Momma Bear is Out!

Emma hasn't wanted to go to school all week.  I think it was Tuesday that she stayed in her room and I had to drag her out to go to school.  When I  say drag, really I just coaxed.  She got into the van but then when we got to school she held her finger on the door lock saying that she is not going to school.  I tried more coaxing and the only thing that worked was telling her I would come eat lunch with her.

We show up for lunch, then she starts to go to recess.  As we were getting ready to leave she comes back latches on to me and wants me to stay longer.  We stay.

Friday comes and I go to parent teacher conference, it goes well, Emma is doing very well in her studies.  I tell her teacher that it has been a tough week getting Emma to want to go to school and also to get her homework done.

I tell the teacher some of Emma's concerns.  She doesn't like to be called on to answer questions, she doesn't like her math.  Regular stuff.

Then on Friday Emma comes home from school.  She tells me in a concerned tone.  "Mom, there is something I need to tell you.  While I was at lunch, Ashlyn and Laura told Megan a secret.  Then they looked at me and told me that if I found out what the secret is they would beat me up."  I asked Emma if she said anything, she said that she did not.  

They went outside, Emma went to play on the swing by herself then Isabella  and Ashley  went on the swing.  Later Ashlyn, Laura and Megan came to play on the swings too.  Emma did not talk to them and by the sounds of it they didn't talk to her either.

Let me just tell you, Momma Bear is out.  We will get to the bottom of this and she will be safe in her first grade class room.  -Ma

Look What We Got!!!

I have a friend that has moved and I will miss her very much.  Pacita is her name and she has always been quick to serve, and quick to be a friend.  I am so glad that we have been able to be friends and that we can still be friends through mail.

She gave this organ to us, it was given to her and she decided to pass it along.  Pa and I were just talking about how we wanted to get the kids into piano lessons, we are so excited to be able to do this now.  

And so is Emma! -Ma

Bear and Splinter

My kids are bare foot walkers.  So they end up with lots of splinters.

Abby got a good one in her foot.  So as Mommy nurse I got all of the sterile tools to remove the splinter.  I was just getting ready to pick at the splinter, when Mackenzie (cousin) screams out dramatically, "Oh, I can't look!"  She covered her face and turned.  That was just so funny to me because I am so used to my kids, they just watch, they want to see what I am doing. 

David sees the stress and decides that Abby needs some comfort so he gently says, "Abby you can use my bear, he will help you."

David got his bear from Build a Bear.  My friend DiAnna took him right before he got his tonsils out last May.  He is still so attached to the bear and gets it for comfort.  Thank you so much DiAnna for getting him the bear, it brings the softer side out in David and brings much comfort to our home.  -Ma

Garden Carrots

We went out to pick whatever remaining carrots that were left in the garden.  One was wanting to walk away.  One seemed a little pale.  And one that was expected, short and chubby.

David caught the one with legs.

Abby loved the pale one.

We were sad because there were only 3 good carrots left.  Mackenzie (darker haired, cousin) got a forth one but it looked like a weed.  She was sooooo sad, but Emma was nice and shared her chubby carrot.

That made Mackenzie soooo HAPPY!

Then there was taste testing.  They all tasted really good!

-Ma

I Love Spring Time!!

I love it when spring time comes.  I just feel so happy and the beautiful things come out in the world.

The apple tree is blossoming.

This is very exciting!!  We will get Apples this year!

And here are some lemon blossoms.

Grape vines always seems to look dead, but I hope they survived the cold.

There are little white buds on them...

I think that's promising.

Last year I had a hard time not looking at the beauty of the green leaves.  They are beautiful!

I love our banana trees, after the leaves turned brown when they got too cold, I cut them off.

It seems that the one closer is bouncing back quite well.

But the bigger one, there is no sign of growth.  But there still is good color.

I am thinking that I need to chop off part of the top.

And it looks like we will get oranges this year too!!

New little animals are so fun!

And the big ones are just gorgeous!

Yep, that is a compost pile in the background.  -Ma

Little Chicks Meet Big Hens

Our first 4 chickens are 2 Red Stars and 2 Black Stars, this time we got 6 (I will have to come back to this when I remember.)

We couldn't tell what the hens thought of the little chicks.  I think the hens wanted to peck at the chicks and then there were times that it seemed that they just wanted to try the food.  It is always about the food!!

This should be fun.  I hope they get along when we put them together in the next few months.

-Ma

Happy Valentines Day

I am not really a big celebrator of Valentines Day.  However it is fun to do special things with the kids.  This year we made a heart pizza, it was very tasty!

And we got 6 more chickens.  They are about 4 weeks old.  So in about 4 to 6 months we will have an abundance of fresh eggs that we would like to sell... so we can pay for their food.

