Better than expected, not as well as I had hoped

That pretty much sums up my feelings about the parent teacher conference. I went in prayed up, and over analyzing all the possible angles like I always do. I shared that the reason why he was pulled out yesterday was to see the therapist, and this is what she noticed .... and gave the run down of what she had said. His teachers don't agree. They have big doubts that a lady who met with him one hour could ascertain that he's bored when he doesn't open up that easily. (Never mind the fact she's licensed and specializes in military and children.) They don't understand how he can be bored when he has work to do, and he's choosing to not do it. I tried to explain, but they just don't seem to see it the same way.

However, they did agree to try some of the things that were suggested. Extra "special" work that is a little bit harder will be given to him after he completes what is needed for that class. They will give him lined paper that is not as big as well. Even though I said several times that the therapist suggested he be tested for giftedness, and I want him tested for an IEP, we ended the meeting with "we'll try these things and see how it goes". So I don't think they're going to be testing him for an IEP. The councilor made the comment that they can't test for giftedness at this age.

So while I am thankful they are willing to try a few things to hopefully rescue him from boredom, I have a feeling I'm still going to have to fight for him to be tested. I'm just praying so hard that these extra steps that will be taken will be enough that he actually tries. If he does, they'll get to see how smart he really is. I mean even his communications teacher showed that the writing in his journal at the beginning of the year was better than his writing now. And I told her that it's because they are loosing him. He no longer feels like he needs to show them what he's capable of. If they don't reach him now, they're going to loose him to a point where he won't be reachable.

It's just that now I am living out all I had not liked about Public School when homeschooling my kids. Public school is set "this is the way we do things, the child needs to adapt". And you know, when you have twenty kids in a class, that's the way it usually has to be. But that's not the best learning environment. The best is finding where the kid is at and adapt the teaching to the child! This school is set up that first and second is grouped together, third with fourth, and fifth with sixth. This way kids are not split up entirely by age, but by academic capabilities. I love that about this school! I had just hoped that it would have carried over to being more willing to treat his needs more specifically.

And I do have to give the school credit. My oldest son struggles so very much with reading, grammar and spelling. That school is doing all it can to help him. He's on an IEP and I really do feel he's in good hands. Isn't it ironic how it's the smart kids that get left behind? The therapist told me something yesterday that will stick with me forever. She said 40% of drop-outs are gifted. 40%. It reminds me of my husband, who graduated only thanks to summer school. He ditched all the time, never really tried. Once he got out of high school and actually applied himself, he's graduated at the top of every single school the Marine Corps and Army sent him to. His mom tells stories about when he was in the second grade, everything just went south from there, all because the system failed him. I'm not willing to let that happen to my son. I'm just not.

Anyhow... on to an entirely different topic. I got an early birthday present today. I'm so spoiled! I got a new camera, and I absolutely love it! It's a Canon Power Shot, and I've been playing around with it today. It's going to take me a while to learn all of it's features. I am so anxious for Spring to hurry up and show its self. I can't wait to go on a photo safari and give my hand a try at getting some pretty pics. I told my kids that their gift to me will have to be patience while mommy follows them around taking pics. My girls however LOVE to have their pictures taken, so this might backfire on me! lol

Update

Well, today's visit with the therapist went well. I was starting to waiver in my determination to get him tested, and she just helped me see how important it is to push that issue. The way she said it is that Johnathan is bored. (I knew that.) But he had been able to handle his emotions decently until his dad left. That extra amount of emotions was more than he knows how to handle. So rather than acting out at home regarding his dad leaving, he's coping with his father's absence, but not coping with the boredom at school.

Now the big struggle is to see if I can get his teachers to see it. She suggested that I approach them, not as a parent who is emotionally invested in having my son labeled as gifted, but as a parent who is concerned about his behavioral problems, and if giving him more challenging work is what he needs, then that's what we need to pursue. She also said that kids that are gifted often are perfectionists as well. And that would explain his outbursts in PE. He doesn't know how to handle not being so good at the physical aspects, and that's something we'll have to work on.

So, I'm just going to be praying for God to give me wisdom, and a way with words that will disarm the teachers and to get the need across without insulting anyone. I want to thank those who have left helping comments and words of encouragement. They've helped me more than you know!

Stressed...

