Keepin' it real

Just so you know, I don't do it all. I don't want to do it all. 

Wild & crazy, that's how I like it. Shhh, don't let my kids know. 

Romeo & Juliet

This last week I was able to take Austin & Nyah & some of their friends to Romeo & Juliet put on by the Shakespeare in the Schools/Utah Shakespeare Festival. The kids were able to ask questions after the play and they all want to be actors now. 

Folding laundry

Stop taking pictures of me and pet me some more!

Let's Play!

Despite a few snow days, we've still had plenty of better-ish weather so we could go out and play! 

Super Dade - I love when the wind blows back his ears. He looks like he's going to take off. 

3/23/2013

I know the post about Olivia doing the monkey bars for the first time ever only posted a few days ago, but I actually wrote it a couple weeks ago. Since then Olivia has astounded me with drastic improvement in her overall coordination and strength - even the muscles she uses for speaking are stronger and she's capable of speaking better, although she's usually in too much of a hurry to slow down to speak clearly. But when we're working on her speech at home and at her speech appointments she sounds fabulous! 

At swim lessons she's turned into a little mermaid - swimming and at ease being in the water on her own.

I think with the weather slowly warming up and since she's finally recovered from months of being sick (knock on wood, salt over the shoulder, evil begone, and so on), she's getting the daily exercise her body needs to improve her strength and coordination. 

She still has moments when she's suddenly worn out and needs to rest even though minutes earlier she was bouncing all over the place. And, of course, she's spends her days eating eating eating eating eating to fuel all this activity. 

Rocky Mountain Spring

Sun

and Snow!

We've lived here for 6 years now. 

For the last 6 years, every single March, all the people start getting excited about warmer weather and spring coming, and then it snows and they act surprised and complain about it. 

Did I mention this happens every March? 

On the other hand, I complain about the snow all the time. Boo.

Books - check!

With our basement finished I lugged all my books from our 2nd story all the way down to the basement - so many, many trips up and down the stairs.

But I turned this:

Into this: 

and this:

That's not where our treadmill is going to be permanently, but with my hubby in Australia and my lacking muscles, it gets to sit in the middle of our "library" for the time being. 

P.S. I've been reading and enjoying the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters. What are you reading? Really, I need suggestions :)

No scurvy for you!

The last few years I've bought half a case of oranges from a boy in our neighborhood for a fundraiser for some school thing.

This year Kurt also bought half a case from a girl in our neighborhood, again as a fundraiser for some school thing.

Can you tell we pay attention? 

It's probably the same school club. I think they go to Mexico in the summer and build houses or dig ditches or something like that. 

It's a great cause I'm sure. 

But mostly we just love ripe, delicious, fresh-picked oranges. 

So the morning after delivery we were enjoying them for breakfast and Kurt said, "No one's getting scurvy around here!" 

Which, of course, prompted, "Dad, what's scurvy?"

Robin Hood & a Giant Spider

Kurt & I took Austin & Nyah on a date to see Robin Hood at the Children's Theater - Austin recently read a couple versions of Robin Hood for his medieval history. It was such a fun performance and we enjoyed spending this time with our older kids.  

When we came home we heard the wild tale of the giant spider  crawling on the ceiling (not our tarantula, just a bigger-than-average house spider), the babysitter calling her mom to have her come over to rescue them, and the spider escaped by crawling into the fire alarm. Ha ha ha. So fun.

Unwisely, the spider made an appearance the next morning and was sucked into the vacuum of doom.  

Go, Olivia, GO!!

This video brings tears to my eyes. 

You see, it's been a week of worries for me. 

I've been trying to make sense of Olivia's MRI report. 

There are some new things I wasn't clear about. 

Some things I didn't realize what they meant. 

And I've been playing phone tag with Olivia's doctor. 

He finally decided to leave a message, but it's left me feeling unsettled.

I have more questions than I have answers. 

And I know that is always going to be the case with NF1. 

It's so easy to get caught up my fears and worries about her future. 

But then she does something incredible. 

Something that because of her strength, motor, & coordination issues I wondered when - if - she'd ever be able to do it. 

