2015 has been a great year for our family so far. Lulu celebrated her 11th birthday in February (cannot believe she's 11!!!) and has been baking up quite a storm (it helps that lots of baking supplies go on clearance after Christmas :) ). She's been helping out Ryan a lot by learning to change Little Bit's diapers. It's good experience for her as she's hoping to start baby sitting when she turns 12. With two little brothers and a baby sister to play with, she'll get lots of practice in this next year.
Little Bit is almost 1 and her first year has FLOWN by. She has become a master crawler and expert cruiser. She'll take lots of steps as long as she's holding onto someone for balance and moral support (and laughs the whole time she's walking - so cute!). On March 13, Ryan and I were playing with her in the living room and trying to entice her to take some steps to each of us. After about 5 minutes of us using our hands to help her walk between us, she took her first steps! They were from Ryan to me, and it was SOOO special. She took probably 10 steps that whole weekend and was nervous and excited at the same time. Since then, she's taken a cluster of steps here and there and will stand for longer periods of time, but she's just not yet ready to walk. As soon as she is, she's going to take off and boy, will our lives forever change again!
Doodle Bug is in the full swing of pre-teen emotional roller coasters, but the last few weeks she's seemed to level off a bit. I know it's going to be a rocky road for the next few years for her, but it's really nice to get these breaks and to see glimpses of sweet Doodle Bug again. Makes my mama heart happy. She's advancing through her studies nicely and is really enjoying our church's weekly Middle School worship service as well as my mom's church's youth group. She's a real people person and I wish she had friends she saw more often, it's good for her and allows her to get out a bit more.
Little Man is such a little Daddy to Little Bit. He helps take care of her every day and usually puts her down for her morning nap (so precious!). He's been helping my mom out in the yard more frequently, now that the weather has warmed up and the rains are causing everything to grow like wild fire. He also helped me to prepare my vegetable garden in the back yard. We have two 4x4 plots, one 2x2 plot, and then almost 10 individual pots. We had to weed the plots, add more soil to all of the beds and pots, and fertilize the soil in preparation for our goodies. Right now we are growing various bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, sugar snap peas, lima beans, and mint. We were about a month behind in our planting (thanks to some nasty sickness experienced during the month of February), but the garden is looking great right now. I just have to learn patience as it will take another month or two before any veggies start to appear.
Buddy Boy is full of adventure and spunk. He really adds a lot of fun into our lives. He got a jump rope after Easter and has had a blast figuring out how many times he can jump before he gets tangled in the rope. Such fun! His reading is progressing nicely and he's building confidence in his abilities. It won't be long before he'll be able to pick almost any book on his shelf and read most of it without assistance. He's growing so quickly! He seems to have his brother's math skills and almost finished his Kindergarten math book in February. We decided to slow it down, just a tad, to make sure he's really understanding everything before moving onto the next level. So far he's on track to finish the book this month and will then start on his 1st grade math book to finish out the school year at the end of June.
Speaking of the end of the school year, I can hardly believe that school is winding down. We have two and a half months left, are finishing up one science unit and only have two remaining, then it's crunch time to make sure we've met all of the individual goals the kids had (and the ones we had for them) as well as to ensure they've understood what they learned this year.
Each school year goes more and more smoothly, and while we've certainly had some hiccups this year (mainly due to health, especially Ryan's), things are going smoothly, and that's very nice. We're going to enjoy it while it lasts.
We are getting ready for a week off of school and work and planning some trips to the beach, hopefully the zoo, and to some local parks and museums. Will be good for us all to kick back and recharge. :) I hope to write a post about our vacation when we return at the end of the month (fingers crossed).
Until then, praying you are all safe and well.
-M
Monday, April 13, 2015
Playing Catch Up
This post was originally supposed to upload in January -- a few months late, but here it is....
I had a goal to update this blog more regularly and honestly, I thought I had - but looking back on here, my last post was in October - not exactly a regular update. :)
I'm going to try to play catch up on all that's happened since October.
First off, my oldest son, Little Man, is not so little anymore. He turned 9 years old and is getting so big! My mama heart is excited and a little bit sad, last year in single digits for him.
