New templates

Since all the kids except #1 daughter (aka: Big Sister) is out and about this weekend, we decided to change the template for this blog. Please let us know what you think. We want to find something that will be expressive without being obnoxious.

Thought I had seen it all

Well there was a new one on me today. Big Sister would figure out any way she could to get out of doing math. She would do all kinds of things, but I don't remember her ever pulling her own teeth (thankfully it was already a little loose). Yes you read that right. Little Brother (who hate math more than Big Sister) wiggled his own tooth so long then finally pulled it out. Please understand that we have been at the same math page for 9 hours...yes 9 hours. I gave birth to him in a shorter time than that. The most obnoxious thing is that it is something he understands. He can do them independently and just won't. It is days like this that drive me crazy. Doesn't help that the weather is humid and I am not feeling too good.

Little Brother isn't a rock

Well we have proven once and for all that Little Brother is not a rock and that anyone, even someone as skinny as he is, is buoyant. He has been convinced that he would sink in the water so he would never go in for fear of sinking. While we were at the lake yesterday we convinced him to try floating. He was very nervous and wouldn't relax which didn't help with the floating. So how did we finally get him to relax enough to float? Pure capitalism. If he floated all on his own he could have a toy which cost up to $5. It was amazing how fast he was able to float after that. We have a contract for more floating including in water over his head well on his way to actually swimming.

What is a teenager?

Big Brother summed up what teenagers and kids on the spectrum perfectly the other day.

DH took the doors off the Jeep and asked Big Brother if he wanted to ride to the activities we had around town that day. Big Brother wanted nothing to do with it. Later in the day we talked about the boys driving up to the racetrack the next day and that DH wanted to take the Jeep with the doors still off. Big Brother was all excited about it. I asked him why he wouldn't ride in the Jeep around town going no more than 40 mph, but can't wait to ride in the Jeep going 60+ on the highway.

His answer:

"I am a world of contradictions".

Yes he is, as are all teenagers.

Spring has sprung!

Believe it or not, winter has finally left New England. With Spring comes new life, warmth and lots of bugs. It also means that we are always on the move.
Big Brother is learning that High School is harder than it looks and that you can't cruise through school. Regardless of how smart you are, you need to put forth the effort or you won't succeed. I am sure he will take that lesson to heart.
Big Sister had her first real part in a play. She played the mom of Martha and Dickens in "The Secret Garden". She learned to work in a team and put the needs of the team ahead of her needs.
Little Brother learned to read this year. He has dyslexia and a perfectionist streak. He has ADHD and I finally gave in on medication. Between that and finding the "Gift of Dyslexia" site he is reading finally.
Little Sister is just Little Sister. She is still doing well in her studies and being generally cute. She doesn't like being the youngest, but is learning to deal with it.
Life goes on and as the seasons change and the children grow up we see God's hand in our lives and pray that He will continue to guide us through the seasons yet to come.

Thankful for little things

We are so thankful to God for His provisions for Little Sister. She was so excited about Spring finally coming to the great white north that she had to go play on the swing. Though she has seen the Mythbusters where they prove you can't do a 360 on a regular swing, she had to try it anyway. When she swung very far back, gravity did it's thing. She fell flat out of the swing and hit the top of her forehead on the slide. She was shaken up when she came in and was dizzy. Until recently I probably would have put an ice pack on her head and told her to go sit down, but after what happened to Natasha Richardson, I decided to call the doctor just to be on the safe side. She seemed fine, but so did Natasha. The exam was normal, but Little Sister said she saw sparkles in front of her eyes. The doctor wasn't going to do any imaging, but since Little Sister was adamant about the sparkles she figured better safe than sorry. So we got to have a CAT scan on Little Sister's head. Everything looked normal PTL! The doctor sent us home and things seem to be okay.
Little Sister has been groggier than usual and a little grumpier, but I understand that's normal after getting your bell rung like she did.
We just Thank God that it was nothing serious and hug her a little tighter.

Still kitchen remodeling

When I first started this blog, I posted pictures of our kitchen remodeling. Well, we are still remodeling, but I think we are almost done. I am including recent pictures so folks can see our progress.





This is a potato, onion and garlic storage container that DH made along with "Mr. Fish" one of our 4 pets (the other 3 are hermit crabs).

This is the new sliding door leading to the deck we put on this summer.

DH took down the old chair rail and wallpaper and replaced it with wainscoting (forgive the spelling, and the shop vac).

Yes folks that is a real floor. We have been living with the luan since the project started and now we have a real floor!!!! Can you tell I am just a little happy about this.