Some of This and some of That

Matt took this picture over the weekend I think.  I was sleeping.  :)  The kiddos woke up and were COLD!

I was getting my settings right for my preggo shot on Sunday morning, and Joanna was being my stand-in.  Look at that hand on the hip and the booty out!

Matt made me this AMAZING sandwich for dinner last night.  It’s ham, Colby jack cheese, lettuce, and mayo mixed with mashed avocado as the spread.  SO SO good.

Mamma and Pop and Heather came over yesterday evening so Heather could say good-bye.  :(  She leaves tomorrow.  :(

She got in the castle with the kiddos.  :)

Despite my almost total neglect, this little rose plant in the backyard still manages to produce a bloom from time to time.  It’s my Joanna rose, because my grandma gave the plant to her for her first birthday.

Our First Day of School

On Sunday I decided to pull everything we would need for the week and put it in a basket.  It’s been nice to be able to carry the basket to the couch or the table to work.  This is almost everything:

The Sonlight boxes that brought all of our supplies converted into a castle!

The kids have very much enjoyed relaxing inside and coloring every square inch of it.  :)  Natalie spent a very large chunk of the day inside the castle coloring.

Yesterday we tried doing everything in the living room with me on the couch and Joanna using the little table as her “desk” when she need to do any writing.

Today we tried doing our work at the dining table, and I think it worked better.  Though I find our dining chairs particularly uncomfortable at this stage in my pregnancy.  :)

Everybody needed a sweater or a jacket yesterday.  I’ve been really cranking the A/C down at night, and I (well all of us actually) have been sleeping quite well.  But it makes the morning pretty cool!

Official “First day of school” picture!

Late in the day when the light was prettier, I took Joanna outside for a little photo shoot.  I did the same last year, and I love those pictures!

For kicks, a few from last year to compare…

This year!  Her pensive face, I think.  It’s kind of the default when I tell her not to smile.

Sassy face:

Basically what I want to know is WHO HAS BEEN TEACHING THIS CHILD TO MODEL WHILE I WASN’T LOOKING?

She sure is pretty.  (And smart and helpful and kind and generous and cranky and feisty and wonderful)

And because no photo shoot is complete without a pirate face… apparently.  :)

So far, basically, I’m LOVING this.  I know it’s only been two days.  And honestly, I don’t think it will feel “real” until August 26th when public school starts back up and she doesn’t go.  I’m very glad we’re starting this early though.  It feels good.  Today seemed like a really long day.  I’m not sure why exactly.  It wasn’t what I’d call a bad day, just a long one.  Sometimes the hours just move slowly I guess.  :)  But Matt will be home soon, jump-starting our evening routine.  Then the magic cleaning fairies will come (no? bummer), and everyone will go to bed and I will lay down… for a long time.  :)

26 Weeks

26 weeks

How Your Baby’s Growing (from Babycenter.com):

The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about 1 2/3 pounds and measures 14 inches (about the size of a scallion) from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.

How far along: 26 weeks

Pregnancy symptoms: heartburn, tiredness, aches and pains everywhere, still some nesting urges

Food Cravings: ice cream, ice water, sandwiches, donuts, fruit

Food Aversions: I haven’t had much in the way of aversions lately – wahoo!  I’ll keep this category just in case something crops up.

Sleep: It’s pretty good right now.  I usually wake up twice in the night to visit the bathroom.  Sometimes I’m awake in the 5:00 hour and have to eat something to be able to go back to sleep, other times I can sleep until the kids wake up (6:30-7:00)

Measurement: about 48 inches around

Movement: Lots!

Labor signs: Occasional Braxton Hicks

What I miss: Laying on my belly, getting comfortable in any position

What I’m looking forward to: going through the baby boy clothes, cool weather

Milestone: I drove the electric shopping cart at Walmart instead of walking.  It’s such a huge store.

Thoughts from the children: The girls loooooove to feel the boys move.

Doctor’s visit: I have lab work later this week (one hour glucose test – wahoo) and an appointment next week.

