School Work and Swing Set

Yesterday we started our new routines and curriculum that we got. So far everyone seems to be enjoying it. I like it cause its a lot of reading and not a whole bunch on busy work that Ashlyn hates. The method of the curriculum is nice, it follows Ruth Beetchick (sp?) methods which i seem to like, and it talks a lot about not forcing them if there not ready or intersted but working with them. For example one of Ashlyn's read alouds is the Beginners bible and she can read most of the words but some are hard, so they suggest that the parent reads the ones that are above the child's level and the child reads the ones they are comfortable with. Unfortunately my first response at times is to push her too hard and try to force and it really backfires. As I read there suggestions I totally see that doing it gently and at her pace has always been my goal I just havent known how to go about it. So I am getting lots of great ideas and we are enjoying it so far on day two. I've got some stuff for Devin to do and I am greatfull that he seems to also be enjoying it. Lots of glue and cutting, the cutting was frustrating him so we put that aside, he worked on the letter B today. We tore up some blue paper and put out some beans and he glued them to the letter B. When Ashlyn saw him gluing beans she said that looks funner than this math I am doing. I told her she was welcome to make a picture when she was finished, we both forgot so not bean art work for her yet, but maybe later. Devin also did a sheet with a boat and letters Bb, he was really having fun with it he drew a dolphin jumping out of the water and going back in the water and then it died cause it got stuck on the beach (we learned out whales getting beached a couple weeks ago) then he got a different color marker (he was using lots ob blue) and drew poop cause all the animals in the water were pooping. Ashlyn thought this was quite gross and I thought it was funny cause it amazes me how his little brain works. So here are the pictures.







Ashlyn drew this very vibrant rainbow yesterday, she really loves rainbows and is wanting to get the colors just the way they appear in the sky when there is a real rainbow. I have no idea what the order is but this is her perception of how it goes.



This is a picture she started working on first thing this morning for Devin (totally her own idea) at the top it says I love you devin. sniffle sniffle she does love him (I wonder some times)


Devin and playdough. He loves smashing his action figures into the playdough. Amazing how different boy brains and girl brains work.




Ashlyn pretending, still her most favorite game.



At last we finally have a swing set. I've been wanting one for about 2 years. We had an old one from a neighbor at our house in Hubert, NC. But when we moved to Richlands, NC it didn't come with us and since Antonio was on deployment it didn't work out to get one and by the time he got back it was time to move. Since we decided to stay at this house we decided to take the plunge and get one. The directions were something to be desired and some of the whole were not drilled very well in the slide, but other than that it was too horrible. Now when it says it takes 3- hours to put together don't believe them unless you are either a master carpenter or a professional swing builder. I took us a couple days. But we are now reaping the benefits of our labor and sunburn(me cause I didn't put sunscreen on myself after getting everyone else). The kids are loving it, and me too. In the morning they go out for about an hour while I read through our schedule for the day and make phone calls. So far it is working well.










Ashlyn put kitty up there cause she didn't want to swing it so kitty just watched, cute!!!

Pregnancy Ramblings

Well I spent another night home from church last night, think this is my third or fourth week in a row. I feel pretty yucky at night and am a little afraid of leaving the house, I don't really care to throw up in public, and I get car sick even more when I am pregnant so if you mix an already sensitive stomach and a 20 minute car ride that could equal not so much fun at church. So Ashlyn and I stayed home last night and hung out and watched TV. I actually felt really good yesterday until 4:30, then the nausea kicked in a little but not too bad so I cooked fettuccine Alfredo for dinner. I skipped the pasta due to my wheat thing and opted for my sauce over veggies and chicken. Well, I didn't suspect it wouldn't agree with me, was I ever wrong. I was pretty miserable last night. I guess I need to stick to really bland things like baked potatoes and [plain rice. But this morning i feel better, this seems to be the trend.

We are considering cloth diapers, again, I used them for about a month with Devin. I wasn't as prepared as I should have been and I was by myself, so I think that had a lot to do with it. Antonio didn't like it much, but we only had prefolds and covers, so if we do it this time I am going to have a stash of all in ones and pocket diapers for him to use. We aren't totally sold on the idea yet. I read a few articles about the chemicals in disposables, little scary, and I am trying to weigh the pros and cons. I tend to get excited about purchasing all the new stuff and the prospect of a new adventure but when it comes to reality time then its not always so fun. But on the other hand with a more realistic stock of diapers and a husband home it may not be that bad. So we will see, I am waiting to get a yea or nae from hubby so I can start stocking either way. But I do feel like I shouldn't purchase anything quite yet, wait till I pass the 12 week mark. Well I am being beckoned by the boy so ta ta for now.

