Friday, September 30, 2011

Five for Friday

1.  On Tuesday Mason had an appointment with a pediatric ophthalmologist.  We have noticed over the past 6 months that one of his eyes seems to wander a bit, we thought it was probably related to his torticolis (which the doctor confirmed).  It looks like we will need to take him to Phoenix for a small surgery (I'm not sure how any surgery on a 2 year old is "small" but the actual procedure should only take about 15 minutes).

2.  Kessiah recently did a small weaving project as part of an art lesson for school.  Since then she has been weaving like crazy!  Soon everyone in our family (and maybe some lucky ones not in our family!) will have a bookmark crafted by Kessiah!  I love it when they expand on the things that they learn in school.

3.  Kessiah and Jenessa turned in some projects for the fair this week.  I did not get my act together in time to help Sienna, Logan, and Mason get anything together (that was probably related to the fair being cancelled due to bankrupty...then the "unfair" being organized...I guess I was still stuck on it being cancelled).  But Kessiah turned in a few handicraft projects (including one of her woven bookmarks!) and Jenessa turned in a recently discovered marshmallow fudge recipe that we like.

4.  Mason is a budding artist.  He isn't too picky about his materials...pens, crayons, or pencils...whatever is handy. He likes to show his style on his legs and belly.  Pen works really well!  He makes fresh additions to these areas on a daily basis. He also really likes to help illustrate books (I'm sorry to the local public library...we really try to keep him under control!)

5.  We finished our first read-aloud book for this school year.  It was kind of hard to get back in the habit of doing that.  I can never seem to keep that up when I am pregnant (I don't know why, it seems like it would be easy to sit on the couch and read a book out loud to my kids...but everything is hard for me when I'm pregnant!)  We read Under The Same Stars by Dean Hughes, we are continuing the story with the sequel to the book.



Tuesday, September 27, 2011

5 months old!

My baby is getting so big (but still not sleeping through the night!)

He has mastered the art of rolling from his back to his stomach...and he will usually be happy on his belly for several minutes before he starts calling for help!  He likes to stand up on my lap while I hold onto his hands.

He enjoys his oatmeal every evening.  I have added some applesauce to it occasionally.

He is just so cute and adored by everyone in this house!  Sienna has decided that he is the cutest baby in the universe!






Friday, September 23, 2011

Five for Friday

1.  Our first week back at piano lessons.  Kessiah is very excited to get back into it.  Jenessa was very upset with me for scheduling it at the same time as library time.  However, after the lesson...they both came out with smiling faces...it was all good.   Jenessa couldn't stop smiling, she said her cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling!  And she thanked me for getting her back in piano!  She even said she might not miss going to the library too much!

2.  Corbin is stubborn!  I have been trying for weeks to get that kid to take a bottle...I make a bottle every day and he just refuses to suck on that thing!  I finally resorted this week to spoon feeding him some formula this week....just to get him used to the taste!  I've spoon fed him formula three this week!  I started putting some applesauce in his oatmeal this week...he doesn't seem to like it better or worse...he just eats it.  I'm still working on keeping most of it in his mouth.  Feeding time is so messy at this stage!  He decided that this week he was not going to sleep to the night...any night!

3.  Another  (more positive) Corbin note...he is rolling from his back to his stomach!  Go Corbin!  He has also found his feet and likes to grab and hold on to them.

4.  On Wednesday, soon after we arrived at Jenessa's soccer practice I could tell that Sienna was in a bit of a mood.  So, I offered to let her watch a movie in the car...unfortunately, I went too long without starting the car to give it a little charge and I drained the battery!  Yep, my car wouldn't start.  Ryan was at citizen's academy...but I was hoping he wasn't too busy at the moment.  I got lucky, he was able to break away and come and get me started!  Whew!

5.  Ryan cleaned our front room carpet on Friday...it was way past needing to be cleaned.  It looks soooo much better!  Unfortunately, the cleaner broke when he was working on the family room.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Five for Friday

1.  Corbin slept through the night for 4 nights in a row this week!  Yeah!!!!  I feel great!  It's amazing what 4 good nights of sleep can do for you!  Yesterday he rolled from his back to his stomach...it took him a LONG time to do it, but he did!  It was kind of interesting watching him...I wondered if Heavenly Father sometimes finds it interesting to watch us as we try to do new things.

2.  Soccer practices kept getting cancelled at the beginning of the week...but it looks like it will be a nice weekend.

3.  Sienna has been learning how to count by 2's and 5's.  She is now learning to read four letter words...it won't be long until she can read some real books...she pretends to read books way above her level all the time!

