I took a few pictures of ashton and thea in their cute new outfits for fall. Doesn't Ashton look big? Thea was running down a ramp at the tree house and fell. Just in case you were wondering what happened to her poor lip!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Fall!
I took a few pictures of ashton and thea in their cute new outfits for fall. Doesn't Ashton look big? Thea was running down a ramp at the tree house and fell. Just in case you were wondering what happened to her poor lip!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Yummy Fall Soup
I posted this last fall as well. I am thrilled to be able to make it again and can't wait to eat it tonight!
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 cups frozen corn
2 cups medium salsa
3 cups organic chicken broth
1 can garbanzo beans
1 lb. kielbasa sausage cut into 1 inch pieces
1 Red bell pepper diced
4-5 medium tomatoes diced (or 1 can of diced tomatoes)
1 1/2 Tbsp. dried cilantro
Put everything in the crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Yum! I made some cornbread and a veggie tray to go with it.
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 cups frozen corn
2 cups medium salsa
3 cups organic chicken broth
1 can garbanzo beans
1 lb. kielbasa sausage cut into 1 inch pieces
1 Red bell pepper diced
4-5 medium tomatoes diced (or 1 can of diced tomatoes)
1 1/2 Tbsp. dried cilantro
Put everything in the crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Yum! I made some cornbread and a veggie tray to go with it.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
thought of more to do...
make a carseat cover
make a cover for the bjorn
address christmas cards
do christmas shopping, wrapping and mailing
organize our in home library so I can find things
get out newborn diapers, wash them and put them in a drawer
make a cover for the bjorn
address christmas cards
do christmas shopping, wrapping and mailing
organize our in home library so I can find things
get out newborn diapers, wash them and put them in a drawer
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Pregnancy Update
I am slowing getting ready for this baby. There are still a lot of things that I need to do, but I have finally accomplished some of them and it's making me feel much better. Lately we have been so busy just with day to day school, chores, cooking and activities that it's hard to fit in anything extra. After tots cooking on Wednesday, the kids and I went to a nearby kids resale shop. We found a boppy cover (my boppy from mareea had a bright pink cover) for $3.99 and an adorable papasan bouncy seat. I had one with Mareea, but sold it. I had been dreading spending $20 for a boppy cover at babies r us and was thrilled to find one for such a good deal.
Last night I went through all the baby clothes I have been gifted so generously by Sue and organized them. I'm pretty sure we have everything we need to get us through 0-3 months. I may need a couple more warm sleepers but will be able to find those easily!
I had my 32 week appointment on thursday. The nurse put us in the big ultrasound room since the doctor was running about an hour behind and there were so many of us. When he finally came in, he just decided to do a quick ultrasound instead of trying to find a doppler. I was so excited! I am so happy to know that Gideon is head down. Now when he moves, I can tell if it's his feet or bum since I saw where they were. I will not tell how much I weight right now. It's apparently more than I weighed when I delivered Mareea...and I still have 8 weeks to go!
To do before baby:
Make soakers for size small diapers
Finish coming home quilt
Buy a papasan swing (maybe?)
Buy a bumbo
Get a new infant carseat or a replacement for our pink cover
wash baby clothes and put them in the drawers
set up bassinet
set up changing table
Lesson plan for other kids for at least 3 weeks
Make lots of freezer meals
Address birth announcements
I'm sure there's more...
Last night I went through all the baby clothes I have been gifted so generously by Sue and organized them. I'm pretty sure we have everything we need to get us through 0-3 months. I may need a couple more warm sleepers but will be able to find those easily!
I had my 32 week appointment on thursday. The nurse put us in the big ultrasound room since the doctor was running about an hour behind and there were so many of us. When he finally came in, he just decided to do a quick ultrasound instead of trying to find a doppler. I was so excited! I am so happy to know that Gideon is head down. Now when he moves, I can tell if it's his feet or bum since I saw where they were. I will not tell how much I weight right now. It's apparently more than I weighed when I delivered Mareea...and I still have 8 weeks to go!
To do before baby:
Make soakers for size small diapers
Finish coming home quilt
Buy a papasan swing (maybe?)
Buy a bumbo
Get a new infant carseat or a replacement for our pink cover
wash baby clothes and put them in the drawers
set up bassinet
set up changing table
Lesson plan for other kids for at least 3 weeks
Make lots of freezer meals
Address birth announcements
I'm sure there's more...
