Showing posts with label field trips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label field trips. Show all posts

Sunday, August 23, 2009

The zoo and my weekend

On Friday we spent the day at the zoo with Dawn and her two boys, Nathaniel and Peyton. We had a great time! The kids got to play and I got to have mom talk, which is always a plus for me. We got to see the dinosaur exhibit at Brookfield zoo and it was great! I always knew how big dinosaurs were but I didn't really KNOW. Man, they are big! Seeing the t-rex really helped me understand just how worthless those little arms were and how scary that thing must have been. Nicky was not impressed with those big, loud creatures. He doesn't like loud noises. He kept his head securely buried in Mack's back the whole time. He was actually really good at the zoo until the end. By then he'd missed his nap time and was starting to act just a little naughty. It really was a good day. After that we stopped at my mom's and had pizza for dinner.

Yesterday was a total waste of a day. Today was pretty wasteful too. I sat on my behind playing on facebook and watching Caillou on netflix with Zach and Nicky. How's that for an exciting weekend. I promised myself I'd get the addresses of friends I've promised soap to, didn't happen. I had two 4 pound batches of soap planned, didn't happen. Chris starts his classes tomorrow and I still haven't gotten his supplies. I'm mom of the year today. I guess down time is good. I've been really stressing lately. I've been spending my days tense and upset and even though I didn't do anything these last 2 days I can say I'm a lot more relaxed, calm and happy. Maybe I accomplished something after all :-)

Now on the next week! I have so much to do and I'm so excited. Really, this week isn't much different than any other week but I'm really looking forward to it. Aaron has his 6 month check up and Nicky had his 2.5 year check up. I can't wait to see how big my little chunky Aaron is. He also get to eat this week. He's been staring my food down for weeks so I hope he's not too disappointed. I can't believe this baby is 6 months old. It doesn't see like it's been that long. This year is flying by.

I better run. I'm in the mood for a nature hunt tomorrow and I think we'll have a scavenger hunt while we're at it.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Ramblings

Spring has not sprung. It's still cold here and we're missing our trip to Morton Arboretum. Boo. We did have fun at group yesterday though. I really like the church where we meet. The kids put on an impromptu play, the big kids had robotics class. I wish Chris would participate more(though I'm not sure why, it's his choice). He doesn't really like it much and usually cuts out. Yesterday he spend the whole time building a lego ship. We had chips, guacamole, fruit, and granola bars for lunch. I LOVE the guacamole from Whole Foods. It's more expensive than should be legal but it's so good. I'm going to try to match the recipe today. After all, the ingredients are listed.

Now to talk about my newborn. Rambling was indeed a great title. He's so sweet. I'm still staring at this perfect little creature. It amazes me that I grew him and am still growing him all by myself and he's healthy and thriving. Many thanks to my husband for the cell he donated to me for this little miracle ;-) This child has eyes for only me. He stares at me all the time, it's as if I'm the only person in existence in his eyes. My voice soothes him. I'm in awe of him. It's amazing to me that I still feel this way about my newborns after 6 kids. It never gets old with soft, sweet new babies.

Now, more rambling! I just bought a math set for the girls, since math is my hang up and I simply can't see me unschooling it My next step in pulling them from the jail they attend each day. They are having such fun this week! They will be so sad next when they have to return. This topic is becoming the topic of several mini arguments with my husband. He thinks they should be home now. While I agree in my heart I think that logically, it's still best they finish out the year. I'm not how this will end up just yet. We'll see.

Again about the baby. I have all items for the newborn screening. I started yesterday but he was crying so hard! My poor baby. The poke didn't phase him at all. It was the squeezing and holding his foot hostage that bothered him the most. He has this odd reaction after hard crying. The small amount of information I've found refers to what he does as a breathing spasm. I suspect this is just what the moms with this issue have started calling it. I haven't been able to find this listed anywhere as an actual medical term. He does this thing that I did as a child if I cried to hard. It's almost like a gasp but not. It's the quick inhale then exhale. I never knew it lasted more than a few minutes after a hard cry but with him it lasts a full day. When he nurses it causes him to have these but he seems to forget how to exhale. He will get a shocked look on his face while not really seeming to breath for 3-7 second and then he exhales a big breath. If it takes him a while he'll let out a startled cry if not, he just latches back on and keeps nursing. I have no clue what causes it or what stops it. I'm just careful not to let him get to that point if I can help it. The thing is that this all causes no real signs of respiratory distress. The doctor isn't worried and all the moms I've found on the Internet with this issue never find a diagnosis. I even found an adult who is still having this issue. I'm not sure what to do about this but worry. I have no clue what I should do as far as the newborn screening. My friend may come over to help me finish it today but we're both concerned about this breathing issue and not sure how to proceed. We'll see what happens.

Food! I'm writing a list. According to my weekly plan I should be shopping tomorrow. We might just go today if we get everything done. We'd really been looking forward to getting out of the house and due to....social issues in our group, in addition to the weather, it doesn't look like we'll be going to group. I'm hoping I can think of a nice variety of meals to make but, my head feels really empty at the moment. Hopefully Mack will help me think of some things.

