The big news from this week is that Cammie has started to use the potty. *Glory, Glory, Hallelujah* Ignore the swell of the hymn in the back ground. It's exciting news. She isn't 100% there yet, but I will take the occasional accident as long as she is dragging me to the bathroom the other 75 % of the time.
It's family day long weekend. Five days with the kids home from school and doing their thing. We are keeping the limit on how much time they are allowed to spend playing video games, useless computer games and watching TV. Instead they are having to play with each other. They have broken out board games and read books and used their *gasp* imaginations. It's been a good weekend.
Other exciting news...Brooklyn is now a swimmer. We often use a "floaty" swimsuit with her. It's a swimsuit with built in padding so that it works like a life jacket. She loves it, as all the kids have. It's great to build confidence and teach them. This week, while stranded in the city with a broken part on our SUV, we checked into a hotel minus the floaty suit. I have been working on weaning her off of it the last few times we have hit the pool and this weekend it all connected. She put her face in the water and swam a length with the use of any aids. And she continued to do it...Way to go girl.
It's so exciting to see the kids continue to grow and flourish. Bobby has a favorite snack of melting butterscotch chips, peaut butter and marshmallows. The recipe is easy enough for him to make them himself, and so I have been letting him do it the last couple times. We made them again two nights ago and he just seems to feel so important as he gets to add the ingredients and stir.
We dislike the amount of time the kids spend doing useless things like video games. Some are useful for developing hand eye coordination or problem solving skill, but that can be developed in a fraction of the amount of playing that they would like to do. Instead we have encouraged them to use the time to learn something new. Maddie has been focusing on learning the ins and outs or Corel Draw. There are a ton of things you can do with that program and she is just starting to unlock it's secrets. She is having a blast accomplishing it all.
Sydney is starting to enter into a more independent stage. She does ask for help more than the other kids, and I attribute it solely to the fact she wants our attention. She has figured out that she is just as capable as the other kids and is starting to do a lot more on her own. Funny enough, I think it's going to be the video games that get her there. She has a field trip to Science World this week. I'll be going with her...should be a great time!
And life continues to move forward.....
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Busy...
So life continues to be busy and I continue to look upon this blog with regret that I am not sharing more "moments" with it. Whats been going on?
Well, Phase 2 of the school has been completed which meant that the elementry and junior high wings were ready to move into the new wing. It all looks great. The library is beautiful, the virtual rooms are great, the pull out rooms are wonderful. The kids are excited. This will only last the next five months and then thigns will move around again in time for school to start in the fall.
We went in and helped the kids move. There was a lot of classrooms that needed to be moved...books...desks...furniture...it all had to go. The asbestos team was coming in for removal so less than a week was allowed to pack up all the kids and teaches and get them moved. Since they were only moving into these classrooms as temporary classrooms, they had to sort a lot of things into what was going into storage and what was going into the classrooms. Add to their list that class was still in session and reposrt cards were due that week, and you had some very tired and overwhelmed teachers. We were more than happy to step in and help with packing and moving and getting them set up in their new rooms even though it consumed a few days of our own. During this time we also realized that where the portables are now sitting, our playground used to be....
We also worked the casino that week. What a blast! It was way easier than I thought it would be. It was virutally 10 minutes of work at the beginning of a shift and 10 minutes of work at the end of a shift. The whole time the advisor was there telling you what to do and little to no brainwork was required. The easiest fundraiser I have ever had to do. Wish we could do a few of those a year. Of course the leader I blogged about in the last blog never showed up. First the excuse was that we were going to be expecting snow...0.4 inches of snow, but enough for her to back out on her shift. When told she could get a ride down with someone else, she came up with a new excuse. Her great uncle (may he rest in peace) conveniently died that week and there was a funeral to go to. She wouldn't be able to make it. All reports say that she also wasn't able to make it to the funeral... However, a friend of ours from the city who had already offered to help us fill a shift, got another friend to also come along and life was good. We had a great time playing cards and visiting and the shifts passed quickly. In appreciation for their help, we purchased and filled goody basics and they went over so well. I don't think we will have issues finding volunteers for our next event.
Back to the school afterwards...we wanted to help reclaim so things from the wing that was getting torn down. Some of those things like the lockers, we knew we would be able to sell and put towards the new playground. So there was some work involved there as well.
The dogs and chores at home never wait, so there is always more to do there too.
The kids all got sick...
The house and laundry all need cleaned...
We have had a few PAC and school council meetings and subcommittee meetings and workshops. It's been busy on that front too. Goals have been made and shared and life goes on. I do need to keep up on the minutes, I have started a facebook page that I need to keep updated for the school and of course fundraising for the playground. I have typed up a request to parents to start a database of data that will allow us to share what is going on and volunteer opportunities and i have drafted the letter for donation requests.
