POD: Famous and Cultured

Well apparently I'm not only vaguely famous, but apparently cultured, too. The girls spotted my photo today (well, the top of my head anyway) in an article about the Thornton Community Band in a quarterly magazine sent to the residents of our city called "Inside Thornton".

Daniel says that I should let anyone know who's trying to follow along with my POD challenge that I'm giving them 24 hours from the time that I post to actually make a comment since sometimes, like today, we're so busy and I'm so exhausted that I don't get a post out until the end of the day.

POD: Well Earned Treat

Danya and Gloria have been earning ten cents per day for getting up at 6 a.m. every morning to take the dog out and clean up any overnight messes. Today they spent their hard earned money on treats from the ice cream truck. Sweet reward!

Summer Reading Success!

Danya and Gloria finished the Westminster library summer reading program today. We turned in their reading logs this afternoon and they got all the prizes at once. They each received free passes to Lakeside amusement park and Skate City. Also, there were free meals at Country Buffet and a free book for each of them. Gloria got a Loony Tunes book and Danya got a mystery.

We're so proud of them both. Gloria read 48 books/stories and Danya read for 24 hours. Technically Gloria did more than that but I forgot to call Grandma to ask which stories Glory read while she was at their house for vacation.

POD: In the Blink of an Eye

Sometimes short term emergency placement means exactly that. Our two newest ones who I had just decided to nickname "Dr. No" (due to his favorite word) and "Beauty" (as in Sleeping Beauty because she sleeps almost constantly) left with a case aide today. We barely got to know them, but Dr. No and Kevin enjoyed sharing a room however briefly. We didn't even get to hear the facts of their case. I hope they end up somewhere safe.

Walking for Bob

Here's what we did yesterday when I forgot to post. After finishing up our carpets we drove out to Brighton to march in a parade at 9:30 in the morning. I'd gotten an email from our county GOP leader asking for volunteers to "walk for Bob" in the parade. I'm glad we went, because we pretty much doubled their turnout.

There were a lot of people there, but we had to divide them between different candidates that we were all supporting. So we put on the t-shirts, slapped a few bumper stickers onto the wagon, taped a yard sign on, and followed the parade. We were just behind the McCain supporters who were just behind the huge Democrat party float.

They gave us a big bag of candy to put in our wagon. Danya and Gloria got to run back and forth to either side of the street passing out candy. We ran out by the time the parade was half over. It probably didn't help that Kevin was scarfing as many as he could. I had to watch him because he would try to eat wrapper and all. It was fun overall. We followed the leaders in chanting, "Lower gas prices! Drill here! Drill now! Vote for Bob Schaffer!"

POD: 8-6-2-2-1

Sorry for missing yesterday's POD. I didn't think about it until waaaay late at night and we were already in bed. The big news is that we got two new kids. They don't have nicknames yet, so I'll just say that it's a brother age 2 (almost 3) and a sister age 15 months. They are our very first African American babies, so Glenda, if you're reading this, expect a phone call tonight because I've got some questions on hair care.

At the moment we have no diapers or clothing for the little girl, Kevin is losing his mind possibly due to jealousy issues screaming and crying inconsolably, and the dog has outlined his territory by immediately getting into the brother's bag and pulling out his things to chew on. We're planning a whirlwind trip to Wal-mart to get them some essentials before Daniel has to leave for work.

Wish us luck! (Oh, and can you figure out this post title?)

POD: The Rug Doctor

Today we rented a Rug Doctor to deal with the increasing problem of pet odor in our upstairs rugs and to see if it could fix our dirty couch and seat cushions. So far Daniel has done the kitchen chairs and the couch. They look great! I can't wait until he does the living room and hallway tonight or tomorrow morning. It's such a pain working around his sleep schedule. Unfortunately he won't let me do any of it due to pregnancy reasons. On the upside, his schedule will be changing as of this week. He gets one night off and then starts into his new schedule. He'll now be working Sunday night through Wednesday night. Woohoo! We'll have our weekends back!

(Translation: Yippee, I get to go skating on Sat. nights again!)

POD: Not-so-Flexible

Daniel got new glasses recently. When he went in to pick up his newly arrived pair of super flexible glasses, designed to withstand a beating by the most aggressive of toddlers (A.K.A. Kevin) there was a slight mishap.