16 pounds, 1 ounce
26 inches long...
I had a goal to update this blog more regularly and honestly, I thought I had - but looking back on here, my last post was in October - not exactly a regular update. :)
I'm going to try to play catch up on all that's happened since October.
First off, my oldest son, Little Man, is not so little anymore. He turned 9 years old and is getting so big! My mama heart is excited and a little bit sad, last year in single digits for him.
October was a busy month, birthdays, Halloween - so of course, we had to throw in a bout with the flu to top it all off. Thankfully, nobody was severely ill, but it sure wasn't fun to pass around.
Little Bit was the first to come down with it, fortunately she was also the first to get over it (yay for breastmilk antibodies!). Her stats at 6 months:
16 pounds, 1 ounce
26 inches long...
Likes: bath, shower, shape sorter, playing, hugs, kisses, sitting up, flying (Bitsy Rocket), pears, apples, peach pops, cats, touch and feel books, songs, "talking"
Dislikes: being sick, being tired, falling over while trying to sit up
Then we celebrated Halloween! The kids had a blast getting their costumes ready. Doodle Bug was Cinderella (before the princess gown), Lulu was an ice fairy, Little Man was Michaelangelo, Buddy Boy was a pirate, and Little Bit was Tigger. So cute!! The kids got LOTS of candy and some neighbors even gave a piece or two to Olivia. She couldn't eat it (still can't), but we stowed it away for when she's ready - she's going to love it. The older kids were generous enough to share candy with Ryan and I. They gave me so much candy that I had enough to fill a gallon bag. Yum!
November went by quickly and we enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with my brother and his wife. We had ham and LOTS of side dishes. I think we had leftovers for a week, it was great! Little Bit turned 7 months old - time is flying by too quickly. Here are her 7 month stats:
Likes: baby food (especially sweet potatoes and peas), chewing on things, sitting up, watching people
...
Little Bit's balance while sitting improved dramatically and she was able to move up to some new baby food flavors. She LOVES squash, peas, custard, and banana orange medley. The medley actually tastes like an Orange Julius smoothy - not gonna lie, it's yummy.
December rolled in nicely and as usual, Ryan had all of the kids presents nailed down. I'm so blessed to have him! Every year, he takes care of presents for the kids and for his brother. All I have to do is grandparent presents and his presents - takes a lot off my plate.
While my mom took the girls to Mississippi, we took a trip to Disney World - ahhh!! It was Little Bit's first time and it was almost like Buddy Boy's first time as well, since the last time we went was in February of 2012 - he was 3 1/2 years old. Amazingly, he remembered some parts of the park. Ryan and the boys had a blast riding roller coasters and having some 'boy time.' While they were being wild, Little Bit and I road on 'The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh' - and oh my, she LOVED it! At the end of the first ride, she started rocking back and forth as if she was saying "Let's keep going!" We road it three other times and once with the boys. Our last two rides, she remembered where Tigger popped up in his scenes and would look for him in each location. A smart little cookie!
Just before Christmas, Little Bit turned 8 months old.
Likes: FOOD, Gareth, mama and papa, playing with the girls, staring at Gavin, Disney World
...
Dislikes: being sick, being tired, falling over while trying to sit up
Then we celebrated Halloween! The kids had a blast getting their costumes ready. Doodle Bug was Cinderella (before the princess gown), Lulu was an ice fairy, Little Man was Michaelangelo, Buddy Boy was a pirate, and Little Bit was Tigger. So cute!! The kids got LOTS of candy and some neighbors even gave a piece or two to Olivia. She couldn't eat it (still can't), but we stowed it away for when she's ready - she's going to love it. The older kids were generous enough to share candy with Ryan and I. They gave me so much candy that I had enough to fill a gallon bag. Yum!
November went by quickly and we enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with my brother and his wife. We had ham and LOTS of side dishes. I think we had leftovers for a week, it was great! Little Bit turned 7 months old - time is flying by too quickly. Here are her 7 month stats:
Likes: baby food (especially sweet potatoes and peas), chewing on things, sitting up, watching people
...
