� Jun. 22, 2009
Good Intentions

I have been intending to get on her and do updates, but so much for my good intentions.  I had planned on posting about my vacation and such.  Oh, well.  Tomorrow is my kidney surgery, so please keep me in your prayers.  I will give an update as soon as I am home and feel up to it.  Thanks. 

(0 Comments) (Post A Comment!) (Permanent Link)

� May. 16, 2009
Homemade Items

I made a quilt for Parker's dad for his birthday last week.  I did large squares so that it would be relatively easy.  It was also double sided.   I don't like quilting much.  It is harder to hide mistakes than when working with yarn.


I also just started an Etsy shop to try and make extra money.  Come visit here.

(0 Comments) (Post A Comment!) (Permanent Link)

� May. 5, 2009
Eman's Latest Problem

Recently Eman approached me about a problem that he has.  Unfortunately, I could identify with the problem, but have no solution as this always happened with me when I was younger and still happens to this day.  When Eman (or I) am around homeschoolers/church people, we are made to feel like heathens.  However around non-Christians, we are treated like goody two-shoes.  Eman has not said exactly how he feels about this, but based on other things that he has said it seems that he feels the same way that I do.  It is too exhausting to try and be the "Super Christian", always trying to prove what a better Christian we are and how we do such and such, so that means we are closer to God.  Around non-Christians, we can relax a little.  We are teased about being good, but when we do something "bad" we are teased even more.  They are usually more acceptling though and make it easier to be ourselves.  Unfortunately, they also influence to also do things that we know are wrong. 
Sorry if I am rambling.  It is past my bedtime and Parker won't go to sleep.  I am just frustrated with this and know how Eman feels.  I don't know how to handle this either.  My mom always had a problem with me dating non-Christian guys, but I rarely had a Christian guy show interest.

(2 Comments) (Post A Comment!) (Permanent Link)

� Apr. 16, 2009
Bird Update

While I was at Kodi's baseball game tonight the bird died.  Oh, well.  I tried to save it.  BTW Kodi's team lost again.  Out of 4 games, they only won once.  I need to remember to get pictures. 

(0 Comments) (Post A Comment!) (Permanent Link)

� Apr. 16, 2009
Saving a Life

Today, Kodi and I walked to the dollar store to get some things.  On the way back, we saw a bird in the middle of the road.  It was a dove and hurt pretty bad.  I brought it home to see if we can save it.  The wings seem fine.  It may have a broken leg, but I can't tell for sure.  I think a cat may have gotten it.  I made a bed for it in a shoe box and cleaned out it's wounds.  We will see if it actually lives though.  If it does, I will post pictures. 

(1 Comments) (Post A Comment!) (Permanent Link)

� Apr. 16, 2009
Fun Times

The first photos are of my boys at Fun Tracker.  It is a go-cart place that we went to with my best friend when she was here visiting.  One of the photos is her son, one of my adopted kids.


Eman


Kodi


Sean

Also my little brother came to visit last week.  One day we went to the beach and one day he took us to Gattitown.  Gattitown is a pizza buffet place that has bumper cars and games to earn tickets on.  Below are the beach photos.


Paul and Kodi


Eman


All of them at a tourist shop in Port A.

(0 Comments) (Post A Comment!) (Permanent Link)

� Apr. 12, 2009
Happy Easter!!!

Today's sermon was just what I needed.  I have had a very defeatist attitude lately.  I have felt like nothing is going right for me.  I have really been struggling financially.  I have been very frustrated with certain relationships and how slowly getting my business started is going.  Last night, I had just about decided to give up on some things.  I'm not meaning that I was suicidal or anything.  But ready to just lose my house and everything that I have been working for here.
 And I was not looking forward to spending another holiday without my sister.  She moved away 1 1/2 years ago now.  I think it is actually getting harder the longer she is gone, especially since she is not speaking to me as well. 
My dad and step-mom keep trying to get to move up near them.  Last night I was about ready to go there and try and start over.
Today, my pastor preached on our old man being dead.  He talked about how just as Christ resurrected, we also have new life in Him.  He said that our struggles also should be dead, that we need to speak life over them. 
So today, I am speaking life over my situation.  This year, my business is going to get off the ground.  I am going to get out of my debt hole.  I am going to be able to pay my bills.  I am going to do so well that I will no longer need government help to survive.  And those relationships that are not how I want them to be, will improve. 

