Readers and Riders

After a day spent on bikes. Notice how red Garrett's face is. I had to drag him off the bike and he was a sweaty mess. His head is so big and so top heavy that he's always got some kind of something going on with it. That scrape would be from head meeting concrete a few days ago. So, the empty spot was left for a showering Grant...who happened to never show up for the funny spontaneous pics we had going. You gotta love Ivye's wildly bad hair. It's so bad it's almost cute......almost.

I never cease to be amazed....even after all of the milestones one eventually experiences after having 8 children. We have agreed that riding a bike is as huge as the walking, potty training, reading milestones they all reach. Bike riding undoubtedly rates right up there at the top with the other major stuff. And today sweet newly turned 4 yr old Garrett decided he was tired of getting left behind by the now expert bike riders just 18 months his senior. After a week of getting left in the dust when they've all been inseparable he decided now was the day he would take off on a bike and keep up with them. Much to everyone's shock this stout boy who has only been 4 for one month took off on a 16 inch bike and never got off. He is now riding with the best of them. The driveway took on a new life with now 6 big riders out there. In a week's time we went from a few bikes and a whole host of little riders on riding toys to it looking like school just let out. But since the boys' bikes are still so new to them and only a week old we are having some major bike wars taking place outside. Much to our utter shock we are already in the market for yet another 16 inch boy's bike.

Garrett has already covered the town with older siblings leading the way. They were all so excited to watch him go that it took only an hour for the older ones to have him by their side on post office and gas station trips. Evye's been taking care of a fellow city council member's cats while they're out of town so the 6 of them were burning up the roads together as they all reveled in their new rider and ran their little town errands. He still looks so little out there in the middle of them. But he is holding his own and as determined as they come. He has already won 4 out of the 6 races between all of the little boys. Garrison and Grant were quite in awe of his abilities and instead of growing irritated by being on the losing end they were all singing his praises and urging him on.




In the midst of all of the outside events taking place Garrison and Grant read their first easy reader book today. It's an absolutely amazing thing to watch a child learn to read. It's another massive milestone. And to have the ability and the honor of teaching them and watching them open up the door to all of life just never gets old. It has to be one of the most rewarding amazing things in all of life....to have taught them and then to watch them go. The more I watch them learn and see all of life through their eyes...the wonder and beauty of it all....the more I can't imagine anyone ever having the honor of teaching them. How grateful I am that I have been blessed enough to stay home with them and that we can homeschool freely. How amazing a thing it is to watch your children learn. So this week we have added 2 new readers to our little reading crew. To say that it is rewarding is an understatement. There are no words that do it justice. It just makes it all worthwhile.

The girl riders

I loved this since it caught Garrett in motion.

Coaching him as he goes

Gavin quite bewildered he's being left by high speeds and big bikes now. After trying for a good half hour to mount even the smallest bike he finally gave up and got on his old trusty motorcycle and got right in the middle of it all. This little motorcycle is by far the best, most amazing riding toy we have ever had. It was purchased 10 yrs ago when Grayson was 18 months old. Every child we've ever had has grown up on it. It is the reason they all love to ride.

More funny group pics...minus one.

Leading the way for him. Since they had one in training and were going so much slower than usual it's about the only picture we have of no one wearing bike helmets while in motion. A rarity.

Amazing everyone by figuring it out and really holding his own.

The pet rooster. He's our homegrown beast of a bird. His name...Homey....since he's our 1st surviving hatched chick that's lived to adulthood. And he's about as much of a pet as our dogs. I don't think he's figured out he's a rooster.

Loving on the abandoned quadruplet kittens we spent no less than an hour digging out of the bottom of a cactus plant. That was a rather painful experience, to say the least. Let's just say you've either really gotta really love animals....or really love your kids who can't imagine leaving them there to just die. I'm thinking I love my kids...cause after the thorns and crap I plucked out of everything after this endeavor I know it's not animal love that drove me to go to such lengths.