Saturday, December 26, 2009

Turtle's reflection on Christmas

Try to tell me he's not the cutest boy ever.



We had a fun day. The kids did very well with it all. A couple minor melt downs, but nothing unexpected. I'm blessed.




Thursday, December 24, 2009

Heather's Stocking

If you have a minute, please click here to add a note to Peach's (my SIDS angel, and my first love) stocking.



You can click on a design and just add your name, or leave a message.

Here's a post that explains more.

Have a great Christmas, peeps.




Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Tot Talk Tuesday



Lana likes washing her own hair these days, all by herself. So when she goes for a bath, she asks us for the "shampoo and air conditioning". (hair conditioner...it does sound similar)

Zoe was coming up from the basement and found herself locked behind the stair gate. I heard her shake it and speak to it in her best He-Man-esqu voice, "You can't contain me!!!"

Zoe is getting so excited for Christmas this year. She understands it all so much better and is all hyped up. She was pointing out a rudolf picture to Lana, "Wook Nana, it's your favowite, Woofdoll. It's your Woofdoll, Nana!!"

This last one is rather disturbing....
I heard Zoe playing with a coke can with a picture of Santa on it.
She was making a growly voice for Santa, who said, "I hate you"
Then a high pitched baby voice responded, "oh pwease Santa, give me another chance"
"ok then. One other chance. Roar. But you can not go in my house. Ever. Again"
"Huh? But I need to go in your house"
"roar. Ok you can go in my house. Mwhahahaha"


Um....therapy needed much?


Now, before you go, please check out our ikaya panto, Rudy and the Christmas Wish! Click here





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Monday, December 21, 2009

Rudy and the Christmas wish

Have you Americans ever heard of Pantomime? It's an essential part of Christmas back home. Going to the panto. Screaming at the stage, having sweeties thrown at you and staying up past your bedtime watching some guy dress up as Cinderella. It's a whole lot of fun.

So when planning ikaya for this week, Kaya and I were brainstorming and figured we'd do a panto sketch scene. But then Kaya had this elaborate idea for a story so we went with it. I wrote the script that day, spent the next day making costumes and props. And then we filmed it that night. Uncle Doug spent the entire Sunday working on post production, mostly because the audio was so bad you couldn't tell what was going on. No one had time to learn their scripts (yet Doug did an incredible job at learning his on the fly!) so we had a lot of faces in the papers and kids screaming in the background. He did an awesome job at it and I hope he doesn't resent us too much.

Speaking of resenting us....Rene very much does for his part in the panto. Just watch it and you'll see what I'm talking about.

One of the things I feel we miss out on by homeschooling is the performance opportunities. It can be such a self esteem boost to battle your nerves and stand up on stage doing your darndest and get a round of applause from the raving audience. Which is one of the reasons I enjoy doing ikaya with the girls. It really fills a gap and gives them the chance to feel like super stars.

So I really appreciate everyone who watches these and enjoys them and gives Kaya and lovely comment afterwards. I wish you could see how she beams. And I very much value and appreciate all the hard work my brother puts in to making these little video clips come alive and look good. And of course, I appreciate my husband who lets us humiliate him and rob him of all pride and dignity. He just plays that role so well...

So thank you for this oscar, I never expected......oops got a tad carried away there.

On with the show. Are you sitting comfortably? Then let us begin.

RUDY AND THE CHRISTMAS WISH



PART 1







PART 2






Wednesday, December 16, 2009

I completely forgot

That it was Tuesday yesterday. I had some material written down too, for TTT.
I'm such a slacker.




Monday, December 14, 2009

Everybody loves a blooper reel

Uncle Doug put this funny and cute blooper reel of Ikaya together for a nice Christmas bonus. It's good timing since I don't have an episode this week.

I hope you enjoy and have a giggle.






Saturday, December 12, 2009

The morning after the day before

Thank you all so much for the kind messages, e-mails, comments and thoughts and prayers.

