Button Art

I've been working on letter recognition with Lane lately. She recognizes a few letters but definitely not the majority of them yet. When she doesn't know a letter, she tells me that it is "O". I think O is a favorite letter because her teacher's name is Orraca. Lane recognizes her name when it is written with other names but she doesn't point out the individual letters in her name. All of these developments and achievements have always fascinated me. Today she glued buttons on a letter "E". I saw the idea on the internet but it was for an initial bedroom decoration rather than as a preschooler's craft. Lane enjoys anything that has to do with crafts and would sit for hours painting and coloring if my day allowed it. Maybe an easel would be a good idea for our new playroom. The boys didn't use their easel much but I have a feling she would create many works of art for us with one. As it is, Lane will use paper to color, cut, and make wonderful little creations. She uses pens, markers, crayons or any medium. She isn't picky in the least bit.

End of Year Gifts

Whoever came up with Teacher Appreciation Week should have scheduled it a different month. Once I was done with Teacher Appreciation Week and IEP meetings, I had to turn around and figure out something for the end of the year. I wanted something unique and created by my children. I lucked out and found plastic cups with inserts on sale at Hobby Lobby. Alex and Gabriel decorated the inside papers with drawings, stickers, and their photos. They turned out really cute.

The kids also decorated gift bags for their teachers. Lane enjoyed the stickers and didn't want to stop deocrating her bags. I added "Owl I Miss" since we used owl stickers. The idea I saw was more sophisticated but I liked the saying and wanted my kids personal touch to the gift bags. I added a bright ribbon to the top and we were done.

Each child also wrote a letter to their teacher. Lane drew a piture and told me what she wanted me to write. I also had the boys filled out "ten things my teacher taught me." Thank goodness we didn't have homework the last week of school so that gave us enough time to work on everything. The free printables can be found here: http://whattheteacherwants.blogspot.com/ and here: http://thirdgradelove.blogspot.com/

Last but not least, the kids and I put together end of the year treats for the other 50 kids. These were easy peasy! The best part is someone made the template and doesn't mind sharing it. I printed the balloons on construction paper so they would be colorful. The template can be found here: http://hojosteacherstore.blogspot.com/2012/05/end-of-year-student-gift.html

Summer Education Week 3

There are two more days left of week 3 summer education. Lane has been working on recognizing A,B,C,D and E. She added letter stickers for her journal but didn't want to work on anything else. She was interested in Starfall (starfall.com) when Alex worked on it. I think she learns a lot through observation. I printed 5 pages of insect pictures with words. I cut the insects and words apart, gave it to the boys, and they matched it. They enjoyed sounding out the words to match the bugs. Alex thought the stink bug was the coolest thing ever.

For the free printable, go here: http://www.kidsparkz.citymax.com/f/Word_wall_insects1.pdf I added a red dot to the words to encourage the boys to sound the words out. I saw the idea on this site: http://www.teacher-support-force.com/how-to-teach-sight-words.html It seemed worth the effort to try it. I further sectioned the words into their blends by putting a box around the blend. They were able to sound out and read the words much easier. I think I'll keep doing it for them to help them pick out the blends that they struggle with at this point. I'm also working on place settings with the kids. I printed place mats from this site, added their names, and laminated it. I think it help them undersand where cups, utensils, and plates should be placed by having a visual. http://www.parents.com/fun/printables/other/table-setting-place-mats/

Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis? What the hell is that? This is what my husband lives with every day. I realized I have never blogged about it and yet it's something that lingers in our home every day, some days more than others. Here's a medical entry regarding the disease followed by our personal story. Sarcoidosis http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001140/ Last reviewed: June 2, 2011. Sarcoidosis is a disease in which inflammation occurs in the lymph nodes, lungs, liver, eyes, skin, or other tissues. Causes, incidence, and risk factors The cause of the disease is unknown. In sarcoidosis, tiny clumps of abnormal tissue (granulomas) form in certain organs of the body. Granulomas are clusters of immune cells. The disease can affect almost any organ of the body, but it most commonly affects the lungs. Possible causes of sarcoidosis include: • Extreme immune response to infection • High sensitivity to environmental factors • Genetic factors The condition is more common in African Americans than Caucasians, especially in Caucasians of Scandinavian heritage. Females are usually affected more often than males. The disease typically begins between ages 20 and 40. Sarcoidosis is very rare in young children. A person with a close blood relative who has sarcoidosis is nearly five times as likely to develop the condition. Symptoms There may be no symptoms. When symptoms occur, they can involve almost any body part or organ system in your body. Almost all patients have lung or chest symptoms: • Chest pain (most often behind your breast bone) • Dry cough • Shortness of breath Symptoms of general discomfort or uneasiness often occur: • Fatigue (one of the most common symptoms in children) • Fever • Joint achiness or pain (arthralgia) • Overall feeling of discomfort, illness, or lack of well-being • Weight loss (one of the most common symptoms in children) Skin symptoms: • Hair loss • Raised, red, firm skin sores (erythema nodosum), almost always on the front part of the lower legs • Rash • Scars that become raised or inflamed Nervous system symptoms may include: • Headache • Seizures • Weakness on one side of the face Eye symptoms include: • Burning • Discharge from the eye • Dry eyes • Itching • Pain • Vision loss Other symptoms of this disease: • Dry mouth • Fainting spells if the heart is involved • Nosebleed • Swelling in the upper part of the abdomen Signs and tests A physical exam may show the following: • Abnormal breath sounds (such as rales) • Enlarged liver • Enlarged lymph glands • Enlarged spleen • Rash Often the disease is found in patients with visible physical signs who have an abnormal chest x-ray. Different imaging tests may help diagnose sarcoidosis: • Chest x-ray to see if the lungs are involved or lymph nodes are enlarged • CT scan of the chest • Lung gallium scan To diagnose this condition, a biopsy is needed. Biopsy of the lung using bronchoscopy is usually done. Biopsies of other body tissues may also be done. This disease may affect the results of the following lab tests: • Calcium levels (urine, ionized, serum) • CBC • Immunoelectrophoresis - serum • Liver function tests • Quantitative immunoglobulins (nephelometry) • Serum phosphorus Treatment Sarcoidosis symptoms will often get better on their own slowly without treatment. Patients whose eyes, heart, nervous system, or lungs are involved may need to be treated with corticosteroids (prednisone or methylprednisolone). Therapy may continue for 1 or 2 years. The most severely affected patients may need lifelong therapy. Drugs that suppress the immune system (immunosuppressive medicines) are sometimes also needed: • The drug used most often is methotrexate, but azathioprine and cyclophosphamide are also sometimes recommended. • Hydroxychloroquine is useful for skin sarcoidosis. Rarely, some people with end-stage heart or lung damage may need an organ transplant. Expectations (prognosis) Many people with sarcoidosis are not seriously ill, and the disease may get better without treatment. About 30 - 50% of cases get better without treatment in 3 years. About 20% of people whose lungs are involved will develop lung damage. The overall death rate from sarcoidosis is less than 5%. Causes of death include: • Bleeding from the lung tissue • Heart damage, leading to heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms • Lung scarring (pulmonary fibrosis) Complications • Fungal lung infections (aspergilloma) • Glaucoma and blindness from uveitis (rare) • Kidney stones from high calcium levels in blood or urine • Osteoporosis and other complications of taking corticosteroids for long periods of time. • Pulmonary hypertension In the spring and summer of 2008, we actively pursued having a third child. I took chlomid and we hoped it would happen. After three years of infertility with Gabriel, we were unsure if it would happen without assistance. In the early fall, Andrew developed an ache in his lower back and I urged him to go to the doctor. The doctor had an xray done and they found a large mass in his lung. He was sent to a pulminologist where we were told that it could be a number of things - a fungal infection, cancer, and more. At that point, I quit taking the chlmoid and decided to have my tubes tied in January or convince Andrew to have a vasectomy. I didn't want to risk a rough pregnancy and deal with any health issues with my husband on top of it. The thought of lung cancer shattered my world but little did I know how bad things would get for us. My parents drove from Wisconsin to help us when Andrew had a bronchoscopy. I was able to go with him and I have to tell you that the numbing procedure prior to the bronchoscopy is horrible. It needs to be tweaked. The test was inconclusive, leading Andrew to more tests and both of us to more questions. Nothing was ruled out. When the pulmonologist gave us the news, he wanted to admit Andrew to the hospital immediately in order to have an open lung biopsy performed. We were able to schedule the surgery after the weekend so Andrew could figure out everything at work first. Andrew had an open lung biopsy performed. If I thought the numbing procedure was horrible, this was disgusting. He had a tube coming out of his side that was full of blood and he spent three days in the hospital recovering. The good news was that the surgeon got good tissue samples and didn't think it was cancer. He didn't think it was a fungal infection either. So what the hell was it? This seemed like GREAT news! I was relieved. Time passed and the sample was sent to Mayo to be diagnosed. I found out I was pregnant with #3! The end of November, I surprised Andrew with the news. (I don't know which of us was more surprised)

