My own room!!!

Ok, so it really isn't MY own room, but Randy and I are taking our room back!! For years we have had Eli in our room. We have tried a pallet on the floor but he always seems to get in bed with us. Now he just seems to start that way since we know he is going to be coming up anyway. I wake up sore most mornings and never really get a great nights sleep. Eli is on my side of the bed! Ugh!
Our girls (all three of them) have been sharing a room. For a long time it was just Gracie and Hanni, but then Maryjo moved in and she moved into the room also. Talk about cramped. We always knew we needed to do something about our 12 yr old and our 6 yr old sharing a room but once a 15 yr old moved in it became more important to do so. But what?? Our plans were to build onto the house or something along those lines but the $$ and time never seemed to work out. I have been thinking about it for a few weeks now and mentioned it to my mom and Randy this week about moving the big girls into the sunroom! They liked the idea and so we mentioned it to the girls who loved it! It is bigger and has the best view. They will also be doing their schooling out there but it is big enough to work it all separately! So now the teen girls are together in their own room and they seem to love it out there!! It is right off Grandma and Grandpa's room so I am comfortable with them there too.

We decided that since Eli and Hanni are so close ( I mean attached at the hip types) we will put them together and hopefully Eli will feel comfortable enough with Hanni to leave Mommy and Daddy's side at night! This is just for about a year until he is comfortable but a good transition for him and Hanni who is nervous about having her "own" room. Hanni didn't want the girls to leave and was scared to sleep by herself. This will be a good thing for Eli and Hanni to transition to one day being "on their own". It worked!!! For one night at least!! I got my bed back last night! Eli and Hanni slept together, Gracie and Maryjo slept together out in the sunroom, and Randy and I slept together!! Poor Bonnie (our puppy) was found in the living room this morning and she is used to sleeping in the girls room though! I guess she didn't know what to do without Maryjo and Gracie in there last night! lol I think it will take a few days but everything will run smoothly with this whole process soon! Today, we have alot more work to do though! The girls have to get all their stuff in their room and organize it and I have to organize and rearrange the kiddos room!! The decided they want Redskins and Gamecocks in their room when we have the chance to decorate!!

An end to summer break and beginning of the school year...

This has been our last full week of summer break as a family! I can't believe it has gone by so fast. Randy will start school next Wed. and Eli and Hanni start the following Monday! So the kiddos have another full week to go before summer is over for them! Some kiddos easily lose alot of what they learn during the year over the summer and Eli tends to be one of those kids so I am starting earlier with him to refresh him a little before we start on 3rd grade work. Hanni, I really need to see where she is at and what she really knows and can do. More than just as a mom but as a teacher so they are starting a little earlier than I'd like so we can get that stuff out of the way and then go right into new learning in Sept. A new thing on our plates is that our two older girls will be homeschooling this year!!! I am more than thrilled! I wanted to started, traditionally, after Labor Day. Maryjo's bday is on the 15th so we have worked the calendar so they can start on the 16th. It is a little later than I'd prefer but since they are homeschooling they can easily make up those few days and they will have most of Maryjo's birthday week off!! I am also looking into doing a year round school schedule for all the kids. Due to Eli losing so much during breaks and Maryjo so eager to start back to school during each break. I am still thinking about it but it is certainly a possibility at this point if homeschooling all 4 kids works out this year to year round school them (with plenty of breaks of course)!
On another note, I just have to brag a moment! Gracie is a wonderful child! She has matured so much this summer and is becoming a very lovely young lady! I am so proud of her!! She has become helpful, kind, sweet, and so caring! Ok, most of those things she was already but she has truly blossomed over the summer and those characteristics are really shining through lately!!! She is truly a pleasure to be around!!!

My Mother's Day

My Mother's Day was fabulous!! I have been truly blessed with a wonderful mom who has taught me alot and I am so happy to not only be able to spend Mother's Day with her but everyday be able to be with her and see her. It is a wonderful blessing! I am able to do something that some ladies only wish that they could do (although I know some would never be able to). LOL Yes, there are challenges but overall it is a wonderful experience and a true blessing!!
For Mother's Day the some of the kids got up early and made mom and I breakfast in bed! We enjoyed feasting on eggs, sausage, and toast with some coffee. I went to the bathroom and smelled something burning and sent Randy into the kitchen though even though this was supposed to be only the kiddos (don't worry Maryjo was in charge and she is an awesome cook) but the toast burned! lol Not to worry mom and I got fresh unburned toast and it was excellent!! Randy then cleaned up the kitchen for the kids while I got showered in cuddles and homemade cards!! My fave!! Somehow I found myself with a morning nap!!! I loved it but then got up and felt like doing something/anything so I just watered the plants. That's it. That is the only productive thing I did on Mother's Day! I loved it!! The older kids made dinner and Randy worked in the garden. I relaxed! I did treat myself to two books on Friday for Mother's Day that I looked through on Sunday though. I am totally enjoying them.
Eli also got two new books on Friday because I walked into the girls room to find him reading that morning on his own without being asked. So proud! He usually has to be asked or begged to read. He is finally taking more of an interest in reading though so since we have a long road trip coming up I got him a couple books for it!!
I loved, loved, loved my Mother's Day and can't wait to do it again!! Do I have to wait a whole year???

