I am still working on the organization...this takes time. Sometimes I wish I was OCD, even just a little. I realized a root of the problem. One of the first things I did was go though all the cupboards in the kitchen. One being the junk drawer. Took out everything unnecessary...isn't it all unnecessary in a junk drawer? And somehow, it is already full again. I think I know who it is. I won't name any names but the same one who, when you say, "Pick up your toys," you later see she put everything behind the couch. That has ceased and it now ends up stuffed in the junk drawer.
If you read GOOD LIL' WORKER, you will appreciate this. I was downstairs after putting the kids to bed. Grace had put her dolls in their beds and turned off her light. Preston was reading in his bed, with the light on. This is what I heard....
"Grace will you turn off my light?"
(She is in her bed, probably drifting off.)
"No."
"Grace, will you please turn of my light?"
"OOkkkk."
Preston now reads in bed with a flashlight.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
60 FAVORITES ABOUT DAD/GRANDPA
This post is a collaborative effort on behalf of our dad's/grandpa's 60th birthday. Through that amount of time, he has gained a good amount of wisdom, so thanks, dad, for sharing it with us!
1. You took us fishing when we wanted to go.
2. You took us fishing even when we didn't want to go.
3. Dad you know the meaning of hard work and long hours.
4. You quit smoking.
5. Never misses a dance recital.
6. "You bring PEEPS for me to share with my friends" ~Lauren
7. You took us on a trip out west for two weeks.
8. Taught me how to clean my room... putting my clothes in a garbage bag and setting them out by the road. ~Alisa
9. You put up with Trisha Yearwood tapes, nonstop, while traveling west with your two teenage daughters.
10. Goes to baseball games.
11. "He took me to Mr Hotdog and State Lunch after he picked me up from preschool." ~Savanah
12. We had donuts and hot chocolate every weekend.
13. Makes a killer Italian Chicken.
14. You moved in with grandma when she could no longer live by herself.
15. Takes us to Mussle Beach.
16. "He grows plants." ~Grace
17. Built his house with his own hands.
18. Talks to anyone, anywhere.
19. Knows the value of a dollar.
20. Calls Alisa #1.
21. Calls Michelle #2.
22. Taught us when we were camping, if it's cold in your sleeping bag, pass gas and you'll warm right up.
23. Took us to Mike's Dairy after dance class.
24. We could always count on apples and oranges in our stockings at Christmas.
25. "YOU ROCK as a grandpa!" ~Preston
26. You moved Michelle six times.
27. Put us through college.
28. See 21, one more time.
29. Good fisherman. ~Pat
30. You made Jello No-Bake Cheesecakes.
31. Gave me the Escort. By the way did you know Michelle used to steal it with her friends before she had a license?
32. Weekly Friday visits to Ponderosa.
33. Sided Michelle's house and gut her kitchen.
34. You want to live in our barn when you get older. LOL
35. The kids enjoy feeding your dogs.
36. King of the $30-a-week grocery bill. See #11, 15, 23 and 32.
37. For Christmas, you gave us each a bottle of Aquanet hairspray with money under the cap...what more could a girl want.
