We've not been online much, in the last two weeks.  After about a week and a half of rain solid, we've used every opportunity to get out of the house.  The kids are going to enjoy a few weeks with both sets of grandparents too, so we are not only cramming all the summer fun in this month that I can but we are also wrapping up school, or at least trying to find a good place to hit pause until August.  I think we will probably still do some gardening stuff when we start back up.  Anyway, I couldn't get Britt to agree to sit down and post today so I thought I might leave you with some of what he's dictated to me for his Nature Journal.  Some days we do nature walks, or hang out watching what wild life the kids don't scare off.  Other days when we garden he tells me what he did, what his favorite and least favorite part is, and then something new he learned.



Saturday, April 26th - I learned that plants don’t like to grow in dirt with too many rocks. They need good healthy dirt, and we call that soil.

Friday, May 2nd - I learned that too much water can kill a plant, just like not enough water.

Thursday, May 8th - We watched lots of birds. I saw them with my strong special eyesight, but I also used Momma’s space binoculars. They got a close look at stuff.


Saturday, May 17th - I learned that babies are not supposed to eat dirt.  I also learned the more food we grow the less we have to buy at the store, so then I have more money to buy toys.

Thursday, May 29th - Today we saw the ground hogs again. They were eating lots of grass, I don’t know why. One time I saw them crossing the road, but they didn’t get run over. I like ground hogs because they eat fast. I tried to carry them lettuce, I thought they liked it, but they never ate it.

Tuesday, June 3rd - My favorite part that day was pull up the bad plants.  My worst part of all, is how the bad plants don’t let the good plants grow. And that a rabbit keeps eating my lettuce!
Monday, June 16th - The best part was planting my own plants.  Ruth and I have our own pepper plants, and they have some little green ones already.  I also have a boy tomato plant (Better Boy) and Ruth has a girl one (Pink Lady).  I didn’t have any worst part.

Monday, June 23rd - I learned that poison ivy is itchy, and it’s not really good to touch. And you better not eat it cause then it would get on your teeth and your hands. You should stay out of the woods so you don’t get it.
Tuesday, June 24th - Today we harvested our first thing from our garden – it was lettuce. It was so yummy for supper in my salad. When we went to go and get our lettuce, we found a bird nest. It had three robin’s eggs. We watch them every day till we can see them hatch. 

Hello Britt,

You are almost 5 and 1/2 now.  Alot has changed since last year.  We've now been here in Pennsylvania for over a year.  You got to enjoy your first true bad, Northern winter.  But we seemed to survive, even if I don't know if Momma did.  She's still complaining about how cold it is, in June none the less.

We had our first trial run for homeschool this year.  For the most part you seem interested and excited.  Especially with your Sing, Spell, Read, Write cd.  Now this coming year, it looks like we have a little more in depth schooling planned.  It seems like you've begun mastering your leappad games.  You've been very proud of winning Monsters University, and you have nearly won all the animals in Super Animal Genius.  On some of the games like the Wii Fit, you are getting really good from perseverance and trying over and over again, you continue to improve.  And you are applying that to other areas.  Momma is working with you on different areas and chores.  You are getting more efficient and better at washing dishes, taking care of Kita (especially food and water), and you can do all your clothes except your buttons.  Momma has been teaching you and Ruth alot about the Bible as you read it through together each day.  Just this evening, Momma asked you questions about the first 3 kings of Israel and the prophet Elijah and you were able to answer all the question and convey the story and meanings for all these characters.

6-7, You and Rebecca playing on the See-Saw with alot of help from me.  You need to learn to jump.

Physically you seem to have gotten taller this year, as many of your Church pants are too short.  You are incredibly active.  We've been teaching you to toss the baseball a little, though we still need to work on your throwing technique alot.  We also started a garden this year.  We're not having much success yet between the rabbits and the weather.  But you are excited about getting the "bad plants" and weeds out.  We've read lots of books together about growing things lately, and you enjoy that.  Maybe we'll start you on some yard work in the next year.  You ride with me sometimes when I mow, you aren't big enough yet, but you do try to sit in the middle and steer.  You seem to be getting better about completing larger task, not just picking up one item, but washing and drying dishes, and making sure they are all clean.

You still ask 1,000 questions a day.  Some of it being weird situational, super hero or bad guy questions.  Others being "what does this do," or "how does eating this help my body work?"  Then of course there is the funny thing you do, when you say, "I have a question.  Do you know how the dinosaurs died?  There was a big giant meteor and it cause tsunamis and bad dust in the air, and that's one guess."  You remain concerned with your siblings, particularly with Ruth and especially Rebecca.  You help her with things, and make sure she doesn't get into things.  You are often insistent that we need to have alot more babies (usually 10 brothers is the request), and you tell us you are practicing for your babies.

6/7/14, You with your Sisters

Things you do need to work on is your attitude, especially toward your mother.  And you and Ruth are starting to argue alot lately, you should be getting old enough to realize that arguing and fighting is unproductive and mean toward one another.  But, also you lose privileges and the time you could be having fun instead.  I suppose this year I hope to teach you to be more considerate of others - particularly family members and other friends.  You have to realize that you are older than Ruth and much older than Rebecca and that you need to be more considerate of their development.  Ruth is pretty good at following you around and playing make believe together, but sometimes you seem to get frustrated and disappointed especially when she doesn't want to play the game you had in mind.  You have to realize that she is also growing up, and will get more independent of you.  Since both of y'all have some hard-headedness in your genes, sometimes you will clash, but you can handle it better.  It's especially important to be considerate of others feelings, sharing with one another, taking care of our friends and their toys.  Going to the weekly library classes and visiting the homeschooling co-op has helped you to learn as there are many people your age, but only so many toys. Especially I want you to be considerate to Momma.  She has alot of jobs to do, taking care of three young children - making sure they are fed, clean clothes, a safe house.
On top of that trying to teach you new and exciting things like how to write, starting to do math, understanding the alphabet, and putting together words.  You need to be considerate of Momma's time.  Even though, you get to spend all day with her it's important to stay on task and try to work on your schooling and your jobs with all your effort, not grudgingly but with enthusiasm.

Well, son, I love you.  I am thankful for you.  Each year you grow taller and taller, and we hope you grow in maturity, responsibility, and knowledge, but still hold that fascination for dinosaurs, stars, plants, or the other wonders in this world.  Be a good boy, help Momma out when you can, we love you.

Daddy