Way behind

I'm pretty far behind on my pictures and blogging in general.

Jan 2012

Sledding trip in Cherokee, IA

with Weinholds (3 kids) and Alighns (1 kid)

I thought some pictures of snow would cool us all off in this heat! :)

There was barely enough snow this year to sled, but the gound was frozen so it was slick! Peter and I went together on an intertube- It was terrifying because we went down backwards and I my back had just gotten better.  It was one of those moments I realized, "I'm older!"  I was gripping onto the tube and praying we'd stay on that tube.  I was envisioning  a Charlie Brown fall. 

Weston was fearless, he went with the other boys at least 20 times.  Sierra cried for 40 minutes while she watched the other children sled and finally perked up and went both with Peter and some friends.  She was NOT a fan of walking back up the hill! :)

Gift of motherhood

It's spring break (only 3 days here.)  The kids are home all day and the house is a pit.  There are blankets everywhere from a failed attempt at making a fort, a rock collection is strewn over the table, shoes, dirt and popcorn dot the floor. 

It doesn't really matter though.  What use is a clean house without the people that fill it?

They are gettting so big . They play nicely together and have their own ideas and goals. They are smart, each in their own way.

I'm so blessed.  Weston and his countless ideas and plans.  Sierra with her countless hugs and her caring personality that wants everyone to be happy and included. 

It's 70 degrees!

I've lived through enough winters to know that this is fake spring and that tomorrow may bring snow.  But for now, the children are outside in their sandals, stomping through puddles and soaking wet with the thawing snow.

And I know I am a summer girl. I CAN'T wait to have the kids out of school.  To be outside and see them out digging in the yard. To see them laughing with friends.  To wear flip flops, drive with the window down and turn the radio on loud.  Truly the best times of life! :)  To sit in the sun like a cat in a chair with my favorite magazine.  This is how life is supposed to be, you know? (You know the fake Becca world in my mind?!)

We walked for an hour today.  I took the kids to the only cafe in town, it was nice.  They ate Doritos. ( I was pleased they didn't even know the name of them!) Weston called them spicy chips! :)  They drank Sprite and I watched their faces turn that yucky, but addicting, color of orange and I even smiled when they wiped it on their shirts.

Now I'm going to get some meat to grill before supper! 

(Not meat to barbeque before dinner, we're Iowaians now, you know!)

Kids room

Looking in the door

 Sierra's bed with her Narnia costume above

 Weston's bed and Narina costume

 I made a picture wall with some ribbon, nails and clothes pins.

 New frame for Peter's art!!!

God planned this room too-

• All the furniture fits perfect.  
• There is a nook that Weston's cool shelf/head board fits perfectly- see picture. 
• His smart mommy remembered to save the heavy duty drywall screws for the castle bed- they were taped on for the move- genius! 
• Sierra's bed fits on the other wall with just enough space for the dresser at the foot of the bed. - see picture
• Her princess bed cornice thingy- happened to be right where the stud in the wall was- nice!  
• I had an extra gold curtain, which matched perfectly so I shortened it to give their room a finished feel.
• We got a  room darkening shade in that room as well that Peter hung up. 
• I also got a huge frame at the Goodwill for Peter's painting of the castle and country side.  It's a blue frame and had a blue/mauve mat (It had a cat poster in it too.)  I spray painted the mauve part silver and got a much more matching and completely custom made painting for their room for $5 (and Peter would add- $5 and a lot of time!)  Ya- it's nice and finished!

continued thoughts on educating the children

So anyhow, I have been at a loss about what to do with the children next year.

I'm feeling extreme pressure about Sierra's growth in the coming year. This is her last year before kindergarten and I feel I have to give her every chance to excel. However that is going to have to include the state services for her speech and the special education side of the public school system. I am not thrilled with the options that I have heard about; because if I send her to public preschool so that she can get the speech therapy, her education and environment will suffer. This area of the state is not renown for its schools! ;)

However financially continuing to pay for private therapy and school are not an option.... so my search had begun.

With Weston, I'm not thrilled with the idea of sending him to school from 8am-3pm. I think he would self combust. In addition to those long hours, his homework is very time consuming. By the time it's completed, I am dismayed that he has no time to be a kid. So I am looking for options for him as well.

I have been wrestling with the idea of homeschooling, but i need A LOT of support to feel successful in that venture and I need accountability to do an excellent job.

Well yesterday all of this thought came together. I was talking with the speech therapist about my ideas and learned that they have some students that receive their speech therapy there and it is paid through the state and the special ed program!

How? Their mothers homeschool them through the charter public school, called CAVA!! Since the school has no brick and mortar location, the state refers these students to existing speech therapists, and one of them is Lucid, the apraxia specialist!!!!

This makes it possible for Sierra to continue at the specialist on the state's dime!!!!

So I came home and looked into the school and guess what I found!? The CAVA charter school has adopted the K12 curriculum that Bill Bennett helped develop, that I really like!!! Click here for the webpage, if you want to see more.

I called the number and got an incredibly helpful women who explained the system to me. If I decide to enroll the children, they will be in the public school system. I will be their "learning coach" and they will school at home. They will be assigned a teacher who does the planning, grading, attendance, and report cards. She/He will be available by phone or email whenever I need help. If Weston or Sierra needs help and I am not able to teach them, she will arrange a meeting at the library to go over the lesson with them.

In addition to all of this support, the state gives me all the curriculum, art supplies, science materials, musical equipment, etc and possibly even a computer for the children's educational needs. Everything is delivered to my door!

