O.K. that last post I was trying to post to my other blog http://wendyrfuldoula.blogspot.com/
where I post birth links and information. Somehow I got it put here instead and can't figure out how to get it over there... so, here it is. IF anyone is interested, it is a beautiful waterbirth, and I think the language the midwife uses with the mom is amazing! Instead of PUSH, PUSH, PUSH, hard and fast, she encourages the mom to slowly, EASE her baby out. Very nice!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Blueberries... YUM!!!
Yesterday we were invited to go Blueberry picking at a small farm just north of us in Harvest/Toney area (G&N berry Farm).
I personally have NEVER in my life gone blueberry picking, and feel a little silly even saying that. I loaded up the three little girls and off we went. They gave me 3 buckets to go out and pick berries in. Of course each of the kids wanted their own bucket. I picked berries and put them in Liams bucket. I really hadn't told him anything at first, thinking he'd just hold the bucket for me to put my berries in, and then he just started picking berries himself. He was so cute! He only picked the ripe ones. Pretty good 'free' help.
Then he would wander a little bit away from me, and he was picking berries for his bucket, at this point I'd have to hold a handfull and chase down one of the girls to deposit my berries into their bucket Then Liam decided he was done, and dumped his bucket all over the ground! and ran off with his bucket... I had to pick all of those berries up and then I put them in one of the girls. Then Marissa wanted to combine them all to see hwo many we had picked and Hannah was unhappy since she couldn't see how many 'SHE' had picked by herself... so she didn't really want to pick anymore, and I took over her bucket, while she chased Liam down. Then Marissa gave up on me too, after eating quite a few. She ended up playing with the little girl who was part of the family at the farm, about her same age.
By this time I wanted to fill a whole bucket, no idea how much it would weigh at all, just for the challenge of it! Hannah and Liam were tired of waiting for me, and so eventually I had to give up, and be finished, whether my bucket was full or not. I can't remember how many pounds I ended up with, but they cost me about 4 dollars or something like that. When we got home, marissa must have eaten a whole cup of them, I ate several handfulls as well, Liam at a few, and then I measured and bagged them up and I had 8 cups to freeze for later, a bunch to eat, and some to make in yummy blueberry muffins (when I get time).
I have a yummy recipe posted on my recipes blog http://www.wendyrfulrecipes.blogspot.com/
scroll down a little.
I have pictures I took at the berry farm, but can't find where they downloaded to... Oh well.
I personally have NEVER in my life gone blueberry picking, and feel a little silly even saying that. I loaded up the three little girls and off we went. They gave me 3 buckets to go out and pick berries in. Of course each of the kids wanted their own bucket. I picked berries and put them in Liams bucket. I really hadn't told him anything at first, thinking he'd just hold the bucket for me to put my berries in, and then he just started picking berries himself. He was so cute! He only picked the ripe ones. Pretty good 'free' help.
Then he would wander a little bit away from me, and he was picking berries for his bucket, at this point I'd have to hold a handfull and chase down one of the girls to deposit my berries into their bucket Then Liam decided he was done, and dumped his bucket all over the ground! and ran off with his bucket... I had to pick all of those berries up and then I put them in one of the girls. Then Marissa wanted to combine them all to see hwo many we had picked and Hannah was unhappy since she couldn't see how many 'SHE' had picked by herself... so she didn't really want to pick anymore, and I took over her bucket, while she chased Liam down. Then Marissa gave up on me too, after eating quite a few. She ended up playing with the little girl who was part of the family at the farm, about her same age.
By this time I wanted to fill a whole bucket, no idea how much it would weigh at all, just for the challenge of it! Hannah and Liam were tired of waiting for me, and so eventually I had to give up, and be finished, whether my bucket was full or not. I can't remember how many pounds I ended up with, but they cost me about 4 dollars or something like that. When we got home, marissa must have eaten a whole cup of them, I ate several handfulls as well, Liam at a few, and then I measured and bagged them up and I had 8 cups to freeze for later, a bunch to eat, and some to make in yummy blueberry muffins (when I get time).
I have a yummy recipe posted on my recipes blog http://www.wendyrfulrecipes.blogspot.com/
scroll down a little.
I have pictures I took at the berry farm, but can't find where they downloaded to... Oh well.
Friday, July 18, 2008
FREE Movies... and a lot more FUN!!!!
During the Summer the Movie Theater shows a free movie weekly. We've gone a time or two in years past. Well this year they are showing the free movies at thenew nice theater at the Monaco. They are also showing them on Mondays and Wednesdays (at 11:00)!
This past wednesday we went (for our 'school' field trip). Our friend D didn't feel well so he and his grandma stayed home, but we invited our new freinds -here from Germany. We saw Ice Age - the Melt Down. The kids had all seen it at some time before, but I hadn't. It was so funny~!
