I'm glad my good friend, Moriah, had a recap of her first blog entry of each month for 2009. I like that idea, so here I go:
January:
"I've finally done it"
The beginning of blogging for me!
February:
"Winter Carnival"
The annual Carnival at school (guess it is almost time for that again?).
March:
"NASCAR Fantasy League"
I did not end the fantasy league with a grand score, maybe next year?
April:
"Kindergarten Round Up"
Daegan's first experience in the classroom, a half day at school.
May:
"Monday Morning Blog"
A long blog about a long weekend.
June:
"Dr. Appts."
A recap of too many dr. appointments for one week.
July:
"Happy 4th of July"
My favorite holiday!
August:
"Summer coming to an end"
This was a good recap of summer
September:
"TV, Lollipops and Juice"
Ironic that this one ends up on the list. Mac still isn't potty trained. This particular week in September didn't go well, I gave up and haven't gone back. Mac turns 3 on January 15 and I promised myself and my husband that I would get on the ball before then. Maybe next week when the kids go back to school?
October:
"Socks"
Oh, the excitement of new socks!
November:
"Mollee turns 9"
Mollee's birthday is October 31, not sure how this one ended up November 1st? I still can't believe she is 9.
December:
"Accomplishments and Failures"
This started the downward spiral of my weight loss journey. On Monday, I plan to get my butt back in gear. I'm beginning to think I'm an all or nothing dieter. If I have a little sugar I want a lot, so I just need to stay away from it or eat it late in the day. The holidays have been a bit rough on me, but the scale has been kind. Along with potty training Mac, I'll get back to exercise Monday. Honestly, (and I promise this isn't a lame excuse) I think my ankle has appreciated a little break.
Happy New Year! Can you believe it is almost 2010? I remember Y2K, and *snap* we are 10 years later. Oh, Boy!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Comparison, or just an Observation!
Ok, so it isn't right to compare your children. Maybe this isn't a comparison, but just an observation that makes mommy smile.
And then there was Tavis' gift bag (oh, I love that boy!):
When I questioned him about it, he simply said, "Oh, I didn't have time to do anything on it". He didn't even write To: Mom and Dad, From: Tavis on it. He cracks me up - he will do the least amount of work possible on any project or assignment.
I always look forward to what the teachers come up with for the kids to make for their parents for Christmas. I've actually received some great items. With Tavis and Mollee in consecutive grades, I've gotten the same gift two years in a row. This year, kindergarten did something a little different that I thought was cute. Daegan gave me a wreath made out of his hand prints.
Well, the 2nd grade project has been the same and it just cracks me up the difference between Mollee and Tavis, boy and girl, crafty and "I don't have time for that".
Well, the 2nd grade project has been the same and it just cracks me up the difference between Mollee and Tavis, boy and girl, crafty and "I don't have time for that".The project was a manger scene out of popsicle sticks and other things:
I'll let you decide whose is whose (it is hard to tell the big differences in this picture - think lots of glue and not a lot of stain on one).
The gift bags cracked me up too. I just happen to still have Mollee's (even though I am the anti-pack rat). She was so proud of it and, obviously, took a lot of time on it so I couldn't throw it away.
And then there was Tavis' gift bag (oh, I love that boy!):When I questioned him about it, he simply said, "Oh, I didn't have time to do anything on it". He didn't even write To: Mom and Dad, From: Tavis on it. He cracks me up - he will do the least amount of work possible on any project or assignment.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Thank Yous!
I've always been a card giver, it is just something I enjoy doing! I also think it is important for my children to learn to write Thank You cards (although, I know that isn't for everyone). I decided to recycle some Christmas cards to make our thank you cards this year.
It is fun, as the kids are older, that they can get more involved with the writing - and it makes it a little more personal. I thought they did a great job on this one!
Mollee insisted on doing hers in cursive!
It is fun, as the kids are older, that they can get more involved with the writing - and it makes it a little more personal. I thought they did a great job on this one!
Mollee insisted on doing hers in cursive!
Picking out glasses with a 6-year old
Since my last post turned out a little long (sorry about that) I decided to make the shopping for glasses post separate. Daegan was a trooper for the appointment. It took an hour-and-a-half because the Dr. was trying to get a good idea of what we were dealing with. Also, he dilated his eyes (which Daegan did not approve of) and that also took some time.