It couldn't have gone any better than it did. Well, I guess I *could* have won the lottery too, but lets not get carried away now.

We dropped the girls off at the farm in the morning, expecting it to be for a couple hours then Rene would come pick them back up. Then we got to the hospital and they put an enormous gown on me and some funky slipper socks which I *hope* I was supposed to keep because I sort of did. Heck it costs thousands of dollars, the least they can do is throw in a free pair of socks, right? They started the iv etc and everyone loved cooing at Turtle who was grinning and saying, "yeah" to everyone and soaking up the attention. He is just like his Daddy! It was wonderful to have them both there. I'm such a nervous wreck without my husband and I feel naked without my kids. So at least I could still be in mommy mode which helped me feel authentic. So a huge thank you to Laura Chisholm for her awesome friendship and willingness to put up with my kids for so long, and make gingerbread houses with them and let them wreck your house and feed them.

Rene decided he didn't want to leave my side so he called Laura and asked her to keep them for longer.

Everyone was making preparations for me to spend the night, telling me where my room would be and getting ready to move our belongings etc. The Dr had acted like he was stretching it to do me a favor by making it only one night. I think he expected more complications because of my weight. More issues with the anesthesia and more layers to cut through so more potential issues there. But he didn't anticipate that I had an army of prayer warriors on my side.

They wheeled me through to the big creepy white and blue room full of machines and an insane number of busy people all making preps for my surgery, and I got scared and said lots of stupid things. Thankfully I had my glasses off so I was blind as a bat which helped me stay sort of oblivious. Soon I was fast asleep and the next hour or so is hazy. They gave me some morphine and hydrocodone so I felt pretty good.

I felt even better when Rene and Turtle came back in to brighten up the room. And they told me it went surprisingly well, and since i had a note on the papers to say I was *depserate* to go home as soon as possible they could get my discharge papers ready and send me home! Woohoo. So no sleeping in the hospital alone for me.

I came home, woozy and sleepy, then got insomnia. Oh well. Kaya was almost disappointed to see me because she had prepped herself to miss me and made me beautiful cards and had me take these photos before I left so she'd remember me.



It was a bit anticlimactic for her I think. But Lana and Zoe were excited to see me and cuddle in bed and watch a movie while Rene cooked ordered supper. And I know Rene, who has a sore head and is getting a cold, appreciated having me here to help with Turtle who didn't do a lot of sleeping last night. I hate to think of him being on his own dealing with a non sleeping babe who wants nothing but his mama.

And even better news...I'm still holding my breath about it, but we've been told we *may* not have the preexisting conditions clause because of a group policy issue. And we may be able to get financial assistance from the hospital because of our income level. That would be wonderful.. especially since the hospital website states these surgeries can cost between $8000-$30000 which is an unimaginable amount of money. We'll see how that works out.

I'm not in too much pain, mostly discomfort. But compared to the gallbladder pain I was having before this is a breeze. I'll be on meds for a few days and will take it easy. But I'm HOME! I have my weekend with my family! I am so thrilled. It's over and done with and wasn't too bad at all. I'm sure it has everything to do with your prayers.


A big holla to Laura Chisholm for winning the day.

Have a great weekend, peeps.




Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Scarecrow, I think I'm going to miss you most of all

My heart is heavy.

I've been dealing with really bad pain in my upper abdomen for 9 days now. It's been very hard to function, especially when Rene isn't home. They did a few tests and have determined that my gallbladder "don't work a hoot" were the surgeon's words. So I will be having surgery on Friday to have it removed.

Firstly, I hate hospitals. I am scared to death thinking about it all. I will be so far out of my comfort zone. My stomach is in knots thinking about it. I had a homebirth to avoid going to hospital. I am a homebody and too much time away from home makes me crazy.

I'm very nervous about the financial implications of this. We are on a preexisting conditions clause with the insurance just now and they know this is a preexisting condition because I was tested last year. So this is going to really make us suffer and I have no idea how we will manage it.

