Our Adventures in Homeschooling

I had mentioned before that we were going to be homeschooling this year, or maybe just that we were considering it. Well we began Week 4 of our homeschooling adventure and what an adventure this is. My whole idea of how this was going to work has been tested, challenged, and changed numerous times. I am sure this is not the end of it but we are finally getting into a groove with everything. Sophia missed the cut off for Kindergarten by 7 days because of her birthday. Which I am totally OK with but since we decided to home school this year we are combining some preschool and Kindergarten activities this year. We are having a good time and she is going much quicker than I anticipated. It is a struggle to keep the work interesting and challenging, not too easy so she doesn't get bored, yet not to advanced so she doesn't feel defeated. Keeping it fun, yet staying on task... we are having a great time with it.
I love being able to add in some 'faith talk' to our lessons. This week we are working on the letter Gg, Hh. The numbers 6,7. We are talking about God's girl being Thoughtful. We are on the 4th president of the USA, James Madison. And our theme for the week is 'family'. It has been very fun! Tomorrow we are going to make a family of finger puppets and Sophia and Troy will perform a finger puppet play for me. We are also going to a playdate at the Splash Park. Fun!
Sophia takes her school work very seriously and calls me, "Teacher Mommy" which I find hilarious. Troy mostly plays but when he wants to participate I always have something fun ready for him to do with us.
I have really enjoyed this special bonding time for the three of us. Seeing my daughter in this 'school setting' is something I am really enjoying. Watching her handwriting change in the last four weeks. Watching her eyes and her hands work steady on projects. Listening as she figures problems and finds the right answers. It is a different part of her that I am so glad I am able to experience. It is far different from anything I have ever done with her. Don't get me wrong do a lot of reading and playing and learning in our home, but this 'school time' is different. Some days she is stubborn and strong willed and other days she is easy going up for anything.
Today we went for a walk (which Troy was all about it and Sophia protested the warm weather the entire way), when we got back we ate lunch, and I read them a story about God's girl being 'Thoughtful'. When we were done I asked them ways they could be 'thoughtful'. Sophia responded by telling me she could share her toys with Troy and kiss him. Troy said, "I thoughtful, I tickle you!"
Ah- I love it. I seriously soak in every second with them and enjoy each moment.
Here are some pictures from our school time.








Also, for a quick medical update on both kids:

Troy was sick last week and through the weekend. Other than some runny nose and continued respiratory congestion he is doing much better. This was the first time he has gotten sick since the doctors have mentioned cystic fibrosis as a possibility and while we still haven't done the lung biopsy that is necessary to confirm this diagnosis they are treating him as such. My first thoughts were: antibiotic. Which was not necessary and the pulmonologist assured me it would not help the situation. Troy had a yucky cold and it just had his breathing all kind of nutty. His daily steroids were doubled until he is well then we can go back to his normal dosage. He is using a nebulizer treatment every 4 hours for wheezing. He is fine though, it is just a cold. I was sure he had some kind of respiratory infection or something but the doctors (pediatrician and pulmonologist) assured me it was just a cold but because of the CF he has lots of extra mucus in his lungs. So he was puking from that mucus as well, and I have NEVER seen a child pee so much! ;) I am glad he is doing better.. I guess I just have to get used to the new way of treating him. Before we always treated him with antibiotics, for upper respiratory infections and pneumonia. The doctor has ordered a chest xray if he isn't better by next week- but he is alreayd much better and I'm sure he'll be fine but next week.

