The kiddos

I thought I would take a moment to tell you what each of my kiddos is "up to." This is a recent picture of Hannah "The Pomegranate" who turned 10 in September. Hannah does "Kids' Messenger" on my phone, and I am always finding these weird game photos of her. 

Hannah does school completely with her Aunt Hannah Kotynski. She is doing CTC Math and a typing program at home. She is also working to finish her "Xtra Math" program (which she thinks is the dumbest name for a math program trying to get kids to want to do it. In 2022 I did the "Iowa Testing" with the kids and realized that all four of my kids was scoring lowest in "computation" was how rapidly you know your facts. I realized that this was a "weakness" in our online math program. When you passed something, they moved on, and not having other kids in class and repeatedly working on their facts meant that they were all "just barely" at grade level in this area. I had all four kids work on Xtra Math online. Isaac and Sidge got through it pretty quickly, and Hannah is hoping to almost FINALLY be done with it. Here are some facts about Hannah in no particular order:

• Hannah LOVES to read. She has devoured Harry Potter so much that we had to pull her away and make her try something else. She is really enjoying Gregor the Overlander right now.
• Hannah continues to have SO MUCH SPUNK. She makes us laugh with her wittiness and spirit.
• She is very excited about being the narrator in the upcoming ballet production. She really likes theatre and would like to do more of it. However, we don't feel she's quite up to being in the "public" community theatre. We are letting her do stuff with the homeschool group.
• School is very easy for her. She doesn't love math but is good at it. She really hates the dictionary. She rarely complains about schoolwork. 
• She is on pointe now and really enjoying that. 
• She can be quite "opinionated" and "forceful" especially with her sister.
• She has very little fear.
• Whens he is tired or overwhelmed, she cries easily; otherwise her emotions are pretty steady.
  

 

Oh our Elijah (aka "Sidge"). He is such an interesting kid. He is huge -- probably over 6'3" now. He introduces himself as Elijah to new people now because he "doesn't want to explain why he is called "Sidge." He loves to read. He loves to study anything with biology. He is incredibly excited about Africa and the trip he and Dad are planning (probably with his Uncle Matt and John's friend Shane) in the summer of 2025. He will turn 15 on January 31 and has already been very purposefully studying for his permit test. He is very stubborn and usually right; we are trying to teach him that even though he is "right", it doesn't always need to be "said." He is so handy and capable with any "guy things" around the farm. He doesn't like cooking at all and so whoever he marries better able to cook. He is doing backstage in the upcoming play, and he likes that. He would NEVER want to be on the stage. He's still doing karate and really likes that.

Abigail is very stylish. She definitely didn't get that from me. She loves ballet. She does not like school and isn't a big reader. She's a fretter and worrier and we are always working with her more, but she came out of the womb shy-er and more concerned about where I was and what I was doing and that still really impacts her. She is playing piano and also taking voice lessons. She has a beautiful voice! Ballet is very important to her, and her closest friends are all fellow dancers.

 

Isaac and his hair. Always makes us laugh. Isaac is loving theatre. He tried out for a production of Newsies. A LOT of people tried out, and he is anxiously waiting to hear if he made it in or not. (I think there were 100+ for just 50 or so roles.) He is still taking piano, guitar, and voice, and then he's involved in theatre as well. He also does karate. He doesn't love karate, but it's a good physical activity for the boys so we've had him keep doing it whenever he has a Tuesday or a Friday evening free. He will be 16 in May so he has his permit. Isaac is not very "into" the farm, but he likes living in a place that has jobs ready for him ... we have some non-paid jobs (of course), but also have some "optional" paid jobs as well. He was also in the ballet this year as a baker.