We later learned that Andrew had sarcoidosis. We were happy that Andrew didn't have cancer and couldn't understand why the pulmonolgist still seemed bleak and serious when he delivered the news. Anything is better than the "c" word. Andrew started chemotherapy and prednisone in January. We were a mess. I was very ill from my pregnancy and Andrew felt like crap. The medications took a toll on him but somehow, with the help of our Sioux City friends, we made it through this difficult time. The boys were 2 and 4 years old and VERY active. Andrew still went to work despite the side effects of the drugs.

Andrew was sent to Omaha, one of three places that performed a specific cardiac MRI. The results from the MRI were not good. Andrew was told that he had sarcoid in his heart. This was devastating news - he was given 2-5 years before he would have a massive heart attack. If he survived, he would have a defib put in and then wait on the heart transplant list. I couldn't believe this was our future. I lived in constant fear. If he took too long getting home from work, I would get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. If he didn't rouse from sleep fast enough, I would panic. How would I raise three young children by myself? We had to get our financial situation in order and make a big decision about our third baby. Should we give another couple the greatest gift we knew - the gift of becoming parents? It was a heart wrenching and private decision process for us. In the meantime, I went in for my 24 week appointment. The baby didn't cooperate at the 20 week ultrasound so we were given another quick peak. A girl! A girl?? We are girl makers??! As my pregnancy progressed, I was miserable. I was on bed rest and had a Zofran pump that meant shoving a needle into my leg several times a day just so I could function through the day and avoid hospitalization. I did not want to go through another round of mag in the hospital - that was pure hell. It was then that I knew I couldn't hand my baby to another person. We would find a way to make this work. Fast forward through the NICU ... autism... more tests and procedures for our family... to a visit in November 2010 to Mayo clinic in Rochester, MN. Mayo is another place that performs the cardiac MRI. We all traveled to Rochester and spent a few days there for Gabriel's 6th birthday.

You know those two years I spent panicking about my husband's heart? It wasn't necessary. The orignial MRI was read incorrectly and Andrew does NOT have sarcoid in his heart. Not now.. not yet... HOORAY! Fantastic news! We know that it could still go to his heart one day but it's not there now. I might have punched the radiologist who misread his first MRI if that person was in front of me. I've come to hate medical mistakes with a passion. Sarcoid today means no medication. It means less panic for me. Andrew has days when his joints hurt. He can't walk up stairs on those days. His knees give out. He has days where his lung hurts so bad he can't move and wonders if he should go to the hospital. He gets weird rashes that won't leave his body. It's a huge hurdle filled with daily challenges but we are grateful that we don't have to worry about cardiac sarcoidosis at this time. Thank you to those of you you continue to pray for Andrew. For those of you who ask about his disease and for your continued support, we are grateful.