Sophia never did get sick! Hurray! I ran a high fever one night and all I could think was, "God please don't let her have this fever!!" Still praying she doesn't get sick and Troy and I are still croupy. I did talk to her doctor this week though and please pray that we make some good decisions with some upcoming medical choices. Although she is VERY high functioning cerebral palsy one of the affects of that is that she walks on her tippy toes. Her tendons in her legs are a bit contracted and sometimes worse than others. In an attempt to correct this we are having to make a choice between doing a series of botox injections or having her feet casted so that the tendon will be stretched and then corrected. We are working with a physical therapist and in the near future we will be going to a pediatric orthopedic specialist as well. Her pediatrician and her neurologist say that if we do nothing that she will eventually need surgery to correct the problem and it could lead to hip, knee, and back problems -so letting her just be a tippy toe walker is not really an option; plus kids can be very cruel and I have already heard other children ask her why she walks on her toes all the time. So- keep us in your prayers while we research our options as to which way to correct this issue. She has continued to do excellent and not have any seizures.. I love her medicine! The doctor is very pleased and we will go back at the end of October for another EEG and follow-up before meeting with the ortho doc at the beginning of November.

So much fun...

I really can sum life with these two kids up into three words...
So
Much
Fun
They are really a handful but I love spending every moment with them. We are still sick and battling the snots, coughs, and fevers in our house. Troy and I are anyway... Tony is sick but down south... and Sophia, well, as she told the doctor this morning, "Everyone is my family is sick and I feel great!"
She is very proud of her five year old immune system.
The doctor is always so happy to see her talking and laughing.
It was Troy's appointment this morning, he has a cold but with his respiratory issues he is on steroids and breathing treatments. The doctor said no need for an antibiotic right now but he will need some help with his breathing. So they doubled his daily steroid dose and they increased his breathing treatments from as needed to every 4 hours until he stops wheezing so much. He seems to be feeling better as long as he is taking his medicines. I have still had fevers and chills, such a nasty bug.
We went to Target to get prescriptions filled and we had lunch in the mall food court. The kids are so funny. They hold hands and Sophia tells him that she will be too sad to come to his wedding because she loves him but since she is his sister she knows he will not marry her. She said, "Troy I will be happy for you but I can't see it, it's too painful."
I don't know where she gets this stuff... she is so funny. Troy was just strutting through the mall and he responds by holding her hand and saying, "ok sissy, I love you sissy." I wonder if he really understands what she is saying. They are so funny.
While we were having lunch Sophia was not happy with the noise level in the mall. She was looking around, eating, holding her ears. She said, "I'm not happy with this noisy place." I told her there were lots of people in the mall and it was loud, but it was fun to watch all the people. She said that she was going to stand on her chair and yell that there was a fire so everyone would run out then we could "eat in peace."
She is really funny. She is so charismatic and mischievous. I love her personality... I just pray she uses it for good. ;)
We have plans to go to see Toy Story on Ice for my birthday tomorrow evening. I hope we are feeling better by then. I really want the kids to enjoy it. I figure worst case we can take our medicine and our blankets and watch the show and snuggle.

Sophia Ann is 5

I am sick and not feeling up to this tonight but I could not let 9/8/10 pass by without some pictures and a blog about my five year olds birthday!! I can't believe Sophia is 5!!



I can't believe my baby girl is 5 years old.

Did I say that twice?

Today is her actual birthday. Although we celebrated it on Sunday afternoon. We had a great party for her. We went to her favorite ice cream shop with some of our family and close friends.




We had a wonderful day and my sister came over the night before and helped me with Sophia's massive #5 cake



She had a wonderful party and it was so wonderful to see her happy.
She is a special piece of our family.
I wanted to celebrate her actual birthday today but Troy and I were horribly sick. Tony called at lunchtime and we sang happy birthday to her. She had a special 'jumbo cupcake' and was more than happy with that. She's such a good girl.

Hoping our birthday girl doesn't get sick.

Happy Birthday Sophia Ann, We love you Baby Girl

wanna talk about my boy...

My little bright eyes, not even a year old...

Momma's Boy!!
What an amazing little guy he is.
He has stolen my heart and I don't think I'll ever have it back again.
He is running through the house with his Tonka Dump Truck he runs it into my feet and gives me a big kiss and runs away again.
He is twirling his curly hair with his fingers which is a sure sign he is tired.
He will never admit he is sleepy but he will be sleeping as soon as his head hits the pillow.
He still loves being rocked at night and his, "I'll rock you momma." has become an appropriate, "Will you rock me?"
He likes to make a mess and watch me, "Freak Out!" He loves to drive me crazy... and he does!
Still my little bright eyes, curious as ever during his 2 year photo session...

