Monday, September 29, 2008

Sarah's new pillows

Jennifer, Abbe and Olivia's mom, got a new embroidery machine.  She is so crafty.  I just love to see the stuff she makes.  She is just good at this type of stuff.  So, when she told me she got the new machine, I knew she would turn out some great stuff.  She has done dresses and bags for the girls and day of the week undies for Jason(these are a bit scary if you ask me).  So I asked her to embroider some pillows for Sarah.  When I bought the fabric to recover Sarah's chair they had about 1 1/2 yards left, so I got that also just in case I made a mistake.  So I had plenty to make Sarah a pillow sham and pillow for her bed.  I also covered her mirror, but silly me I put ribbons and bows on it like I saw in a store.  Something about buttons and a 2 year old should have clicked in my brain and it did finally about 10 minutes after I hung it on the wall and Sarah tried to pull off a button.  I have to take off the buttons and come up with a new plan on that.  Back to the story, sorry my mind wanders at times!  So last week Elijah and I dropped off Sarah at school and headed to Jennifer's.  Boy did I have fun.  I need a embroidery machine.  I could be crafty then I am sure.  Jennifer did Sarah's name and I dragonfly on the first one:IM000044 IM000042

On the second one she did a flower and dragonflies:IM000041 They are sooooooooo cute.  I love them.  Here is what Sarah's bed looks like now:IM000040 Sarah had to get in on the fun.  She just ooh'd when she saw the pillows and just rubbed them and laid her head down.  She pitched a fit when I got her up!IM000045 I hope to have Sarah's room done this week, so I will post updated pictures later!  Have a great day!
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Friday, September 26, 2008

Wild, Wild, Week

Man, what a week.  There is nothing like coming back from vacation to the work week, but then add a few appointments in there and it gets wild fast at our house.  It has been so busy I still do not have the suitcases fully unpacked yet.  Here is a run down of the fun!

Mon:  Take Sarah to school.  Elijah and I come home and clean the house and I start laundry.  I say start because apparently I forgot a load in the washer until today.  Yep, the smell made me remember it.  Rewashing that load now.  Painted the table for Sarah's room.  Hung up a few things in her room that I had found.  I was tired by the time I picked up Sarah and not much was done after that.  I started recovering Sarah's rocking chair cushions.

Tues:  Elijah to school.  Sarah to feeding and occupational therapy.  Then we went downtown to have an evaluation for a research project for speech therapy.  Spent 2 hours there doing the paperwork and testing, only to find out that they think Sarah may have too much language.  HUH?!?!  I told them several months ago when I called about it that she was saying words to me, but would not talk to others.  I filled out the paperwork.  I tried to only mark words that I knew she had said to others and that they understood.  I guess I should have just said she was not talking.  Of course she decided to be chatty.  She named animals, some of their sounds, and other words.  So, we are waiting to see if she is too vocal.  I will be so frustrated if we wasted 2 hours to find out that she"had too much language".  I don't really understand it.  I would think they were measuring an improvement.  Oh well, not sure I really want to do it.  Finished Sarah's rocking chair.  Did I tell you I don't have a sewing machine?  Yes the sewing was by hand.  I am surprised to finished so fast.  Of course the housework is suffering.

Weds:  Sarah to school.  Then Elijah and I went to Jennifer's and she embroidered 2 pillows for Sarah.  Elijah got to play with Abbe and Olivia.  He was so excited.  Home, Supper, cleaned house again.  We have hardly been home, how did the house get so messy?  Worked on sewing Sarah's pillows.

Thurs:  Elijah to school.  Sarah to physical therapy.  Home Sarah nap.  I finished Sarah's pillows.  Folded a load of laundry.  This really should have reminded me about the laundry in the washer, but it did not.  It was a load of diapers that I needed.  That was all I was thinking about.  Picked up Elijah.  Went to the place that is going to make Sarah's shoe inserts  and got Sarah fitted.  Hurried home and changed Sarah and I and we went to meet Lorie for supper.  Elijah and Doug went to soccer practice. 

