Busy, Sunny Days

The busy is a definite, the Sunny a maybe.

We're heading out early this morning to the Doctor's office. Fortunately, no one is sick. Unfortunately, after putting it off for 5 years, hubby is forcing me to get a physical done. In his words: It's because he cares about me. Somewhere along the way, he figured out I feel like a heel if I argue when he gives that reason;)

Anyway... today is Part 1 : testing and prodding (as in with needles). Which leads me to ask this question: since when do they do a physical in 2 visits?? That's 2 co-pays people!! Maybe I"m behind the times.

I promised the kids that I would take them to a large play place called Safari Sam's today. I actually promised them this last week when it was dreary and rainy. Now that they're forecasting a warm and sunny day, I'm asking myself "Why would we spend it inside?" So I think I might try to maneuver out of it. The only hitch: my son's best friend is coming over for the day, and he is expecting to go there as well. So I may not be able to wiggle out of this one.

I am making preparations for the Princess's birthday party to be held next Tuesday. I wanted to have it this Saturday at the Park (it's supposed to be another nice day) but our church is holding a large children's fair and outreach program that we'll be helping with. It will probably last most of the day, and we will most likely not want to host a party attended by a miscellaneous number of 5 and 6-year-olds afterwards.

And if you've been good enough to suffer through this post so far, I have a bonus for you:

Restaurant.com is offering $25. gift certificates to a variety of restaurants for the awesome price of $4. when you use the promotion code DEAL ! I was thrilled to find a favorite buffet restaurant Izzy's was listed; I figured that my family of 5 can eat there for $14 (plus tip)... that sure beats $30. plus tip!

I can't take credit for finding this deal; I actually found it at Mrs.Nespy's World (bargain finder). I took it upon myself to attach the bargain finder to her name, because she finds some of my best deals for me, LoL:) So if you like bargains (and who doesn't?) check her out.

Have a great Weekend~

Childhood Apraxia/Speech Delay Links

I am continually surprised at how many people are searching for information on childhood speech delay. I'm not sure why I'm surprised, as I've been there myself.

Maybe it's because of the fact that every day I have many hits on my childhood apraxia posts (that's all 2 of them:). And from all over the world as well. That may not seem like much to other people, but I happen to know I am a small minnow in the huge internet pond, and I would think I'd be the last place a search would land you. Apparently, not so.

So I wanted to share a few new links I have found that might be helpful to others.

The Speech Therapy Web I am really excited about finding this site. I am hoping to get some new ideas to use with my own daughter, and I encourage anyone looking for ways to work with their children one-on-one at home to visit this site. While I can share with others my experiences with my own daughter who has childhood apraxia, that definitely can't compare with someone who has been trained to work with speech-delayed children. She has a Q&A section that could especially be helpful for those who would like some advice concerning their child's particular issues.

My Blizzle This is the blog of a homeschooling mom who has a 7 year old daughter who has speech issues. Although she hasn't written a post in over a year, I found several of her old posts encouraging on several levels: 1) she had alot of the same worries as I do about her daughter "fitting in" with other kids, and 2) I was encouraged to hear the advancements her daughter has made since she started therapy. She includes some YouTube clips of her daughter that I enjoyed watching. I wish the best for her and her little girl.

Apraxia Kids This is the site that put an end to my searching, and pointed me in the right direction for getting help for my daughter's speech issues. They have a wealth of information on their site, and also have a monthly newletter you can sign up for.

I don't often post on this subject, as I know it doesn't apply to most who visit my blog. But I do like to occasionally touch on the subject and share things that have helped us in this area.

Have a wonderful day~

AND THE WINNER IS...

Using the old-fashioned technique of names-in-a-bag, the following name was picked as the winner of my KID'S STUFF Giveaway: *MISSY*

Congratulations! Please email your address to mykidsmom.greengables@gmail.com and I will mail your prize package to you.

If I had MY way, I'd send a craft pack to EVERYONE who commented; hubby knows this, and has put a stop to such thoughts, LoL;)

Thank you for all the great comments and ideas!

Memorial Day Happenings

We had planned to take the kids to the Oregon Zoo on Memorial day, but the weather didn't cooperate. So instead, we went to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, or better known as OMSI around here.