Sitting back and enjoying it all

It has been a very busy past few weeks, to say the least! Maryjo had her first Chorus performance and did great! We are so proud of her and Hanni sat with me through the performance and also did great. The next day Maryjo did a job shadowing thing with her school and got to shadow a police officer! She looked adorable and had a blast!

It is such a great program the school has to help the kids learn what they want to do in the future and learn how to get there and also to stay on track getting there. After Maryjo was finished with her "job" for the day I picked her up downtown and since she didn't have to go back to school for the rest of the day she got to see Randy and tell him all about it! That is rare since the kids usually don't get to see him during the week at all. She was just so excited about her adventures that morning!

Randy and I have been taking Friday afternoons before he goes to work and enjoying a little time together. Usually some of the guys from where he works join us for lunch but it is nice because it is a little time for us and I feel like I am part of what he is doing each day. I also feel like an adult for a little while since most of my time is spent with the kiddos!! I do, however, love my time with him and since there is only Eli at the house during that time of the day it is pretty easy on my mom so I don't feel like I am leaving a bunch of kiddos with her. One thing Randy and I have been wanting to start is a weekly or every other week date so this is a good place to start. Have I said that I love it??!!

In other exciting news, Gracie got her award for her Patriotism paper! I posted her paper up several posts back but it is truly a beautiful piece. She is such a wonderful writer! We are so proud of her for this piece of work! She got an award from the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Gaffney, so we got to spend a Saturday morning there and really enjoyed our time with Gracie. Just Randy and I went and it was so nice being able to spend time with her since that is so rare to get her to herself!!




Other fun things, Hanni and Eli are both becoming such great readers! Eli just willingly picked out his first chapter book!!!! Wow!!! Hanni made 300 steps in her 100 Book Challenge at school!! Hanni also read a pretty big book to me the other day called All Tutus Should Be Pink. She had a little help but did most of it on her own and tried to sound out big words before asking for help. She just kept reading when I asked if she wanted to take a break and did great! I am so proud of them both!!!

Hanni with her 300 steps trophy.


I also made cupcake cones. I know, not big news like the kiddos, but they were a cute after school snack, and so yummy!!! I love doing things in the kitchen but never seem to have time, so since Randy and I couldn't go out this past Friday, and Friday is Eli's easier day at school if he does really good all week (which he did this week) I had some time to make something yummy! I made these yummy treats!



As I made them, I decided that I am going to make some extra time to make more things like this though, because it didn't take that long and they are homemade (ok from a box, but I have alot of cake boxes around, lol) so they are healthier than store and fastfood crap. It is time for me to take a little time to get back in the kitchen!! And I had fun doing it and the kiddos loved them!! That is the best thing in the world right?!

We have had a pretty rough weekend. Daddy had a fall but he is ok. We were terrified he had a stroke but just hit his head. They actually glued his head, ran a ton of tests, and determined he is healthy as a horse. He was shaking so bad after his fall though and was white as a ghost that we were so scared. He was fine once we sat him down. The hospital staff said they because he has Alzheimer's he was probably more scared than what most people would be and more disoriented than most after he fell and that is what caused the shaking. He has done great since we have been home though although we are all walking on eggshells around him. The whole thing really scared me but as always I have a great family and we, as always, have come together and love each other to pieces and take care of each other through it all!! Thank you Lord for the most amazing daddy in the world!!

On another note!! I also got some amazing news this weekend!! One of my dearest friends is going to have baby #3! She is one of the most wonderful ladies I know and a wonderful mother!! I couldn't be happier for any other family!!! Congrats!!! Love all of you guys!!! xoxo

Homeschool room for two?!

I decided to homeschool Eli last year and it has turned out to be the best decision we made for him and for us. I tried homeschooling Gracie a few years ago and it was an absolute fail but I know each child is different and we have all grown and learned more about the process and from the process with her to go ahead and try it with Eli. It has been wonderful! He has grown, not only intellectually, but in his self-esteem! I took Gracie to the church yesterday to try out for choir solos and speaking parts and she was even bragging on her brother and how homeschooling has helped him and how he is actually "very wise and happy now"! One of my kids bragging on the other!! Now of course they probably wouldn't do that in front of each other! Ha ha!!!!