I cannot believe that he will be three next month. I'm so glad that he is a big boy who is happy and learning and talking and jumping and running and full of life... He really is a cool little guy. And he will tell you, "I'm a cool guy" We know Troy!

(That naughty little smile was a result of the knife was reaching for while we were taking the picture, he really is a dead give away when he is trying to be sneaky.. )

Just for fun...

Doesn't Troy kind of look like Hyde from 'That 70s Show' ????

fortune cookie....

The kids and I went to the Chinese buffet today for lunch, yummy! We planned on a trip to the grocery store after but we were full and tired so we came home for a nap instead. Getting ready to head out in a few for the grocery store...

So I am totally not one to put any faith in cookies... but I have to share what my fortune cookie read today,

"Where your heart is, there your home will be also."

OK- I've been telling myself that my heart is down south and while I am packing, working, homeschooling, and going to school myself... it will all be worth it to be with Daddy again!

We are making steps towards getting moved. Next on the list, finding a house... I have a realtor who is helping me... I pity him as I am sure I am driving him bonkers!

When I was in line at the bank I opened a second fortune cookie that was hiding in my purse,

"What are you waiting for, get moving."

So I prompty drove home and packed two more boxes! ;) Maybe there is something to this cookie thing..

just as I thought...

I re-read the 'missing our daddy' post and yes, kicked myself in the tushy for feeling sorry for myself. We are so blessed. Regardless though, some days are harder than others and my goodness Tuesday was a hard one! I just hate seeing my kids sad. Thank you Kati for the encouraging words... that was perfect!
Wednesday and Thursday have been much brighter, I thank God for that. Wednesday was an easy day, we went grocery shopping, we had dinner at my grandma's house and went swimming. Today we went to Aquatica. What a fun time! We got passes a while ago and have been enjoying them this summer. For those of you with little ones and big ones... Aquatica has a lot to offer and it is very fun!
Here is a pic my sister took on her phone today of the kids when we got to the park, they were checking out the dolphin tank at the entrance.

We are making steps towards moving and as sad as I always imagined I'd be to move away, I really want to be with my hubby so it just doesn't seem to matter. Our family is here and I will miss them terribly, but we will visit often and it's only 4hours away, not four days away...
Home is where our family is and a very important part of my family is down south and I want to be there with him!

missing our Daddy

I love this picture. One of the few of us all together as a family. This was our anniversary and we were dropping the kids off at the farm so we could go to dinner.
I guess I should look into getting some family pictures taken... uhmm..



Tony working down south is getting harder and harder on the kids. I see differences in them.
Sophia is even more emotional than usual. She gets her feelings hurt easy. She is just overall more sensitive. She was having one of her 'moments' tonight and asked me if we had a book with pictures of just her and Daddy... I have lots of photo albums but none would do, she wanted a special book. I told her we could work on a special project tomorrow and we would make her a 'special book'. Tomorrow we are going to make her a scrap book with pictures and things so when she is sad she can look at it.... I just hope it doesn't make her more sad when she looks at it.
Try explaining to a four year old that the economy is in the toilet and their are no good paying jobs in this area and that because of health insurance I have to keep my job and have to keep working... It is just too much. Of course I don't tell her that, I just tell her that Daddy is working hard to take care of his family. His job is far away and until we can find a house we have to stay here. I tell her that Daddy is living in an RV and we can't all fit, there is no room for toys or clothes. She understands that. She asks me everyday when I can quit my job. I tell her I have to work so that we can save money because houses cost a lot of money.
I'm just so glad I only have to work two nights a week. I'm so thankful for my mom who keeps them for me and my sister for watching them for a few hours in the mornings so I can sleep.
Troy misses Daddy too, but he is younger and a momma's boy. He asks me, "Daddy's working?" I say, yes, and that is good enough for him. Sometimes when we come home from the grocery store or something he will run in the house and yell, "Daddy, you home?" I remind him that Daddy is at work, and he goes about his business, but you can tell it is something that is on his mind. He is also far more clingy when Tony does come home. He wants to be right by Daddy's side and if Tony leaves the room more than likely Troy will too.
Tonight was one of the hardest nights yet, seems like every couple days we have a bad night, always at bedtime. Sophia told me tonight that she feels safe when Daddy is home. I reasured her that Mommy locks all the doors and is just as safe as Daddy... I know what she means though. Nothing beats waking up with him right there.
I miss him too, but I am ok, I am busy and keep moving along. I have my moments when I want to load up the kids and leave but that isn't realistic.
Counting down the days but this whole thing is pretty crappy... tonight anyway. It is just a bad night. Tomorrow will be better and I will read this blog and wish I hadn't posted it, thinking how rotten I must sound to those people who have lost spouses or military families with family overseas. We have it pretty good, but even so tonight is crappy and it all goes back to being real... there is no denying that tonight has been a crappy night, but tomorrow will be better and with a new day a new attitude. Umm.. doesn't make tonight any better though. Well, maybe I'll drown my sorrows in some coco crispies.. ;)

