Summer Vacation!

The tile of this post has very little to do with the post. It's just there for the obvious, that yes it is summer vacation time. This post is mostly just an update and some interesting put together information, although it may not be that interesting to some people. I don't really know. I feel like I haven't posted a real post in some time, and now it is time to post something (I guess).


Potty Training success!

Okay I know, it took me long enough, but I have finally potty trained Olivia. This happen about two weeks ago (I think...). I just finally got rid of all of the diapers, and only dressed her in big girl underwear, and if I was going to have to change her 14 times a day and do her laundry twice a day, than that was how it was going to be. The first two days it did go like that and it was very discouraging, but on the third day, she got the hang of it. It really came out of nowhere and she knew just what to do. The days following that, I just had to remind her every hour to go, because she wouldn't go all on her own. Now she does, she knows when to go, and I can take a sigh of relief.

I kept wishing that during the whole process I had kept a journal from how I taught the boys, because I just couldn't remember. I remember the boys not being easy to teach, but I don't remember what finally did it in the end. Nathaniel is four years older than Olivia so I guess that's why I don't remember (I also think it maybe due to the fact that I was pregnant with Olivia when I potty trained Nathaniel, and it's hard to remember things when you are pregnant).

Yay! it is over! No more diapers for us. I am so happy!


Sippy Cups are history

Along with the potty training I was able to get her to give up sippy cups as well. I know it's been a big week (or two weeks). She has been using a regular cup here and there for about a year (really only at dinner time), but for breakfast, lunch, and bed time she had to have the sippy cup (especially at bed time). I finally got tired of having to wash and track down these things, because she left them everywhere. Now we have fully switched and throwing those sippy cups away was awesome (FINALLY!). I'm sure a lot of you moms can relate.

Yay! I'm also glad this is over.


Pirates have our remote

This interesting story dates back to about two months ago, when our remote went missing. We bought a new tv in the fall, and it's a 3D, smart tv with aps, so a regular universal remote wasn't going to fix the missing remote problem. Our main suspect for the missing remote was Olivia (yeah of course), so we kept asking her "Do you know where the tv remote is?" and she would tell us "The pirates took it. They have a boat and monsters, and they also took the princess." I'm not kidding, she said that. She kept pointing to our fire place and saying that the pirates live in there. Now of course this made us think that maybe she put the remote in the fire place. The good new was we hadn't lit a fire in months, but the bad news was after looking all over and around the fire place, we still couldn't find it. We ended up turning the house upside down, and found nothing. We finally had to order another remote from the manufacture. Yup all of this just because some pirates took our remote. :)


Garden Success!

Remember this photo...

Well it's more like this now...

They have grown so much! I planted Sweet peas, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Bell peppers, and Broccoli. So far I have picked about 6 strawberries. I'm just so happy that everything is growing, and that it all looks so healthy. I'm sure I'll have more good news about this later. :)

School year is OVER!

Yeah I had to write about this one. We finished the work about a month ago, but since last week was the last day of co-op, I guess we can now call the school year officially over. Their poor lunch boxes were so dirty on the outside, last time I packed them. My thoughts were, thank goodness this is the last time. Their drink containers bit the dust a few weeks ago, so I had to save some old Gatorade bottles just to get us through the last few weeks. Yes next year I am starting over with new drinking bottles. Do you ever feel like that? Like "Thank goodness this is over, because I didn't think this curtain item would last much longer." It's like that curtain item was about to die, and you just needed it to last for one last week, or one last event, then it could fall part, and it wouldn't matter.

So I guess the big question is "Are we doing any school work over the summer?" Well... only a little. I know... Is that wrong of me? It's only about an hour a day of work on Monday - Thursday. I have some math for them to practise, and some small writing projects. The last thing I want is for us to start the next school year unprepared. 

I get to go to a curriculum sale tomorrow, and I am super excited. I love used books sales, and that could be any kind of used books. Jeremy has duty tomorrow, and so I have to take the kids :P... I guess I could put them to work to help me out, so it doesn't get too crazy. I'll let you know how it goes.

Okay well that is all I have to update on. Thank you for reading :)

Going Bananas!

Have you ever had a lot of work to do, and in so many different areas, and while your trying to do the work, things just aren't working out for you?

My youngest son Nathaniel has ADD, and I've been trying to work with him to the best of my abilities, but it's still hard and frustrating. Getting him to learn anything takes so much longer, and I know it's not his fault and he tries. It just really hard for me, and I'm always worried that my best won't be good enough for him (if that makes any sense). I know God wants me to continue to homeschool him, so I just have to keep trying. Along with that, I've been having to jump through hoops just to homeschool my kids in this state. It feels like the world is trying to work against me. I just have to remind myself that God is on my side, and He loves me, and knows just what I'm going through.

We are also currently buying a house. I haven't said anything yet, because I didn't want to tell anyone before it was set in stone (or mostly). The paper work has been a mess. Since Jeremy works all the time, I have to be the one to handle it, and most of the time that's no big deal, but when you have to call up all of these different companies and bug them for documents and all they want to do is talk to your husband, it can get a little frustrating. Then when they do finally agree to send it, they can't fax it or e-mail. No! They have to send it the old fashion way. Yeah even more frustrating! So it's taking such a long time, just to buy this house that we want.

My two year old, has been playing the naked game. She just likes to take her clothes off. The big problem is that she likes to do it at bed time, and at nap time. She'll take off her clothes and pee in the bed, every single nap time and bed time. I get to change the sheets, and give her a bath after all of this (every time!). Olivia is smart about it too, she'll wait until I think she has gone to bed, and she can take off any item of clothing. Zippers do not stump her and buttons and snaps are no help. I have also made no lead way in potty training her. My daughter is just to busy, she has so much she wants to do, so asking her to sit on the potty is like pulling teeth. (Are all of you Moms of toddlers laughing at me right now?)

I also have some other things going on, that are just as equally frustrating. Yes I know deep breaths.

The title (of this post) I got from Olivia's favorite tv show, The Fresh Beat Band. On some episodes they get into a situation and they feel stuck or frustrated, that's when one of them says "This stuff is making me wanna go bananas", then they do this. I wish I could just dance around and sing the bananas song, and feel so much better afterwards...  Yeah...  I just like to shut the door to my room and cry it out, but you know as long as it works then that's okay.

Okay so yes once again I'm not trying to get sympathy, I'm just really speaking to anyone going through a tough time, and showing them that we all go through it, and you are not alone, and God sees you and knows what your going through. :) And it really helps to take deep breaths, and cry it out, and if that doesn't work go grab your favorite hot tea, and drink it somewhere quiet, so you can imagine yourself on a quiet beach somewhere. :)

I think I'm going to do that right now :)