That is the single word that describes me most right now. I know as a Christian I'm not supposed to be stressed. I know that Christ is the source of all my needs, this is the only hell I'll ever have to live through. But it doesn't seem to matter right now. I am stressed, and I can not wait till the kids' bed time.

Johnathan had yet another not so great day at school. It was written in his notebook that he would not do the worksheet. He was told that he would miss recess, he didn't do it, so they sent him to the principle's office. No mention of him being disruptive, no breaking pencils, just sitting not doing his work. So I asked him why he was sent to the principles office. Was he talking back? Was he making noise? He said no, that he just didn't want to do his work.

Now, I know I am so very, very emotionally tied up in this. I totally know I am capable of not seeing this without clouded vision, but it just seems that he's being sent to the principles office for EVERYTHING! Why not just send all that work home with him for him to do? If they want going to the principles office to be the master of all punishments, shouldn't it be reserved for when he's actually doing something that deserves it? I'm just so frustrated.

I think the teacher is tired, I certainly don't blame her. I'm tired too! But I don't think this is helping. Good news is we finally have an appointment with a councilor tomorrow. Even better is that it's a Christian organization. So we'll see how it goes. I'm not sure what to expect, as I've never gone through this before. Though I doubt it, I'm hoping the six free sessions we do get will be enough. There's no possible way we could pay for him to continue. We're a family of six living off of a Sgt.'s Salary. It just isn't gonna happen.

Drastic Measures

I can't believe I did it, but I did. Whenever Caitlin gets her hair brushed, she always cries and complains over the smallest little tug. "It hurts!" she'll yell out, even before I hit the tangles! Though it's down right cold today, it has been getting warmer, so I asked if she wanted it cut. "YES!" was her enthusiastic response. Boy... here's hoping that Daddy takes the news well.

Before:


After:


All those beautiful locks are all gone. It's not the first time we've done this. A little more than a year ago we had done the same thing. Her hair grows pretty quickly.

As to other matters, I'm sorry to say Johnathan most certainly did not have a good day Friday. In his notebook one teacher explained some of his actions and then followed it with an "I don't know what to do". I so join her in that statement. I think we're all tired and feeling worn out of fighting with this boy.

Anyhow, we didn't get home from my Children's ministry meeting last night till 10. I was so hoping the kids would sleep in, but nope, bright and early, just before seven I was being woke up. So I'm a bit tired today. I'm trying so hard to not be a grump. As for our day, I've gotta clean up some things, get ready for tomorrow and I have a scrapbook layout that's coming along nicely.

Looking Up

Well, finally things are starting to look up! Kirsten is nearly back to normal, and by the grace of God no one else in the family got sick with it. As anyone with a family knows it seems that sickness always gets passed around. It's the one thing that kids will share without having to be told!

Johnathan has had a good week at school. I think it's partially thanks to his Taekwando instructor, who is fabulous, and partially because of the new "Extreme Work". Here I was worried that he would want to do it. Nope... every day I've given him the option to do it or not, he always says no! So now I'm wondering what I'll be doing with the $30 worth of books I bought for him. I'm thinking they'll get done during the summer. :)

I am afraid however that my relationship with his teachers has been damanged. One in particular, she voiced her concern about me pulling him out of school having a negative affect on him socially. She's always been so plesent before, she'd smile and say hi, so very friendly. But the last three times I've seen her this week, that has not been the case. Now granted she very well could have been preoccupied with other things going on, but I don't know. I do love his teachers, I mean, I'll be the first to admit, Johnathan can be one stubborn boy, he hasn't been very nice to them. But he is my son, and I have to fight for him to get what he needs. If his needs are not seen to now, it's only going to lead to bigger problems in the future.

I have Parent Teacher conferences on Thursday. I plan on bringing up the fact that according to his progress report he's mastered near everything. A couple of those he hasn't, he did have mastered for his first testing before the school year. I mean really, how does a kid forget how to read three letter words? There's something going on there. If they refuse to move him up a level I want to present them a written formal request for an IEP. The thing is I'm not sure what exactly I should request. Do I simply ask for an IEP? Or do I ask that he be tested? And then tested for what? I do know that Kansas uses the term IEP for all sorts of individualized stuff, it doesn't have to be that they're slow, they use that termonology for those that are advanced as well.