Friday, September 24, 2010
Fun at school
Landon loved making this mural today for our "O is for octopus" week. He made the Moray Eel all by himself. Lets home the octopus gets away! We learned that it's an octopuses biggest predator.
I am enjoying baking a baby...although the heartburn could let up a little :)
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Today...
was Landon's first soccer game of the season and a wonderful trip to the zoo.
And here's a random picture of Thea modeling a doll tai for me. Christmas must be coming because I've gotten 6 orders for these off Etsy in the last couple of weeks!
And here's a random picture of Thea modeling a doll tai for me. Christmas must be coming because I've gotten 6 orders for these off Etsy in the last couple of weeks!
Walk for Life
Wet but happy after the 2 mile walk.
We are excited to be able to participate as a family in Pregnancy Care's Walk for Life last Saturday. It rained hard on us, but getting wet wasn't going to stop us from walking for the lives of the unborn! The kids loved getting soaked. Thankfully, the rain stopped as we finished the walk and we were able to enjoy lunch there. Our church's team had 66 people and we enjoyed visiting with them before, during and after the walk.
Psalm 139:13-14
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Trying to get organized
I really struggle with getting my lesson planning done and having a plan for the following day. My days are hectic and I'm tired at night and just don't do it. However, I've been convicted to try and change this. It is very frustrating to me and the kids to not know what is supposed to be done during the day. A friend on facebook shared a couple of things they've been doing and I decided to steal the ideas and see if they work for us. Here is the first thing I've done...
The idea with this chart was to make it clear to the kids what their chores for the day are. It also forces me to decide the night before what needs to be done the next day. If Dan has an idea he tells me and I put it on for whichever child to do. A lot of things I had just let go are getting done now that I actually can assign chores. The kids take the chore card off when they're done and I know who still has chores to do. Some chores are fun, like getting the mail, baking with mama or making daddy's lunch. Eventually, the chore cards will be replaced with laminated pictures so that the non-readers can know what they're supposed to do and it will be prettier. However, I take forever to do those kind of projects so I'm not holding my breath! Now I don't have to ask Q to empty the dishwasher every morning or remind anyone what to do. They were getting tired of listening to my voice I think.
Another chart I made helps the little boys in the morning. I bought little wooden stars and small chalkboards. I put their name at the top of the chalkboards and drew a line down the middle. On the stars I wrote what they need to do each morning before coming downstairs. On Landon's I drew pictures. Make bed, put PJs away, brush teeth, tidy room. After the job is done, they take the star and move it to the other side of the line. Now it is very clear what they are supposed to do and I don't have to nag...as much.
Workboxes! I am going to have to take pictures of these. Basically, I got crates from walmart and hanging file folders to put inside. I numbered the file folders in each crate. Each folder holds a different school work assignment. This way they don't have to ask me what to do next (and I don't have to decide since i've done it the night before) and they know when school ends. Before I was having trouble with them going to play when they still had work to do.
For example, in Ashton's folder today he had
1. 2 pages in his My Father's World language arts workbook. I put a post it on the front so he knew which pages to do.
2. A post it with a list of exercises to do. Push ups, sit ups, run around the house 3 times.
3. Math workbook pages
4. His latch hook set. A post it told him to set the timer and work for 15 minutes.
5. A book that he was to read aloud to Mareea
6. usborn I Can Draw People and some paper to draw them on.
7. Books for mama to read to him aloud.
It encourages them to work independantly and helps me to fit in art and other things I was just not getting in. Ashton loves it. Landon likes it, but gives me an attitude whenever a folder has something not "fun" in it.
Pictures here!
The idea with this chart was to make it clear to the kids what their chores for the day are. It also forces me to decide the night before what needs to be done the next day. If Dan has an idea he tells me and I put it on for whichever child to do. A lot of things I had just let go are getting done now that I actually can assign chores. The kids take the chore card off when they're done and I know who still has chores to do. Some chores are fun, like getting the mail, baking with mama or making daddy's lunch. Eventually, the chore cards will be replaced with laminated pictures so that the non-readers can know what they're supposed to do and it will be prettier. However, I take forever to do those kind of projects so I'm not holding my breath! Now I don't have to ask Q to empty the dishwasher every morning or remind anyone what to do. They were getting tired of listening to my voice I think.
