On your mark.... Get Set...... GOOOOOO..... The school bell has rung. This year we are schooling all seven. We did it last year as well but this year we are "officially" schooling Lilly.

Hannah is starting 11th grade. She has a heavier load this year but she is so smart I know she will just breeze right through it with flying colors. Leisha is starting 8th grade and we are treating this like 9th. We figure if we start her now, she will be a bit more prepared for high school. Abbi is in 6th grade. She has to work a bit harder to get the good grades, but when she does believe herself she always does awesome......(some times just convincing her takes a lot of work). Noah is steaming along into 4th grade. He is having a blast and doing well in all subjects. Math being the one he picks up quickly. SO didn't get that from his mother. Noelle is in 2nd grade and is getting better in the reading area. It took us a long time to figure out how she learns (she needs everything), so she is a bit behind the power curve but I have a feeling she is going to catch up this year. EJ is in K/1st grade. We have big plans of reading this year (I should say I have big plans... EJ might have other ideas, he usually does). He to does really well with math. Lilly is just doing preK/K work. but she picks things up quickly and already knows the letter sounds and is putting them together. She can also count to 20 plus when the mood hits her LOL.

I am using a modified workbox system for Lilly and EJ. I am hoping it will cut down "MOM WHAT DO I DO NOW??" and yes it is yelled most of the time, even though I am in the same room. Today it worked great. I pray it keeps working. It will take a bit more planning on my part but I believe it will be worth it in the end.



Noah's favorite place to read his readers......gotta love homeschooling.

On Thursday night the dancers got together at an Italian restaurant and got to hang out and get to know each other. A couple of the girls in the picture are dancers from Munich.


Here is one more of Leisha during her dancing.

Well again I am way far behind.... someday I pray to get in the habit of blogging at least once a week.....please pray with me. I am hoping I do this right and I will just blog about last weeks camp and then I can fill in backwards as I have time.

Last week we had a very full week. Hannah, Leisha and Lilly went to Irish Dance camp. This was Lilly's first time ever and she had a BLAST. Although by Friday she was pretty well pooped. Hannah and Leisha had extra longs days.. not only where they there to learn their stuff, they were also camp leaders (help teaching the younger dancers). Needless to say they were pretty pooped by Friday as well.

Noah and EJ got to learn a new sport. Hurling is an Irish sport although it is played internationally. It is kind of like field hockey with a twist. The boys LOVED it, even though their practices were done in 100 degree weather. The coaches were very surprised on how fast the kids picked up the game... they are hoping to maybe continue the practices during the year. EJ is thrilled with this idea.

Abigail and Noelle were my big helpers during all of this. Because I was having to leave the house so early on most days, they stayed home with the doggies to help keep them cool. ( we were having a heat wave of 100 degree weather with no real ac) I am not sure how I would have worked the week without them staying home. On Thursday I did get to bring them along and I took the kids to the pool and then on Friday to the lake right before the Ceili.
Here is Leisha in the air, good grief she is high.
The last class of the week., Hannah managed to hurt her foot, so during her time she walked the steps with her fellow injured. Hannah seems to be doing much better and is working on strengthening her arches a little every day.

Daddy had a day off in May so off we went to our
favorite hiking place. Karl's Gorge. The kids love
climbing up the rocky hillside and hiding in the caves.





The dogs had way to much fun playing in the icy waters.

Daddy was brave and treked the kids up the side of
the hill to get these pictures.. I was down at the base
holding on the the puppies.


One of the best of all seven in along time.



CUCKOO!!

This is why......

New couches are in our future.....'nuf said

Tsuanmi turns 1

My handsome furkid is one years old. He has been such fun
to have in the house. He can be an exhausting brat but he is our
brat LOL. He is overly friendly and just doesn't want to take no
for an answer when trying to met a new friend or even an old one. He loves
his bully sticks and squeaky stuffies and he even loves his furbrother now that Ty can
play tug a war with him


Tsunami is enjoying his banana cake with yogurt frosting....


"you are done already?? did you even taste it Typhoon?"

