Last Day of School!

Well, that ubiquitous time has come again. The last day of school. It seems so far away and abstract in the middle of August when school begins for my biggies. Then we get through the winter holidays. Then the spring holidays. Then all of a sudden, we're putting end of the year activities on our calendar such as the annual Strawberry Festival, Adventure Club Investiture, Piano Recital, Fun Day which consisted of a zoo trip this year.

The end of the year always seems to come so fast for me as a mom. Although, I do recall as a child that those last few weeks draaaaaged endlessly LOL! My son has been waiting not too patiently and I couldn't get Madison out of bed this morning. At least it's the last one!

They came home with all their school stuff yesterday. I always forget about this part. The bits and bobs that helped them learn and grow throughout the year, finished art projects, journals, graded papers and just trash and bits of toys and junk they collected over the months.

It will be nice to kick back and relax. Summer plans include trips to the library, Rita's, pool, Grandma and Grandpa Q's camper and house, Granny and Pop Pop's house near the ocean, various playgrounds and hopefully a couple short trips to PA and VA to visit family and amusement parks. Play dates, of course and lots of time outside when the weather cooperates.

Last year at this time I was petrified because I had a new baby and was going to be home all summer with four children. It turned out to be a nice summer and I'm really looking forward to it this year. I think the kids will really entertain each other (and fight LOL) so perhaps I can do a few of my own things. Plus I can send them all to the grandparents for a couple days at a time and get some much-needed mommy time.

I plan to have a loose schedule that they can help devise that includes some learning time with their workbooks, arty time, outside time, reading, quiet/rest time, tv, games/computer and the like. I'm afraid if I don't do that then we'll all just sit around loafing. I need to be proactive and keep a bit of a schedule and plan weekly outings.

I also want them to learn two skills this summer. One of my choose which includes Madison learning to tie her shoes and Matthew learning how to fold and put away his laundry. I want them to pick their second learning goal themselves. Matthew's piano teacher is offering summer lessons this year but I told him he could take the summer off if he chooses. I think everyone is ready for a break!

Here are their school pictures. I never intended to buy the spring pictures but they came out so nicely how could I not. And how could I tell my children that I wasn't going to buy their pictures after they sent the package home in book bags. Those picture people are squirrly!

Happy Summer, everyone!

The Great Flood

We had a very interesting week of last. Tuesday we had some new tile laid in the kitchen, about 75% of it. It wasn't anything special, just some cheapy peel and stick to have a nicer looking floor for C's birthday party on Sunday.

DH came to bed about midnight. I was up off and on with the baby because she was sick. About 2:30 I went to get a drink of water and heard a strange hissing noise from the kitchen. It sounded like the ice maker when it fills the tray only louder. Turns out the water line to the ice maker snapped clean and was dumping water for a couple hours.

Water everywhere on two floors of our home! Two hours before dh had to leave on an overnight business trip! Oy!! We spent about an hour cleaning up and dh making some phone calls. I went back to bed but it took quite some time to get to sleep. DH delayed his flight and came back the same night.

We had water restoration people here for six hours. We have eleven blowers and two gigantic dehumidifiers going. It got really hot in here but they said that means it's working. So now it's cooling off so I suppose the drying process is near complete. I can't wait to get the equipment out of here.

They were supposed to return this morning but were running late and I couldn't wait. Now they are scheduled to come tomorrow. Damage includes flooring and a removed wall in the kitchen, carpet in the den, pad, drywall and ceiling in the basement along with some other holes cut into the drywall. All in all, we didn't lose much personal property so that was good. We'll see how the estimation and repairs go.

A couple pictures to remember our flood.

Wednesday

Sometimes I like to do this to remind myself of how much I actually do in a day, even when it seems I get nothing accomplished!