Now she wants to go to the playground every day. 

And I know she's always going to amaze us as she overcomes her challenges one by one.

Cake Boss

Nyah's Young Stateswoman group had a cake decorating activity. 

Nyah's cake after the first cut, minus a couple fondant flowers. Hmm, where did those go? 

Tell me a Jolie

The past week or so I've had several people comment about knowing Jolie through my facebook posts. She's such a crack up. She's always saying and doing unexpected things. Most of the time I laugh. I'd laugh all the time except her antics often results in messes I get to clean up. 

This weeks messes:

Cinnamon and sugar all over the kitchen *right after I swept* - "I was just having a taste."

Sand and water all over the kitchen *right after I swept* - "I'm having fun!" (said in her duh mom! voice)

Mascara all over my bathroom mirror - "It wasn't me. It was Sophie." which I may have believed if Sophie hadn't been with me. Of course, the mascara on Jo's hands also gave her away. 

- - - - - - -- - - - -- - - - -- - - - -- - -- - - -- - - -- - 

Jolie was running around in a black cape pretending to be a vampire. She asked me, "Are we meat?"

Me: Well, not exactly, we're made of skin and flesh and bones and . . . .

Jolie: But we're meat for werewolves (she howls). They like to eat us. 

Me: Yes, if a werewolf is around we would be meat.

Jolie: Mom, will you me my vampire mom? 

Me: No

Jolie: Will you be my hybrid vampire leprechaun mom?

Me: (laughing) Yes, I'll be your vampire leprechaun mom!

- - - - - - -- - - - -- - - - -- - - - -- - -- - - -- - - -- - 

Olivia, Jolie, & Sophie were playing dress up and getting decked out from head to toe in princess stuff. 

Jolie came to me for help with her gloves.

Jolie: Mom, you're my queen helper. 

And she proceeded to command me to help her with everything she wanted to put on.

Later she went upstairs with her sisters to show off for Kurt. 

Kurt: Very pretty princesses

Jolie: Actually, I'm the queen.

Raise the drawbridge!

Austin's latest lego project.

Austin preparing to do battle with friends.

Traumatized!

It all started one beautiful, sunny morning. Nyah went to feed the fish. 

"MOM THERE ARE ONLY TWO FISH!"

We looked all around on the floor. 

We looked behind the bookshelf. 

We checked the floor and behind the bookshelf again.

No sign of a fish. 

We questioned Olivia, Jolie, & Sophie.

We questioned the dog.

We questioned Jolie again (she likes to hold the fish). 

All options exhausted it dawned on me the fish may have jumped out, fallen behind the bookshelf, and bounced underneath it. Things don't happen in small measures around here. 

In a frenzy I moved the fish tank off the bookshelf, we emptied it and pulled it away from the wall. 

Poor, poor dead fishy. 

No, wait! His gills are moving!

Move, move, move - scoop up crusty fish - move, move, move!!!!!

Splash. 

Is he okay?

Well, "okay" is very relative around here.

He had carpet fuzz on one side. He was eating rocks & food, and then spitting it all back out. He was listing to one side when he swam. He was getting stuck in corners and trapped by the plants. 

But, yes, he was okay. 

 

Today he seems to have made a full recovery. 

The rest of us are still checking the tank every morning to make sure everyone is present and accounted for. 

Shopping with Sophie

I was shopping with Nyah and Sophie, and we were walking from one store to the next. 

Resting

Making a picture

Resting

Swinging

Swinging

Swinging on every pole possible :)

C8Sciences

The number one program that has made all the difference with Nyah's learning disabilities (dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ADHD) is C8Sciences.

Over the last 6 years we have tried multiple programs to help Nyah with math, reading, & writing: Math-U-See, DreamBox, XtraMath, Math Wrap-ups, Math CDs, How to Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, Phonics Pathways, Starfall, Reader Rabbit Phonics, Hooked on Phonics, Bob books, Handwriting without tears, Getty Dubat Italic Handwriting, getting her eyes testing and glasses, visual tracking exercises, auditory exercises, and workbooks, workbooks, workbooks!!! And those are only the ones I can remember off the top of my head. 

