A Fresh Start to a New Year

How has another month slipped past us?  We fill our days with so many activities that it's no wonder they slip by.  We have made the most of January 2017 and we are here to show you that we have been building our family's kinship and family time together through the colder weather games, puzzles and the kids' favorite game, Hide and Seek.  Don't you love that it is portable and can go with you anywhere, even to CHURCH!!!

We find time to pour into others to build our community and the kids have so many friends that they love to spend time with.  Luckily the kids will play with so many friends of different ages that it doesn't seem to prohibit them like it did us as we were growing up.  

 

And then there is school time which is VERY different from what I grew up with.  We watched the inauguration and Siena has nearly memorized all 45 presidents.  The kids have enjoyed reading quite a bit more since it's part of our daily routine, they are involved in science experiments in the co-op community and they also are studying different art forms.  They have really done well with their weekly oral reports and share the funniest stories.  

With the strange climate change, our kids have been in short and climbing trees, snowmobiling in their PowerWheels and jumping in rain puddles!  Seriously. is there anything better than having the free spirit of a child, the love of Jesus in your heart and family to share it with?

The Best Way to Spread Christmas Cheer

Christmas is always a fun time at our house.  We attempt to do most of the fun winter activities such as decorating together, drinking hot cocoa, watching Christmas movies and going Christmas caroling.   Our weather was warm some days and chilly other days, quite typical for Tennessee.

Siena performed with the church kid's choir this December.  She had 3-4 cute songs that she sang with her early elementary peers.  Our younger two also memorized the songs and had a blast preparing but they didn't get the joy of performing.  You can see the performance at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urRVKnHEQuI

Allegra is 20 months and had so much fun at Christmas....with boxes and tissue paper.  She had little interest in the gifts that were inside.  In case you forgot how fun it is, we got a video or two.

The kids had their Papa and Gama visiting here for Christmas so in their minds, they had everything they could want. They got a few toys, clothes and had fun opening gifts.  The excitement to tear open a package is alive and well.

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With grandparents here for holidays, Carson and Siena wrestled with their Papa and read books with Gama.  Siena also requested to sew with Grandma and so they made a pillowcase in an afternoon.  What a great team and a fantastic memory for both of them!

 

No Christmas is complete without our Christmas Eve service that is always beautiful and touching.  May your Christmas season leave you with sweet memories and your new year full of hope!

Love, The Knolls

Summer in Autumn

We haven't really had fall but we have been in a drought.  So that means we have had a beautiful, dry summer days in September and October filled with outdoor activities.  

 Siena has excelled in gymnastics and has earned another medal in her walk-over backhand spring.

Siena has enjoyed the choir and it doesn't hurt that most of her friends are also involved.  Here is one of the songs that she performed recently. They are currently practicing for their Christmas performance.

Although we school at home, we are still around town quite a bit at the Discovery Center and the park.  We have taken several hikes and enjoyed a handful of picnics.  We read outside when we can and shove the kids out the door to play.  They don't know that winter will be here soon but Mom & Dad do.  Luckily the kids are also love board games, coloring and puzzles.  

 

Little Allegra isn't so little anymore.  She is just one of the kids.  She runs after them, laughs at them, crawls wherever they are and dances with them.  They, in turn, think she is still a baby and talk to her like one but now she is starting to answer them, maybe not in words, but in conversation tones.  There is nothing greater than watching your kids explore life together and helping each other grow.  

We have been incredibly blessed by two great co-ops that aid in our homeschooling.  It really has helped us to have other families in this stage of life.  Our Thursday group had career day (above) and Siena dressed up as a "mommy".  Yes, I was just a little proud.  Our monthly co-op takes field trips and enjoy the journey of doing life together. 

Fun in the Sun in September

Birthday Boy on his big day!  It's only been a week and a half but he has grown up so much since becoming 4 and has become more of a ornery boy with a new personality.  He had a great day with family and pancakes; friends and pizza.  

We celebrated both kids birthdays with a very large joint beach themed birthday party with pizza, cake and huge inflatable water slide.  The backyard was filled with kids in swimsuits and parents who were grateful for a break. 

 The party was really just an opening act for our trip to the beach in Florida.  We had such a restful and memorable time playing in the waves.  We really didn't do much of anything else but soak up the sun and enjoy the sand.  The kids got boogie boards and "surfed" for four days in the waves.  

 

Since Allegra started walking 3 weeks ago, she was super cute to watch toddle in the waves and cross between crawling and walking on the sand.

Florida has been an amazing place for us to unwind and spend quality time together.  There are few places on Earth that bring the awesomeness of God's creation like crashing waves and 

breathtaking sunsets.

A Few Changes

So we had a big week with our first week of homeschooling.  All went well and we both truly enjoyed being home and working together.  Siena did great and has an incredible foundation for us to build on.  This week was review from last year and setting the stage of expectations for this year.  She had her first day of community classroom on Thursday and she enjoyed her class of 6 and her teacher, Ms. Anna.  

 When you homeschool, there is time for field trips so we visited the Discovery Center and both kids dressed up.  Carson enjoyed dressing up like Daddy and reading X-rays and they both climbed all over the firetruck and dressed up as fire fighters.

We have begun a new chapter as soccer parents which has taken up our Saturday mornings. We are quite a sight with our camping chairs, stroller, soccer equipment, water bottles, diaper bag, and the kitchen sink.  However, the July weather has cooled to a tolerable August and the kids are having a great time and improving quite a bit after only a few weeks.

And then there is the baby....what can you say about the youngest who is screaming to be heard - literally.  She has been out eating Carson and chowing down on everything.  She couldn't get enough watermelon the other day and devoured 4 slices by herself.  And this evening she shocked us by talking 5 steps alone towards us!!!  We are ecstatic and hopeful this will encourage her to use her feet more and her knees less. 

Summer at Home

After traveling from Guatemala to North Carolina to Kansas, we finally spent July at home but our calendar has remained full, as always.  The kids celebrated with a new kiddie pool in the backyard and try as we may, we could NOT keep Allegra out. She may swim before she walks with the eagerness she has for water. 

 We hosted our annual 4th of July BBQ for our small group and we all dressed accordingly in red, white and blue.  But to follow tradition, we got rain, as we do every year but luckily it stopped long enough to finish up the last of our fireworks before bedtime.

We went to the playground a handful of times and weathered the heat but the kids didn't mind as long as snacks were involved. 

Carson took swim lessons for the first time and he was lucky enough to have his best buddy, Clark, by his side.  The two made lessons interesting for their instructor but they both learned a lot and passed!!!

And then we had family from Kansas.  The house was stuffed full of cousins, dogs, presents and fun.  We had a great time beating the Tennessee heat with people we love.

 

We have done a few service projects with our small group such as delivering goodies to our local fireman and police officers to say thank you.  The kids got a tour of the fire station during an incredibly strong rain storm.

And we have opened up a new chapter in our lives: soccer.  Both Siena & Carson are beginning competitive sports this fall and have had their first few practice.  It has been quite a change from our small town athletics to an organization that is run like a well-tuned machine to make sure that everyone practices at the right time and that the upcoming team gets the field next.  The kids are adorable and are really enjoying themselves and the hype around going to soccer.