Dislikes: the dark, taking naps, not eating when everyone else is
Little Bit's balance while sitting improved dramatically and she was able to move up to some new baby food flavors. She LOVES squash, peas, custard, and banana orange medley. The medley actually tastes like an Orange Julius smoothy - not gonna lie, it's yummy.
December rolled in nicely and as usual, Ryan had all of the kids presents nailed down. I'm so blessed to have him! Every year, he takes care of presents for the kids and for his brother. All I have to do is grandparent presents and his presents - takes a lot off my plate.
While my mom took the girls to Mississippi, we took a trip to Disney World - ahhh!! It was Little Bit's first time and it was almost like Buddy Boy's first time as well, since the last time we went was in February of 2012 - he was 3 1/2 years old. Amazingly, he remembered some parts of the park. Ryan and the boys had a blast riding roller coasters and having some 'boy time.' While they were being wild, Little Bit and I road on 'The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh' - and oh my, she LOVED it! At the end of the first ride, she started rocking back and forth as if she was saying "Let's keep going!" We road it three other times and once with the boys. Our last two rides, she remembered where Tigger popped up in his scenes and would look for him in each location. A smart little cookie!
Just before Christmas, Little Bit turned 8 months old.
Likes: FOOD, Gareth, mama and papa, playing with the girls, staring at Gavin, Disney World
...
Dislikes: sleeping, strangers
She started to pull up on Ryan when they were playing on the bed and is getting more and more brave each day. She tries to pull up on anyone sitting near her and gets so excited that she falls back down. Too cute!!
Christmas was wonderful. We opened presents with my brother and his wife on Christmas Eve. It's always fun to have them over. Then on Christmas morning, Ryan read the Christmas story to the kids before opening presents and stockings. We went over to my in-laws after breakfast and got to see my niece Ky - she's such a sweetheart. Then we headed back home so the kids could enjoy their haul.
Over Christmas break we went to Thomasville's Rose Garden and park. I've never been before, so was looking forward to going somewhere new and really loved what I saw. In the dead of winter it was very well manicured and attended. I can only imagine how beautiful the rose garden is during the spring when it's in full bloom.
We also spent some time at Cascade's Park and many playgrounds around town. Loved having the time off with my kiddos.
A few days before Little Bit turned 9 months old, her first tooth finally erupted!! I thought she was going to take after Lulu and not get a tooth until she's almost 10 months old, but she decided to show her up by one month.
As Little Bit gets stronger, her adventurous spirit is getting stronger as well. She LOVES to 'pull up' on the couch (which is when someone helps her to stand while holding onto the couch). It's given her the confidence to scoot over to the fireplace and pull up on it all by herself (shocked me when I saw her do it). She doesn't crawl like the conventional baby, instead she uses her arms to pull herself while her toes dig into the carpet to push the rest of her body where she wants to go. She's quite efficient. I think she'll be walking before she ever does a true 'crawl.' She'll be the only one of mine to do this - but they're each different!
She started to pull up on Ryan when they were playing on the bed and is getting more and more brave each day. She tries to pull up on anyone sitting near her and gets so excited that she falls back down. Too cute!!
Christmas was wonderful. We opened presents with my brother and his wife on Christmas Eve. It's always fun to have them over. Then on Christmas morning, Ryan read the Christmas story to the kids before opening presents and stockings. We went over to my in-laws after breakfast and got to see my niece Ky - she's such a sweetheart. Then we headed back home so the kids could enjoy their haul.
Over Christmas break we went to Thomasville's Rose Garden and park. I've never been before, so was looking forward to going somewhere new and really loved what I saw. In the dead of winter it was very well manicured and attended. I can only imagine how beautiful the rose garden is during the spring when it's in full bloom.
We also spent some time at Cascade's Park and many playgrounds around town. Loved having the time off with my kiddos.
A few days before Little Bit turned 9 months old, her first tooth finally erupted!! I thought she was going to take after Lulu and not get a tooth until she's almost 10 months old, but she decided to show her up by one month.