Mostly though, I'm torn up thinking about the time away from the kids. I've to be there for 11.30am on Friday. Rene will be dropping me off. I have to at least spend one night and then it depends on how I am doing. I've hardly been away from Turtle and Zoe for a few hours never mind all night. He is still nursing frequently through the night. I'll need to take a breast pump with me so I don't get mastitis.

I am going to miss them so bad. They are not even allowed to visit me because kids under 14 are not allowed on the patient wards because of risk of swine flu. :(

I so badly want to call the whole thing off. But then the pain strikes up again and I know I can't cope. It's really kicking my butt. And I can't live on narcotics for the rest of my life. As wonderful as they are, it's kind of difficult to stay awake, never mind homeschool when I'm drugged up.

Anyway, wish me luck. I'm sure they'll all cope but I will be so lonely and will miss them so incredibly much. I can't wait to get back home asap. Prayers that it will go well and that I can recover fast to get home soon would be much appreciated.




Tot Talk Tuesday





It's been snowing here in Nebraska! Plenty. And it doesn't show signs of stopping (I've brought some corn for poppin'). You'll be singing that song all day now.

We have the perfect hill in our back yard for sledding. So we went out yesterday. It was a bit of an ordeal actually, finding all the winter coats, snow trousers and snow boots, finding gloves and putting them on everyone, then getting them to keep them on while I kitted up the siblings. It took at least an hour to get everyone weather proof.

Then when we were out, Turtle hated the snow and particularly hated being all puffed up in layers of clothing and he screamed bloody murder. So we spent about 5 minutes out there before we had to head back in for hot chocolate (ala Kaya).

Anyway while we were getting ready to go out, Zoe was getting very excited and chanting,

"I want to go to bogganing. This is my bogganing and that one is Kaya's bogganing."




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And please do join in! The more the merrier!





Monday, December 7, 2009

This week on ikaya

Enjoy the Amazing adventures of Potato Boy, Uncle Doug's backwards talking and well...you know we have to embarrass Daddy somehow. Watch and see what he did this week.







Saturday, December 5, 2009

Ever felt like laughing at an innapropriate moment?

This guy can sympathize. Apparently he's not very PC and found his guest's high pitched voice amusing.






Thursday, December 3, 2009

Obsessed with giveaways

I've been spending less time recently on facebook, bejewled blitz, GCM message boards, I heart faces or blogging here at the Monkeys and Me. I'm not getting many photos edited or other important projects that I've been trying to get done.

I'd like to say it's because I'm busy living my life. But that would be a lie.

I've become addicted to entering giveaways on blogs. I've never been one for entering sweepstakes etc, because there seems such a small chance of winning anything. But did you realize how many thousands of dollars worth of stuff is being given away on blogs every day? It's a big way for companies to get their name or message out. And when you enter a giveaway that has 120 entries and you are allowed 10 entries if you follow their blog and put their button on your blog and tweet about the contest or whatever...I'm not great at math but that works out as a better chance than some massive sweepstake for a dream home.

So far I've won a $50 gift card for maukilo toys, and bought some great gifts for the kids Christmas.
A book about fertility.
A collection of 5 novels.
A packet of wet ones. (it may be what got me started on the whole giveaway obsession!)
A coupon for free yogurt
A $50 gift certificate for to be greetings which I gave to a friend who is expecting her first baby.
A lacing toy from oompa toys
Another thing which I won't mention cause it's a christmas present for someone who reads this hehe
A kidorable butterfly umberella
A klutz how to draw clone wars book
Aliens in the attic dvd

That's all I remember for now.

It's such a buzz. I'm still hoping to win the great kindle giveaway. Fingers crossed etc.

Here's the youtube video Rebe and I made to win myself 20 extra entries. (Mr and Mrs Kinsley will like this one)





So I made a blog dedicated to giveaways that I've found around the web. Come on over some time, click on the links and see if you're lucky. They're not my own giveaways, though I am hoping to host one here soon. But they are my favorites that I've come across in my searches. Eco friendly ones, or toys or gift cards. And I try to find ones with fewer entries so I have more chance to win.