And for those of you who made it this far, here are some pictures of my boys on this Resurrection Sunday.





 

(0 Comments) (Post A Comment!) (Permanent Link)

� Apr. 1, 2009
Quote

I found this quote on Kellymom which is a site on breastfeeding tips. 


I think this is really good.  So many people I know give in to their children, just to get them to stop whining. I know that I have been guilty of this.  This stops the whining temporarily, but it encourages more whining in the long run.  Check out To Train Up a Child by Mike and Debi Pearl for more awesome parenting information.  I am currently rereading their books.  In the mornings after Bible, I am reading them to the older two boys.  I have told them that I want to do better in my parenting with Parker and that I need their help.  This has induced a little controversy with Eman, but it is good for dialogue.

(1 Comments) (Post A Comment!) (Permanent Link)

� Mar. 28, 2009
Opening Ceremonies

Today was Kodi's opening ceremonies for baseball and his first game.  They lost against the Cubs 13-8.  I would have posted pictures, but my foot was hurting too much for me to stand up and get them.  I have 4 plantar warts on the bottom of my foot and I think that one got infected by me digging at them trying to get rid of them. 

(0 Comments) (Post A Comment!) (Permanent Link)

� Mar. 17, 2009
Kidney Surgery

Well, I saw the doctor today.  He says that my right kidney is operating at 39% and the left is 67%.  He says that for the surgery he is going to have to reroute my right ureter to my left kidney, make a new ureter out of bladder tissue for the right kidney, and remove the stone.  I will have to be in the hospital for several days and have a 4 week recovery time.  That means not even picking up Parker during that time.  Thankfully I have family coming to help me with this.  We just need to get a schedule coordinated.

(1 Comments) (Post A Comment!) (Permanent Link)

� Mar. 17, 2009
Having a Newborn

I love having a newborn.  I know a lot of people that think they are boring, but this is my favorite stage.  They are just so cuddly.  It is neat to see their personalities developing as they grow.  They change so much even in the first weeks of life.  That said I want to post pictures of my newborn.


The boys like to stick him in the corner of the couch if he is fussing.  He usually stops too.  I told them that they are going to give him a complex always sticking him in the corner. 



Happy baby!!!


Bath time.  This picture doesn't show it so well, but I was trying to capture how relaxed he gets during his bath.  He really loves it, especially while the water is running.

Oh, he is 2 months old now.  He had his checkup last week.  He was 12lbs 2 oz. and 22 in long.  That means he is up 5 lbs and 3 inches from his birth weight and length.

(1 Comments) (Post A Comment!) (Permanent Link)

� Mar. 17, 2009
Family Game Night

Every Thursday, we have Family Game Night.  We take turns planning the snack and what games are played.  I let them pick video games as long as that is not all that we do.  Kodi tends to pick more card games.  Eman tries to play only video games.  I pick games that we haven't played in a long time.  Here is a picture of Eman's last turn.  We were taking turns playing Super Mario Galaxy on the Wii.

(0 Comments) (Post A Comment!) (Permanent Link)

� Mar. 17, 2009
Finished Soakers

I finished knitting the soakers for Parker.  They ended up being easier than I thought.  Here are a couple pictures of him wearing them. 

(2 Comments) (Post A Comment!) (Permanent Link)

� Mar. 7, 2009
More on ECing

ECing has been a little tougher than I expected.  Based on the books, I expected obvious cues on when Parker would have to potty.  This has not been true.  So we have been sticking with timing.  If I take when he wakes up or when he is eating, I always get at least one catch.  Sometimes when changing a diaper, I notice that he needs to go and can get a catch then.  The drawback on this is sometimes I get to busy to notice that he might have to go.  So, I'll send one of the boys to get him or I feed him while I am teaching school or eating.  I have found that I am just not talented enough to feed him, myself, and potty him at the same time.  Oh, to have 8 arms like an octopus!  I have not even attempted to potty him in public yet.  So far most people IRL don't know that I am doing this.  I don't want it to be like showing off a dog's new trick.  So, I guess the trick is to know his needs and take care of it in a timely manner instead of being distracted or selfishly doing what I want.   In the past two days, I have been a little less busy and more focused on him.  We have gotten a lot more catches than if I go about my business and just bring him along for the ride.

