Everyone is asleep, except for me. I should be asleep. I'm tired. I love to watch my hubby sleep. I love to snuggle with him. I love that when he rolls over, he puts his arms around me so I can snuggle him up close. I love to see my children sleeping. Laurel is so cute in her crib. I love that she will let me rock her to sleep. (especially because she is such a stinker about standing in her crib.) Rachel needed snuggles and a book tonight because she was scared of spiders crawling up her nose. I told her spiders don't want to go in there. There are BUGGERS in there! David is sleeping on his couch on the floor of his room surrounded by blankets and sleeping bags and who knows what else, that Jacob pulled out in an effort to find his Sunday shirt. Only, Jacob never did find his shirt. So, he wore one of his dads. It was pretty funny to see him try on his old Sunday shirt! My has he grown. Jacob is sleeping with the fan in his face. He is his mother's boy. Abby found her way to the couch. Were she was sleeping under one of Laurel's blankets. So of course, I found a bigger blanket and draped it over her.
I did find tonight while rocking Miss Laurel that she holds her breath every 3rd breath. It's been 3 hours since I put her to bed and she is still doing it. Weird. Her heart rhythm sounds funny to me too. Never give a mother a stethoscope. She will be all kinds of paranoid. We'll bring it up with her dr. this week at her appointment.
Jacob indulged me earlier today and sat at the piano and sang with me. Love that boy's voice. I got caught up listening to Winslow sing in choir today. The only time Winslow sings in the choir is when his wife is the director. He loves me. He also has an amazing voice. But he only sings in church to the hymns. Stinker :). Abby and Rachel practiced singing with me for their primary program. It's fun to sit and sing with my kiddos.
Jacob and Winslow had a wild afternoon protecting goats and a sheep from two dogs.
It's been raining daily. I am looking forward to my skylights being reinstalled in some future day. Soon I hope. I'm ready for more light in my day!
I have spent hours on pinterest looking up all sorts of fun things to do with David for Kindergarten. This year I am trying in all of our schooling to slow down. Learning to take time to spend extra time on the stuff we really want to learn more about. my anxiety freaks out a little, while I let my creative side shine a little more. But, it's one of the reasons I like Home schooling. So be quiet little anxiety. Creativity creates lasting memories.
I keep sitting in our addition planning all sorts of fun things I am going to do with all that space. It's still a long way off from usable, but we are moving forward!
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
progress
Richard, Winslow's dad, is here working on our electrical for our addition. Jacob is working as his helper. He's learning and working hard. And sometimes he's daydreaming :).
Richard is telling our kiddos all about the fun things their daddy did as a boy.
Rachel has learned a nursery rhyme from her grandpa. There was a crooked man... She practices with her crooked cane (aka Jacob's marshmallow gun.)
Abby is learning the first nursery rhyme her daddy ever learned.
Rachel and David are helping Grandpa take off his boots at the end of the day.
Laurel has learned to wave and she waves at her grandpa every chance she gets.
Winslow is loving all this time with his dad.
And I LOVE watching it all happen. These are the days that memories are made of.
Richard is telling our kiddos all about the fun things their daddy did as a boy.
Rachel has learned a nursery rhyme from her grandpa. There was a crooked man... She practices with her crooked cane (aka Jacob's marshmallow gun.)
Abby is learning the first nursery rhyme her daddy ever learned.
Rachel and David are helping Grandpa take off his boots at the end of the day.
Laurel has learned to wave and she waves at her grandpa every chance she gets.
Winslow is loving all this time with his dad.
And I LOVE watching it all happen. These are the days that memories are made of.
life as it really is
I long for many things. A clean house. Polite children who quickly obey and treat each other with love and respect. Time to myself. Dinner ready and waiting for Winslow when he gets home after work. The patience to never raise my voice when above mentioned children forget to do their chores or quarrel with each other. Fancy clothes.
The reality is... my house is filled with toys and school books on the kitchen table, or the couch, or the floor, or the lazy susan. (Yes, one day I found a math book in the lazy susan. Not sure if the child got distracted or was trying to HIDE their book!) The kitchen table is clear long enough to move from one activity to the next. Just when I think the kitchen sink might actually be empty for more than a few minutes, here comes the stash of cups from the bathroom. There are barbies all over dressers and even in drawers sometimes as make shift make believe happens everywhere.