The blog is here if you fancy checking it out.

So that's where I've been lately. Sucked into the world of giveaways. It's helped towards our Christmas so Rene doesn't complain!




Tuesday, December 1, 2009

I heart faces - tooshies

Lana is the girly one. She is the height of femininity, sweet and fierce and pretty.
Kaya has always been the boisterous one. She's more of a snips and snails and puppy dog tails kind of gal.

I got some junk mail from Toys R Us advertising their black friday specials. I handed it to Kaya and Lana and gave them a different colored pen each, requesting that they circle the items they would like to wish for for Christmas.

As I flicked through the pages when they were done, I observed that Kaya's blue pen had circled remote control cars and wrestling rings while Lana's purple one had circled everything pink in the whole book and skipped over all the "boys stuff".

When I saw Kaya last Summer, with her denim dress and pink cowboy boots, carrying her purse in her hand that she just bought from a yard sale, I bolted for my camera to grab a pic just before she kicked off dem boots, discarded the purse and picked up the bug catcher.

She was fast and I wasn't fast enough to get a decent shot of her front on, but as she walked off I snapped this up from behind. Which is perfect for this week's theme at I heart faces - We <3 tooshies.





I love this pic. Because it proves to me that Kaya is a girl! And sometimes, she's a girly girl.

Click on the button to join in. It's a great way to meet new people and learn photography tips and tricks.






Tot Talk Tuesday



There, see, I promised I'd have it going again net week. Sorry about that.

Zoe randomly told me,
"I wike candy. My best friend Alex is cool. My best friend Alex is naked."

He is naked very often. She insists "He is ALWAYS naked".

Lana loves her kitty. She told me,
"Mum, Stormy is cuter than all the other cats. And he's cuter than the flowers and the trees and the birds and the houses and the bricks. And he's even cuter than that green wall."

Zoe has started enjoying playing the computer recently. She is quite good with controlling the mouse and is incredible at understanding instructions and playing the games. She particularly likes the PBS kids website, but she calls it, "keepie ess kids"

I just edited to add a new one that she just said right now. She suddenly announced, "I want a pig".
"you want a pig?"
"Yeah. To buy one. I wanna buy a pig"
"you want to buy a pig? To eat?" (I thought it would be interesting to see what she'd say)

"No" She said it like I just made the most ridiculous suggestion and must have a few screws loose. "We don't eat pigs! We eat FOOD!".









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Read what a Tot Talk Tuesday is and how you can join in here, remember to include the following code in your blog




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Friday, November 27, 2009

Just like his sister

Turtle and Zoe are starting to become quite the monkey duo. Like today, they took out all our killer bunnies cards, including expansion packs and dice and pawns and chucked them all over the floor. Zoe instigates and Turtle follows and chuckles and copies. I have seen him lead her to trouble also. Like a couple days ago he started picking up random objects, chucking them down the stairs and laughing his head off. Zoe was enticed by his amusement at the activity and she jumped right in on the action.

Wherever Zoe is found in our wee house, Turtle will likely be found waddling a few steps behind her, admiring her and imitating her. I'd think it was sweet if she weren't such a terrible influence on the lad.

Today he found her dress on the floor and was thrilled at the opportunity to be more like his idol. He brought the dress to me, and urged me to put it on him with little thrusty bounces and grunts, 1 year old style.

So I put it on, and he was in heaven. Twirling and prancing and letting it flow. He apparently felt so pretty, just like his big sister. He wouldn't let me take it off for hours. I had to take a pic, but since my only two lenses which work indoor have tragically broken (I am deeply grieving), I took pics with my webcam instead. So please excuse the quality.


He does make for one bee-ooooootiful little boy, doesn't he?





Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Well, I knew today was going to be a tough one...

But I didn't anticipate this...