Fri:  Up early.  Katie our home educator came.  Worked with Sarah on feeding.  Dressed everyone.  Took kids to sitter, Doug and I went to the adoption agency to start our homestudy.  Home, got kids.  They napped.  I straightened up kitchen and dining room.  Kids up--short nap.  Started the mirror for Sarah's room.  Burnt hand bad with hot glue gun.  Guess that is why the warning is on there.  Will finish mirror when the feeling returns to my finger and the blister goes away.  Now I need to think about supper.  Too tired to think.  Will try to get Doug to go get a pizza or something.

Tomorrow we have soccer game and birthday party.  I need to finish the mirror.  Order Elijah's birthday cake.  Clean house AGAIN.  Probably will forget about laundry so I will need to finish it.  Need to find the floor in Elijah's room.  Think he has a desk in there also, need to find it!  Wow, I am tired from just typing.  Guess I better go, my to do list is growing.

More Florida pictures:God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork

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Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Black eye and busted lip

both in a little more than 24 hours timeframe.  Which of my coordinated children do you ask?  Take a guess.  Elijah likes to take flying leaps from the back of the couch like superman.  Sarah climbs on everything and has decided falling is more fun than walking.  I really mean she literally stands up and free falls and then giggles.   It is Sarah that has done the bang up job on her face, guess I will be putting off those pictures AGAIN!  Man, this is so not funny.  She is going to be 10 before we get 2 yr old pictures.  I don't really know what happened to her eye.  It is really more scratched than blue.  It was this way when I picked her up from school yesterday.  The teacher just noticed the red spot on her eye and told me about it.  I thought it was like a bump.  She gets red bumps all the time.  It was dark in the room since most of the kids were napping, so I really did not see it until we got to the car.  It looks like she fell and hit her eye on something.  It is not swollen or tender. There is a red mark, almost like a rubbed raw area, then it has several scratched areas by her nose.  I tried to get a picture, but you can not see it in the picture, of course it does not help that Sarah bit me while trying to take the picture.  I guess no meant no.  Then tonight she fell in her room and hit her elmo activity bench and put her lower tooth into her top gum and lip.  Man does the mouth bleed.  She has blood on her pj's and I have it all over me.  Scared me to death.  There was blood all over her face.  I could not tell where it was coming from.  Finally found the spot on her mouth.  Guess mixed with the saliva made it seem like more.  She is all better now.  I will try to get those 2 year old pictures next week.

Here are a few pictures of the kids playing at the water fountain park at the outlet mall in Florida.  They both loved the water.  They were soaked when they got finished.  Glad we had a change of clothes.  Wished we had a towel.  Those bathroom paper towels are very small.  God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork

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Monday, September 22, 2008

Days at the Beach

Elijah and Sarah really enjoyed the beach.  They both had fun playing in the sand as well as the ocean.  The first day it was cloudy and very windy from the after effects of Ike.  The rest of the week it was calm and beautiful.  Here are a few of the pictures on the beach.  I thought I had taken more pictures, but it is hard to take pictures with 2 wild kids.  They kept all of us busy.  Elijah and Sarah also made a friend the last day of our trip.  She was a very sweet little girl and the kids got along great.  Sarah is definitely our little fish.  She wanted to be out in the waves.  She loved to feel the current going in and out.  She was not satisfied on the shore in just a little water.  Elijah is going to be a builder.  He loved building in the sand.  He is also going to be a collector like his dad.  Great, now I have to try to store stuff for 2 people.  I hope Sarah is not a collector!  The stuff is going to run us out of our home!God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork I will post tomorrow of more of our adventures.  I took more pictures somedays.  I also have video that I will upload in the future.
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Saturday, September 20, 2008

We are back...

Did you miss us? We left last Saturday to go to Florida and just got in this afternoon. We had a great trip. I am very tired. I have tons of pictures and stories to share next week. I am just too tired to think now, but wanted to let you know we were back. Hope everyone had a great week. I posted a couple of automatic post so you would not be bored with out us!!!! I will update more tomorrow!
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Thursday, September 18, 2008

Praise God for blessings!!!

