tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27440930953716095012024-03-12T18:49:01.681-06:00Homeschool HappeningsRedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.comBlogger122125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-30235803812264225752016-05-22T20:57:00.001-06:002016-05-22T20:57:08.861-06:00Sunday Fun!<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A wet Larry came downstairs shaking a soaked stuffed hippo around and flinging water while singing a nonsense song. He flung water all over his father's face. After a minute or two, he let us know that he had just dropped his stuffed animal in the toilet. "But don't worry. I washed it off. "</span><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Eww!</span></div>Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-84284462381613632082016-05-06T12:12:00.000-06:002016-05-06T12:12:40.809-06:00Morning conversations with Larry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Larry: What are clouds made of?<br />
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Me: Water Vapor<br />
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Larry: No they're not! They are made of cotton balls.<br />
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Me: No they are made of water vapor.<br />
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Larry: How do you know?<br />
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Me: I have flown through them in planes. You can pass right through them.<br />
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Larry: You mean you can't sit on them?<br />
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Me: Nope<br />
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Larry: Well on Mungus Island, you can sit on the clouds. Mungus Island is on Dragon Tales<br />
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Me: Dragon Tales is not real. It is what we call fiction.<br />
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Larry: Well I think that Dragon Tales is real and this world is <i>friction</i> because you have Magical Mommy Powers.<br />
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Me: Magical Mommy Powers are not actually magic. They are just enhanced powers of observation.<br />
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Larry: So every time you tell me that you have Magical Mommy Powers you are tricking me?<br />
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<br />Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-26478408682388307532015-12-31T19:06:00.001-07:002015-12-31T19:06:51.985-07:00Dream of a 4 Year OldLarry: Last night, I had a dream that I was a pony and Makenzie was Elsa. We went to the store, and I was a pony and Makenzie was Elsa. (Apparently, it was VERY important for me to remember this detail.) We went in the store, and there was no "No ponies allowed" sign, so they didn't kick me out so we walked through the store and then, we talked about trains in French.Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-15787215188463858072015-11-02T13:03:00.000-07:002015-11-02T13:03:31.969-07:00So SneakyAfter lunch:<br />
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“Larry, would you like me to wash you off.”<o:p></o:p><br />
“Yes, come this way. But don’t look
over there, and don’t look down.”<o:p></o:p><br />
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Allen had bought us sugar cookies from the Bakery when he picked up our bread
this morning. I gave Larry his cookie
after lunch. He took one bite of the
cookie, and then ate off all of the sprinkles and licked off the frosting. Then he hid it on the floor under the table.<o:p></o:p><br />
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“I took one bite, to see if I would like it, and I didn’t. But I did like the pricklies, and the
frosting.”<o:p></o:p>Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-85383064680250581442014-03-20T15:38:00.000-06:002014-03-20T15:39:15.983-06:00Terrible TwosThis week, the kids and I were discussing some of the different things that I have documented on my blog, and laughing about all the naughty things they did. We have had some new antics this that I need to document so I can laugh someday. Right now, I am worn out.<br />
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Larry has discovered two new tricks this week. We have learned that when he is quiet, we need to worry. When things get quiet, I usually send one of the kids upstairs to check things out. One day this week, we opened the bathroom door to find Larry sitting on the bathroom counter. He had plugged the bathroom sink, and run the water until it cascaded down the front of the bathroom cabinet, and flooded the bathroom. He thought it was loads of fun. We now lock the upstairs bathroom doors.<br />
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Larry has always loved the dog food and water bowls. He eats dog food (as a dog) from the bowl several times a week, and often gets drinks from the water bowl. Today, he decided to let us all share in the dog water germs. He filled his toy dump truck with the dog water and carefully carried it over to the kitchen table to dump it.<br />
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Two more months of "terrible-twos." If I remember right, the threes are often even more challenging. Oh Dear! Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-25288150038343190912012-09-30T14:13:00.000-06:002012-09-30T14:13:22.771-06:00Catch-upThis last Tuesday, I decided to take some time to update my blog from the past week. Unfortunately, as I got up from the computer, in one graceful movement, I caught my foot on the cord that connects the keyboard to the computer, and yanked on the cord hard enough as I was walking away, that I broke the keyboard. Hubby saved the day, and I can now type again! :) This will most likely be a long post that covers the last two weeks. Sorry, you have been warned. :)<br />
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On the 17th, our family celebrated Constitution Day. Two of my kids are studying early American History, and I think one of the themes for me of the upcoming Presidential Election is following the Constitution. We had never Celebrated Constitution Day before, and so we asked the kids how we should celebrate. They suggested chili-dogs and cupcakes. I'm not sure that is exactly what the founding father's would have chosen, but they sure enjoyed it.<br />
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We have been studying the first 3 presidents this week. It is kind of interesting to see how some views and philosophies have endured. John Adams felt that the role of government was to save people from their own greed and faults. He felt that people needed to be governed in order to save them from themselves. He was a Federalist. Thomas Jefferson felt that the role of the government was to get out of the way and let people govern themselves. He belonged to the Democratic-Republican Party. We have had a lot of fun reading about how opposite these two presidents were, but in spite of their differences, they were still best friends. They both died on the same day, July 4th 1826, exactly 50 years after the Declaration of Independence was signed.<br />