We bought one lg. bag of popcorn and two bottles of water (and I had one from home in my diaper bag). We asked for extra cups and we just filled all the cups and everyone had their own popcorn cup to eat out of. We did this whole production line with the popcorn. I was sitting at one end of our group and the kids would pass their empty cups down to me and I'd fill them up and pass them back down the line. We went through two bags of popcorn before the movie even started, since you have to get there early to get a seat (and since we needed eight, I wanted to make sure we were there in plenty of time!). The kids made several more runs to refill either popcorn, or water bottles from the water fountain. Of course then they had to take several bathroom breaks! We went through four large bags of popcorn by the end of it... thank goodness for Free Refills!!!
After the movie we walked around Bridge Streeet for a while. We rode the Merry - Go - Round. 
Liam thought that was a Lot of fun! Hannah and Bob rode in a tea cup so they could spin around, and Marissa rode in a separate tea cup, so she could spin really fast! I could hardly look at her it was making me ill! (I don't do well at spinning round and round and round). 
Liam thought that was a Lot of fun! Hannah and Bob rode in a tea cup so they could spin around, and Marissa rode in a separate tea cup, so she could spin really fast! I could hardly look at her it was making me ill! (I don't do well at spinning round and round and round). 
After the Merry - Go -Round the kids wanted to go check on the water fountain. The kids had a great time getting soaked as the water shot up from the ground. I tried to get them to sit out in the sun for a few minutes to dry off a bit before we went back to the car and came home... the water was way too fun and kept drawing them back in. Luckily I had a blanket in the back of the van for them to sit on. I just stripped Liam down, and changed the 20 lb soaking wet diaper.
Later we had popsicles at home then Sariah and Hannah went to our friends to sleep over... they got Birthday cake since it was 'S's birthday. Happy Birthday S!!!
Meanwhile, Amanda has spent every morning this week at Rookie Band Camp. She has been learning how to stand, hold the instrument up for around 8 minutes - without dying! and how to March. Next week on Monday she and Rebekah will be at Band Camp every morning and every evening for about 3 hrs each, getting ready to March at Football games this fall.
Amanda plays the French Horn, however, that is not a Marching instrument, so last week she got the Melaphone (I don't even know how to spell it...), which is supposed to be the smaller marching band equivalent. Well... it is quite a bit different she found out! It is a bit more like a big trumpet. She has to completely learn how to play a new instrument. You play it with your right hand (whereas with the French Horn, is played with the right hand and the left hand goes into the bell of the horn to help hold as well as muffle the sound). The fingering, along with being the opposite hand is also completly different as well. She is doing well, but it has been a long week.
We have had a busy, long week. Bill went to Dallas for 4 days. He got home last night, and leaves tomorrow morning for 8 days for Rome.
Rebekah left last saturday for Virginia for a week. After sitting around and missing flights, etc... due to weather conditions both here and in Atlanta where her conection was at, she finally arrived in Richmond, where her grandparents picked her up. Then Monday they drove her to Southern Virginia University where she has spent the week attending and Especially For Youth, conference. We've missed her, but I'm really glad she has been having a wonderful time. She comes home Sunday.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Summertime, busy busy!
Over the summer Sariah has been 'playing' school with the kids. She set up a whole classroom, she has spent hours on lesson plans and teaching them. She generally teaches several days a week. They have set up a whole classroom in my garage (i've been kicked out for the summer, so the van sits in the driveway). The first week or so they were using make shift desks, my piano bench, Liam's little spiderman table, etc. Then one day Sariah and I were out buying a birthday present for a friend, and at the store we went to they had two school desks they were selling... I had her call dad and see if we could buy them. So we now own two desks, and our friend across the street had one he brought over. We regularly have 4 students Hannah, Marissa, our friend 'Bob', and another freind has her grandson 'D' staying 
with her for the summer and he comes over for school several days a week as well. Liam flits in and out, and if we have a sleepover we ocassionally have additional students. They have reading books (that Sariah put together about 50 pages, front and back, of stories she found on the internet). Sariah - Mrs. Elilsabeth is the teacher, and Amanda - is the principal.
with her for the summer and he comes over for school several days a week as well. Liam flits in and out, and if we have a sleepover we ocassionally have additional students. They have reading books (that Sariah put together about 50 pages, front and back, of stories she found on the internet). Sariah - Mrs. Elilsabeth is the teacher, and Amanda - is the principal. 
I have been amazed that they generally spend around 4 hours a day doing school. Three or Four days a week usually. They go outside and play for P.E. or we've gone to the pool, or on 'feild trips'. They've gone to the free movie a time or two with D's grandmother. Last week we went to the Botanical Gardens to see the 
Dinosaur Uproar display, before they took it down this week. That was a lot of fun. Our friends that moved here from Germany, met up with us there.
Dinosaur Uproar display, before they took it down this week. That was a lot of fun. Our friends that moved here from Germany, met up with us there. 
