Enoch

Enoch. What can I say. I love this boy. He has such high highs and such low lows. Today Shadrach had preschool all day instead of his usual 3 hours. Days like that make Enoch a little sad and board because he loves playing with Shadrach. So I decided to do the unthinkable. I took Enoch to McDonald's for lunch. We never go to McDonald's for lunch for several reason but I thought it would be a nice treat for him. And it was. He loved it. We could have stayed all day. He was so excited about the chicken nuggets, french fries, and blue juice. He smiled and laughed the whole time. We sat by a window so he could see all the cars getting on 65 too. I know my boy. He loved to watch all those cars. We had several conversation about how those cars like to eat chicken nuggets too. I would have stayed longer but I wanted to get him down early for nap because I had to pick up Shadrach at 3:00.

After a nap, and waking up it was time to get Shadrach. Enoch did not want to go. And he let everyone know it. He screamed the whole way out the door, in the car, and up the steps to the preschool. I knew I couldn't carry him up the stairs to Shadrach's room while he was throwing a fit like that (I have already fallen down those stairs just walking normally). So I left him. Down in the foyer. By himself. That seemed to make him happy. Maybe he just didn't want to climb the stairs. I know I didn't. He is 2 1/2. And I am tired of his grumps. He has been so much better this last month, but I want more. Heres to hoping he gets better with age.

Family Home Evening 1/24/2011

Daddy taught the lesson on Honesty. The children enjoyed it.

Getting ready to play the game. ( Ali took this picture)

ZOMBIES!!!!
I got out voted on the game choice. They all wanted to play this Zombie game. Greg says it is ok to play because you aren't really killing the Zombies because Zombies are already dead. You just disabling them. hmmmmm. Ali won the game. We only played once. We were tired.

Prayer: Can't remember

Opening song: Love is Spoken Here

Lesson: Honesty

Activity: Zombie Game

Dessert: Vanilla pudding ( it was suppoed to be layered pudding but I didn't have chocolate)

Shaving Cream

Playing with shaving cream is one of my children's favorite things to do. Sometimes I wonder why I let them do it. And then there are moments like this. Ali, sweety, I love you.

Shadrach had just as much fun but decided not to go crazy.

Surprisingly it is really easy to clean up. Plus I always feel like I am cleaning the table, toys, and chairs that touched the shaving cream.

Playing with Friends

Enoch dancing with his friend Addy ( she is potty training- note the lack of clothing ). Crazy but I think of all the kids he hangs out with he likes her the best. He is such a rough and tumble guy, but Addy is just as rough and tumble if not more. It is a perfect match. You would never think she was tough because she looks and acts so sweet. But she doesn't let any one mess with her.

Enoch playing with trains with friends.

Ali and Autumn dancing. Ali always gets excited when we get to spend time with Autumn.

I watched my friend's daycare while she went to an appointment with her kids. My kids always think those days are so much fun!

Family Home Evening 1/17/2011

We changed plans for Family Home Evening. I was telling Greg what I had scheduled on Sunday, and he thought we should change it to a Martin Luther King Jr lesson instead. So we did. Then he called Monday morning, and said everyone else on his team had called in sick (sure they were sick - I bet their kids had it off) so it would be a long day for him. So we decided to do bowling another night. Greg gave a wonderful lesson on Martin Luther King Jr. and how we are all God's children and we are all the same. In this picture you can see Shadrach watching the "I have a dream speech" on the computer.

Dad teaching the lesson.

Ali enjoying the brownies. While eating the Brownie, Ali said this. "I have a hypothesis. ( can you tell we are doing Science Fair?) If Jesus was on the earth, I think everyone would be nice to everyone else." I told here I think she had a good hypothesis.

Enoch got a temperature late in the evening. So he was pretty slow moving during FHE. We decided to watch a movie together instead of a game because everyone was tired - Including mom!

Prayer: Shadrach

Song: I hope they call me on a mission

Lesson: Martin Luther King Jr. - We are all God's Children

Activity: Watched "Prince of Egypt"

Treat: Brownies

2 hour delay

Why can't every day be a two hour delay. Enoch loves being with Ali and Shad. When they are gone, he is sad. Here is the big city they built out of Lego's.

Ali and her little city before Enoch and Shad helped her.

Shad and his "super strong" creation.

I was planning on doing several fun things since it was a two hour delay day, but every one was having so much fun with Lego's and being so wonderful I couldn't stand to stop it. This was a good day.