38. Weekend rides in back of the S-10, looking for deer.
39. "You read me books." ~Ava
40. Helped with every aspect of our extreme home makeover. ~Jason
41. Takes us for ice cream.
42. Attends sporting events.
43. Plants our garden.
44. Cultivates our garden.
45. Harvests our garden....although I will help more this year!
46. Spends time with us.
47. Built a 2-story shed and let us have the upstairs to play.
48. You listen to Pat's fishing sories. ~Michelle
49. Had me practice driving with my permit...through the Rocky Mountains.
50. "You call me short stuff." ~Stella
51. You let Michelle try diving the Escort at 13, almost put it in the ditch, but you let her try, nonetheless.
52. You took us shopping for school clothes.
53. We went sledding together.
54. You bought a manual camera and tripod and learned the art of photography.
55. Taught us the importance of education.
56. You didn't spare the rod, or spoil the child.
57. You showed us how to clean fish, whether we wanted to see or not.
58. Trips to grandma's in the S-10 with dirty laundry piled on top.
59. You introduced us to fried cheerios with butter and garlic salt - which we still eat to this day. ~ Michelle
60. You are always there for us, whether to help or just talk.
1. You took us fishing when we wanted to go.
2. You took us fishing even when we didn't want to go.
3. Dad you know the meaning of hard work and long hours.
4. You quit smoking.
5. Never misses a dance recital.
6. "You bring PEEPS for me to share with my friends" ~Lauren
7. You took us on a trip out west for two weeks.
8. Taught me how to clean my room... putting my clothes in a garbage bag and setting them out by the road. ~Alisa
9. You put up with Trisha Yearwood tapes, nonstop, while traveling west with your two teenage daughters.
10. Goes to baseball games.
11. "He took me to Mr Hotdog and State Lunch after he picked me up from preschool." ~Savanah
12. We had donuts and hot chocolate every weekend.
13. Makes a killer Italian Chicken.
14. You moved in with grandma when she could no longer live by herself.
15. Takes us to Mussle Beach.
16. "He grows plants." ~Grace
17. Built his house with his own hands.
18. Talks to anyone, anywhere.
19. Knows the value of a dollar.
20. Calls Alisa #1.
21. Calls Michelle #2.
22. Taught us when we were camping, if it's cold in your sleeping bag, pass gas and you'll warm right up.
23. Took us to Mike's Dairy after dance class.
24. We could always count on apples and oranges in our stockings at Christmas.
25. "YOU ROCK as a grandpa!" ~Preston
26. You moved Michelle six times.
27. Put us through college.
28. See 21, one more time.
29. Good fisherman. ~Pat
30. You made Jello No-Bake Cheesecakes.
31. Gave me the Escort. By the way did you know Michelle used to steal it with her friends before she had a license?
32. Weekly Friday visits to Ponderosa.
33. Sided Michelle's house and gut her kitchen.
34. You want to live in our barn when you get older. LOL
35. The kids enjoy feeding your dogs.
36. King of the $30-a-week grocery bill. See #11, 15, 23 and 32.
37. For Christmas, you gave us each a bottle of Aquanet hairspray with money under the cap...what more could a girl want.
38. Weekend rides in back of the S-10, looking for deer.
39. "You read me books." ~Ava
40. Helped with every aspect of our extreme home makeover. ~Jason
41. Takes us for ice cream.
42. Attends sporting events.
43. Plants our garden.
44. Cultivates our garden.
45. Harvests our garden....although I will help more this year!
46. Spends time with us.
47. Built a 2-story shed and let us have the upstairs to play.
48. You listen to Pat's fishing sories. ~Michelle
49. Had me practice driving with my permit...through the Rocky Mountains.
50. "You call me short stuff." ~Stella
51. You let Michelle try diving the Escort at 13, almost put it in the ditch, but you let her try, nonetheless.
52. You took us shopping for school clothes.
53. We went sledding together.
54. You bought a manual camera and tripod and learned the art of photography.
55. Taught us the importance of education.
56. You didn't spare the rod, or spoil the child.
57. You showed us how to clean fish, whether we wanted to see or not.
58. Trips to grandma's in the S-10 with dirty laundry piled on top.
59. You introduced us to fried cheerios with butter and garlic salt - which we still eat to this day. ~ Michelle
60. You are always there for us, whether to help or just talk.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
RED
Her hair is not strikingly red but she has the personality to fit and my dad calls her "Red". This is my niece. I want to share a little story about Red.
My sister and her two girls came over one day, before Christmas, to spend some time with us. They don't live far but with our busy lives, we don't get together a lot. So the kids were playing and my sister and I were talking, listening to the kids from the other room.
WARNING #1 When there are young children present, keep your eyes on them at all times.
After a while, sis gets her kids bundled up and ready to go.
Soon after, Jason came home to suggest we go to Frankenmuth to look at Christmas lights and have dinner. Quickly, we got ready to go and had an enjoyable evening with the fam. It had been snowing all day and was begining to feel like Christmas, until we got home.
I was the first to go in the house with the baby and I thought, wow it feels warm in here. Must be from coming in from the snowy weather and I immediately took off my coat. Jason came in with the other kids and yelled, "Whoa, it's hot in here!"
I went to check the thermostat and it read 90 degrees. Ninety degrees in the middle of December. We immediately started undressing the kids and Jason put his shorts on. We can't even stand ninety degrees in the summer, we turn the air on. It was hard to breathe, so the windows were opened. The kids had to sleep in their underwear and our house was still in the mid seventies the next morning.
What in the world happened to the thermostat for it to reach the maximum temperature possible you ask? Scroll back up to the picture of Red. Innocent she may look but my friends I tell you otherwise. You will be sucked in by her cute smile and quick wit...but watch your thermostat when she's around.
WARNING #2 Always check your thermostat when leaving the house for five hours or more.
By the way sis, if you're reading, you owe us $50. LOL
My sister and her two girls came over one day, before Christmas, to spend some time with us. They don't live far but with our busy lives, we don't get together a lot. So the kids were playing and my sister and I were talking, listening to the kids from the other room.
WARNING #1 When there are young children present, keep your eyes on them at all times.
After a while, sis gets her kids bundled up and ready to go.
Soon after, Jason came home to suggest we go to Frankenmuth to look at Christmas lights and have dinner. Quickly, we got ready to go and had an enjoyable evening with the fam. It had been snowing all day and was begining to feel like Christmas, until we got home.