It was hot day, the kids had a great time getting wet! First in the sprinklers at the corn maze. Then they spent time getting wet at the water tower. Then we went into the childrens Garden where they spent a lot of time getting wet from the giant watering can, the Rocket spray,
the dino bones srpitzer, etc. Liam, after seeing all the other kids take off their shoes, wanted 
his shoes off too. At one point the kids were all running and playing. He noticed a hose rolled up on the spindle thing. I saw him trying to play with it. Then all of the sudden I noticed him getting a little shorter, and shorter... I figured there must be some sort of hole over there on the other side of a planter box. I went over and it was the water hookup like where the water meeter is in my yard, for the hose, and the lid was off of it. I think he started to dunk his feet to wash them off (good thing he'd taken off his new cute little suede tennis shoes!), the he sat down and dangled his feet in the water, then by the time I got over to him, he was squatting/sitting down in the little 'personal - one kid 
swimming hole'! Of course he was out of it, sensing my frustration before I could get the camera! LOL!!! I did manage to get him washing his feet off again, but not sitting down in the hole.
the dino bones srpitzer, etc. Liam, after seeing all the other kids take off their shoes, wanted 
his shoes off too. At one point the kids were all running and playing. He noticed a hose rolled up on the spindle thing. I saw him trying to play with it. Then all of the sudden I noticed him getting a little shorter, and shorter... I figured there must be some sort of hole over there on the other side of a planter box. I went over and it was the water hookup like where the water meeter is in my yard, for the hose, and the lid was off of it. I think he started to dunk his feet to wash them off (good thing he'd taken off his new cute little suede tennis shoes!), the he sat down and dangled his feet in the water, then by the time I got over to him, he was squatting/sitting down in the little 'personal - one kid 
swimming hole'! Of course he was out of it, sensing my frustration before I could get the camera! LOL!!! I did manage to get him washing his feet off again, but not sitting down in the hole. Liam definitely doesn't understand boundaries at all. 
This fence isn't here for me to climb over? He climbed right into the stream while chasing butterlies in the butterly house, 
he wanted to go swimming with the turtles in the big tutle pond, and climbed right on up the rock wall. 
He tried to climb in the other turtle enclosure, because pettinghte one the worker had out wasn't quit good enough, he wanted to get up close and personal with them! ;-) I was EXHAUSTED by the end of the day and we finally went home!
This fence isn't here for me to climb over? He climbed right into the stream while chasing butterlies in the butterly house, 
he wanted to go swimming with the turtles in the big tutle pond, and climbed right on up the rock wall. 
He tried to climb in the other turtle enclosure, because pettinghte one the worker had out wasn't quit good enough, he wanted to get up close and personal with them! ;-) I was EXHAUSTED by the end of the day and we finally went home! Grandma D got us all frosty's from Wendys on the way home to cool us down, YUMMY!
What a fun day we had!
Monday, July 7, 2008
More summer
Last week I had two very full days with births one after the other. Two very cute babies later and then I took a day to recover... My kids are awesome! taking care of each other and Liam and the house for me while I had two very long days.
Then we got to have a fun fourth of July with a visit with lots of friends at a Missionary homecoming, then we went to another friend's house and did BBQ and sparklers. Liam loved them! We got to spend time with two sets of twins - two different families - one set just turned 4 and the others are 6 months. It was a lot of people and We all had a great time! It was fun to get to know people a bit better.
On saturday we attended the Baptism of a sweet girl that has become a friend. The girls were called on to participate - "M" asked them last week to help with prayers and a talk. Rebekah gave a really great talk on the Holy Ghost. And the others said prayers in front a pretty large crowd. You might not think of my girls as shy, but they don't like to be in front of a crowd, so they did great and I was proud of them.
I've been eating tomatoes and zucchine, yellow squash and cucumber from my garden. This week we have noticed a couple of cantalope and pumpkins that have begun to grow. My corn has silks on it and is growing cobs. My carrotts look great fron the top... there are definitely too many too close together so I've started pulling a few here and there. The little carrots we've pulled are actually quite tasty and sweet. I can't wait for the others to grow (now that we've given them some room). Now I need some additional recipes for the harvest I'm going to get out of my garden.
Then we got to have a fun fourth of July with a visit with lots of friends at a Missionary homecoming, then we went to another friend's house and did BBQ and sparklers. Liam loved them! We got to spend time with two sets of twins - two different families - one set just turned 4 and the others are 6 months. It was a lot of people and We all had a great time! It was fun to get to know people a bit better.
On saturday we attended the Baptism of a sweet girl that has become a friend. The girls were called on to participate - "M" asked them last week to help with prayers and a talk. Rebekah gave a really great talk on the Holy Ghost. And the others said prayers in front a pretty large crowd. You might not think of my girls as shy, but they don't like to be in front of a crowd, so they did great and I was proud of them.
I've been eating tomatoes and zucchine, yellow squash and cucumber from my garden. This week we have noticed a couple of cantalope and pumpkins that have begun to grow. My corn has silks on it and is growing cobs. My carrotts look great fron the top... there are definitely too many too close together so I've started pulling a few here and there. The little carrots we've pulled are actually quite tasty and sweet. I can't wait for the others to grow (now that we've given them some room). Now I need some additional recipes for the harvest I'm going to get out of my garden.
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