The weekend was quite good.
There was a skateboard competition and the purchase of a new board and all that goes along with it. Shortly after that, we applied ice packs and band aids.
We spent a good part of an afternoon in a park. My favorite question whenever we arrive at a park--"hey mom, can I make new friends?" There were plenty of kids to make new friends with and lots of sand to top it off. A very nice park indeed.
The birthday boy--better known as Joe-Joe, Johnjamen, Marshmallow, Birthday Boy, King--yes, that was how he asked to be addressed on his day--requested dinner out. So off we went to a local "farm" restaurant for giant burgers. We finally finished the left-overs yesterday.
Monday was almost a day of rest. Our Little Miss was able to spend the whole day with us. We all enjoyed the weather and did the American Thing. Meaning? Well, we didn't drive anywhere, but we did light up the grill and burn meat!
Yesterday was a whirl-wind of events. All the regular stuff like groceries and PT for the Little Miss. But we also had a visit from her case worker and just about the whole neighborhood over for afternoon playtime.
Today is one of those wonderful summer days. The whole plan is to go the park and make to piano on time, less dirty than last week. I'm guessing we'll do better on both, but still not be totally on time or anywhere near really clean.
Keeping boys clean is not something I try to do in the summer. We just do really serious bed time showers. I go through a lot of soap and band aids in the summer season. But it's worth it. I love to see them running full out in the sun with other kids. I love to see them work hard at bikes, scooters and boards. They really want to own their tricks and do them well. It's a great thing. I love to see six kids squeezed in around the sand box all playing together. I love to see the ball games they invent.
It's cool. It makes you remember your own free days of being a kid. It's so much easier to be loose with the kids in the summer.
I also love the projects. And the read aloud. Right now, we're knee deep in snow in the Little House In The Big Woods. Even boys like these books. I suspect there will be some wood working this morning.
Dental count down. One day left. Tomorrow should be the start of a new set of teeth for me. I'm looking forward to the end.
Last dilemma. A good one really. What to wear. We're going to a reunion of sorts in the next week and I don't know what to wear. I'm planning to go shopping for something new. I never shop, so I'm not really to excited. I really lost my love of shopping years ago when I worked in retail and it never came back. I'm truly happy to never enter a mall, but there is this date...We're going to be at a bar. It is a combination martini bar and garage band bar. How on earth do I figure out what to wear to that??? Plus here in the Midwest it is still early in the season. Weather is unpredictable. It could be horrible hot and humid. It could be cool and crisp. It could be wet. It could be all of those in one night? What's a plain Jane to do. For those of you who don't see me daily, I wear only comfortable. Jeans or shorts, tee's and/or sweatshirts. Always tennis shoes. Even to church.
Shopping suggestions and fashion help needed.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Birthday Boy
Today is the last day The Littlest Mr. will be 4.
With great glee he announced at breakfast this morning that tomorrow he will be 5 and finally able to do "everything".
I wonder what that everything will look like.
They are really turning out to be something, these boys of ours.
Our days are filled up with sticks and dirt, comic books, Lego's, tree climbing, park explores, eating, read aloud books, Indians, war, history channel, model building, bikes, skateboards, scooters, balls of all sorts, bug bites, band aids, dirt, sticks and eating.
Did I mention dirt, sticks and eating?
It's a main theme around here these days.
Who knew that was the best offering of the summer?
All little boys, that's who.
Off to enjoy a birthday weekend with my critters.
We'll be doing it again 6/4 for The Little Miss and 6/7 for The Little Mr.
What fun!
With great glee he announced at breakfast this morning that tomorrow he will be 5 and finally able to do "everything".
I wonder what that everything will look like.
They are really turning out to be something, these boys of ours.
Our days are filled up with sticks and dirt, comic books, Lego's, tree climbing, park explores, eating, read aloud books, Indians, war, history channel, model building, bikes, skateboards, scooters, balls of all sorts, bug bites, band aids, dirt, sticks and eating.
Did I mention dirt, sticks and eating?
It's a main theme around here these days.
