Snapshot

I was reading a parenting book last night.

Shock of ages.

Reading

Reading parenting book.

I will admit, I would rather allow TV land to take me to another life, but in this case, Peter was doing something  that seemed like it may need reflection, so, I read.

It talked about keeping a notebook for your kids. Just about what they are doing, what their likes, and dislikes are etc. What they are working on, what they are succeeding in, etc.

I think she intended it to be a way to reflect upon your children. Really focus on them, and understand them. Maybe in doing so, inspiration will come. At first I was like, HA! I don't have time to even blog! And then I thought, wait, I  have done this ON my blog. Which I think is a great idea. However, if I do this on a regular basis, I may have to go to an "invited only" status.  Don't worry, I will invite anyone who WANTS to be invited, but rather than have too much information about my kids accessible, it is better to air on the side of caution.

But I liked the idea. REALLY liked the idea. Because I want to remember things. And I want to do a better job at recording them.

Blogging is still an outlet for ME, but since I have less and less time to actually do it, I figured I will have to "make" some time. Hopefully Sundays, hopefully once a week, hopefully it will include a snapshot, hopefully it will talk a little bit about my kids (I don't want to rely on facebook to remember all the funny things they do. It's not very easy to navigate or search).

So, here is my first

Snapshot:

Me: Amazingly enough I did not have any Papa Murphy's events this week. The first thing that slips when I am doing lots of events is the housework. Grocery shopping, (i.e. I only make food with what I have on hand, which makes for small, not so great meals) Laundry (which means I do it, but it remains unfolded and in a super human pile of clean laundry either in the laundry room, where everyone has to crawl over it, or in my bedroom, where I feel like I no longer have my own space) and cleaning (this one drives me the most batty because I am hating dust right now, and right now I have LOTS of it. IN ABUNDANCE). I did dust ONE room, and that felt good, but now I would like to get to the other 8. I would like to finish reading this parenting book and have decided that in my spare time (of course now that most of my TV shows are ending) that I will clean/organize some rooms/closets, read, and get my garage situated so that someone can park in it. (It's the little things, right?) Oh, and get the mail, because I don't remember the last time I picked it up.


Abby: Abby is taking some classes right now. She takes a theater class on Mondays, and an Art Class on Tuesdays and sometimes has activity days on Wednesdays. Right now, I am finding that Abby is NOT a morning person, and is less likely to like to do things in the morning. However, she is a night OWL (okay, this is not new info) But, I can get her to do more things at night because she wants to stay up. However, that makes for less of a morning person. (Bad cycle) I am having fun walking with her in the evenings, and find that she just totally spills her guts to me. I love that. I hope to make it last. She is doing a better job of helping her sibs, and actually taking on some babysitting responsibility. She does a good job with it when asked, and I think she likes it.

Jaxon: We have decided to medicate him. Yep. The past few weeks have been trying a new drug, and seeing if it helps. The good news is, it helps. The bad news is, he is MORE crazy if someone forgets to make sure he takes his medication. :( In the end, I hope we find something that works, for all of us. He also passed the first round (I had no idea there was more than one round) of gifted testing. I was surprised by this, because Abby is so crazy creative, I thought she would be my first child to do so. However, Jaxon is. I don't know if they will put him in the program, because currently, he is in special ed, and I just don't know if they would, but, I kind of hope they do, because he is a creative learner, and I think the lesson plan/curriculum would be great for him.

Wade: I'm not kidding. This kid knows how to get just about anything he wants. He is knows that if he is super sweet, he can just about get anything. A skill I am sure he plans on refining. He got super sick this week. He doesn't get sick very often, but when we does, he almost can't handle it. :(It's so sad. He just gets super sad, and hibernates like a little bear. He is smart as a whip, and I cannot WAIT for him to start school next year just because I don't have the time to really push him. He has read through the first 12 books on hooked on phonics, and I actually try not to push him to do more because I don't want him bored out of his gored in Kindergarten. I just don't know. I am sure that is not a great game plan, but it's all I've got right now. He Loooooooooooooves baseball, and this is our first foray into team sports with him. It is super fun to watch, but lately, with sickness, weather and spring break, we've missed a lot of games!!

Kaylie: Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh. This girl is crazy challenging. Peter says is like a rock, meeting an immovable object. Neither one of us will budge. Case in point, Kaylie is harassing Jaxon in the car. I say, Kaylie, stop. She says, No. I say Kaylie, give me the headphones (I can't quite reach them) She says, "No". I say Kaylie, say sorry to Jaxon, she says, "NO" .  At this point, she is directly behind me and we are driving on the freeway and there is NOTHING I CAN DO. She seems to sense this, and digs in. I am in a whole heap with this girl. The other day, I told her to get in her car seat, and she said, "It's MY LIFE!" She's starting young.....