As Little Bit gets stronger, her adventurous spirit is getting stronger as well. She LOVES to 'pull up' on the couch (which is when someone helps her to stand while holding onto the couch). It's given her the confidence to scoot over to the fireplace and pull up on it all by herself (shocked me when I saw her do it). She doesn't crawl like the conventional baby, instead she uses her arms to pull herself while her toes dig into the carpet to push the rest of her body where she wants to go. She's quite efficient. I think she'll be walking before she ever does a true 'crawl.' She'll be the only one of mine to do this - but they're each different!
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Why hello
I can't believe it's been almost 6 months since my last post. So much has happened in this time!!
First, here's a picture of Little Bit - she joined us in late April and has been nothing but a joy.
The first two weeks at home are kind of a blur. My mom and husband were AMAZING during this time. My mom took the two weeks off to help out with the older kids - getting them fed (at least three times a day), doing a little bit of school work, and making sure they were having a good time. They did a LOT of yard work, played outside, and helped to keep things running (ie - laundry, dishes, keeping things clean). What a blessing.
I've chronicled her first months of life on my Facebook page, but want to document them here for the future.
2 weeks old
Likes: milk, Mama, the boys, "Goodnight Moon"
Dislikes: diaper changes, baths, waiting more than 5 seconds to be fed
One month old
Likes: mama, papa, brothers and sisters, lamps, black and white pictures
Dislikes: dirty diapers, having to wait more than 30 seconds to eat
Six weeks old
Likes: her mama and papa, brothers, sisters, eating, good night moon,
Dislikes: cold baths, waiting more than 30 seconds to be fed, the dark
Eight weeks old
Likes: playing, kisses, watching people
Dislikes: the dark, dirty diapers, sleeping through the night
Milestones: turned on to her left and right sides, had her first bottle, staying awake longer and longer
Ten weeks oldLikes: her siblings, lamps, ceiling fans, mama, papa, her thumb
Dislikes: mama going back to work
Three months old
Likes: milk, monkeys, hair, family
Dislikes: caffeine, gas
Milestones:Got to swing for the first time (and enjoyed it)
Four months old
Likes: smiling, grabbing toys (especially rattles), watching people, lights and fans
Dislikes: shots and poopy diapers
Milestones: Rolling from front to back and back to front, found her feet
Five months old
Likes: putting things in her mouth, rolling over, the cats and dog, her siblings, mama and papa, reading books, flashing lights, bath time
Dislikes: things in her face, being alone (or thinking she is alone actually), being tired
Milestones: Sits up with support, first solids (loves oatmeal, rice is OK, tried bananas, pears, and applesauce), saying "Mamama" and "Aba" (with no association to Mama and Papa yet), sits by herself for a few seconds, loves finding her feet and hands
I made a photobook of the kids during Little Bit's first 6 weeks. It's a treasure of wonderful photos (like the one below), memories, and "favorites" of each kid. Funny thing is, if you asked the kids what their favorite food was a week after we made the book, their answers had already changed. :) Gotta love it.
The kids finished up 5th, 4th, 2nd, and Preschool before I finished maternity leave. They all did SO well last school year! It was nice enjoying a few weeks of summer with no real schedule before I headed back to work.
Here's a photo of all of my babies from June. Love them!
Little Man, Buddy Boy, Doodle Bug, Little Bit, Lulu
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Counting Down
With less than a week left until #5 makes her debut, we are definitely in the countdown mode. I made a weekly countdown calendar (out of post it notes, I'm so resourceful) for Buddy Boy to take down each Monday evening. I think it's become his favorite day of the week. Each time he takes down a post it note and sees the number getting smaller, he gets SO excited!
A few days ago, I made another countdown (also from post it notes - thank you 3M), this one counts down the last 10 days. So every night, Buddy Boy gets to take down a post it and right now we're at 5 days and counting. SO exciting!!