Another chart I made helps the little boys in the morning. I bought little wooden stars and small chalkboards. I put their name at the top of the chalkboards and drew a line down the middle. On the stars I wrote what they need to do each morning before coming downstairs. On Landon's I drew pictures. Make bed, put PJs away, brush teeth, tidy room. After the job is done, they take the star and move it to the other side of the line. Now it is very clear what they are supposed to do and I don't have to nag...as much.
Workboxes! I am going to have to take pictures of these. Basically, I got crates from walmart and hanging file folders to put inside. I numbered the file folders in each crate. Each folder holds a different school work assignment. This way they don't have to ask me what to do next (and I don't have to decide since i've done it the night before) and they know when school ends. Before I was having trouble with them going to play when they still had work to do.
For example, in Ashton's folder today he had
1. 2 pages in his My Father's World language arts workbook. I put a post it on the front so he knew which pages to do.
2. A post it with a list of exercises to do. Push ups, sit ups, run around the house 3 times.
3. Math workbook pages
4. His latch hook set. A post it told him to set the timer and work for 15 minutes.
5. A book that he was to read aloud to Mareea
6. usborn I Can Draw People and some paper to draw them on.
7. Books for mama to read to him aloud.
It encourages them to work independantly and helps me to fit in art and other things I was just not getting in. Ashton loves it. Landon likes it, but gives me an attitude whenever a folder has something not "fun" in it.
Pictures here!
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Getting excited
Well, I'm 30 weeks tomorrow and I can say that I am thrilled to be meeting this little one that has been swimming around inside me. Although I always mourn the loss of pregnancy, I love having a precious newborn!
We've been trying to find a car seat. Trying to determine what kind we want and if we'll buy it new or used. I got a wonderful deal on some pocket cloth diapers and ordered 8 of them. I'm praying that will be all that I need for diapering Gid until he is 1 year old. I have some other pockets, fitteds and covers that I will also use. I'm thinking about a double stroller, too. We'll really need something that works well and fits a carseat for when i'm trying to shop alone with 6 kids!
And we got a car!!! Our van only sat 7, so we upgraded to an 07 odyssey with an 8th seat. The kids like it because it is much roomier than our old Odyssey..and because it has a DVD player (that we'll only use for looooong trips). I like it because of the low mileage and great price :) We looked at some SUVs and 12 passenger vans, but I'm thankful to not have to give up my automatic sliding doors, low gas mileage and great turn radiace.
We've also been working on some organization things. Making charts for the boys to help them be more independent in their chores and morning routines. It will help me out and gets them excited about doing their jobs. I'm really going to need a good schedule come November.
That's about it for now! We've been doing lots of fun things...taking a pontoon boat out and apple picking, but I haven't been so good about bringing the camera :(
We've been trying to find a car seat. Trying to determine what kind we want and if we'll buy it new or used. I got a wonderful deal on some pocket cloth diapers and ordered 8 of them. I'm praying that will be all that I need for diapering Gid until he is 1 year old. I have some other pockets, fitteds and covers that I will also use. I'm thinking about a double stroller, too. We'll really need something that works well and fits a carseat for when i'm trying to shop alone with 6 kids!
And we got a car!!! Our van only sat 7, so we upgraded to an 07 odyssey with an 8th seat. The kids like it because it is much roomier than our old Odyssey..and because it has a DVD player (that we'll only use for looooong trips). I like it because of the low mileage and great price :) We looked at some SUVs and 12 passenger vans, but I'm thankful to not have to give up my automatic sliding doors, low gas mileage and great turn radiace.
We've also been working on some organization things. Making charts for the boys to help them be more independent in their chores and morning routines. It will help me out and gets them excited about doing their jobs. I'm really going to need a good schedule come November.
That's about it for now! We've been doing lots of fun things...taking a pontoon boat out and apple picking, but I haven't been so good about bringing the camera :(
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Fun with daddy
Dan brought home an idea for an engineering activity. He gave the kids toothpicks and mini marshmallows and told them to make a structure as tall as they could in 15 minutes. After that they made whatever they wanted...just to be creative. They loved it, it was cheap and they used their brains. Gotta love it!
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