On this, the 10th day of February, we in the Cessna house experienced a monumental occurrence. This day will be forever be celebrated as the day that Griffin pooped in the potty! It will be soon forgotten that before "finishing up" in the potty, Griffin took off his own pull-up and pooped on his bedroom floor. And only when mommy caught him, did he go on the potty. Once on the potty he cried and despite his wails, he was surprised and happy when he "pooped some out."
Mommy, Aiden and Maverick were equally as happy and did the celebratory dance and looked at it in there. All things that are very important when one has their first poop on the potty. Nanny was called to share the good news and Daddy has been told via instant messenger. Needless to say, all are happy and proud. Griffin declared "Pooping on the potty isn't hard at all."
PS- Chances are we will not forget that he pooped on the floor before he went to the potty...especially since I just posted it to cyberspace and fully intend to write it in my journal later today.
PPS- We are equally grateful that Maverick did not step in it when he went in the bedroom to lay down for rest time...by my estimations he was within inches of hitting a very unpleasant land mine.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
School Today!
This could also be title "I love bookadventure.org"
My boys are all boy and are not avid readers. They are good readers but they would just rather be running around, or playing legos or cars, or anything that involves a possible trip to the ER and is loud enough to give me a serious headache.
Enter www.bookadventure.org
It is a lot like I imagine AR at public school is (but I don't know this since my kids have never done it and I am too old to have used it myself). They read a book and then take a quiz. Since they have never really taken any tests, they think the quizzes are great! AND THEY ARE ASKING TO READ!! I don't pretend that it will make this easy forever...but it is a way to encourage them without me nagging. It will also give them some direction when picking out books at the library instead of yanking books off of shelves willy nilly. Plus they can win prizes!
This is them reading, voluntarily, today. It makes me so happy!
Aiden curls up like his mama to read! This is actually one of my favorite winter reading spots...right next to the wood stove.
"Play ball, Amelia Bedelia" is a great book. Gonna find some more Amelia Bedelia at the library!
Maverick likes to sit on the floor. I think it is easier for him to point and keep track of where he is. It makes my back hurt to look at this picture too long. :)
Griffin is drawing a monster on the dry erase board. I read aloud to him later....it distracts the big boys when I read to him and then I am more easily available if they need help on a word.
Of course, now that school is finished for the day and they are crashing cars and yelling...that is more like what I am accustomed to! :) But I'm hoping Aiden and Maverick will take to reading another book in the afternoons when Griffin is napping...they need to find something quiet to do during that time.
My boys are all boy and are not avid readers. They are good readers but they would just rather be running around, or playing legos or cars, or anything that involves a possible trip to the ER and is loud enough to give me a serious headache.
Enter www.bookadventure.org
It is a lot like I imagine AR at public school is (but I don't know this since my kids have never done it and I am too old to have used it myself). They read a book and then take a quiz. Since they have never really taken any tests, they think the quizzes are great! AND THEY ARE ASKING TO READ!! I don't pretend that it will make this easy forever...but it is a way to encourage them without me nagging. It will also give them some direction when picking out books at the library instead of yanking books off of shelves willy nilly. Plus they can win prizes!
This is them reading, voluntarily, today. It makes me so happy!
Aiden curls up like his mama to read! This is actually one of my favorite winter reading spots...right next to the wood stove.
"Play ball, Amelia Bedelia" is a great book. Gonna find some more Amelia Bedelia at the library!
Maverick likes to sit on the floor. I think it is easier for him to point and keep track of where he is. It makes my back hurt to look at this picture too long. :)
Griffin is drawing a monster on the dry erase board. I read aloud to him later....it distracts the big boys when I read to him and then I am more easily available if they need help on a word. Of course, now that school is finished for the day and they are crashing cars and yelling...that is more like what I am accustomed to! :) But I'm hoping Aiden and Maverick will take to reading another book in the afternoons when Griffin is napping...they need to find something quiet to do during that time.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Circuit Training aka PE
Today the boys got out the workout stuff Aunt Heather got them for their birthday and we set up a circuit.
Medicine Ball-cardio-stretchy band thing- cardio - 2 lb weights - cardio
We turned on some Toby Mac really loud and they did each station 1 time for 1 minute. They loved it!!
Here are some photos
The medicine ball was too much for Griffin...he just did "crunches"
Aiden doing some work with the weights.
Aiden on cardio- Maverick on weights
Maverick working with the Medicine ball.
Maverick doing some cardio dancing and Aiden on the stretchy band thing.
