Sophie's First Dentist Appointment

Over the years I've heard little kids cry, thrash and scream just prior to getting their teeth cleaned.  I can even remember my own sister doing this for her first teeth cleaning.  This has made me always a little nervous when bringing one of my children to the dentist.  The last of the firsts for this happened a little over a week ago. 

We don't go to a children's dental place but we have this wonderful woman who is so sweet it and gentle there hasn't ever been a need to go anywhere else.  I schedule myself in the mix of appointments so the children can watch me get my teeth cleaned.  By the way, I love getting my teeth cleaned.

Every single one has been on my lap for the cleaning and they have all done very very well.  No tears, no crying, no refusal of any kind.  I think the prizes, toothbrushes (have I ever mentioned how much my kids love toothbrushes and toothpaste?) and toothpaste are the ticket to a successful visit for my kids.

Here's my little Sophie after her first cleaning.  She really is much happier about this than would appear.

 

 

These are her teeth.  Do you see them?

 

 

 

 

Oh, here they are.

 

 

 

 

And finally, here's how it's done with Mom on board.

 

 

Joining Emily.

Make it a great day!

Last Day of Two & Embrancing the Camera 8.9.12

Embracing the last days of two, together at the Como Zoo.

Sophie as the Grumpy Old Troll

Dora, Dora, Dora....

...the explorer....this is my little explorer waiting to see Dora at the Mall of America today.  She was so excited at the same time didn't really know what I meant when I said we were going to see Dora. 

Just last week while "reading" herself a book she said, "Dora, talk to me".  I don't think this Dora talked to her but I could kind of tell what might have been said. 

We saw Dora many times today and this is just a tip of the ice berg on photos.  This was our first trip to the Mall on Toddler Tuesday and my first trip with all three by myself.  It went great, they were so so good.  I felt really blessed to have had such a great day!

Oh and needless to say, her birthday party will be another year of Dora.  All she would like is the Dora Halloween movie.  YEAH!

Today was the third to the last day of being two.  Boo Hoo.









Have a blessed day!





Four Days Left of Two

These are the last days of having a two year old.  Bittersweet.  From the looks of these pictures it looks more sweet than anything else.

We went to the a splash pad in the city with some friends we haven't seen in quite a few months.  It was a blessed day!

Pre-School Picnic Graduation

Each year the kids have a fundraiser about half way through the year to raise money for a picnic with The Teddy Bear Band.  Usually, the band performs at a local park and we sit on blankets, listen and watch the kids dance with their favorite teddy bear, followed by an awards ceremony.  After all this we have lunch potluck style and then say good-bye to our friends until we all meet again in the Fall. 

This year we have been abundantly blessed with rainfall and had to have the picnic in the school gymnasium.  Since it was in the school, the Kindergarten and First grade classes we invited to listen and dance to the band.  The kids really loved it and quite frankly it filled up the large gymnasium so we didn't feel like we were such a small group.

My children, all of them, loved the band.  Last year they were too shy to get up there and dance, I guess the apple doesn't fall from the tree.  This year all three of them danced and threw their teddy bears all around.  I think by the time Sophie goes through the pre-school program she's going to be a pro.

I was super sick on that morning.  I tried calling my sister-in-law to come get the kids.  I really didn't think I could make it but by the grace of God I pulled through enough to get there, get some pictures {with the new lens I got for Mother's Day} and get my children fed without bringing anything to eat from, with, or bringing a dish to share.  Thanks fellow parents. 

Needless to say, the rest of the day was a movie day.  And I am so thankful my husband, who rocks, came home to pack all our stuff for camping and feed the kids.  I'm one blessed woman!

I tried not to think about it too much but on the inside I was super teary that Henry would be moving on and this would be his last year of the Teddy Bear Band.  Seeing the Kindergarten and First grade in the gym made me think maybe he'd get another year of it, even though he'll still be in Kindergarten.  It's pretty obvious I'm going to miss being with my son for the majority of the day in Kindergarten, even if he's ready.

What a blessing two years of pre-shool have been for Henry and this last school year for Karley. 

