End of the Year Open House

Jacob's Pottery

 Last Thursday we went to the Boys Open House at Port Gardner.  This semester the classes they took were: Pottery, Environmental Science, Environmental Art and Lewis & Clark.  It was fun seeing all the hard work they had done.  We also had a table displaying some of the work we have done at home.

Micah's Pottery

Micah Lewis & Clark

Jacob Lewis & Clark

Jacob's Report on Seaman for Lewis & Clark

Micah's Keel Boat report for Lewis & Clark

Jacob's woodpile painting from Environmental Art

Micah's woodpile painting from Environmental Art

Environmental Art: Recycled Art Flower, Leaf Cards, Candle Holders, Wax Candles

Micah's Environmental Art: Recycled Art Flower, Leaf Cards, Candle Holders, Wax Candles

Jacob Environmental Art Painting

Micah Environmental Art Painting

Micah Salmon Studies

Jacob Salmon Studies

Micah Native Plants Book

Jacob Native Plants Book

Micah's project we did at home: How engines work

Ford Engine Model he made

Lego Technics Car and Engine

Jacob's Biome Diorama and Biome Book

Posters about our chicks and the learning we did

Actual Size of the Keel Boat on Lewis & Clark Expedition-the boys helped make this

Bacon Sundaes

 To celebrate the end of classes and the start of summer we usually get ice cream.  Darrick and the boys decided that they wanted to try the new bacon sundaes at Burger King.  Yes you read that right: Vanilla Ice Cream, Chocolate Syrup, Caramel and Bacon.  Naomi and I went for traditional sundaes.  The boys LOVED them.  I tried a bite but did not like it at all...Do you think you would like it?

Ready for the 4th

Our friend Tonya just started sewing a few weeks ago.  She has been making really cute stuff so I asked her to make a dress for Naomi for the 4th of July-didn't it turn out cute!!!

The Chickens are Growing!

Our Garden is Growing

Strawberries/Tomatoes

Watermelon/Onion/Cilantro/Jalapenos

Broccoli/Yellow squash/Green squash/Gourds

Rhubarb/Sunflowers/Beets/Spinach/Lettuce

Close-up of the broccoli

Why

Naomi: "Mom, do you like me?"

Me: "Of course I do!  And I not only like you, I love you!"

Naomi: "Why didn't my birth mom like me or take care of me?"

Guess what sport Jacob is playing this year?

He's BACK!!!

 Today marks two weeks since we lost Todd.  This morning I had Jacob clean out Todd's cage so we could put it away in the garage.  Then wouldn't you know it, while Darrick and the boys were out, our neighbor came over holding Todd.  I just kept saying "I can't believe it!"

 I put Todd in a tub with a blanket over it to surprise Jacob when he got home.  When he looked under the towel he was so confused.  He said "Did you buy me a new tortoise?"  And I said "No it is Todd" and he just couldn't believe it.

When he realized it really was Todd, he was so overjoyed and happy.  He gave Todd a bath and cleaned him up.  Then set his cage all up and put him back in his home.  We all have happy hearts tonight!

A hard day for Jacob

Our beloved Tortoise, Todd, is lost.  You may wonder "How exactly do you lose a tortoise in the first place?  They can't exactly run away!"

One of Jacob's chores is to spend 10-15 minutes a day interacting with his pet, Todd.  Friday was such a beautiful sunny day here that we were all outside.  Darrick and I were getting the flowerbeds in the front yard in shape and the kids were playing in the front and the back.

Jacob decided to spend time outside with Todd, which he has done many times before.  He put him in one of our raised garden boxes to dig around.  He then saw Micah doing something and started playing with him.  He remembered to check on Todd twice but then got busy and forgot about him.

On Saturday, one of Jacob's chores is to clean Todd's cage.  It was then that he remembered.  He panicked and ran into the backyard.  We didn't know what was wrong but soon got the story.  And by then Todd was no where to be found.

We searched all afternoon for Todd.  We checked with all the neighbors and hung up posters but as of today we still have not found him.  He could of dug under our fence and into the neighbors yards or he could be burrowed deep in the ground in our yard or some creature could of got him-we just don't know.

