like their pastor daddy and teacher mommy.  We have been talking and reading to them since they were unborn.  They practically came out talking in full sentences... not really, but you get my point. From the time they were each 18 months I had a list of over 150 words  that they were each saying -- yes, saying and not just repeating!  CRAZY!
 
So by the time Josiah came along it was a little harder to get him to talk, but the girls loved working with him and getting him to repeat after them. They were teachers and he learned well.... just not as fast as the girls... partly because he is the third child and he is a boy.
 
AND THEN THERE IS CALEB... poor little guy he can't get a word in edgewise!  He has three siblings who talk ALL THE TIME!  It has been difficult to get him to talk.  We have read to him and talked to him, but he just hasn't caught on to the taking thing.  Most of the time we just know what he need by his grunts and pointing.  The girls and Josiah are good interpreters.
 
BUT.. Caleb has finally turned a corner and has begun to say real words... not just repeating what we say.  He is also able to point to things that we say -- things in books or parts of his body.  He is doing much better... I was a little worried for a little while.  He hasn't caught up to his siblings, but maybe if we have a few silent days where the bigs don't talk then Caleb will be able to shine!  Hmmmm... actually that sounds amazing!
 
Here is a small video that I took of Caleb and Grace from last week... pretty cute!  It really doesn't show all what he knows, but it is still cute to see Grace and Caleb together. :)
 

Saturday, January 25, 2014

I’m BAAAAACK!

So… where have I been?  Why haven’t I been in the blogging world for over a month?  Well, we have been busy, busy, busy!  Doing things like this…..

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And this….

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And this…

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And this….

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But now I am back!  I can’t promise that you will be caught up on all of the happenings of the Lightner Family from the last month, but I will do better at keeping you up to date on what is happening now… are you ready for this level of fun?  :)  I have had many of you ask for blog updates… so here you go!