(0 Comments) (Post A Comment!) (Permanent Link)

� Mar. 7, 2009
More Photos of My Baby

Parker and Eman having a conversation


Parker with his cousin Ophelia


Parker with his cousin Elizabeth.  Elizabeth is a month older than Parker.  She was a preemie, born 9 weeks premature.  She is trying to catch up to him.

(0 Comments) (Post A Comment!) (Permanent Link)

� Mar. 5, 2009
Updating My Updates

Well, I have not been on here much.  I have been wasting my time on Facebook instead lately.  I am connecting with real life friends instead of my blog friends here on Homeschool Blogger.  I just wanted to post an update on our lives.  Eman is the same, going through all that lovely teenage stuff.  Kodi just got his Arrow of Light award and moved up to Boy Scouts.  Kodi also started baseball practice today.  Parker is steadily growing and is around 12 lbs now.  I made him a pair of soakers, my first attempt at them.

I will post a picture of him in them soon.

I am still trying to get my business going.  I had an x-ray done last week on my kidneys to measure how well they are working.  I haven't met with the doctor yet about it, but it sounds like it didn't go well.  My appt. is on March 17th.  Please be praying for me.  When I talked with the office manager today, she said that the doctor is expecting my first surgery to take 6-7 hours.  Hopefully that means only one surgery instead of the three or more that we discussed at my last visit.  We are probably going to schedule that surgery for next month.  My parents are coming to stay with me for a couple weeks while I have it done and recuperate. 

(2 Comments) (Post A Comment!) (Permanent Link)

� Feb. 14, 2009
Valentine's Day Surprise

I awoke this morning to Eman making pancakes.  Yes, Eman.  Kodi does that kind of thing on a regular basis.  I was so amazed.  Plus he got the dishes done right after we ate as well, instead of dragging it out all day. 

(0 Comments) (Post A Comment!) (Permanent Link)

� Feb. 14, 2009
Solving the Problem????

Eman and I were taking a walk earlier this week.  This is what we found in someone's trash:

I teased him about bringing it home.  So after our walk was over, he went back to get it.  He hosed it down in the driveway and dried it off himself.  He was so excited, it was hilarious.  If this is all it takes for him to feel better about homeschooling, so be it. 

(0 Comments) (Post A Comment!) (Permanent Link)

� Feb. 9, 2009
My Methods

Those that know me, know that I am usually pretty laid back.  This also applies to my Homeschooling as well.  I am not an unschooler by any means, but I don't do school-at-home either.  I am very eclectic in my approach.  I really want my boys learn what is being taught rather than learn to pass a test.  So I employ a lot of different methods to try and achieve this.
Unfortunately ps kids that Eman has been around have him convinced that because he homeschools he will not get into college.  He is worried about not having a set curriculum.  He talked to me the other night about achievement testing, SAT's, ACT's, GED's, transcripts,  My very unstructured kid was practically begging me to do more structured schooling next year.  He wanted next year's curriculum spelled out for him.  When I told him that I had a game plan but that I didn't have everything completely worked out, he was very disturbed. 
I find it kind of funny.  On the other hand, should I be planning better?  Isn't that what summer is for?

(1 Comments) (Post A Comment!) (Permanent Link)

� Feb. 9, 2009
What Am I Teaching Them?

Last week a woman came to talk to me about advertising my business in the phone book.  Fortunately Parker was taking a nap, which made it much easier to focus on what was being said.  Almost as soon as the woman walked out the door, Parker woke up and started fussing.  My response was, "Parker, you have good timing."  Then I went and got him out of his crib.  Eman was astonished by the way I handled that.  He seemed to think that I should be annoyed or bothered by his fussing.  I pray that they never see me annoyed with his crying.

(0 Comments) (Post A Comment!) (Permanent Link)