Who knew that was the best offering of the summer?
All little boys, that's who.
Off to enjoy a birthday weekend with my critters.
We'll be doing it again 6/4 for The Little Miss and 6/7 for The Little Mr.
What fun!
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
How Many Trips Will We Make This Summer?
I am beginning to believe this will be the summer of ER trips.
As I've been watching The Little Mr.'s playing, I'm getting nervous. We've already gone through one box of the jumbo size bandages. You know the size, it could cover a small child's whole face.
We've climbed trees. And fallen out. We've crashed. On bikes and scooters. We've used the hop-a-roo toys as weapons. Sticks are the most popular toy.
That all adds up to splinters in abundance, massive scrapes, large doses of road rash, bumps, bruises and black eyes. We've also experienced dehydration several times and exhaustion to the point of falling asleep in our dinner plate. No small feet for someone almost 5!
All said, they're boys. Great boys at that, but boys none the less. I fully expect that we'll experience stitches and casts this summer. I'm just hoping they don't know us on sight at the ER by September.
I'm happy to report the birds are getting used to the bird bath. They still prefer the water that collects in the top of the sand box cover, but lately that's been dried up. I've had some rather fat robins visit and a large dove. There have been some other tiny little birds, rather plain, but sprightly. I think I need a bird book this week at the library.
Ah, summer weather and a stack of library books. I can hardly wait to make some tea and pick up my pile of reserves.
As I've been watching The Little Mr.'s playing, I'm getting nervous. We've already gone through one box of the jumbo size bandages. You know the size, it could cover a small child's whole face.
We've climbed trees. And fallen out. We've crashed. On bikes and scooters. We've used the hop-a-roo toys as weapons. Sticks are the most popular toy.
That all adds up to splinters in abundance, massive scrapes, large doses of road rash, bumps, bruises and black eyes. We've also experienced dehydration several times and exhaustion to the point of falling asleep in our dinner plate. No small feet for someone almost 5!
All said, they're boys. Great boys at that, but boys none the less. I fully expect that we'll experience stitches and casts this summer. I'm just hoping they don't know us on sight at the ER by September.
I'm happy to report the birds are getting used to the bird bath. They still prefer the water that collects in the top of the sand box cover, but lately that's been dried up. I've had some rather fat robins visit and a large dove. There have been some other tiny little birds, rather plain, but sprightly. I think I need a bird book this week at the library.
Ah, summer weather and a stack of library books. I can hardly wait to make some tea and pick up my pile of reserves.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Crank-a-potumus
I have just plain been a cranky person lately.
I'm chalking it up to 6 months in dental purgatory. It's almost over.
There was yet another dental surgery yesterday. Mild and yet highly annoying.
My head hurts.
It's been hurting for months.
Your late 30's is not the time for teething pain.
By the end of June the whole thing should be over.
Forever.
I should never have to have anything dental with these two teeth ever again.
Hallelujah.
It's also been a year of transitions and discoveries.
The good news is that I've recently gotten a lot of clarity and peace in a number of areas. Much of this I'll be sharing later when I'm free to type with both hands and no sleeping baby in my arms.
She is a joy and a blessing, but also tremendous work.
But then again, aren't all kids?
I'm chalking it up to 6 months in dental purgatory. It's almost over.
There was yet another dental surgery yesterday. Mild and yet highly annoying.
My head hurts.
It's been hurting for months.
Your late 30's is not the time for teething pain.
By the end of June the whole thing should be over.
Forever.
I should never have to have anything dental with these two teeth ever again.
Hallelujah.
It's also been a year of transitions and discoveries.
The good news is that I've recently gotten a lot of clarity and peace in a number of areas. Much of this I'll be sharing later when I'm free to type with both hands and no sleeping baby in my arms.
She is a joy and a blessing, but also tremendous work.
But then again, aren't all kids?
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Autism In My Life
Today I have a link for you. About Autism. Doctors are starting to pay a lot more attention to it, trying to figure it out, and trying to treat it.