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For Music we have been focusing on patriotic songs, and on songs that will help us remember things we are learning. We have been working on learning basic sight singing skills, chord progressions and some guitar and xyolophone skills so we can accompany ourselves. We have been learrning <em>This Land is Your Land</em>, <em>The Star Spangled Banner</em>, and this little gem. I have a whole new appreciation for the Animaniacs now. <br />
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This week we discovered that Larry is now tall enough to reach stuff on the table tops. He is pretty excited about his newfound skills. We have also discovered that he likes slimy things, Vaseline and Butter were favorites for this week. (Vaseline is VERY hard to get out of hair!) He loves playing with washcloths and diapers (clean ones luckily!) He thinks he is a dog. He growls when he is talking to Max, and he stands at the front window with Max, and barks at cats, dogs and neighbors. <br />
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We have been doing some fun lessons these past few weeks. In Art, we have been studying pointilism. We read several book about George Seurat, and studied several of his paintings. I have a large box of mostly used crayons, and the inspiration for this lesson came from Pinterest and this blog <a href="http://helpinglittlehands.blogspot.com/2011/09/melted-crayon-art-and-pointillism-books.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I am not an artist, and so our art lessons scare me quite a bit. I always wanted to be good at art, but I'm grown up enough to know that I am really not good. I do have fun creating things though. Here are a couple of our pointilism projects. <br />
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Hubby teaches the kids Science every Tuesday and Thursday evening. I <u>love</u> seeing him work with the kids. They have been studying Life Science, and they have been talking about animal adaptations for the last few weeks. He pointed out examples of animal adaptations in nature, and then the kids had to create imaginary creatures. They had to explain where the creature lived and what adaptations it had that helped it live in that environment. They even made a skeleton of their imaginary creatures using chicken bones and clay. This is what our science class looked like this week.<br />
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I love this last picture! That is what I pictured when I pictured homeschooling. For this Science lesson, they needed to have a birdfeeder that would hold 4 different types of birdseed. Hubby looked at several different ideas, did a little research, and designed this one. The kids have science journals, and Hubby has them taking data to analyze. We bought 3 different types of bird food, and then the kids each got to come up with a food they thought the birds would like. They are supposed to record what types of seed the birds prefer, and what types of birds visit the birdfeeder. So far, we haven't had any customers. Hopefully, we will soon.<br />
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The last two weeks have been pretty brutal schedule-wise. Michael has been doing 12+ hours of school almost every day. We have been medicating him, but it has become less and less effective as time goes on. He is as frustrated as we are. Last Thursday, I finally sat him down, and showed him the recommended times for each class. He was taking 3 to 4 hours to accomplish a 60 minute class. He has classes called "Class Connect" sessions. For two to three hours each day, he attends virtual classes. Then he has to get all the work done for all his classes. On Friday he doesn't have any virtual classes scheduled, and he usually has less work scheduled. I am pretty sure they do this so the kids can get caught up. Last Friday, we tried setting a timer for each class that he worked on to see if he could accomplish the work in the recommended time. For most of his classes, he finished the work in half the time, or less!! He was very excited, and so were we. Hubby brought him home a timer, and so we will see if this trick continues to work for him next week.<br />
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Allen has been asked to do MANY things this year that have been very hard for him. Most kids with Aspergers have a very hard time with summarizing and inferences. In the past, when he came to an assignment that was incredibly difficult for him, he would simply choose not to do the assignment, and take a 0 on it. He has had many classes this year where he has been asked to do things that he really didn't think he could do. We have spent many hours sitting on the couch trying to talk out our frustrations. I think we are both learning quite a bit. It is really hard for me to see him struggle so much, but I know that the things he is being asked to do are not optional. He needs to power through and get them done. I have seen a lot of maturity in him lately. There have been several experiences this week where I was able to share with him struggles that I have had in my life. I think that he is seeing that everyone has trials in their lives, and by powering through them, and learning something in the process, we grow and mature and become better people. He is learning to do the assignments that he is asked to do, and he is learning to do them in his own way. I am learning to step back, and let them be his assignments. I have learned that we can talk through assignments, and we can talk out ideas, but his ideas are what make the paper, or assignment his. I'm having the kids post their assignments on their blogs to publish them. Allen has an autobiographical paper that he has posted on his blog. I love how his personality comes through in it. He has also been working through social skills with his speech therapist. She is working on getting him ready for job interviews and dating. I've gotten to do a couple of role playing assignments with him, and I really love the Allen that I see coming out. He is gaining confidence, and trying so hard.<br />
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This past month of homeschooling been incredibly tough. I am learning that many things in life that are worthwhile are. I think I have experienced equal amounts of frustration and satisfaction. I think I am growing as much as my kids are through this process.Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-42671164451621381802012-09-19T13:26:00.000-06:002012-09-19T13:26:44.015-06:00It's finally coming together!I need to get on and get my blog entry done for last week. I planned to do it on Sunday night, but a couple of hours before we went to bed, I realized that I forgot a HUGE part of my weekly planning. <br />
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Last Monday was ROUGH!! We had Allen's first speech session, and that ended up taking a lot of time out of our day. The kids didn't work as well as they needed to in order to get done at a decent time, and we ended up doing 14 hours of school!! I was pretty discouraged by the time we went to bed.<br />
