Taking Advantage

Oh boy, this warm weather has us excited. After all, it's February and the temps are in the 60's! Today we decided to head over to the local game ranch and have some fun. We met some of buddies and had some laughs. Fed the animals and enjoyed the weather. Can't ask for much more.

The Few!

Seriously, every other time we've been there have been dozens of deer greeting us. Actually, more like accosting us. Today, this was about it. They must have been in hiding.



The Proud

The Gang!
(minus T and S. Turner's there somewhere, promise.
Sawyer was making up a Snow Day.)


That's all. Sorry. My battery died and I couldn't take anymore pictures.
Happy to report Turner fed the sheep by himself.
Alex still needs some work. Best he could do was throw the food in the general direction of the animals.
Ansley and Makayla would have stayed with the rabbits all day long.

Pinewood Derby

2nd in Show, Baby!

50 Days Left in This School Year

With only 50 days left in this home school year and the weather being so wonderful, we decided to have a play day today. We went to the library for reading time. Then, we went next door and played on the playground. Good Day!!!!


These chairs employ many rules of physics in order to move. Feel free to ask Judson for an explanation. Basically, you just sit in them and they start to spin. Great for getting all silly dizzy.
Somebody had a bit of 3-year old attitude today. Not mentioning names, of course. But it might be renamed Turn-i-tude.

Artists!

So my friend Lucia turned me on to this:

http://rhythmofthehome.com/winter-2010/creating-art/

I have been looking for something to go over the credenza in my dining room.
So I decided to try it.

This is the result. (You'll have to bear with me on the pics. I had to remain close to the action and could not get up and be all creative on the shot angles)

Sawyer was the first casualty. Seriously, he had a sealed bottle of paint. He shook it.
And this was the result.
Through out the painting process, he kept saying
"Where's the yellow?" "We need more yellow"
We used painter's tape and taped off artist canvases.
Then I let them paint the canvas.

The almost finished products
The finished products
Mom, Judson, Turner and Ansley each made one
Sawyer made two. (Gotta keep him busy)
It was great fun.
Now they want to do one for their bedroom.

Odds and Ends

Building Bridges

Yes sir, he did build that!

Collections!
Only one little girl can collect and organize so many things!(with the help of her brothers to dig, gather and carry)And THAT GIRL is.....
So you notice the ever so ENORMOUS scar on the face?
Courtesy of her brothers!
I thought we might have to go to the emergency room....
No amount of apologizing could stop the drama.

That's all folks!

Funny Thing

Saturday night we had our "almost like a real holiday" Valentines celebration. Randy being the special and wonderful husband that he is decided he'd take us out on Sunday for yet another Valentines celebration. I got to pick where! My only criteria was: 1) I do not have to go to the counter and order the food 2) They wait on me from start to finish, meaning I don't have to clean up either.

So after some research we decided to eat at Frontera(Tex-Mex) Restaurant. It's a family restaurant and the kids can fill up on chips while we wait so no one gets grumpy or bored. Plus, it's noisy enough if my kids do get loud, who'll notice? It met all criteria and then some!

While we were waiting on our food, the kids noticed the staff was pulling together many tables behind us. Being curious, they started asking us questions. We told them there must be a large 'party' going to be seated there.

Sure enough, a LARGE party was seated. 11 kids and 4 adults to be exact! They were a multiracial group. (Hispanic, Caucasian, African-American, Bi-racial) It was quite fun to watch them being seated and how the parents situated each child into the proper place at the table. I chuckled to myself as some kids had to move because they were not allowed to sit by certain other kids. Some kids were situated between parents. Some were allowed to sit at the 'kid end' of the table. I chuckled because that is exactly how we do it but on a much smaller scale.