This is a good story, although a rather incomplete picture of Autism. Almost all reports are an incomplete picture though. Autism seems to be one of those things that is really hard to get a total picture of.
The story talks about early detection. That is key. We know over here. We had one labeled at 6 and one at 2. Our youngest made a much better recovery, quicker and easier. The Little Mr. will always have some quirks that his daddy and I will see and give that little knowing nod to each other.
The glitch with this story is that not all Autism is the same. It can't all be recognized by 12 months. In my experience there is Autism that you are born with and can do some to improve, and then there is Autism that builds up in a child. That second brand of Autism is our experience. A combination of metal toxicity in the brain, a digestive system in failure, and a compromised immune system. When you start to take care of those "problems" a lot of the Autism symptoms go away.
So, in my experience, not all Autism is the same. To this day, I'm not even really sure if our Little Mr.'s were/are Autistic. They sure displayed all the symptoms, but as we detoxed metals, repaired digestive systems and watched their immune systems start working correctly again, we saw a lot of our Autism go away.
Every single child with Autism is different. Even within the same families. It is often a hidden disorder. That child in the store throwing a tantrum way too dramatic for his age...could be Autism related. The child that will only eat pizza, chocolate milk and french fries...could be Autistic. The child that reads and does basic math at age 4 but can't sit for circle time in preschool...could be Autistic.
There are so many different symptoms, no two children are Autistic the same. Have a little grace for families. You never know which kids it is. No one ever knows it's my two Mr.'s unless we say, my kids are Autistic, what's your excuse for your behavior.
Go read the article. It doesn't tell you much, but the more we know about Autism, the more kids we can bring out of it.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070514/ap_on_re_us/baby_psychiatry;_ylt=AmSwai2yqH0NZ1Le61.jT90EtbAF
This is a good story, although a rather incomplete picture of Autism. Almost all reports are an incomplete picture though. Autism seems to be one of those things that is really hard to get a total picture of.
The story talks about early detection. That is key. We know over here. We had one labeled at 6 and one at 2. Our youngest made a much better recovery, quicker and easier. The Little Mr. will always have some quirks that his daddy and I will see and give that little knowing nod to each other.
The glitch with this story is that not all Autism is the same. It can't all be recognized by 12 months. In my experience there is Autism that you are born with and can do some to improve, and then there is Autism that builds up in a child. That second brand of Autism is our experience. A combination of metal toxicity in the brain, a digestive system in failure, and a compromised immune system. When you start to take care of those "problems" a lot of the Autism symptoms go away.
So, in my experience, not all Autism is the same. To this day, I'm not even really sure if our Little Mr.'s were/are Autistic. They sure displayed all the symptoms, but as we detoxed metals, repaired digestive systems and watched their immune systems start working correctly again, we saw a lot of our Autism go away.
Every single child with Autism is different. Even within the same families. It is often a hidden disorder. That child in the store throwing a tantrum way too dramatic for his age...could be Autism related. The child that will only eat pizza, chocolate milk and french fries...could be Autistic. The child that reads and does basic math at age 4 but can't sit for circle time in preschool...could be Autistic.
There are so many different symptoms, no two children are Autistic the same. Have a little grace for families. You never know which kids it is. No one ever knows it's my two Mr.'s unless we say, my kids are Autistic, what's your excuse for your behavior.
Go read the article. It doesn't tell you much, but the more we know about Autism, the more kids we can bring out of it.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070514/ap_on_re_us/baby_psychiatry;_ylt=AmSwai2yqH0NZ1Le61.jT90EtbAF
Monday, May 14, 2007
Mohawks, Math and Mommies
Mother's Day. Not a particularly important date to me, even though I'm a mom. It seems kind of silly to me.
I confess, I don't like people looking at me. I don't like to be noticed. I'd rather just be in the background of life. Contributing and doing, but no applause for this chick.
It was a pleasant day. I was given a bird bath by my kids. Perfect. Next it will be feeders. I hate to admit it, but I like to sit in my back yard and watch the birds, coffee on the table, book in hand, dog by my side. It's utterly peaceful. The Mr. says it's because I'm an old soul. He also says it's OK that I'm an old soul, because it's still in a high school body.