Now for the last portion of my chaotic post: Politics. We had a bit of a political conversation at group yesterday and it made me see that I don't really identify with any one political group. For one, I've not educated myself well on what the groups truly stand for. I seem to identify with a few traits of a few parties. I guess this is common though. I have a live and let live view on life, this mostly stems from the worry that the government will one day tell me I can't homeschool/unschool, I must vaccinate and unassisted birth(or even plain homebirth) is illegal. These are choice I want to make for myself and I just don't want the government butting it. I'm also pro-life. I really feel abortion is wrong but at times I feel as if maybe it isn't always the wrong thing(this happens rarely) so I guess that could go either way. I know this view is more republican than anything else. I also feel as if the government should provide help to those on need. I don't think they should pull the weight of system moochers but the working poor should be able to get some help if they are truly trying and have a desire to do better. I don't think WIC should provide formula without prescription from a lactation consultant but I guess that's an entirely different post. What does all this make me? I simply don't know. I am starting to have a few issues with our president. While I'm quite happy the color barrier has been broken, I'm not sure he's making all the right choices. Some of his actions seem questionable to say the least. I guess I'll just wait and see how things go over the next year before I make any real decisions on how I feel about him.

I had more but I'm tired of writing and the children are calling me.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

A bit of normalcy

Today feels so right. My girls are home and I'm feeling so at ease. They fight so much after school I wondered if things could be peaceful again with both of them home. Things are perfect. I had suspected that stress led them to fight each other and their brothers so much and it was. Don't get me wrong, they fought before they started school but the amount and intensity has about tripled since then. That's really saying a lot since they aren't here half as much yet the fighting is three times as much! And no, this isn't an exaggeration. I can't wait for them to be home for good. I really miss this.

I've also noticed that when writing I don't talk about our day to day stuff anymore. In older blogs, my entries were filled with the things we'd done during the day. It's not that way anymore. Things seem so empty without my daughters around. Today is so full already. I've done my normal stuff but the excitement I've been missing is back! Not that it's been a busy day. It isn't. It's been a really lazy day full with cleaning, clothes and planning. But even though that is all we've done we've seen lots of art done by my girls, Chris isn't stuck to his computer like he'd normally be, Zach and Nicky are off playing peacefully together(after they finished singing to me and dancing), the girls seem obedient and loving again. They don't have these nasty attitudes that they somehow grow at school. They are being them. It only took 2 days, they haven't been to school since Wednesday.

I'm really hoping we get to go on the trip with our group on Wednesday. My van is really acting up. We're pretty sure the issue is the fuel pump. Mack will probably take it in on Monday. It would probably be best if he went in today. I can't be stuck in the house this week. I really want to make this a week to remember since the girls are home and I've been stuck around the house first due to pregnancy exhaustion and then for the first weeks after baby was born. Speaking of my little Aaron- he's a month old! I can't believe it's been a month already. The memory of his birth is so clear to me. I hope it's always so clear. Nicky's has never faded. I can remember it as if it were yesterday. The hospital births and all the frustrations that came with them have never been so clear. Not sure if that is because of all the drugs or simply because part of me wants to forget certain parts. Not that much of most of those births weren't happy, they were, I just felt very violated and my wishes and concerns were so often ignore. I'm still trying to make peace, especially with my c-sections. I'm not sure I'll ever make peace with the nightmare that was Frankie's birth. Had any of the staff had any compassion, it may not have been so horrible.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Spring!

I'd grown quite tired of all the Panera meeting with homeschool group I LOVE my group but Panera and my toddler don't mix well. I just checked our meeting places and I'm so happy it's spring! We have lots of fun places to go this month.

April 1- 11:30a.m., Morton Arboretum, Lisle
Let’s meet in the Children’s area, using the visitor center as a warming area if needed. Dress for the weather.Cost: $7 Adults, $5 Youth, free children under 2 Morton Arboretum website: http://www.mortonarb.org/

April 8 - *1:00.*, Bowling, Fox Bowl, Wheaton
Join us for an afternoon of bowling. Outside food will be allowed but no messy foods such as popcorn or chips. Cost: $2.50 per game with free shoe rental. 1101 Butterfield Road, Wheaton.http://www.foxbowl.com/.

April 15 – 11:30a.m, Cosley Zoo, Wheaton http://www.wheatonparkdistrict.com/pgs/parks/cosley/default.htmlOlder Kids: Enjoy the zoo area together and then have some fun playing in Cosley’s open area where we can also have lunch.For the younger group, Dee has scheduled a program to start at 11:30. The class is for the little guys ages 4-2nd grade level. The cost is 4.50 per child, 3 chaperons are free but additional chaperons will have to pay 1.50. Please let Dee know if you plan to attend the program. The class description is below:
CRITTER CLASS INFO
This class is designed to introduce your students to the concept of sorting animals into groups.We will also discover adaptations that help mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians to survive in their environments.Students will view pictures, touch biofacts, and meet live animals to reinforce what they have learned.

April 22 – 11:30 Cantigny, Wheaton
We will be climbing on the tanks in the tank park and visiting the First Division Museum. Cantigny Website: http://www.cantigny.org/Cost: $5 a car

April 29 11:30 Blackwell Forest Preserve, Warrenville
The main entrance is on the north side of Butterfield Road, 1/4 mile west of Winfield Road and one mile east of Route 59.Dupage Forest Website: http://www.dupageforest.com/PRESERVES/blackwell.html*11:30 a.m. Bike ride, Meet just inside park entrance, lst parking lot on right.Bring your bikes and join us on a 6 mile bike ride to McKee Marsh and back. The entire length of the ride will be on a bike path.*12:30 p.m. Picnic & Lawn Sports, West ShelterBring lunch for your family and any of your favorite lawn games such as croquet, bocce, horseshoes, etc…

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