With each one she'd maybe make a few baby steps of progress, but then she'd hit a wall and wouldn't be able to progress. 

She ended up completely burnt out. 

Nyah has been doing C8Kids for 5 months now. But in that time she has started doing things she has never done before: pick up a chapter book and read it cover to cover in a few days. Pick up a chapter book and read it to her sisters. Use math in her day to day activities. Remember and tell me about a math problem she did and how it relates to what we were talking about. Remember math facts. 

She's only about halfway through the program. It's getting harder. It's often challenging. She often wants to quit. 

But I'm excited for her and for the progress she's made.

Our basement is finished!

Woohoo!! 

Homeschool Myths & Questions

I get a number of people asking me questions about homeschooling. I am always open to discuss and answer questions about homeschooling. But sometimes comments can be a little silly:

Oh, you homeschool? So, you don't have to make lunches everyday. 
Right, because we don't eat. 

Oh, you homeschool? So, you don't have to do back-to-school clothes shopping.
Right, because we run around naked.

Oh, you homeschool? So, you don't have to deal with homework.
Right, because we're not at home doing schoolwork. 

Yes, these are real comments from real people. Just a little silly from my perspective :)

It's always a great thing when I don't have to reinvent the wheel by writing up new blog posts. There are many wonderful homeschoolers willing to address these same topics: 

Kris @ Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers is talking about Pros & Cons of Homeschooling - Part 1: Cons

And iHomeschool Network's "I Can't Homeschool Because...." series.

Prohibited

This sign is on the jr. high where I play volleyball. It made me laugh.

Can you imagine what must have happened to create a need for such a sign? 

I think I need one like it in my house. Just to be safe.

Would you like to pet a shark?

Sophie and her best friend, Daniel

Bigs making sure the littles can see the fishes 

We went to the aquarium with friends so my older kid were running around with their friends. 

We got to watch the 13 foot anaconda eat a guinea pig. W-I-L-D!!!

Our {Wild&Crazy} Wednesday

March 6, 3013

5:45am - wake up. Kurt has a conference call and we have iffy service at our house so he heads to the Home Depot parking lot. He'll grab stuff for the basement when he's done. Jolie climbs in bed with me. She was up late so I wait to get up, hoping she'll go back to sleep. I get up and get ready to run. Jo wakes up. I tuck her back in bed and go downstairs. I forgot the treadmill is outside because we're getting carpet in the basement today. Go back upstairs. Read through email and facebook. Receive a message from a friend who is going through a horrible family crisis.

6:30am - Jo's not going back to sleep so I turn on cartoons for her. I read my scriptures. Olivia comes down and ten minutes later Sophie is up too. 

6:50am - I go shower and get ready. 

7:15am - wake up Austin. Try to wake up Nyah. Get breakfast for myself and the 3 little girls. Do dishes and clean up kitchen. Kurt calls and we talk over a few things - I text him a list for the grocery store. 

7:45am - try to get Austin & Nyah up and going.  

8:00am - Austin & Nyah tantrums/defiance. Lay down the law. 

8-9am - Nyah's fighting me about everything: toys, reading scriptures, getting dressed, and so on. She's upset because she wants to put together her Lego Friends Treehouse and I won't get her the instructions right now. While this is going on I help the little girls get dressed, brush teeth, and do hair. 

9am- Get on the computer to find lego friends instructions. Check on my friend - relay updates to Kurt. I google, find & try to figure out how to condense 120 pages of the lego instructions into less so I can print it. Still figuring out how to do things on the new computer.  

9:30am - Devotional with kids. Nyah works on the lego set & the other kids color while Austin & I take turns reading.

10am - Kurt's home. Kids are working on school work now. Nyah is watching My Friend, Flicka while still working on lego set. Austin is doing computer literacy. Little girls are building with legos and coloring. 

10:15am - carpet guys show up. Kurt takes them in the basement to talk everything over and then he heads to work. 

10:30am - carpet guys upstairs fixing where the carpet meets the tile. LIttle girls and I sit on couches watching until their done and back downstairs. 