Medicine Ball-cardio-stretchy band thing- cardio - 2 lb weights - cardio
We turned on some Toby Mac really loud and they did each station 1 time for 1 minute. They loved it!!
Here are some photos
The medicine ball was too much for Griffin...he just did "crunches"
Aiden doing some work with the weights.
Aiden on cardio- Maverick on weights
Maverick working with the Medicine ball.
Maverick doing some cardio dancing and Aiden on the stretchy band thing. We may have to add this to our morning before we start school...until the weather gets nice. I'm gonna have to figure out what else one can do with this particular equipment. :) And maybe I should join in. :) And maybe next time we'll get dressed first...
Monday, February 7, 2011
Feb 7
Wow! I can't believe I haven't posted in 3 weeks. Things are chugging right along here. We have had some horrible storms and were without power for a while...but we got ours back way faster than many. We spent a lot of time taking photos of birds and of the ice and snow.
Now we are back in the swing of things.
Today has not been a good one. We had a very very busy weekend full of sledding and the Super Bowl...no naps were had by anyone and there were too many late nights. This morning Griffin was up at 5:30. Then no one took a nap again today. I have been ready to pull out my hair. Then I realized that we had bagels with dye in them today...bad bad bad. Although I'm still ready to pull my hair out I at least know what the biggest factors are and can make sure it doesn't happen again tomorrow.
Gonna do better posting.
Now we are back in the swing of things.
Today has not been a good one. We had a very very busy weekend full of sledding and the Super Bowl...no naps were had by anyone and there were too many late nights. This morning Griffin was up at 5:30. Then no one took a nap again today. I have been ready to pull out my hair. Then I realized that we had bagels with dye in them today...bad bad bad. Although I'm still ready to pull my hair out I at least know what the biggest factors are and can make sure it doesn't happen again tomorrow.
Gonna do better posting.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
SNOW DAY!
we had another snow day yesterday! Overnight we got several inches of snow. Now, typically, as a home school family snow means very little to us. We still sit in our school room and get our work done. But yesterday, I volunteered to watch a friend's kids so she could go to work since they weren't going to school. And it was a wonderful way to spend the day.
AJ and Emily are such pleasant kids. AJ is entertaining and funny. Emily is sweet and helpful. We had only one fight all day and it was between Maverick and Aiden (shocking, I know).
We got "behind" on school work but gained so much more. They played and had some fun. That is important for kids. They played restaurant, legos, and I'm sure more that I missed out on. I got out art supplies and they made masks. It was a wonderful day!
And while they were playing, I was able to clean and get some other things done. Snow days are fun when we spend them with friends.
Today we got back to school work slowly. Aiden is starting subtraction and it is a little frustrating to him. But I think he will get it once he gets rolling.
2011 is off to a great start! :)
AJ and Emily are such pleasant kids. AJ is entertaining and funny. Emily is sweet and helpful. We had only one fight all day and it was between Maverick and Aiden (shocking, I know).
We got "behind" on school work but gained so much more. They played and had some fun. That is important for kids. They played restaurant, legos, and I'm sure more that I missed out on. I got out art supplies and they made masks. It was a wonderful day!
And while they were playing, I was able to clean and get some other things done. Snow days are fun when we spend them with friends.
Today we got back to school work slowly. Aiden is starting subtraction and it is a little frustrating to him. But I think he will get it once he gets rolling.
2011 is off to a great start! :)
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Complicated Computer!
I am simplifying online. It takes forever to get through emails. Flylady has already gone. Step one is completed. Now you know all that junk mail that you have to delete everyday. Mine was excessive. So right now, instead of deleting it, I am finding the link to unsubscribe. I unsubscribed from several today...I'm sure there will be more tomorrow. It will take a little extra time for a few days here but in the end, will save me loads of screen time (I would think). If they aren't there, I don't have to worry about them or take the time to delete them. The important emails from real people will be easier to find and enjoy. I also set my facebook account that I get NO emails about ANYTHING! NONE! I get tired of reading everything twice. And it wastes time.
That was my step for today. I could do that much on a busy busy Sunday! Feels good to clean out that inbox!!!
That was my step for today. I could do that much on a busy busy Sunday! Feels good to clean out that inbox!!!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Simplify 2011
This is my theme for the year. Starting now....I am getting rid of stuff. I've cleaned off my desk area. And cleaned out kitchen cabinets. And started on bookshelves (this one is hard since I am mildly addicted to books). Things of sentimental value are safe Things we use regularly are safe. Things that I have to dust and that is the only time I notice them are GONE!!! I am boxing things up to have a big yard sale this spring.