It was quite interesting to watch the whole dynamic of the table. How quickly they seated the children. How well behaved the children were without the parents constantly telling them to be nice/quiet/etc. Which kids were talkative. Which ones were quiet. How the parents took control of what was being ordered while making sure the kids got what they wanted. The whole thing was very fun to watch. (Because I'm a people watcher and because I was lucky enough to be facing them)

Finally when all was quiet and the parents could catch their breath, they looked around and noticed our table. Fun to see them elbow the next one to check us out. Then see them discuss us. (Like I did them with Randy. Foster? Domestic?) Then a few minutes passed and they noticed Sawyer. Again a quick discussion amongst the parents. There was instant bonding between us without a single word being spoken. Although I'm sure they considered us amateurs because we had so few kids. ;)

Not only did I get a nice dinner out but also a nice floor show too!!!! How lucky can a Mom get?

Valentines Celebration-Family Style

If you didn't know, let me just say "I do NOT like Valentines". I think the jewelers and florist and candy makers got together and created/exploited this day to make you feel guilty and get you to go spend money. I mean REALLY. If your significant other doesn't show you that he/she loves you through out the year, One day just ain't gonna get it. So years ago Randy and I decided that we'd just start a rose garden and each Valentines Day we would add another rose bush to the garden. We'd also make a special dinner at home and not have to deal with the craziness of restaurants on Valentines Day. It worked out well when it was just the two of us. It works out even better when it's the 6 of us. So while it might not seem romantic from the outside, it sure was fun celebrating Valentines this year.

Today:Randy and Judson went and picked out TWO rose bushes for my garden. (Don't think that thirteen years of marriage must have created a gigantic garden. I don't have a green thumb, if you know what I mean) While they were away, Ansley and I decorated and made dinner. She was so funny. She giggled and got very excited. She gave me a great big hug and said she just loved doing this kind of stuff with mom. I gave her some wrapping paper and asked her to cut out hearts. She also made heart shaped place cards. She insisted we have a candle too. So I pulled out the only red tablecloth I had (which was meant to fit the table w/o the leaves in but who cares) and put her flower (from Daddy-Daughter date night) and the candle out. Then I told her we would get out the good china. You know the stuff. That breakable stuff that is in the cabinet and hasn't been used since child #1 was born. She was beside herself. She said "This is just like a REAL holiday".

We made shrimp, baked potatoes, mixed green salad, and yeast rolls. Ansley and I also made a chocolate cake with fudge center and vanilla glaze. Oh yeah, the kids had plain noodles. (Why? Because I have picky eaters)
Everybody used their best manners and no dishes were broken in the "almost like a real holiday" celebration. It made me realize I need to do this more often. I think the kids felt really special.

Update on the "red" Dryer

So, I told Judson that when you get someone something for Valentines it is NOT supposed to be 'useful'. Nope. It should be something fun like candy or flowers or jewelry. (Because I'm trying to save him some heartache later on when he gets in trouble for buying useful gifts for his wife/girlfriend) Do you know what his response was? "Mom, that's just silly. You can go outside and pick all the flowers you want. Why would you buy them?"

Update:
The dryer is going back. Actually, it hasn't been delivered yet. Apparently, it was not my old dryer but rather a very bad ventilation system. That is being repaired and no need for a 'useful' dryer anymore.

So I told Judson "You know, I"m not getting my dryer so you'll have to help Dad come up with a new idea for Valentines". I suggested a rose bush for my garden. I got NUTTIN. Not one word. Should have taken the dryer, I suppose.

Love it!

Judson (in a whisper): Dad, what are you getting Mom for Valentines Day?
Randy: We're getting a new dryer.
Judson: Hmmm, that's very useful. You might want to make it red.

(Now I'm going to go back there and whisper into Judson's ear, NEVER buy a 'useful' gift for Valentines)

Daddy-Daughter Date Night

Because sometimes you just need to feel special!

Couldn't Say it Any Better

So just click HERE and read all I think is worth saying:

The rewards are grand. The author is right. She is also right in that adoption is NOT for everyone. It's hard. Parenting is not for everyone. It's hard. Every child comes with his/her own set of things that make them unique. (whether your child is born from your body or born from your heart) Some things are visible. (eye color, hair, height, weight, # of chromosomes) Some things don't make themselves known until later in life. (IQ, personality, learning abilities, talents) It's the joy of discovering these 'unknowns' and watching them morph into something much bigger and better than you could ever believe possible that makes the ride so much fun. It's watching the things you thought were deficits and realizing they are shaping your little one into something wonderful and spectacular that is so amazing.

