My mother in law is keeping the kids this weekend so I can catch up on everything that needs to be done. That list is just too long to talk about on here but the main thing I have been doing is returning things I have bought that either don't fit or we didn't like or didn't need. Standing in line with the fab 5 for a return is just out of the question. So, this has been a nice break and a nice time for them to get to stay with their Nana.
Last night, Adam and I went on a hot date-our first in maybe a year???? We went to eat and then we went to Lowes. At Lowes, Adam bought me the BEST GIFT EVER-a reinforced steel extra wide door gate!!!! Well, actually I won't know if it is the BEST GIFT EVER until the kids get home to test it. We have gone through just about every gate out there and it doesn't even slow the kids down so I am very excited to try this one out. It is 36 inches high and is extra wide so the kids shouldn't be able to get into the kitchen now. For those that don't know, when we moved back into this house, the cabinet doors were in terrible condition so we took them down, sanded them, primed them, and planned to paint them. Then, things got out of control with Weston's health so everything was put on the back burner so we could take care of him. Needless to say, for months Sutton's favorite activity has been to get out tupperware or all of my canned goods-or anything else his little heart desires. I can't wait for Sutton to come home and see his new baby jail gate =)
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Knoxville On A Dime: Kohls.com - THe Big One Bath Towels for only $2.40...
Knoxville on a dime is one of my fav new blogs to follow. They have deals EVERYDAY! Day before yesterday, I got a free baby sling and just had to pay shipping. Anyways, since we are the most towel-going-through-est (real word) people ever, I couldn't resist getting some new towels.
Knoxville On A Dime: Kohls.com - THe Big One Bath Towels for only $2.40...: "If you are in need of some new towels, HURRY over Kohls and you can get The Big One Bath Towels for just $2.40 EACH ($0.79 for wash cloths..."
Knoxville On A Dime: Kohls.com - THe Big One Bath Towels for only $2.40...: "If you are in need of some new towels, HURRY over Kohls and you can get The Big One Bath Towels for just $2.40 EACH ($0.79 for wash cloths..."
And so we wait....and wait....and wait
The week has been filled with doctor appointments. I had high hopes on Monday when I went to the doctor about Avery that she would say "oh you are ready to go into labor any minute so we will go ahead and plan to induce you next week if you don't go before then". Apparently, that was in my dreams. Instead I got "You are not progressing and being induced now would increase my risk of a c-section". She is also measuring small. My belly only measures at 34 weeks-but 2 weeks ago she weighed 6lbs 8oz on the ultrasound. Needless to say, she is SQUISHED (drs own words). Now, I probably wouldn't find this so shocking if this wasn't our 5th! baby! What the heck is Avery waiting for? Did I mention I hate waiting? Did I mention how miserable the last few weeks of pregnancy are? I did have a couple of hours of contractions the other day. I kept telling myself I should start timing them because I knew they were coming close, but I was busy with the kids. Easton and Weston got excited because they said "Mommy, if you go into labor, we are going to call 911 so they can land a helicopter to take you to the hospital" When I told them that I think that would be a bit much they said "Well, we don't want to deliver a baby". The contractions went away so it wasn't the real deal. I always worry about going to the hospital and not be in labor. When I went to the hospital when I went into labor with Weston, I couldn't even decide when to go. I didn't want to be sent home and them think "oh that crazy lady". Instead, I kept waiting. Even after we got there and the dr said I was 6cm dilated, I still asked if they were going to send me home.
In homeschooling this week, we have been focusing on reading stories. Sometimes, I feel like we don't spend nearly enough time reading things the kids really want to read. They LOVE Magic Schoolbus. They could read the books over and over again. We also got out the "fall" books. I was blessed to work at the Child Study Center in college and I would buy lots of books off of the Scholastic orders. Needless to say, we have tons. Tennessee (and maybe other states?) have the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Once you sign up, they send your child a brand new book, age appropriate, every month until age 5. Babies get board books and then older children get page books. We have quite the library collection between the Fab 5 and I am still figuring out a way to organize them all.
