Things are getting crazy!

As soon as school was back in session from Christmas Break, I had a meeting with the school to discuss Nicholas's behavior and see what we could do. Basically we are doing more evaluations and talking with doctors to see exactly where we are.



Last week we went into his regular doctor to have a talk with him. Nicholas's behavior has been so variant, that at times it is hard to know if we are on the right track and if it is really worth it to have him medicated. I struggle so much with knowing that my 8 1/2 year old relies on medication every single day, but yet I refuse to take meds that the doctor tells me to take.



Nicholas has stated numerous times that he doesn't sleep one iota at night and his dreams keep him awake. We voiced this concern and learned that it isn't uncommon for ADHD kids to need a sleep aid to calm them down and get to sleep. I know right? Another med.



Unfortuntely yes. For now, he will be on a small dose before bedtime. He started Friday night, and it is amazing how refreshed he is in the morning and how fast he falls asleep. He used to stay up all hours of the night. I asked him the other morning how he slept and he said that that was the best that he has ever slept.



Oh what a great feeling to know that he is finally sleeping. But it pains me to think that yet again, he is reliant on a med to make it happen. Since the sleep aid is helping, there is a possibility that we pull him off of his ADHD medication. Maybe a good nights sleep is all he needed afterall.



We will also be starting Occupational Therapy before too long. This should help us a big deal, if with nothing more than just an understanding. It's been a long road, but atleast it is finally going somewhere!



We are also starting basketball. The big kids are just thrilled! In the past we have kind of strayed from sports because Nicholas has a hard time with competition and just his behavior in social settings period. However, I know that I cannot shelter him forever, and I hope that maybe this will help some. I guess we'll see.



Kait actually asked to play as well. I was floored. She never really has shown an intrest in basketball, just volleyball and cheerleading.



The only downfall with this, is that they have practice on Wednesday nights from 4-5. The kids don't even get off the bus until 4, so I will have to pick them up at school and waste an hour in town everyday before practice starts. I have a feeling we will become quite familiar with the local library.



As soon as practice is done we will have to rush home, eat dinner, and rush back out the door to church. I'm hoping that Wednesdays don't become a quick excuse to eat out. That would be a budget buster, indeed! I hope to rely heavily on crockpot meals or homemade frozen entrees.


I've been trying to spring clean before spring so that I can focus more on the garden. Our garden plans keep growing! Freecycle has become a good friend of mine! I'm tired of looking at all this "stuff" and although I was hoping to sell it and get some snowflakes for my snowball, I'm over it and ready to see it go. I've listed a few things so far, and they were claimed just as soon as I put them up. Oh the relief!



This has turned into quite the ramble..


Until next time.

Holiday Highlights Pt.2

I never did get around to sending out my Christmas cards this year. It pains me, but I just couldn't get it together. I've just decided that I will mail a "New Year" letter instead. I managed to get a picture of the kids, after the millionth time. I think it turned out decent. There have been better pictures, for sure. But it'll do it's job.

You can hardly tell, but Kait actually has a tear falling from her eye. She just finished a bawl fest.

These are the cookies that we made for Santa this year. Oh my word. They were great! And easy.

We make a gingerbread every year. For the last couple of years, I've made it from scratch. Now, that doesn't always mean that it stands and looks like a gingerbread house. But, it is more fun..and cheaper. A win, win. We're generally not huge fans of gingerbread though, so we would never even touch the house after it was made. My cheapness didn't really like this. This year, I went with a chocolate version of a gingerbread house. I think it was actually called Chocolate Dream or something like that. We're never goin' back!

We had some issues with the house, so I'll spare you all the lovely-ness. But, I did have to show you what would happen if you left the finished gingerbread house unattended in house full of kids with nerf guns. This:

Completly obliterated. Honestly, though, I have no idea if the nerf gun was to blame, but the bullet sure does look guilty.

And, I will leave you with the runner-up picture for the "New Year" letter.

I told them to loosen up, and this is what I get! Although, it may just make it in the "New Year" afterall!

