Saturday, June 26, 2010

Princess and Pirates







This last Thursday was dress up day at Chick fil A. All the teenagers were at camp. I dressed up 9 little kids and off we went. I sure miss Lauren and Andrew at times like this. They always go with us when we are out on an adventure . They are both with their dad for a few weeks this summer. Good for them, bad for me. Anyway the kids had a ball dressing up and eating at chick fil a.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

hurricain shoals
























































beach





























just pictures






















Not my fault!

I know it has been a while since I posted, but blogger would not let me on. I don't know what the deal was. Several times I tried to log on and it just would not let me write. So this is several posts in one. Last week the elementary kids were in church camp. They were gone 3 days! I really enjoyed not being tied down. I did miss them though. This week the teenagers will be gone all week! That's 8 kids at Sr. church camp. Destinee is at basic training for the National Guard and DJ is spending the week with some of his bio family. Woo HOO! I had rather take care of 10 little ones compared to 2 or 3 teenagers anytime. NO drama, just a few squabbles and quarrels. Hannah who is 10 is also at a christian camp this week. Yesterday I took the kids to a park called Hurricane Shoals. It is a river with a bed of flat rocks. They have a playground and picnic area. Staisha and Josh went with me to help supervise all the little ones with no older kids around. They had a blast! I was a little nervous because I was afraid they would slip and fall on the rocks. They had fun rushing down the river. I did get some pictures. Today we went to a local park that has a beach. We have went several times already and I enjoy sitting in the shady area while the kids play. We take a picnic lunch and the kids finish the day with a movie and are asleep in no time. Good for me! Tomorrow we are going to see a movie and then go to Chick-fil-a for dinner. If you dress as a princess or a pirate, you get a free kids meal! Last year we all dressed up as cows for a free meal. Well I didn't dress up, although I could have played the part!LOL The kids usually end every day playing in the pool. Austin is in and out because he doesn't do any one activity for a very long period of time. I haven't cooked very much this week either. Although I did fry up the first batch of okra from our garden last night. I steamed squash too! Tonight will be hot dogs on the grill! I may fix potato salad to go with it. It is still very very hot. I haven't weeded much because of the temps. I'm gonna try and weed the garden and my flowers late this evening. My gladiolus are blooming and are gorgeous. We will be taking our vacation soon. This year we are going back to the mountains. It is just too hot in July to go to the beach. When I was younger, I wanted to live at the beach. Now, I'd choose the cooler climate of the mountains. It's time to get all the kids out of the pool and try to fix pirate and princess costumes for everyone. I have some very cute princesses and very fierce pirates!

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Hot, Hot, Hot

Even though it is just June we have had some really HOT weather. 95 and 96. all week long. UGH! Thank goodness for the pool. The kids take turns of boys then girls and it works out pretty well. The boys don't stay in as long as the girls. They play a while and then they need more action. The girls will just lay on a float and relax. The kids were suppose to go to a Bible school this week but we got back late on Sunday from Faith and Katelynn's dance recital and I didn't get them registered. The dance recital was wonderful! The girls did fantastic. I was so thrilled with the program. I am sure gonna keep them in dance. I was afraid at first. It is kinda pricey, but so worth it. I enjoyed watching the students who had been in the shows for 10 years. I could just imagine Faith and Katelynn 10 years from now. The little boys are wanting to take Karate lessons. The classes are right next to the dance studio so I may see if I can work it in our budget to let them take karate while the girls are in dance. Sometimes I can get a discount. Not always. Keith is out of work this week. He has taken a vacation week. He hurt his back and needs to rest it for it to heal. It's nice having him home and having the extra help. I went to the dentist today for a crown, and I didn't have to worry about rushing home. He retreated to our bedroom as soon as I came through the door with the reply It's your turn. LOL He wouldn't make it as a Stay at home dad!

Friday, June 11, 2010

stealing

I hate, hate, hate, living with someone who steals! Out of all of the kids I'm raising only 2 have had problems with stealing. I don't mean the take a piece of candy kind of stealing. All of my very young children have stolen at some point and time. I know Brian stole a chocolate Easter egg once. I made him take it back, half eaten and tell the clerk he was sorry. We paid for the egg and I made him throw the half eaten egg in the garbage at the store. Tabitha stole gum once when she was about 5. We took that back and paid for it. She gave that gum to her cousins when we got home. Stories like this are common with little kids. They learn its not OK. They are taught a lesson and most of the time it only takes once. Sometimes it has taken twice. One child who is in his teens still steals. I don't know if he will ever stop. If not he will get caught and go to prison. Point blank. It will happen. He may get by with it once or twice but eventually he'll get caught. I've caught this child probably 25 times in 14 years. Always a consequence is given. He still continues to steal. Sooner or later he'll go from, DVDs, change, video games, snacks or clothes to the big time. He already has once. They did not press charges. It was a small item. I have done my job as his mother to teach him every way I know how NOT to steal. So he knows it's wrong, he knows the consequence. It's his choice. I've decided natural consequence will take it 's course.