While adjusting his new super flexible frames the technician lady managed to accidentally break the one area that isn't so flexible. So they gave him a pair of silver ones in the same style and told him they'd be able to have a replacement pair sent over from another store. Unfortunately none of the other stores have them in the correct color, so they'll have to be ordered and will probably take a week to arrive. Oh well. So it goes.

POD: Dogfish

Today the kids went fishing for the elusive dogfish. He was happy to be caught.

POD: Sneak Peek

Here's our very first photo of baby #4! I'm currently 11 weeks and they changed my due date to February 9th. If you can't tell, our little bean sprout is waving at the camera. When I laughed the baby actually bounced on the video and then rolled over as if to say, "How dare you disturb my beauty sleep?"

POD: Confession

Since I haven't been feeling well lately Daniel has spoiled me rotten with movies to watch so that I will be more likely to take it easy and keep my feet up. Hopefully when I go in for my first visit with the midwife tomorrow they'll be able to set our fears at ease about all the abdominal pain and cramping I've been having for the past three weeks. In the meantime I'm catching up on all the t.v. shows that I've missed since we moved here and decided not to get cable. Daniel has so far brought me the third season of both Boston Legal and Grey's Anatomy and we have season four of GA on pre-order from Amazon.

He's also been making me take medicine for the wracking cough I can't seem to shake, which I hate. I don't know why I dislike medicine and hospitals so much, but I always have ever since I was little. I remember getting hit in the eyebrow with the metal loop on a tetherball at school when I was a kid and laying in the hospital bed trying to tell the doctor jokes so that he'd get distracted and forget that he was supposed to give me stitches. My mom told me the other day that she was so angry at the school personnel that day because they just called her and told her that I was in the office and needed to go home. They didn't mention that I was sitting there gushing blood out of my face and crying, so she didn't hurry. She says she cried and cursed the whole way to the hospital in between trying to keep me from passing out while she drove like a lunatic. Weirdly enough, even though I don't like medicine or hospitals, I seem to really enjoy certain medical shows like Grey's and E.R. I think it's the characters, not so much the setting.

Summer Challenge: POD

We noticed a new sign up across the street today. It looks like our poor old tennis court will finally be getting a face lift. They already replaced the broken net on the left. According to the sign they'll have it done this summer. However, this summer is rapidly drawing to a close. We'll see if they make it.

In honor of our city's attempt to get this done in the next month or so, I've decided to do a 30 day challenge of my own. I'm going to try to post a POD (photo of the day) every day for 30 days, although I don't promise any lengthy updates to go with it. There are two ways to join in the fun with me.

1. If you have a blog or website of your own, you can also post a POD along with me, starting today for the next 30 days.

2. Or you could comment on my POD every day for the next 30 days.

If you choose option number 2 and comment every day (the comment section will note the date of your comment) then at the end of the 30 days you can email me and I'll send you either a scrapbooking or homeschooling related surprise reward. Just note in your email which you'd prefer. Just to be nice, I'll say that you can miss two days of commenting and we'll still count it. Sound good? What are you waiting for? The POD each day will be marked POD in the title so you'll know which one to comment on if I post more than once a day.

*Disclaimer: just in case, this offer is limited to no more than 10 winners to be selected in order of emails received. I don't find it likely that will be a problem, but you never know, right?

Digger Settles In

Digger is doing really well. He has declared his bedroom to be in the living room next to the couch. We're trying to limit him to that room and the kitchen only for now until he's house broken. His only fault so far is being a bit destructive. He chews on everything. I suppose it's because he's teething like any four month old would. We just take away what he's got and give him one of his toys.

Gloria has started treating him like her own personal living doll. She carries him around the house and likes to help dress him in his shirt. We bought the shirt for him because he was shaking like a leaf during his morning walk. I think it's funny the way his dog tag rattles and makes a sound like a bell when he runs. We always know where he's at. Last night I asked Daniel to "take the bell off the cat" so I could get some sleep. He hates being left alone and is never more happy than when he's draped across someone's lap. He seems to be settling in to our family routine.

Hanging by a Thread!

Danya's loose tooth has been hanging on by a thread for the past week. It finally fell out this weekend while she was eating. Luckily, just an hour or so before that, she begged me to take a picture of her tooth before it was gone. Then, last night (for once) the Tooth Fairy remembered to show up when she was supposed to. Danya was so excited to get that dollar... which she promptly spent on a bottle of orange juice at church. Oh well, easy come easy go.

