This picture cracks me up

There is a story behind why the boys look so horrified in the heading picture...

1. What you don't see is that they are praying, and hoping for their friends to come pick them up and rescue them from the 10 squealing 8 years olds at the feet!
2. They "love" their sister, but really mom this is just too much to ask of us...
3. They are jealous of all her Littlest Pet Shop presents, but would NEVER EVER admit it!

The grin on Julia's face is...

1. I'm so excited to have all 10 of my squealing friends around me at my feet!
2. I love it when mom "makes" the boys put me in the middle and gives me all the attention!
3. I can't wait to get my brothers to help me open all these Littlest Pet Shop presents and play with me!

It is just hilarious to watch my three kiddos interact and love so big and real one second and then want to have each other for supper the next! It keeps it real and real interesting around here, and now that we are having all kinds of togetherness we have had plenty of opportunities to get to truly KNOW each other over these past few months of summer.

JCA will begin next week, and the kids and I can hardly wait! Julia would do school year around if I would let her...and I just might! We will begin with testing, and some review to get the brain matter in some kind of shape to actually begin learning again. I also want to take some time to just brainstorm, dream, collaborate, and write out some personal goals, family goals, and school year goals. What do they hope to learn this year? What are their favorite subjects, topics, or fun things to do? I want to really try and have them journal through this year so that we can look back on this first year and see what it was really like to experience this new adventure we are about to embark on.

I also thought we might make our own JCA (Jolly Christian Academy) shirts to celebrate the fun and spirit that we will be learning in. Another neat idea that came to me last week as I was brainstorming all the different things we could do to begin and get ready is go to the library and let each kid get their own library card...well we ended up going to day and man was it just the coolest thing! I found out that our new city library has a homeschool connection that is special just for us homeschoolers! What an amazing network of support and fun! I'm so thankful for all of the amazing people that I have met, have emailed me, or just plain walked up to me and wrote down their contact info so knowing that I would need it!

Thank you Father for your peace, grace, patience, and encouragement through all the other homeschooling families out there!!! Y'all know who you are and I praise God for you each and everyone!