God has really provided for us lately in little things and big things. Sarah has been wearing arch supports in her shoes for several months now. We noticed since she started walking more that she was turning her ankles inward. The therapist wanted her to have supports that come up just above her ankles for added support. We did not think our insurance would pay for this, since orthotics are not covered. We were told by TEIS that if insurance denied it they would help with the cost, but the approval process would take 4-5 months to process. During this, Sarah jumped a shoe size and her arches began to hurt her feet, so we have had to take the arch supports out of her shoes. Due to being sick we have missed therapy to have the arches resized, so she is totally without support. I just learned that we have met our deductible and out of pocket expense for Sarah this year and her new ankle supports will be covered 100%. PRAISE THE LORD!! We will go next week for fitting!!!!
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Monday, September 15, 2008

Cubbies

Elijah is really enjoying Cubbies this year. Doug is helping in his class and he thinks this is really neat. He is learning his verses really fast so far. I pray that his memory is this good when he gets in school. I am amazed at how well he learns things. He came home the other day singing new songs from school. He said they learned them that day. They are learning verses at school and at soccer practice too, so he should be well covered in God's word. He is starting to ask more questions about God and the bible, so we are praying for God to open his heart to salvation. I think he is too young to fully understand, but we are planting seed now.

Sarah is also getting seeds planted. She has learned to put her hands together to pray and tries to say Amen. It is sooooo cute. She is also trying to sing Jesus Loves Me. This is very special to me. I love to hear her sing.
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Friday, September 12, 2008

Update

Sarah is still very sick. She has slept most of the day. She does awaken to eat and drink, so that is good. Elijah has pictures for soccer in the morning before his game, so I hope she feels better to go to this, if not Doug will take Elijah and I will stay home with Sarah and pray that Elijah does good for pictures! Hope everyone has a great weekend! Keep Sarah in your prayers.

Don't forget about our buddy walk in Oct...see the blog a couple of days ago for information!!

Robyn
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Thursday, September 11, 2008

Things never to tell my children

Both of my children are very smart and perceptive about things that are happening in our lives.  I have learned to be very careful in what we say or don't say around them.  They always seem to know what is going on.  Over the years I have learned there are a few things that my children should never know in advance, or it will spell disaster.  These are innocent things.  Things that you should be able to share with joy and pleasure, but for some reason they always lead to illness in my two children.  I thought it was just Elijah that we had a problem with, but Sarah has stepped up to the plate and is well on her way to out doing her brother.  So, I will share words of wisdom to the rest of you and hopefully ease your burdens if your children suffer from these ailments.

Never under any circumstance let you children know you will be traveling.  Regardless of if it is for vacation or to go to a beloved grandparents.  This will always result in one or both children becoming very ill.  Case in point:  Elijah his first Christmas we traveled to GA to see my mother.  The morning after we arrived he woke with a fever of 104.  He was only a few months old and had never been sick.  We were able to see a local doctor and found out he had RSV.  Then we went to IN to Doug's mother and he again was perfectly fine and then spiked a fever of 104 again.  ER visit this time, bilateral ear infections.  Numerous times we have started on trips and Elijah has gotten sick the day before we left, so we were able to go to our pediatrician prior to leaving.  Sarah decided to have croup with trouble breathing while we were at my fathers's one time last year and several times prior to going to one of the grandparents she has had ear infections or croup.  So heed my advance, just don't tell your children you are traveling.  Just tell them the packing of clothes or luggage is just for a picnic or something.  Don't let them know you have plans!

Next, never, ever tell you children you are going to have their picture taken.  This to will lead to unexplainable fevers or rashes.  Don't tell them I beg you.  Elijah for his 1 year old pictures decided to spike a fever in route to the photographer.  So all of his pictures he is pale and sickly looking and I have very vivid memories to go with those sickly pictures always to be reminded of my child being sick on his 1st birthday.  Too sick to enjoy the party.  Sarah I have tried for 2 weeks to have her 2 yr old pictures taken.  First she got salmonella of all things, so we canceled that appointment, then she had a rash around her mouth from drooling due to teething.  Today we have another appointment.  Maybe, just maybe we will make it, right?

Well, my children found out.  I don't know how they found out.  I am sure I did not tell them.  They can not read so I am sure they did not find it in my dayplanner.  But, they know and how do I know they know?  I can see it in the glassy eyes.  I can feel it in the heat of their little bodies.  I can hear it in their cries.  They know I tell you.  They know.