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On Tuesday, we decided that we needed to do a 9/11 activity. I decided to homeschool because I think education is so much more than just "school." I love giving my kids real world opportunities to show them what their education is all about. We decided to go to the Healing Fields to view the flags.<br />
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We had an amazing experience. On the way to the field, I told the kids my story from 9/11. It was so odd to be telling Makenzie about my day, and then realize that I was three months away from giving birth to her when this all happened. The kids were pretty somber as we walked through the display. We got to a section of state flags and looked at them for a while. They each had tag with a soldier's name, where they were from and where and when they died in the war. As we were looking at the flags, we noticed that there were a few that had flowers and pictures on them. I was showing the kids one of the pictures and talking about the people who had loved that soldier and their sacrifice when two women and a man walked up behind me. The man let me know that I was looking at a picture of his son. I started crying, and then all of my kids walked away from me, and I found each of them privately crying and mourning this soldier in different parts of the field. There was a man in the section of state flags when we got there. As we were getting ready to leave, he asked me to take a picture of him standing next to a flag. He said that he was sending it to his sister-in-law. He wanted her to know that her husband was important, and being honored in Utah. I asked him if he knew the soldier, and he let me know that it was his brother. It was a touching experience. We had a good talk on our way home.<br />
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Tuesday, we also decided to medicate Michael. He had not been able to concentrate at all, and he was really struggling to get his work done in the 5 1/2 hours he was supposed to do school each day. It was a great day!! Everyone was finished with school by 3. Michael's teachers finally put up pacing guides on the school's website, and once I found out we are on track, I felt much better. On the schedule, I saw that they give us one day a month for what they call a K-8 Activity. On that day, we need to find something educational to do, but there are no lessons scheduled. Our first Activity was scheduled for last Friday. We desperately needed it.<br />
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We decided to go and visit the Copper Mine. Michael has been studying the Geography of our state, and the effect that people have on the environment. It was the perfect field trip.<br />
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The kids had so much fun, and they were so interested in all of the different displays. Larry loved roaming the visitor's center, and all of the displays were behind glass, so he couldn't get to anything.<br />
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We decided to finish off the field trip with doughnuts. It was a great way to end the week.<br />
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We are finally getting the hang of this schooling thing a little bit more. The kids were able to get their work done, and get their jobs done most days. Things are finally starting to come together. It is still a lot of work, but we are starting to see some results.</div>
Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-27142204471716827082012-09-09T21:36:00.001-06:002012-09-09T21:36:45.173-06:00This week has been full of school, school and more school. We have had some very long days this week. <br />
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We have had a few successes- Morgan finished his Family History book. He is writing better, and somedays, he whines a little less. <br />
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Makenzie is passing off her multiplication facts, and she is becoming more confident at math. Her math lessons take quite a long time, but she is able to do the difficult problems that our curriculum presents. She is having lots of fun studying science with her dad. She can play a G chord on the guitar, and accompanies us when we sing "This Land is Your Land."<br />
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Michael has had fun with his science lessons. He got to do a fun lab this week with boiling water, and air pressure. He is getting better and better at language arts, and he is finally starting to figure out what he needs to do to get his work done on schedule.<br />
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Allen has figured out how to get his work done is the fastest, most effecient way possible. He does a great job of keeping track of all the stuff he needs to do. He has an image design class, and he is working on his first project for it this week. He wrote a poem for us this Monday when he was supposed to be getting his jobs done. He called it "It takes an hour to do my jobs".<br />
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It takes 10 minutes for mom to explain,<br />And then 5 minutes for me to complain.<br /> 20 minutes spent trying to stall.<br /> 15 minutes to get started at all.<br /> 19 minutes playing around with the broom.<br />And then just 1 minute for cleaning my room.<br />
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Reminds me of the Mary Poppins quote, "Well begun is half done." <br /><br />
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Larry is now walking more than he is crawling. He seems to learn new words every day, and communicates well through sign language and his speech. My two new favorite words this week are chicken and bubbles. Unfortunately, he can now ask for all kinds of things he can't have.<br />
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I had the chance to help out with a project at church, and I got go practice my photoshopping skills. It was fun, and I learned quite a lot. I've also started running with a friend in the neighborhood. I don't think I am running enough to loose much weight, but hopefully, I will be able to maintain the weight I have lost, and someday, I will figure out a way to jump start my weight loss again.<br />
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We have learned many things this week. We have learned that we need to wake up on time, and get started on time if we want things to run smoothly. I have also learned that I need to have a camera handy and ready if I am going to capture any of the fun things we get done each day. We have not learned how to get jobs and schoolwork done on the same day. This week was still incredibly stressful, but it did go more smoothly than the week before. Hopefully, we can learn even more this week. I don't think this will ever be easy, but it is fun and fulfilling. (and challenging and exhausting).<br />