I did spend part of my day thinking about what it would be like to be the Little Miss's mom. This would be her first Mother's Day. And I have her only child. Strangers deemed her not worthy to have her and care for her. It had to have been bittersweet at best.
We made sure to have a portrait of Little Miss taken, framed and delivered for Mother's Day.
Well, our school year is almost over. We're heading out to yet another book sale today. It's funny though, with home school, it really never ends. You put away the workbooks and assignment notebooks, but the learning never stops. The Little Mr. was outside doing math on the sidewalk in his pj's at 6:30 AM. You just can't squash them or stop them.
Both the Little Mr.'s are sporting new do's. It's Mohawk's this summer. After the cuts were done, I was informed that I was the coolest mom on the block because of it. Quite a compliment from an 8 year old boy.
I confess, I don't like people looking at me. I don't like to be noticed. I'd rather just be in the background of life. Contributing and doing, but no applause for this chick.
It was a pleasant day. I was given a bird bath by my kids. Perfect. Next it will be feeders. I hate to admit it, but I like to sit in my back yard and watch the birds, coffee on the table, book in hand, dog by my side. It's utterly peaceful. The Mr. says it's because I'm an old soul. He also says it's OK that I'm an old soul, because it's still in a high school body.
I did spend part of my day thinking about what it would be like to be the Little Miss's mom. This would be her first Mother's Day. And I have her only child. Strangers deemed her not worthy to have her and care for her. It had to have been bittersweet at best.
We made sure to have a portrait of Little Miss taken, framed and delivered for Mother's Day.
Well, our school year is almost over. We're heading out to yet another book sale today. It's funny though, with home school, it really never ends. You put away the workbooks and assignment notebooks, but the learning never stops. The Little Mr. was outside doing math on the sidewalk in his pj's at 6:30 AM. You just can't squash them or stop them.
Both the Little Mr.'s are sporting new do's. It's Mohawk's this summer. After the cuts were done, I was informed that I was the coolest mom on the block because of it. Quite a compliment from an 8 year old boy.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Home Sweet Home
Well, it's been a normal week around here. So what does that mean? It was a crazed whirl-wind of unexpected and planned chaos.
And we love every second of it.
We had the Littlest Mr. face plant out of a tree. We spent that night suspicious of a tiny little concussion. I'm also seeing it's the start of a long season of band-aids. I've never seen little arms and legs so scraped up, and we've not even gotten to the official start of summer.
We had a little in home photo shoot for the Little Miss. It worked out so perfectly. I had plenty of great shots to pick from--thanks Teresa! Also had the pics in time to get them into a frame for her visit with her mom. A little early Mother's Day gift as they don't visit on the weekends.
We've had lots of play dates, piano lessons, swim lessons, and a Bible study. Our wild life has made the full transition from tads to frogs. Three of the seven made it and seem to be thriving. We also have a nice crop of sea monkeys, a gold fish in a very murky tank and a lone laze hound dog. The Little Mr.'s have also begun the season of collecting. You know, worms, ants, butterflies, moths, June bugs, and anything else that mom says--Oh!!
Here's a little icky trick for you homeschooling and home study wanna-be's...catch the critters in some container or even a plastic zipper bag, then toss them in the freezer. Why? They die perfectly intact. Excellent for looking at with the magnifier or microscope. Thanks for the tip, Auntie Tricia.
Somehow the Mr. and I managed to squeeze in an unplanned date last night. We sat outside a coffee shop here in town, looking over a parking lot and thinking it was peaceful. Strange. It actually was very peaceful. For a parking lot it was quiet. Compared to the inside of the coffee shop, it was very quiet. Maybe it was just the lack of kids that made it seem so quiet!!
I've finally gotten some insight and some peace on a few things. Our school year is winding down. Our daily life pattern is settling in. Some fun social stuff is on the horizon. The weather has mostly turned for the good now. It's a blissfully perfect sort of life.