Toy/book organization is something we struggle with. Right now, we are using tubs for the toys. I rotate their toys monthly to give them variety but SOMEHOW, everytime I get "help" with the laundry, a few more toys make it upstairs. I also throw out toys every week-broken, chewed, dirty, etc. Stuffed animals are always the first thing to be thrown out. Thankfully, a good stomach virus wipes out most of those. All of the toys we have get dishwashed every week. That usually gets rid of a few things. The books are all in crates. I rotate them seasonally. I found a bookshelf that I don't think the kids can destroy so they may get it for Christmas. With Christmas coming, I will be bagging up their old toys and donating them.
In homeschooling this week, we have been focusing on reading stories. Sometimes, I feel like we don't spend nearly enough time reading things the kids really want to read. They LOVE Magic Schoolbus. They could read the books over and over again. We also got out the "fall" books. I was blessed to work at the Child Study Center in college and I would buy lots of books off of the Scholastic orders. Needless to say, we have tons. Tennessee (and maybe other states?) have the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Once you sign up, they send your child a brand new book, age appropriate, every month until age 5. Babies get board books and then older children get page books. We have quite the library collection between the Fab 5 and I am still figuring out a way to organize them all.
Toy/book organization is something we struggle with. Right now, we are using tubs for the toys. I rotate their toys monthly to give them variety but SOMEHOW, everytime I get "help" with the laundry, a few more toys make it upstairs. I also throw out toys every week-broken, chewed, dirty, etc. Stuffed animals are always the first thing to be thrown out. Thankfully, a good stomach virus wipes out most of those. All of the toys we have get dishwashed every week. That usually gets rid of a few things. The books are all in crates. I rotate them seasonally. I found a bookshelf that I don't think the kids can destroy so they may get it for Christmas. With Christmas coming, I will be bagging up their old toys and donating them.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Functioning Again
After 2 weeks in Philadelphia, we are home. Well, actually we have been home for a week. Adam has worked long hours everyday since we got home so I have been working on trying to get everyone back on schedule. We were still finding our schedule with homeschooling before we left and while we were in Philly, we did what we could when there was some free time. So, Monday morning we started a new "school" routine. Then, my plans came to an abrupt halt. We noticed in Pennsylvania that Easton was mastering his math very quickly. He loved the manipulatives and would zoom through the lessons. On the way home, I got to looking at his math book and he is almost done. ALMOST DONE with what should have taken him a year (can you feel the panic)! So, I have chosen some concepts to work on (money, time, etc) while his 1st grade math gets shipped to us. Which moves us onto Tuesday. Things were going well. Easton has been reading for over a year and it has always been an easy concept for him. I had out our reading program (it has like 20 little books that they kids work through). Well, next thing I know, Easton picks up number 20 and starts reading away. We are going to finish working through the rest of the Hooked on Phonics Kindergarten reading program. He should get done with it this week. Thankfully, when we bought the Kindergarten set, we got the 1st and 2nd grade as part of the kit.
Wonderful things have happened since we started homeschooling. Weston was not the least bit interested in learning until this year. Now, he wants to do school all of the time. The girls are also interested and they all sit around the table so nicely with their "cool" boxes. Sutton could care less what they are all doing. He is just happy to have the toys all to himself. By the end of the day, Weston has done about as much Kindergarten as Easton. Weston is not as advanced with Math or Reading but he enjoys the Science curriculum quite a bit. We also got him his own handwriting curriculum to learn to make his letters. His fine motor skills are quite behind because of his 3 open heart surgeries. He loves making his letters with the wooden pieces and enjoys tracing all of the letters and animals. It is amazing to see how much they love to learn. It has really helped me feel like homeschooling is the right thing for us.
Wonderful things have happened since we started homeschooling. Weston was not the least bit interested in learning until this year. Now, he wants to do school all of the time. The girls are also interested and they all sit around the table so nicely with their "cool" boxes. Sutton could care less what they are all doing. He is just happy to have the toys all to himself. By the end of the day, Weston has done about as much Kindergarten as Easton. Weston is not as advanced with Math or Reading but he enjoys the Science curriculum quite a bit. We also got him his own handwriting curriculum to learn to make his letters. His fine motor skills are quite behind because of his 3 open heart surgeries. He loves making his letters with the wooden pieces and enjoys tracing all of the letters and animals. It is amazing to see how much they love to learn. It has really helped me feel like homeschooling is the right thing for us.
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