Well, just got back from the pediatrician.  Yep, Sarah found out that she had a picture appointment for today.  She really went out of her way this time.  You see, I did not make the appointment until yesterday afternoon, just to be safe.  Today Sarah spikes a temperature and refuses to swallow.  Her shirt is soaked.  No saliva is going down her throat and if it does screaming and crying occurs.  My baby is sick.  She has strep throat.  No fun at all.  She feels horrible.  Maybe she will feel better soon.  I guess I need to add the photographer to my speed dial.  I guess we will try again another day.  No, that was not pain when I swallowed.  I know it wasn't.  Ok, maybe I will try the no swallowing rule.  Okay, doesn't work.  Guess I will be heading to the doctor.  Man, I have not had strep since I was a teenager.  Ouch, this hurts.  Did I tell you we were planning on going to Florida?  Please don't tell my kids they will ruin everything!  Hmmm, I think someone has spilled the beans.  Please pray that Sarah is the only one that gets the strep.  Ok, just Sarah and I(my throat really hurts).  I need Doug and Elijah to stay well.  God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork My adorable children!  Thanks Jennifer for these really cute costumes.  I got them out when I was going through the winter clothes that Jennifer and Candy gave us for the kids.  They love them.  Sarah is hilarious.  We got out a mirror so she could see herself.  She kept tapping the mouth of the giraffe to the mirror and barking.  Did you know that giraffes bark?  Sarah says they do, and of course she calls it a doggie.  She pitched a good fit when I took it off.  Fall Festival is covered.  Both of my kids are ready.  Elijah is also getting a Bible man costume for his birthday I heard from Pop-pop and Karen, so he will get to pick. 

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Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Sarah's Big Girl Room

I have been working on Sarah's big girl room.  I am almost done.  I painted the walls a pale yellow, used a quilt with pastels colors and butterflies, ladybugs, dragonflies and flowers, white furniture and fun accents.  I still need to paint her nightstand white and cover her rocking chair.  I found a pretty pink fabric that has raised polka dots on it.  The fabric also had a fur like feel to it.  I thought Sarah would love rubbing her hands on it.  She loves soft furry textures.  Jennifer said she would embroider her pillow with her name and a butterfly.  I am going to make the pillow out of the same fabric and trim it with lace trim.  I also want to get a rug for the room and some butterflies, dragonflies, ladybug and/or flowers to use as accents around the room, but I have not found any yet.  Here are a few pictures of the progress.  I will update with pictures as I add things!  IM000976 IM000977 IM000978 IM000979 IM000980 IM000982 IM000981
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Monday, September 8, 2008