Soon I'll be rummaging, shopping the home school used sales, planting my plants and sitting in the sunshine with a book. Ah.
Go check out Potter and Clay. Welcome her to the blog world and wish her a late Happy Birthday.
And we love every second of it.
We had the Littlest Mr. face plant out of a tree. We spent that night suspicious of a tiny little concussion. I'm also seeing it's the start of a long season of band-aids. I've never seen little arms and legs so scraped up, and we've not even gotten to the official start of summer.
We had a little in home photo shoot for the Little Miss. It worked out so perfectly. I had plenty of great shots to pick from--thanks Teresa! Also had the pics in time to get them into a frame for her visit with her mom. A little early Mother's Day gift as they don't visit on the weekends.
We've had lots of play dates, piano lessons, swim lessons, and a Bible study. Our wild life has made the full transition from tads to frogs. Three of the seven made it and seem to be thriving. We also have a nice crop of sea monkeys, a gold fish in a very murky tank and a lone laze hound dog. The Little Mr.'s have also begun the season of collecting. You know, worms, ants, butterflies, moths, June bugs, and anything else that mom says--Oh!!
Here's a little icky trick for you homeschooling and home study wanna-be's...catch the critters in some container or even a plastic zipper bag, then toss them in the freezer. Why? They die perfectly intact. Excellent for looking at with the magnifier or microscope. Thanks for the tip, Auntie Tricia.
Somehow the Mr. and I managed to squeeze in an unplanned date last night. We sat outside a coffee shop here in town, looking over a parking lot and thinking it was peaceful. Strange. It actually was very peaceful. For a parking lot it was quiet. Compared to the inside of the coffee shop, it was very quiet. Maybe it was just the lack of kids that made it seem so quiet!!
I've finally gotten some insight and some peace on a few things. Our school year is winding down. Our daily life pattern is settling in. Some fun social stuff is on the horizon. The weather has mostly turned for the good now. It's a blissfully perfect sort of life.
Soon I'll be rummaging, shopping the home school used sales, planting my plants and sitting in the sunshine with a book. Ah.
Go check out Potter and Clay. Welcome her to the blog world and wish her a late Happy Birthday.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Foster Care
OK, so last week I told you there were 513,000 kids in the US in foster care.
Ever wonder how many families there are that take in foster kids?
How many families call themselves foster families?
Come on, give me a guess.
Your answer is in the comments.
Ever wonder how many families there are that take in foster kids?
How many families call themselves foster families?
Come on, give me a guess.
Your answer is in the comments.
Friday, May 4, 2007
Speechless
I have actually been speechless since Wednesday night.
I have so much to say and yet I'm sure none of it should leave my mouth.
Some curious events have been transpiring lately. People and organizations have been showing their true colors.
I wish I could say I'm surprised. I can't.
I can say I'm utterly disappointed. I had such high hopes. As pessimistic as I am--I really like to think I'm just realistically optimistic, but that's another topic--I had thought I'd be wrong. I had hoped I was completely wrong. And yet, here I sit, discouraged.
It's sad really. There's a whole group of people that my heart breaks for.
About the only thing left for me to do is stay the course. I will continue to be open and honest. I will not gossip. I will not bad-mouth any part of this. I will try to be a quiet and gentle spirit. I will pray. More.
Not only will I pray for these people and this situation, but I will be in prayer for myself. Prayer that if and when I am wrong, I will be corrected, that I will be broken when I need to be. I pray that if I'm the problem in this whole situation, then that will be made clear to me and I will be shown what to do about it all. I don't ever want to be a stumbling block to another Christian's life or faith.
On that note, though, I really believe some of the small stuff doesn't matter. Don't misunderstand. I care. I care so deeply that I'm in this mess in the first place. You see, I want my friends, neighbors, heck, even people I don't know yet, to know the Lord, to be saved and to grow in their walk with God. What I don't care about is which brick building they do it in. In my mind, as long as the person doing the teaching is teaching Biblical truth, and teaching the followers how to feed themselves--my understanding of a mature Christian--then, truly, I don't care. It can be in the brick square I think of as home or any other that fits their style.