The New Guy

---

We haven't actually seen any pigs flying, but I know they must be because we bought a dog today. Daniel tried to hold out against the combined begging of his wife and children but it was no use. Once Kevin sat down next to this cute little guy and said, "I love you, Puppy" it was all over. He's a registered dapple colored short-haired miniature dachshund. We named him Digger.

Danya and Gloria have had a fear of dogs for a long time now. Gloria was bit on the toe a couple of years ago and has been almost in a panic around big dogs ever since. Our neighbor up the street, Richard, has two small dogs who have helped to win the girls over this past year. This dog may be the long overdue cure for their fears. Gloria was willing to walk him and play with him, but didn't pet him until he fell asleep. Danya has held him, fed him, and is working towards relaxing more with him. She seems determined to conquer her fears. Kevin just keeps saying, "He likes me!" and trying to look him in the eye.

Digger is the most relaxed, easy going dog ever. He loves to snuggle or just lay in our laps. When he plays he excitedly chases balls and zips across the yard at full speed. He's only about 6 inches tall and won't grow to be more than about 10 pounds at most. He's currently around 6 pounds and is 4 1/2 months old. He doesn't bite or bark, even at other dogs, although he will whine if he's really upset. When we tell him not to chew on something he immediately stops. He loves to play with toys but doesn't attack our hands or jump up at all. He's just an amazingly smart and gentle dog. We sure found a keeper.

New Wheels

We've been shopping around for a second vehicle for quite some time now. Yesterday we found what we were looking for. It's a 96' Ford Escort LX in good running condition. It's got some cosmetic problems and needs one or two minor things fixed, but it serves it's purpose. Daniel needs it as a commuter car for work. We're hoping that this car will save us enough in gas over time that it will cover the cost of insurance, tags, maintenance, etc. The purchase price? Only $750. We got the emissions testing, insurance, tags and tax all taken care of this morning in about an hour. The fun part? It's a standard. Daniel and I haven't gotten to drive one of those in years. We've been having fun relearning the process.

Kevin the Tool Man

Yes, he's got it all. A cool new tool belt and tools from the Dollar Spot at Target, a great old metal firetruck from Grandma Nancy, and his very own yellow hard hat. Now all he needs is to work on grunting and wearing his pants too low.

Welcomed to the Family

This Sunday we were officially welcomed as new members in our church. Although we've been attending for a year and a half and were approved for membership a couple of months ago, we'd never gone up and made the announcement.

The pastor's son called us this week to tell us that all the new members would be welcomed this Sunday. I was a little disappointed because Danya and Gloria are staying with their grandparents. So they didn't get to come up with us. Then again, Kevin was as loud and distracting as three kids, so maybe it all worked out for the best. While the pastor and other new members were talking Kevin kept pointing at things on stage and the lights loudly asking, "What dis?" Then when it was time to introduce ourselves I think I babbled a bit. Oh well. At least the congregation got to see exactly what we're like!

Moving On Up

Upon returning to our church this Sunday after a month absence, Kevin was immediately promoted to the two year old classroom. Before we left on vacation last month we had taken him into the room a few times and talked about how he would get to be in the "big boy room" soon. He adjusted quickly this morning.... In fact, he didn't even seem to notice when we left.

I was feeling a little sad that my baby was growing up, and worried that he'd have a hard time without his favorite Sunday school teachers there. Apparently he became a full blown confidant toddler at some point recently and I just missed it.

Independence 2008

This year you could say that Kevin celebrated his Independence a bit. It was the first year he got to stay up and participate in the fireworks, the first year that he actually got to hold the punk and light something (with assistance), and the first year that he got to hold his very own sparkler.

I wasn't feeling well, so I sort of assigned my dad to be his partner in fireworks lighting. They seemed to be having a great time together until our nephew Judah blew up a loud firecracker near them just as Kevin got a fuse to spark. It scared him so badly that Kevin refused to actually light any more after that. Instead he'd get Grandpa Clint to walk over there with him and then stand close to monitor the lighting of the fuse.

Daniel's grandpa Joe was able to attend this year. He enjoyed the sparklers the most I think. I'm so glad my parents could be there, too. We had a really good Fourth of July this year and other than being sick I wouldn't change a thing.

