We had the greatest time with the Hopkins' in Jackson Hole! They have a beautiful new house, two cats and a dog, snowmobiles...everything any kid could ever want!
12/31/2007
12/14/2007
11/30/2007
11/22/2007
11/21/2007
BiG NeWs?
LDS Family Services called yesterday. A 1/2 Navajo woman living in Michigan may place her baby and the social worker she is working with called to find out if there were any Navajo families at our agency.
It turns out that the secretary we've worked with since the beginning (our social worker retired two years ago), was at her last day of work and told the new director of adoption that they should call us.
It also turns out that the night before we were having a conversation with our kids when Olivia suggested it was time for another baby. Isaac reasoned that it should be a boy since there are 3 girls in our family and only 2 boys. His daddy told him they could ask in their prayers for a boy, but we don't really get to choose any other way. If the Lord wants us to have a girl we'd have to take her.
We're going to rush our paperwork in and see what happens. We've never had to wait long, so if this adoption doesn't work out, I'm sure we will still be able to add to our posterity somehow!
The baby is due sometime in the Spring of '08. Keep your fingers crossed!
The 8th Wonder
Grandma and Grandpa Dan came last weekend and worked their tails off to create the most magnificent early Christmas present.
The kids have not stayed off of it since it was erected!
Isaac, re: the noise of erecting a gian playground in your backyard.Thank-you, Thank-you, Thank-you!
Even Grandma got in on the action!Chicken Pox Rocks
Georgia picked up the chicken pox at school. She'd been vaccinated and the only cases occured downstairs (her class is up). As you can see, she was completely out of commission.
She did give herself an earhole the same week. She looked like a wreck for a few days! Jason has wisely advised against a haircut. We're strategically styling instead.
11/03/2007
And the WINNER is....
11/02/2007
HaLloWeEn
Grandma Wendy came, as tradition has it. We had a wonderful time!
They were the cutest kids EVER! And, don't you love Lucy? I don't think I'll sell this one on E-bay. It could be in the permanent rotation. Some people probably wondered why I didn't dress up. Sarah and I used to tease that we were the Lucy & Ethel of the 2000's.
Isaac got an eye patch in his spoils, and when he discovered it while sorting his loot he said, "Oh, I should have said 'No thank-y0u'." Awww! So cute!
Pumpkin Carving
Daddy was the designated carver. These were the orders:
"A mean one."
"A happy one."
"A 3." ?????? "With ears."
10/19/2007
What Does Georgia Do All Day?
Other than make the teaching staff crazy, what does Georgia do in a day?
The joy of Montessori (when Georgia chooses to participate appropriately and not bite, scream, run, or spit on the floor). The funniest part about it is the teachers always preface their comments with "Georgia is so cute! I just love her. Guess what she did today?"
The toddler room is so quiet. Notice the kids wear slippers. Everyone whispers because when these kids get to "work", they love to concentrate on the task-at-hand.
This is Clothes Washing. The kids get the water, the towells, etc. to wash, soap, scrub and rinse, and clothespin the freshly cleaned item to a drying rack. Another "work" is to fold the cleaned, dryed items. I'm not an expert in this stuff, it's the "real Montessori" stuff. But it sure helps with practical life, dexterity, focus, and cleanliness at home!
This is an intricate work that I think helps with dexterity mostly. Notice the items are placed left to right? 99% of the Montessori works are done like this to help order the brain for reading. The only time I've seen it different is with my older kids, when they are past reading age. Also notice the sponge. Maria Montessori was really big on having the kids do ALL the work. That means getting it out properly, using it properly, and returning it neatly and orderly. 
Every kid has to paint. It's a rule. They also learn color mixing with a separate "work". Once again, they have a lesson on it and learn how to clean up when they're finished with their masterpiece.
Uncle Jerm
Although she may not always remember his name, Georgia loves Uncle Jerm (or is it Jerrett?)
And thanks to Uncle Jerm and Joe, we now have this in our basement. You thought it was finished didn't you. We tend not to mention this. Hopefully it will be completed in a timely manner, yeah right. But you gotta stay positive.
GeNiuS
Liv thinks her name starts with "l"
It's absolutely incredible to me that in 5 months Olivia can spell and write in cursive (better than her father)! If I didn't see it every day I would never believe it. I have a 4 year old in my class who spells on a 3rd grade level.
The program we do is "writing into reading". They learn the 71 phonograms in the english language and use them to write words every day. Pretty soon, when they see words they can decipher the phonograms and "un-glue" the sounds to read. It works!
Isaac's teachers never cease to be amazed. This kid adores school and everything about learning. He's sucking all the info out of the room when I'm practicing with Liv. See what he can already do?!
Today at dinner he said, "Mama, I can write 'top', t (the sound, not the letter, that's how they learn phonograms), 'aah, oh, oo, ahh' (that's "0" in phonogram speak), 'p'. Then when I looked at him, astounded, "and I didn't hear my teacher say it, we don't spell."
10/03/2007
SoCcEr StArS!
Check out the poses?!
The Smurf CheerLeaDerS!
Pele' Stand Back!
It doesn't look like it, but Isaac IS the team
9/02/2007
8/29/2007
BoDiLy FuNctI@nS
Last night after habachi and sushi, I turned around in the car and looked at Georgia.
"You look tired, are you sleepy?"
"Yeah."
3 Sec. later...
"blluuughahh", projectile vomit all over the back of my seat.
3 min. later, "Daddy, I see salad and chicken." (in the puke)...
"Great Isaac, stop looking."
6 hrs. later...
From upstairs I hear Georgia crying. I go up to see if she's been sick. *Sidebar* Georgia can be DEAD asleep and when she comes to it's like you've been holding a conversation for 10 minutes and she picks up right where you left off.* So I walk in, she shoots up and says,
"Mama, I pee my bed my mouth."
1 min. later, after it's cleaned up,
"Mama I think it's chocolate in it."
NICE. You have to have kids if you don't already. You just have to.
8/11/2007
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