I wanted to include something specific to Memorial day in our plans as well. It turned out that Omsi was having a short service, as well as the tolling of the bells, for those who had gone down in Submarines serving our country (the USS Blueback resides on the waterfront next to Omsi). I was amazed how many Submarines went down (with crews averaging 75 men) in just a few short years during World War II. It definitely was a solemn reminder of those who gave so much defending our freedom, now and in the past.

After this, we watched Sea Monsters of the Deep on the Omnimax IMAX screen. It was amazing; not just because of the National Geographic film that was quite interesting, but because it was my first time viewing their screen. By the end of the show, I had to hold onto the rail tightly as I left the room- it was a bit of a sensory overload.

The kids really enjoyed the dinosaur-themed displays.

Here they are digging for bones...

We managed to squeeze in a planetarium show as well (more sensory overload:). It definitely was an enjoyable (and tiring) family outing.

My KID'S STUFF giveaway ends tonight at 12:00 midnight. I'll announce the winner in tomorrow's post!

***HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my dear friend Mrs.Darling at Dishpan Dribble!***

***KID'S STUFF GIVEAWAY***ONLY 3 more days!!!

One of our favorite places to go window-shop is Michaels craft store. Beside having endless craft supplies, they also have all those bins of reasonably priced kid's stuff.

Plus, they almost always have a Sunday paper 40% off coupon..what a deal!

So we put together some of our favorite items to use as a blog giveaway. I should say we bought replicas...we're not giving you our old stuff, LoL.

One of the items in the giveaway package is this Thermal ice cream and slushy maker by kid's concoctions. This thing really works ; I myself was surprised when we had ice cream after 5 minutes of shaking;)

I'm also including a 3-pack of moon sand, bubbles, and various craft projects. If you have only boys/girls, I can adjust a few of the crafts to accommodate that.

If you don't have young kids, still feel free to enter. Think of how much your nephews/nieces/grandkids would like this package...you'd be the best auntie or granny ever:)

All you have to do is send $19.95...oops! That's right, it's a giveaway...

Just leave a comment about an activity (big or small) that you do with your kids (or a child in your life) or something that your parents/someone did with you that made you feel special as a child. It doesn't have to be overly creative, simple is fine. Anyone that so desires can leave multiple comments.

Since this coming weekend is Memorial Day weekend, I am leaving this contest open through the 27th of May. Here is a representation of the package (meaning this is what the winner gets unless they ask for an adjustment for age or gender) :

This giveaway is open to United States and Canadian Residents only.

SO DON'T BE SHY- let's see some comments!

Favorite Recipes-Salmon

I came across this recipe while looking for a special dish to make for our family St.Paddy's Day celebration. Not being a fan of corned beef myself (which fact would horrify my Irish ancestors no doubt) I was delighted to learn that Salmon was a favorite dish of that lovely country as well.

Salmon in Heavy Cream

1 lb piece of Salmon fillet
2 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
1/2 lemon
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 TBSP butter

Pat Salmon dry and place in shallow baking pan. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and parsley. Squeeze lemon over all. Next pour chicken broth and heavy cream over fillet. Dot with butter. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

My children love Salmon as much as I do myself, so there are never any left-overs when I serve this dish. It's really worth a try!

Stretching Our Stimulus Check

We actually received our economic stimulus check three weeks ago, and it has sat untouched in our checking account since that time. Not because we have unlimited funds; rather, I'm looking to use it to it's greatest advantage.

Well, it would seem that others are hoping to get a piece of that check. The local grocery stores are offering to cash the checks and turn them into grocery cards with 15% added to the value of the card. That's a lot of groceries. It's not a bad idea...if you don't need the money for anything else;)

However, our local Fred Meyer was offering an extra 10% on all gift cards bought last week. And since they have a connected gas station, the gift cards can be used for gas as well. Which set me thinking: Just how long would it take me to spend $300 in gas at almost $4 a gallon...on second thought, don't think about it.

So this is what I got with the "free" $30:

• 4 WHOLE chickens (18lbs) Foster Farm ( no hormones!)


• 4 20oz boxes Kelloggs Raisin Bran (a favorite of mine- got to get my fiber:)


• 4 16oz packages of Challenge Butter (16 sticks total!)


