Greetings this Christmas season;
Well, it looks like fall is winding down and winter is well on it's way. That's fine by me, although November and December tend to be rather windy in these parts, which makes going outside rather unpleasant. The loggers continue to log further up our hill, so there are log trucks passing by many times a day, which makes going for a walk not doable anyhow. I totally support sustainable logging, but when it interferes with my sleep or my walks, then I'm not so happy about it! They start going by at 3:30am some mornings and end at sundown. Talk about a full days work!!
Our biggest news is the birth of our baby Isaac William, on 
September 13. He was born at home (very quickly), so the midwife did not even make it in time. Greg ended up delivering him, and all worked out amazingly well. Isaac is doing really well. He is a very predictable baby, which gives me peace of mind, because I usually can find out why he's fussing and I also know what to do about it.
Luke is coming along with his 
homeschooling. He journals each day, works on spelling, phonics, reading, and math for lessons, and then reads history/geography/science books on his own for quiet time which he learns a wealth of information about different things. I like being able to see what his interests are and then find the answers for those subjects, rather than sticking to things he isn't interested in just because it's in the curriculum.
James is doing great these days too. He does a 'lesson' each day (coloring in a preschool learning book usually) and 
then helps me with chores while Luke finishes his schoolwork. He's a enthusiastic helper, but also gets distracted very easily and forgets what he's doing. He’s also full of funny sayings, so keeps us laughing most of the time. Yesterday he was asking why King Parrot killed all the babies during Baby Jesus' time. (Herod)
Elise is my best helper these days, but her intentions far outweigh her capabilities. She would love to wash all my dishes, but instead splashes water over the whole kitchen without getting any dishes clean.She loves to pester her brothers (and they love to return the favor!)
As for Greg and I, we're doing fine. Greg started a new job in February which has been a real blessing. It has less stress, more days off and is closer to home. We are very thankful for that. Before he started, we were able to take a trip to CA, AZ and NV with the family and enjoy some sunshine! Now we’re trying to get a few fall projects done (me- Christmas gifts for our annual Canadian cousins gathering, and he- cleaning gutters, filling muddy areas with gravel, hauling wood and *fun* stuff like that). He's also working on some Christmas gifts with his newest hobby of which I can't tell! Isaac sleeps fairly well at night, so we actually function well most of the time. Our family did get out clam digging a few weeks ago (at night) and that was pretty fun. I didn't dig, but just enjoyed watching the lanterns bob around on the beach. We hope to go again here soon.
Wishing you many blessings now as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!
Greg, Rachel and ours