In preparation for almost a week in the hospital, then another week trying to adjust to the sleepless newborn nights and active days with four other precious children, I've put together some worksheets and assignment sheets for the kids to complete over the next two weeks. With a combination of my mom and hubby overseeing them for this time, it should make it easier for the kids to stay on top of their math and writing and for the adults to verify what they've finished. I have a few extra (blank) copies ready, just in case by week 3 I'm still an incoherent zombie and can't remember what I have lined up for the kids to complete.
It's definitely going to be interesting, trying, exhausting, etc. But I CANNOT wait to introduce this little one to the family. There are going to be lots of changes for all of us, especially for my baby boy, but each time we've welcomed a little one into our family, we've all changed for the better. :)
Ryan's blog (http://boardgamegeek.com/blog/3281/the-inquisitive-meeple) is doing amazingly well. He has posted 30 interviews to date, and has at least another 10 in process - if not more. He's interviewed some big time board gamers and is making great connections with various publishers and designers. He's really enjoying this project and is doing a great job of balancing the kids homeschool, family life, and the blog (he works on it after school and then in the evenings when I'm going to bed). It's great to see him using his creative juices to keep things rolling. Great to see him passionate about something and to have an 'outlet.'
Probably won't update this again until #5 is here. So praying you are all doing well.
Godspeed.
A few days ago, I made another countdown (also from post it notes - thank you 3M), this one counts down the last 10 days. So every night, Buddy Boy gets to take down a post it and right now we're at 5 days and counting. SO exciting!!
In preparation for almost a week in the hospital, then another week trying to adjust to the sleepless newborn nights and active days with four other precious children, I've put together some worksheets and assignment sheets for the kids to complete over the next two weeks. With a combination of my mom and hubby overseeing them for this time, it should make it easier for the kids to stay on top of their math and writing and for the adults to verify what they've finished. I have a few extra (blank) copies ready, just in case by week 3 I'm still an incoherent zombie and can't remember what I have lined up for the kids to complete.
It's definitely going to be interesting, trying, exhausting, etc. But I CANNOT wait to introduce this little one to the family. There are going to be lots of changes for all of us, especially for my baby boy, but each time we've welcomed a little one into our family, we've all changed for the better. :)
Ryan's blog (http://boardgamegeek.com/blog/3281/the-inquisitive-meeple) is doing amazingly well. He has posted 30 interviews to date, and has at least another 10 in process - if not more. He's interviewed some big time board gamers and is making great connections with various publishers and designers. He's really enjoying this project and is doing a great job of balancing the kids homeschool, family life, and the blog (he works on it after school and then in the evenings when I'm going to bed). It's great to see him using his creative juices to keep things rolling. Great to see him passionate about something and to have an 'outlet.'
Probably won't update this again until #5 is here. So praying you are all doing well.
Godspeed.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
It's almost spring - right?
We're busy gearing up for #5's appearance (in less than 7 weeks - eeeeh!) and I'm having to relearn patience. I'm ready for her to get here, but I know that she needs to bake for a little bit longer, so I'm trying to be patient and enjoy life with only four kiddos - it'll never be like this again.
The kids are coming right along with their school work. We only have four full months left (we go through the end of June) and while it seems like a long time to go, I know that with #5 making her debut and then having about 8 weeks of school left will make for an interesting end of year push. Thankfully, they're all doing pretty well in all of their subjects and are thoroughly enjoying the units that Ryan puts together for them.
One really cool thing he did a few weeks back was having a week all about the "Importance of Play." Book work and worksheets were not allowed for the week, only playing. So for math, the kids played store (and had to create real receipts with the proper amounts), played board games, and played math bingo. They spent a lot of time outdoors playing in the yard and some afternoons with some friends. It was a LOT of fun!! At the end of the week, they talked about why playing is so important and also why doing some worksheets or book work is important. I think they all learned some valuable lessons and that learning is indeed fun!
I'm trying to come up with some fun things for us to do for these last six weekends before #5 arrives. I would LOVE to take them to the Zoo, but not sure that's a great idea for an 8 month pregnant lady who was on modified restrictions for four months. Whatever we do, I want to make some great memories with just the four of them. Especially since Doodle Bug and Lulu are now 11 (and a half) and 10 - they're growing up quickly and their days of wanting to spend time with us are limited.
