Thursday, May 11, 2006

AH.....

We've needed a dead insect to study but didn't want to kill one for that purpose. The kids just found a perfectly dead - INTACT dragon fly. This will be much cooler to study than the ant we've had. Tomorrow....oh and I found a frozen ANT in my freezer tonight. Nolan confessed to revisiting the experiment from earlier in the week....I explained that you can't FREEZE them and expect them to come back to "life".

Wonder what tomorrow will bring. I do love a houseful of inquisitive minds.
Blog Comments

Let me catch up on comments in this forum instead of answering at each post. I got behind.

Lis - I have NOT tried any homeopathic teething tricks. Care to share? As for the ears....many times they can kick those without anti-biotics and the docs most often let you choose if you want the drugs...since she isn't in any major discomfort except for being fussy during BED TIME HOURS....I've been content to wait and see what happens when the teeth pop through. I suppose I should buy some orajel but that stuff tastes so nasty that none of the other 8 have ever used it.

Jodi - yes all our pets have first, middle and last names. Even the quail. I've not let them know the grackles that fell out of the tree because I think they are very sad. The apologia science books are really written for upper elementary kids I would think. I've not READ that but I know that my 5th/6th grader has loved them. If I weren't editing on the fly, I think they'd be a bit to old for my 1st and 2nd grader....but I plan to have them cycle through them again in 4th/5th grade and we'll do more of the projects then and they'll grasp even more. I've been surprised at what they do remember. Rascal will need to eventually go off to a new home...that is what we are thinking. We were to keep him 6 weeks to give him a good start and wow has he grown. I'm not sure we'll be able to say goodbye to him when the time comes.

Kelly - I'm also surprised that such a little thing like "food" has such a big affect on Zander. It's bizarre but we are really becoming believers...we've been logging it for 3 months now. I'll get a picture of roller coaster hill for you - it really isn't near as impressive as it sounds. :::snort::: That Doug.....you keep showing him the darling pictures and don't let him read about the sleepless nights. {g} Yes, Kelly, he's adorable and I need to remember that during the bad days. There's a reason for all the diligence. He DOES try to do all that his big brothers do...and living up to the expectations and reputations of 4 of them is a big job for a little guy.

Renee - I never had to worry about forgotten bottles and sippy cups when the kids all solely nursed.
Thursday

I woke up a bit late as I headed for bed when Jamin woke up, after my sleepless night. I didn’t get a bike ride in but I did the 8 minutes in the a.m. routine. Today was biceps and triceps. I decided I really don’t plan to do any part of his eating program. I know that counting; measuring and restrictive diets are not going to work in the long run for ME. I’ve been there/done that/ got the t-shirt! There was some good info in the book on omega 3, 6 and 9…..but he totally lost me when he said to limit your fruit intake to one serving a day. :::snort::::

Our day began as most our days begin – with school.

Arielle and I ducked out at 11:00 a.m. to go buy a gift for a tea party she is attending on Saturday. We found the exact book the girl requested AND found another one that Arielle wanted to buy for her. It will be fun.

We had enough time at home for lunch and then the five younger ones and I headed for speech. Today has been beautiful. Yesterday was as well. It’s been 100* but yesterday and today it was in the 80’s…what a treat! After speech we headed for the park for “homeschool park day”. Unfortunately (for ME) there was a meeting that all the moms were involved in and so I didn’t get to visit…but I had a lot of fun watching the kids and walking….I walked two miles by the time I left the park, which helped to make up for missing the bike time this a.m.

Our baby bird saga is sad. ANOTHER one fell out of the tree…and Zander accidentally (totally – we saw) stepped on it. It squawked and flapped and hopped all over and terrified all the kids….and we feel sick about the bird. We only see one of the other babies in the yard now. I hope that is a good sign and he flew away.

