Sisters!

One day when Micah was napping the girls were playing so well together. I looked over and Anna was in this tub (that typically holds blocks). Cara had picked her up and put her in it. I couldn't get too mad at Cara, Anna was having a blast, and Cara was making sure she was having fun!

Cara is such a loving big sister, love my precious girls!

Sweet baby chewing on some blocks! :)

First day of School!

Thought I'd blog about this before I forget. I had planned to make pancakes for breakfast, but I woke up and our lone egg, or so I thought, was 5 days expired. We were also out of milk, so let's hop in the car in our jammies and get some donuts. Everyone liked that plan!

Chocolate for Micah, strawberry with sprinkles for Cara.

Always a happy girl.

Turns out I got home and found another dozen (I just KNEW I had bought more!) on another shelf. Oh well, it made the start of school a little more memorable!

Sweet boy, ready to start 'preschool!!"

I printed this sign and had them stand with it. Tried to get just Cara, but Micah wanted to be involved!

Not quite kindergarten for him, but look at that cheesey grin! He kept calling those his preschool clothes becaues he picked them out the night before. Silly Micah man!!

Working on letters with playdoh. Made a little girl too.

Micah made 'the sad letter,' O.

We had a pretty great first week. Had its hiccups and its successes. We are enjoying the family time and flexibility for sure. Next blog: Anna's 1st birthday party!

Happy 1st Birthday Anna!

Anna Banana--I can't believe you're already one!  Where has the time gone?  Good thing your the littlest of the three because I am not ready for you to grow up!!  A year ago yesterday I was waiting and wondering when you'd come.  We are so happy you did come, and what a blessing you have been to our lives!

You are laid back and easy going.  You absolutely adore your big brother and sister, and your Mommy and Daddy!!  Your face lights up and you say Da Da Da Da when he comes home from work. We've been working briefly on signing and you've picked up all done, more and eat so far.

You stalled from about 6 months - 11.5 months and only gained a few ounces (stayed in the 17 pound range), but when we took you in last week you were up to 21 pounds!  Still short and round like we like 'em!  Hi was your first word.  You love cruising around and having your independence.  You started crawling around 9 months and you've got amazing balance now with standing, but you haven't taken that first step.  You've come to love paper and the noises it can make.  You still only have your super cute bottom two middle teeth.  You were drooling for awhile so we thought you'd be our first baby with more than 2 at 12 months, but alas, still only the 2.  You don't eat like it though, whatEVER we put in front of you, you scarf down.  You expect to eat the entire time you're in your high chair, so we have to make sure we keep lots of cheerios, bread pieces, goldfish, veggie straws, etc around.  Mommy weaned you at 11 months to formula, my first ever!  You were on it 2 weeks or so and you've been on whole milk ever since.  You are great with a sippy, but can't quite figure out the straw cups.

Anna, we pray God's blessings over you today.  We hope to make you a big sister within a year or so, and know you'll be great at it.  Our little bit, we pray one blessing over you constantly: that you will grow in knowledge of the Lord Jesus and that He will guide your life and path, making you dangerous for His kingdom!  We pray His light will shine through you as you mature, and we are so blessed to be a part of that process.  We praise God each day for your life Anna, Happy 1st Birthday!!!

Pictures from this last year

Early August 2011

10 months:

 9 months:

 8 months:

 7 months:

 6 months:

 4 months:

3 months:

2 months:

1 month:

 Newborn:

Check out her birth story here. 

Kids' sayings!

Because I don't want to forget.  Cara still says can like 'tan'.  "Mommy, tan I ___."  It's too cute and since we're working on reading I know it'll be corrected soon.  I don't want to forget!

Micah says upside down like 'upspide down.'  It's too cute and we love it.  Oh and if you're ever near him and ask him to do a pirate face, or his shooting face.  It is H.I.L.A.R.I.O.U.S!!

Anna is babbling and cruising and copying big brother and sister.  She's so laid back and happy and quiet, well that is unless you put her in a high chair and don't immediately feed her.  Then she begins her 'pterodactyl' cry as we like to call it :)  She turns ONE tomorrow!!!  How the time flew!