The kids love the new little chicks, and I am grateful that we didn't get a puppy or a kitty.  I am always amazed at how they are so self reliant.  We just give them food water and a heat lamp and they take care of themselves.  I don't have to wake up with them during the night or anything.  Great pets to have.  -Ma

He is ALL Boy

Jacob thinks it is so funny to make his sister squeal.   We use this spray bottle to wet down messy hair.  Jacob uses it for drinking and to torment his sisters.  Usually this backfires because he sprays so much in one spot he slips and is done with the spray bottle.  -Ma

The Apple Doesn't Fall Too Far From The Tree

So back in the day, and yes even today... if I gotta burp then I do.  Not so much in public, but around family, why hide?

As a teenager my mother would say, "Jenny, what would you do if you were on a date?"  My reply, "I would say excuse me."  In a very sweet voice.  

Then Mom got married and my step father and I would have burping contest after dinner.  I remember these to be very fond moments.  We would sit and talk and BURP.

Tonight, I burped after dinner and Emma would force herself to burp.  (Like she has to have one up on me.) (And oh, I have never been able to force myself to burp.)

So there you have it.  Grandpa, we are going to have to start up a new contest.  -Ma

Drive to school

This morning on the way to school, Emma was singing quietly...

"The foolish man built his house upon a rock, the foolish man built his house upon a rock, the foolish man built his house upon a rock and the rains came down.

The rains came down and the flowers came up, the rains came down and the flowers came up, the rains came down and the flowers came up,

And the house on the rock stayed still!"

I know her hair is in her face, but isn't she beautiful none the less?

-Ma

What to do with Sour Oranges

When we first moved into our house 4 years ago we were excited to have a citrus tree, however we couldn't figure out what it was.  They have the color of an orange yet they are kind of shaped like a lemon.  Then one day a friend came over and he grew up here in Mesa and he told us that this mystery tree of ours is a sour orange tree.  What?  He said, "ya you can make marmalade, or tang.  You can even graft in other fruit trees and make like a fruit salad tree.  I guess these trees are very strong, they can endure a lot.

So today we went out and picked some of those sour oranges so we could make some marmalade.

Then we brought them inside to wash.

And we made marmalade.  Although I don't think I did it right.  Is it supposed to be runny??

Anyways it looks neat.  -Ma

Jacob Loves Trucks

I just really like this photo.  -Ma

Beautiful Morning

This week we have been giving Pa a ride to the bus stop and picking him up in the evening.  The Jeep is out of commission.  We have to leave at 6:50 to drop him off.  This morning all of the kids were up, usually we have to carry them out while they are asleep. On the way back home the kids were talking about the sun rise and how beautiful it is, they were talking about all of the colors they could see.  It is fun to think that they really haven't seen too many sun rises, boy are they missing out.  I am glad that they have this opportunity, not so glad that the Jeep is "sick".

Yesterday, Emma and David had a dentist appointment right after Emma got home from school. I was thinking that I had it all together, we were going to get there about 5 minutes late... not too bad.  So I am yelling, "Go, go, go, lets get in the van..."  We all rush out the door, and get in the van.  Ooops the keys are in the house.  Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.  I don't have a spare key hidden all nice some where outside.  I don't have a cell phone.  Oh wait, we did this before... Pa got us back in with a pocket knife, sad but true our house is easy to break into.  Searching for a pocket knife.  Ahhhhh, it isn't in the van any more.  Okay, okay, okay... I found a pen with a metal piece on it.  I break it off, then I tried to break into the house.  It worked only half way. Then I tried to use a spoon from Wendy's.  That didn't work either.  Du.  So I go to a friends house around the corner and ask for a knife.  She gives me a leather-man kind of thing, better than a  knife.  I couldn't get the knife part to open the door but another part of it did.  However I was now 45 minutes late for Emma's appointment, 5 minutes early for Davids.  And 25 minutes late picking Pa up from the bus stop.  Called the dentist, the hygienist went home, then ran to get Pa.  Phew!! -Ma

Put Just Right

When I was younger, my older brother and his friend would go into my room and move my 

nick-nacks on my dresser.  They wouldn't move them much just ever so slightly.  Then they would wait.  I would go into my room and I would always notice that something was touched, something was moved.  They would do this over and over again.  They would always watch, and they would always be stunned that I could see a difference. 

This morning I poured David a bowl of cereal, he ate a little bit and then ran to go potty.  When he came back he said, "Who ate my cereal?"  Emma piped in, "Mama did!"  I laughed and said, "How can you tell?  I just had one bite."  He just giggled. -Ma

No Diaper?

I was doing dishes and Jacob helped himself to some juice, he got it all down the front of him. So, as any good mom would do they would remove the discomfort (the clothing) and see that child is happy so continue doing dishes.

Jacob was very happy.  the next thing I saw was this out the kitchen window.

He went outside and decided that he would learn how to remove the diaper.  Oh was he happy! What freedom!!

After laughing and taking a few photos he was dressed properly, and he quickly went back out to play.

And he was still happy.  

I was able to finish the dishes.  -Ma