Well, Hanni was so excited about going to kindergarten in the beginning of the school year. She has loved it since, for the most part. Randy and I love her teachers and she has seemed to have learned so much but she is showing more and more interest in wanting to homeschool next year. I asked her if she could stay in her teachers class if she would still feel this way she said she would. She really wants to homeschool! I thought Eli would be upset if I homeschooled Hanni but he has been begging me to homeschool her! I have reminded him that he wouldn't be here by himself all day and have me to himself all day and he doesn't care he just wants me to homeschool his sister. WOW!! We are still debating it but I am leaning more towards homeschooling Hanni! The two of them are so excited about the prospect of both being homeschooled and I even heard Eli telling Hanni that I am a hard but really cool teacher and she will like me teaching her alot. lol

Homeschooling two kids would mean a huge change in my life though. I mean we would have to be alot more scheduled! I usually let Eli wake up on his own and let him linger about an hour before we start our day. We will be on strict time schedule if I decide to do this, due to the fact they alot of what they are doing will be a little different for each of them. I am hoping that I can merge some things and just give Eli a little more advanced assignments and such since they are so close in age but most will be completely different but I have a feeling Hanni will catch up and work on level with Eli during some assignments by mid to end year. Another big change is organizing our homeschool area better, which I have already started a little bit by buy some drawers. I just need to figure out how to work the area so I have a system. Another thing I will have to do is start getting books and workbooks for each kid. Yes, homeschooling can add up some at first each year. I would like to go ahead and make a decision whether we are going to teach both kids so I can start stocking up now! Getting our books and even teaching supplies and such!! Just like back to school with other kids there is back to school with homeschool and I do have two other kids in public school that will need supplies. Those supply lists usually don't come out till right before school starts and takes a big bite out of our budget so if I can stock up with our homeschool stuff now and throughout the spring and early summer it will help with everything!!

I have been praying about it for the past couple weeks and will continue to pray over the rest of the weekend and will hopefully have a decision very soon though! Eli will definitely be homeschooled again next year though!! Hanni, we're not sure. I am about 75/25 on my decision and I think everyone else is about 50/50. Hanni is about 90/10. So hopefully we will have our decision soon!!

That's what I love about...

Everyone seems to have a favorite day of the week. I have always like Friday and Saturday's myself. I had a time where I love either Wednesdays or Thursdays (funny it has been so long I don't remember which day it was now) cause it was payday and I would go get Randy's check from him and we would go out to lunch together. Usually to our favorite place in Chalmette and I would either get a shrimp poboy or a shrimp and oyster poboy. Yummy! Just remembering it makes my mouth water!!! Anyways, I have always like Fridays because it is the end of the week and beginning of the weekend. Saturdays because Randy and I would usually take the kiddos shopping or just hang out together. Never been a fan of Sundays though. In fact I liked Sundays even less than Mondays because it was like a black cloud over the day that said, "Uh, oh, enjoy it now but tomorrow is MONDAY!" I especially didn't like Sundays if Randy had to work on the Saturday before because it was like cramming everything into one day.
As I have gotten older I am learning to enjoy each day though. I like Mondays now (although it is still hard to get up so early, lol). The kiddos are off to school and the week starts off fresh and Eli and I start a new week and I get to start cleaning up from the weekend. Not a bad way to start the week. Oh and if it isn't reruns Monday night TV is pretty good!!! lol The bad thing about Monday is Randy is up and gone and we don't see him unless we stay up until midnight (which I don't since I get up at 5 a.m.).
I like Tuesdays too. Nothing spectacular happens on Tuesdays. Busy afternoon though with grabbing Hanni from the bus, dashing Eli to choir, and picking up Maryjo. Then going back to the church to get kiddos. We usually do pizza night though on Tuesdays so nobody has to cook!! Not a bad day! And I get to see Randy for about an hour midday!
Wednesdays are so so. Much like Mondays, don't get to see Randy. :( TV is good on Wednesdays but hopefully by the end of the day on Wednesday my house is clean and laundry is done. Ok, so it doesn't usually happen quite that way but usually it is pretty close!! I do like Wednesday ok.
Thursday, Thursday, Thursday! Why must you tease me so? So close to Friday but so far away. Thursdays are actually pretty good though. I personally like Thursdays. I try to get things done that need to be done before the weekend. Eli and I are finish up weekly things on Thursdays so on Fridays we don't have as much to do. If there is time we do a little shopping before the girls all get home from school. And, it is still a school night so everyone has to get to bed at a certain time so mommy may have some mommy time if I am not too tired!! Yup, I kinda like Thursday!!
Of course, I love Fridays!!! Eli and I don't have as much school work to do if he has work well all week. Randy doesn't have school in the morning so we usually get to spend time with him once he wakes up. If I need to do shopping I do that. If I need to do laundry or cleaning I get that done or if I just want to laze around for a little while, I can! I love Friday mornings. Then my girls come home for the weekend!! First, Hanni off the bus! Then I have to do the car pick up which after that we are all off for the weekend!! Love Fridays!!!
Saturdays are also great! Kiddos are home. I pray they all sleep in, whether I sleep in or not, just to give me that little bit of "me" time. I also hope Randy doesn't have to work but if he does it is usually not until later so we get a little time with him. On Saturday afternoons, if I haven't hit Publix and they have a good sale I go there with Hanni, usually. Or we just find something else to do even if we just hang at the house and watch movies or do nothing. Saturday is the day though that people can do their own thing.
Sunday is fast becoming my favorite day!!! We go to church. Then we will either go out to eat as a family or come home and eat. But, Sunday is FAMILY DAY!!! I love it! The kids can have friends over but they have to be here on Sundays. With the weather being so nice this past few Sundays we have enjoyed family day outside. We even opened the grill last night for some salmon! We came up with this because our family is pretty big and we all have our own things going on and sometimes it is just nice to be a family! Plus, Sundays is Randy's only time he is almost always home so he can enjoy his family too. There will be exceptions to the family day rule here and there but for the most part it is going to be pretty strict. I think we are all enjoying it and are all glad it is there and don't really look at it as a rule but as a way of life. And that is what it should be! Like I have said Sundays are fast becoming my favorite day and that black cloud isn't so black anymore and although I truly love everyday God has blessed me with I love the days I can spend with my family the most!!!