Today my umbrellas and a quilt were dragged outside for exciting adventures while I taught piano. (Wish I had had a chance to grab my camera and capture that moment.)
My children wrestle each other to the ground on a fairly regular basis. My boys are always in need of torturing each other, (my husband included.)
Dinner often runs late, and I am stressed during the few minutes of "free time" I have in the afternoon while the teething baby (Laurel) sleeps, to get everything ready before Piano lessons start.
Our school day is filled with moments of me hollering instructions from the back bedroom while changing the squirming baby's diaper, (again, Laurel). Some of them are simply, "do your math, I'll be right there." Some of them include threats, "Stop pestering your brother/sister or I'll make you do his/her chore!" Others are hollered from the bathroom. "Can I please go to the bathroom without the whole world falling apart?"
Fancy clothes would be nice. Heck. Getting dressed would be nice. In order to maintain some sanity I go walking. I get up, I make breakfast, I go walking. Then I come home, clean up breakfast. Encourage my children to finish their chores and be ready and happy to start school. But alas, somewhere in the chaos I am lucky to get a shower. I try to get dressed and be presentable in the short period of time where I am also trying to get dinner ready. Thus, some days I am clean and dressed, and some days dinner is ready, but usually not both.
And somehow the Jehovah's Witnesses always pick the days when I am still in my exercise clothes or jammies, to show up at my door. When I open the door there are school books everywhere, Lincoln Log towers all over the front room floor, and David and Rachel are about to take eachother out like WWF wrestlers. I'm sure it all comes across wonderfully.
But there are moments when it all comes together. Like when I get to rock my baby to sleep and she leans her head against my shoulder. Or when I can sit and talk to Jacob about teenage life and important decisions of virtue and integrity. Or discussing the beauty of God's creation with my girls. Or teaching David how to read. My girls won't remember if the house was clean or dirty the day mom sat and painted their nails while they talked of what was important to them. David won't care if dinner was a few minutes late because I sat down to read with him. And I won't remember if we got all that was on the schedule done they day I sat rocking my baby to sleep and smelling the sweet shampoo in her hair.
Life is happening. It's nitty, it's gritty, and it's often messy. And more than likely it's louder than I'd like. But I love that David loves to brush my hair. That Rachel can play her piano piece two times before having it memorized and wanting to play it every time she passes the piano. I love that Abby is writing her own novel, that she has taken courage to write despite the challenges she has with writing. I love that Jacob is growing to be such a handsome young man, yet he still gives me hugs infront of all his friends. (He even says he loves me!) And Laurel, sweet, crazy Laurel who is getting teeth and trying to walk at 8 months. She knows exactly what she wants, and she is going to tell you about it. And my heart melts every time that sweet full head of hair lays on my shoulders.
The reality is... my house is filled with toys and school books on the kitchen table, or the couch, or the floor, or the lazy susan. (Yes, one day I found a math book in the lazy susan. Not sure if the child got distracted or was trying to HIDE their book!) The kitchen table is clear long enough to move from one activity to the next. Just when I think the kitchen sink might actually be empty for more than a few minutes, here comes the stash of cups from the bathroom. There are barbies all over dressers and even in drawers sometimes as make shift make believe happens everywhere.
Today my umbrellas and a quilt were dragged outside for exciting adventures while I taught piano. (Wish I had had a chance to grab my camera and capture that moment.)
My children wrestle each other to the ground on a fairly regular basis. My boys are always in need of torturing each other, (my husband included.)
Dinner often runs late, and I am stressed during the few minutes of "free time" I have in the afternoon while the teething baby (Laurel) sleeps, to get everything ready before Piano lessons start.
Our school day is filled with moments of me hollering instructions from the back bedroom while changing the squirming baby's diaper, (again, Laurel). Some of them are simply, "do your math, I'll be right there." Some of them include threats, "Stop pestering your brother/sister or I'll make you do his/her chore!" Others are hollered from the bathroom. "Can I please go to the bathroom without the whole world falling apart?"