In preparation for my maternity leave, I'm starting to shift my duties to my co-workers (who are AWESOME!!) and it's keeping me quite busy.
Ryan's been staying busy as well (on top of being a homeschooling dad and devoted husband). He's started his own blog where he interviews various board game designers, publishers, and artists. His interviews are very in depth (they're not just surface questions) and he's been putting in a lot of late nights to get them posted online. He's posted a lot of really good interviews already and is preparing for probably a dozen or so more to post between now and the summer. It's been a great project for him and he's been receiving a lot of good responses for 'board game geeks.'
Seems like that's a recurring theme in our family "busy, busy, busy." But I know that one day we will not be so busy, and we will not have all five children in the home. While it's very stressful and trying at times, I'm trying to enjoy it. Watching my oldest two girls growing up makes me realize how time really does fly by. In 7 years, our oldest could be out on her own, with Lulu right behind her. Makes me want to tear up! But, as I'm reminded by a very wise and dear friend, this is what we prepare them for their whole lives - to be separate and functional human beings, who are hopefully adding love into the world and following the Lord with their whole hearts. That is my prayer, that they do follow Him with all of their hearts, minds, and souls. Can't wait to see how it all unfolds.
The kids are coming right along with their school work. We only have four full months left (we go through the end of June) and while it seems like a long time to go, I know that with #5 making her debut and then having about 8 weeks of school left will make for an interesting end of year push. Thankfully, they're all doing pretty well in all of their subjects and are thoroughly enjoying the units that Ryan puts together for them.
One really cool thing he did a few weeks back was having a week all about the "Importance of Play." Book work and worksheets were not allowed for the week, only playing. So for math, the kids played store (and had to create real receipts with the proper amounts), played board games, and played math bingo. They spent a lot of time outdoors playing in the yard and some afternoons with some friends. It was a LOT of fun!! At the end of the week, they talked about why playing is so important and also why doing some worksheets or book work is important. I think they all learned some valuable lessons and that learning is indeed fun!
I'm trying to come up with some fun things for us to do for these last six weekends before #5 arrives. I would LOVE to take them to the Zoo, but not sure that's a great idea for an 8 month pregnant lady who was on modified restrictions for four months. Whatever we do, I want to make some great memories with just the four of them. Especially since Doodle Bug and Lulu are now 11 (and a half) and 10 - they're growing up quickly and their days of wanting to spend time with us are limited.
In preparation for my maternity leave, I'm starting to shift my duties to my co-workers (who are AWESOME!!) and it's keeping me quite busy.
Ryan's been staying busy as well (on top of being a homeschooling dad and devoted husband). He's started his own blog where he interviews various board game designers, publishers, and artists. His interviews are very in depth (they're not just surface questions) and he's been putting in a lot of late nights to get them posted online. He's posted a lot of really good interviews already and is preparing for probably a dozen or so more to post between now and the summer. It's been a great project for him and he's been receiving a lot of good responses for 'board game geeks.'
Seems like that's a recurring theme in our family "busy, busy, busy." But I know that one day we will not be so busy, and we will not have all five children in the home. While it's very stressful and trying at times, I'm trying to enjoy it. Watching my oldest two girls growing up makes me realize how time really does fly by. In 7 years, our oldest could be out on her own, with Lulu right behind her. Makes me want to tear up! But, as I'm reminded by a very wise and dear friend, this is what we prepare them for their whole lives - to be separate and functional human beings, who are hopefully adding love into the world and following the Lord with their whole hearts. That is my prayer, that they do follow Him with all of their hearts, minds, and souls. Can't wait to see how it all unfolds.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Memories
I want to capture this past Christmas break for a few reasons: 1 - I have a pretty bad memory at times and may forget what we did by next week; 2 - it was an awesome break and I want to relive it through here; 3 - it was the last Christmas with four children, next Christmas we'll hopefully have our newest member of the family with us. :)
So here goes. I had the blessed pleasure to be off from Christmas Eve through yesterday. It was fantastic!! Nine days (excluding Sunday) of sleeping in - no alarm clock needed. Nine days to spend with my children, husband, and family. Nine days of no work - school or office wise. Wish it could always be like that!