Sierra would be arranged into the Special Education system, would be tested through the state and her IEP (instructional education plan) would be organized and she would be able to utilize California's special ed system, but I would have a say where she would get her services, and could choose a specialist! YES!

However, she is not five before December 2nd, so she cannot be enrolled in kindergarten. I thought all this thought and effort had been dashed on the rocks. Until this blessed women told me, "You can enroll her in kindergarten the day after her fifth birthday." December 16th she could start CAVA at home with me and begin the special education journey from the safety of our home and our continual care and planning of her therapy and education-- FOR FREE!

So ya, I'm a little stoked by this option. I am a little afraid too, because homeschooling these monkeys is a HUGE commitment, but that is what I'm here to do. Oh, the joys and fears of motherhood!

So we'll see....

Favorite minute of the week

They sit there, cuddly on the chair together.

The sun shining in though the window as they share the moment, chair and book.

I steal a picture from far away, so as to not shatter the magic of this moment.

Sierra turns the pages and reads to Weston.

They are happy clams and so am I.

Pasadena Kidspace Museum

This is a rad mosiac hallway into the museum.

The kids being silly. Weston got wet so he was wearing my coat.

This was a display that showed the way a tree's roots look underground.

Our mountain goat!

This climber winded up and up for about 5 stories. It was made out of clear blue plastic and huge poles. It was also a little tilty. Yes, a little freaky!

Last week we went to the kids museum with our friend Autumn. Autumn was my roommate the year Peter and I started dating and Peter's friend. It was fun to see our kids play together.
The museum was fun and very hands on. The kids climbed, dug, painted, and had a great time.

winter garden

We planted it. Just a 10x10 square. I said, "Weston, let's go to the store and get some stakes." He said no, that will cost money. We have lots of sticks Mom." He staked off the sides with sticks he found and found the yarn to make a "fence. We planted and marked each spot with a stick and some masking tape.

Maybe we'll have fresh brussel sprouts soon?

Olives...

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I love olives. I really like green olives. When I was young, I only liked black olives; but after studying abroad in Israel, I really like green.

Here at grandpa's house and there are three big olive trees. I knew Weston would really enjoy the process of making olives. So we did it.

I found an easy recipe that contained no lye. Click here if you're interested.

First we picked. Then we washed and smashed them with a marble rolling pin. Now they are soaking in water. The water releases the tannin that makes the olives bitter. I have rinse and recover olives for one- four weeks until they are not bitter.

Then I'll make a brine with cider vinegar, garlic, lemon and rosemary. I'll cover them in the brine and put them in the fridge- ready to eat.

It was fun so far (and a bit of work.) I hope they turn out!

Catching up

What have we been doing?
We have painted trains. Aren't they great? They came in a kit in about 16 pieces. Weston sanded and helped me glue all the parts together. Then we painted.

This is a clearly a Peter project, so he was impressed I did it with the kids. We had a great time.

More catching up tomorrow- :)

Princess and Knight room continued...

Princess Sierra's chamber...

Knight Weston's Lair...

Kissing Sleeping Beauty!

He LOVES it!

So does she...

Fun times! Peter is so artistic and he made the "cornet" to hold Sierra's canopy bed with a shelf and ply board. He designed it and really did a great job!

This room makeover is nearly done. We'll add pictures and I have to sew the gray curtains for the window. Maybe a trip to Medieval Times is in order! :)

kids room continued...

This is Weston's castle bed. It will go on the wall behind the bed. Peter drew it and cut it out of a piece of plywood. Last night they painted it. Sierra was COVERED with paint!

Their room has turned into a giant art project- so fun~

first days and week of school

The kids are doing great. I actually cried last night at Back to School night. Peter leaned over and said, "This is so weird, we're parents on back to school night!" We listened to the myriad of funraisers and guidelines. Then we went to the presentations in the classrooms. Weston's teacher has taught K at this school for 30 years and Sierra's teacher has taught three year olds for 25 years... what a calling. They are both passionate teachers! Both of them talked of their love for the Lord and prayed for the children to be developed into the people God wants them to become. We are blessed.

Knight and princess room continued!

My kids are so lucky! They have original artwork in their room because their daddy is talented. Now when Peter reads this he'll roll his eyes and assure me that his work is amateur- but I think it's awesome-

Here is his pencil sketch:

Putting on the base colors:

Adding the layers of color:


It looks awesome and really neato! It's hanging in their room now. I'll have to take a picture of it finished. Next we need to put up the canopy over Sierra's bed. It will be made out of a golden tulle! Pretty.

dear weston and sierra

Hi babies, I miss you so much. I can't wait to see you tomorrow.

Weston I miss your energy and your great ideas. You are such a creative boy and a smart thinker.

Sierra I miss your snuggles and your huge love for people. You are so friendly and always smiling.

I can't wait to give you both a big kiss because I love you as tall as the mountains and as deep as the ocean!!!

See you tomorrow.

Proof my kids were raised in Asia...

This is one of their favorite meals-

Seaweed rolls. Like California rolls- but the seaweed is on the outside instead of the inside.

Recipe-
Spread warm rice on seaweed sheet.
Sprinkle with toppings like meat, sesame seeds and veggies
Roll it up.
Serve with soy sauce and (ginger for Peter!)


In Thailand, they even have seaweed flavored chips--- my mom LOVED those! ;) My kids beg for seaweed plain, as a snack. Yummy.

It is good for them. It's the only natural source of iodine in Mongolia because of the sea salt it contains, and it's a veggie.... so yay for seaweed.