Fancy clothes would be nice. Heck. Getting dressed would be nice. In order to maintain some sanity I go walking. I get up, I make breakfast, I go walking. Then I come home, clean up breakfast. Encourage my children to finish their chores and be ready and happy to start school. But alas, somewhere in the chaos I am lucky to get a shower. I try to get dressed and be presentable in the short period of time where I am also trying to get dinner ready. Thus, some days I am clean and dressed, and some days dinner is ready, but usually not both.
And somehow the Jehovah's Witnesses always pick the days when I am still in my exercise clothes or jammies, to show up at my door. When I open the door there are school books everywhere, Lincoln Log towers all over the front room floor, and David and Rachel are about to take eachother out like WWF wrestlers. I'm sure it all comes across wonderfully.
But there are moments when it all comes together. Like when I get to rock my baby to sleep and she leans her head against my shoulder. Or when I can sit and talk to Jacob about teenage life and important decisions of virtue and integrity. Or discussing the beauty of God's creation with my girls. Or teaching David how to read. My girls won't remember if the house was clean or dirty the day mom sat and painted their nails while they talked of what was important to them. David won't care if dinner was a few minutes late because I sat down to read with him. And I won't remember if we got all that was on the schedule done they day I sat rocking my baby to sleep and smelling the sweet shampoo in her hair.
Life is happening. It's nitty, it's gritty, and it's often messy. And more than likely it's louder than I'd like. But I love that David loves to brush my hair. That Rachel can play her piano piece two times before having it memorized and wanting to play it every time she passes the piano. I love that Abby is writing her own novel, that she has taken courage to write despite the challenges she has with writing. I love that Jacob is growing to be such a handsome young man, yet he still gives me hugs infront of all his friends. (He even says he loves me!) And Laurel, sweet, crazy Laurel who is getting teeth and trying to walk at 8 months. She knows exactly what she wants, and she is going to tell you about it. And my heart melts every time that sweet full head of hair lays on my shoulders.
Monday, May 27, 2013
LOVE and all that mushy gushy stuff
I love my hubby. A lot. A lot, a lot. I'm also VERY JEALOUS! which he finds incredibly amusing. If he tells a story about high school or pre mission years and a girl is included, I'm jealous. (which is odd also, because he never had a girlfriend before we dated, and um yeah...my brothers still tease about how MANY boyfriends I had.) Yep. Jealous. Like come over here and let me give you a big fat kiss so you remember that you love me and only me. Haa Haa Haa. He still says he loves me more, but I think I love him more.
I worry often about the rate of divorce where will live. It is Atrocious. For Real! And so we are trying to be better about Date Night, and Holding Hands, and Couple Prayers. I love this guy. Sure, we have our differences. And may I say that two Oldest children married to each other is EXCITING. We both feel very strongly about our Own point of view. And heaven forbid we should compromise. Hee Hee. He is my world though.
I have nightmares. And often. And sometimes I dream that he's left me, or died. And I wake up. Totally feeling helpless and incomplete without him. And I wake him up and tell him... I love you more. (He usually drowsily hugs me and says, Uh huh.)
I Love my kiddos. LOTS AND LOTS. and I want them to know how much I love their daddy. When we got married, my young women leader Sister Evans Gave us the saying "Choose your love, and Love your choice." And I LOVE that President Monson used it in conference recently. Because that little saying has stuck in my mind and helped me to say, I'm Sorry. It's helped me to look past odd habits and frustrating moments. (you know, when I've decided I'm right and life would just be better if he could decide my way is best. :)) I Chose you.
I'm grateful for Parents and In Laws who are great examples of this. I know their marriages haven't always been perfect, or what they imagined. But, they keep working together, loving each other, for better of for worse!
I trully believe the lesson my parents taught us growing up. Marriage is Hard WORK! And like anything that takes effort, patience, work, and forgivness, it's worth it. "It's the hard that makes it good."
p.s. I love you more!
I worry often about the rate of divorce where will live. It is Atrocious. For Real! And so we are trying to be better about Date Night, and Holding Hands, and Couple Prayers. I love this guy. Sure, we have our differences. And may I say that two Oldest children married to each other is EXCITING. We both feel very strongly about our Own point of view. And heaven forbid we should compromise. Hee Hee. He is my world though.