Anyhow, I'm just thankful that he's starting to straighten up. Here's hoping it continues and he's gotten all this nonsense out of his system!

And here I thought...

And here I thought I was done with homeschooling...

Let's back up. I've shared the struggles my seven year old is having in school. I was talking with my mom yesterday about it. I love my mom. She so rocks. She'll listen and talk through things with me. She used to drive a bus with special needs kids, so she knows a thing or two about how the system works. Anyway, as we were talking, she hit on an idea that just bloomed in my mind. I have to remember what the teachers are seeing. Sure, I know that Johnathan is one smart cookie. He's shown me the type of work he's capable of. He has not done that for them. Even when given the opportunity the boy has no desire what so ever to show them what he's capable of. So, we're at a lack of motivation. I've tried rewarding him, I've tried punishing him. It's all gotten old and it doesn't motivate him anymore. So... I'm going to give him work at his level after school. At first I thought this is going to be too much and it's going to backfire, but really, it's perfect.

He breezes through the school day, he isn't learning anything in reading and writing, the rest of the stuff is right at his level. So, if he has had a bad day at school where he has not tried his best, and listened and obeyed the teachers, he will come home, and mommy will have work for him to do that is challenging for him. Extreme work is the name he came up with for it. Bonus side is he will be learning something, he will be challenged. If he has a great day at school and has shown his teachers his true potential, then he doesn't have to do the extra work. So either way it works. If he's constantly doing extra work at home, I will soon have a notebook full of papers to show his teachers, and it's no longer just my word. Johnathan continues to learn and he's not left behind. If he does straighten up at school, then the teachers will see what he's capable of and he'll get moved up accordingly.

When we came up with this, I sat down with Johnathan and was very frank about it all. I was shocked to see how excited he was about it. By including him in the process he feels a bit of ownership in it, he understands it inside and out. This should be effective. I thought at first that eventually this boy is going to get sick of doing soooooo much school work. But tonight as I was giving him placement tests, the boy was having fun. I'm almost worried he'll want to do this extra work! But really, the downside of the extra work, is more strain on me. But isn't that what being a mom is all about?

So anyway, I'm hoping this will get him acting right at school. If it doesn't, I'll have more tools at my disposal when it comes time to face the school again. I just wish I hadn't gotten rid of ALL my homeschool stuff. I only kept the kindergarten stuff thinking I might use it with Caitlin. *shrug* So I pay $20 to $30 on school books. It's for the good of my son.

An unforeseen side effect has happened though. Johnathan did pretty good on the third grade spelling placement tests, so just for kicks I gave him the fourth grade one, explaining to him fully that I did NOT expect him to get these words right. His older siblings wanted to join in. My oldest son has always struggled with reading. There's something with how he learns that spelling is just extremely hard for him. He didn't get any of the words right, which quickly led to a breaking down in tears and crying. He's decided that he wants extra work to do at home so that he can have more practice and hopefully get better. So how's that... I'll be giving my 7 and 10 year old boys, third grade spelling work at home on top of their regular school work. I'm just praying that Michael really is going to stick with this, and it's not going to break down to constant fits and fighting like homeschool was with him.

But as I sit here, I am thankful that God showed me that my business needed to go. Because I have finally come to terms with giving that up, I'm able to confidently say "Okay" to taking on this extra schooling. I thought I was done with it. I really did. But I see two boys that are struggling. Each for very different reasons, I need to try to help them through it.

On top of it all Kirsten is sick. 102* fever tonight. I'm not feeling so great, so I'm probably next in line to get this. I have a feeling this week will be a ton of fun. (sarcasm here) I have a Christmas card I need to make for my design team, and I'm feeling totally zapped of any creativity at the moment. I submitted a card for the High Hopes Design Team. I just could not nail that sketch. I wanted to so bad, but I just wasn't feeling it. Oh well... when the time is right, then I'll get to branch out. Right now, I'm going to be content with where God has me. :)

I think I saw Dorthy fly by...

Today has been unbelievably windy. All of Kansas was under a wind advisory. My son's poor basketball hoop has fallen over so many times his hoop is no longer circular, it's oval! My trash can is a big one, it's fallen over twice and slid across our drive way. The speed limit sign across the street was pulled out of the ground. It was just unbelievable. The news says there were maintained 20mph wind, gusts in the low 30s. No wonder the Wizard of Oz was set in Kansas!