Nurse C
Shower
Breakfast
Whiney preschooler and infant
Answer breastfeeding questions
Scan emails/boards
Start blog ;)
Make Home Depot list and discuss w/ dh
Fruit salad for LLL
Rescue baby from preschooler
Make snack for preschooler
Dress baby
Dress preschooler
Get myself ready to leave house
Attended LLL in EB and helped
Changed diapers x2
Helped w/ potty x3
Made lunch
Nursed baby x5
Ate lunch
Update calendar
Work on layout
Clean up and sooth bleeding baby
Work on banking basket
Make snack
Go to hardware store
pick up recycling trash
Pick up kids at school and drop off carpool student
collect and go through Mail
Go through backpacks
Oversee homework/piano practice
Afterschool snacks
finish Cleaning fridge and put back together
balance bank accounts x5
Fix and serve dinner
Feed the baby
Take a walk
Played two hands of Uno w/ M
Two baths (biggies)
Read some LLL stuff

Okay, that's it. I'm going to bed soon. Tuck the kiddos in, do my Bible study, crossword, read for LLL and catch some TV.

Is that enough for one day? Tomorrow is bring your child to work day. The kids are going to spend each a half day with each parent. DH - goodness I love him! He was concerned that the kids didn't appreciate that what I do around here is my job, i.e. work. They still don't get it, but I'll enjoy me some slave labor tomorrow :D

New Creation

Jeez it's hot today! Okay, so it's in the 70's. However, our a/c appears to be on the fritz and it's 81 in the house. Feels cooler outside. Think I'll take the kids out after dinner.

My new digi class began a couple weeks ago. It's called Digi in Deep and it's hosted/created by Jessica Sprague So, I'm currently on Day 4, which is the first Thursday. Today I received Day 13 email LOL! I'm so far behind. In my favor, Lesson 1 had 10 parts so it took me longer to finish. Also, each part was a bit complicated. We're really exploring some of the features of Photoshop and it's so cool.



On Day 4, the lessons are called "Cre8" and it involves making 8 pages with a common theme; a mini-album, if you will. The assignment was to make eight pages using a specific set of materials and each page was to contain a quote of some sort, instead of a photo. This project scared me but it's only 6x6 and I actually decided to do mine of meaningful Bible quotes like: Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. So, I'm excited about that. I made the cover page and one inside page thus far. I'll post when I'm done with it. Hopefully, I'll get somewhat caught up before the end of class. It's a four week class.

They're also doing an organizational class for ACDSee which I hope to take but that will have to be later this summer or whenever they have it again. An additional task this go around is to do something inspirational and then either use the scrapbooking technique or create a layout about it or do it. I chose organizing my photos on the computer. We'll see if I get that done, as well LOL!

I mean, I can't even keep my blog up to date, even though I think of stuff all the time. Too bad there's not mental telepathy into your computer. I'd have blog entries every day haha!

Well, I don't know where the toolbar is right now for posting pictures. Will come back later.

The Pact

I love to read. I've been hoarding books from freecycle like I have all this time to read. Recently I picked up a Jodi Picoult book called The Pact - A Love Story. I was roped in right from the very beginning. I really liked the writing style and the story was easy to read and follow for the most part.

I'm used to reading fiction and novels that don't require much brain power to follow. A lot of times I'm reading before bed to relax so not always in tune to a complex story line or subject.

I found myself picking up this book more and more other times and bringing it with me in the car for reading while waiting in lines and such. I sped through it pretty quickly. It was easy to read but due to the subject matter, it was not an easy read. It really started to get under my skin in a thoughtful way and caused me to dig deep and think. I don't usually have this reaction to books.

It was sort of refreshing to spend some time thinking of a book as it relates to my personal self/family instead of just thinking wow that was a good book. This particular book centered around two teenagers and their families and dealt with teen suicide.

I've really started to think about the time when my children are teenagers and how we will all relate with one another and as a family. I didn't feel comfortable being open with my mother and as a result don't feel especially close to her these days. I want a much closer relationship with my own children and want them to know they can come to us anytime they need for whatever reason.

I don't want one of my children to go through an earth-shattering experience and not be able to find solace and comfort in my arms as they did as babies/small children. I want them to always know that their foundation is built at home and as such they can be open and find solutions here rather than outside or depending only on themselves. I don't ever want to say, "I had no idea" or "I never saw that coming."

