Happy Easter

Easter Egg Dying

This was a "first" for Natalie and Olivia.

They got the hang of it quickly.

Tanner surprised Madi & Janelle with two baby chicks!

This was the school scene I found early Monday morning.

They were eager to get started on their school work with their new classmates nearby!

April Fool's Day Dinner

Madi thought we needed to celebrate April Fool's Day with some fun foods.

We decided to start with dessert first!

Chocolate Pie with Strawberry topping!

 (Meatloaf with pink mashed potatoes)

We had our MAIN course after "dessert". 

Meatloaf and mashed potatoes with gravy.

(Chocolate rice crispie with ice cream and chocolate syrup)

After dinner Tanner commented, "I literally feel SICK now!"

Cousin Fun

An afternoon cereal binge at the SHUMWAY home!

Yes, Tanner is actually reading American Girl Magazine with cousin Chloe.

Some of Tanner's favorite little people came to visit.

A mob of happy cousins.

Look at this cute, new homeschool pupil!

Halloween...Aunt Stacy-style

She's AMAZING!

Halloween...homeschool-style

During October we studied Egypt. Part of our learning included mummifying a cornish game hen.

You begin by washing the body and preparing it to soak in a bag of salt for one month.

The girls were disappointed that their chicken, whom they named King Khufu, came without a HEAD! 

They wanted to attempt removing his brains through his little nostrils just like in ancient Egypt.

When King Khufu was sufficiently dried, the wrapping began. Gold beads were placed on his wingtips, a Book of the Dead (Plan of Salvation map) lovingly tucked under his wing, then he was gently wrapped in several layers of linen with amulets and jewels among each layer.

Finally, a golden face mask and a headrest were crafted for the King.

Now King Khufu rests peacefully in our windowsill.

Janelle got a little distracted and decided to mummify herself!

Later, Madi dressed up as an Egyptian.

Have we taken this a little too far?

A Room Makeover

Our littler girls have been patiently waiting for the "Big" girls to clear out of the larger bedroom so they could take it over. They intended to make the move one year ago, but a sleuthy Sheralyn bribed them with several trips to Yogurt Hut if she could reign supreme in the larger bedroom one more year.

Now that Sheralyn is gone, Madi and Janelle have spread their wings.

A fresh coat of paint.......

some bedding...

careful placement of their treasures....

These princesses have NEVER been so happy! 

This marks a right of passage in the Shumway home....an entry into the life of a teenager....(without the grumpies, hopefully).

Cousins

Sheralyn has launched in the college world and landed at BYU-IDAHO where she is loving her independence!

In one of her classes (enrollment 75 students) she discovered there was a Charles Shumway on the roll. Sheralyn and her friend Morgan determined to discover who Charles Shumway. (The original Charles Shumway is Sheralyn's 

Great-Great-Great-Great Grandfather.....

and the Patriarch of a very large posterity.)

Sheralyn & Morgan arrived to class early and carefully examined every male student who entered. When a certain young man entered the room, they both said, "He is DEFINITELY a Shumway!" Morgan called out, "Charles!" .....and the boy turned his head. They had found a cousin!

Sheralyn was stunned by the genetic resemblance to some of her relatives. He had the long, thin face which is characteristic of most Shumways, and his body looked like a morph between 

Mitchell and Tanner!

Time will tell if they eventually become Kissing Cousins!