Saturday, September 4, 2010

Life in Texas

We are happily settled in our new home in Providence Village, Texas. The kids keep commenting as we walk around that it looks like Florida! It is a good thing to feel like you are at your vacation condo when you are walking around your home neighborhood.

The pools have been a big hit. We enjoy evening swims at the salt water pools and fun times on the weekend with Daddy at the water park pools. The question of the day usually is, "Which pool are we going to today?" There are two different pool complexes. One complex has chlorine water with water slides, sand area, kiddie pools, and a current pool. The other complex has 4 salt water pools with a water fall.

I've included videos from a recent evening swim. I tried to capture the ambiance of the waterfalls, lights, and salt water pool complex, but succeeded only in over-stepping the sidewalk. Watch and see. Ava is quite sure that both of the "tiny pools" are exclusively hers. Lincoln is swimming like a fish with the help of his life jacket and is very comfortable in deep water. Isaac and Stella get a good workout swimming around daily and are sleeping well at night. I'm enjoying some lap time and Rob throws the big kids around in the water to their great delight.

Ava enjoys listening to the Seitz violin concertos and insists that we play them over and over again. She plays along on her make-shift violin, aka wooden guiro. She senses the tempo and adjusts her "bowing" accordingly. It is one of her favorite pieces to dance to while Isaac is practicing as well.

We have a dedicated school room now. Our house has about the same living area as our Ann Arbor home with the finished basement, but it feels bigger due to the floor plan. It is so nice to set up school in a separate room with a door! It happens to be the sunroom with a tile floor and is perfect for the job. Ava and Lincoln can sit at the small picnic table while I work with Isaac and Stella at a larger, taller table. We are making great progress so far.

Lincoln has officially started "school" with daily lessons in math, reading, phonics, Bible, and penmanship. He also sits in on Latin, Spanish, and history lessons as well. He continues with piano lessons and has finished Twinkle A. I've included some videos of his lively preschool lesson time. He is a very enthusiastic student and appreciates motivational snacks in his classroom.































Friday, September 3, 2010

Summer Trip to Greenfield Village

In anticipation of leaving Michigan, we visited Greenfield Village very frequently this summer. Isaac and Stella have dipped enough bees-wax candles to light our dinner table for months and they have enough experience to do it on their own now. They are both sure that we need to find some beeswax and start dipping at home. Here's a short clip of visiting with Francesca.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Harp ensemble: Oh, How Lovely is the Evening

Stella performed several pieces with the harp ensemble for her spring recital. She really liked sitting by Ms. Lendrim and playing along with all the other large harps.

Stella's harp recital, June 10, 2010

Stella performed "Allegro" for Ms. Nancy Lendrim's harp studio recital in Toledo, OH. She did a fantastic job and enjoyed the entire event. We are so proud of her. Stella was very pleased to wear her new fancy white dress for the occasion. Picking out the appropriate dress for each performance is high on her priority list.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Stella's Ballet Showcase May 2010

Stella is the solo dancer, directly in the middle of the group. This is the video from the dress rehearsal.


First Spring Trip to Greenfield Village, May 15, 2010










Monday, March 29, 2010

Seitz Violin Concerto #5, Mvt. 3

Isaac performed Concerto No. 5, Mvt. 3 by Seitz for his spring violin recital. We were all so proud! He did a fantastic job. I was so happy to be able to watch his entire performance.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Isaac and Stella at the piano

Lincoln's handcrafted bow and arrow



Isaac made a Lincoln his own bow and suction-cup arrow out of a variety of materials from Lincoln's experiment box.

Ava's new hairdo


Ava is 23 months old and has a new hairdo of piggy-tails.





Stella's piano performance of "Little Playmates"

Stella performed at the Kerrytown Concert House for the first time today. She played "Little Playmates" for the Student Recital of the Ann Arbor Area Piano Teacher's Guild. I was very proud of her performance. She really enjoyed wearing her fancy dress and having her hair curled for the occasion. We were able to get her chair boosted high enough for her at the piano, but I forgot her footstool. At least I remembered the video camera! Rob, Lincoln and Ava were able to attend as well. They quietly left after Isaac and Stella's performance so the big kids and I could enjoy the entire recital. What a treat!

Isaac's piano performance of "Long, Long Ago"

Isaac performed for the first time at the Kerrytown Concert House. He played "Long, Long Ago" for the Student Recital of the Ann Arbor Area Piano Teacher's Guild. I was very proud of him. Unfortunately I started the video a bit late. I was so busy watching him that I forgot to push the record button. Next time I'll remember to bring the footstool as well for him.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Isaac and Ava shoveling snow







Isaac, age 9, with his faithful assistant Ava, age 22 months.
































































































Ava follows Isaac, affectionately known as "I-aaah", around with devotion. She was delighted to help him shovel the snow off the back deck.


Saturday, February 27, 2010

Isaac and Stella reciting poem, "Hello, Hello"

Isaac and Stella are reciting a poem by Eve Merriam from her book, "You Be Good and I'll Be Night; Jump-On-The-Bed Poems". This was a favorite poem of Isaac and Stella when they were little and now Lincoln and Ava are delighted by the silliness. Ava walks around the house with a phone up to her ear chanting the opening line.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Isaac and Stella reciting Genesis 1.1

Isaac and Stella are reciting Genesis 1:1 and singing "Está aquí" in Spanish. Part of their Spanish curriculum is to memorize a verse and a song in Spanish for each lesson. Ava and Lincoln are memorizing along with them too! Ava still refers to herself as "Ava" with a Spanish pronunciation.

En el principio creó Dios
los cielos y la tierra.
Genesis 1:1

Está aquí, está aquí,
A-le-lu-ya, mi Señor está aquí.

Translation:
He is here. Hallelujah, my Lord is here.