It’s another birthday weekend for us. Josiah, our youngest, turns 7 tomorrow. I’ve searched through my archives, and I’ve never written his birth story. If you’re not interested in that sort of thing, scroll down for the links.
After I had Jonathan, Kevin was ready to be done having babies. Jonathan’s birth was traumatic for me, traumatic for Kevin afterward because of the complications, and he just felt done. I, however, felt like I missed a bunch of Jonathan’s newborn experiences because I was so sick with the epidural headache. I wanted one more. So I prayed that God would change my mind, or change Kevin’s. He changed Kevin’s, and one month later, we were expecting number four. Waiting for him to change his mind is why the length of time between the last two is the longest - 26 months. (18 months between Natalie and Noah; 15 months […]
Original post by carrie
Josiah bounded up the stairs this morning at 7 am, fifteen minutes before I usually wake the kids up to start our day. He ran into the living room and said, “Mom, I can sing my English jingle by heart!” He then proceeded to sing the Shurley English noun jingle, to the tune of “This Old Man:”
This little noun,
Floating around,
Names a person, place or thing,
With a knick-knack paddy-whack,
These are English rules!
Isn’t language fun and cool?
It was especially adorable because last night he lost one of his top front teeth, so all of his “s” sounds slightly whistle.
Original post by carrie
I know, it’s Friday - and I have links to share, but I am just plain pooped after taking the kids to Silverwood yesterday. That and waking up with a migraine this morning is kicking my butt, so the links post will have to wait until tomorrow. I will, however, leave you with a funny story from Wednesday’s read-aloud time.
We are currently reading Tales from Shakespeare by Tina Packer - which I highly recommend. On Wednesday, we were reading Much Ado About Nothing and when we got to the part where Claudio and Don Pedro decide to play matchmakers for Benedick and Beatrice, Noah said, “So they were like the first eHarmony-dot-com!” Thank you, TV commercials.
Original post by carrie
Natalie is back home.
Original post by carrie
You wouldn’t think a house that still contains three boys could be quieter due to the absence of one girl, but it is. I’ve discovered that boy noise is much different than girl noise. Natalie is chatty, like I am, and I didn’t realize how much I was used to her popping into whatever room I’m in to say, “Mom, guess what happened in my book?” or “I found a new Twilight link online.” or “One of my blog friends got her own horse!” or “I only have one chapter left in my book and you read so much faster - could you read it aloud to me?”
The boys can be chatty, too - but more so when I get them one-on-one away from the house. At home their boy noises tend to be more along the lines of “Jon, did you see that - Pow! Got you!” and “Oooo, […]
Original post by carrie
I haven’t posted any group shots of the kids, lately, so here’s one their computer class teacher took this week. Natalie (11) is the girl, of course. Jonathan (8) is in orange, Noah (9) is in the blue stripes, and Josiah (6) is in front.
Original post by carrie
The two items mentioned in the title may seem completely unrelated, but they’re not.
Our dryer went kaput last night. It had been stumbling along, half-drying clothes for a few days, during which I alternated between telling myself, “There’s something wrong with the dryer; it’s gonna quit any day” and complete denial: “It’s just your imagination. That was a really big load - it’s completely normal to have to re-start the dryer four times to get the seams in your jeans to dry completely.”
Then, last night, when I sent Natalie downstairs with a load of damp laundry to ask Kevin to put them back in, he came up and told me that the dryer would no longer turn on. Shoot.
I called the repairman this morning, expecting to hear that I would have to wait until Monday, but he actually showed up before noon! He followed Kevin downstairs and took the […]
Original post by carrie
(Snow Buddies was provided to me by Click Communications for the purpose of review.)
The five lovable talking pups are back in a brand new escapade! Hip-hoppin’ B-Dawg, the feisty RoseBud, zen Buddha, dirt-loving MudBud and the big fella Budderball are off to the Arctic for a daring Alaskan dogsled race. This time, the Buddies are joined by two new friends, a wise old sled Alaskan sled dog, Talon, and Shasta, a husky pup as well as a couple of not-so-friendly new acquaintances, as they tackle hilarious and hair-raising exploits in a heartwarming story of teamwork, triumph of the puppy spirit and adventure. Snow Buddies stars Dylan Sprouse, Jim Belushi and Kris Kristofferson. Robert Vince and Anna McRoberts return as writers and producers with Vince once again taking the reins as director. The DVD includes all new bonus, including hilarious bloopers, a brand new music video featuring Hannah Montana’s Mitchel Musso […]
Original post by carrie
(Medabots: The Complete First Season was provided to me by Special Ops Media for the purpose of review.)