Fire Station 72

The play group had a tour of the fire station in Celebration this morning. It was a great morning for a tour of an indoor station because the weather hasn't been cooperating due to Tropical Storm Debby. We had a large group of moms with their adorable kids which made it more fun! Many of the kids created thank you cards for the fire fighters and that made my heart swell. Each of my children colored a picture last night and we created a thank you card out of it. This morning we went to the store to pick out a treat. Lane thought M&Ms was a good idea while Gabriel was convinced they would enjoy Zhu Zhu pets. A large bag of M&Ms won out and she handed the bag of treats with the card to the fire fighters when we got there. The kids learned about the fire station and what the fire fighters do there. They saw two trucks and a rescue truck. They even got to go inside them! Alex asked a lot of questions, some were insightful and appropriate. Gabriel gave out lots of hugs. I even learned a few things today. I didn't realize that the trucks carry 1000 gallons of water on them. I never thought that through before - it's about 10 minutes of water so they have it available right away. I also saw the jaws of life for the first time. I thought it would be a much bigger machine. I think my favorite part of the tour was when the fire fighter got all of his gear on. It's important for kids to see and hear what a fire fighter would look like should they need their assistance one day. Lane and Alex had no problems shaking his hand when he walked around the room.

Rainy Day Painting for Summer Education Week 2

We were going to go bowling with the playgroup for our Friday Fun Day adventure. However, everyone else backed out and I didn't want to go alone. I can do anything I want alone and bowling isn't one of the activities I would pick. Besides our usual daily routine, I couldn't decide what to do with the kids for the day. Andrew called to let me know that his conference was a the nearby Gaylord and he had an hour break for lunch. Well, that took care of our lunch time plans! After we took Andrew back to the hotel, we went to the library to get our first Osceola Co. library card. It's been a year since I've taken the kids to the library and they were very upset that we weren't going back to see their Ms. Odessa in S. Sioux City. Sorry, kids, but driving 24+ hours to go the library isn't in the plans for today. That sounds like hell to me. They were too loud in the library but we managed to check out some DVDs and books. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE FREE lately? Seriously, why do I forget that the kids are completely happy with the free movies at the library?! I almost skipped out to the van after we picked everything out. Except that Alex wanted to run ahead of us in a parking lot with a car pulling in. No more skipping and joyous thoughs for me. Back to reality quickly. We watched one of our videos when we got home and then pulled out the painting ideas I had for the week of Summer Education. We made puffy paint using this web site: http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/glimmer-paints-663462/ It's salt, flour, food coloring, and water. A paste with color, I guess. Lane worked on fine motor skills and letter recognition this afternoon. She was quite happy with her homemade purple paint. For the boys, I wrote their sight words for the week on paper with white crayon. They water colored to find the words and thought that was a pretty cool way to find words. If I had only known figured this out a year ago! Lane wanted to watercolor too so she got A, B, C, and D as her secret message. Gabriel has been working hard on his Plato computer program for school. He seems to be learning a lot already. The computer seems to be a good way for him to learn.

Painting Pottery on a Tuesday

Tuesday night I attended Bunco at a friend's home. It was wonderful to spend time with "the girls" sans children. When Andrew got home at 6, I was frantically trying to finish the things I was taking for food. I thought I had picked rather easy things to take to Bunco. I shared the responsibility with another friend. I made chocolate stuffed raspberries, feta cucumbers, and skewers with strawberry shortcake. In reality, if someone else who enjoys coooking had made it, it probably would have been much easier for them. I loathe cooking and struggle with time management in the kitchen. I told Andrew that I just don't understand how other people can make things and show up looking wonderful. He is such a good husband. He reminded me that other people don't have three young children, one with definite special needs. Other people have relatives nearby who help out or nannies or a cleaning service. He is probably right. While I was trying to get everything accomplished, the three kids were bouncing off the walls, despite having a full day of activities. We went to story time at the Clayhouse. After the stories, the kids picked something to paint. It was a lot of fun and the girl who works there is hilarious. The kids enjoyed paintng their pottery. Gabriel found a "Mario" fish, Alex painted a truck many different colors, and Lane painted a flower. We get to pick them up in 5-10 days. Gabriel had a very difficult time understanding that the pottery had to go in an oven and had to stay at the Clayhouse. The kids were given a box of chalk to color on their chalk wall. It's funny how much fun it is to color a wall! When we left, Alex looked like a true artist, covered in chalk and paint. Afer the Clayhouse, we went to Publix to get the items I needed for Bunco. I've come to loathe our trips to the grocery store. It's a challenge with all three of them but, usually, it isn't as bad as I anticipate. Before we went into the grocery store, a fire truck pulled into the parking lot. Alex was concerned that someone was hurt in the store so as the fire fighters were walking toward us, I asked them. They explained that they were at the store to get their dinner and asked the kids if they wanted to see the truck. How cool is that? They were also given hats! My kids get to do some of the neatest things, impromptu or planned.