I have nightmares. And often. And sometimes I dream that he's left me, or died. And I wake up. Totally feeling helpless and incomplete without him. And I wake him up and tell him... I love you more. (He usually drowsily hugs me and says, Uh huh.)
I Love my kiddos. LOTS AND LOTS. and I want them to know how much I love their daddy. When we got married, my young women leader Sister Evans Gave us the saying "Choose your love, and Love your choice." And I LOVE that President Monson used it in conference recently. Because that little saying has stuck in my mind and helped me to say, I'm Sorry. It's helped me to look past odd habits and frustrating moments. (you know, when I've decided I'm right and life would just be better if he could decide my way is best. :)) I Chose you.
I'm grateful for Parents and In Laws who are great examples of this. I know their marriages haven't always been perfect, or what they imagined. But, they keep working together, loving each other, for better of for worse!
I trully believe the lesson my parents taught us growing up. Marriage is Hard WORK! And like anything that takes effort, patience, work, and forgivness, it's worth it. "It's the hard that makes it good."
p.s. I love you more!
Camp Out
So our kiddos decided to camp out this weekend. In a tent. On our Addition. Ha ha ha. They are so cute. They set up the tv to watch a movie outside. I Love, Love, Love summer weather here. GORGEOUS! They cleaned up their dinner dishes, and set to work setting up a tent and laying out blankets and sleeping bags. I love them to pieces.
Laurel, of course, is staying inside and will probably end up sleeping all night in my bed. Love this baby!!! I just want to snuggle her ALL DAY!
Winslow and Jacob have been hard at work on the home addition. My boys love me! They spend all their free time driving nails and putting up boards.
The other morning the kiddos got out all the pet shop toys and the Barbie's and set them up all over the living room. PARTY.
The girls are getting ready to take an art class this summer. They are SO excited.
Laurel, of course, is staying inside and will probably end up sleeping all night in my bed. Love this baby!!! I just want to snuggle her ALL DAY!
Winslow and Jacob have been hard at work on the home addition. My boys love me! They spend all their free time driving nails and putting up boards.
The other morning the kiddos got out all the pet shop toys and the Barbie's and set them up all over the living room. PARTY.
The girls are getting ready to take an art class this summer. They are SO excited.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Summer science
So what are we going to Do with these great Encyclopedias. Well, I recently purchased Apologia Exploring Creation with Land Animals. And Rachel and Abby are beside themselves waiting to get started! So we plan to learn all about land animals this summer. We bought the accompanying notebooking journals. I am really liking Notebooking. I like that it encourages my children to take notes while we read, and then they work on comprehension and being able to retell me what they have learned. The Apologia notebooks also come with stickers and full color mini books on the different types of animals.
I have given myself permission. Permission to slow down. We are not required to finish an entire book just because. We can take a history book or our language lessons and slow down. Read a book for English on Horses and then spend a week learning all about horses, visiting a neighbor with a horse, etc. Sometimes I set myself on a frantic pace and feel like I have to get it all in, and then in the end I feel we have missed so much. So we are slowing down. I found some great Notebook and Lapbook units on www.homeschoolshare.com. I plan to take time to learn in depth about knights and castles, and Robin Hood, And Queen Elizabeth. I plan to read lots and lots of books with my children. So what if we only get thru half the history book, if we REALLY learn the history.
It's one of the reasons we are doing Science in the summer. The girls didn't want to wait until August to start their new books, so why wait? They are interested now. Great!
I have given myself permission. Permission to slow down. We are not required to finish an entire book just because. We can take a history book or our language lessons and slow down. Read a book for English on Horses and then spend a week learning all about horses, visiting a neighbor with a horse, etc. Sometimes I set myself on a frantic pace and feel like I have to get it all in, and then in the end I feel we have missed so much. So we are slowing down. I found some great Notebook and Lapbook units on www.homeschoolshare.com. I plan to take time to learn in depth about knights and castles, and Robin Hood, And Queen Elizabeth. I plan to read lots and lots of books with my children. So what if we only get thru half the history book, if we REALLY learn the history.