Eli

Eli was born a preemie and was always the perfect baby. Hardly ever cried but had a few issues. He outgrew those issues and then grew into some other issues. We had mentioned them to our pediatrician who at first seemed concerned and then dismissed them as he will grow out of them and all toddlers are different. Well, we waited for him to grow out of these drastic behaviors but he either seemed to grow out of them or stayed with them and they just seemed to mellow in our minds because we got so used to dealing with them. When he did grow out of something he grew right into something else. We found a new doctor for the kids because that doctor dismissed Eli so quickly and dismissed some of other concerns with Gracie so quickly. Gracie has severe ADHD. Well, we decided to wait till Eli started school to see how he did before we did anything since Gracie has ADHD because that is what we truly though it was. His problems mellowed some more at his first kindergarten, but some of them were brought to our attention by his teacher (some we knew about and some we hadn't known about since he had never been in a classroom setting). We still decided to wait because there was no way we were going to put our son on medication in kindergarten. The teacher was awesome with him and with us. Then we moved. That is when we knew we had to do something. He was great at home but at school was a different story. He hated it. His teachers didn't communicate with us. They didn't take any of the issues we were dealing with and help him out. It was like dropping him off the first day and each day after he was supposed to just know what to do and the meltdowns after school got worse! About an hour after he got home though he was fine for the most part. We talked to the doctor but agreed to wait to test him for ADHD till first grade. We were going to wait to see what his teacher and class was like to see if that helped at all. Well, first grade came and by the second week he was being tested for ADHD. I think always in the back of Randy's and my mind's we knew it was something else but just didn't know what it could be. We started treating him for ADHD within a week of the testing and he did a lot better in class. He was on green every day but he was still behind academically (which was always an issue) except in math. He couldn't read at all! He was getting off the bus everyday crying. Trying to get away from everyone by hiding (yes, he even would go in the washing machine to hide, talk about scary stuff). I took him to the doctor. We adjusted his meds. It didn't get better. His teacher was telling me everything is fine and he is very friendly. But, when I was at the school, he was not and always to himself. I asked other parents about when I was not there (sometimes a kid acts differently when their parents are around) they told me he was always by himself. Hardly ever with others and when he was it was for short spurts of play. Hmmm! Finally, I started my research! I took all my research to the doctor and we decided to have Eli tested for Aspergers. Well, in December, we got out diagnosis, Eli doesn't have Aspergers but he has Autism. Apergers is a form of Autism but not what Eli has. Eli has been homeschooling since the beginning of second grade and doing AWESOME!! He CAN read!!!! He is even starting to write more! His math skills are coming along! He is an extremely smart kid who just needed a little one on one time! He is one of the most awesome little boys I have ever met and no, I am not saying that just because I am his mom!! BTW, we have now started the testing on Gracie due to the similar issues she has had like Eli's that we always related to ADHD!