Greg the Handy Man

Greg made me shelves. Oh how i love that man. I have wanted these for 5 years. We tried to put them in around 3 years ago, but since our closets don't have studs in them, they fell down.

:( Greg figured out a way to do it.

These are the shelves in the boys room. They were play with toys at the time this was taken, so it is a little messy.

Ali's shelves.

what am I doing wrong?

Do you ever realize that in some area you have failed? I have failed to teach my children how to get food into their mouths. This is what was left over on the floor after lunch one day. It is really enough food to feed a whole other child. I don't want to be a "nag" about table manners but I think things have gone to far. I think February's first FHE is going to be on table manners.
I also felt so sad this week when we went to the dentist and both Ali and Shadrach had a cavity. I have never had a cavity, so I just thought if you brushed your teeth every day you would not get them. I was wrong. So I will have to go reteach teeth brushing to my kids and maybe I will have to rethink my life savor treats I pass out. -Sigh- Always room to improve.

The best husband in the world

Greg got me Roses!!! Ok. I know. I forgot to take a picture until after they had all died but one ( see the one in the back). I am normally not a flower type of girl. (I am also not a jewelry type of girl.) but this time it was nice to get flowers. I have been feeling like the world is an awful place lately-- full of evil and hate and selfishness and I can't do anything about it. Sometimes I just feel numb. Other times I sob tears. Somehow the flowers reminded me of "Beauty." There is still beauty in the world. Even though all the bad stuff is still out there, there is also Beauty.

Terri my next door neighbor is an example of Beauty. The world is full of awful things and she is willing to give up the next 20 years of her life to raise 4 children who really need her. And even more than that, put up with the mother of the children and all of her drama. Thank you Terri. Thank you for reminding me there is Beauty.

Family Home Evening 1/10/2011

Ali and Shadrach made up hand motions to the opening song.

Enoch writing his thank you note.

The kids all lined up to play "Mother May I". As I child, we always played this game for FHE. It is so much fun to watch me children enjoy it too!

Oops sideways. Ali is doing a "ballerina step" during "Mother May I"

Smoothy Time. My kids love making Smoothies. Sure it has sugar in it-- that is why it is a treat, but it is natural sugar. I have to say it has to be one of the healthier desserts we make.

1 cup apple juice

2 cups skim milk

6 frozen strawberries

1 banana

It is all just fruit and milk!!!!!! We often change the frozen fruit around too depending on what we got.

Oops again. Ali chugged hers so fast, she got a head ache. That girl. I swear.

Our lesson was on Gratitude again. I forget what song we sang and who said the prayer and it has only been 5 days. I would have blogged earlier but I had a problem hooking up my camera. Even though we have been VERY busy lately, it has been wonderful having FHE because they were already planned. I hope we keep it up.

Cousin Jack turns 1!!

The man of the hour, Jack, and Grandma. He woke up from his nap with a party going on in his house.

All of the cousin's minus Enoch.

Noah, shadrach, Eliza, Hannah, Alora, Jack, and Ali.

If you were wondering, my kids came straight from dance class. I brought them clothes to change into, but they didn't want to change.

Ali finding a troll during the scavenger hunt.


Noah and Hannah with her troll.



Uncle Bruce and all of the cousin's listening to the next clue.

The coloring contest.

We had so much fun, but we couldn't stay for the whole thing. I had to leave and go tutor (I always have to leave to tutor it seems).

January Family Home Evening Plan

Jan 10
Prayer:
Song:
Activity: Mother May I
Snack: Smoothies
Lesson: Gratitude II
( Write a thank you note to some one who has helped you or has been nice to you)

Jan 17 ( NO SCHOOL!)
Prayer:
Song:
Activity: Bowling
Snack: Brownies
Lesson: Honesty
( out of For the Strengeth of Youth)

Jan 24
Prayer:
Song:
Activity: Scaventure Hunt
Snack: Vanilla/chocolate pudding layers
Lesson: Honesty II
( Honesty Play Acting different scenarios)

Jan 31
Prayer:
Song
Activity: Daddy Camel Game
Snack: Snicker Doodles
Lesson: Patience

Family Home Evening 1/4/2011

I have several goals for 2011. The one at the top of the list is to have better, more organized Family Home Evenings. We have been ok at doing FHE, but we often do it on the "fly." Greg will teach a 1 min. lesson, we will play "Mother May I," and I will make a dessert that didn't take too much for thought. If we ever happen to be doing a fun outing together as a family we say a quick prayer before we go and call it FHE.