I was inspired by this post I read on the Happy Housewife's website. Her theme for the year is also to simplify. The same day, the boys broke the second of their Christmas gifts (they lasted less than a month) and I decided to put ALL the toys up. Then Shane sent me this link on "minimalistic toys." The boys have had only a couple toys out for almost a week and we have no tv (only movies). School has gone better, we've had less fighting, and the toys they have are being taken care of. All the other toys are still in a closet for rotation...but they aren't necessarily going to last long...I am going to be doing some careful weeding.
I have been trying to use Flylady to keep my house clean. But she is not working for me. I like many of her principles. "You are not behind. Do not try to catch up." "Do a little bit every day" and "You can not organize clutter...you have to get rid of it" (These are paraphrased). So I am taking her advice and unsubscribing from her emails. The "inbox clutter" her millions of emails every day creates is not worth it. I can not organize them...I do not read them...not even the reminder ones...so they are going. Sorry Flylady.
In her post, The Happy Housewife mentioned the Motivated Mom's Planner. I am going to get this. It is $8 and it is a chore planner. (If you follow the link above you can use the $1 off coupon code). You can get it on a weekly or daily basis (daily has a little agenda spot) in a full size or half size. You can even get one with daily Bible readings to read through the Bible in a year. Unlike Flylady, you download the ebook and then print each week/day page and then you have a checklist. I like this. It is not computer based and I won't be inundated with emails each day. Bible time is something I really need to work on and I have something to check off when I do it that day. Plus, I LOVE LISTS! I love checking things off. Sometimes I am making a list to get ready for something and I put things on it that are already done just to cross them off. I hope this will work for me.
Part of my goal is to make/save some money. We would like to build a substantial savings account in the next few months...I'm hopeful that living simply will help contribute to that savings.
As I think about simplifying our life, it is a daunting task. We are so connected to our stuff and our habits. Since it is such a HUGE thing to do, I am breaking it up into "baby steps " (stolen from Flylady who I really do like except for the emails). I am setting many small personal goals. As I get them figured out and into place in my mind, I will share. Right now, I am just purging...if it isn't nailed down it is under scrutiny. And it feels great!!!
I was inspired by this post I read on the Happy Housewife's website. Her theme for the year is also to simplify. The same day, the boys broke the second of their Christmas gifts (they lasted less than a month) and I decided to put ALL the toys up. Then Shane sent me this link on "minimalistic toys." The boys have had only a couple toys out for almost a week and we have no tv (only movies). School has gone better, we've had less fighting, and the toys they have are being taken care of. All the other toys are still in a closet for rotation...but they aren't necessarily going to last long...I am going to be doing some careful weeding.
I have been trying to use Flylady to keep my house clean. But she is not working for me. I like many of her principles. "You are not behind. Do not try to catch up." "Do a little bit every day" and "You can not organize clutter...you have to get rid of it" (These are paraphrased). So I am taking her advice and unsubscribing from her emails. The "inbox clutter" her millions of emails every day creates is not worth it. I can not organize them...I do not read them...not even the reminder ones...so they are going. Sorry Flylady.
In her post, The Happy Housewife mentioned the Motivated Mom's Planner. I am going to get this. It is $8 and it is a chore planner. (If you follow the link above you can use the $1 off coupon code). You can get it on a weekly or daily basis (daily has a little agenda spot) in a full size or half size. You can even get one with daily Bible readings to read through the Bible in a year. Unlike Flylady, you download the ebook and then print each week/day page and then you have a checklist. I like this. It is not computer based and I won't be inundated with emails each day. Bible time is something I really need to work on and I have something to check off when I do it that day. Plus, I LOVE LISTS! I love checking things off. Sometimes I am making a list to get ready for something and I put things on it that are already done just to cross them off. I hope this will work for me.
Part of my goal is to make/save some money. We would like to build a substantial savings account in the next few months...I'm hopeful that living simply will help contribute to that savings.
As I think about simplifying our life, it is a daunting task. We are so connected to our stuff and our habits. Since it is such a HUGE thing to do, I am breaking it up into "baby steps " (stolen from Flylady who I really do like except for the emails). I am setting many small personal goals. As I get them figured out and into place in my mind, I will share. Right now, I am just purging...if it isn't nailed down it is under scrutiny. And it feels great!!!
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