Salzburg Feis

For some reason this is the only picture I have
of Hannah for the Salzburg feis.... I know I took more........at least I thought I did






Okay so we went on a feis (irish dance competion), early May. We went on a whirlwind tour and somehow this is all I got for pictures....and I don't even remember what they were. I think I am going to have to go back and try again.

Spring 2009

Lilly hoping to ride the dino right into the park

The Briggs and the Murphy kids looking great

Sometimes an extra hand is needed when dam building


Leisha looking cute in the bamboo


Noelle the flower child

Abbi is on the best swing ever....


The dam building is in progress... proceed with caution



The Murphy Boys are putting last minute touches on the dam before they let loose the water.....

It was finally warm enough to head the to best kids park in the area.... affectionately called Dinosaur Park. There are slides, climbing things, swings, sand and water. What more could a kids ask for. We homeschool families took advantage of the nice day and went and hung out at the park. The kids had a blast just being outside and playing and the moms enjoyed just being able to sit and talk to an adult.

Spring 2009

Spring is in the air. The girls all got together in the field right by our house and picked the wildflowers. They had so much fun making little bouquets and daisy chains. I love pictures like these, they really do show how well the girls get along and love just being together

Easter 2009

Happy Easter Everyone....

Give The Dancers some Props

At the end of May, Hannah and Leisha were part
of a dance recital through the youth center at
Ramstein. They were in a show with all the other
dance styles and ages that are done at the youth center.
These irish dancers were in a dance where brooms were their
props.


These are the Intermediate dancers and they were
Gangster Irish Dancers with chairs and hats as their
props...

both groups did so well. Irish dancers are usually the most
prepared and together groups during the recital show. All their hard
work really does show through.

WELL doesn't Tsunami look pitiful? This new puppy is changing so many things......
HEY that is MY comfy spot....MOM... make him move!!!!

All the kids that went on a hike in the woods.... they had a blast climbing over and on top of huge rocks, and fallen trees and wading through the VERY cold stream. Not a bad way to spend the afternoon.

Here is my sweet little one being a huge HAM! She jumped up on the rock and told Ms Kissie that she needed her picture taken on the rock. She then proceed to pose. The world just better watch out....

This past Friday I tagged along with some friends for a walk through the woods. The location was Karl's Gorge and it is said to be one of the prettiest walks in the area. I agree. Spring really hasn't hit the trees yet but I bet in about three weeks the new greens of spring will be present.

I guess it is time for a Major update huh??? Goodness I have missed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and Valentines Day; and I am in major jeopardy of missing Easter as well.... I am so sorry everyone. Since Eric has gotten back my life has hit overdrive. Trying to keep up with schooling, field trips, Girl Scouts, Irish Dance , Football (fall) and now Baseball as well as AWANAs and puppy training things been a challenge to say the least. The kids are doing great. Growing like weeds and trying to break mom and dads clothing fund. Hannah and Leisha have come a long way in Irish Dancing. They are hoping to place out of a couple of dances in their next competition in May. If they can get that done, then I think their teacher will move them up to the intermediates. Although this is a major goal for the girls, I don't think they understand that their feet could very well fall off. Abbi is still searching for her "something" to do. She just hasn't found what makes her happy yet. Noah is having fun with his sports. He tried football for the first time last fall and he wasn't impressed. They only have flag football for his age level so I think that takes some of the fun out of the game. He is now playing baseball and is enjoying it much more. Noelle is just a princess and still loves to just cuddle with you if you let her. EJ is waiting impatiently to get to DO something. EJ and Noelle were taking swim lessons up until about three weeks ago when our beloved instructor got very sick. Noelle is pretty good although she gets cold very quickly... imagine that... EJ sinks like a rock while moving his arms. It is kinda funny to watch. Lilly is just busy. She loves to swim and does VERY well. She has no fear and spends more time under the water then anything else. She also loves Irish dancing and will probably be in the beginner class before the year is out.

Well since I am so far behind in updating.... I will try and add at least one or two new blogs a day..... then I will be caught up right??

We added our newest Newfie, Typhoon and the kids are in total love with him. He is so different than Tsunami, while 'Swami is loud and wild, 'Phoons is laid back and quiet. He is going to be much bigger than 'Swami so it is probaby a good thing he is a quiet gentle giant.