We didn't get the glasses at the Dr.'s office because of insurance reasons. We went to Wal-Mart and couldn't find any that we liked the price and the look of - they all seemed to big for his little face. So we drove 20 minutes further down the road to an office that actually took our insurance, but the insurance didn't cover poly-carbonate lenses, which are much thinner and shatter proof - which is an absolute must for children. So we went back to Wal-Mart and 'just happened' to find a pair that Daegan liked, I liked, weren't too big for his face, and were reasonable priced - $10! Wal-Mart has poly-carbonate lenses for kids for $29 (the other office said $50?). So, we got a great pair for only $39. Plus, Wal-mart said they'd be ready in a week or less and the other office said 3-4 weeks (because of our insurance).
We have to go back in four weeks to have the Dr. look and see how this prescription is working, he didn't make it as strong as a +4 because he thought that would be too much for Daegan to get used to at once. That is another reason I didn't want to pay for top quality ones until we know the prescription is right.
He is counting down the days until we get to pick them up, which should be Tuesday. He is excited and I'm glad about that. I hope he doesn't get frustrated with wearing them after the 'newness' wears off.
....and as mommy, I hope that he doesn't end up not liking them because someone makes fun of him. *sigh*
Coming soon: Blog of new glasses pictures! :)
We didn't get the glasses at the Dr.'s office because of insurance reasons. We went to Wal-Mart and couldn't find any that we liked the price and the look of - they all seemed to big for his little face. So we drove 20 minutes further down the road to an office that actually took our insurance, but the insurance didn't cover poly-carbonate lenses, which are much thinner and shatter proof - which is an absolute must for children. So we went back to Wal-Mart and 'just happened' to find a pair that Daegan liked, I liked, weren't too big for his face, and were reasonable priced - $10! Wal-Mart has poly-carbonate lenses for kids for $29 (the other office said $50?). So, we got a great pair for only $39. Plus, Wal-mart said they'd be ready in a week or less and the other office said 3-4 weeks (because of our insurance).
We have to go back in four weeks to have the Dr. look and see how this prescription is working, he didn't make it as strong as a +4 because he thought that would be too much for Daegan to get used to at once. That is another reason I didn't want to pay for top quality ones until we know the prescription is right.
He is counting down the days until we get to pick them up, which should be Tuesday. He is excited and I'm glad about that. I hope he doesn't get frustrated with wearing them after the 'newness' wears off.
....and as mommy, I hope that he doesn't end up not liking them because someone makes fun of him. *sigh*
Coming soon: Blog of new glasses pictures! :)
The one who gets it all!
You may remember that this past summer we dealt with a few weird medical things. Parotitis. Fifth Disease. etc. And, of course, Daegan was always the one. Recently, we found out (at the last dentist appt) that Daegan has a bacteria in his mouth (that some people just have and there is nothing you can do about it) that causes cavities to form no matter what. He is lactose intolerant and he inherited eczema that causes him great discomfort during the winter months.
And now...
He needs glasses.
The state requires certain grades to be tested during the school year by the school nurse with just the basic eye chart test. Mollee and Tavis both got 20/40 in kindergarten and our pediatrician advised us just to wait because a child's eyes are not fully developed until age 9. Mollee's last test was 20/25 and Tavis' was still 20/40, but he just turned 8.
This year, the school had a Dr. offer his time to do the tests for the children. Apparently, Daegan's was a struggle. He was called back three times to redo the test and when he came home that night he just knew he was going to be getting glasses (and he was happy about that). The Dr. sent us a note home recommending an exam in an office because Daegan's test was registering around 20/80. I then received an e-mail from Daegan's teacher to make sure I was aware of this result and then the school nurse caught me in the hall one day to make sure I knew. It was obvious to me that the test didn't go well.
Yesterday, was the day of the appointment. We ended up going to the Dr. that saw him at school (which wasn't required) because we were about to switch to him anyway. The results were not at all what we were expecting. Daegan is actually farsighted, not nearsighted. The reason he was struggling so bad with the eye chart test at school was because he also has a fairly severe astigmatism. Daegan can see fine at a distance (unless the astigmatism is causing problems), but his eyes are really struggling to focus on things up close. My medical lesson for the week: Farsighted and Nearsighted aren't exact opposites. With nearsightedness, you just can't see at a distance no matter what. With farsightedness, you can't see clearly what is close to you (depending on how severe your prescription need is), but with a little squinting and a lot of strain you can usually make out what you are seeing.
