Pfiester Family Update

Okay, okay!  I haven't disappeared! I am so sorry for the lack of posts - I feel as though the summer has literally swallowed me up (in a good way!).

Here's what's going on in our lives.

Carl - is slowly recovering from the Spurs loss to Miami, but I think we are on the other side of that now.......I hope!  He just finished a custom, a re-model and sold a spec home.  Just started on another spec home, and has been meeting with people over other possible jobs.  He is very busy and very blessed.  We know that there are other builders out there who haven't made it through this recession, and we are very thankful for what we have.  He's also working out like a crazy man getting ready for his September Elk Hunt.

Me - We have decided that we are going to homeschool Carlye again next year.  The boys are going back to public school, but with all of the changes that have been made I don't know if we'll make it through the year.  In the back of my mind I know that 5th grade was the year that was so awful for Carlye, and so I think I'm just assuming that it will be hard for Nathanael as well - and yes, I know that's not necessarily true.  However, I'm definitely watching it more closely, and I have no problem pulling either of the boys and home schooling them if we need to.  Meanwhile, I have been swallowed up in fear and stress trying to figure out what curriculum we are going to be using for Carlye.  I have let the fear go, I'm coping with the stress, and I've finally decided on the following:

English & History - Sonlight
Math - Saxon with Dive
Science  - Apologia
Writing - Excellence in Writing
Art & Classical Music Appreciation - Sonlight
Music Theory - To Be Determined
Spanish - Rosetta Stone (still a maybe)

I've also been having a hard time dealing with my kids growing up and turning into pre-teen almost teenagers.  I actually cried while we were singing Happy Birthday to Nathanael.  Upon further reflection, I think that it may have something to do with my hormones and my hysterectomy.  So I've decided to watch my food more closely, and I'm going back to clean eating - I always feel so much better when I do!  I've also started yoga again (in my home, with my children, but it's happening!) and in a few weeks I'm going to start running short distances.  I will slowly build up to where I was before I hurt my back, and cut back if I start to hurt.  All in all it should help with how I feel as a whole.

Carlye - still playing her viola, and doing really well.  We had a slight disaster at String Camp, and she dropped and shattered (no, I am NOT exaggerating!) her viola.  We have insurance on it, so we only had to cover the cost of the new strings.  They upgraded her to a larger viola, and the sound is beautiful!  She has several camps coming up over the next few weeks, and is going to be in the Hill Country Orchestra again this year.  She's also going to volunteer at the vet's office once a week to see if that's really something she wants to pursue when she graduates.

Nathanael - just turned 11!  He had a wonderful birthday, and is looking forward to getting his dog.  We go visit them every week, and they are all so adorable I don't know how he'll pick just 1!  He's still playing guitar and cello, and loving it.  At his last well check, however, the dr told us that we need to go off of gluten permanently.  We don't have to be super strict - he can have a cupcake at a birthday party every once in a while - but his stomach aches are because of the gluten building back up in his system.

Noah - is Noah.  He's loving summer and swimming at the creek and building forts with Carlye and Nathanael and watching cartoons and thinks life is a constant party.  He's still playing the piano, but as of this moment has absolutely zero interest in playing any other instruments.  All three of them started tennis lessons again, and he is loving it.  His hand eye coordination is amazing, and he's decided that he thinks he wants to play baseball in the fall, so we'll see....

All in all, life is good.  We have been enjoying family reunions, the 4th of July, swimming, bar-b-q and just being together as a family.  I'm so thankful that I get to be home with them!  I'm starting to realize how quickly it's all going and I want to enjoy every moment.

I'm having a hard time getting pictures to load, so my next post may just be a bunch of pictures!