I was watching Janae today at the park and started to realize that THIS is how courtship could be such a blessing to parents. Wouldn’t it be cool if your son ended up marrying a little girl you had hugged and cuddled and adored when she was a child? Not sure how God will work all that out in our family…but I’m totally happy with the choices our daughters and now sons are making. NO – I’M NOT ARRANGING A MARRIAGE BETWEEN JANAE AND ZANDER OR NOLAN – frankly Janae and Zander are both so strong willed……then again life wouldn’t be dull. {G} Just dreaming…..I have a friend whose sons have married…and she’s just had her 3 and 4th grand child and I’m realizing that within the next 10 years I’ll be nudging into that season of life. Is that o.k to say Bre and Krista? You are 21 and 19….so I’m not pushing…just thinking 10 years and who knows who else will be a part of the family. ::::snort::: Oy vey – I should stay out of the sun!

I made a scrumptious dinner tonight. Porsche (Adrienne’s daughter – and Janae’s sister) had made a lunch for their family this week that they all loved. An alfredo sauce….well….tonight for dinner I made penne and then made a white sauce and added a big chunk of asiago cheese and romano cheese…garlic, onions, oregano, basil and pepper mix…..and served it over the penne. It would be company fare if I added some baked chicken breasts to put on top of the Penne for those who eat meat…and would have been heavenly with some mushrooms – but I was out. Tomorrow is produce co-op! Yippee!!! I think some broccoli would be nice in the sauce too….I think I’m getting this healthy cooking thing down.

Zander started the day fairly o.k. He seemed to have a 12 hour flu bug. He’s on day 2 of being “clean”. Wow…I can’t believe the change we see when he eats the synthetic flavors, colors and petro chemicals. He gets aggressive, mean, anti-social, poops his pants (sorry to be graphic), won’t wear clothes…and I can’t believe how smooth life is when I am sure to keep him on his diet….I will be more diligent. I had bread and hamburger buns and hoagie type rolls in the freezer before vacation but hadn’t made any since being home. I need to stock up again.

OH – I made some of those yummy “no bake” chocolate cookies last night. I used honey…they were good but didn’t’ really set up like the “real” ones. I need to experiment some more.

Well…the kitchen clean up crew is almost done. I’m going to begin *The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe* with the kids tonight and then hopefully they’ll all go to bed at a decent hour (Stacia is the only questionable factor here). A good night’s sleep and tomorrow is day 3 for Zander being clean…his reactions seem to last 2 – 3 days….and I’ll be much more diligent again.

I want to sleep and read the Tamar Myers book I’m reading.

OH – Jen G. – if you are reading….I finished Heaven’s Wager. I’ll journal now. I was going to offer it here…but Josiah has begun reading it…..so in a week or so….

Another Oh – after messing up my thyroid meds on vacation (by forgetting to bring them along) I’ve been trying to remember to take them daily. I’ve put them in one of those little pill keepers. BUT imagine my surprise to find out that TODAY is Thursday and I took that pill yesterday…in fact I took Friday’s too….I must have been popping one each time I walked into the bathroom. I really need more sleep than I’m getting. I’m pretty sure my stop in weight progress has to do with this thyroid thing…but in a week or so it’ll be back in progress…….

Good night for now….pray I get a good night’s sleep if you read this before bed time. If you read it on Friday a.m. Don’t pray that I fall asleep because I have things to do. LOL
I LOVE YOU MICHAEL!!!

I know this will seem strange to some of you....but Mike has been working such very long hours that we aren't seeing a lot of him this week. He called to say he'd checked the blog to see how our day was going and worried when I'd not posted anything. He checks at lunch (if he has one) and after duty hours.....so this message is just for HIM.

We love you! We're proud of you. Things will slow down eventually.
Another sleepless night. I wish these two teeth would pop through. I can't seem to lay her down for long at all...she'll sleep just long enough for me to fall asleep and then wake up again.....I really think it is the teeth...she isn't running a fever or screaming uncontrollably or such. She does pull her ear from time to time....but nothing that would say "sick, ear infection".....