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Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-31548276642072187322012-09-03T19:31:00.002-06:002012-09-03T19:41:29.889-06:00Larry's Latest Accomplishments<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've never uploaded a video before, so we'll see if this works. If it does, you will see how desperately we need to redecorate. Maybe someday. Here is a video of Larry walking across our living room. He loves seeing the video camera, but seriously, what kid doesn't.<br />
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Here is a video of Larry reciting some of our phonograms. His cute little voice is one of my favorite things in the world!! He ran out of patience at the end.Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-77224685776011064962012-09-02T18:41:00.000-06:002012-09-03T07:20:28.445-06:00First Week of SchoolI thought I would jump on and give a quick update. I feel like my life is now devoted to school, and if anyone happens to call, I usually get down to business, and get off the phone as quickly as possible to finish up all that I have to do right now. No chit chat.<br />
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This first week has been very overwhelming. Right now, my two oldest are attending a virtual academy that follows the K12 program. They are required to do 5 1/2 hours of school a day. One of the biggest issues we have had, is getting enough hours of school in each day. When we first looked at the amount of school required, it looked like we would be doing less school. So not true! We log every minute that we work on each class. When the kids are attending school, there is some time spent goofing off, or wasting time, and with this program, there is none of that. The lessons require the the kids to do the work in order to understand the concept, and then they are graded on the quiz that shows their comprehension, not on the actual assignment. We are still trying to work out the balance. Hopefully we will get it soon. Allen is also taking seminary at our local high school a few times a week. He has several friends from school who go to class the same time as he does. He said it made it hard to homeschool, and he really wanted to go to high school. He is also starting speech services in a couple of weeks. He will attend once a week. His sessions are 20 minutes away from our house, and they are during our schooling time. That is going to be another tricky scheduling problem to work out.<br />
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I have really enjoyed teaching Makenzie and Morgan, but it has also been overwhelming. Some of the programs that I am using are programs that I LOVE, and some are just things that I am doing because I am not sure what else to do right now. Morgan HATES to write, and he also will not do anything unless I am sitting right by his side guiding him along every step of the way. I have some definite goals with him. He is most likely going to be my most time consuming student this year, but hopefully by the end of the year, we will see some real progress with him and he will be set up to be much more successful in the long run. In spite of how overwhelming this first week has been, I am loving it. It still definitely feels like the right decision, and although it is definitely not going to be the easiest thing I've ever done, we are having fun, and learning a lot.<br />
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We also canned peaches this week. We got our first peaches off our own tree, and my mom gave us some from her tree. It was a horrible week to try to can peaches, but we made it through and we now have 76 quarts of peaches. I still have to get my kitchen cleaned up, and get my house back in working order, but it feels so good to get done with the canning. Now I am glad I have a 3 day weekend to catch up with things before we get back to school.<br />
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We worked very hard this summer to get my kids to help out with the house jobs. By the end of the summer, they were helping out so much. It was great to have a clean house, and it was great to see them take pride in their work. We have not figured out how to do schoolwork and house jobs both in the same day, but hopefully as we get better at scheduling, that will come. I'm also hoping that this next week will seem super easy since we won't be dealing with canning peaches and homeschooling.<br />
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Guess who learned to open the flour container?</div>
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Larry has been pretty uncooperative this week. He spends his day spreading school supplies from one end of the house to the other. He always wants to be working with the exact supplies we need at the moment. He has becoming very good at repeating the phonograms, and he is adorable repeating everything in his little one year old voice. He is 15 1/2 months now, and he finally began walking this last week. He is very uncoordinated, but determined. He can say quite a few words, and he signs like a champ. He is pretty good at getting his needs taken care of. He will even ask to take a nap when he gets tired! Sometimes. He loves bananas and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and we can no longer use the word cookie in our house.<br />
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Finally, some big news. Allen got his learner's permit this last week. He had his first driving experience yesterday in a local church parking lot. Hubby said that he did really well. It is kind of scary, but kind of exciting to have an almost driver. He has grown up so much, and is such a great kid. I'm so glad I get to be his mom!<br />
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Overall, we are doing well. But we won't be planning ANYTHING but school for a while. Hopefully, I will get a chance to update again next week.Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-53967331486851334362012-08-16T14:53:00.000-06:002012-08-16T14:55:41.802-06:00Wow! I can't even think of a title for this entry. It has been such a long time since I have even tried to keep up with my blog. I don't have a lot of time, so this will most likely be an odd, random post.<br />
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We have decided to begin homeschooling again this next year, and I am very excited. Allen and Michael (Grades 10 and 7) are going to be doing the k12 program. They are both very excited to do their schooling on the computer. Makenzie and Morgan will be doing many of the same programs we did last time we homeschooled. Larry will be running interference. I'm excited and a little nervous. It definitely feels like the right decision for us. <br />
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Larry is 15 months old today. Yesterday, we went and got him his first haircut. I had a tough time deciding to do it. I knew he wouldn't look like a baby anymore, and I will never have a baby again. I'm stressing way too much, but oh well.<br />