• 4 lbs Braeburn Apples


• 5 lbs Bananas

I have to admit it was Freddie's Founders week and they had some great deals. Anyway, just thought I would post this as it was on the brain.

*DON'T FORGET to sign up for my KID'S STUFF GIVEAWAY!!! I see some of you coming through and not leaving a comment...:)

Please pardon my delay

I thought I should explain why I did not post my giveaway this morning, so I'll do that in two words: severe migraine. It started yesterday afternoon, and I shudder to think how much meds passed through my lips trying to alleviate it. I'll probably need to do another liver detox;) Anyway, this morning it seems to have calmed down, so I will post again shortly.

A Hodge-Podge Post from a Delinquent Homeschooler

That about sums it up. Need I say more?

What sane person would make their children stay inside and do schoolwork when the sun is streaming through the windows, the temperature is pushing 80 degrees, and that irresistible urge to hop on something (other than the living room couch) is in the air?

Okay...other than Mrs. Darling, LoL. And she is very sane. Just so we clear that up;)

After all, our rain and clouds will return next week. You have to admit, Oregon wouldn't be such a beautiful color of green if not for all that rain.

They've actually tricked me into believing that. It only took ten years. But back to my kids.

Their little brains (remember, the smaller your brain is, the smarter you are) will not shrivel up if they miss a few hours of schooling. Okay...3 days to be exact. Monday's supposed to be pretty nice too:) I figure I've stacked up a few days with all those 1 day holidays and teacher-parent meetings that we never took off. Although I plan to do our inside gardens Monday, but that's fun.

We headed into town tonight to get out of the heat. I convinced hubby that the Thrift Store was air-conditioned (and their bathroom really was :) . We picked up an ugly, but sturdy, dresser for the boys room. 6 feet long. Built of real (and quite heavy) wood. I pity the Goodwill guy who has to help my hubby load it tomorrow. I'm convinced I can transform that dresser into something less ugly. I'm thinking of it as a huge treasure chest...bet you can't quess what theme I'm using to redo my boy's bedroom. But that's a future post.

By the way, at the tender of age of 1 week, 3 of our herb plants are sprouting up. For some reason, I am always impressed when anything I plant actually grows. Although I've planted lots of things that have grown quite well. Just wait til you see how big my tomatoe plants get...I'm actually afraid to add miracle grow to the mix;)

Tonight I am participating in a Ladie's Night Out sponsored by our church. We'll be meeting at Sweet Tomatoes (an extended salad, soup, pasta, bread buffet). The last time I participated in this, 50 women attended. And I talked my MIL into coming along this time.

I go out to eat rarely enough that I'm actually looking forward to the eating part quite a bit. There's nothing like a 20 different items salad.

I just hope I still remember how to carry on an adult conversation;) Although, I've never found anyone who's more interesting to talk to than my own children. And hubby of course. But then, I'm probably somewhat prejudiced in thinking that;)

I wish everyone a wonderful weekend~

* Check in Monday for the Start of my KID'S STUFF Giveaway!

A Heat Wave Approaches

It's hard to believe, but they are actually predicting weather in the high 8o's for the next 3 days!!! Going from the 60's to the 80's is quite a jump; hubby is pulling all our fans out of winter storage, LoL.

It is finally feeling like Spring...though the 95 degrees predicted for Saturday may feel more like Summer. I just want to go outside with my kids and soak it all up.

Which reminds me...I need to go to the store and get some sunscreen:)

Forgive me if it seems like I am gloating. We have had a strange Spring around here with rain (not so strange) , multiple hail storms, strong winds, and even snow and sleet. It seemed as if the seasons were all mixed-up.

Now the kids are jumping on the trampoline, hunting for ladybugs and beetles (for our bug box), and racing here and there.

And when the neighbor kids come to play, I can send them all outside;)

With such beautiful weather expected, I would love to head over to Multnomah Falls for a family hike. Or to the Coast for a relaxing day in the sand. Oregon has so many beautiful spots for day trips.

But we'll probably spend the weekend cutting and sprucing up the outside, as well as getting our garden area tilled. And my flower pots planted. And the pool cleaned out. And if we end up with time on our hands, maybe even cleaning out the shed...

But it really doesn't matter what we do...SPRING IS FINALLY HERE!