Well, I don't think i'll solve the world's problems, but I am sure I will learn something.

Spring Break

 I love spring. There are sooooooooooo many reasons for me to love spring! The flowers come out, (aren't these AMAZING?? They are at my favorite beach spot)

 There is my Anniversary. .. We did lots of fun things this year, a visit to Pinks, a back lot tour, and a visit to the Staples center to see a Lakers/Clippers game. It was fantastic, of course.

 The sun is out, and everyone is happy to be outside. The weather is mild, and the kids are out of school for a few weeks so I don't have to maintain that killer school schedule. . .

 We get to go the beach, and I am going to tell you right here, and now, that there is NOTHING I love more than going to the beach. Who doesn't want to sit in the sun all day, and watch the surf roll in??

 My kids are finally getting big enough where I don't have to worry too much about them. The ones that CAN handle the water, I have a hard time getting OUT of the water, and those that can't play happily in the sand. I hope they love it as much as I do when they are my age. I mean, I think they love it now, but I hope their love just grows stronger...

 I finally took Easter pictures this year.(first year in like... 4) Of course, I didn't take the time to grab my NICE camera, even though I was home. These shots would have turned out soooooooooo much better. But they are documented still the same. 

 Taking pictures with 4 kids is NEVER easy.

 Especially when you have a few posers...

 These pictures make me so happy. I have 4 healthy, happy children.. . .

We have our fair share of challenges, and a large work load, but things are on a better keel. . .
I look back at where we've been, and I am so grateful to be HERE. I post pictures of my family at Disneyland and at the beach because I can hardly believe we are there myself! It is wonderful to be in a place where we finally feel settled, and even though there is a lot to do, we have a HOME, and our kids like it here, and they are growing, and thriving.

I am grateful, so grateful. I would not rather be in another place, or another time. I am blessed, and I know that the challenges we have are for our good. I feel peace. Because I know that God lives, and has a hand in our life. I am reminded daily of that.

M-I-C-K-E-Y

Our family got season passes from  generous grandparents for Christmas this year. . . I was so thrilled, and have been able to use them several times. I know it might seem like overkill to have season passes to the Happiest Place on Earth, but I truly love it. We finally got to have Peter take a day off and come with us. It was our first day of spring break, and I was thrilled to have him along. (I am usually solo, or with a friend.)

The Happiest Place on Earth is a WHOLE LOT HAPPIER when we use the Jaxon pass. Basically, it is a special services pass that we get because of Jaxon's autism. Believe it or not, having autism at Disneyland can be trying and difficult. As a matter of fact, on this very trip Peter was waiting in a regular line, and Jaxon flew around and ran into someone who was holding a baby... Needless to say, that person got mad. Anywho, having the Jaxon pass allows us to hop in any fast pass line, without a fast pass, and believe me, it helps a LOT. 

Peter used to feel  a little bit of guilt for using the Jaxon pass. (For the record, I never did- ps, that picture of Wade in the link KILLS me) But, recently, I asked Peter when he thought we would stop using the "Jaxon Pass" and he said, "When Jaxon is no longer in special education!" I would tend to agree, but I hope that is sooner than later. 

The other great thing about the pass is the way it entertains kids, on days off, spring break and just about any other Holiday you can think of, and we have not ever had a kid say, "Oh, man.. NOT DISNEYLAND!" on the day that we do, we will most certainly not get that child a pass ever again. 

 Most of our trips to Disneyland are not without incident, and this one wasn't either. Wade was/is sick, and runnin' a temp. At one point, he even said he wanted to go home, but nothing a quick trip to the gift shop couldn't fix. A couple of tablespoons of motrin and he was on his way (after a quick nap).

 My husband may consider himself at times a "Disneyland Nazi" Parade? NO! We can't wait around for a parade!!! We have to go on ____________ ride! This is another great reason for D-land passes. Time. Time to do whatever you want. We even went to the Tiki room which I don't think I have ever been to in my 38 years  of life. I finally went, and you know what? Once was probably enough.

 But the parades, the parades in my opinion are a CAN'T MISS. They are so well done, so colorful, so fun to watch.

 My kids were enthralled the ENTIRE time, and soaked up every second.

 I couldn't decide what to watch. Their faces? Or the parade!

Of course snow white turned her back on me the split second I clicked the camera. . . .We had a fantastic time, and always do. I am grateful for generous grandparents who make it all possible!