11:00am - I do math with Olivia & Jolie. Kids are all snacking and watching My Friend, Flicka until it ends. 

11:30am - I grab lunch. Nyah is on the computer playing on BrainPop. Austin is reading for Medieval History. Little girls playing. 

12:20pm - Kids are ready for lunch. They come in and out of the kitchen, grabbing and munching as they continue what they are doing. Sophie keeps cornering me trying to buttons the undone buttons on my collared shirt. I clean up the kitchen. 

1pm - Kids back to school. Nyah's doing her math. Austin does his math and then tries working on lego robotics but the software isn't working. I try to figure it out and fail miserably. Austin works on science. 

1:30pm - Austin is doing a science experiment in the kitchen. Nyah is taking a school break and joins him. They have fun playing with candles and matches. Little girls watch. Me too. 

2:30pm - Nyah gets in gear and finishes her school work so she can play on the playstation. Austin works on school between sword fights with Olivia & Jolie. LIttle girls and I do language arts and handwriting. 

3:30pm - Austin finishes up his stuff and joins Nyah. Little girls are playing together semi-peacefully. I get things ready to go. 

4pm - get kids off playstation and have everyone get ready to leave- finding shoes and jackets, going to the bathroom, grabbing snacks. Google maps says it will take 20 minutes to get to our new piano lessons location.

4:20pm- leave house. It only takes 10 minutes to get to piano lessons but that's long enough for Sophie and Jolie to go to sleep, so we wait in the car and let them nap. 

4:45pm - head into piano lessons. Lessons will be at 5:20, but we're early because we are starting Simply Music and the teacher needs to go over a few new things before the group lesson. The little girls happily and quietly play with the teacher's kids upstairs. I sit in the lesson with Austin & Nyah. 

5:50pm - done, load everyone in the car. Kurt calls while we're headed home - it will be a while before he leaves work. I grab In-N-Out burgers for dinner. 

6:30pm - home, eat dinner, watch Avatar: The Last Airbender while we eat.  Nyah is stressed out about piano so she's acting out: refusing to do any of the new piano, suddenly loving the old piano method, lashing out at family, short tempered. 

7pm - Everyone gets ready for bed and we watch Avatar until bedtime.

8pm - Everyone to bedrooms. I read to kids- Felicity book, Betsy Ross biography. Kurt comes in while we're reading. Kurt keeps Sophie with him while she goes to sleep. 

8:45pm - I come downstairs. Sophie is asleep. Kurt and I watch Castle until I fall asleep on the couch. 

Wake up sometime and go to bed.

Dr. Sophie

Yes, we were at the doctor's office again. I haven't taken my kids to the doctor's office as many times in the last 2 years as I have the last 2 months (well, aside from NF1 related stuff). Yuck. 

Sophie had a killer cold. She was oozing goop from her eyes and nose non-stop for over a week. After one particularly horrible night of not sleeping, she woke up her eyes were sealed shut, goop streaming out of her nose, and she was completely miserable, I decided it must be an infection and made her an appointment. Then I gave her a bath and watched her have a near complete recovery in the 5 hours before her appointment. Of course. The doctor gave me an Rx, but I didn't even bother to fill it. 

He spent only a couple minutes examining Sophie and then a chunk of the time talking over Olivia's last MRI results. I asked for a copy of the report because I knew he is in the same network as the hospital where the MRI's are done. He felt the need to go through it with me. After a while I started to feel confused and frustrated with what he was saying, and then he said, "Of course, I don't know very much about NF1." 

Of course you don't! Why the heck am I sitting here listening to you?!

And let's be honest - I spent over an hour waiting for him, less than 5 minutes on Sophie, and maybe 10 minutes on Olivia. There is something so wrong with that. 

Miss Sophie

Mom, I just looking for stuff.

Happy Science

We recently got a subscription to the Happy Scientist website. My kids are having so much fun exploring the videos and trying the experiments. I hope the videos work....

Hanging Out

Playing together well . . . for the moment :)

Lego Hobbit Hole

Math, lego chess, and breakfast

Drawing

Teaching Jolie how to play Go Fish

Looking at the American Girl catalog together