Daybook ~ 5.14.12

Around the house

I've booted the dog to the garage or outside again.  Her hair is just so much to keep up with.  I would love to keep her in her kennel during the day but the door to the kennel is in the shut only position.  Why?  Mother Robin decided to build her nest on the corner of the kennel where the door sits.  A very difficult place for us to let both babies grow and the dog lay in the sun.  We gave way to the babies.  It has been fun for all of us to watch the babies grow. 

Android Photo

Listening to

Heavy machinery.  One of the roads that borders our house is getting curb, gutter & storm drainage put in.  Very good for us, even though we lost a few trees and privacy.  We are now a little more exposed in our backyard.  I was so fearful of how open our backyard would look, but in the end it does look better.

Reading

Still reading St Theresa of Avila's Interior Castle.  I am scheduled to be done reading it in a few weeks, but I am now behind, again.  I managed to catch up a few weeks ago but it's been hard to find time to read the last couple of weeks.

On the Menu

Even though I had high hopes to get a menu in order for the last two weeks, I missed the boat.  I would love to get something down for the next two weeks at least until Memorial weekend.  Even though the meals are decent, I feel like it's all thrown together and not very much effort is put into a wonderful meals.  Tonight is meatloaf.  I also hope to start making bread again for the summer.

Home Learning

We put our garden together on Mother's Day.  Henry was the most interested or maybe his age kept him the most interested the longest.  He did a wonderful job helping Adam and then took off doing his own planting.  He has now been asking Adam to till up his own garden.  We have extra tomato plants.....

School Learning

This is the last week of school for the kids.  Next week I have conferences for Henry & Karley and then they have their combined pre-school picnic later in the week.  This week they are having a mini field day, learning about taste and smell and saying good bye to their classmates for the summer.  We will see some of them throughout the summer though.

Running

Last week I ran a total of 35 miles in four workouts.  I'm a little injured but am able to still run.  I ran with my sister last Saturday for 18 miles.  Actually, I ran 18 miles but only 16 with my sister.  I had to encourage her to go ahead of me.  I was slow, slow, slow and she was ready to get the run over with and still had enough to kick it in gear.  The last two miles was all hills some steep.  Two of them for about 50 yards I walked when I realized that I could probably walk faster than I was "running".  It was nice to run with my sister.  That was the first time during all this training that I actually ran with somebody.  (During our half marathon she ran ahead.)  I have one more long run next week and then I'm in the taper down before the marathon.

Moments of Gratitude

All things Mother's Day (separate post)
Running with my Sister
Grandma & Grandpa taking care of the kids while we run
Water re-fills along the route
Drive by's on the route to keep us inspired
Second opinions
Playdates
Warm weather
Safe travels

Thinking about

Still thinking about my summer Rule.  I need to sit down this week and pull it all together since next week is really summer vacation!

Praying

I'm praying for all people to know and love the Real Truth.  For people (including myself) to know and love what is good, true and right.  To know the freedom of living in God's Rule.

The Week Ahead

Dance.  Running (lighter mileage week).  Small outside projects, flowers, sprucing things up, getting ready for the large outside projects.  Hope to have a bonfire with Adam this weekend.

Making it Count ~ B & W Photography

Every week, Pam and Sarah are co-hosting the Making it Count Tuesday link-up. Start with any one of those fabulous ideas you've found online. Then, do it. Make it. Cook it. Create it. Take it from the screen, give it life and let it bless your world. When you're done, snap a photo, write about it and share it with us.

Make your time online count.

We're meeting at Pam's today!

 

 

It was suggested to me early this week to convert the picture I have on my facebook timeline into black and white so when I saw Sarah's post I was happy to sit down and take in a lesson on black & white, something other than just clicking convert to black & white.

 

I use photoshop elements 9 and have decided that this summer I am going to take an interest in actually learning how to do a few things with this application besides just clicking on the guided or quick fixes.  Here's my first try. 

 

This is my SOOC (straight out of the camera)

 



Here's the quick edit black & white:

 

And finally from the tutorial from Katie Evans as best as I could figure out from my PE9:



 

Side by side I could really see how much I liked the tutorial by Katie Evans version:

 

What do you think, which do you like best?

 

First Haircuts, ENT, Babies & All Things Sophie

Here's an update on our little Sophie. 