So as you know, the morning started out chaotic as it often does. I eventually got round to making my own breakfast and then I set off cleaning up the house. I was hoping to have a friend over later in the day, so I put the smelly knickers in the laundry instead of on the floor and I mopped up a few days worth of spills off the floor. (Do you have any idea how hard it is to sweep a floor with a 1 year old? He seems to think the pile of junk is an all you can eat buffet, which is also especially fun to roll in and scatter all around).

I was in the middle of cleaning up when I hear Zoe crying. I didn't rush to her, as this is a common noise in my household. It sounded like she and Lana were fighting. I put down my cloth and started to slowly make my way to her. Then I heard Lana apologizing to her emphatically and my alarm bells started ringing. Ok, if she's so sorry then she must have really hurt her. Lana's not always speedy on the whole remorse thing.

Zoe and I met in the hallway and she was holding her face in her hands and covered in blood. Apparently Lana closed a door on her, I can't figure out how. I sat Zoe down and got some tissues to start dabbing at her face. As soon as I cleared off the blood and saw the source, I realized I'd be spending some time in the hospital today. Her lip was bust wide open, gaping and oozing. And as she talked it continued to split further open.

I needed Rene. I am no good at handling these situations because I am way too emotionally attached to be objective. I went to call him. Turtle started screaming his head off because he was ready for a nap and didn't like me setting him down and walking away. I finally found Rene's phone number and went to call him but our stupid phone won't hold a charge. So it didn't work. So I scooped a crying kid up in each arm and knocked on our (awesome) neighbor's house and asked her if I could use her phone. She took Turtle and cuddled him and gave me her phone. I called Rene and he came home. Our (did I mention awesome?) neighbor looked after the two big girls for us and the four of us headed to the emergency treatment place.

As soon as they saw her lip they told us they wouldn't be able to fix it, because she might need to speak with a plastic surgeon to avoid scarring.

So off to ER. Zoe was so brave the whole time. She didn't cry at all in the car, and when we got to ER, she complied completely with the staff there. They gowned her up, weighed her, took her temp and checked her oxygen. She was being so sweet, with her lip gaping at them all and her eyes trusting them. She did whatever they asked and hardly uttered a sound. They put some numbing gel on and she tolerated it very well. She was like a completely different child from the one I live with!

Then came the shot. They gave her a shot to knock her out (more like space her out as her eyes stayed open) and her precious face changed. She felt the injection penetrate her leg and her little mouth dragged downwards at the corners and her mouth opened with shock of betrayal and unexpected pain. Her eyes widened with fear and she cried silently. My heart broke. She looked so scared and I wanted to scoop her up and take her home. She looked at the nurses she had trusted and pleaded with her gaze. They covered her face and began to sew. Just before the needle made its first move into her skin, the drugs kicked in and she became still, and breathed a big sigh and her body went limp.

They sewed her up and I cringed at the sight. 3 stitches was enough to cover it. He said she may very well scar, but it shouldn't be too noticeable as most of it was on her actual lip. Then there will be a small scar just at the top of her lip. It shouldn't be too bad.

We spent the next hour waiting for her to wake up and become responsive. She had her eyes open the whole time but was just not there. It was pretty spooky actually. We talked to her, held her hands and stroked her face. Eventually she started to look more present and she sat up and said, "Hey mum". As if just meeting me after being gone for a while. When the Dr came in he asked her if she was ready to go home. She nodded. He said, "ok then. I'll send the nurse in to get you signed out and get these monitors off you". But Zoe didn't intend to wait. As soon as she heard the word "home" she took off her gown and started ripping the monitors off her tummy, and she even figured out how to yank off the blood pressure monitor. She was ready to go!

The RN gave her some bright colored bandaids to take home, since Zoe had liked hers a lot. They said she wins the award for best patient ever. We had been warned that on waking from the medication she might have anxiety and be grumpy, but she was as angelic as she had been the whole time.

So we got her home and rescued the neighbor from Kaya and Lana duty. She has 3 stitches which will come out in about 6 days. Meanwhile we have to convince her to stop pulling at them and remember to put neosporin on them.