During the first part of the break my mom and the girls did a bit of baking - praline crackers, sausage balls, cheese crackers, etc. Lulu made a mint chocolate chip birthday cake for Jesus - it was DELICIOUS!!!! The kids cut out and decorated sugar cookies to give to our siblings as presents - we had some leftover to enjoy, too and they were wonderful. We were sufficiently sugar over loaded for a few days.
Our family really enjoys playing board and card games, so over the break we learned to play new games such as Swat, My Happy Farm, Barnyard Buddies, and more (I've already forgotten the names of most of them).
We only played Swat as a whole family, the other games were broken up between 3 and 5 of us. Even the youngest, Buddy Boy, could play most of the games (or help out by drawing cards or being the 'banker'). It's so much fun to watch the kids strategies and see them plot out their turns and get so excited when they can make a big move. I love it!
We also watched quite a bit of TV shows and movies: America's Funniest Videos, Up, Looney Tunes, Tweety Movie, and the list goes on.
The kids spent many late morning and early afternoons playing outside, which allowed me time to read or watch a girly movie that they would not care to see. It was very relaxing.
My mom took the girls and I to see Frozen at the theaters (first time I've been to the theaters in a year or more) and it was SUCH a good movie!! My in-laws gave Lulu the Anna and Elsa Barbie's for Christmas, so of course they came to see the movie with us.
We also played many games on the Wii: the new Super Mario (WiiU), Wii Motion, Wii Play, rhythm Heaven, Wii Sports, and Wii Sports Resort.
I tried to have lots of time with the kids as well as allowing them to just play together (and for me to get some quiet time).
I think I took a nap every day except for two days and am really going to miss that - they really helped me to feel more energized in the afternoons.
The next time I'm off for more than a few days will be for maternity leave in April - cannot wait!!
So here goes. I had the blessed pleasure to be off from Christmas Eve through yesterday. It was fantastic!! Nine days (excluding Sunday) of sleeping in - no alarm clock needed. Nine days to spend with my children, husband, and family. Nine days of no work - school or office wise. Wish it could always be like that!
During the first part of the break my mom and the girls did a bit of baking - praline crackers, sausage balls, cheese crackers, etc. Lulu made a mint chocolate chip birthday cake for Jesus - it was DELICIOUS!!!! The kids cut out and decorated sugar cookies to give to our siblings as presents - we had some leftover to enjoy, too and they were wonderful. We were sufficiently sugar over loaded for a few days.
Our family really enjoys playing board and card games, so over the break we learned to play new games such as Swat, My Happy Farm, Barnyard Buddies, and more (I've already forgotten the names of most of them).
We only played Swat as a whole family, the other games were broken up between 3 and 5 of us. Even the youngest, Buddy Boy, could play most of the games (or help out by drawing cards or being the 'banker'). It's so much fun to watch the kids strategies and see them plot out their turns and get so excited when they can make a big move. I love it!
We also watched quite a bit of TV shows and movies: America's Funniest Videos, Up, Looney Tunes, Tweety Movie, and the list goes on.
The kids spent many late morning and early afternoons playing outside, which allowed me time to read or watch a girly movie that they would not care to see. It was very relaxing.
My mom took the girls and I to see Frozen at the theaters (first time I've been to the theaters in a year or more) and it was SUCH a good movie!! My in-laws gave Lulu the Anna and Elsa Barbie's for Christmas, so of course they came to see the movie with us.
We also played many games on the Wii: the new Super Mario (WiiU), Wii Motion, Wii Play, rhythm Heaven, Wii Sports, and Wii Sports Resort.
I tried to have lots of time with the kids as well as allowing them to just play together (and for me to get some quiet time).
I think I took a nap every day except for two days and am really going to miss that - they really helped me to feel more energized in the afternoons.
The next time I'm off for more than a few days will be for maternity leave in April - cannot wait!!