Did I mention we go back to our 60 degrees, rainy weather next week?

I'm choosing NOT to think about that:)

The Precocious Princess

My daughter has been keeping me especially busy lately. At the tender age of almost 6 years, she suddenly thinks she can do anything she sets her mind to. Not necessarily in a rebellious way, more like in a "I'm very capable" way. She has a definite streak of Independence in her.

Today she asked if she could go outside and build a treehouse. Thinking to encourage her imaginary building project, I told her that was a fine idea. Her brother raced in a little while later to ask if I knew she was outside with a hammer trying to build a treehouse? She took it pretty calmly that I took away the hammer, which made me wonder... sure enough, she had other tools out there as well! Now I suppose there just might be someone out there who will think I should encourage this; but to me, hammers and almost six-year-olds do not mix!

Did your mother insist on telling you stories of starving children in faraway countries when you didn't clean your plate growing up? I'm by no means making fun of these true facts; on the contrary, I do often tell my children that we shouldn't waste food for that very reason. I want them to understand that having food to eat is a blessing that they should be grateful for. And I have mentioned that there are children in other countries who actually dig through trash piles to find food to eat.

So this afternoon, after dropping off my sons at Taekquon dae, my daughter and I made a quick trip to Goodwill. I told her if she was obedient while we were in the store, I'd give her a quarter for the prize machine when we left. And so I did. As we walked back out to the car, I heard her somewhat grumbling that the little kitty prize was not the one that she had wanted. So very motherly-like, I informed her that she should not grumble, there were little kids that never got to get prizes out of the prize machine. To which she quickly replied: They have to dig through the trash for prizes? At least I know my food-wasting illustration has sunk in...

I stumbled across a learning site that is being very beneficial in helping the Princess work on phonics and reading. Because of her childhood apraxia issues, it's very difficult for her to put sounds together in one fluid movement. It's hard for me to explain to those who don't understand, but it's been a bit of a bump in the road for her. This site helps her sounds out words, and she can maneuver around it on her own. She took it upon herself to also use paper and pencil to copy off the words that the screen sounds out to her. So it's a step forward for us.

Last night, I noticed she was sitting off to herself "reading" a book. Only it was one of her brother's Magic Treehouse books. Which means big words without any pictures. She sat there for about 20 minutes, turning a page every few minutes. There is no convincing her she isn't really reading...not that I would even try;)

Mother's day

This weekend was so tiring, I confess I preferred to sleep in a little bit this morning instead of posting early.

The Ladies Conference at our church was absolutely wonderful. I learned so much, and seeing my favorite Teacher from school was a huge treat. I gave her a gift of a mug and coaster set, and wrote her a letter telling her how much she has helped me by what I learned from her in the past. It really was nice getting to see her again.

Sundays are always so busy to start with, Mother's day made it even more so. My husband drives a bus that picks up people and brings them to our church, so I didn't see much of him or the boys til the middle of the afternoon. When they arrived home, my children presented me with a beautiful heart locket necklace that said Mom and was decorated with a rose. It has a place for pictures inside, though I'm not sure how I'll get pictures that tiny. This is the fanciest gift I've ever gotten for mother's day, I have to admit I was impressed with hubby on this one;) My favorite thing is always the homemade cards, I love reading the ones the kids have made in the past.

After this presentation, we headed to my in-laws house for a family get-together to honor hubby's mother for Mother's day. I actually let hubby pick out his Mom's gift this year. I'm not exactly sure what it was, something technological;) Then my mother-in-law handed me a basket full of several items. One of them was a book called Raising Kings and Queens that they were selling at the conference this year. I had really wanted this book, but it's $20. price tag was a little too steep for me right now. I was so touched that she had bought this for me. I am blessed with one of those mother-in-laws who never critiques, but is always encouraging. She is a very special lady.

After this, we headed back to evening church, after which we had a Sunday school teacher's meeting. So it was after 9 pm before we made it back home. A full day, but a very nice one.

The Professor made me breakfast in bed today since he rode the bus yesterday. I had to laugh to myself. He brought in so much food, I could have grazed most of the day!