The Money Pit

I knew when we bought a bank foreclosure house several years ago that we would have to do some repair work and remodeling.  Since the house was about 30,000 under market value at the time we bought it, I figured that would do the repairs and remodeling.  Hmmm, let see I think we are over the 30,000 now, but our house value has also jumped to 60,000 more than we paid for it.  I pray we stay way below that 60,000 mark!  To date we have done the following.  We moved into our home in March of 2005.  Not long into the summer we realized that our house was HOT!  No matter how low we turned the thermostat the house stayed warm, esp upstairs.  The basement of course was cool.  We then realized that the windows were not blocking air.  Doug put some plastic on the inside of the downstairs window and you could hear the air blowing the plastic.  So we replaced all of the windows and put in new siding with an additional layer of insulation.  Wow, that really helped with the electricity bill.  Great improvement.  Jan of 2006 on the coldest day of the season I turned up the heat to warm up the house a bit and the heater made the most obnoxious high pitch squeal I have ever heard, and you guessed it no heat came out of the vents.  So we put in a new heat and air conditioning system and added vents to all of the basement(only half was vented prior to this).  We then had outlets that would no longer work.  We had an electrician to come in and repair and replace some of the electrical wires.  Then the plumbing at the kitchen sink began to leak.  Thankfully my dad came and fixed it for us.  Then more of the electrical outlets stopped working, thank goodness Doug and I were able to do the repairs.  Then we found a leak in the upstairs bathroom.  They would have to cut out part of the basement ceiling to do the repairs, so since they were doing that we moved the washer and dryer downstairs and added a tub to the master bath and added a full bath downstairs with the washer dryer.  Remember the posts at the first of the year with the joys of that remodel?  I don't want to remember that.  Then Elijah flooded the bathroom in the middle of the remodel and we had to replace the subfloor in the bathroom.  Once they moved the washer and dryer they would no longer work, so we had to replace them.  Then last weekend, Doug was going into the basement bathroom and realized that the carpet in front of the door was wet.  He opened the closet by the bathroom where, you guessed it, the water heater is located and of course it was leaking.  Great, now the water heater has to be replaced and of course this occurs on a holiday weekend so we can pay more for the repair.  As you can tell from this post most of this has been repair work, I have not gotten to do much remodeling, wonder when I will get to do that?  Almost everything is new now, so I probably better hurry up before anything gets old!  Oh wait, I think we are BROKE!!!  I must admit I have done some remodeling.  All but one of the rooms have been painted.  I have replaced several of the light fixtures.  We did update the fixtures in the master bath when we added the tub.  Doug has redone the back deck and has started a walkway around the hill into the back yard and we have put in shrubs(twice now, they keep dying!).  Maybe one day the money pit will be our dream home.  Of course, since we bought this home we have adopted Sarah and I will not be sending her to the school she will be zoned for(we are really thinking hard about our options on this).  Elijah's elementary and middle school are ok, but he also will not go to high school here.  Let's see, Sarah will start receiving services from the school system in September of next year.  Think I better go call the real estate agent we need a new home!
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Saturday, September 6, 2008

Elijah's 1st Soccer Game

Elijah had his first soccer game today.  He really did great.  He is a much better player than I thought he would be.  He is good at chasing down the ball and getting it from the other team and going back up field with it.  He is not as good at getting it in the goal, he tends to kick it to one side, but over all he really played great.  He was tired by the end of the game.  I took pictures and tons of video.  He was so funny about the video.  He kept asking me if I got the play on the video.  I had to stop videoing so he would concentrate on the game and not on me videoing.  Here are some pictures.  Elijah's team is in the grey.

Practice before the game:

God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork Game pictures:

God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork God's Handiwork

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Thursday, September 4, 2008

Elijah's 1st Day of "School"

Elijah started Mother's Day Out (aka school) today.  He was so excited.  He really enjoyed seeing his friends on Tuesday and could not wait to get to play.  Yes, I have the kids going to school on opposite schedules.  Sarah goes on Mon and Wed and Elijah and I have some time together.  On Tues and Thursday Elijah goes to school and Sarah and I go to therapy and then have some time together.  This works out great for now.  Elijah does not have to go to therapy with us which is a nightmare when he does, and now he will get some mommy time which I think he really needs.  I am sure the school people will get tired of seeing me by the end of the year.  Here are a few pictures of Elijah today.  He was not as cooperative as Sarah and did not want any pictures at school.  I don't know what is up with the facial expressions.  He said he was trying something new with his lips.  I could not get a normal expression from him.  KIDS!God's Handiwork God's Handiwork

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Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Sarah's Big Day

Today was a big day for Sarah.  Today she turned 2 years old.  She is such a big girl.  She is growing and developing so well.  She is such a delightful little girl.  We love her soooooooo much!  Also today was her 1st day of "school" (Mother's Day Out at church).  God's Handiwork Mommy was so anxious about today.  I cried all the way there and then once I dropped her off I started crying again.  It is hard to leave your baby for the first time at school.  I just want her to have a great life and provide her with the best opportunities.  She is my princess.  She did great!  She made friends with the only other girl in her class before class started.  Here they are meeting in the lobby.God's Handiwork   She said her hellos to Mrs. Kim the preschool director God's Handiwork and then went on into her room.  God's Handiwork She stopped playing long enough to get a picture with Mrs. Susan.  God's Handiwork When I picked her up, she was tired, but had a great day.  She even took a nap on her mat.  She loved the art page she did and just jabbered all the way home, telling me all about her day.  Mrs. Susan said she did not cry at all and did really good.  I am so proud of my princess.

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