Jacob is heartbroken.  It is such a terrible lesson to learn and it hurts me that I can't fix it.

Bite Guard

Yesterday we drove to see the oral specialist again.  My bite guard came in so I had to try it to make sure it fits right.  They also said my xrays look normal so as far as they can tell the pain in my jaw is caused by clenching which is caused by stress.  (Stress?  What stress?!?)  I tried it out early evening last night when I caught myself clenching.  I have to place it in hot water for a few minutes so it softens up and then place it on my lower teeth.  It was rough.  Every time I tried to talk I gagged! As long as I didn't talk I was fine.  And I slept with it all night, without a problem.  When I woke up this morning my jaw was not sore like it usually is.  So it looks like it is working!  I have to go back to the oral specialist at the end of June to see how it has been working.

Space Needle

This was the latest LEGO project that Micah has completed.  It did not take him long at all.  It is from the Architecture Series.

Spring

I made this wreath for our front door for Spring.  A $5 vine wreath and silk flowers from Michaels, and hot glue was all I used!

Biomes

 Jacob did a unit on biomes this year.  At the end he picked his favorite one and Darrick helped him make a diorama in a shoebox.  He picked Prairie/Grasslands. He will display it at the end of the year at Open House.

Easter Craft

As you can see our Easter Crafts filled in very nicely with grass.  They were such a fun project!

Soakin up the sun

One of these birds is doin' its own thing

Happy Mother's Day

I know it has been a few weeks since Mother's Day but I did not show my gift.  It is also my birthday and Christmas gift too.  I is a beautiful one person iron swing.  We have it in the corner of our yard so I can look out at my garden beds, the back yard and the chickens.  This is my view.

My new hobby

These I made for my friend Jenn Timmermans for her birthday.  They can be put in a garden or displayed somewhere in your home!

Relaxed Hair

 It has almost been a year since I put a relaxer in Naomi's hair.  Since then, she now has 2-3 inches of new growth.  Her hair is so tight and kinky, we can't get a comb through it.  I had been doing styles in it but I felt like I needed advice and guidance.  So I found a salon in Everett (a black salon) and Thursday Naomi and I went in to see them. 

 We ended up getting her hair professionally relaxed and we are loving it!  For the past two days, Naomi has been walking around with a comb, combing it because she can for the first time.  During the 4 hour process I felt like she was growing up right before my eyes.  She look so beautiful.  If we decide we like it, then we will get the new roots relaxed in 3 months.  What do you think?

Lego Chicks

What I Didn't Know by Trina, adoptive mother of three

On Monday at our adoptive parents support group, our leader gave each of us a copy of this poem.  As one Dad read it, the room was silent. We all have felt this way.

What I Didn't Know

I did NOT know that I wouldn't bond the minute I laid eyes on them.
I did NOT know that it would take so darn long to put this many kids to bed.
I did NOT know that some American kids could have ever not had a doughnut.
I did NOT know that I would so resent the best intentions of my friends who have no clue what is going on in my house.
I did NOT know that my other children would accept them before I did.
I did NOT know that I would be so aggravated about giving up my private time.
I did NOT know that a small child could consume so much fruit.
I did NOT know that I would never get the chance to be intimate with their bodies at his age.  I wouldn't know each little toe like it was my own.
I did NOT know that I would be so afraid of them.
I did NOT know that I would be angry at my husband because he is not afraid of them.
I did NOT know that social workers could take them away, but if I wanted to give them back that's a whole different story
I did NOT know that I was crazy not to meet them first.
I did NOT know that I would feel so responsible for them.
I did NOT know that they wouldn't know how to live with a dog.
I did NOT know that I would have to teach the House Rules long after I had actually forgotten what those rules were.
I did NOT know how much all this would cost.
I did NOT know how much people would stare at his disabilities.
I did NOT know that it would be so much trouble to get them enrolled in school.
I did NOT know that social workers leave out crucial details.
I did NOT know that I would doubt myself so much, especially in the middle of the night.
I did NOT know they would be so happy with us.
                                                -Trina, adoptive mother of three

Meditations on a Messy Life « Empowered To Connect

Lisa Qualls has captured exactly how I am feeling today.

Meditations on a Messy Life « Empowered To Connect