love this very brave girl

Sophia went down to children's today for an EEG.
She has become quite the pro, when it comes to these tests. She was a bit apprehensive this time, but once she remembered the routine she became a bit of a clown. Making silly faces because she realized it would mess up the test. What a stinker!
We did the whole sleep deprivation thing, which is far harder on me than her... thus, I didn't work the beginning of this week. No sugar or caffeine, not that it is a normal part of her diet, sugar yes, but caffeine no. She was thrilled to stay up past her bedtime, not to happy to get up early this morning. I took the kids swimming this morning, we were in the pool before 9am, I was thinking it would get her nice and worn out. Wouldn't you know we got there and she didn't sleep a wink! I was sure she would fall asleep on the way home, nope.
I am currently typing this from her bed, while she still fights falling asleep, I could fall face down on the keyboard but she is still full of piss and vinegar. I think she is so tired she really can't fall asleep. She can't stay awake forever right??
It has become a bit of a tradition for me to play on the computer while she falls asleep. I lay at the foot of her bed with my laptop and she falls alseep listening to the Christian Praise and Worship songs that are on my computer.
She is my little princess Baby! I am so proud of her.
If this EEG comes back with normal results we are one step closer to getting off of a daily medication.
Remember she has too....
be seizure free (grand mal seizures) for 18 months -we are about 13 and 1/2 months in
have a normal 1 hour EEG- we did that today, waiting for results
at her appointment in December if still seizure free we will wean off the medication, then have a 4 day EEG inpatient at the Children's Hospital.
Baby steps- but I am so hopeful that it will be normal results. ;)
I would love to have her off of daily medication! Give her liver a fighting chance. ;) She will need to have another ultrasound for her liver and some bloodwork done in the coming months but nothing urgent, just keeping tabs on it since her liver has been enlarged and high enzymes. Probably from all the medication that her little liver has had to process in the last four years.

Sophia shows us everyday how to walk by faith. My brave one. I love you Sugar Bear!

Quite possibly the dumbest dog in the world...

Our dog Papi, or "Papi the Pest" as I like to call him, could quite possibly take the award for the worlds dumbest dog.
Let me begin by explaining how we got Papi. Some of you might remember our angel furbaby, Tater Tot.

A few months after Tater Tot passed away I began looking for another dog. No dog would replace Tater Tot but I had always had dogs and hated not having a four legged furbaby to love on. Against Tony's better judgement he agreed that if I found a dog, and funded the cost of getting a dog he would coincide with a new pet. He was still sad about Tater Tot and not really thrilled with the idea but he went along with it just the same.
I found Papi at a local rescue. His ad on pet finder described an energetic male Bishon who loved kids and had a great personality, fully house trained, and completed obedience school. Let me just tell you, this dog in NO way completed obidience school, maybe he was kicked out, but not completed.
I called about him and we went through the 'adoption process.' Everything from paper work, to a home study... crazy, I know. They were more cautious about placing Papi with our family than the hospital was to let us come home with our children. Long story short we got Papi.
When we met him he was a white fluffy ball of energy! He jumped into our arms, licked the kids all over and it was an instant bond. He just fit.... in the parking lot anyway.