4.  I finally got us set up with a piano teacher.  Our teacher moved in January...with my pregnancy, I just couldn't get on the ball and find a new one.  When school started, I began trying to find someone.  Our last teacher came to our home to teach Kessiah, I really didn't think it would be that hard to find someone to do that again.  But it turned out to be difficult...even impossible!  So, I found someone who comes to me highly recommended by 2 different piano teachers that I wanted.  I plan on dropping Kessiah and Jenessa off while I take the younger 4 kiddos to story time at the library.  The timing should work out just fine and since we are gone during that time anyway I won't have to take extra hours out of our week for lessons.

5.  On Monday at gymnastics, Logan moved up to the next class!  He has been in the Tot 1 class...the class where the mom participates.  That is great progress for him...especially after last year.  Last year he stuck right by my side and wouldn't let the teacher help him at all.  After taking the summer off he came back to gymnastics like he was a new kid!  He has been quite independent and let the teacher help him on the bar.  She suggested that we try to move him up and I agreed...he did great.  Now I'm in the Tot 1 class with Mason (and Corbin, of course...because he goes where I go!)

Sunday, September 11, 2011

911





10 years ago, my generation had a "where were you when it happened" moment.  I was at a playgroup that morning with Kessiah.  There were about 4-5 other moms there and several kiddos.  We heard what had happened and turned the t.v. on but I didn't of course understand the full story until I got home and later than afternoon watched more footage and news reports.  I was pretty much glued to the t.v. for several hours...and days (I would never be able to do that now, it would upset my children too much)

That evening as Ryan and I were watching the news, Kessiah took her first steps.  We were eating chips and salsa on the floor and she wanted a chip...and took a step to try to get one!

I cried every day for 2 weeks as I watched more footage and read stories about what happened.  My heart broke for people who had lost children, husbands, wives, and friends.  Tears come to my eyes even as I write this...it was a profound event.

Ryan is now at a 9/11 memorial event that the town sponsors.  He took Kessiah and Jenessa with him...they usually jump at the chance to go everywhere with him.  It is interesting to try to explain what happened to them.  Just before they left Kessiah came to the realization that the people who got on those planes to do this also died...she couldn't understand why they would do that.  As much as I want nothing that bad to ever happen again, I realize that it might, could....will happen again.  What will be the "where were you when it happened" moment for my children?





Saturday, September 10, 2011

17 years and counting

We have been married 17 years today...what an incredible blessing Ryan has been in my life!  While we weren't able to do anything just the two of us...I was reflecting on all he does for me and our family.  Sometimes it's all about the little things...like bringing home mini pumpkin muffins from Sam's Club for breakfast on Sunday morning (I love those things!) or getting Logan and Mason in the bathtub tonight without me even asking him to do it.

We spent our day by enjoying the first soccer games of the season this morning.  Then Kessiah had her first 4-H cavy meeting of this year this afternoon.

And I did love the flowers he brought home this evening!  Beautiful!

Friday, September 9, 2011

Five for Friday

1.  We are officially into soccer season.  Jenessa, Sienna and Logan are all playing this season.  Yes, it's a little tricky getting everyone to practices.  Logan probaby won't make it to very many, but I keep telling myself it's not a big deal...he is in peewee...he just needs to have fun!  Ryan reminds me that he is just in it for the snacks after the games anyway!  Everyone has had fun at Jenessa's practices...there is a playground right next to the field...so everyone comes home good and tired!

2.  Ryan helped me make a homemade key lime pie on Labor Day.  Yummy!  Smooth and delicious!  Jenessa has added it to her list of favorite foods and wants to know if I'll make it for Thanksgiving!  We have bought frozen ones from the store before, but I've never made one.  I had a bunch of limes from bountiful baskets and decided to try making one...success!

3.  Sienna finished her Hooked on Phonics yellow book.  I love teaching my kids to read!  It's so fun to see them learn!

4.  I've been giving Corbin his oatmeal every evening.  After some rough nights after I moved him into our closet he is sleeping better....which means I'm able to function better!  I'm not sure if he's sleeping better because of the oatmeal, or because he's not sleeping right next to me, or that I got tough and won't feed him in the middle of the night anymore...I'll just be glad that he is sleeping!

5.  Logan drew on his bedroom wall on Thursday with orange crayon (his walls are blue+orange crayon=his 2 favorite colors!)  While I was making him wipe it off Kessiah told me how she remembered writing on my bedroom wall when she was about that age (I remember it too...I was pregnant...and NOT happy about it!)  she said she remembered thinking how much I was going to like her artwork on the wall!  That struck me as so funny...a little kid drawing on the wall thinking to herself "My mom is going to love this picture!"