All kids are farsighted some until their eyes develop fully, usually at a +2 as an infant and slowly getting better. Daegan was a +4. The Dr. told me that at age 6, we can work on this problem and he may or may not deal with it as a teenager. If he had come in at age 12 with this problem the damage (severe strain) would be done and there wouldn't be much that could be done about correcting it. Without wearing glasses to give his eyes some relief, he could end up with crossed eyes or a lazy eye, not to mention, a lot of headaches.
If he didn't have the astigmatism that bothered his eye chart reading at the initial test, we probably would never know about the farsightedness. Usually, the only way to know that a child is farsighted is when their eyes start to cross. Funny how that works?
And,
I can't even be blamed for this problem. I'm a - 8 prescription, which is at the other end of the spectrum!! :)
And now...
He needs glasses.
The state requires certain grades to be tested during the school year by the school nurse with just the basic eye chart test. Mollee and Tavis both got 20/40 in kindergarten and our pediatrician advised us just to wait because a child's eyes are not fully developed until age 9. Mollee's last test was 20/25 and Tavis' was still 20/40, but he just turned 8.
This year, the school had a Dr. offer his time to do the tests for the children. Apparently, Daegan's was a struggle. He was called back three times to redo the test and when he came home that night he just knew he was going to be getting glasses (and he was happy about that). The Dr. sent us a note home recommending an exam in an office because Daegan's test was registering around 20/80. I then received an e-mail from Daegan's teacher to make sure I was aware of this result and then the school nurse caught me in the hall one day to make sure I knew. It was obvious to me that the test didn't go well.
Yesterday, was the day of the appointment. We ended up going to the Dr. that saw him at school (which wasn't required) because we were about to switch to him anyway. The results were not at all what we were expecting. Daegan is actually farsighted, not nearsighted. The reason he was struggling so bad with the eye chart test at school was because he also has a fairly severe astigmatism. Daegan can see fine at a distance (unless the astigmatism is causing problems), but his eyes are really struggling to focus on things up close. My medical lesson for the week: Farsighted and Nearsighted aren't exact opposites. With nearsightedness, you just can't see at a distance no matter what. With farsightedness, you can't see clearly what is close to you (depending on how severe your prescription need is), but with a little squinting and a lot of strain you can usually make out what you are seeing.
All kids are farsighted some until their eyes develop fully, usually at a +2 as an infant and slowly getting better. Daegan was a +4. The Dr. told me that at age 6, we can work on this problem and he may or may not deal with it as a teenager. If he had come in at age 12 with this problem the damage (severe strain) would be done and there wouldn't be much that could be done about correcting it. Without wearing glasses to give his eyes some relief, he could end up with crossed eyes or a lazy eye, not to mention, a lot of headaches.
If he didn't have the astigmatism that bothered his eye chart reading at the initial test, we probably would never know about the farsightedness. Usually, the only way to know that a child is farsighted is when their eyes start to cross. Funny how that works?
And,
I can't even be blamed for this problem. I'm a - 8 prescription, which is at the other end of the spectrum!! :)
Sunday, December 27, 2009
McClure's Christmas Visit
Our dear friends, the McClure's, always get to stop by for a visit during Christmas break. It is always wonderful to see them (even Heath) and the kids always act like it was just last week that we hung out - which I think is wonderful!
The girls: Jenny (Jennifer Gretchen), Mollee and Abby Mae
The boys: Jack, Daeg, Capps and Tavis
and Nate getting fed on the counter!
Trying to get a group shot, Heath didn't cooperate very well, and Mollee took a blurry picture (I've got to remember she is the worst one to ask to take a picture):
And trying to get nine tired kids to look at the camera and smile:
The girls: Jenny (Jennifer Gretchen), Mollee and Abby Mae
The boys: Jack, Daeg, Capps and Tavis
and Nate getting fed on the counter!Trying to get a group shot, Heath didn't cooperate very well, and Mollee took a blurry picture (I've got to remember she is the worst one to ask to take a picture):
And trying to get nine tired kids to look at the camera and smile:
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Caines Christmas Chaos
Saturday was our Christmas with the Caines family. The cousins drew names and exchanged gifts and Grandma and Grandpa gave each kid one gift. Usually, mom (aka Grandma) comes up with a theme for her gifts. This year it was games or crafts. Here are some photos from the day.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Christmas Chaos
We told the kids to stay in bed until at least 7:30 (when I was growing up we weren't allowed to get out of bed on Christmas morning until we heard Dad's shower running). Of course, at 7:31, Tavis was at our door whispering, "Mommy, are you up?" We told him to go to the living room until everyone else woke up and by 8:15 we had the coffee brewing and we were ready to begin.