As we drove him the kids were thrilled and I loved holding this fluffy big furbaby in my arms. We got him home and as quick as that instant bond occurred, that is how instantly the terror began! He ran through the house, running in circles. The kids were terrified, I just summed it up to his excitement and explained to the kids that Papi was a puppy and had far more energy than our old girl Tater Tot.
The months flew by as did Papi. He ran circles in my house for months, he chewed every plastic toy that my children owned. Really all new toys have since been replaced and kept in special baskets that Papi is able to open.

About four months after we got him he began this constant itching, only on his head. He would scratch his head, mussel, and neck until he was bleeding and left with huge scabs. I must have taken him to multiple vets and changed his diet at least 20 times. He has been tested for allergies, parasites, mange... you name it he was tested for it. Everything ends up normal. The continual response we received was "It is a nervous habit and the only thing left to try is puppy Prozac."
I have tried herbal remedies to help him calm down, but I am still hesitant to put him on any kind of 'puppy Prozac.'
If you are playing with him, holding him, walking him, throwing a ball to him, if he is eating, or running he will not itch. But when the family sits on the couch to watch a movie he will start this incessant itching, any time he is not getting your attention, he is itching. We have since resorted to saving the skin on his head by requiring him to wear a cone...


...all the time.
No judgements here please. This is to prevent infection and scaring of his already very thin skin. The nut that he is does not even seem bothered by the cone, infact I think he likes it. He will come to you and let you put the cone on his head. Almost like a security blanket. When he isn't going for a walk, cuddling or totally entertained, he is wearing a cone. Turn your head for a moment and his head is a bloody mess! The white coat does not make this any easier to deal with. His white fur was a horrid shade of salmon from the blood.

We do love Papi an thank God he ended up with our family, I think anyone else would have disposed of him. That is probably why he ended up at the rescue, probably why we haven't heard a peep from his foster parents, and Tony is sure that is why the foster parents looked so joyful to see him go. I did find out they are no longer foster parents for the rescue, I can't say that I blame them.

To continue, here are just afew short stories of Papi-catastrophes that have occurred in our home. (in no particular order)

Tony got a brand new cell phone and while charging his phone Papi comes running through the house like a bat out of hell. He got tangled in the wires from the charger and Tony's laptop... pulled the laptop off the table. He got scared and continued to run dragging the cellphone and charger through the house, bashing the new cell phone into the wall. Tony was less than happy about this.
Troy was a victim of Papi's cone which commonly bashes into walls and furniture. On this occasion the cone bashed into Troy's head.

I was sending some homework online a couple days ago and Papi jumped from the bed onto the nigh stand, knocking everything off the nightstand, he leaped onto the TV tray that my laptop was sitting on knocking everything to the floor. He ran through the bedroom squealing like a pig at a BBQ.
Every time the door is opened Papi tries to run out. Today he ran out so quickly he wasn't watching where he was going and crashed into the side of the house and knocked out. I screamed and picked him up, once I picked him up he woke up and his legs kept running in my arms.
Everyday feels spastic with this dog. He really drives me insane.
After about a year, I resorted to getting another dog, JazzyBell, in hopes that having a friend would help calm him.

JazzyBell is a sweet little poodle with a calm little personality. She is gentle and soft. She is a good friend for Papi and does help him a little bit but he is still a total nut!

All I can say is Papi is one lucky dog because I don't know many people who can deal with this craziness!
Tony has since come to love Papi and Papi is 'his' dog. The dog he didn't want is now his furbaby. Papi loves Tony. He loves riding in the car with Tony, when Tony leaves the house without Papi. He will bark a high pitch bark and runs through the house in a panic, running from the door to every window looking for his Daddy. And yes, banging the cone into everything while he runs in a panic to find Tony.