Unfortunately my meeting with Johnathan's teachers didn't go as I had hoped. I really do wish I had more of a backbone. I brought the talk around to the fact that he really needs to be challenged more and it always was steered away. I feel for the teachers, all they see is a little boy that can't behave. I'm the first to say that he's not as emotionally mature as he should be. But my saying that they need to treat the behavior problems separate than his education was not accepted. At the mention of an IEP I was pretty much shot down. I was told that was for kids who are emotionally unstable, and he should get therapy. That left me speechless, I've done my research, I know what an IEP is really for. I really do wish I had been stronger.

On the positive, they are starting a new chart, hoping his seeing immediate recording of his behavior will help him. I also gave them permission to keep him after school if they need to. It's just so frustrating! He's so smart, so bright, but he doesn't want to show them. He has no desire to prove to them what he knows.

I think I made a mistake in telling them that if this is not resolved by the end of the school year he will be homeschooled next year. Immediately I got opposition from them. But the fact is, he's not learning at a rate he should/could be. Yes, it's mostly because he makes it so stinking difficult, but I felt like they wouldn't even entertain the idea that he's acting this way because he's not being challenged. I don't know, being a teacher is an incredibly hard job. But mom... now that's tougher.

Thank you Lord!

Oye, oye, oye, oye, oye! Yup... that's right FIVE "oye"s! This last week and a half has been one heck of a doozy. All kinds of family turmoil going on since the husband left once again. Seemingly, our seven year old son was hit the hardest this time around. Just outright awful behavior at school. He was sent home early from school one day, and in the principle's office three other times. Yesterday I was actually brought to tears. I had done everything I could think of. I've prayed, lectured him, punished him, restricted him, sought his ATA instructor's help and even spanked him. Nothing. Then last night I tried one more time, asking him about the classes he doesn't have problems in first. I asked what he liked most about each of his classes, what was hard, what was easy. As I suspected, the two classes he has most of his problems in, he told me were way to easy. I reminded him as I had months ago, that because he doesn't do his best work, his teacher's don't know that it's too easy. His eyes lit up as I explained yet again that he was doing assessments and that he needs to show his teachers how smart he really is so they'll let him go up to the next class.

Today... a perfect day. No talking back, no fits, no throwing papers on to the floor, no broken pencils. He was such a happy boy today, skipping and smiling and talking all sorts. He was my Johnathan again, and it is so nice to have him back.

I didn't realize it, but the stress of having to deal with a kid that just doesn't get it, really took a toll on me. I had absolutely no creativity in me at all, he was draining me. I ate mindlessly, stuffing more stuff in my mouth, even when I knew I wasn't hungry I wanted anything sweet. Unfortunately I am now at the weight I was before I lost all my weight this last year. It so totally sucks! All those nice clothes I had bought are skin tight. Now granted, I didn't put 20 pounds on in a week, but I had planned to get back in shape, and instead went the exact opposite direction.

Also because of all the stresses, and other things going on, I have not had anytime for working on my business. This is something I placed in the Lord's hands, wanting to know if it's something I should be pursuing. All I've been hearing form him is that I already have a job. Granted it doesn't pay any money, but being mom to my kids, teacher to the kids at church, IS my job. It really kind of broke me. I feel like once again, I've started something and haven't finished it. Once again, I failed at something. But after I mourned the loss of a dream of mine, I told Him that yes, I do love my hobby, but I love my kids more. I will not sacrifice them for my dream of finding my place in that industry. While I'm not yet joyful over it, I have come to terms with it. So if I still don't get things all straightened out in the next four weeks, I'll be okay with letting that go. Maybe that's all God really wants from me. For me to put it on the alter to him.

Anywhoo... I have my plate full, and it can be really hard trying to decide what gets done that day and what doesn't. I'm just thankful that this is not my home. I'm looking forward to the other side of eternity!

Boredom & Love Fights

Today was a long day filled with driving all over the place and getting absolutely nothing done. Hubby had some unfinished business with getting the truck's plates and missing items of uniform that he needed me to take care of. I tried, oh boy did I try. But three different stores are all out of the pin he needs, and I don't know anywhere else to get them. With no power of attorney, there's no getting a plate for the truck, despite the fact I broke the forgery law that I think EVERY military wife breaks.