Other thoughts: It’s just crazy how much more energy I have early in the week (Monday, Tuesday) compared to Friday and Saturday.  I really need a weekend about every three days. 

Baby-related projects:

• I’m putting this on the list kind of after the fact: Work on potty training James.  Hallelujah that boy is doing so so well!
• Clean up/organize the girls’ room to make space for eventual James.
• Go to IKEA.  Look at and possibly purchase the Kura low loft bed and shallow mattress for the girls.  **I’ve been putting this off since it is logistically hard, but we are ready to get this done!
• Move the majority of the toys into the main living area to make space for sleeping and clothes in the bedrooms. I still need to sort through and organize the books, which are in a giant pile on the floor.
• Do some research on the best sleeping arrangements for newborn twins.  *I’m currently planning to use a standard sized pack and play with the newborn “shelf” in it for our bedroom when they’re bitty.  If we discover they don’t sleep well with each other, we can always switch to two pack and plays or just use the cribs.
• Figure out number of diapers that would be ideal for the babies.  **I think at this point we’ll just get a few more newborn sized diapers and then wait and see what works when they come.
• Pick out infant car seats.
• Organize James’ closet.  (This is where the not-in-use clothes live as well as a lot of baby things, and it’s a super-pit.)
• Shop for a king sized bed.  We really really really really want one.  :)  But the logistics and expense may mean this isn’t the best time.
• Tinker with a baby registry.  We don’t need much, but I have started putting some things on an Amazon registry when I think about them
• Pull the baby boy clothes from the attic and take inventory.
• Possibly get some maternity/family pictures made.  Need to find someone wonderful and affordable and look more into this.  **I think most of my hesitation around scheduling something like this is just how so stinkin’ hot it is outside, with cool weather too far down the line.
• Wash, dry, fold, put away the newborn-3 months clothes.  **I couldn’t help myself; I did the newborn bin – those things are soooooo cute!

Toad Abode

This craft came home with James on the last day of school, and it’s so cute!  It has “James’ Toad Abode” written on it with some little rocks on top and lots of fingerprint critters on the sides. 

I decided to take a bunch of pictures of it since I can’t be sure of its eventual fate, and it’s really cute.  :)

And so is my James.  He’s really cute too.  :)

I sent him out into the yard to try and capture some good shots.  The light was pretty, and I think he was the only one fully dressed.  :)

To get him to look up, I asked him about my eyebrows.  That is why his eyebrows look like this.

I totally love it though.  It’s a pretty accurate concentrating face for him.

Babies, Buying, and Burgers

Every morning I like to sit up in bed, eat a bit, sip on something, and read a little on my iPod.  The kids join me when they wake up.  This morning Natalie was first, and she got to feel the brothers movin’ and shakin’ in the belly.

This morning we all headed as a family to do a big Wal-Mart run.  We usually grocery shop at Kroger, but I had enough “Wal-martish” things on the list that we thought we’d just try and get everything for the coming week(s) in one spot.  I absolutely, positively used the electric scooter thing.  I felt a little embarrassed, but walking is rough for me these days, and I need to rest a lot.  So I drove my little cart and usually Joanna walked with me to fetch things off the shelf, and Matt pushed the kids in the big cart.  I ran out of battery when we were almost done, and even that little bit of walking wore me out!

But we got just about everything we came for, and the kids did SO WELL, even though we got home well after a proper lunch time.  :)

This evening Matt grilled dinner for us, and it was SO GOOD.  He grilled sweet potato fries, onions, and burgers.

This is mine.  Is it technically still a burger if you don’t use a bun?  I piled my meat up with cheese, grilled onions, avocado, leftover bacon, and spinach.  So so so good.  And I have discovered recently that I really love grilled sweet potato “fries.”  We did them today the way my mom does, and I could have eaten most of them.  :)

Grilled Sweet Potato “Fries”
peel sweet potatoes and slice them into fries
toss in olive oil and minced garlic (we like the kind that comes in a jar for this, but I’m sure fresh would also be lovely)
Microwave them for 3 minutes to kick-start the cooking
Grill until soft and brown.  Matt was grilling at about a medium temperature, but you could probably do them at whatever temp the grill was on, just adjusting the cooking time and amount you move them around.  We just got a grill topper that’s good for cooking veggies since it’s more of a mesh, and they don’t fall through.  :)  Perfect!