Comfort Food

What do you eat when you're feeling sick? When I was a kid my mom would make me buttered toast and warm coffee with lots of milk and sugar in it. For meals I had chicken noodle soup and Sprite. Then she'd bring a t.v. into my room and let me just sleep or veg for the rest of the day.

When I became more and more sick the last week of our vacation toast didn't sound too good. My throat was on fire. By the fourth of July I couldn't swallow. When we sat down to eat dinner that night all I could eat was this wonderful whipped cream cake that Daniel's mom made. Being pregnant, I was really starving, so this just wasn't going to work anymore. I got Daniel to take me to the ER at the Stillwater hospital. The doctor gave me some antibiotics to treat strep throat and we made it back home in time for the fireworks.

By Sunday night my mouth was hurting pretty badly. We went to the dentist the next day and found out that the infection had spread into my teeth on the upper right side. So we doubled my prescription and got a referral to see if I need a root canal (which thankfully, I didn't need). On top of all that I had a really bad cold and couldn't breathe. Daniel's parents took pity on me over the weekend and asked if they could keep our kids for an extra week to let me go home and rest. We let the girls stay, but didn't think Kevin was old enough yet. It's now Thursday and I'm finally starting to feel mostly recovered.

The Motel "Jo"

When my mom and dad are in town they often stay the night at the Motel 6 because it's inexpensive and they have friends there. When my kids were younger my mom, Granny Jo, convinced them that she owned the hotel and was renaming it after herself. So now every time we see it we say "There's the Motel Jo!"

After Kevin's party Thursday night my dad drove into town really late, so he and my mom decided to stay at the Motel Jo. They invited us to bring the kids to swim the next morning at the motel pool. It always cracks the kids up that my mom will get right in and swim with all her clothes on instead of a swim suit. They all had a great time playing with her and Daniel in the water. I sat on the side in a deck chair talking with my dad and catching up on each other's lives. He works so much that I rarely get to talk to him, even on the phone. My dad really enjoyed Kevin. He was surprised and kept laughing at how well Kevin speaks and the funny things he says.

We stayed long enough for the kids to watch the roadside assistance guy arrive to repair the enormous tire on Dad's work truck. It had gotten a flat the night before. That meant that my parents would be staying an extra night and would get to join us at Daniel's parents house for fireworks. That's the happiest I've ever been to see someone get a flat tire.

Bad Influences

Two of the craziest, most out-going, fun people I know got to meet each other at Kevin's birthday party last week. My sister Toni and my friend Missy. They are both what you'd call a "people person" and both enjoy shocking me whenever they get the chance.

So we ended up with them chasing me through the house with an open water balloon while I tried to cop out by yelling, "You can't squirt the pregnant lady!" Then Toni went outside and rescued Gloria off the roof of the play structure out back where the other girls had cornered her with water balloons. While trying to chase them down Missy's daughter, Sara, got a direct hit on Toni's shirt with a huge water balloon. She was soaked! Missy was laughing so hard she could barely stand up until Toni gave her a big hug and transferred the wet all over Missy's shirt.

Then when I asked Missy to pose for a "friends photo" with me this is what I got. That's it. I'm never getting those two together again. My good influence just seems to have no effect on them. :)

Totally Two

Kevin flew into his terrible twos recently with a bang. He's telling us "No" constantly, sneaking into the bathroom to knock the toilet paper into the sink, throwing toys, and crying every time he doesn't get his way. Actually, if you won't give him something he wants he'll give you a hard look and warn you, "I cry..."

His birthday party, on the other hand, went just fine. Wednesday we had pizza at Strickland Park in Stillwater with Glenda and Christina and their kids. I was feeling terrible at the time, so the whole thing only lasted about an hour. It was sticky hot outside and the kids were rolling little cars and bouncy balls down the skateboarding ramp. Kevin had a "Cars" party and loved all his gifts.

Thursday we had a smaller family party around dinner time. Missy and her kids drove up for it. My mom brought water balloons which kept the older kids happy. She and my sister Toni gave Kevin a new Big Wheel trike with lots of sound effects which made Kevin happy. He also loved sticking little cars into his birthday cake. We made one cake for each day, so he got to do it twice. He had been saying for weeks, "My birt-day tomorrow?" He even sings the Happy Birthday song to himself in the van everywhere we go. It's a little hard for him to understand now that his party is over.

