It started out good, I got up early and jogged with the dog. Then I got the kids up and had them shower and eat breakfast. By 8:00 we were ready for the day. I decided to have Belle clean her room while I straitened the school room, then we'd proceed with school about 9:30 or 10:00. It didn't happen that way at all...
Belle stayed in her room doing who knows what, it sure wasn't cleaning. I tried to give her a time limit 'This better be clean in 10 minutes or else...'. I tried positive reinforcement 'Wow, look at how well your cleaning! your almost done, just a little more'. I tried breaking up the tasks 'Okay, put all the books away first, then pick up all the trash...'. I finally resorted to threats 'if this room isn't clean by the time I come back, I'm going to lock you in here all day until it IS'.
Nope, nothing worked! SIX hours later at 1:00 in the afternoon, we had gotten NO school done and her room looked as bad as it did when she started. I called hubby because I didn't know what else to do, he calmed me down. I then told Belle, we were going to take a break from cleaning and just start school. We started with math as usual... THREE hours later, she was in tears, she wasn't concentrating, she was being completely sloppy as if she'd forgotten how to write and count. Remember we're STILL just on math here! Finally it was time to start dinner, I gave up!
I went down and cooked dinner, she stayed upstairs 'cleaning' her room. Well, grammy and gramps called and wanted to take the girls out to dinner. I allowed Pinky to go but not Belle because she hadn't done one thing that whole day that I had asked her. She was pretty upset and told me this day sucked and she wanted a happy day. After grammy and gramps came and picked up Pinky, Belle ate dinner with hubby and I. I had no choice but to go up and help her clean her room after dinner, otherwise it would never get done and tomorrow would be a repeat of today.
I like to clean with music, so I had music on loud and sang and cleaned, Belle actually helped me! She later said 'remember earlier when I said I wanted a happy day? Well, this is it, I love you and now I'm happy' AH, so now I know the key to her happiness is to do her chores FOR her, I got it!
It ended up being okay, it got clean (REALLY clean because I did most of it) and her mood lightened up. It's now 7:30 and we just finished... 11 and a half hours later from the time she started...
Monday, March 30, 2009
Epilepsy Walk
This past Saturday Eric and I were able to go to the 3rd annual Epilepsy walk in Downtown D.C. This was our 3rd year going. It was fun, they were alot more put together this year. Since the walk is still fairly new, it's gotten better each year, but still has a few quirks to work out.
One of the speakers was an actor from the show Hero's. His sons were with him, they have Epilepsy, so he's a big advocate for it. I've never seen the show myself, but others their were very excited and got pictures with him. There were also several NFL players who spoke who have Epilepsy as well... again, I didn't know them from Adam, but most people there were yelling with excitement to see them. Here's a photo of the actor...
It was overcast and had rained the whole night before, so it was WET everywhere. This was the first year we didn't have the kids. In prior years we take the kids, and the parents and in laws, and we all walk together. But this year the kids stayed with my in laws so we could just do the walk by ourselves. It was very enjoyable!!! I know the kids would have been miserable because it was cold and wet, we would have ended up carrying one or both of them!
Afterwards, we met the kids and the in laws at Cheesecake Factory for lunch! Then we all went home adn slept for 3 hours!
One of the speakers was an actor from the show Hero's. His sons were with him, they have Epilepsy, so he's a big advocate for it. I've never seen the show myself, but others their were very excited and got pictures with him. There were also several NFL players who spoke who have Epilepsy as well... again, I didn't know them from Adam, but most people there were yelling with excitement to see them. Here's a photo of the actor...
It was overcast and had rained the whole night before, so it was WET everywhere. This was the first year we didn't have the kids. In prior years we take the kids, and the parents and in laws, and we all walk together. But this year the kids stayed with my in laws so we could just do the walk by ourselves. It was very enjoyable!!! I know the kids would have been miserable because it was cold and wet, we would have ended up carrying one or both of them!
Afterwards, we met the kids and the in laws at Cheesecake Factory for lunch! Then we all went home adn slept for 3 hours!
Disapointing
I was looking forward to the campout near the National Mall in D.C to get my White House Easter Egg Roll tickets this year. In previous years you camp out with friends, pop up a tent in line with the other thousands of tents in line, stay up all night talking and at around 4:30am the tickets get distrubuted.
I just read online that this year there will be no tickets passed out that way, they will be done electronically through the internet, and they were all GONE for 2009! The tickets were passed out last Thursday! Apperently the process was just as grueling, with parents sitting at their computers literally 24 hours that day hitting refresh every minute or so to get tickets. That doesn't sound fun at all!
I hope this isn't how they continue in years to come to dole the tickets out. Camping out in D.C is a tradition that started YEARS ago!!
Oh well, I guess we'll have to find local Easter egg hunts this year. Although the White House was the one I found to be the most fun! A bit crowded though, but that doesn't bother me.
I just read online that this year there will be no tickets passed out that way, they will be done electronically through the internet, and they were all GONE for 2009! The tickets were passed out last Thursday! Apperently the process was just as grueling, with parents sitting at their computers literally 24 hours that day hitting refresh every minute or so to get tickets. That doesn't sound fun at all!
I hope this isn't how they continue in years to come to dole the tickets out. Camping out in D.C is a tradition that started YEARS ago!!
Oh well, I guess we'll have to find local Easter egg hunts this year. Although the White House was the one I found to be the most fun! A bit crowded though, but that doesn't bother me.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Just because
Just because I have nothing noteworthy to post about at this particular moment, I thought I'd do some then and now photos!