Week Two of Mai Summer Education has started

Week One of Summer Education went off well. The boys worked on the computer, sequencing, sight words, and more. We read a lot of books. I hope to help their fluency when they read. I'm not sure how to accomplish this but I'm definitely trying with what I know. Lots of reading the same books and lots of encouragement for them. Today was the beginning of Week Two. I couldn't find my motivation this morning for educationl material. Instead, we watch cartoons, played legos, danced, and played games. After dinner, I pulled out the journals and some work for the kids. We didn't do as much today but it's great that we can complete it any time that works for us. I can see some advantages to home schooling already! Gabriel was able to take a shower and get dressed at lunch time and he was one happy kid. I saw this cute activity on this blog: http://www.activity-mom.com/2012/04/early-learning-activities-for-my-1-year.html and had to try it. I found the green syrofoam at the dollar store and stole golf tees from my husband's golf bag. Then I threw it in a basket from the same dollar store for her. $2 activity lead to tons of fun. I swear the simplest things turn into the most fun adventures. Gabriel even played with it for the while.

Lunch Time!

It is so easy for me to fall into the trap of low nutritional value lunches when I feed the kids. It doesn't help that I don't enjoy cooking. I would much rather drive thru McDonalds and give the kids fries for lunch than deal with a nutrictionally sound meal. But then I feel terrible for getting it for them and the kids crash from their high carb lunch quickly and that isn't pretty at all. A problem with the kids is how differently they eat and we eat gluten free (Alex and Lane do eat some items with gluten in them) in our home. That means a typical sandwich isn't allowed here. Gluten free bread doesn't make great sandwiches either. Lane doesn't like pizza so homemade healthier versions of pizza are out for all three of them. Gabriel doesn't like meat and Alex is a picky eater. Thankfully, Andrew came up with a great way to offer healthy food options without too much fuss. I tend to forget about it but I was thrilled when I remembered last week. I took out two platters. One one platter, I placed baby carrots, sliced apples and bananas, and celery. One the other platter, I placed toast with peanut buter and jelly cut in triangles and banana slices with peanut butter on them, and "ants on a log." I didn't put plates on the table. I called the kids to the table and they started devouring the food. It was their own choices and it was all gone by the time they were done with lunch! I'm going to continue this trick until they catch on to it. The cleanup is minimal too because it's only two platters! My favorite part about this photo is that I can see Gabriel's two front missing teeth!

Father's Day 2012

Andrew doesn't ask for much. In fact, if he hints at something, I add it to the back of my calendar so I know to pick it up for a holiday or birthday. I know he can always use a new tie or black socks but it can't be much fun to open that type of gift up when you're a guy. Andrew told me that the most disappointing gifts he received as a child were clothing. Okay, point taken and I don't buy many clothes as gifts for him. This year he will receive the above photo in a frame for work. I think he's overdue for a photo of the kids. The kids didn't want to change into matchy-matchy clothing and it was hot so this was the best I could do and I actually like it. It's a good shot of their personalities and attitudes for the day. I also had the kids fill out a questionaire about their dad. I found a cute printable on this blog http://creativehomemakers.blogspot.com/2010/06/fathers-day-printable.html The kids answers are so darn cute - they have no concept of height and weight. One last thing we made was some artwork. The kids put their handprints on a large piece of paper. On it I wrote, "hands down, you're the best dad." Andrew wants to go to the beach for Father's Day this year so I think it will be a nice day to honor what a good father he is to his three little munchkins.