Cross Your Fingers

Here's a link to our county web page about some kids we are being considered for that are legally free for adoption. Once they disappear from the county page you won't be able to see a photo of their faces because I can't legally post one. We're hoping this turns out to be the right match for us!

A Vacation Must

Although I didn't get as much done as I'd hoped during vacation, I did get several pages done. Unfortunately I didn't plan for pregnancy and illness to slow me down so much. After we got our beach photos printed I shared them with Grandma Nancy and my girls and we had a scrapbooking night. Danya was excited to use the new Tinkerbell album that Aunt Christina gave her. Both girls went wild with all the stickers that she gave them as well.

When I printed the photos I tried something new this time. For every event I printed one 4 x 6 main photo and the rest all in wallet size. I'm hoping that will help me to get more photos on the page while still having one photo as a focal point for the layout. So far it's working out beautifully.

Fireworks Overload

Every year we take a picture of our huge haul of fireworks. This year we went a little nuts. We bought at least one of every type of vehicle we could find, plus an enormous assortment of fountains. Then we got an entire case of snaps and piles of smoke balls. The trick is to find the perfect balance of things we can do during the day with the kids and things that have to wait until dark. One of our favorites is the "flashing signal" that creates a strobe light effect. We love to light them and then dance in front of them to cast giant shadows on the trees and walls of Grandma's house.

Hannah Montana at Four

Hope is the daughter of our kids' godmother, Aunt Christina. She had her fourth birthday party at McDonald's Sunday night. Christina made an enormous cupcake as her birthday cake. We were rushing back from Owasso and forgot to bring her present. So the next day we went to see them. Hope loved the Hannah Montana wig. She put it on and immediately had to have her Hannah Montana guitar. She started rocking out in the living room with her friends dancing around her.

Afterwards we all went outside to see the chickens that Aunt Christina and Tanti Glenda are raising in the back yard. The smell of chicken feed as we entered the barn almost stunned me with the memories it brought back. From the ages of about six to 10 we lived on a small farm. My parents raised pigs, goats, one horse, and of course my step-dad's special chickens. He bred fighting roosters before it was banned in Oklahoma. My job was to feed and water them and to clean out their water dishes. There were cows, too, but we weren't responsible for them. I had a strange mixed up childhood. When I was Hope's age I lived in what now would be called the ghetto in a slum apartment complex with another family sharing the small space in Virginia. I've been a city girl and a country girl, but I think that my favorite place is suburbia.

Visiting Old Friends

They say that the road to a friend's house is never long. Obviously they weren't trying to make the hour and a half drive to Owasso, OK with three kids before church starts after being out all night with their brother.

It was great visiting our old church and seeing lots of friends and acquaintances. It turns out that my friend Betsy is pregnant, too! She's four months along and hoping for their fourth girl. After church we had pizza at Betsy's house and let the kids play on the swings, trampoline, and Slip N' Slide. Betsy and I got to discuss pregnancy and homeschooling which was nice. She's also using the Sonlight curriculum with her girls.

On our way home we drove past our old house and stopped in to see our former neighbors. We surprised Missy when we showed up at her door. We couldn't stay long, but the girls enjoyed playing together. It's strange seeing everyone else's kids grow so much in what feels like a short time. I guess that's why I love that two of my closest friends have blogs, too, now. So I can see pictures more often and hear about their daily lives. Hopefully my blog lets the people who know us and love us feel like they are making this journey with us, watching our kids grow, and sharing the ups and downs.

My bros

My brother Shane (far left in photo) turned 32 recently. We celebrated the day we arrived back in Oklahoma. The kids stayed with Aunt Christina while Daniel and I went to Outback Steakhouse with Shane, his girlfriend Kayla, my sister Toni, her new guy Corey, my younger brother Ricky, my step sister Lisa, and my parents. I hope we didn't scare Corey off because when my family gets together things tend to get loud. When several margaritas are involved...

Afterwards we joined my brothers at a local pub for about an hour so that we'd get a chance to talk in a quieter environment. Sadly, Toni arrived just as we were leaving. All I can say is that it was fun, I hope they all made it home safely, and I wish they'd taken me up on my offer to be a designated driver.