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My sister does an amazing job. It is so very nice to have someone who has the skills to cut hair, and is willing to work with my kids. Before we moved close to family, I would dread getting my kids hair cut. I had many stylists threaten me and my kids. With their sensory issues, it is next to impossible for them to sit still. Thanks sis!</div>
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We have had a productive, busy summer. My kids can all ride bikes now (Larry rides on his bike seat on my bike :) We spent an entire month going to the pool every day, and my kids can swim reasonably well. We did tutorials on all the different house jobs that I wanted my kids to help out with, and my house is much cleaner now. I stole some ideas from my sister about how to organize our job charts, and things are going well. Now, if only I could find a way to motivate them to do their jobs quickly and not dawdle so much.</div>
Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-81510809145768171022012-07-17T12:12:00.000-06:002012-07-17T12:12:18.726-06:00Remembering<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rH3RyOiDaiI/UAWqFMRGc1I/AAAAAAAAA7k/OZTgS9yZk3s/s1600/417482_10151108669920808_1994976037_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rH3RyOiDaiI/UAWqFMRGc1I/AAAAAAAAA7k/OZTgS9yZk3s/s400/417482_10151108669920808_1994976037_n.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I saw this picture today as I was browsing through facebook. It has been 4 years since I lost my little girl, and it is amazing how often I still think about her. I know if she had lived, my life would have been different. I'm very happy with how my life has turned out, but I still miss her often.Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-22806849028450294642012-04-28T12:20:00.000-06:002012-04-28T12:20:23.015-06:005k<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yq3UFq5IL9c/T5wyNwBjaTI/AAAAAAAAAC8/EfRh6sFHyvE/s1600/101_3332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yq3UFq5IL9c/T5wyNwBjaTI/AAAAAAAAAC8/EfRh6sFHyvE/s400/101_3332.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Today, my family ran it's first 5k. My husband and one son went on a camping trip, so I got to be a single mom today. I got up at 6:30 in order to get everything ready. The kids were up and ready to go in just a couple of minutes. I checked the thermometer when I woke up. It was 1 degree above freezing!<br />
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We ate a quick breakfast, and I fed the baby and got him dressed, and we headed out. We had gotten mixed information about the start of the race. We heard both 8:00 and 8:30. We got to the school at about 8:10, and after getting the stroller all packed up and getting into the school, it was after 8:15. We got our numbers, and bags of goodies, pined on our numbers as fast as we could, and then headed to the car to drop off our loot, which was right next to the starting line, luckily. It had warmed up quite a bit, and the weather was just perfect. It was sunny, but still pretty cool. About a minute after we got to the starting line, they started us off. I lost track of all my kids right from the start. I started in the back, and after about 1/8th of a mile, most of the people in front of me started walking. I moved out to the road to get in front of all the walkers. We ran along a busy street, and then a dirt road next to a canal. I was a little nervous about my kids. <br />
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There were 2 races on the same course, one for a mile, and then the 5k. Just past the point where the 1 milers turned around to head back, I found my 7 year old, walking along. He grabbed onto the side of the stroller, and hung on for the rest of the race. We ran and talked the entire race. My baby loved the dirt road. He sang for most of the time as he bumped along. It made us laugh. There were several people who would run, and then walk, and we took turns passing each other. When we had about a 1/2 a mile left, my 7 year old really started complaining, and letting me know he just couldn't go on anymore. I kept pointing out how close we were, and he hung in there, and ran pretty much the whole time.<br />
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I hadn't seen my older 2 runners anywhere along the route. When we crossed the finish line, my 15 year old was sitting on the curb on the side of the road. When I asked him how he did, he held up his 1st place ribbon (for his age division). I whooped and hollered like a mad woman. I am so proud of him. When I found my daughter she showed me her 2nd place ribbon (for her age division). I found out that they actually ran the last part of the race together. We walked around, and visited some booths at the health fair and ate some breakfast. My son told us to go check how we placed. He took us to a table where we were supposed to check in when we finished the race. They gave my 7 year old a second place ribbon. As we were leaving I noticed a massive clock sitting in the back of a truck right next to the finish line. I was so excited about finishing the race, that I didn't even notice my time.<br />
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It ws a fun first race. I think the kids each saw how much their training helped them out, and I definitely saw how it helped me. I am planning to run a 5k on July 4th without the kids, and I'm excited to see what I can do when I can just concentrate on myself.Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-41020873484394304882011-06-05T21:05:00.000-06:002011-06-05T21:05:17.108-06:00UpdateThis week was a pretty tough one for us. On Tuesday, Larry had his two week appointment. When we weighed him, it showed that he weighed 9 lbs, 2 oz. He had been such a fussy baby, and he hadn't had many wet/poopy diapers the last few days before his appointment. When the doctor came in to see me, she let me know that Larry had lost 16% of his body weight. She also let me know that she had <u>never</u> seen a baby loose that much weight after birth before. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was so frustrated. Larry was fussy, and tired all the time. He wanted to nurse constantly, but he was also really fighting breastfeeding. Even though I felt like I spent most of my time feeding him, he was still not progressing. I felt like a horrible mom!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The doctor had me start him on formula, and she wanted me to bottle feed him. She said that breastfeeding uses more calories than bottle feeding. She had me mix the formula so it was more concentrated, and had higher calories than normal. I needed to feed him every two hours, and then I also needed to pump to get my milk supply up. She also wanted me to eat 5 small meals a day and drink tons of water. It took over my entire day, and it was very overwhelming, but it all paid off. I went back the next day, and Larry had gained 3 oz. I was able to start feeding him every 3 hours, and I got to breastfeed him every 3rd feeding, and then supplement with the higher calorie formula.