The First Half of November

Can you believe I made fresh salsa from garden ingredients on Nov. 3rd?

I took Anne, Catherine, Dominic, and their cousins to the Young People's Concert.

Not long after, cousins came for a sleepover!

On a nice Monday in November, we had a picnic lunch after school.

Joseph sips his fruit drink, a special treat.

Catherine enjoying the day.

Anthony found something funny.

One of Dominic's famous faces.

Twins!

Cool mileage on the old mini-van.

I found a new recipe for pizza bread sticks and boy, were they good!

One Saturday night we went to Krispy Kreme.

Scarfing down doughnuts!

Anthony heard the music and started to dance.

This 36-second video of Anthony putting on a show cracks me up.  It starts a little blurry, but gets better after a couple of seconds.

Spring Concert

These pictures are from our Homeschool Choir Concert at the end of April.  My friend, Natasha, was in charge of everything overall, but while she ran practices for the older kids, I did the same for the younger kids. 

Getting ready to warm up before the concert.

Natasha gave some last minute instructions to the kids.

All the children sang "Bring Flowers of the Rarest."

Anthony momentarily wandered off, but he came back.

Then I directed the little kids in their performance.  Anthony is on the far left and Joseph is next to him.

One of the songs was "On The Good Ship, Lollipop." 

They loved using their props, wonderfully made by my sister-in-law, Brenda.  (Thanks, Brenda!)

I was proud of the kids, especially Anthony.  This was his first time to stand up and sing with the choir!

Then we got to relax and watch the big kids, who did a great job.

Catherine, Anne, and Dominic were almost half of the choir!

Joseph took a picture of his buddy, Dothan.  Their family has since moved to South Carolina.  :(

Homeschool Choir Concert

In the middle of December, our homeschool choir performed a concert.  We had met every Wed. for a choir practice and the kids were split into two age groups.  I was in charge of the 3-8 yr olds and another mom was in charge of the 8-14 yr olds. 

Warming up before the concert.

First up, the little kids choir.  Joseph is on the far right. 

They sang Away in a Manger, The Friendly Beasts and The Little Drummer Boy.

Then the big kids sang.  Catherine, Anne, and Dominic were all in this choir.

They sang Children, Go Where I Send Thee; Go Tell It On The Mountain/Mary Had a Baby; Still, Still, Still/Sleep, Sleep, Sleep; and Over The River.

Then both choirs together sang Peace.

Anthony participated/caused trouble in the little kids choir, but he was not ready to stand up and perform.

All the kids did a great job!

Miscellaneous November

In early November, Dan started building a greenhouse between the big shed and the garden.

The boys watched Daddy dig the holes.

These posts used to be crossbars on telephone poles!

The kids practiced archery.

Dominic can shoot those arrows a long way!

Joseph agrees.

Also in early November, I took my oldest three and two of their cousins to the Young People's Concert at Century II.  We first listened to Vivaldi, then Peter and The Wolf, the story of which was acted out by a small dance troupe while the orchestra played.  The kids really liked it.  I did too!

They enjoyed the concert.

Dominic, Anne, Isabella, Catherine, and Seth.

One day I snapped a couple of pictures of Anne reading to Anthony:

I love it when the older kids read to the younger ones.

He had to get a closer look at the pictures.

Joseph with a cornucopia creation.

One day when it was really cold outside, we had painting time.

Art, art, art!

Choir Concert

Last Sunday, the homeschool choir held their Spring Concert.  This was our third year participating in the choir and the kids get better each time. 

The little kids' choir sang first.

This was the first time Joseph sang on stage.  I was so proud of him!  Anne is there on the left and Dominic is just behind Joseph.

Catherine was a pro by this time!

The combined choirs.

After a while Joseph forgot what to do with his arms, but he remembered all the words to the songs.

It was another successful choir performance!

Spring Concert

This past Sunday we had our homeschool choir concert.  The kids have been participating in the choir for two years now and boy, do they like it.  One afternoon a week we meet up and the big kids have their practice and the little kids have their own.  All of mine are in the little kids choir.  This year I helped with the little kids' choir, each week planning and leading some of the practice.  We start each practice with our own Litany of Saints, where each child takes a turn singing their saint.  Then I am responsible for folk songs/silly songs, which is great fun.  We get to sing songs like "On Top Of Spaghetti" and "Bingo."  One of the other moms helps the kids learn the concert songs.  Then at the end of choir practice they get to do fun stuff with rhythm sticks.

My parents got to come this time for the kids' concert.  Here are the older four with my mom.

Anne, Dominic, and Catherine on stage, ready to sing.  Joseph came to all the practices and knew the songs, but he didn't want to get up on the stage and sing.  Next year!

Here are the little kids, showing their rhythm stick skills.  We had about 20 little ones up on the stage and they did great!

The two choirs together led the Divine Mercy Chaplet, then the little kids sang "My Divine Mercy," "Oh, When We Pray The Rosary," and then several songs using their rhythm sticks.  The big kids had their turn and then both choirs together again finished off with "Polly Wolly Doodle."  A great concert and a good culmination of a semester of practice.  We do have one more thing we are singing for:  the homeschool group May Crowning.  The big kids are singing a Litany to Mary and all the kids will sing "Bring Flowers of the Rarest."