Beach Memories

What a week! The first day was so peaceful. The ocean was fairly calm and clear. We spent a lot of time just floating and talking about how nice it was to be there. Bekah, our niece, got bit by a tiny crab that clung to her toe and wouldn't let go.

The rest of the week was a bit wilder with more people, lots of stormy weather, and much larger waves. The storm stirred up the bottom and turned the water brown and foamy. Every time the rain would pause we'd all run back out to swim again. I can't honestly call it swimming, though. Mostly it was hopping, ducking under waves, and body surfing. We were all seeking the perfect wave. Every so often we'd catch one and ride it in towards the shore. The kids took turns riding on Grandpa's inflatable lounger. He would push them into a wave so they launched over the top of it. The goal was to not get thrown off. Kevin's goal, meanwhile, was to dig in the sand and get as dirty as humanly possible. I think he succeeded. He also set himself the task of throwing all the seaweed back into the ocean.

We cooked out almost every day. Aunt Jennie and Aunt Claire arrived on Wednesday. Claire's son, Drew, along with Kevin and his twin cousins all wore matching outfits that Aunt Robin brought. They looked like blond quadruplets. On Thursday we took family portraits. Overall we took an enormous number of photos. I even got pictures of the hermit crabs that Grandpa Wayne kept finding on the ocean floor and carrying back to the house in his pocket. Even though I was nauseous a lot of the time, this was a wonderful vacation!

Ferry Long Trip

The trip to Crystal Beach, TX seemed much longer than the trip to Oklahoma, although it would have actually been shorter, time-wise, if we hadn't decided to take the ferry from Galveston over to the peninsula. Sitting in long lines of cars waiting for the traffic to inch forward for over an hour was not fun.

The ferry itself, however, was sort of neat. The kids got out and walked around with Grandpa and Daniel. I got to toss cookies to the birds. They would swoop down and catch it in mid air. Then we spent quite a while searching for our actual beach house. We were trying to follow the Google Map directions which were slightly wrong. We could not seem to find the main directions given to us by the owner of the house.

Finally, we called Daniel parents who were driving behind us in their car to tell them we were going to turn around and search again when his mom mentioned that she had the very directions we were looking for. Did I mention that it was a long trip? On the plus side I did get to eat at Panda Express. I don't normally eat Chinese food, but this baby has decided that Orange Chicken and dairy products are a must.

Beautiful Girls

We had a beauty night at Grandma's house with Danya, Gloria, Cousin Rhema, and Aunt Kathy. Earlier in the day I took the girls shopping and let them pick out some make up and nail polish at Claire's and a May's Drugs. They had so much fun choosing colors and shades. The clerk at May's took one look at our stash and said, "Playing dress up?" I guess it was sort of obvious.

After the girls took baths I fixed Danya and Gloria's hair with a special curling rod that has multiple prongs that separate and lift the hair while blowing warm air. It's pretty neat. We got it as one of the freebies at the Foster Parent Food Bank CoOp.

Well, I happen to be ill currently, so I'm going to finish up for tonight and continue updating the blog tomorrow. I've still got lots of great beach, birthday, and fourth of July photos to add. Good night!

Granny Jo's Horses

My mom and dad inherited some horses from Grandpa Young (my dad's dad) several years ago that came with the property. Since they couldn't afford to keep them, they sold them to a neighbor who in turn asked them to keep the horses on their property. So my mom gets to water them every day and my kids got to feed them handfuls of grass when we came to visit.

We also took mom out for lunch at Olive Garden. It was her first time there. She enjoyed talking to the kids and getting to know Kevin better. She was so excited when he said, "Ganny Jo" for the first time.

Cushing Water Park

Well, I feel sheepish. For quite some time... okay, years... Daniel's sister and mom have been telling us that we should take the kids to the water park in the little town near where they live. I've never been excited by the idea because I figured it was a dinky little public pool with a slide and maybe a wading area for the kids. Boy, was I wrong.

It's an actual mini water park with big twisty slides, giant toys to play on, and a very nice play area for the little kids. The best part was that it just didn't get very deep at all except in an area reserved for the diving board, so Danya and Gloria could enjoy pretty much the entire pool with their cousins. Even the big slides didn't require that you be able to swim to go on them because they dumped out into such shallow water, no more than four feet deep. We got sunburned, but had a great time.