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">She had me come in again on Friday, and he had gained another 3 oz. He is still over a pound under his birth weight, but I am back to breastfeeding exclusively, and only supplementing when he still seems hungry after eating. I think things are finally starting to click. When I first started breastfeeding exclusively, he never seemed satisfied, but he is finally back to being my happy boy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My mom came and helped me out this week, and the kids are finally out of school, and they are able to help me out more. They are such great helpers. Today, Allen was holding Larry, and Larry filled his diaper and then some. Allen was so grossed out, he just about dropped him trying to pass him off to Hubby. Now that we have the helping out taken care of, maybe we should start working on diaper changing.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_7FAyvhXRzc/Tew_SiORb3I/AAAAAAAAA7A/E7N4_iSRtDE/s1600/DSC03847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_7FAyvhXRzc/Tew_SiORb3I/AAAAAAAAA7A/E7N4_iSRtDE/s320/DSC03847.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-75120776876883281712011-05-29T21:45:00.000-06:002011-05-29T21:45:38.753-06:00My Miracle Worker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rSOR7rponHE/TeMRInC98tI/AAAAAAAAA6w/9d3N9H1RFjg/s1600/DSC03820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rSOR7rponHE/TeMRInC98tI/AAAAAAAAA6w/9d3N9H1RFjg/s320/DSC03820.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Tonight, we had a family movie night. Larry decided to be extremely ornery, and fussy the entire night. Hubby and I kept passing him off, trying to calm him down, and get him to rest a bit. All of the kids offered to help out, and they kept fighting over who would get to hold him. We finally let Allen take him. I think both Hubby and I were convinced that Larry would just end up screaming, and we would end up coming to the rescue. As the movie ended, Allen let us know that Larry had finally fallen asleep. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ocn02-9OY3w/TeMRlGdzjaI/AAAAAAAAA60/F7rFWG5Vk-k/s1600/DSC03819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ocn02-9OY3w/TeMRlGdzjaI/AAAAAAAAA60/F7rFWG5Vk-k/s320/DSC03819.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-63662691237019276262011-05-20T23:05:00.000-06:002011-05-20T23:05:37.542-06:00He is here!I have wonderful plans to have this amazing photoshoot with my new little baby, and then I will put together this blog that is worthy of my new baby, but reality is starting to set in. I am lucky to have a few minutes to jump on the computer and throw something together.<br />
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Our little boy was born on Monday a little before 3. I did end up being induced, and things went well for the most part. I really hate needles, and especially IV's. I definitely felt like a pincushion by the time I left the hospital. My IV went in with minimal fishing. My epidural originally only took on one side, and so they pumped me full of the medicine. By the time the baby got here, I was extremely numb. I had a harder time pushing this little guy out than I have with my other kids. I thought that it was because I was so numb, but no. I had a tough time because he was 10 pounds 14.3 oz!!<br />
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His apgar scores were decent (I think his 5 minute score was a 7) but he was really floppy. He ended up in the NICU. I was very concerned because Morgan ended up in the NICU for a week after struggling after birth. Our little guy had low blood sugar because he was so big, and so the NICU gave him several bottles of formula to get his blood sugar up. He was very sleepy, and not very interested in nursing for a while because of that. I ended up pumping for most of the time I was in the hospital, and then we would force the little bit of colostrum I got down his throat with a syringe. Nursing took a little bit of time to get down, but everything is finally starting to click.<br />
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For those of you who know me in real life, you know that the names that I use on my blog are not my kids real names. Hubby and I have been trying to come up with an online name for our little guy, and we have decided to call him Larry.<br />
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The kids are so excited. They rush through their homework and jobs in order to hold their new brother. It has been so much fun to see them be responsible with him. They are so much older than they were the last time we had a baby. We have had a very busy schedule this week, and it has been very challenging trying to be a mom to my oldest four, and a mother of a newborn. I am looking forward to getting done with the school year, and then just taking it easy for the summer.<br />
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I am sure that this blog is just a random jumble of thoughts, but that is about all the brain power I have today. I just thought I would take a moment to update you all on our big news.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WtOh09GmWoI/TddGjy_17KI/AAAAAAAAA6o/R4v4Op-gLec/s1600/DSC03802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WtOh09GmWoI/TddGjy_17KI/AAAAAAAAA6o/R4v4Op-gLec/s320/DSC03802.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z9tsMVL9Tfs/TddHC2N_ujI/AAAAAAAAA6s/4i3MYuYW4T0/s1600/DSC03803.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z9tsMVL9Tfs/TddHC2N_ujI/AAAAAAAAA6s/4i3MYuYW4T0/s320/DSC03803.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-47338646007864005762011-05-14T15:11:00.000-06:002011-05-14T15:11:35.658-06:00Still WaitingI was scheduled to be induced on Friday, but the hospital had so many women who went into labor, that they never had a room available for me. By afternoon, they decided to reschedule my induction, and so I am now scheduled to be induced on Monday. <br />
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On Thursday, I started freaking out. I felt very overwhelmed and anxious about this baby, and about labor. I am no longer anxious. I just want it out! Well, I want it out and healthy. I am tired of feet in my ribs. I am ready to lie down comfortably. I'm ready to hold my baby.Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-18489871171286143002011-05-14T14:58:00.000-06:002011-05-14T14:58:19.948-06:00Makenzie, the Brave!On Thursday, Allen came home from school and got right on his homework. He likes to do it down in his bedroom, so he is not distracted by all the younger kids. Morgan and I went up to my room, so he could read, and I could lie down. As we were reading, Allen came running up the stairs to let me know that there was a hornet in his room. I HATE hornets and wasps. Hubby finally has me convinced me that not all yellow and black stinging things are called "Bees." I have learned that I can handle bees, but I hate hornets and wasps. Unfortunately, the hornets and wasps are the insects that always seem to make it into our house. One of the best things about our dog, is he eats hornets. The year before we got him, I killed at least one hornet a week. Since he became a part of our family, I see very few hornets in our house. I told Allen that he needed to take care of the hornet, and to have Max help him.<br />