I thought by recording our FHE through out the year, it would help me keep accountable of my goal. Here was our first one. ....It could have been better but at least there is room for improvement.

This is Ali eating some Jello and making a commit on Gratitude which was our lesson.

The Finished Project.

Greg loves to go to Good Will on his lunch break. He found this no glue dinosaur kit for 2 dollars.

Reading the instructions.

Ali found all of the Ribs.

Me and EE. This was not Enoch's favorite. It was too slow moving for him. We also have the problem that ALL 3 KIDS get very tired around 6:30 and are often cranky and ready for bed, but I can't put them to bed at 6:30......... or can I?

Shadrach loved this FHE. It was ok for Ali and she ended up choking on some water during it and throwing up. And EE through a fit for most of it. -sigh-

I am planning on make a fun Family Home Evening Chart. I was going to last week but I realized I used all of our laminate on the chore charts. :) So I will do it this week.

Family Home Evening 1/4/11

Dad: Prayer and lesson- Gratitude.

Mom: Dessert- Strawberry Jello

Shadrach: Song - Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam

EE: Closing Prayer

Who loves charts? I DO!!!!! I DO!!!!

Tomorrow is our first day to use our new charts. We have had charts before but now we have Velcro! Yes you heard right, Velcro!! Now when they are done with the chore, they get to pull it off and put it in the attached envelope. I am excited! This idea comes from the 4 years of college I went to for Early Childhood Education. Yes, i know. I made colorful post boards for my college degree. This first chart is of Ali's school work. All three do "school work" each day.

Here is Ali's chart for morning chores-- which really are just getting ready in the morning and not really chores. But it helps to have a chart so I don't have to remind them 10 times to make their bed.

Here is where All the charts will hang! i know exciting. They are Velcroed to the wall too, so if a child wants to, they can pull it off and take it up stairs while they do some of their chores.

I am going to add their afternoon chores soon. ( which are real chores -sweep the floor, wipe down table, clean the bathroom, etc.) I wanted them to get used to the Velcro thing and not overwhelm them with three charts each. We are going to just start with Velcro school work chart and Velcro morning chores chart. WISH ME LUCK!!!

Snack Drawer-- It makes me happy.

I love my snack drawer for the kids. I often have several things going on when a kid tells me they are just dieing, and they need a snack. I got tired of the battle of telling them to wait until the next schedule "snack time" or meal. So I made a drawer of only healthy things that would make me happy if they ate them. I just use the drawer that I am supposed to put fruit in in the refrigerator because they can all reach it.

It takes time to put together but all the kids love to help me do it. This week we have Light Yogurt, blueberries, carrots, cheese cubes, grapes, broccoli, and apples. I put them all in small serving in plastic bags. I feel bad about using so many plastic bags, but I think it is worth it so my kids get to grab a quick healthy snack on their own with out me. The Blueberries and yogurt always go first. The vegetables often go last but they still get eaten. Enoch LOVES carrots and broccoli and I think it is because of the snack drawer. They are only allowed to have ONE at a time! If you let them they will eat 8 bags of snacks ( even though they are healthy) and then eat no dinner which is a whole new problem.

Chuckie Cheese!!

Ali showing off her tickets. She dressed herself today. If you were wondering why she was dressed up. Ali would like to dress up every day while I would like to wear sweat pants every day.

EE driving. His dream come true.

Shadrach riding a roller coaster ride.

EE got a little overwhelmed when it was time to dance with Chuckie. You can barely see his cute face. I went and got him and talked to him about how much he loved to dance and then he went back out and danced his heart out.

All three dancing with Chuckie.

Ali really wanted to interact with the robot chuckie on the stage.

Ali and Shad being on the T.V. they have there.

As a Child, I always wanted to go to Chuckie Cheese. We never went. My parents thought it was a waste of money, and we never went out to each much any way. My best friend, Jason Kirton's mom took me and him to a place called Discovery Zone one time when school was cancelled because of the snow. I LOVED that day. I had so much fun! Thank you Mrs. Kirton!! So I really enjoy taking my children to Chuckie Cheese. This was our 2nd time. The kids love it, and it really isn't expensive at all especially when you have a coupon. We went on New Year's Eve-- Early though around 11:00 in the morning. It was great because it wasn't crowded.