With everything in the world today, it must be a real challenge staying connected to a teen. It's very scary to me to think about, especially with some of the personalities of my children. In my uneducated opinion, I would think it's a combination of parenting and the child themselves. I pray that as I go through each day with my children, that I'm building that close foundation stone by stone and not pushing them away by eroding something bit by bit. Perhaps it's not something you really know until later on.

I have always strived, at least mentally, to be that better mother to my children. I know it doesn't always come through but after reading this book, I really consider my actions/words before acting upon them more more than I did before reading this book. My thought is "Is this going to uplift them or undermine them?" When they are grown will they come back and say, "Remember that time ... that's what the root of it all."

I'm far from the perfect parent and some days, I just don't have it in me to consider every single action or word. Also, it's so easy to over-analyze everything and then be unable to do anything. But when it comes to some of the fundamental or big issues such as ethics, safety, love, etc. I try to really focus on what my response should be.

Last night Matthew asked me why God made him. My automatic, without thinking, response was I had no idea. But really I did have an idea after I thought for a minute. I told Matthew that God has a special work for him on this earth, some of which he began when he was an infant. Really it began upon conception. I don't know what the future brings for him or any of my other children, but they're pretty special in my book and I have the awesome privilege of guiding them through life. It's a heady responsibility but I can't imagine it any other way.

Snow Day!

Friday was a snow day. I had mixed feelings but it turned out to be a pretty descent day. No babysitting kids so I could get up at my leisure of sorts. The kids were up so I tried to grab a shower before dh left for the day.

Madison and I sat down and read a book together called Fish Out of Water. It was ala Dr. Suess style of sorts but didn't really rhyme. I would read a page and then she would read a page. She did very well. Then we did three or so pages of math and finished up a packet from two weeks ago. Now we can start on last week's packet.

Charlotte took descent naps. Around lunch time I decided we needed a feel trip to Chick-fil-A for lunch. We went through the drive-thru and came home so the kids could "picnic" in the living room. After that we picked up a bit and after that the timing got a big hazy.

We made homemade microwave popcorn thanks to this recipe at www.allrecipes.com I found this on Angry Chicken blog. Got some good stuff there. The kids really enjoyed making the popcorn and I presume it is that much healthier than the store-bought type.

Then I helped Matthew with his "I am God's Kid" poster. We can finish that tomorrow and then work on his other God's Kid projects and his book report which is due around the 27th. Which reminds me I forgot to get the poster board. Darn.

While the kids watched television, ate popcorn and drank hot cocoa, I finished the girls' sundresses. I'm pleased as punch with them and will post pictures with my sewing a sundress entry coming later.

We had sandwhiches for dinner and dh got home in time to take them to church. He took all four but the older two went for Adventure Club to make sandwhiches which the Pathfinders were taking out to distribute in the city this afternoon.

It was a nice lazy day and I really enjoyed spending some time with them one-on-one.

Doctor, Doctor

Give me the news. I've got a bad case of ... visiting you!

One of the things they don't tell you is that the more children you have the more often you visit the doctor. Also, the older you get the more you visit the doctor.

I remember back in the day when I would visit the doctor once, maybe twice a year. Now we're at some sort of doctor at least once a month, or so it seems.

When I was pregnant with C, between the diabetes, AMA and general visits, I was going to the doctor one to two times a week at the end of my pregnancy. Good gravy, I never wanted to see a doctor again. Not to mention most of the appointments were down in the city and required me to pay for parking.

Now, it's just other stuff. So far this year:
January - one well child check up
February - one well baby check up, one physical
March - two well children check ups
April - one child's allergy
May - one well child check up, one child dermatology

That's almost $200 in co-pays right there. Too bad the medical threshold is a tad too high. We'd probably qualify. I think we qualify for 2007 though with the delivery and subsequent hospital stay.

So, if we all stay healthy, hopefully that'll be it for now. Aside from the fact that I need to get my hip check out, the skin spot as well as my hearing. Can't wait to get this all out of the way.