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Allen came up a few minutes later. He had gone into the garage, and he had found our Ortho bug killer spray. He tried to kill the hornet that way, but he couldn't hit it through the blinds. He finally came and asked me if he could have Makenzie and Max kill the hornet. I told him to go and ask her. (I really am not usually this lazy, but I have absolutely no energy left!)<br />
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Makenzie went downstairs where Allen sent her into his bedroom with Max, and closed the door. (Allen stayed in the hall). Makenzie took a squirt gun with her, and she shot the hornet. Then she had Allen come upstairs, and fetch the flyswatter which he passed her under the door. She smashed the hornet, and fed it to Max. <br />
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My 9 year old daughter saved us all from the big, bad hornet! I'm pretty darn proud of her.Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-70939252943666414152011-05-10T23:54:00.000-06:002011-05-10T23:54:02.264-06:00Last Doctor's VisitToday, I had my last doctor's visit of my pregnancy. I was wrong when I said my doctor doesn't induce. I found out that he will, but only after 39 weeks. I am scheduled for an induction on Friday. I am still dilated to 2 cm, and 50% effaced. I can't sleep. I am measuring big. I am nauseous every day. I am constantly plagued by heartburn. My ribs are so sick of being kicked. <br />
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I am so glad that this pregnancy has gone so well. The end of a pregnancy is always tough, and I definitely complain a lot, but I am so grateful that I get to add a new little boy to my family this week. The kids are so excited, and hopefully with the induction, it will make all the scheduling that needs to take place easier for everyone. It still feels very unreal to me. I am just a few days away from giving birth again, but I am having a hard time wrapping my head around it. I feel like I am still bracing myself so I won't get hurt if things don't go well. I am sure, once I feel the weight of that baby in my arms, it will all become real to me. I have a feeling this is going to be a very emotional weekend.Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-76643251910126085692011-04-26T22:58:00.001-06:002011-04-26T22:59:04.416-06:00Almost Full Term!I just wanted to give a quick update. I saw my doctor today, and things are looking good. Last night, I felt the baby flip a full 180 degrees. I had been concerned that the baby was breech, and so I was relieved to feel it flip over. The doctor checked today on an ultrasound, and sure enough, the baby is now head down. Hopefully it will stay that way. He has been going back and forth for the last few weeks. If the baby is breech when I go into labor, they will take it by C-section. I am 50% effaced, and dilated to 2 cm. The doctor said that this baby will not be coming anytime soon. On Thursday, I will be 37 weeks, and this baby will be officially full term. My doctor will not induce me, and so that adds a little bit of uncertainty to this whole thing. I like being able to plan, but I guess for the next while, the baby will be making the plans.Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-85006630736470292822011-04-20T11:45:00.000-06:002011-04-20T11:45:18.716-06:00It's getting closeLast night, my sister-in-law threw a baby shower for our little guy. All but one of my sister's were able to come, and an aunt, a cousin, and several members from my ward showed up. My mom and sister came over to help me clean up the house before hand, and it was a very nice night. A couple of months before we found out we were pregnant, we finally decided to get rid of all of our baby stuff. Many people have donated their baby stuff that they no longer need, and we got a bunch of cute clothes last night at the shower. We are pretty close to set. It still feels very unreal that in a month, we will have a new little boy to hold and cuddle.<br />
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Hubby took the kids out to eat during the shower, and they got back a few minutes before it ended. I had them all come in to the living room to show them the cute clothes and things we got for the baby. After we had checked everything out, I sent the kids to get their pajamas on. Allen continued to sit on the floor, and look through the piles of clothes. And then, he said, "If this one dies, I'll be pissed!" It took a minute for me to realize exactly what he was talking about. Allen never talks about the babies we have lost. My heart broke as I realized that he has been as anxious about this baby as I have been. Because he keeps so quiet about it, I forget that he needs to be reassured and comforted. I told him that I would be upset too, but that the chances that this baby will be fine are very high. I'm excited to see my kids have a little brother again.Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-20817761249905128672011-03-13T15:43:00.000-06:002011-03-13T15:43:17.861-06:00Our Garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-UaZ4J1mRFcg/TX0vQuMMdfI/AAAAAAAAA54/r8RjiPy7QaU/s1600/DSC03583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" q6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-UaZ4J1mRFcg/TX0vQuMMdfI/AAAAAAAAA54/r8RjiPy7QaU/s400/DSC03583.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-hojg9oYBdhE/TX0uRerbvzI/AAAAAAAAA50/J1f5yqWFOpE/s1600/DSC03582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" q6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-hojg9oYBdhE/TX0uRerbvzI/AAAAAAAAA50/J1f5yqWFOpE/s400/DSC03582.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I stop enjoying winter by January first. This winter has seemed especially long, and I really was looking forward to starting our indoor Garden. We decided to get our garden started the first Monday of March. We planted our seeds for our Family Home Evening activity. This year, I will probably not be able to help out much when it is time to move all of our plants outside. Allen has decided to be in charge of the garden as part of one of his merit badges for his Eagle. I am hoping that it will all work out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-EwWTUc9tXNo/TX0widVrDSI/AAAAAAAAA58/VOvfBeAyy0U/s1600/DSC03590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" q6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-EwWTUc9tXNo/TX0widVrDSI/AAAAAAAAA58/VOvfBeAyy0U/s320/DSC03590.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--r2uMaT595E/TX0xorwA-UI/AAAAAAAAA6E/XJwSuPvp0Go/s1600/DSC03597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" q6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--r2uMaT595E/TX0xorwA-UI/AAAAAAAAA6E/XJwSuPvp0Go/s320/DSC03597.