And she's getting a bit of extra pampering from us.





So yeah. I knew it would be a bad day. But that took me by surprise.




Within 20 minutes of being awake this morning

I had already heard:

I WANT CEREAL!!! (always my alarm clock from Zoe)

Can I have cereal now?

I have a hunger ache.

**Sound of Turtle stepping on my laptop, and stealing my rings**

MUM, Zoe is grabbing fishies out of the tank!!

I'm poopy (from Zoe)

Mum, Turtle's poopy

Hey, where's MY cereal!

I can't reach the bowl, can you reach it?

Waa waa waaa

Where are you mum, I need you to hear this whistle

**Sound of Zoe putting the air conditioning on**

**Sound of Turtle pulling out all the raw potatoes, taking a nibble out of some of them and chucking the rest all over the floor and down the stairs**

Mum, Turtle just grabbed poop from the cat's litter and put it in the cat's water bowl

waaaaa waaa waaaaaaa

I want more cereal

I'm still hungry

Can I play computer. I NEVER get a turn.

No, I want to stay naked

*crying - screaming etc*

Can you help me with the computer game?

The Internet isn't working

Mum, Zoe just pulled your bed covers off



It's going to be one of those days. 10.17 am and I everyone's been up for a couple hours but I haven't been able to make my own breakfast yet....hopefully soon.

Wish me luck. Meanwhile I'm listening to Daniel Bedingfield, "I gotta get through this" (but the internet keeps cutting out and stopping the song half way...)






XR4HPCS69PYY



Tuesday, November 24, 2009

No Tot Talk Tuesday this week

Because I just can't be bothered really. I'm not in the mood. I'll resume with it next week.

You might notice I now have a UPrinting button on my sidebar. I am hoping to host a giveaway from them in the near future. I'm excited about it. Anyway watch this space.

Meanwhile, save up those tot talks or go ahead and post them now and link them up next week if you want. Sorry. Sometimes I just need to rebel against something. It's quite relieving. :)




Monday, November 23, 2009

Because it's almost thanksgiving - IKAYA

iKaya is a special thanksgiving episode this week.

Please enjoy, and leave a comment for the star of the show. :)







Thursday, November 19, 2009

Some of the best, most stupid things I've done - homesick

I've done some really stupid things in my life. Thankfully, it usually winds up being just fine, if not wonderful. I guess someone's looking out for me.

Like getting engaged at age 17 and married at age 19. Looking back on it now, as an ancient almost 30 year old (well, 28 actually, I still have a wee while yet) I realize I was just a baby. You know how it is at that age, you think you know everything, you think you're as mature as you'll ever be. But I was just a baby. I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

But I did know that Rene was my soul mate and the only one I wanted to grow old with. And I knew that I was committed to him forever.

We've had some tough times. And then some tougher times. We've mentioned the "D" word that rhymes with mivorce and have been through counseling. Today, after 9 years of marriage, we feel like we've been through about 25 years worth! Right now we're going through a really good spot, we're strong and are building on that strength. Though we're still capable of having really sore, painful quarrels, like everyone. We're learning how to better manage these and bring issues to Jesus. I know there will be more tough times ahead. But I married the right guy. And I'm so thankful for him. And I know we'll get through whatever life flings our way. It won't always be easy, but we'll get through. Better together.


Which begs me to mention this website I wanted to bring to your attention. Remember sweet baby Kayeigh who I madethis video for shortly before she went to Heaven? After her death, her parents had some struggles in their marriage. It happens. They had spent the past year in hospitals, praying, hoping, longing, riding a rollercoaster, then suddenly it was all lost. And time to pack up and go home. And all the strains and stresses they had been putting off while focusing on Kayleigh, no doubt came the surface all at once.