I was the first to go in the house with the baby and I thought, wow it feels warm in here. Must be from coming in from the snowy weather and I immediately took off my coat. Jason came in with the other kids and yelled, "Whoa, it's hot in here!"
I went to check the thermostat and it read 90 degrees. Ninety degrees in the middle of December. We immediately started undressing the kids and Jason put his shorts on. We can't even stand ninety degrees in the summer, we turn the air on. It was hard to breathe, so the windows were opened. The kids had to sleep in their underwear and our house was still in the mid seventies the next morning.
What in the world happened to the thermostat for it to reach the maximum temperature possible you ask? Scroll back up to the picture of Red. Innocent she may look but my friends I tell you otherwise. You will be sucked in by her cute smile and quick wit...but watch your thermostat when she's around.
WARNING #2 Always check your thermostat when leaving the house for five hours or more.
By the way sis, if you're reading, you owe us $50. LOL
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Baby Sign Language
There are many benefits to teaching infants sign language. Here are a few:
- They can repeat signs as early as eight months.
- Babies have control over their hands before their speech.
- You have the ability to know what your child needs/wants before he/she can talk.
- Children experience less frustration because they have the ability to communicate.
- It is natural to make more eye contact when using signs.
I decided to take a class in baby sign language, I really find this very fascinating! For about a month now, I have been doing signs with Stella everyday. Signs such as: I love you, more, eat, milk(bottle), sleep, bath, change(diaper) as well as a few others and I plan to add more gradually. The book I'm reading is Sign With Your Baby and there is also a great quick reference guide that is helpful. The other kids are interested in it as well. Both Preston and Grace have learned some sign language in their kindergarten classes. If you want to check out something really cool, go to this ALS browser and you can find many words on the right, click on one and it will show you a visual demo for that sign. So now I am waiting for the day when Stella will repeat a sign! Will let you know.
- They can repeat signs as early as eight months.
- Babies have control over their hands before their speech.
- You have the ability to know what your child needs/wants before he/she can talk.
- Children experience less frustration because they have the ability to communicate.
- It is natural to make more eye contact when using signs.
I decided to take a class in baby sign language, I really find this very fascinating! For about a month now, I have been doing signs with Stella everyday. Signs such as: I love you, more, eat, milk(bottle), sleep, bath, change(diaper) as well as a few others and I plan to add more gradually. The book I'm reading is Sign With Your Baby and there is also a great quick reference guide that is helpful. The other kids are interested in it as well. Both Preston and Grace have learned some sign language in their kindergarten classes. If you want to check out something really cool, go to this ALS browser and you can find many words on the right, click on one and it will show you a visual demo for that sign. So now I am waiting for the day when Stella will repeat a sign! Will let you know.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
PLAY ON WORDS
Recently I was talking to my husband about putting the baby on formula. Grace was in the same room as us, coloring. Now I have tried to teach the kids the correct terminology for the human anatomy. However, something has gone awry. So back to the conversation with husband.
My exact words were, "I am going to wein her." Now say that two times fast. Wein her, wein her. You got it.
No sooner did the words come out of my mouth and Grace piped in with,
"Weiner, who has a weiner?"
"Grace, that's not what I said."
Husband's now rolling on the floor, laughing.
"Mom you said weiner and I want to know who has a weiner, does Stella have a weiner?"
"Can we start this conversation over?"
My exact words were, "I am going to wein her." Now say that two times fast. Wein her, wein her. You got it.
No sooner did the words come out of my mouth and Grace piped in with,
"Weiner, who has a weiner?"
"Grace, that's not what I said."
Husband's now rolling on the floor, laughing.
"Mom you said weiner and I want to know who has a weiner, does Stella have a weiner?"
"Can we start this conversation over?"
Monday, March 2, 2009
GOOD LIL' WORKER
If you know Grace, you know that she will most likely go through life in a position of authority. Yesterday she said, "Everyone is bossing me around today but I want to be the boss of me." No one tells Grace what to do and if you try she will find a way around it. There is one exception: Preston. Grace and Preston have a close relationship and she will do anything for him. Preston knows this. I have to say he's been having a little too much fun with it lately. This is a conversation from the other day.
Preston: Grace will you get me a drink of water?
Grace gets him a drink of water.
Preston: Grace come here.
Grace comes over
Preston: Never mind Grace I don't need you.
Ten minutes pass.
Preston: Grace will you get me a pencil?
Grace gets a pencil.
Dad: Preston, why don't you get it yourself?
Preston: What? Grace is my good lil' worker and I am the master.
Preston: Grace will you get me a drink of water?
Grace gets him a drink of water.
Preston: Grace come here.
Grace comes over
Preston: Never mind Grace I don't need you.
Ten minutes pass.
Preston: Grace will you get me a pencil?
Grace gets a pencil.
Dad: Preston, why don't you get it yourself?
Preston: What? Grace is my good lil' worker and I am the master.
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