Why? Why do I even ask why any more?

Why do we have two whole pineapples I asked my husband after he went to the grocery store. Autism was his answer. Why do we have two huge bunches of bananas I asked him after the same grocery store trip. Autism was his answer. A friend asked why do you have cologne in your van at all times? Autism was my answer. Why does he throw himself on the floor at a restaurant, complaining about the smell of meat asked a friend. Autism was all I could answer. Why are you trying to cut yourself with my dull razor my husband asked him as he was screaming in the bath tub. Autism was his reply. To get rid of the autism. Why is your home full of red items someone once asked me. My reply - autism. My world is a crazy one at times. We have red furniture and decorations throughout our home because he can not deviate from his favorite color. I recently read his diagnosis from when he turned 5 and the dr. and he suggested we make tiny steps toward helping him get past these color issues. He's capable of wearing other colored clothing now. That's a BIG difference from two years ago. It took teeny tiny baby steps to get there. Gabriel will think he smells at random moments throughout our day. There is cologne placed throughout our home and vehicles to stop a meltdown due to his newly found overly sensitive smalling powers. To avoid a temper tandrum in a public place, we often buy more fruit and vegetables than we can consume. We try hard to avoid being wasteful but there is a limit to the amount of pineapple a family can consume in a matter of days. So why not just let him throw the fit, you might be wondering? Because he's 7. He's a tall, skinny 7 year old. It looks ridiculous in public. There are times when we know he can work through something and there are times when we know he can not. He just can't get past whatever moment is stuck in his head. It's called AUTISM. He isn't being a brat. Don't get me wrong, there are moments when he makes poor choices but many times, it's his disability. Thankfully we can afford the extra pineapple and we can find ways to make pineapple interesting for consumption even when we are sick of it. Pinapple smoothie, anyone? This is my life. I'm always hoping to be one step ahead of a meltdown but it doesn't work that way. What worked yesterday doesn't solve today's new problem. But it's better than it was a year ago and far better than it was two years ago and for that I am grateful. Take that Autism! In the meantime, we'll buy extra bananas and pineapple when needed. At least it's healthy.

Mr Frog Update

Andrew and the kids went on a frog hunt. We knew that if the frog stayed in a 97 degree van, it wasn't going to stay alive long. Given how much nasty a lost sippy cup of milk can be, I didn't want to find out how disgusting a dead frog smells. They took a flashlight and started in the back of the van. He wasn't in the furthest section but they found him curled up under the back seat. Andrew said that he was in the tightest, cutest little ball. Thankfully Mr. Tree Frog has been returned to outdoor living. Gabriel placed him in a plant on the outside deck where there is plenty of water and food for him. He was very disappointed when he couldn't find the frog this morning. Hop on little frog, hop on.

Disney with our daughter

In early May Andrew took off work to spend the day with Lane at Disney. We wanted to do something special with her while the boys are still in school. It's just easier than finding a babysitter at the end of June. Andrew made a breakfast reservation for us to spend time with the Princesses. Wow, did we ever! Lane couldn't even speak when she met Belle. Belle has been her favorite princess since she could say their names. Lane even goes so far as to tell people her name is Belle. Any Beast toy scares the jeebies out of her though. She was also thrilled about meeting Snow White. At one point, the girls next to us walked around the restaurant with Lane and Snow White. We met more characters in the park after our breakfast and it was fascinating to watch our otherwise shy daughter hug Minnie and Goofy. We went to the butterfly exhibit where Lane was less than impressed with the butterflies. Overall, it was a day worthy of Mai Princess. What more could a child a couple months shy of 3 years old ask for?