ME BEFORE THE PLATINUM HAIR:
ME AFTER THE PLATINUM HAIR:
KIDS THEN:
KIDS NOW:
A MAN AND HIS DOG!:
A MAN AND HIS BIGGER DOG:
ME BEFORE THE PLATINUM HAIR:
ME AFTER THE PLATINUM HAIR:
KIDS THEN:
KIDS NOW:
A MAN AND HIS DOG!:
A MAN AND HIS BIGGER DOG:
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Happy Saint Patricks Day
The kids woke up to a yummy breakfast of green shamrock shaped pancakes, with green fried eggs and ham. I also made them green milkshakes. We listened to Irish music and danced Irish dances, and later we will be making Irish Soda bread to eat with our Corned beef dinner. I'm such a good mom!!!!
Oh wait, that was a day in the life of my parallel universe self. Oh yeah, that's right, for breakfast I poured my children bowls of cereal with milk I dyed green (looked nasty, but the kids liked it). And we have a normal day planned today, if we are lucky and have time I printed off a few St. Patrick's Day worksheets to do for fun.
I WISH we were having corned beef for dinner, I love that stuff. But alas, hubby is out of town, so we will most likely have mac and cheese (although I could dye that green... yuck, maybe not!)
Anyway, St. Patricks Day! Hopefully most of you are having a more fun day then we are, LOL! Hey, at least the kids dressed themselves in green today...
Oh wait, that was a day in the life of my parallel universe self. Oh yeah, that's right, for breakfast I poured my children bowls of cereal with milk I dyed green (looked nasty, but the kids liked it). And we have a normal day planned today, if we are lucky and have time I printed off a few St. Patrick's Day worksheets to do for fun.
I WISH we were having corned beef for dinner, I love that stuff. But alas, hubby is out of town, so we will most likely have mac and cheese (although I could dye that green... yuck, maybe not!)
Anyway, St. Patricks Day! Hopefully most of you are having a more fun day then we are, LOL! Hey, at least the kids dressed themselves in green today...
Monday, March 16, 2009
Free Range Kids
Okay, I'm an instant fan. I like to think I parent like this to an extent anyway, but now with a name/label to it, I can find more information about it! Do you remember last year all the media frenzy about the New York mother who let her 9 year old ride the subway by himself? She was deemed the worst mother in America. Well, her parenting philosophy is one I wholeheartedly agree with. She's now writing a book about it, appropriately named Free Range Kids. She has a blog about it as well.Just copy and paste, it's worth it!
http://freerangekids.wordpress.com/2009/03/14/intro-to-free-range-kids-available-for-your-reading-pleasure/
Anyway, you can read the introduction to her book on there, and it's really good! It's one I'll probably read several times. Leave comments... I'm curious what other parents think of the concept. As it is now, I think I'm the only parent I know who lets their 7 and 3 year old wander the neighborhood. I like the idea of having a 'free range kid', HA!
http://freerangekids.wordpress.com/2009/03/14/intro-to-free-range-kids-available-for-your-reading-pleasure/
Anyway, you can read the introduction to her book on there, and it's really good! It's one I'll probably read several times. Leave comments... I'm curious what other parents think of the concept. As it is now, I think I'm the only parent I know who lets their 7 and 3 year old wander the neighborhood. I like the idea of having a 'free range kid', HA!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Projects...
If there's one thing we do alot of in this house it's PROJECTS! Here are our latest ones... birdhouses, which the kids did for co-op the other day. Pinky has hers hanging off the tree in our front yard.
We also made Ice Cream In A Bag. It was very cool! Each kid can make and eat there own! I don't have a good pic of that, but you give each kid a ziplock bag (normal size) and fill it with 1/2 c. of half and half, 1 TBSP. sugar, and 1 tsp. vanilla. Then SEAL the bag! In a gallon size ziplock bag put enough ice to fill about 3/4ths, then add 6 TBSP of rock salt. Put the smaller bag inside the bigger and, then roll around on the counter for 5 minutes! Take smaller bag out of salt and rinse thoroughly in water then eat.
All the kids loved this one!
I also attempted something I've never tried before, we made homemade crayons. Just peel all your old crayons, color code them, and bake at 200 degrees until melted. it took about 15 minutes. Then pop in the fridge for like 10 more to cool them.
Try these at home, they were fun!
We also made Ice Cream In A Bag. It was very cool! Each kid can make and eat there own! I don't have a good pic of that, but you give each kid a ziplock bag (normal size) and fill it with 1/2 c. of half and half, 1 TBSP. sugar, and 1 tsp. vanilla. Then SEAL the bag! In a gallon size ziplock bag put enough ice to fill about 3/4ths, then add 6 TBSP of rock salt. Put the smaller bag inside the bigger and, then roll around on the counter for 5 minutes! Take smaller bag out of salt and rinse thoroughly in water then eat.
All the kids loved this one!
I also attempted something I've never tried before, we made homemade crayons. Just peel all your old crayons, color code them, and bake at 200 degrees until melted. it took about 15 minutes. Then pop in the fridge for like 10 more to cool them.
Try these at home, they were fun!
Snow Day
So, this is a bit late, seeing as how we've had 70 degree days since this... but here is the snow we got last week. It was perfect powdery snow! The dog loved it and the kids attempted to make a snowman with hubby, but the snow was too soft for that still. But it was cool anyway!
Friday, March 6, 2009
What is going on with the weather!!
On Monday it snowed 9 inches, on Tuesday it was icy. Yet, today (Thursday) it is nearly 70 degrees out!! Hey, I'm not complaining... but it sure it wierd!
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