It's how they are! :)

Holiday Highlights

I've kind of neglected this blog! Oops. Although things were rather quiet around here for Christmas and New Years Eve..it is almost all a blur.

We celebrated Christmas with Willie's family the weekend before Christmas. This was a nice change from years past. We did it at Willie's parent's cabin, and we went and cut down the Christmas tree on their land and made all the decorations for it. The children also made sugar cookies and we drank more than enough hot chocolate.

Noah and Kaitlyn cutting out sugar cookies.

It has been years since I have cut down a Christmas tree. This was so much fun, and a great reminder as to why I loved it so much as a kid! The kids (my 3 and my 3 nephews and a neice) were responsible for cutting the tree down, with a hatchet. For the most part, they did it all. Willie and Papa did a little (okay, a lot), but it still took forever.

In the meantime, my crazy child entertained himself "riding" the Christmas trees. Um yeah. Climbed to the top of another cedar, while someone else rocked him back and forth so he could ride it. My oldest nephew proceeded to say "We don't need Silver Dollar City, we've got Redneck City!" Welcome to the sticks, ya'll. This is how we roll.

And yes, that is Nicholas, and another unknown child.

They were quite proud of their efforts!

I didn't notice it until just now, but the mysterious hatchet is rather eerie. And as far as the getup on Nicholas's head. Not quite sure what that is..but that is what happens when you lose your hat, you get a funky spumonkey one!

And, if that isn't enough excitement for you...my husband rode the tree back to the cabin. Okay, not all the way, but far enough for me to snap this halfway blurry pic!








When we returned back, we huddled up and consumed some hot cocoa. To our surprise, Santa was canoeing down the river in our direction!! I, unfortunately do not have pictures, just a video. He came bearing gifts, and the kids thought that was the coolest thing in the world! It was!



Although we were busy for the most part, it was a very relaxing and enjoyable time.



Fun was had by all, as I'm sure you could tell!

2009 Goals & Challenge

I did a post over on my other blog this morning listing my 2009 goals for the year.



I plan to work on one set of goals a month, since some will take all year and others just a month.



Go here to see my list. I'm sure that as the year progresses I will find new goals, or encounter challenges...so I will be updating all year.



I want to see what other goals people have..so please fill me in! :)

Update

Do you remember this post about the young woman I wanted you to pray for? I came across a web site that her family set up to keep everyone updated about her treatments and such. Her story is far more amazing than I ever knew.



I can't even begin to tell it all here. I asked her father for permission to post a link to her website, to which he agreed. If you have a chance, go visit it, and make your way around it. It tells about their journey, the rareness of her disease and all the treatments she is going through. Their faith just exudes through their words.


Here it is.

Oh no you didn't!

Earlier this week we had chilli for lunch, and after I prepared the big kids's bowls complete with sour cream and cheese, I went in the laundry room to flip the laundry before I sat down for lunch. Noah was occupied in his bedroom, so I just dished his out to cool off.



Right in the middle of me flipping the laundry, I heard both of the big kids frantically yelling "Noah, no. Noah! Noah!"



I knew exactly what it was...Noah had the jalapenos!



When I came into the kitchen Noah turned around and smiled. "I got free (three) wapapeno's mommy!"



Oh no you didn't!



Sure enough in his bowl were 3 jalapenos right on top. These are not your normal jalapenos! They are hotter than fire, let me tell you. They lit my mouth up like nothing I've ever seen. Thankfully they were right on top, so I just picked them off. I stirred in extra cheese and sour cream for good measure.



Noah was not happy about all this so I explained to him that those little bad boys "would burn his lips off!" Gotta scare him, right?



So, we proceed to eat lunch and he begins to fake frantic cry. When I asked him what was wrong he informed me that the wapapenos burnt his lips off.



That was until I reminded him that I already removed those pesky wapapenos.



"Oh."

I know that this isn't the best picture in the world (thanks, trees!), but I had to show you the wonderful colors of the sunrise earlier this week.



I was messing around on the computer, and looked out the window and this is what I seen. It was beyond beautiful! It was also insanely freezing outside, so I just walked on my front porch and snapped the picture. Which is exactly why it isn't the best.

This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!