Day 325: It's starting to look like Christmas!

Today we had a great stay at home day, although I was moving slow because of a sore throat/runny nose combo.  I was able to get a couple of things taken care of medical insurance wise (still have a couple more questions).  We did some of the activities (with lots of groaning, boo!) to go with the last bit of history.  Now we just have to finish the timeline, do the mapwork, and orally take the big review test.  Justin and Keturah actually don't mind the big tests (I hate tests, but it's an easy thing to see what they did know and to have them hear the names we studied again) and will "compete" to see who knows more!  Justin only got 1 more right than Keturah last time!  It will have to wait until next week, though, because this week is completely full.  I also wanted to start reading some more entertaining books, that weren't directly connected to history, so I found this book that I think was my great grandmother's, Katherine Howell.  Printed sometime after 1938, but copyrighted in 1909, it's a little school reader kind of like the Abeka book readers of today, complete with questions and notes in the back.  It's published by the Houghton Mifflin Company, famous for their textbooks.  I'll share a picture below.

Then I cleaned up the porch and living room, readying them for all the boxes we'll be bringing in with the Christmas stuff.  We were able to go out to the farm we are storing some of our stuff, and get the Christmas tree itself, the big choo choo set, and hats/mittens/coats.  Then Jared picked up a load of wood from a friend.  We're finally ready for winter!  We'll go back to the farm, probably on Friday, to get another load of Christmas decorations like the lights and ornaments.  I won't be putting out a ton this year because I don't have space for it all and I don't want Abishai knocking the tree down and breaking all the precious ornaments.  Plus the tree is so much smaller, too!  I'll have to doublestack some of the ornaments or use all the branches like Gary and Leah do.

But boy oh boy was Abishai excited about the big choo choo.  And it still works!  We hadn't gotten it out in over 5 years, but with fresh(er) batteries, we were able to test it, and everything works.  But we'll have to get some brand new batteries so it will run for than a minute.  He didn't care about the tree though, lol.  I also saw that he knows how to push his long sleeves up and down now! These kind of things excite me because I remember that Justin was able to qualify for speech therapy because he hadn't learned how to dress himself yet, nor talk.  We didn't do any physical therapy because it was just a qualifier, but yes, one of my biggest talkers wouldn't talk until he was 3.  I think he would have talked on his own without therapy, but I think having some one on one time with another adult was helpful and he enjoyed it.  Anyway, oh! Abishai also got to see a big tractor in motion when we went to the barn!  It was dark, but they were moving it or working on it or something, so it was running and had it's lights on and all kinds of things.  I took the boys to a "touch a truck" event when they were little, so I hope to do that with Abishai.  Even when he's tired, he gets OCD about his cars lining up.  It's like it's a comfort to him.  Silly boy and his vehicles.

Speaking of Justin and Abishai, Justin said something like, "I need my Abishai fix" yesterday.  He had stayed the night at Grandma and Grandpa's and then Abishai was taking a nap when he got home, so he hadn't seen the little guy for over 24 hrs.  And that's the first thing he wanted to do when Abishai woke up, cuddle him and tell him how cute he is, etc.  We say he's "addicted" to Abishai, but I think we all are.  Everyone likes to chime in and try to figure out what's wrong if Abishai is upset, and finally I have to say, "Please, just let me parent my own child for once!" Too many helpers!

Abishai can always find a way to get closer to "buttons" (keys) and the screen.  He's watching real airplanes fly/land/take off.  Jared likes to use that noise as his background noise.  Yes, kids running around the room isn't enough noise for him, lol.  I'm just teasing.  Whatever works, eh?

Ah yes, I remember when Benaiah was the one sitting in Jared's lap watching the train go round and round.

The tree was in a super large rolling tote that also contains my childhood stuffed animals.  Keturah couldn't help herself but pick a few to hang out with.  Yes, those are Popples and Rainbow Brite's horse (we left Rainbow Brite in the tote).  I'm a child of the 80's and 90's thanks.

Just one of the many gifts from a family friend.  I'm so grateful it still runs!  We brought it to Canada, never got it out, and brought it back.  Wahoo!

Not fully fluffed or decorated, but we are getting started on Christmas decorating by golly!

This is the book I mentioned above.  Riverside Literature Series, Number 231  Stickeen:The Story of a Dog by John Muir. 

Katharine (something) Howell

Ah, I can't read all of this! It says something like "Note the period of the Expedition (something) in Stickeen.  (Something) the date with your own life.  What was the occasion or cause of this expedition?"

There's even some notes in the text!  Notes like, "particulars and details" and "a specific instance."

I didn't take a picture of the inside of the cover, but I can see prices of these little books ranging from $.20 to $1 BRAND NEW.  Yup, it's old, it's neat, and it's a keeper!  I'll try to remember to let you know if the story is any good.  I'm guessing it's a 4th grade book. (I was right, I looked it up!) And apparently there's an exhibit somewhere about this author.  I LOVE old books!  My mom was addicted to them, too, lol.