All this time, my poor Caitlin is reminding me often that she is bored. I can't blame the poor girl, we left the house at 8:30am and didn't get home till after 2pm! So I have a whole hour before picking up my kids. So much for all the plans I had of getting dishes, and laundry done and start working on my inventory. *sigh* I asked God to make it apparent to me if this was something I needed to pursue, so far I haven't been able to work on it at all! But I still have five more weeks.

When Caitlin wasn't reminding me of her utter boredom, she was picking love fights. This is when we "discuss" who loves who more. She insists that she loves me more, but all the moms in the world know there is no love like the love for a child. She is too cute.

Also I've been working on getting things lined up, and ironed out for our Bible Celebration that the Sunday School is sponsoring. There is a possibility that we might have a couple that is raising funds for their trip as Wycliff Missionaries. When this possibility was brought to me yesterday I just loved the idea. I'm now hoping and praying, that God will bring them to our church for that. It would be just perfect!

Anyhow, the childrens' part of this will include a skit, songs, and some jokes. I found some cute ones that I might be sharing here from time to time. Who doesn't love a cute kids' joke? (If you don't, then you're at the wrong blog!)

Q: Who is the greatest babysitter mentioned in the Bible?
A: David, he rocked Goliath to sleep.

Before I close, I'd like to leave a little shout out to Jenni. She's in the hospital about ready to have her first daughter! My thoughts are with you!

A little bit frustrated

I'm just a little bit frustrated. It seems we have this bright ideas, and they just don't come to fruition. Hubby and I had been working the phone this last week, wanting to refinance our house since interest rates are so low right now. We qualify for big loans, but we don't have enough equity in our home. So it looks like right now we're stuck with our 7. and 8. APR home loans. It's just very frustrating, because three years ago they loaned us the money for the very same house that now they're saying no to.

Yesterday I spent two hours adding inventory to my new store site. I had gotten the mental determination to do it. Then I decided to check how it was looking. Borked. It is all borked. When you click on an item it just bring up a blank page which is frustrating the heck out of me. Things that worked before now didn't, and I was upset to say the least. I walked away from it and promptly wasted an hour and a half playing on the wii. It's just got me wondering if this business is in God's plans for me. I thought it was, but maybe I was listening to my own heart and my own desires. I don't know. I'm just growing frustrated.

Oh and add the fact that something is wrong with my s key on my keyboard. I have to press it harder than normal for it to register. I'm a rather quick typer, and this just throws me off. I guess the bright side is I'll have an extra strong ring finger!

The events of today are kind of up for grabs. I have to spend time working with Caitlin on her speech patterns. Her teacher said it seemed she went backward Tuesday, so we have to spend extra time working on it at home. There's eating at school with the kids today, Taekwando, and a meeting at 7pm. Maybe add in there trouble shooting my website to see what the heck I did wrong. I really don't want to start it from scratch all over again!

Well, the first child just crawled out of bed, time to get the day going!

First Game

This morning Michael had his first Basketball game. For the longest time it looked like there wasn't going to be a Saint George team due to a lack of coaches. His first practice was Tuesday, this morning his first game.



He's the one on the far left with the ball. You know, it's hard to get good pictures when it comes to sports! Anyhow, for the last year and half Kirsten & Johnathan have had extra activities, poor Michael hasn't. It was nice to be able to cheer for him and his team. Unfortunately they didn't win, but they had fun and the coaches now know what areas to coach on Tuesday.

Not a whole lot going on here. Hubby goes back to work on Monday, so we're just trying to enjoy the last two days together.

Hubby's new red head

First off, I totally do not intend to offend anyone! I apologize if I do, this is totally in jest!

About 4 years ago, we were living in Germany, we had some friends over. The wife and her daughter were in the house with me and our kids while our husbands were out in the parking lot working on hubby's old Mazda. He paid $600 bucks to purchase it, and countless hours afterwards. This is the car that hubby got pulled over in, not because he was cruising at 120mph on the autobahn, but because it was so loud!

Anyway, whatever hubby and his friend were working on that day, they were having a hard time. Hence the car was labeled as a "red head" because of it's bright red paint job and men's tendency to refer to their cars as females. That day a new joke was born between us, my husband's difficult red head would be the butt of many jokes.