Some Pictures

We have been trying to incorporate Family night into our week. It didnt go exactly as planned on Friday last week, so we did homemade pizzas on Saturday. So here is the kids putting on the toppings, Daddy highly encouraged lots of pepperoni, i am not a pepperoni fan so next time I will have a slice of mine w/o it.


Silly Ashlyn with her taste of pepperoni that didnt make it all the way in.





And here is our finished product, it turned out reall yummy, especially after i took of my pepperoni LOL. My taste buds are super sensitive these days, so fruits and veggies taste the best to me. Antonio made a salad to go with the pizza and it was the best. The cherry tomatoes were so sweet and juicy, and everything smelled so good as he was cutting it. I cant wait to have him make me another salad.


Devin the master comedian


Since I had the camera out they wanted to take more pics.






He loves the silly faces


Here they both go

The Usuall

Well there hasnt been a lot going on around here, besides the norm. We did go swimming on Friday at the base pool, we had fun and got some well needed sun. They have a little slide the kids could go down. Ashlyn could touch at the end and Devin had a life jacket on so i didnt have to catch them. They set up of the pool is very well though out, it doesnt go above 4 feet for half of the pool and then the rest is roped off and is 9 foot. Then they have a seperate toddler pool with mushroom, unfortunatly it was broken. So we had a good time doing that until we got rained or rather lightninged out. But at least this time we got to swim for about an hour and a half. On Saturday I dont think we did anything but watch TV, we got cable on Friday so we definatly enjoyed it this weekend. Of course church Sunday and a yummy breakfast lunch at a local resturaunt. Antonio has been great about getting groceries for me since I've been pregnant. Seems like anytime I need to go I dont feel good, so he went yesterday after he got done with a little weekend emergency at work, just downed network nothing serious. he suprised me with lots of groceries, so sweet. Unfortunatly I could not enjoy the wonderful seafood stuffed salmon he got cause my senses are in overdrive so the smell was too much. Fruit has been my friend and it tasted soooooo goood. I guess that is a good thing. we are also gearing up to get on a schedule for school. I think the four week on one week off method is going to be our choice and I think it will work well. We are off to WalMart to get school supplies today and we plan to get started on August 25th. I am trying to get stuff together for Devin if anyone has any ideas for little 4 year old boys i would love them. The idea of sitting and doing anything doesnt seem to appeal to him unless its his idea, so that can be a little dilema at times. Anyway thats all for know......

Appointment

WARNING: I do talk about some things you may not want your younger children to read. nothing inappropriate but might just be to much information that you dont want them to have. Not sure if any kids read this or read behind Moms shoulder LOL

We had our appointment today and all looks well so far. They are really having a hard time getting around the fact that I had a period while pregnant, the Midwife called me back and said she probably wouldn't see me today cause according to the date of my last period I am only 4 weeks. So we discussed lab results and all that and got it figured our. So between that and the ultrasound it was determined that I am 8 weeks and 1 day and am due on March 18. Ashlyn got to come in for the ultrasound, she thought it was awesome. We got to here the heart beat and She couldn't believe how fast it was. I asked her if hers was that fast and she said yes and I said no its not honey and she said when I run really fast it is, so i had to agree with that one. we didn't have Devin and Daddy come back ,cause being that Devin is too smart for his or our own good, we didn't want o get into any explanations as to where the ultrasound probe was being placed LOL. He is already asking me if they are going to cut me open for the baby came out (a friend of ours had a c-section and we had gone to visit her and he had why she was in pain or something) and I answered him that I probably wouldn't get cut open and proceded to ask me how will the baby get out, aahhh I don't think I answered him directly but said we will talk about it when you are older. He is defiantly not ready for that info, he'll have it spread around the neighborhood before we know it. It was nice to see the babies little heart beat and see the little yoke sack that give the baby nutrition at this time and will turn into the placenta at the end of the first trimester, I didn't know that. I still am technically not out of our danger zone. We found out with the other 2 miscarriages around 12 weeks. I am not trying to focus on that, I am just trying to remain peaceful about it, but at same time be realistic. I appreciate everyones prayers and ask for them to continue.