My Amazing Super Heroes

Precious Lois

She lost her battle with cancer. Please leave her Mom and Dad some Love. Just click here.

Don't you Hate It

When you call to schedule an appointment and are told, "Sorry, you'll have to wait 1 more year"?

Don't make me have to turn my husband loose on you.

More explanation:
My daughter needs an evaluation for auditory processing issues. They want to wait till she is 7 years old. Really? And let her frustration continue to grow? Will she grow out of it?

Sunday in the Park

It's the South.
It's almost 70 degrees.
You have to go to the park!!!

Randy and Judson were busy with scouts but THANKFULLY
Anna and Tia came. They helped me wrangle my brood.

The Pictures! (aka Sawyer on "Ice")

If Only I had a Picture

Today was skating day in Sawyer's adaptive PE class. Each parent sent a can of shaving cream (preferably unscented) and an extra set of clothes. They put all the shaving cream on a tarp and let the kids skate and learn different moves. From the 'smell' of Sawyer and his first set of clothes, many of the parents had the same problem I had. They apparently do not make unscented shaving cream.

Now in theory, he should not have had to change clothes. I sent him in sweats with elastic bottoms so that they could push them up. But really, where's the fun in that?

The bus driver told me Sawyer was covered from head to toe with shaving cream. (I'm sure the teachers told her to tell me) I asked: "Sawyer, what happened?" His reply, "I fell down". I asked, "Did you have fun?". His reply: "Yep".

That's all I know. He's a man of few words because 'what happens in school, stays at school'.

Our Son!

Our Tamirat (on the left) celebrating the Ephiphany.

(A Christian feast celebrating the manifestation of the divine nature of Jesus to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi.)

He has not stopped talking about this. He had the best time both spiritually and socially. It is one of their biggest celebrations of the year. The high point being 3 days of singing praises. Not just a few songs. Many MANY hours of singing.

For Harry

What do you see????

Hmmmmm. Contemplation. Yep. He's definitely thinking something. Not sure what. He's working out something in his head. While he's working it out, I've got my eye on him. He doesn't know I'm watching because I'm across the fire station. BUT. I'm watching. Anybody that knows him, KNOWS you better watch him when this look comes across his face.


"Anybody Up There?". Suddenly, it all became clear. He was NOT devising a plan to bring the fire station down. Nor was he going to try to swing on water-filler thingy. He was just going to use it as a communication devise. That's when I let out a sigh of relief.

Then it became an item of curiosity for many kids. (You can see Sawyer is leaving. His work is done.) Now either these kids are saying "Hey, look. That's cool!" Or being as they are all siblings of kids with Down Syndrome, they are saying "Hey, the kid with DS didn't get in trouble. Let's go check it out." Let's face it. That's what Sawyer's siblings do. They put Sawyer up to it (or watch carefully to see if he's doing it) because then they do it and if they get in trouble they can always say "Sawyer did it first!".

Wait.....There is More.

A Submarine......
That would tend to make anyone over the age of 8 claustrophobic.



The adventurers met up with other adventurers and....

Invaded an island where they....

Participated in a wonderful tradition...


And learned of its history.

Fort Sumter is a Third System masonry coastal fortification located in Charleston harbor, South Carolina. The fort is best known as the site upon which the shots initiating the American Civil War were fired, at the Battle of Fort Sumter.

The Adventure Continues (Part Deux)

The USS Yorktown was an aircraft carrier, earning 11 battle stars in WWII.

The size of cable needed to 'catch' the planes when they landed!

Ummm...NO, he was NOT supposed to be sitting there.

Thankful that I was able to sleep in my own bed Saturday night!

The USS Yorktown recovered the Apollo 8 crew and capsule.

That concludes your history lesson for today.