After the red Mazda he had a BMW (we were in Germany, they were cheap there!), which wasn't red. But after that was a red Toyota Celica, which had it's share of difficulties, and now we have just traded in our minivan for yet another "red head".



It's a '98 Dodge Dakota Sport. Hubby claims he doesn't even care for the color red on vehicles. "I like blues and greens." he'll proclaim. Yet he keeps buying red vehicles!! Hubby loves Dodge Dakotas. Back in the day we had a black one that was slightly raised, had roll bars and lights. He loved that truck, but we had to sell it when we found out I was pregnant with Michael. He's in a mini heaven having a Dakota again. Though he'll say "it's not that nice", he had no problem parking it on the very very edge of the drive way so it wouldn't get hit by the door of a behemoth of a van when the kids get out. lol

Anyhow, we ended up having to take out a small two year loan to cover it. In doing so, hubby has to quit smoking. He had successfully quit before his R&R, was smoke free for near four months. But once he went back to Iraq, he started smoking again. So I know he can quit, but I'm worried about him actually doing it. The end of this month he leaves for Alabama for a six week class, he's planning on quitting then so we don't have to be around his grumpy, going through withdrawals self. So if you pray, please pray for him. He's gonna need it!

Happy 2009

Happy 2009 y'all! Sorry I haven't been around much. With the kids out of school, and all their extra activities put on hold this week, we've been living a relaxed lazy life. It's been good to have some unwinding time. It hasn't all been easy though, Nahla decided to put a 3" hole in our carpet while we were at church last Sunday. You know, most puppies chew on furniture or shoes. Not ours, no, she hasn't destroyed a couch or chair, not a single shoe has been harmed despite there being 8 pairs sitting in the living room. Nope, instead she puts a hole in our carpet. Needless to say, our restraint was seriously challenged!

Lately I've been trying to work on my website. Finally got Magento installed. That thing has so many bells and whistles, it's like a little kid in a candy store. But unfortunately all those bells and whistles make it's learning curve extremely steep. I have spent days on this app, and I'm still not close to being able to launch it. Hopefully I'll get it up by the end of the month. We shall see!

So unfortunately, my beloved hobby of card making has kind of gone on the back burner for right now. Next week the kids go back to school, and all their activities start up. Kirsten will be going to a different gymnastics school. This one with older equipment but far more experienced and qualified coaches. I am looking forward to that! Michael starts the basketball season, he's completely stoked about that. And we're trying to transfer Johnathan to a different location for his Taekwando. It's owned by the same person, but has different instructors and I'm not quite so thrilled with that. I have the highest of regards for his current instructor, he is really talented at what he does and knows how to interact with a trying seven year old boy. I worry that I won't be happy with anyone who's slightly less capable of juggling so many roles.

So that's what's going on. Not a whole lot, and I'm enjoying it. The crazy hectic life is due to resume on Tuesday, we'll see how I survive. lol

It's begining to smell a lot like Christmas

Anyone who knows me, knows usually my Christmas decorations are going up before all the Thanksgiving dishes are washed. This year has been unusual for me, the outside of our house still has no lights, and my tree has been in my living room for one week, all it has is lights and garland.

Friday evenings in our house are known as "Family Night". It's the one night that there is no where to go, nothing to do, I love it! Tonight we're making my famous Chocolate Chip Cookies (what do you mean you never heard of them?) and hanging ornaments on the tree. I decided to get just a small amount of baking out of the way this morning. Caitlin and I made Spritz cookies together. It was my first time doing them, as my friend gave me her Pampered Chef Cookie press when she moved to California in June. I love it!

Anyhow, something that's been bugging me lately is that there are nearly no pictures of me with my kids. As I make their scrapbooks it seems I'm not even in their lives! So I bugged my hubby to sit and take some pictures, boy am I glad I did!

I won't share them all here, but there's a few I just have to.

Caitlin of course is given the job of pouring the already measured ingredients into the bowl, keeping the mixing bowl steady, and decorating the cookies. She had done some snowflakes with blue sugar, some wreathes with green. Then we did some squares of which I gave her my big Christmas Mix to decorate with.



I had the side with holes opened, so I knew she couldn't dump them out, however this quickly led to "It's too heavy for me!" So I put some in a dish and instructed her to use her fingers and sprinkle them on. While I turned to tend to something else, she promptly picked up that little dish and dumped all the Christmas goodies on one cookie. While I missed it, thankfully her Daddy did not.