Flash Flood

When we were on our cross country trip to move here we kept seeing the road signes that said flash flood Areas in between Las Vegas and Twentynine Palms. You also see them on side roads and low lying areas. Well today I got to experience my first one, oh happy day(not). Very scary!!! Saturday I promised the kids we would go to the pool this week and yesterday I decided that Monday would probably be great, it looked cloudy on the mountains but I didn't think much of it. Plus it rains like once a month over here if that so I was thinking it very well may dry out by the time it reaches us. It did start to rain before we left but it looked clear tword base and once again i thought it may dry up lets give it a try. So we stopped at Subway and got lunch and headed on to base (big mistake). As soon as we get to the pool the lightning and thunder starts and poor Devin is devastated cause he couldn't get in. So we tracked back to the car and headed home. Well going against my gut instinct I took the back way. Well the end of the back way is straight up hill, so what does that mean, well sand doesn't absorb water when it comes down fast and hard, so before you go up hill you are down. I had water flying up on my windshield, dirty sand water, and i prayed and prayed God please just let me get threw this. My fan belt light kept coming on and I swear it seemed like a mile we had to drive in that water and when we finally got to the top they closed the road I needed to go on. Remember those pretty mountains I sent pictures of, well lots of water was rolling down them with lots of sand and that leaves a mess on the highway. So we sat there for about a half and hour. There were some daring people that were taking a little side road and they were getting thought fine from what I could see so I went for it. Scary, the whole road was tore up so i got threw that and then pulled over cause the water coming down the road I needed to cross was moving really fast. So I pulled over again and waited for someone else with a similar vehicle to make it across or for water to slow down. So after about 10 minutes I noticed some cars actually driving up that road so I crossed it and made my trek up to our house. Whew we made it safe and sound.

Birthday Fun

Yesterday was my birthday and I woke up to Ashlyn wishing me happy birthday. She really loves birthdays, every ones. She was so excited to go shopping and buy me a present with Daddy, I think one of her love languages is Receiving Gifts cause she also loves to give them!! So I went to my appointment as stated in yesterdays post and after we went home and had a wonderful birthday nap, as I told Antonio today growing a baby is not easy business, I am tired. Ashlyn woke up from her nap and said "I will be right back!!" And she brought me a card that she made all by herself, it was red construction paper (she said cause my favorite color is red, so thoughtful) and she wasn't sure how to spell some of the word so she copied them off another birthday card a friend had sent me. I thought this was very intelligent of her,if you don't know something you go figure out how to do it, yeah. Antonio got off early so we headed down the hill, which is Palm Springs about 1 hour away. I think any trips over 30 minutes will be null and void until I have the baby cause I got a little ill. He took us to the Cheesecake factory, which was super beautiful. I am not sure if they all look like this or it was because it was in Palm springs. But with my nose all the sudden being very efficient, I got a little nauseous when we walked in the door. When the waitress came to offer us some bread and she got a very desperate "yes please" from me, she was very prompt with her return. I have been trying to stay away from wheat, it doesn't like me very much, and it gives me even worse heartburn than I already have. But I was desperate at this point and with the bread and Antonio's sprite (I've also been trying to stay away from that too) I was able to keep my stomach contents down. But I didn't get to eat, I ordered Mahi Mahi and it didn't smell too good to me at the time, but Antonio's french fries were awesome. I felt bad that I wasn't very good company at that very thoughtful and wonderful dinner, but I couldn't help it. So we left and I didn't begin to feel better, so we stopped at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and I got several dark chocolate covered strawberries. I've had one (I know i must be pregnant and ill) and they are wonderful. Then we went to Target, which is the closest to us, and got some much needed bookshelves. Antonio is slaving away putting them together, I tried to help but he said I looked pathetic and needed to go do something with myself ( I am a little tired and nauseous). The drive home was equally painful and then and there i announces I don't think we should drive this far while I'm pregnant. It was fun all in all and nice to get away. I was at the beginning of my pregnancy with Devin on my also and I think I had some similar issues, funny how you forget those things until you relive them. I did try my Mahi Mahi when I got home after a rest and some saltines and it was yummy. The broccoli tasted really good too.

Sorry No News

I had my appointment today and it was just a general health history and stuff. Lots of handouts and information, but they wouldn't do a blood test or ultra sounds today. Thankfully I do have a ultra sound next Thursday which I will look forward to. They think I'm about 9 weeks, I think I am more like 8 but next week we will know for sure. So I am probably due mid March, I am a little crampy today, but it's hard to tell whether its just growing pains or what. Pregnancy is always a time of spiritual growth so i will just embrace it. Looking ahead to the end of the pregnancy, I am not wanting another hospital delivery and Antonio says absolutely not to a home birth so I think I may do some research into birth centers. Cost of course is another issue so I also need to do some research on this alternative insurance that the military provides and as far as I know will cover birth center births. But I am going to see. Well that's it for know.