Box Day!

I ordered the supplies for homeschooling on Tuesday, fully expecting it to be a week or so before they shipped since it’s the “busy season.”  But I got the shipping email on Wednesday, and they were here on Friday!  Whoo hoo!
I was really hoping to be home when they arrived so that the FedEx man could maybe bring them inside for me, but alas, they arrived while we were out.  :)

The girls used teamwork for the first box.

Nobody could budge the second box – that’s where the bulk of the books were.

I ended up scootching it to the door with my feet and then Joanna helped me push it up over the threshold.  Whew!
The boxes came with lots of brown paper to play with!

Oh such fun!

Even though it was the afternoon and I was exhausted, you know I couldn’t resist opening up those boxes and digging in.

I decided on Sonlight’s curriculum for a few reasons including its Christian focus, its literature based approach, and its comprehensive Instructor’s Guides for each subject.
We’re using Core A (the core is basically what I would call Social Studies – it includes read alouds, history, and the Bible, and can really be used across several ages) with Language Arts for grade 1 and Science A.  Those all have IG’s – Instructor’s Guides (read: LESSON PLANS) that FILL the huge blue binder below.  We have a separate math curriculum for first grade that is more like something you might see in a classroom with a teacher book, student book, and worksheets.  We’re using Horizons, but there is a lot out there; we’ll have to see what we like.  Math was actually my specialty in teaching, so we’ll have to see what comes back to me.  :)

It took a few hours to get to point above (did I mention I was tired?), but I feel pretty ready to get started!  The IG’s had to be filed by week into the huge binder and there was lots to read.  I feel like a have a good overview of what all there is to (potentially) do during the week, but it will take doing before I get into the groove of course.  :)
I was originally thinking of starting a week from Monday, which is two weeks before the public school.  We may actually start on Monday, but give ourselves the freedom to go slowly and maybe take 1 1/2 – 2 weeks to complete the first week.  I know we’ll want to take off days and weeks here and there for holidays and family time and um, you know babies’ births, so I figure it’s good to go ahead and get started when it’s too hot to do anything else anyway!
I’m sure there will be much updating when we get into the swing of things.  I’m excited!

Puzzles and Laundry

Joanna’s buddy Anna brought her a Winter the dolphin puzzle home from her trip, and she’s been inspired to try it!  It’s 100 pieces, so I told her we needed to work up to it a bit first.  :)

I remembered this puzzle I had in the closet that is 25+ years old that I did as a child.  It’s missing two pieces, but I’d say that’s pretty incredible. 

I was trying to teach Joanna how to do the edges of the puzzle first, but that way was frustrating for her.  Last night she and Natalie pulled it out and they just started putting the middle together first.  And they (well, pretty much Joanna I think) did the whole thing by themselves!  (It’s 48 pieces.)

I have one mediumish bin of Newborn clothes and one largeish bin of 0-3 month sized clothes to get ready for the boys.  I couldn’t help myself; I had to get started on the littlest ones yesterday!  I think I can hold off on the next bin for awhile.  I got my baby clothes fix.  Anyway, I went through everything and pulled stuff that I saw stains on.  I sprayed that stuff then let it all soak all night in oxyclean and detergent.  I washed and dried everything this morning – cutest laundry stack ever, right?!

It’s all folded and put away, for probably the very last time.  Ha!  I told Matt we probably wouldn’t fold most of it when it’s in use, just toss it in bins/baskets/drawers.  :)

Right now the plan is to use the cubbies as the boys’ “dresser.”  We’ll see how it works out!  At the very least, it gives me an instant visual on how much we have/need/want.  Baby boy clothes sure are cuuuuuuuute!