I could go on, but this begins to border on gossip, and I won't go there. I also think, in the end it doesn't matter. I write here all alone. It seems my readers have left me. Again.
Silence is profound.
I've thought that a lot over the last few weeks as all this crazy, stupid, petty stuff has gone on.
I have so much to say and yet I'm sure none of it should leave my mouth.
Some curious events have been transpiring lately. People and organizations have been showing their true colors.
I wish I could say I'm surprised. I can't.
I can say I'm utterly disappointed. I had such high hopes. As pessimistic as I am--I really like to think I'm just realistically optimistic, but that's another topic--I had thought I'd be wrong. I had hoped I was completely wrong. And yet, here I sit, discouraged.
It's sad really. There's a whole group of people that my heart breaks for.
About the only thing left for me to do is stay the course. I will continue to be open and honest. I will not gossip. I will not bad-mouth any part of this. I will try to be a quiet and gentle spirit. I will pray. More.
Not only will I pray for these people and this situation, but I will be in prayer for myself. Prayer that if and when I am wrong, I will be corrected, that I will be broken when I need to be. I pray that if I'm the problem in this whole situation, then that will be made clear to me and I will be shown what to do about it all. I don't ever want to be a stumbling block to another Christian's life or faith.
On that note, though, I really believe some of the small stuff doesn't matter. Don't misunderstand. I care. I care so deeply that I'm in this mess in the first place. You see, I want my friends, neighbors, heck, even people I don't know yet, to know the Lord, to be saved and to grow in their walk with God. What I don't care about is which brick building they do it in. In my mind, as long as the person doing the teaching is teaching Biblical truth, and teaching the followers how to feed themselves--my understanding of a mature Christian--then, truly, I don't care. It can be in the brick square I think of as home or any other that fits their style.
I could go on, but this begins to border on gossip, and I won't go there. I also think, in the end it doesn't matter. I write here all alone. It seems my readers have left me. Again.
Silence is profound.
I've thought that a lot over the last few weeks as all this crazy, stupid, petty stuff has gone on.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
I'm going to make you crazy this month. It's National Foster Care Month.
Did you know?? There are 513,000 kids in foster care today in our country.
Just for a minute, stop and try to picture it. Newborn through teens. 513,000. Not a single one of them deserve it.
This came across my desk and I thought I'd share it here.
I Am A Foster Mother
by Frances Huston
Wake County, North Carolina
One is under the table, one asleep in bed
Two are having a "free for all"
And one has dumped breakfast on his head.
The phone is ringing off the wall
Someone's at the door
Clothes are piled up in the hall
And I need things from the store.
It's hardly time to think,
For it's always one thing or another.
No, I'm not the lady who lived in the shoe,
I'm just a foster mother.
One needs a hug, one needs a change
and one wants to chat.
One has hid and I can't find him
and two are chasing the cat.
I've blown my diet, so with Twinkie in hand
I sit a minute and wonder
on all the blessings that have come my way:
You see, I'm a foster mother.
Did you know?? There are 513,000 kids in foster care today in our country.
Just for a minute, stop and try to picture it. Newborn through teens. 513,000. Not a single one of them deserve it.
This came across my desk and I thought I'd share it here.
I Am A Foster Mother
by Frances Huston
Wake County, North Carolina
One is under the table, one asleep in bed
Two are having a "free for all"
And one has dumped breakfast on his head.
The phone is ringing off the wall
Someone's at the door
Clothes are piled up in the hall
And I need things from the store.
It's hardly time to think,
For it's always one thing or another.
No, I'm not the lady who lived in the shoe,
I'm just a foster mother.
One needs a hug, one needs a change
and one wants to chat.
One has hid and I can't find him
and two are chasing the cat.
I've blown my diet, so with Twinkie in hand
I sit a minute and wonder
on all the blessings that have come my way:
You see, I'm a foster mother.
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