A year ago right now I was headed to the hospital thinking I was in labor at 39 weeks 5 days.  I contracted for awhile, but then nothing.  Then her little heart started de-stating, so we ended up inducing on 8/25: Darrell's birthday!  Happy Birthday to you Papa :)

Kindergarten and Preschool!

On the eve of beginning Kindergarten at home with Cara tomorrow, I'm just so excited! Since she was around a year old I had a feeling I'd be homeschooling her. Wasn't sure when/if/how so I started researching. Long before the days of pinterest.com I had folders of favorites, homeschool blogs, printables places, etc. I'd look at them, get overwhelmed, then not look at them for awhile. I didn't put Cara in preschool when she was 3 to keep her home and work on some basic preschool concepts that year. I ended up watching Aynslee, and getting pregnant with Anna just before Christmas, so I didn't go all out on curriculum or have a set schedule. We did some art, some reading lessons, lots of matching and writing. She loves doing all of that. However, with watching 3 kids and pregnant (aka tired, nauseous, etc) I said, NOPE, she's going to public school at least a few years! This momma needs a break!

I put her in preschool at church last year and she absolutely loved it. She reminded me a lot of me when I was younger, I loved school, the friends, the teachers, the clean desks and paper and pencils. I loved all the activities. I commited last August to pray for a year about whether or not to homeschool or public school Cara. I was still saying she was going to public school, but it just didn't sit well with my heart. So the praying and softening of my heart started. In March God confirmed what I thought was happening: calling the Newsome family to homeschool (among other life changing things). I began really researching curriculum, but also seeked guidance from my best bud and former english teacher and others who have walked this road previously. I picked math, she picked ELA, we both liked the same history, she found some great bible curriculum, and my other best bud found some great, easy science for kindergarteners, as well as art projects. I've been collecting books/manipulatives for years, and with a mom, husband and sister as a teacher, we were given LOTS of great items/books, etc!

I'm excited to embark on this journey with some great friends of mine for support and encouragement. My time is short and I have so much more I'd love to tell you about why we chose to homeschool, but for my own sanity and so I can head to bed, I took some pictures of our school area to post so we wouldn't forget. I'm 'officially' (HA!) a homeschooling momma!

Our school corner. Cara's Ikea desk and Micah's table my mom got for me when her school was getting rid of old items.

Our morning board I copied from here.

We got this IKEA cabinet 4 or 5 months ago and we love it! Our books of the bible poster and number 1-100 poster. The buckets/bar hanging in front of her desk are from Ikea as well and have scissors/glue/crayons/markers/pens/pencils/map pencils, etc in them. I love that they stand up alone as well, Micah grabs the crayons, takes them to the table and goes to town!

Welcome to school Miss Cara!

The white boxes are her workboxes that I'm going to see how they work this week and will post more about them later.

Thermometer from my mom and our calendar board.

There you have it. I have some super fun things for Micah planned as well, I can't wait to get started. He's going to church preschool Tuesday/Thursday this year and he is VERY excited to start that in a couple of weeks. I'm praying we can get him fully potty trained before then, so it'll be a busy few weeks for sure!

That Good Old Baylor Line

On the way down from Dallas to Pawpaw's house in Georgetown we stopped in Waco to show the kids around Baylor's campus.

First stop, the Bear Pit, the kids loved it!

Daddy holding baby girl

Mommy and the big two

This is where Eric proposed. We tried to get them to pose, but Cara didn't want to. Micah was more than willing to get down on one knee :)

Sweet boy!

Just a cute, silly smile!

In front of the SUB.

All of us in front of Old Main.

With Judge Baylor

In the only building that was opened, AND air conditioned, Waco Hall! The kids didn't want to leave!

E and the kids in front of Pat Neff Hall and Judge Baylor. Look at Cara's pose!

We strolled around campus and it made us both wish we were back there. Such great memories. Then we drove a little around Waco to see some of our old sites. This was our first married apartment, Regency Square #113! :) What a great time sharing our old memories with the kids!