The Cole girls

This was us on a hay ride. Lily, Laura, Shona and babygirl to be being squashed by Laura. Still no name and only 2 months to go.

The other week we went to a Civil War renactment. It was held near our town of Magnolia. It is an odd little world. We chatted to families who do this all over the country. They belong to regiments and own the clothing and tents that they sleep in. I bet many of the people who do it are homeschoolers.

Cool weather. Finally!

We are able to get out our sweaters in the mornings now. It warms up to high 70s by the afternoon, but it is in the 50s in the morning. I get my breakfast and eat outside with a book and a blanket. Pretty soon the kids join me. Here they all are keeping warm having just taken over my reading space!!!

Outdoor art class

The weather is so lovely we decided to take our sketching class outside. Lily and Laura have taken to visiting the horses that live up the road from us so we decided to go and draw them. Matthew did tons of sketches, each one focusing on a different part of the horse - the head, legs or even the fence. Lily didn't like how they kept moving so she took herself off to draw the flowers and grass. Actually she didn't much like pencil, she prefered to use crayons, my color girl. Laura ran up and down getting blades of grass to feed through the fence to the horses. Laura is my animal lover, she waves at the horses everytime we drive past. We need to find out the horses names.... back home in time for lunch. Spanish and grammar with Matthew after quiet time!

Matthew's horses

Here are some of the drawings that Matthew did of the horses in our onsite art class today. I love the knobbly knees of the horse.

Garden

Mark and Lily have been planting flowers around the place. Lily was perfectly named, she loves flowers and color.

Laura dresses up!

Even Laura like to dress up. She often struggles around the house in Lil's dress up shoes. Last week she went into the dress up box and arrived out with a dress. Here she is a the little fairy!

Princesses

Here is Lily with her best friend Ellie last week. As soon as they see each other they put on princess dresses, get handbags and apply make up. Girls will be girls! You just can't program this behavior, girls just go this way.

Miller Outdoor Theatre

I took the kids to Miller Outdoor Theatre last week to see a funny history of Texas. We had a picnic afterwards with some friends.

We have been busy recently homeschooling, painting, going to Houston to visit friends, having people over. I do get so tired now that I am 6 months pregnant. We are having another girl. No name yet, it has to fit in with Lily and Laura, but stand alone.

Here is another altered photo of Blue Bear. This picture hangs beside the kids toilet! 

I have recently been working on altering photos, something I learned in a workshop i CA this summer from artist Karen Michel. Here is one of Lily. I made her into a little fairy. 

So we fled Rita and went to visit the relatives in Tulsa. We had a great time. Here Matthew and Lily are making Grandma Marcia's dog Tiny go mad! 

Laura and Nana Joyce in Tulsa. 

Lily with her cousins. 

Here are the cousins working on a pose together. 

Below are some photos from Matthew;s 5th Star Wars birthday last Saturday.  

In between lots of free play we did some painting and made bouncy balls at the party. 

Lunch time.

Chips and pizza for lunch - very organic.