Hello Mr. Frog

Taking the children to view possible homes for us is quite an adventure. The appointments are typically set on a short moment's notice so we don't have time to find a babysitter. Our favorite and new babysitter has a limited schedule as well. Neither one of us wants to take on the decision making ourselves. So off we go with three children - age 2, 5, and 7. Alex fixates on the furniture if the home is occupied. He wants to know if his fun things will be moved in and forgets that his things will go in boxes and will be set up in a new home. Apparently that's unfathomable to him. Lane will tell us which portions of the house are pretty. And protests if anything does meet her "pretty" standards. This can be embarrassing depending on if the person showing the home understands 2 year old speech. Gabriel, immediately wants a drink of wanter to take a shower. It was amusing (is that really thw word I'm looking for here) when our 7 year old threw a fit after taking his clothing off because we wouldn't allow him to take a shower. The owners still lived in the home and were showing us their house. We've seen several homes. Our list of wants for a home is long but not unreasonable. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, dishwasher, washer/dryer, yard. Either a community pool or personal pool and a fenced would be great. We looked at a 5 bedroom, 3 bath home today. A realtor showed it to us for the family. When she opened one of the doors to the backyard, a frog peed on her. Or did something gross to her. She shrieked. This peaked Gabriel's curiousity and he came bounding to the back of the house. He reached for the frog who jumped into the house. It jumped toward Andrew, making Andrew jump into the shower door. Oy. Gabriel insisted on catching it which was our point of exit to the van. It was at this point that I stopped to talk to the realtor about the next step in the process of renting and Andrew took the kids to the van. When I got to the van, I was notified that the frog is lose in the van. Thanks, Gabriel. We will either find a fried frog or it's going to jump on one of us.

Hula dance

Prior to the last week of school, the school had a hula dance during the school day. The boys were very excited to pick out Hawaiian type shirts for the dance. Gabriel also knew that a choice was black and white or neon so he insisted on white pants. Their excitement for something different at school that included a nonuniform day was adorable. It was a fun morning to get everyone ready which is a rarity here Lane also went to school but she was unhappy that she wasn't allowed to attend a dance.

First Day of Mai Summer Education

I have three fears this summer and it does not have anything to do with moving. 1. I want Gabriel to be in the best place academically that he can be in after the next ten weeks. 2. I fear Alexander will regress after a school year full of academic growth and acheivement. 3. I'm concerned Lane won't learn enough prewriting and prereading skills from me. So in my panic stricken state, I created a large plastic container full of folders. There are file folders, books, and ten files full of appropriate academic activities for each week. Gabriel also has a computer program assigned to him from the district to help him catch up to his grade level. For each week, I have scheduled play dates, tours, and field trips. I have forms for book reading programs and need to utilize our local library. Most of the assignments for the kids are fun and ways to learn in a fun yet challenging way. This morning went well. They started by building with blocks, their choice of activity. Then we wrote in journals - Lane added "A" stickers to her Aa page. The boys worked on a sequencing page and sight words. They worked on the computer and read me a couple short stories. It went well but getting them motivated to start was difficult. Lane was excited and couldn't wait to "work" but Alex was hesitant and Gabriel had no interest. Hopefully as I continue to keep them in a routine, the motivation will get easier and they will all have a better attitude. It's now 1 pm and things are calm. What more could a mom ask for on the first day of our summer educcation program?! I'm realistic though and understand that this will change in an instant. The above photo is something I printed out for the kids summer folders. When they are proud of something they make, they place it in their folder. The boys put their sequencing page in it and Lane cut three strips of paper for her folder. This printable can be found here: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Super-Pride-Folder-Covers They are a free download and could be used for teachers, parente, or even grandparents. Anyone who has a child who is proud of their work.

Equal opportunists

We are equal opportunists with toys. If the kids want to play a sport, great. If they want to play with cars, great. If they show an interest in dolls, even better
Why better? Because it is so rare for the boys to notice all of the baby dolls in Lane's room. In fact, I gave Gabriel a baby when I was pregnant with Alex. I was slightly horrified when my one year old threw the doll against the wall.
When the three kids picked dolls to play with last weekend we went with it. We told the boys that if they wanted to become a good daddy one day, they needed to learn how to take care of a baby. They practiced diapering, burping, clothing, and feeding. It was pretty darn cute
When we went in the car, they each insisted on bringing two babies with them. Off we went with three real children and six dolls.
Since we really are equal opportunists, when I got back from class today, I noticed they had played with cars.