""

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Swimming and Kittens

It is summertime and we are busy.... my excuse for all the things that should be getting done but aren't, including updating my blog. Last week was busy even by my standards. I averaged 2 appointments a day. The good news is that Joseph's therapist and I decided that he no longer needs his biweekly play therapy, which means one less appointment and one less babysitter. My children get tired of being shuffled around but that is much better than having to go along to appointments and wait in boring waiting rooms. Our weekly appointment to Shreiber Rehab is no longer dreaded since we were given permission to use the playground. The children who come for therapy also use the playground so they have all kinds of fun things to do. Monday evenings Kiana and Joseph have equine therapy which quickly became a highlight for them. Joseph was the first to ride a horse which was very hard on Kiana's ego. The next week she was determined she was going to ride the horse no matter what, she managed it and is all excited for the next time.

Dean got a load of sand to make a level pad to set the pool on. Till the pool was set up and full of water the weather had turned cooler, that didn't keep the children from swimming though. One day the thermometer read 69 degree's and they were so hot, they just HAD to swim. Needless to say, they weren't out long!

Joseph has quite a fascination with rocks. He gathered a bunch of his favorites and arranged them to sell to imaginary people. He has a keen imagination. He will spend hours playing in the woods with sticks and other things he discovers. 


Tristan found these kitties and tamed them. They spent the first two weeks in the shop then got moved to the dog house. They put up with a lot of rough treatment and don't seem to mind being carted around by clumsy little hands. 


On Friday and Saturday the men and boys from church went on an overnight canoe trip. The girls and I went to Park City and out for ice cream.  Kiana saw a pair of shoes she thought I should buy for myself. They had high heels and I told her I would twist my ankle if I tried to walk in them. She told me she will buy some like it for herself when she grows up because she is going to be a cowgirl that wears high heels. She also wanted a leopard print "cowboy hat" that she thought she had to have. It was great to have some "girl" fun but I was glad to see my men come home again.




Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Summertime and Books

I believe we can say summer is officially here! The children are outside cooling off with the hose. Tristan has been begging to get the pool out but with all the rain we had last week, setting up the pool wasn't a priority. Dean wasn't sure he wanted to bother getting it out this year as we were hoping to be building by now. However, we don't have the permits and it looks like it could be awhile before we do, so bring on the pool!


Joseph and Kiana got some class pictures and a letter in the mail from their Kindergarden teacher. They were beyond thrilled! At bedtime on the last day of school Kiana cried and cried because Mrs. Risser would no longer be her teacher. I told her that she could see Mrs. Risser at recess but she wasn't about to be comforted by that thought! 


These three books came in the mail today. I haven't read them aloud to the children but just from flipping through them I can tell they will reinforce the life lessons we are trying to instill. A mom from somewhere, either a blog or support group highly recommended them. When I went to the website I had a hard time deciding which books I wanted as they all would have been books my children would learn from.


This is a list of the books in this series. If I remember correctly Joy Berry's website had all kinds of things you can use to teach your children life lessons.


This is what I am reading. I am 3/4 of the way through the book and am amazed at how well this mom does in parenting her needy child. Her strength and courage is incredible. She talks about how quickly she learned to know the mental health system and how she stands up for her son and the treatment he needs. At one time she would have been to timid and unsure of herself, not anymore! 

I cut up our first watermelon this afternoon. I planned to do some baking today but it is so warm in the house I just couldn't bring myself to make it even warmer by turning my oven on. Supper is grilled burgers n milkshakes, then it is off to Summer Bible School. The watermelon will be the perfect snack when we get home since everyone including mom, think they need something to eat after we get home.





Monday, June 9, 2014

Saturday Projects

The children are loving their weighted blankets. I made another one on Saturday so the girls no longer have to share one. I wanted a girly print but the two year old wanted the "green one with monkeys." We compromised and did one side with pink and the other in green. I made it pretty small so she can tote it around.



I bought this fabric to make a weighted blanket for a friend. Am anxious to get started on it. I am making it large enough to fit the child's bed. I asked Tristan if he would like one and he said I don't have to bother. A little later he told me that if I really want to make one for him I may.


Braden helping peel the border off the wall.



Dean gave the bathroom the first coat of paint on Saturday. I am anxious to have two functional bathrooms again. It seems when someone is using the bathroom everyone else suddenly needs to "go" and NOW!


I got a new parenting book in the mail. It is called, Trying Differently Rather Than Harder. by Diane Malbin.  It comes highly recommended by a mom who has children with special needs. This mom said she passed it on to everyone who worked with her daughter. I will let you all know if it is worth your time reading. :)

Braden made Dean and I papers the other evening. He drew pictures on them and included a little note with each one. He drew a picture of Deans truck and wrote, "You are a lucky person because you have a strong heart." He couldn't have said it better. Do those of us with healthy "emotional hearts" remember to thank God for them? We can give and receive love freely and do it without giving it much thought but for people who have experienced great pain and loss in their lives, giving and receiving love is a monumental task. 

The remainder of my day consists of appointments and shuffling children between various babysitters. I love summer time but that means I also have more children to put to sitters, something I do not like doing but have to do regularly. :)