Only a few more weeks of school left, and then Summer vacation. Hopefully the weather will start cooperating...not holding my breathe on that one;) Have a wonderful day~

Homeschool Happenings- We're growing

We planted our herb garden this week. Here's a few pictures:

Of course, there's not much to see yet (other than my beautiful children;). My daughter already wants to give them tons of water, I'll have to keep a close eye on that, LoL.

Here's some rocks that we painted to go with our growing theme. We'll stick them in the herb pots as decorations. The turtle is made by hot-gluing a smooth oval rock to a puzzle piece; I thought that was clever (not my original idea).



And here are a few links for learning sites: Help Inspector Leplant solve the mystery in the Great Plant Escape; Learn the basics at My First Garden, and for great printables and crafts try Enchanted Learning. This last link (Enchanted learning) is the only site that I have actually paid to be a part of; the fee is $20. (for a year) but they have such a variety of printables it's well worth it. There are also some free printables there.

Early this morning I am off to attend a 2-day Ladies Conference at our church. It just so happens my favorite teacher from College is one of the main Speakers for it, so I'm quite thrilled about that. Hubby will be holding down the Fort while I'm gone.

I want to wish everyone a HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, which reminds me...

CONGRATULATIONS to Kristy of Homemakers Cottage (and family) on the birth of a beautiful baby boy! I'm sure little Keith makes this Mother's Day even more special for you~

Another Favorite Recipe- DAISY Biscuits

Here's a fun and yummy recipe I found a couple years ago in an old kid's recipe book.

DAISY BISCUITS
1/4 Cup butter or margarine
1 3 oz package cream cheese
2 Cups all purpose Flour
1 Tbsp Baking powder
1/2 Tsp salt
3/4 Cup of Milk
Sugar- optional

Mix softened butter and cream cheese together. In a separate bowl mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the mixes together, using a pastry blender to blend until the mixture resembles small peas.

Add milk, stirring just til the dry ingredients are wet. Do not over-stir. Sprinkle 3-4 Tbsp flour on the surface to be used to roll out your dough. Shape the dough into a ball, coating it with flour. Roll out to a 12 x 7 rectangle (it should be slightly less than 1/2 inch thick). Cut out with a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter.

To make the daisy design, use kitchen scissors to make 5 small cuts around the edge of each biscuit. Do not cut to the center. Wet top of biscuit with a little bit of water, and sprinkle on sugar. Press thumb into the middle of each biscuit to make an indentation. Spoon 1/2 tsp of your favorite jelly into the center of each biscuit. Bake 10 or 12 minutes ( or until golden) at 450 degrees. *In my experience, homemade jelly has not worked too well in this recipe, it tends to run badly when baking.

You can add sugar to this recipe if you like your biscuits a little sweet. I usually butter the petals after taking them from the oven. Enjoy!

Going Buggy

This week it has been a cause for jubilation in our household when we've come across a bug.

Yes, you read that right. We've gone plumb crazy.

Actually, there's a simple explanation: we picked up a Venus fly trap. So every time anyone finds a bug, we all rush to watch it be dropped down into the plant and consumed. It makes us sound downright barbaric, doesn't it?

Personally, this plant gives me the creeps. I mean, I know plants are alive and breathing, but this one takes it to a new level. A creepy level.

Think little shop of horrors...

But today the occasional bug was no longer satisfying enough for my children; the boys now want to keep the plant outside, where the process will occur more often due to the fact of bugs abounding out there.

You have to admit, it's a cheap form of entertainment :)

And speaking of bugs...(I know, you wish I wouldn't)

I picked up this Backyard Safari bug habitat at a local thrift store. The boys haven't seen it yet, but their little hearts will be overflowing when they do. They'll be scouting out the yard for more insects to hold captive...or feed to the creepy plant.


This bug "shelter" is actually pretty neat, it's like the Hilton of bugland. It's true, my boys could just stick their bugs in a see-through glass jar, but this has a cool magnifier attached and a few other luxuries. Plus, I only forked out $1.99 for it ;)

You may not believe this, but I'm the biggest bug-hater around, especially anything that slimes...meaning anything without legs...we don't even speak their names around here.

So this is mainly for beetles, grasshoppers, and ladybugs.

I wonder if any of those are natural predators of each other...hmmm. We may just see natural selection in action, LoL.

