Tueller Update!

Wow, what a fall this has been! We sure have enjoyed ourselves in the warmer weather we've had recently. Here's my so-far report on how things are going with school/home/life for the new school year. I wasn't going to put this up here, but then I started reading my past posts, and realized I loved having this report from prior times on the blog. Then, when I decide to print it as a book, it's all together. Very simple scrapbooking. My kind of record keeping.

Here is what each of us is up to:

Stephen: Finishing his dissertation, writing papers and working on mathematical equations. Hopefully, by this time next year, we'll be settled into a different home with a different occupation. We're excited that it really could be anywhere, since we haven't heard anything back from anyone, our view is that the sky is the limit (yes, we like to be optimistic, it serves us well). Stephen also was put into the Young Men's presidency at church. I thought perhaps it'd be a break compared to Elder's Quorum, but it's about the same. I'm really glad there are youth programs like this, though, as I think about my children becoming teens. I hope they find an adult that is a good example to them. I know that I was blessed by having great YW leaders when I was younger.

Jillian: Homeschooling the children, keeping house, and taking on the world. Sometimes I wish I were a more active world-taker-oner, but for now, it'll have to be via my very opinionated presence. At this point in time, family comes first, and it's wonderful to watch the children grow and develop their personalities. Also, still running for fun in the mornings, even after that half-marathon in October. I really thought at the end of that that I would not want to run again, but I couldn't wait to start. Some say I'm sadistic. I say I'm having fun. I'm also enjoying being in two different book groups, working on the enrichment committee at church (hmm, wait, what do I call my calling now that we aren't to call it enrichment?), and being a part of a fun group of women who also homeschool. Life is good.

Zachary: Just finished his art class, is now in a jazz-dance class. Today was his first one, and he had a blast. It literally wore him out (didn't know that was possible) so I'm making sure he sticks with this! ha! For his schooling, he's working on Saxon Math for first graders, First Language lessons (he is LOVING practicing memorization and recitation. He must be mine, I love that kind of stuff, too.), A Child's History of the World where we were covering Ancient Egypt, but now we are onto Mesopotamia, and today studied the story of Gilgamesh. We're having fun with the activities that go along with the lessons. Also, we have started using Usborne's Animal Encyclopedia to do projects for science. This week is his neurological test to see what causes his twitches. While we're there, we're going to explore the Children's Museum in Indianapolis.

Chayce: Is taking a ballet class. She is excited that her first recital is Nov. 30th. I will be posting video and/or photos that day. For school, she is still working on counting, we discussed balances (scales) and played with them, she has started McGuffy reader/primer, and loves being read to as well. She participates in the projects that Zac is working on, but is also teaching herself different ways to draw using the "Yes, I Can Draw...." series that I scored at the library sale. We are also listening to different kinds of music, and just learned the song/score of Peter and the Wolf, which we will be attending live (all five of us) on Wednesday!!

Payge: Loves to be read to. Is a mess-maker BUT, also a cleaner-upper. She really enjoys working with Mommy to clean up rooms, and will put things in their places for me as she sings, "Teeeemwork!" (or eeeee---erk is more like it). She's getting so tall! She tries really hard to do everything that Chayce does. If Chayce is drawing, so is Payge, if Chayce has out her dolls, so does Payge. This morning, Payge uttered her first full audible sentence, and it was (yelling at the top of her lungs...)"CHAYCE! GET UP NOW!! " She really wanted Chayce to come play, and it was about 8 AM and Payge had been up since 6, so she was ready for some company. Once Chayce came out of her room, Payge started clapping and yelling, "YAY!"

Now, a few photos...

Yes, Mother, I have a screwdriver. What of it?

Hiding in the curtains. I know Mom tells me not to, but aren't I sweet?

Playing outside.

What is that?

Cute.

What a handsome fella!

Some footage of our wagon rides. It's only 1.5 minutes long.