Recently

We've gone on a lot of walks

Sometimes ending in sleeping children!

We've spent as much time as possible outdoors.

and we've had fun at the grocery store

(Seeing the train at wegmans)

Sweet

The little two wanted to lay on the floor together. Pudge was so cute. He yelled "Mommy! Can we have a piddow (pillow)?" So I grabbed one and they both laid on it . Then "Mommy! A BIIIIIG blanket please! For Lupa and me?" So of course I ran up stairs to grab one of the comforters. They cuddled on the pillow and fought over the blanket for a little bit and then took a nap!

Parenting

Not everyone agrees with the way that we parent our children and that's okay. 

We've chosen to raise our kids in a way that they know that they are loved (by not only us but by the family and friends that surround them), so that they always have all that they need (but not everything that they want), so that they will not grow to feel entitled (but to know that their hard work will give results), so that they know that the world does not revolve around only them (and that every creature's life has meaning and value), so that they will help others not because they want something in return (but because it is the right thing to do), so that they are willing to make mistakes and learn from them as opposed to never trying in fear, so that when they are grown they can provide for themselves and not be dependent on others, so that life and nature are things to be looked at in amazement and not hurriedly passed by, so that they respect that others will have differing beliefs and traditions and that they should be learned from as opposed to looked down upon or dismissed, so that they will never feel inferior (or superior) especially due to circumstances that they did not bring upon themselves, so that they lead lives that are healthy and fun, so that they have the "common sense" that many lack, so that they are always striving to know more and never settling with "because that is the way it is", so that they love without hesitation, so that they follow their passions, and so that they will be proud of the people that they are.

We do not spank, we do not belittle, we do not ask them to be anything that they are not.

We treat them as the individuals that they are. (Thank you Abuelo and Abuela and Grandpa and Grandma for doing the same with us as we grew.)

The way that we choose to parent, is the way that we believe is best for our children. So while some people may not agree with our decisions, that's okay. Because we are doing what every parent does (or should be doing) for their own family... We're raising them to be smart, safe, resourceful, kind, humble, and loving individuals. 

Little Getaways

One painting pots with Grandma, one in the swing, one fishing.

Watching Daddy put the boat in the water.

Baby bunny hiding in the kayak!

Then he hid under the cabin steps.

Kayaking with Grandma

Boating with Daddy

Best way to end any night... Laying on the dock with a great book (Leaving by Karen Kingsbury) and a glass of wine once the kids all are fast asleep after a day of fun!

S'mores pie!

Homemade graham cracker crust, instant chocolate pudding, and marshmallows. Baked until the marshmallows melted and started to brown.

Yum!!

Sick Day and Homework

The boys all had a stomach bug (both littles were throwing up and all three had diahrrea) yesterday and spent the day at home.

Most of the day was spent sleeping.

In the evening they were starting to feel better and were getting restless. So we pulled out some of our homeschool supplies. Pudge practiced his letters and Little Bear did his spelling words and other random words with plastic letters. Then we played word and picture memory (one card has the word written out and the match is the picture of that word) which is fun because Little Bear has to read the words and Pudge is supposed to tell us the pictures when they flip them. Pequeño slept through the fun.

They watched a Leap Frog episode about the letters and their sounds and then played with playdoh for a while before going to bed early for the night.

Everyone woke up feeling back to normal this morning!