The next child is 12. She came to me stealing. Candy from school in Kindergarten. Snacks from home. Change from the car. She was put in therapy. I thought it got better. It did not. She just finished 5th grade. The teachers feel sorry for this child. She has a natural smile, is very charming and cute. She had some trouble in 1st and 2nd grade. I addressed the issue and moved on. She seems to get better and then go off the deep end. She stole several times in the third grade, once that no one even told me about until weeks after. Again someone felt sorry for the poor little adopted girl whose mom don't take pity on her and expects the same from her as she does every one else. It got really bad the next year. She was caught red handed stealing snacks from a teachers room. A slap on the had was all she got from the school. She stole $20 from a teachers purse. This got every ones attention. They called in a sheriff's dept to try and scare her on the right track. She never shed a tear. Didn't even flinch. I told them if she ever stole again to just call the police and take her straight to JV. Don't call me. If she is not taught now, it will be too late. Well. about two weeks or so (I forget exactly how long, but not too long) She was caught stealing again. Prizes from the prize box. Did they call the police? NO! they suspended her two days. It just happen to be 3 days until school was out, and a big party was planned for the end of the year. 2 days, no way, I kept her out the last day too. She did not deserve a party. So she started 5th grade off and did do better. Or at least made me think she done better at school. However at home she continued to steal. The last straw was about 8 days before school was out. She was changing clothes at school. Another student was bringing her clothes and she was changing into them at school and then again before she came home. I was livid. So I pulled her out. I will home school her. This was working out great. She has made some great improvements. UNTIL TODAY! She had a psychologist appointment yesterday. I bragged and bragged about how well she was doing. I should have known better. It seems like every time she takes a step forward she falls flat on her face in no time. I do know that sometimes kids don't feel worthy. Is this her problem? She's in therapy. I try my best to build her up. But when she steals I want to go crazy. And sometime I do. WHY? I had given her money on two occasions. Not a lot, but some change. A couple of dollars. She has went twice to the store. Then today she had more money. What? Where did you get that. It all comes out. She stole the money from my room. What am I too do? I guess it will be another child that will have to have serious consequences for it to ever make a difference, and then who knows. I'm very frustrated about it. I have a whole year to work on it. Time with mom. Maybe that will help.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Surgery

Austin had surgery this morning at 7:45 to remove the foreign object in his ear. All went well and he is resting now. They checked his other ear also and believe it or not it too had trash in it. I guess he just waded up crayon paper and craft foam and put it in his ear. It has been really painful so hopefully he will remember and NOT put anything else in them. We have 3 dentist appointments at noon and I plan on going to the book store afterwards. Doreese has been a blessing as she has babysat for me a lot lately. When school is in I don't have to worry. Tabitha and Jennifer use to baby sit a lot. When they grew up and moved on I still had Staisha. Well Staisha had Kyson in October and Doreese turned 18 in May. Worked out really well. Hopefully I'll have a sitter to help out for several more years! LOL

Sunday, June 6, 2010

VBS and Concert in the Park

This week has been a busy one. The kids attended a local church for VBS. They all had a really good day. The last day was Saturday and they ended with a big party. They had a HUGE blow up water slide, and several of the jumpy things. The party started at 10:30. The older kids was up at 7 am to sell doughnuts to raise money for church camp. I think they sold about 250 boxes of Krispy Kream! Hopefully enough was raised for all the kids in the church to go. I know they will absorb so much from church camp. They are excited to get to go. 15 children in all are attending. Ages 6 to 18! After the VBS party ended at the church the kids all came home home for a splash in the pool. They dried off, got dressed and we were off to a concert in the park. This is an event New Community Church puts on every year. There is hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, soft drinks, bottled waters, popcorn, and snow cones. And it is all FREE! Yes free. That's a big plus for this large family. The music was good too! Lots of oldies and some new too. We were all hot after coming home so the kids took another swim. A couple of my grown kids were splashing and playing with them so I didn't have to supervise to much. They came in and were asleep in minutes. Keith and I ended up with a quiet house and settled down around 10 for a movie for us. It was nice to watch and not be interrupted! Today is homecoming at a church we went to for a while and we plan on attending there today. I (we) have lots of food cooking and will be out the door shortly. Looking forward to a quiet afternoon. Pictures coming!

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Ear aches







Today I had to make a trip to the doctor with 4 kids. 3 of the 4 had ear infections. That's not surprising as Saturday we made a trip with Austin to one of the doc-in -a box. He had an ear ache and told me someone at school put something in it. Well they (or he) did. He has something blue in his ear that the clinic doctor could not get out nor could the pediatrician. Now we have to go see an ENT specialist. With as much pain as this has caused him hopefully he will never LET someone put something in it again. I'm hating all this rain. The kids are stuck in the house and want to go outside so very much. ( I want them to go out too!!) Selena made this card tower. We have done puzzles, played bingo, built with Lincoln Logs, played with Leggo's, watched movies, colored and lets not forget argue and bicker. They are so much easier when they can run off some energy! I guess I'll let them get out the dreaded play dough. It gets everywhere! But it will keep them busy for a while. I have the younger ones signed up for a local VBS. I'm sure that will make them happy. Every kid loves to go somewhere. I had thought we might go to the lake this week but the rain won't let us. Kieanna has a cake in the oven that sure smells good. That is why I can't loose weight! Oh well, maybe I can resist. Krishawanda said she would buy me a salad for supper. I think I will take her up on her offer. Now to serve but resist the cake!