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| Camouflage Experiment with MnM's |
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| What Color Will I find the most of? Does it really matter since I am going to eat them all anyway? |
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| Rachel's Water Wheel Experiment. She LOVED IT! |
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Encyclopedias
Yes, I bought encyclopedias. Two world history encyclopedias and one animal encyclopedia. Why? You ask. Well, because I love books. And even though technology is awesome, there is something about having it in your hands and looking at it any time. Plus, we try to limit screen time at our house. So tonight all my kiddos flipped thru pages and asked questions and spent time learning instead of watching tv or playing a video game. Now we are off to read the Magician's Nephew. Books are awesome.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Clearing out
You know that moment when you realize someone will be at your house any second and it's a total disaster. Yep. It was that kind of day. My hallway is full of books and toys and everything that is in limbo. Doesn't fit in the bedrooms and is waiting for the addition to be done, so it doesnt really have a home.
So instead of being awesome at school today, I cleaned out my closet. 4 trash bags later. My closet is now organized along with our armoire. Not bad for a closet the size of a coat closet.(yes I do wear a badge of honor for living in a house less than 1000sq ft with 5 kids. I should be humble, but some days a badge makes the craziness worth it.)
My hallway, um, it's still ful of all the limbo items, but my bedroom feels tidy.
David loves pasta. He ate 3 plates of it tonight. With dirt all over his face. That's what being 4 is all about.
The kiddos played hide and seek in the yard today. And they jumped on the tramp. There's a whole lot less quarreling when they can get outside. Bring on summer.
So instead of being awesome at school today, I cleaned out my closet. 4 trash bags later. My closet is now organized along with our armoire. Not bad for a closet the size of a coat closet.(yes I do wear a badge of honor for living in a house less than 1000sq ft with 5 kids. I should be humble, but some days a badge makes the craziness worth it.)
My hallway, um, it's still ful of all the limbo items, but my bedroom feels tidy.
David loves pasta. He ate 3 plates of it tonight. With dirt all over his face. That's what being 4 is all about.
The kiddos played hide and seek in the yard today. And they jumped on the tramp. There's a whole lot less quarreling when they can get outside. Bring on summer.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Baby legs and Moms Day
It is mother's day. I love it. I love my mom and my mother in law and my grand mas, and all the wonderful women who have mothered me when I have lived far away from my own mom. I LOVE being a mother. Yep even when my children are naughty or grumpy or I feel overwhelmed and under qualified, Motherhood is the best.
We have a beautiful chubby baby GIRL. Laurel Kenedie McNeill. Yep, we were totally shocked. I even cried a little over not having a boy. (I'm a total planner and post preggo hormones do weird things to a momma!) but, she is the light of our lives. Her chubby legs cry out to be squeezed and she LOVES to be held. She is now figuring out that she has feet and SHE WANTS TO EAT THEM! She was super colicky at first. We are so glad her tummy feels better. She is such a happy fun little girl.
Abby ran track with Jacob and even placed in a meet for shot put! Jacob is so athletic and growing like a weed. He's up to five foot seven! Rachel is trying her hardest to put up with David. She is playing the piano and loving it. David continues to keep us laughing.
My hubby and my son are building me a house. It's messy, it's dirty and I thought it would never happen! But it is and next weekend is the framing party! It's a good old fashion barn raising! I am anxious for space and room to spread and somewhere to put all our stuff!
We have a beautiful chubby baby GIRL. Laurel Kenedie McNeill. Yep, we were totally shocked. I even cried a little over not having a boy. (I'm a total planner and post preggo hormones do weird things to a momma!) but, she is the light of our lives. Her chubby legs cry out to be squeezed and she LOVES to be held. She is now figuring out that she has feet and SHE WANTS TO EAT THEM! She was super colicky at first. We are so glad her tummy feels better. She is such a happy fun little girl.
Abby ran track with Jacob and even placed in a meet for shot put! Jacob is so athletic and growing like a weed. He's up to five foot seven! Rachel is trying her hardest to put up with David. She is playing the piano and loving it. David continues to keep us laughing.
My hubby and my son are building me a house. It's messy, it's dirty and I thought it would never happen! But it is and next weekend is the framing party! It's a good old fashion barn raising! I am anxious for space and room to spread and somewhere to put all our stuff!
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| Growing So Big So Fast!!! |
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