progress...en la escuelita {school!} !

Yes, I am still my son's teacher. After much praise and encouragement from my family and mentors during Thanksgiving, I know that I am on the right path. Although it would be easier for me to dump drop him off at school, I am enjoying every day with him in school. The tantrums aren't as often and each morning he asks if today is a school day. I'm assuming to mentally prepare himself. 
Add PBS educational shows for him and he is a freaking learning bug. 
I love it when it clicks in his little brain, or when he brings up something he learned from school in real life. 
Incorporating robots and trains and dinosaurs is just what a little boy needs.
The letters to his name are the letters we learned first. We practice and practice them. 
A fun and memorable science project with pinto beans was a must for science.
I remember growing this as a little girl and loved watching the sprout grow and grow.
But I didn't quite remember how fast they actually grew! 
Everyday for 3 days, I would remind Andrew to check his beans to see if they had grown. I had also reminded him of the story of Jack and the Beanstalk and pretended that our beans would grow up to the sky. And after those 3 days, a little something popped out. And then a little someone couldn't contain his facial expressions with excitement!!!
After it climbed and climbed about 6 inches from the top, I knew we had to plant it. 

We unwrapped the roots from the paper towel. 
Packed some soil and planted in to the smallest left over planter I had :( 
{but hey, it did the job}
And then we watered it.
And within another week, the plant was about 18 inches tall.
We still have the plant, I make him water it and take care of it. Those are his beans. 
And they're super tall. And they're awesome <insert Andrew voice here
His hand-writing improves each week. He asks me to write out each of our names so that he can copy them.

Jonah also likes to pretend to write. You can check out his video HERE
He's big into coloring, unlike his big brother. I love his sense of independence and how easy he will ask for help if he needs it. 
Lately, Andrew's been into drawing skeletons. He's got a fascination with them just like his momma.
So he draws them everywhere. I am so proud.
His first skeleton ever. 
Even at AWANA he draws them. He's not too fond of coloring. 
We did the life of a butterfly for science one week and I wish I could had had more resources than pictures and videos, like those grow-your-own-butterfly kits? But maybe that's best for when both boys can appreciate growing butterflies in our own home.
Since Andrew's not too fond of coloring, I had fun helping him color.
He glued it on without fuss and wrote down the word "butterfly".
It's hung above his desk proudly, below our 5 senses. Our living room is quickly becoming a classroom. 
Wish we had a spare bedroom :( 
And since we are at the very beginning stages of learning how to read, he thinks he needs his daddy's glasses. He can't see anything with them, but he must have them on to "read". 
Leave me some comment love, yeah?! OK! Thanks. 

Renaissance Thanksgiving

alright guys, get ready for your screen to be blown up by images from another era.
we went to the renaissance festival here in south texas for a weekend with my in-laws for an early Thanksgiving. 
we saw, we walked, we conquered pretty much nothing but sore feet and dusty nostrils.
I have to say that I would have enjoyed it more if EVERYTHING inside wasn't charging you something on top of admission. Everywhere you see, you see a tip jar, a sign that says $2 for games, shops want your money and food of course costs more money. I was surprised that the bathrooms were free. 
The guy in the outfit showing the boys his blade said, 'get a good education, get a good job so you can make lots of money, and then you can dress up like this!' 
It's not cheap to dress up for the Renaissance, that's for sure. But it's fun ;)
We ended the night with a delicious and very fulfilling dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. 
Their fish tacos and their cheesecake are the best.
But you know, I only took 1 or 2 bites of that cause I'm swearing off sweets--slowly but surely!

there's a lot to be thankful for

It was time to gather. Bring out the good silverware. And stuff our mouths with delicious foods.
I saw family and old friends that I haven't seen all year, seems the holidays brings us all together.
Our other Thanksgivings were full of props and Mater from Pixar, but this year, I guess with travel plans and who's going to whose house, it kinda put my decorating/event planning on the back burner.
This little pumpkin basket, a tiny scarecrow on a stick, and a sign were about the only decorations present.

And I gave thanks indeed. HE IS GOOD. 
While the children played, adults chatted and laughed and caught up...
and some girls, got made-up 
Our feast consisted of sweet potatoes, salads, cranberry sauce, dressings, pastas, ham and a yummo turkey.
I didn't take much pictures. I was wanting to be IN the moment. Enjoying it.
Not worrying about aperture or light settings or who's mouth was full when I pressed the shutter button.
I was OH so thankful to finally see my midwife aunt who delivered both my babies, my life-long mentor crazy teacher and my vivacious grandmother {who makes some good ol' pe-can pies}. 
Oh, and see? There I am! My beautiful parents and my beautiful little family. I am so thankful for them too!
I'm thankful for my family.
Not the brother in blue, but the cute little boy on the left. 
...and this little boy ^ too...
And after eating it was time for some of us went to watch the Cowboys games and others wished they could nap. And still, others, visited again or played with some ponies and a game of Nertz {card game}.
Our two female cats had a terrible time adjusting to the cats at my mothers. Prim was definitely NOT happy.
Coco and Squirt are pictured :)
 ...and after a good meal, there's the Black Friday deals to go nuts over...
So off we went to get our stuff that we absolutely need. I almost died, guys.
I fondled some lady's boobs {by accident of course} and that was about as wild as I got.
This was about 4 minutes before 8 PM when the XBox games went on sale. I'm not ever standing in that area again.
Well, I did sprint across the store for some sheets. Then went home, slept for 4 hours and then did it again at 6am. Yes, I'm a nut. I am thankful for Black Friday {5th year in a row}.