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Hallow's Eve
It's fall, which means it's time for three of my kids to have their annual check-ups (Lulu is the only odd ball not born at the end of the year, so she has to wait a few more months for her appointment). I'm always amazed at how quickly they change and grow. Doodle Bug is now 8 inches shorter than I am - 8 inches!! She's only estimated to be 5 feet 3 inches tall, shorter than I am (thanks to not growing for over 6 months after her battle with Kawasaki) - but still, the gap is getting shorter every year.
Little man is only six inches shorter than Doodle Bug. He'll tower over her in just a few short years. I didn't get a chance to see Buddy Boy's measurements, but he's up to Little Man's shoulders already and is only 11 pounds lighter. Buddy Boy will be my biggest kid by far - in the sense of "he's just a big kid - tall and has his daddy's wide shoulders".
Now that I've updated on my oldest and two youngest, I'll update on Lulu. Her soccer season is already coming to an end and she has grown SO much as a player this year. She scored her first goal, during a game, a few weeks ago and was SO stunned! She's been more aggressive (in a good way), isn't afraid of the ball, and is building her confidence up. Her coach wants her to play again in the winter and spring leagues - I don't know if our schedules can handle that - so we'll see.
School is going smoothly. Little Man has four pages left in his 2nd grade math book - he's a math whiz. Where the girls excel in reading (Doodle) and writing (Lulu) - he's a math man and it really amazes me. The girls are doing well in math as well. I've instituted a new math notebook called a 'toolkit' where the kids write down math tricks, definitions, examples, etc. It's something they'll start building this year and will continue building it as long as their are pages in the notebook - if it runs out, we'll buy a new one. This has really helped the kids with geometry (area and parameter calculations of shapes, fractions and decimal equivalents, prime numbers, rounding, etc.). I found it on a blog this summer and wish I'd known about it years ago. SUCH a huge help.
We're in the middle of a constellation unit and the activity the kids have loved the most, so far, is making constellations out of marshmallows and toothpicks. I'm sure it's because they all love marshmallows, but it has helped them form a connection with the single stars and the creative pictures they make. Lulu made a model of the constellation Lion and when we went out to view the stars that night, she found that very constellation in the sky and was SUPER excited.
That's what it's all about - being excited about learning and hopefully instilling a life long love for it.
Little man is only six inches shorter than Doodle Bug. He'll tower over her in just a few short years. I didn't get a chance to see Buddy Boy's measurements, but he's up to Little Man's shoulders already and is only 11 pounds lighter. Buddy Boy will be my biggest kid by far - in the sense of "he's just a big kid - tall and has his daddy's wide shoulders".
Now that I've updated on my oldest and two youngest, I'll update on Lulu. Her soccer season is already coming to an end and she has grown SO much as a player this year. She scored her first goal, during a game, a few weeks ago and was SO stunned! She's been more aggressive (in a good way), isn't afraid of the ball, and is building her confidence up. Her coach wants her to play again in the winter and spring leagues - I don't know if our schedules can handle that - so we'll see.
School is going smoothly. Little Man has four pages left in his 2nd grade math book - he's a math whiz. Where the girls excel in reading (Doodle) and writing (Lulu) - he's a math man and it really amazes me. The girls are doing well in math as well. I've instituted a new math notebook called a 'toolkit' where the kids write down math tricks, definitions, examples, etc. It's something they'll start building this year and will continue building it as long as their are pages in the notebook - if it runs out, we'll buy a new one. This has really helped the kids with geometry (area and parameter calculations of shapes, fractions and decimal equivalents, prime numbers, rounding, etc.). I found it on a blog this summer and wish I'd known about it years ago. SUCH a huge help.
We're in the middle of a constellation unit and the activity the kids have loved the most, so far, is making constellations out of marshmallows and toothpicks. I'm sure it's because they all love marshmallows, but it has helped them form a connection with the single stars and the creative pictures they make. Lulu made a model of the constellation Lion and when we went out to view the stars that night, she found that very constellation in the sky and was SUPER excited.
That's what it's all about - being excited about learning and hopefully instilling a life long love for it.
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