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7O5y2Tg33-0/TX0xJYbkQFI/AAAAAAAAA6A/aD6E2-WcnDM/s1600/DSC03592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" q6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7O5y2Tg33-0/TX0xJYbkQFI/AAAAAAAAA6A/aD6E2-WcnDM/s320/DSC03592.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Last year, our plants seemed to sprout in just a couple of days. This year, it has taken a lot longer. We haven't had too many days that were fully sunny since we planted our little seeds. We have been so excited to see each plant come up. We decided to plant some flowers for our front flower bed. I have never been successful starting flowers from seeds. Hopefully, this year, we will finally get it right.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Cp3zgKgXLc8/TX03Xz7wViI/AAAAAAAAA6I/icUew1lY9EU/s1600/DSC03594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" q6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Cp3zgKgXLc8/TX03Xz7wViI/AAAAAAAAA6I/icUew1lY9EU/s400/DSC03594.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of our "splurges" for this year is a new folding table for our garden. Last year, our garden got a great start, but we used our dining room table to hold it all. We ate at the kitchen counter for 3 months. It has been a good investment. I love getting a head start on spring. We hope to get our springtime outdoor plants started this week.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-60954572759198805772011-02-10T13:21:00.000-07:002011-02-10T13:21:34.633-07:00Valentine's Day Cards<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This year, we decided to print off our own Valentine's cards. The main reason is to save money, but I'm not going to lie, I love the fact that it makes me look crafty. It was also so much fun to see my cute kids get excited about them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Makenzie had to have the girliest card she could find. I love having a daughter!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eYRdI3uDQB4/TVREDctx8QI/AAAAAAAAA5k/5W1txkAv3vM/s1600/Makenzie+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="288" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eYRdI3uDQB4/TVREDctx8QI/AAAAAAAAA5k/5W1txkAv3vM/s400/Makenzie+front.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CMBbGxfUMik/TVREHW_mjNI/AAAAAAAAA5o/JH-2oAV9MuQ/s1600/Makenzie-+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="288" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CMBbGxfUMik/TVREHW_mjNI/AAAAAAAAA5o/JH-2oAV9MuQ/s400/Makenzie-+back.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The original template for Michael's card had a heart before his name. That had to go! He also refused to have anything that said, "Be Mine," or anything mushy like that. He settled for Happy Valentine's Day.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DKRESXHUtTM/TVREKumaQiI/AAAAAAAAA5s/ePB0SwSZDcc/s1600/Michael.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="285" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DKRESXHUtTM/TVREKumaQiI/AAAAAAAAA5s/ePB0SwSZDcc/s400/Michael.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Morgan's card is my favorite! I love it! He is very worried that his friends won't like polka-dots, or that they will want their card to say, "Happy Valentine's Day," instead of, "Be Mine!" I'm pretty sure they won't care what it looks like, as long as there is candy attached.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6paFnR6QPe4/TVREM6toa7I/AAAAAAAAA5w/Nftry3RYIok/s1600/Morgan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="285" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6paFnR6QPe4/TVREM6toa7I/AAAAAAAAA5w/Nftry3RYIok/s400/Morgan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> The entire time I was taking pictures of Allen, he insisted on shouting out, "Cookies!!" This was the most normal picture I could get of him.<br />
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</div><div align="left">I'm guessing most people have already bought their Valentines, but in case any of you happen to be procrastinators you can take advantage of the cute templates at <a href="http://florabellacollection.com/blog/2011/01/13/free-florabella-valentine-cards-bookmarks-giveaway/">Florabella</a>, and <a href="http://www.mcpactions.com/blog/2011/01/18/free-valentines-day-mini-cards-great-gift-for-customers-and-kids/">MCP Actions Blog</a>. I have a cute friend who always blogs with ideas for upcoming holidays. She always blogs in plenty of time for me to take advantage of her good ideas before the holidays roll around. Someday, I might be that on the ball, but not today.</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">I hope you all have a fantastic Valentine's Day!</div>Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-11087521745060368922011-01-24T09:34:00.000-07:002011-01-24T09:34:35.790-07:00Ticket SaturdayI got this idea from a <a href="http://mymixofsix.blogspot.com/2010/03/home-theater.html">friends blog</a>. I planned to take pictures, and share our experience, but our movie night turned out to be so hectic, that I never got around to it. (My friend has some great pictures if you want a visual. :)<br />
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My kids struggle to get jobs done. They act like I am torturing them if I ask them to do anything on the weekends, so we decided to try a Ticket Saturday. Originally I was going to just start giving them tickets for the jobs they did, and then have them find out later what the tickets were for, but I ended up advertising the whole thing to get them motivated. We made a list of all the jobs that needed to be done on our white board, and organized them into one ticket and two ticket jobs. I let the kids know that for 6 tokens they could get a little of everything at the movie night. It took a little while for a couple of my kids to get going, and I even heard from a couple of them that they would just pass on the movie night, but eventually they all worked very hard and helped to clean.<br />
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We set up a little concessions stand, and let the kids buy popcorn, soda, and candy bars with their tickets. We turned off all the lights and watched "Despicable Me." We had a great night, and I now have a new way to motivate my kids to get their jobs done.Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744093095371609501.post-86393763588985710962011-01-18T17:12:00.000-07:002011-01-18T17:12:20.120-07:00Dr. Appt.I'm almost 23 weeks. At my doctor's appointment today, they suspected that I have a bladder infection. They said that that could be the reason I am cramping. The nurse sent a sample off for a 4 day test, so I should get the results later this week. It would be great if that were the case! Then hopefully I can get some medicine and the pain can go away.<br />
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The doctor also said that I am dehydrated, and my calorie intake is too low. Both of these causes also can cause cramping. Hopefully, I can take care of myself, and things can go better.Redhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14056957425657268115noreply@blogger.com0