I just love the distressed look on her face. It's priceless. These are the memories I'll cherish when she's all grown up with little ones of her own.

We will be making more tonight, so the others aren't left out of the baking fun, so beware there might be more pictures tomorrow. So, as I conclude this post, I'll share just one more.



A happy little girl feeding a happy daddy Cookie Dough. :)

My brain is sleeping

I'm up, I've been up for a while, but I swear my brain is asleep. I've tried to start this post several times over the last few days, but I always end up just staring at the screen. I have nothing witty to say, so I shall just ramble.

Hubby braved the Saturday crowd at Walmart and picked up a tree. We did have a nice artificial one that had prestrung lights on it that we bought five years ago. Unfortunately we couldn't get it pulled apart last year so I just let it stand in the corner of the garage. We brought it in and started to clean it up. There were some things on that tree that neither of us felt comfortable with, so out it went.

Anyway, hubby braves Walmart for me (he's so courageous) and we got it up on Saturday. The thing is extremely crooked. I mean, the trunk of it is, it just grew crooked. So depending on where you stand in the living room it looks like it's falling over. We let it stand overnight with nothing on it to allow the branches to fall and settle. Our dog loves to chew on sticks so we also wanted time to teach her it's off limits before anything electric/breakable got on there. She's learning, thankfully, but she's still not broken of it completely. But that's not what worries me, her tail hitting the thing worries me more. lol Her tale has been nicknamed a lethal weapon, it wags, a lot.

Anyhow, I finally got lights and garland on it today. It's not as lit as our old one was, because it was pre-lighted plus three strands. Now this one just has three strands, but you know, I'm happy with my not quite so bright, very crooked tree. Christmas is not about perfection, if anything it reminds me just how 'crooked' we are, and why Christ came to earth for us.

Anyhow, today is a day of chores, if I can get my headache to go away. I may do my best to sneak a nap in today. I'll need patience and a clear head for putting ornaments on the tree with my kids tonight. :)

One more day...

Ha! As I should have predicted, hubby's homecoming isn't happening today. His plane broke down in Iceland. lol Poor guy. Now we're rescheduled for Monday at 11am. I'm rolling with the punches, unfortunately however my oldest is being a down right difficult child and I can't help but wonder if it's because of this. He is just lashing out at everyone, and though I understand his frustration and anger, it's not okay that he takes it out on those of us that are home. *sigh* Today is going to be looooooong.

On the bright side, I now have more time to clean up. lol Not to mention play with my "stuff". I posted a card I made today on my other blog, and I really need to get making a good website. I gave out several cards at the craft show yesterday, I need to have a website to support it, but I just so am NOT in the mood to create a website. I have the know how, I just don't have the gumption. I wish there were a lady out there that would trade me a website for a discount on scrapbook items. lol If you are out there, contact me!!

Oh... thought I'd leave with this picture of my daughter, bored at the craft show yesterday.

Got a phone call

It's not the phone call... As that title is reserved for the worst phone call military families fear. Nope I got the "you can expect your spouse home between this three day window" call. While I'm glad, and it's nice to know he's on his way, I am so worried that he's going to come in on Saturday! I payed a $55 fee just to have a table at this fair, I sunk over $100 worth of stuff into creating my goods for this fair. Now watch, I won't be able to go because I'll have to pick up my husband. Is it wrong for me to pray he won't come in until after six pm on that day? It is isn't it! There's no way I'm NOT going to pick him up. I mean it's the end of a 15 month deployment. But man... it'll hurt to not have the opportunity to recoup the costs... Listen to me I sound horrible!!

Around

Around... that's what I've been. Just not here. Life's busy, I've got the craft show this weekend, throw in Thanksgiving, and trying to mentally/emotionally prepare for the husband's return. His e-mail today told me that they're no longer working, now they just sit around waiting to get flights out. My poor hubby is probably going to be stuck in Kuwait for Thanksgiving. Oh well, it beats being in Iraq.

I'm afraid I don't have a ton to say. I just wanted to check in today, I've had a horrible case of the headaches tormenting me. No amount of tylenol has worked, this is not normal for me. I'm taking a small break tonight to watch Wall-e with the kids. It's a cute movie. I'll probably post on Sunday or Monday telling how my craft show went. Hopefully it'll go well.