UPDATE: To those who have inquired, the tarantula decision is still on hold. It was supposed to come over last week for a visit (accompanied by it's owner, and in a cage) but Hubby's shingle outbreak temporarily delayed that (thank goodness!) :)

Tag of Fours

I've been tagged by Nikki for a meme of 4's. So here it goes.

4 jobs I had before my present one of full-time mommy/teacher:

1) Dunkin Donut lady - I worked for this company at many locations to pay my way through College, including working 3 rd shift at a store in Gary, Indiana (known at one time as the murder capital of the U.S.) Think I was brave? No... just naive.

2) A nanny - this job I loved!

3) Professional Housecleaner- I don't think it's possible to be paid enough for this job.

4) Telemarketer- Which is why I have a hard time not letting them atleast say their little speech before I tell them no. This was one of the hardest jobs I ever worked. They actually told me I was too friendly-sounding with people. Imagine that.


4 favorite books:

1) The B-I-B-L-E...Especially the book of Proverbs.

2) Anne of Green Gables series

3) Agatha Christie's mysterys (Poirot is my favorite)

4) The Hiding Place


4 favorite foods:

1) Spaghetti (no meat)

2) Vegetables (except for Eggplant)

3) Salmon

4) Dark Chocolate


4 Random favorite things:

1) Lilacs

2) I love Lucy (show)

3) Cardinals (as in the bird)

4) The Olive Garden Restaurant

So I am going to tag the following 4 people: Marva , Nikki of Preachers Wife, Mrs. Darling (didn't you just suggest I do a meme? Lol) , and Mrs. Nespy.

Homeschool- May plans

It's hard to believe we're beginning our last month of school. For some reason, my mind is having a hard time believing the sunshine and warmth of Summer is almost here. And the free time. Because so much of my day is planned around and focused on homeschool,the thought of Summer vacation, in my mind, conjures up days with home projects actually being accomplished (versus school projects)...what a wonderful thought!

The truth is, we will still be doing school on a part-time basis during the Summer months. I am finding myself more and more believing it's the best way to keep all those concepts, learned all year long, fresh in their little minds. Or maybe it's my own mind that needs to stay fresh...hmmm, could be.

For the month of May we are focusing on a growing theme... I've never claimed to be very original;) Some things we have planned: an inside herb garden, planting a garden in a bottle, plant growing experiments, and hopefully putting in our vegetable garden around the end of the month.

We'll also be continuing our study of Democracy. I thought I'd share a few links we're using here: Kids in the house, Ben's Guide to U.S. Government,and Brain Pop (bill of rights). There are so many great learning sites on the Internet, I wish I had known that when I started out homeschooling. I didn't even own a computer when I started...amazing. It's definitely been an interesting journey.

The Professor is thrilled to have finally gotten his Northwest birds field guide from the library. I expect he will be pouring over it in his free time this week, funny little guy.

They are forecasting quite a lovely week here. I would love to be able to conduct some of our school classes in the great outdoors...although that might be a little too distracting (for me atleast:)

Friday I plan to post some pictures of our projects, as well as list some more learning links.

I also am planning a kid's stuff give-a-way soon...I just have to increase my knowledge of blogger a bit first.

Have a great day~

Update

There's no doubt that having hubby home this week (thanks to those pesky shingles) has put a bit of a cramp in our homeschool routine. He's quite a bit of fun, and hard to compete with;) But that's one of the nice things about homeschooling, it allows a little bit more flexibility of schedule, atleast that's what I'm telling myself...

So hopefully next week I will be back to normal both in the homeschooling area, and my blog posts.

Because hubby had to keep up on his reports and emails from home this week (on MY computer, LoL) I haven't been able to stop at my favorite blogs quite as often as I like to, so until I catch up (just in case you stop by) I'd like to say:

CONGRATULATIONS to Nikki and her family on their NEW HOME in the Big City :)

KRISTY from Homemakers Cottage, I'm hoping I can congratulate you SOON... although I'm sure you're hoping even more than I am;)

Marva, Thank you Thank you for the coupons!!!

And Niki (Minimalist Mommy/Organizing blog) I'm going to try your oatmeal cookie recipe this weekend...and thanks again for the extra traffic coming my way:)

Frasypoo: It's May...where are you?

And to everyone else: Have a Wonderful Weekend~