Enter the world of Medabots, where kids have the ultimate power — and supercharged robots. Fueled with artificial intelligence and a specialized arsenal of high-powered weapons, the Medabots compete against each other in exciting Robattles, with the winners acquiring Medaparts from the defeated Medabot. But more than anything else, these challenges are about courage and mind power, where the soul of the Medafighter and Medabot combine to emerge victorious.
The kids never watched Medabots on TV, but it looked like something they would be interested in, so I said we would review the first season DVDs. Medabots: The Complete First Season contains 26 half-hour episodes on four discs. The show is basically another attempt to duplicate the success of Pokemon, with the kids training Medabots instead of Pokemon. Since the boys LOVE Pokemon, […]
Original post by carrie
- The good news? It’s not 10 degrees outside anymore. On the other hand, it’s snowing, and has been all morning. The forecast reads like this: Monday - snow; Tuesday - snow; Wednesday - cloudy; Thursday - snow; Friday - snow; Saturday - snow - well, you get the idea. I know I’ve only lived here 11 years, but this has got to be some sort of snowfall record. It has to be - because I’d hate to think this is just a normal winter, and the last few have been abnormal. When is spring, again?
- Remember how I said we had discovered a great Sci-Fi channel series through Netflix called The Dresden Files? Well, it turns out it only ran one season. Phooey. On the plus side, we’re really enjoying the Tom Hanks / HBO-produced miniseries From the Earth to the Moon.
- National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets is […]
Original post by carrie
Even to bears. This is what I saw when I walked into the kitchen this morning:
I called Pink Pixie (his mama) upstairs. “Pixie, why is Teddy on the donut box?” She set up the rest of the story . . .
Original post by Gem
What are you doing this New Year’s Eve 2007? I am sitting on the couch with my new laptop, watching the kids jump and sing and dance along with their High School Musical game on their new Playstation 2. They are happy, especially since their daddy told them they could stay up until midnight to welcome the New Year. Without asking their mommy. He’s the crazy one - I’ll probably head in to bed, and he’ll be up. And he’s still getting over the flu. He did, however, take a long nap in a quiet house this afternoon while the kids and I were visiting at Michelle’s.
I’m also listening to the song Revival from the CD Revival in Belfast by Robin Marks. We found a new church home this year. It has been nearly two years since we left our old church home. And yet, as soon as this song […]
Original post by carrie
I wrote the links post below before I went to bed last night and set it to publish early this morning. Then at 1:30 a.m. I was awakenedy by a shivering, feverish Jonathan. He and Natalie never caught the five-day fever-inducing bug that Noah and Josiah had last week. So - no ortho appointment, no play date - just extra vitamin C and fluids and prayers that he will be better before Christmas. Sigh.
Original post by carrie
It’s been an interesting week in our house, plumbing wise. First, we thought our hot water heater had sprung a leak and we would need a new one. Thankfully, it turns out to simply be a leaky valve that is easily replaced. Then, we had water backing up into our basement drain. In the middle of Natalie’s slumber party. All the extra flushing didn’t help. We had a guy out Saturday, who cleared our line all the way out to the street. He removed the manhole cover and found standing water in the city line. He thought we would be okay until Monday, but he was wrong. After two showers and washing dishes, it happened again today. He came out again - this time not charging us, wonderful man - and cleared it. He said that the water is still sitting in the main city line, and draining very, very […]
Original post by carrie
Do you know how loud five girls all hopped up on sugar are? Loud.
Original post by carrie
Today, Natalie turns 11. Sob. My little girl isn’t one any longer. She has turned into a lovely young lady, and we are very proud of her. Friday night will see our house full of five girls watching movies, doing makeovers, playing games, eating junk food, and (I’m sure) lots and lots of giggling. Oh, yeah - and not much sleep for her dad and I.
(Natalie’s birth story)
Original post by carrie
(Sonic Underground: The Series was provided to me by Click Communications for the purpose of review.)
Our review copy of Sonic Underground: The Series could not have come at a better time. Two of the boys were down with a nasty cold or mild flu-like virus, complete with fevers and low appetite and stuffy nose. The weekend was spent with the boys lounging around on the couches, watching one episode of Sonic Underground after another. After another. After another. If they hadn’t been sick, I would have hollered at them to get off the couches and do something creative, but since they had an excuse, they laid around and watched all twenty episodes.