The website has taken a bit of a sideline as far as SEO building is concerned. The advertising is continueing and new members and $ is still coming in. However I don't seem to have people coming and looking at the ads and responding to the ones that are posted. Without that, I am thinking that the repeat posters are going to disappear and the site will get pretty empty. However I do recognize that it will take time for people to recognize it as the place to come look for a dog.
Cammie has started using the potty and diapers seem to be out the window. This is very good news.
Brooklyn is as cute as she always is. She loves playschool and has a mind like a trap. I wish I could record her almost every minute of every day just to play back when she gets older.
Sydney is so special. She has a heart the size of mount everest and has such a willing giving attitude. No wonder her teachers love her.
Bobby has such a way of saying "Oh Mom...." that it melts your heart. He thinks I'm crazy. He may be right.
Maddie is so thoughtful all the time. She has discovered Harry Potter and how much better books can make the world.
My kids have all been studen of the month at school now. Syndey was October, Bobby November and Maddie January. Bobby also brought home an Unsung Hero award from last month. All three are Virtue VIP's at the school and helo out in areas when needed. I couldn't be more proud of my little ones.
Well, Phase 2 of the school has been completed which meant that the elementry and junior high wings were ready to move into the new wing. It all looks great. The library is beautiful, the virtual rooms are great, the pull out rooms are wonderful. The kids are excited. This will only last the next five months and then thigns will move around again in time for school to start in the fall.
We went in and helped the kids move. There was a lot of classrooms that needed to be moved...books...desks...furniture...it all had to go. The asbestos team was coming in for removal so less than a week was allowed to pack up all the kids and teaches and get them moved. Since they were only moving into these classrooms as temporary classrooms, they had to sort a lot of things into what was going into storage and what was going into the classrooms. Add to their list that class was still in session and reposrt cards were due that week, and you had some very tired and overwhelmed teachers. We were more than happy to step in and help with packing and moving and getting them set up in their new rooms even though it consumed a few days of our own. During this time we also realized that where the portables are now sitting, our playground used to be....
We also worked the casino that week. What a blast! It was way easier than I thought it would be. It was virutally 10 minutes of work at the beginning of a shift and 10 minutes of work at the end of a shift. The whole time the advisor was there telling you what to do and little to no brainwork was required. The easiest fundraiser I have ever had to do. Wish we could do a few of those a year. Of course the leader I blogged about in the last blog never showed up. First the excuse was that we were going to be expecting snow...0.4 inches of snow, but enough for her to back out on her shift. When told she could get a ride down with someone else, she came up with a new excuse. Her great uncle (may he rest in peace) conveniently died that week and there was a funeral to go to. She wouldn't be able to make it. All reports say that she also wasn't able to make it to the funeral... However, a friend of ours from the city who had already offered to help us fill a shift, got another friend to also come along and life was good. We had a great time playing cards and visiting and the shifts passed quickly. In appreciation for their help, we purchased and filled goody basics and they went over so well. I don't think we will have issues finding volunteers for our next event.
Back to the school afterwards...we wanted to help reclaim so things from the wing that was getting torn down. Some of those things like the lockers, we knew we would be able to sell and put towards the new playground. So there was some work involved there as well.
The dogs and chores at home never wait, so there is always more to do there too.
The kids all got sick...
The house and laundry all need cleaned...
We have had a few PAC and school council meetings and subcommittee meetings and workshops. It's been busy on that front too. Goals have been made and shared and life goes on. I do need to keep up on the minutes, I have started a facebook page that I need to keep updated for the school and of course fundraising for the playground. I have typed up a request to parents to start a database of data that will allow us to share what is going on and volunteer opportunities and i have drafted the letter for donation requests.
The website has taken a bit of a sideline as far as SEO building is concerned. The advertising is continueing and new members and $ is still coming in. However I don't seem to have people coming and looking at the ads and responding to the ones that are posted. Without that, I am thinking that the repeat posters are going to disappear and the site will get pretty empty. However I do recognize that it will take time for people to recognize it as the place to come look for a dog.
Cammie has started using the potty and diapers seem to be out the window. This is very good news.
Brooklyn is as cute as she always is. She loves playschool and has a mind like a trap. I wish I could record her almost every minute of every day just to play back when she gets older.
Sydney is so special. She has a heart the size of mount everest and has such a willing giving attitude. No wonder her teachers love her.
Bobby has such a way of saying "Oh Mom...." that it melts your heart. He thinks I'm crazy. He may be right.
Maddie is so thoughtful all the time. She has discovered Harry Potter and how much better books can make the world.
My kids have all been studen of the month at school now. Syndey was October, Bobby November and Maddie January. Bobby also brought home an Unsung Hero award from last month. All three are Virtue VIP's at the school and helo out in areas when needed. I couldn't be more proud of my little ones.
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