We started the morning with the tradition of the Li Bien ornaments that Jason gives the children. Unfortunately, Mollee broke hers in about 10 seconds and I will be venturing out to get another one tomorrow morning before they are all gone.
We then progressed to Jason opening all the gifts that the older kids made us in school.
And then, on to the gifts!
Group Gift: Lego Batman Xbox game -if the boys can get Daddy to share the Xbox?
We started the morning with the tradition of the Li Bien ornaments that Jason gives the children. Unfortunately, Mollee broke hers in about 10 seconds and I will be venturing out to get another one tomorrow morning before they are all gone.
We then progressed to Jason opening all the gifts that the older kids made us in school.And then, on to the gifts! 
Group Gift: Lego Batman Xbox game -if the boys can get Daddy to share the Xbox? Puzzles for my monkey!
And the standard gift that they want every year, PEZ dispensers (aka. stretchy heads)
And the standard gift that they want every year, PEZ dispensers (aka. stretchy heads)And Jason installing my new under-the-cabinet stereo for the kitchen - Yeah!!!
It was a great morning and has been a wonderful day. The kids have been entertained all day. At 1:30, I realized that no one had asked for lunch yet and had to force the kids to cease playing and come eat. It is now 8 PM and we are still in our PJ's. We just enjoyed an intense hour of Uno Flash (a game I highly recommend for family-fun), now the kids are playing the Xbox before bedtime.
Maybe tomorrow I can get the house back to normal?
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Christmas Eve PJ's
We got the kids PJ's for Christmas this year and, last minute, I thought it would be fun for them to open them when we got home from the Brown Christmas - not that they needed anything else. I just thought it would be nice for them to have them on for our Christmas morning festivities.
Mac was excited about the chance to open another gift.
I got Jason some too, of course, he got Xbox 360 ones :) New "Fat Pants"!!!!
Mac was excited about the chance to open another gift.
I got Jason some too, of course, he got Xbox 360 ones :) New "Fat Pants"!!!! Everyone modeling before bed time:
Since it is hard to see: Mollee's are the Bubble Gum Monkey, Tavis' are superheroes, Daeg's are Transformers, Capps' are Lego Star Wars and Mac's our Reindeer's (I still get to buy fun, sweet ones for another year or so).
Since it is hard to see: Mollee's are the Bubble Gum Monkey, Tavis' are superheroes, Daeg's are Transformers, Capps' are Lego Star Wars and Mac's our Reindeer's (I still get to buy fun, sweet ones for another year or so).Christmas Eve with the Brown's
Mac Christmas Lightning McQueen shirt:
After the papertowel incident Tavis decided that Uncle Daniel needed toilet paper for Christmas:
Uncle Daniel and Aunt Heather get a history of being an uncle and aunt:
Mac helping Mima (age 98) open her gift:
Pops getting help from all the boys: 
And then they helped Mimi (why aren't they this helpful at home? Hmmm!):
Mac gets an Imaginex Space Station: 
Mac gets an Imaginex Space Station: Lots of Star Wars to be had:
Tavis gets Playmobile/Daeg gets Legos (not sure why we can't get these boys into the same category of toys?):
Capps gets a 3D coloring set:
Mollee gets a new leotard:
Group shot with new Webkinz:
Jason and I did get gifts also, but when you are the photographer you don't always end up in many pictures. Jason got an Xbox game and a new headset. I got a Kitchenaid mixer, which I've wanted since I got married - now, no excuses for no holiday baking?
Tavis gets Playmobile/Daeg gets Legos (not sure why we can't get these boys into the same category of toys?):Capps gets a 3D coloring set:
Mollee gets a new leotard:Group shot with new Webkinz: Jason and I did get gifts also, but when you are the photographer you don't always end up in many pictures. Jason got an Xbox game and a new headset. I got a Kitchenaid mixer, which I've wanted since I got married - now, no excuses for no holiday baking?
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