The heroic hedgehog is back! As told in an ancient prophecy, Sonic is reunited with his two siblings, Sonia and Manic, to form a band – Sonic Underground – using their electric guitar, keyboard, and drumset (which seamlessly transform […]
Original post by carrie
We got another package from Workman Publishing yesterday. The item inside was a too young for my kids now, but boy, would I have loved to have one of these when Natalie was a toddler:
My Mommy’s Tote is much more than just a book.
Cuter than a button, My Mommy’s Tote is a delicious interactive gift for mothers and their kids. Created by P. H. Hanson, whose previous books—My Granny’s Purse and My Grandpa’s Briefcase—this is a die-cut cornucopia stuffed with marvelous adventures and surprises, endearingly written and offering incredible value. There’s the clock with hands that move. A write-on wipe-off board and marker. A maze to navigate. Two spin wheels for learning the alphabet and numbers. Mommy’s laptop and cell phone, planner and wallet (a magnet for every little kid—this one has a removable credit card). Plus a key ring and photos, a real handkerchief, and an intriguing mystery: Can […]
Original post by carrie
[kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/0WXsTsA5dUY” width=”425″ height=”350″/]
If you listen, Monkey Boy is right on key most of the time — when Squid changes keys for a little bit, he’s off, then he finds it again. He’s just ad libbing, they’re just jamming. Pink Pixie makes quite the backup dancer as well!
Original post by Gem
…when you use the movie Apollo 13 as part of your unit on the space program?
The following:
Mom: Can anyone remember the year Neil Armstrong walked on the moon?
Josiah (6yo): PG-13!
Original post by carrie
It snowed six inches overnight. This meant very happy kids and one very stressed-out mama. We haven’t had a chance to get the studded tires put on my van, and since my regular tires are on their last tread, I was more than a little worried about getting to the hairdresser this morning. Well, we survived - though I did slide through one stop sign. Thank God, the UPS truck coming from the side had long enough to stop and didn’t hit us. And, thank God, I didn’t pee my pants when I realized there was no way my van was going to stop in time.
Natalie and I both got our hair cut, and we got home without further incident. Then my wonderful husband came home early from work and put my studded tires on for me. So now I won’t have to stay up all night worrying about […]
Original post by carrie
(Land Before Time: The Wisdom of Friends was provided to me by Click Communications for the purpose of review.)
The three younger kids all enjoyed The Land Before Time: The Wisdom of Friends. (Natalie is getting a little old for Little Foot and friends.) I’ve always thought the best things about the Land Before Time movies is the music, and the same holds true with this one. Even though it must be the gazillionth sequel, this is still a quality kids’ movie with great music. Two new characters are voiced by Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Sandra Oh (from Grey’s Anatomy).
The underlying theme of this story is the “Wisdoms” - or as Cera calls them, the “Gotta-dos.” These are the things our parents and grandparents teach us that help us make our way through life. Little Foot and his pals get a chance to pass on these Wisdoms when they meet two […]
Original post by carrie
(Wish Gone Amiss was provided to me by Click Communications for the purpose of review.)
Natalie’s review:
This DVD, Wish Gone Amiss, has episodes from The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Hannah Montana, and Cory in the House. On each show, they make a wish on a shooting star and they aren’t careful of what they wish for. In each episode, something goes berserk.
On The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, they make a wish that they have super-powers. The hotel manager in the movie wishes the same thing, but he becomes a super-villain. Zack and Cody have to defeat him.
On Hannah Montana, Mylie wishes that she was Hannah all the time. Her life flips upside-down and she starts a whole new life. Mylie never existed, her friends Lily and Oliver were never her friends, and her dad was re-married. Jackson, her brother, got tired of all his friends wanting to […]
Original post by carrie
Pink Pixie found an old preschool workbook that she had used a couple of years ago and got Monkey Boy all hyped about it. Mostly he wants to scribble in it with markers — he is not remotely interested in actually learning letters. BUT he did ask if he could practice his letters in bed last night and took the workbook and a ballpoint to bed with him (anything to get him to actually STAY in the bed!!!). So, when he came running downstairs saying “Mommy, I’m 4!”, this is not exactly what I was expecting:
Yes, that is his arm. But it’s a really great 4, isn’t it?!
Original post by Gem
I’ve been waiting for Kevin to resize these pictures for me of the kids at Halloween:
Noah and Natalie were Harry and Hermione, and Jonathan and Josiah were kings. The pictures don’t really do them justice, but I crocheted Gryffindor scarves for Natalie and Noah.
Original post by carrie
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