Getting Better

Guess who seems to be tolerating dairy, soy, and oatmeal?! He is growing out of it far sooner than any of the other boys. 

Time at Home

Time at home is completely different now that the boys are back in school. It changed so quickly. When they get home they immediately find something to do, and that something often involves a brother. 

We try to do some sort of OT homework right after school to calm their bodies down and decompress from their busy school day. 

There is also a lot of creative play. 

(He’s mowing around the pond.) They play for about an hour, eat snack, and do chores. Then they have an hour of screen time while I make dinner. It’s the best after school schedule we’ve ever had. 

Augustine’s Party

Augustine chose a Star Wars theme for his birthday this year. 
It was so fun to have his friends over, old and new, for time together. It didn’t really matter what I planned, I knew they would all be happy to just be together. 

I just set everything out and let them have their fun. Ewok catapults, paper x-wings, design a droid, match the quote to the character, free Luke from carbonite (ice). Freeing Luke was definitely a favorite. 

As was fighting storm troopers with water blasters. 

We also made edible light sabers for everyone in their families. 



Augustine and Grandma Susan made a cool cake, as usual. 

But mostly, they had fun light saber fighting in the backyard. Happy Birthday Augustine!

Things to Remember

E: Can anyone live forever? 

Me: Well, we can live forever in heaven but it’s not the same as living on earth. 

L: Your soul can live forever. 

Me: you’re right Lewis. Your soul can live forever in heaven. 

E: If your soul lives forever in heaven, what does it eat for dinner?

Logan: How about we read The Chronicles of Narnia aloud as a family?

A: we can’t. Mrs. Werner doesn’t like us to read stories that she’s going to read to us in class. It’s on her shelf at school. 

Logan: really?

Lewis: Do it anyway. 

Math question: Emma has 16 crackers. She eats some. Could she have 16 crackers left? Explain. 

Lewis’ answer: yes. She at the corners of the crackers. 

Me: why do you have so much nonsense coming out of you right now?

Elias: because I am so nonsensical. I have so much nonsensical gas in me right now.

Elias: mom, it says the coronavirus is spreading from the zoo to Jimmy John’s.

Lewis: you don’t know that Elias. You’re not a scientist. 

Elias: I had a dream that I got to hold both plungers upstairs and downstairs. It was bizarre. I didn’t go very well for me.

Elias: {takes a pretend phone call, hangs up} I answered Thomas’ question. 

Me: what was his question?

Elias: he wanted to know if I can visit. EVERYONE is going to visit Thomas and Samuel after the coronavirus is gone.

Me: Are all your chicken nuggets gone? 

E: Yes. 

Me: Is that a lie?

E: Let me see...OK I ate all my chicken nuggets now. 

Me: Is that a lie? 

E: No! 

Augustine: there’s still 2 1/2 left on his plate. 

Me: Elias that’s a lie. it’s not OK to lie. 

Elias: I will confess that with daddy when the coronavirus is over. 

Me: can you believe you’re four years old now?!

Elias: I believe it in most movies, like Peter Pan.

Me: it's going to be time for nap in a few minutes. 

Elias: now?!

Me: what did I just say?

Elias: now?!

Me: I just told you when. Remember?

Elias: in an hour and a half?!

Me: Uuuuuggggg. 

Things I never thought I’d say as a mother:

Please don’t wipe your nose with your brother’s shoe. 

Logan: that’s a picture of John Vianney’s heart. It’s incorrupt. 

Augustine: what does that mean?

Logan: It doesn’t decompose bc he was so holy. 

Elias: I didn’t know he died!!!

Story by Elias

One day Fr. Frantisek mowed the grass around the church. 

He noticed the weeds were high, so he got out his weed whacker. 

Then he noticed his hedges needed to be trimmed. 

Some of the hedges were hard to reach so Fr. Frantisek had to use his hedge trimmer on a stick.  

Right next to the hedges was a big, tall tree. Fr. Frantisek used his chainsaw to trim it down. 

Once the trimming was done, he edged around all the sidewalks. 

He was getting very tired from all the yard work, so he used the blower to clean the sidewalk up and headed inside to say Mass. 

After Mass, he talked to his parishioners outside. One of his parishioners said, “Wow Father! Your lawn looks great!” 

And that made Fr. Frantisek very happy. 

Elias at Nature Preschool

Me: Do you know that I am a preschool teacher?

E: you are right now?

Me: yes, but I don’t have a classroom right now. 

E: when I grow up I want to be a lawn service guy and a teacher and my own dad. 

Me: your own dad? But you already have a dad. 

E: I mean a dad for my kids. 

Me: I see. Who will you marry?

E: you. 

Me: oh shoot I’m already married but I’m sure you will find a really great girl to marry someday. 

E: I’ll be five when I get married. 

Me: that’s right now! Five year olds don’t get married! You have to be an adult. 

E: {giggles} well then why are there all these dogs walking around getting married?!

Me: what dogs?

E: In 101 Dalmatians. Why can they get married?

Me: good question. 

Home School Lesson Plans

Homeschool lesson plans have to be destroyed. We made the most of it.  

First Day of Preschool

Elias had a great first day a preschool! He was very excited to go play, especially in the outdoor nature classroom. 

I picked him up before lunch but he wanted to see what eating lunch at school was like, so we walked with his class. When he saw what it was like he told me, “That looks SO yummy. I changed my mind. I’ll eat here.” It was too late for Thai, but we made a plan to try lunch the next day. He said, “I will eat lunch at school tomorrow Mom, and don’t pick me up until you pick up the big boys.”

While Elias was enjoying his first day of school, Levi and I enjoyed pastries and mimosas with our friends. 

It was very odd to only have two toddlers running around considering we have 13 kids between the two of us and we both homeschooled last year. 

The big boys had gymnastics right after school. They are the only two in the class again this session so they get to do a lot during every class. 

First Day of School

The big boys had a great first day! They were so happy when I picked them up. 

Augustine said he liked playing soccer with new friends at both recesses.

Lewis said he liked eating lunch at school. 

The little boys and I went to the zoo to ride the train. 

Levi doesn’t remember riding it in the past so it was extra fun!

Farmer’s Market

East Campus had a farmers market. They always do such a a good job of making it engaging for kids.



The games and prizes are always a highlight. 

Lewis and Grandpa did a couple of experiments together. This one was on taste and smell. 

This one was about how germs are transferred from hands. 

Grandpa knew someone at almost every booth. 

It was a fun morning!

Air Tent

The other night I was solo at bedtime, so I told the big boys to find something to do upstairs while I gave the little boys a bath. Turns out they found something super cool to do!

They engineered my duvet to be an air tent!



This has to be the best smiling picture of these three EVER. I wish Levi was in it too, but he was terrified to go in the air tent. 

Last Bit of Summer

The boys collected all the wood scraps from our deck because they are perfect to play with in the mud area. 





Yesterday morning was a welcome break from boiling lava hot, so we played at a new park the boys have been eyeing. 





Augustine got to power wash G&G’s house/windows. He couldn’t think of a better project to wrap up the summer. 

We’ve got another fire fighter mega fan. 

School starts in 36 hours…