I just uploaded pictures from Halloween and November, but unfortunately not in that order. I could probably figure out how to fix it, but I’m going to let it go. Hopefully you will, too. Next up: Christmas pix!

I’ve always been amazed at each child’s verbal explosion around 18 months, and Lori’s is no exception. Since Christmas she has learned a bazillion new words and applies them in new ways every day. This morning, while reaching for the handle of the sliding glass door, she said, “Me help gogog out peepee.” I asked, “You want to help let the dog out to go pee?” Her reply encompassed her enthusiasm both for the task and her ability to communicate her idea: “YES!”

Kids like to tell jokes. Usually, they’re not funny. The boys will often repeat jokes that ARE funny, but they have no idea *why*. So I’ve been all the more amused lately when Liam and Evan have made up their own jokes that ARE funny. Examples:

Me: What does a kangaroo need when it’s having trouble jumping? … A HOPeration!

Evan (without missing a beat): At the HOPspital?

and Liam’s latest joke:

Q: What do you call it when a robot cat isn’t working right?

A: A MEOWfunction.

We’ve had some good times in 2008, but I’m ready to move on. I have great expectations for 2009, tempered with an appropriate measure of trepidation. Everyone hold onto your hats!

As an end-of-year gift to you, our readers, I’ve uploaded an album of pix from September and October. There’s a lot to wade through - that should keep you busy while I weed the Halloween album. We take too many pictures…

The Stearns clan wishes you peace and joy. Happy New Year!

Liam was following me around this morning tunring off all the lights as I ran around the house straightening things up for impending guests.

Me: “What’s up, Liam?”

Liam: “It’s electricity day.”

Me: “What is electricity day?”

Liam: “Today. We have to try to not use so many lights and save electricity.”

Me: “How did it get to be ‘electricity day’?”

Liam: “I made it up. Can I turn this light off now?”

So, I apologize to those of you who read our site and are *not* on facebook - I’ve been neglecting the blog and photo albums. I joined facebook as part of our 15-year class reunion, and have since become addicted. It’s just too easy to post updates, pictures, notes about the kids, etc. I do still intend to upload pictures to this website and blog from time to time, but if you want up-to-the-minute news on the Stearns clan, facebook is the way to go (at least for now). Check back soon for album uploads - I have to get up to date before Christmas!

With the presidential campaigns saturating our lives, it’s impossible not to take the opportunity (especially as homeschoolers) to talk to the kids about government and politics. It’s been interesting trying to explain certain things to 3, 5, and 7-year-olds. Some things are easier than others, but I’ve been doing my best to be “fair and balanced.”

A while back, Evan announced, “I would vote for McCain. Because I like his name better.”

I said, “Evan, that’s why they don’t let kids vote. Unfortunately, a lot of adults are going to make the same mistake. What if I gave you a choice between ‘dinner A’ and ‘dinner B’?”

Evan: “I want dinner A!”

Me: “But ‘dinner A’ is a plate full of dog poop.”

Liam: “What’s ‘dinner B’?”

Me: “Exactly. Don’t you want to know what you’re really voting on before you make a decision?”

Liam: “Well, what do McCain and Obama want to do with our country?”

Now that’s a question that’s a little harder to answer.

The boys both played their first soccer games this weekend! They are playing in the co-ed neighborhood league, with an emphasis on fun, so I don’t even know if their teams “won” the games. All of their practices and games are at the park down the street from us, and the weather was gorgeous this weekend, so we spent a lot of time down there. The boys are enjoying themselves immensely, and learning some skills, too. There’s even a mini-me league, so Cara will be able to play in the Spring. Hopefully this is just the beginning of many fun seasons of soccer!

Cara: “Hey, Mommy! AUTUMN rhymes with BOTTOM!”

Today serves as a good example of what our life as homeschoolers looks like. Lori woke me up early (7:00) this morning, which meant that I could get a shower before the day got rolling. Everyone had a leisurely breakfast of cereal, fruit, and yogurt and then got dressed. Liam had time to practice the piano. I packed lunch and gathered some things and got everyone out the door by 9:30. We drove to Kindermusik, where Lori and Cara have classes. Liam and Evan bring book-work to do in the adjacent classroom while they wait (about an hour and a half). Cara joins me and Lori for the first class, and then she has her kids-only class while I hang out with Lori and the boys. By 11:30 we were back in the car and headed for Park Day. The weather was GORGEOUS today: 75 degrees and sunny with a light breeze. The local unschooling group meets at a park every Tuesday, and today they decided to put together a traditional Field Day, plus a pot-luck lunch and a curriculum swap! We contributed a watermelon and some dress-up hats (for the dress-up relay race, of course). The boys rode their scooters around with their friends, ate lots of good food, and participated in tricycle relays and three-legged races. I snagged some new books and activity ideas from other moms. Cara played with kids of all ages and spent a lot of time on the merry-go-round. Lori climbed the stairs to the giant slide and held up traffic at the top until I retrieved her. Repeatedly. By 2:30, everyone was worn out, so we headed home. Lori fell asleep in the car. When we got home, Liam spent some time reading alone in his room while Evan and Cara played quietly. At 4:00 we all geared up to go back out - Liam to soccer practice and the rest of us to free play at the My Gym. At 5:30 we went back to the park to meet Liam after practice, and played on the playground while we waited for the pizza dude to bring us dinner. At 7:00 it was time to drag everyone home and throw them in the tub. (With soap all over. Scrub, scrub, scrub.) Hopefully I’ll have them all tucked in by 9:00, because tomorrow is another jam-packed day of non-stop fun!