Can't Focus

Today has been the polar opposite of yesterday. Yesterday started out cruddy but quickly transformed into a good day. Today started out fantastic, then quickly transformed into a cruddy day. I let Nahla stay outside last night since the cloud cover was supposed to keep the temps up. So I was able to sleep in till 7:30! Talk about fabulous! But as I woke I realized my whole body ached, and when I tried to talk with my kids, I had no voice! It came back to me as I got up and moving, but I sound like someone who's been smoking for 80 years!

This sinus thing is going around my family. Started with my youngest, has gone full circle up the ranks to me. Unfortunately though it seems my baby picked up another version of it, as she had a fever when she crawled into bed tonight. We just have to get past this this weekend!

I tried to craft today, I really did. When I think that the craft show is only 2 weeks away now, I want to go into panic mode! I have virtually nothing right now. I managed to make about six packets today but then I just quit. I did not like how they were turning out. I just can't concentrate and be creative when my body aches like it does.

The whole day was not wasted though. We got a boatload of laundry done today. And I do say "we". My kids rocked it for me today! They each folded their own, and separated out mine, helped me with the socks. (Have I ever mentioned that I HATE folding socks?) Given we haven't had a truly warm warm day in a while I bit the bullet and put up all the summer clothes so we have enough hangers for the long sleeve shirts. I do feel that today wasn't wasted, it just wasn't spent where I needed it! So now, I am on my way to bed. Unfortunately it's dipping into the mid 20s tonight, so Nahla is inside. Here's hoping she doesn't "retrieve" things out of the trash for me while I'm sleeping. It all leaves me asking, "Why, oh why did I get a dog again?" lol

Oh, I almost forgot. My daily thankful. I did forget yesterday. (I'm slapping my own hand.) Well, yesterday I was very thankful for the fabulous teachers that my kids have. They are fantastic women, and I am so thankful that God has provided an excellent school for my kids.

Today, I am thankful for $1.99 a gallon gas!! Here I thought it would never go below $2 again in my lifetime! Woo-hoo! Just in time for hubby to get home and do his long drives to work. The gas prices before he left was killing us. This will be a little easier to swallow.

A dog sorta day

Today's been a longer, yet relaxed day. Although, it didn't start that way. This morning I woke to sounds of our puppy's paws on the kitchen floor. There was a lot of foot steps for so early in the morning. Little alarm bells went off in my head. So I got out of bed and what did I find? Clothes everywhere!! I have a laundry basket in the living room of clean but unfolded clothes. It's like a pit of socks that I just can't force myself to fold.

Well, at least they used to be, until my dog decided she would spread them out all over the floor. Boy, was I not happy. And boy did she find out. After grabbing a hold of her, spanking her hind quarters and dragging her out to the back yard I forced myself to take stock of the damage. Surprisingly they were wet from dog slobber, but there were no tears or holes. Go figure, she played with them, didn't tear them apart. Labs are listed as retrieving dogs, is that what she was doing?

Now I'll have to decide, do I lock her up in her Kennel where she's guaranteed to wake me up super early, or do I hide the basket of clothes and take my chances with her retrieving something else?

Needless to say, I wasn't in the bests of moods. Thankfully I got a great e-mail from my friend which boosted my spirits. The morning hours were then spent crafting. Nothing to show for my efforts yet, but I hope to complete them tomorrow. This afternoon I had Parent - Teacher conferences to go to. Thankfully they went well. Johnathan is finally going up a level in reading class. He had started in the higher class, but because of his behavior, they moved him down. Though he still struggles with his behavior, he has improved enough they want to put him back up. I'm worried that the change in teachers and the change in routines is going to stir up some problems, but I'm hopeful that having work that isn't a cakewalk for him will help as well. The boy acts up when he's bored, so this just might help!

My older two have improved a lot since first getting there. They had big adjustments to make from having only been homeschooled to now being in public school. I adore my kids' teachers. They're all fantastic ladies.

This evening we have gymnastics class and Taekwondo. I'm planning on taking the kids out to a new fast food place that just opened up; Freddy's Steakburgers and Frozen Custard. I've never heard of it before, I hear it's just a tad expensive, but they deserve it!