Sophie has struggled with strep infection after strep infection and then just when we think she's going to get a break a week or two after being off antibiotics she'll wind up with a cold that seems like eventually is strep.  Her signs of having strep are very few, if any.   We are most thankful to have her healthy right now.

After so many strep infection, because we don't want her on antibiotics time after time, we decided to see an Ear, Nose & Throat doctor.  Without a doubt he said tonsils and adenoids out.  Besides the fact her tonsils are so large, {he rated them a four out of four} she does have sleep apnea.  There was more cause for alarm with this than the tonsils.

This is not without worry.  The doctor said they don't do this on children younger than three and she would need to wait until she was closer to that age.  So we are looking at sometime this summer, if at all.  I did also inquire about her speech, which isn't bad, just not crystal clear.  She has trouble with s, f, and a few other sounds.  He did say most likely this would clear up after surgery.

Once I heard surgery for sure, my thoughts changed from relief of her being sick and tired, {literally with how much she wakes up} to scared about the thoughts of surgery on an almost three year old.  A friend of mine has also been advised to have this done and after a second opinion decided to wait.  This has led us to at least seek out a second opinion.  We will be doing that middle of May. 

I was hoping to see if her tonsils would shrink once she was "well" and if the sleep apnea would go away then as well.  No such luck.  Her tonsils are the same size ~ basically they touch or there isn't any visible clearing  and her late night slumber, or lack of, was proof that the sleep apnea is still present.

On a different note.  She's wonderfully made for sure.  She loves to help me with whatever I am doing.  She loves to set the table and always asks, "what now" and is mad when I tell her it's all done.  She will do any "job" she's given and loves to take Henry and Karley's job away from them.  The only thing she "don't know how" to is clean her room or pick up her own things.

She still loves Dora, yet, Mommy is her favorite and Daddy is her "second favorite".  She also loves baby "Mary" and likes to keep her teeth clean.

Sophie had her first haircut about a month ago.  I had been thinking about it then one day while cutting some of the Soley Smalls I called Adam to ask if he would mind.  He quickly said, "No, cut it.  It's kind of scraggily (is that a word?)"  It looks really cute and has already grown out quite a bit since. 

Before

Before

During

After

She loves to change clothes, faster than I can keep up with what's clean and what's dirty.  She has been dressing herself, brushing her teeth, getting her shoes on to be ready when we need to leave for school.  By the time she goes to school she'll have this all down pat. 

She loves to show us her "grumpy face" which can turn into a "happy face" in less than a second flat.

Speaking of school, since she has a summer birthday she could go to pre-school this next Fall.  That would mean we would have them all in classes right after each other, but we have decided to wait a year.  We'd rather her be the oldest in her class instead of the youngest.  I'll have one more year of a little one with me all day.  I'm so happy about that, I'm going to be a wreck when Henry goes to Kindergarten all day in the Fall.

Sophie has been such a delight and we are so honored to be blessed by her.

In Christ,

Tina

Multitude Monday

Over the last few months Mondays with Ann have passed me by and by.  For awhile I did keep track in my own personal journal, just didn't add them here.  I heard whispers to come back, count again, I just couldn't quite decide where I thought it best to resume counting.

I never did decide on the number to resume at, just that I need to listen to those whispers. 

Spiritual Direction

School Cancelled ~ Another day at home

Wonderful weekend with my family

Husband who grills all year

God never leaving my side

My beautiful church ~ the peace I feel there

Christmas 2012

Creative play children

Children who play well together

Community that comes together for a little girl & her family

Grace to get past dog hair so we can all enjoy Piper

Change in spirit

Change in Rule

Kids learning new games

Ability to feed our family good food

Kids who eat good food

Having the same dreams as my husband

Karley being so good about going gluten & dairy free

Snow finally ~ kids love to play

Four wheel drive {snow}

Kids who ask for more Jesus books

Pajama Days

My New Thanksgiving & Prayer Journal

God Bless,

Tina

Cookies Cookies Cookies

Last week the kiddos and I gathered twice for cookie baking.  Both a success for the fact that we have plenty o' chocolate something or another type cookies to eat.   It was great to spend the day with my sister-in-law one day and two other great friends just a couple of days later.  I do cringe to think about all the calories as I lack self control.  The last picture is definitely why!

Hope you are enjoying your Advent season!