Anyway, through their own marriage breaking down and then them working their butts off to rebuild it, they learned a lot about marriage and love and God. So Aimee (Kayleigh's mom) decided to start an online Womens' Marriage Ministry. On this blog she gives testimony, shares advice and posts challenges to help strengthen marriages. Even though I consider Rene and I to be in a good place just now, I've found the challenges really difficult! But it's good. It's refining and honing. I strongly encourage you to go check it out.

Women's Marraige Ministry



Other stupid but best things I've ever done include homeschooling 4 kids.
I mean, what was I thinking? They're constantly here, needing my love and attention and guidance. I don't get a break. No matter how sick or tired I may be, they need me and are depending on me and I have to just trudge on through. It is HARD. WORK. But ya know what? It's amazing! I couldn't say I love every minute of it, but I sure do love it. I really get to know my kids, I learn from them as well as teach them, they keep me real and focused. And at the end of the day I can tuck them in at night and be content in my soul that I didn't waste my day. I spent it with them. They're growing up so fast and I don't want to miss a thing. And I'm not. I'm not missing a thing. I'm right there, and that's everything to me. And I hope it's valuable to them too.

Dreading my hair.
Taking all those long locks and deliberately knotting them all up to make a hair style that many people have a a distaste for (especially in a white girl) might have seemed rather extreme. And certainly, during the really puffy and tangled stages where I looked like I was wearing a bad wig and I had to rip them 5 times a day until my fingers bled and I cried (which is not typical, I just have really tangly hair), I did at times think that it was a bit of a stupid idea to dread my hair. But, I LOVE it. I feel so authentic. It's the best hair style I've ever had. It's natural and I feel like me. It feels right. I catch my reflection and think, "ya man" I like it.  I'm so glad I did it. They're still babies, but more manageable now. And hopefully in 3/4 of a year they'll be looking schweeeeet. I know hair is just a trivial matter, but it has been a good thing for me. To just decide I don't care what people think or say, I'm going to be authentically me, and content with that.
 

Moving to the USA
Coming back from London, visas in hand, heavily pregnant with 4 weeks left to fix up and sell our house, pack up all our belongings, say goodbye to family and friends and move across the ocean to a new Country, all over the Christmas period was a bit of a challenge. We moved when I was 35 weeks pregnant, with only 6 suitcases containing our entire lives. Photos, some toys, dvds and clothes. That was it. We were broke. Jobless. And some might say a bit stupid.

But it has worked out beautifully. Family took care of us, God took care of us. We are well integrated now, we have amazing friends and neighbours, a fantastic church , a great job and a much happier life than we ever had in Scotland. The kids are thriving, they have friends and places to go and things to do and see and are enjoying their life. We have ambition and plans and this really is the life we wanted and needed.

But some days. Like today. I look back and think about how it really was the most stupid thing I ever did. I feel homesick. Not for the weather, or for Tesco, or for 2 weeks off at Christmas. Nor for Chewin' the Fat or George Square, Boots the Chemist, galaxy chocolate or people who know what the word jobby means *snicker*. Just for Mum. A girl needs her mum. Even when the girl's frighteningly close to 30. She still needs her mum.

We used to go over there every Saturday and just hang out. Talk, watch  X factor or play cards. She often cooked something yummy. Sometimes through the week if we were bored or needed a pick me up we'd just go to Mums. I hate the fact that my kids are growing up without getting to go to Mum's on a Saturday. Without hanging on her hammock in the back or sitting on the patio chairs at a barbeque. Sometimes I wonder if moving here was just stupid. If it weren't for the fact that I know the life my kids here is much better for them, and I believe they have a brighter future here, I'd gladly give up the better weather, cooking with cups instead of scales, friendly people, challenging and uplifting church, fantastic homeschooling network, huge washing machines and dryers, basements, attachment parent groups, local/sustainable foods connections, awesome natural birth grass routes movement/groups, ambitious/patriotic/optimistic mentality and even ranch dressing and grape flavored popsicles to have mum in my life.

*sigh*. I so wish she'd move here (as does like ALL her family here) but I know it'll never happen. She's happy where she is. I just wish the ocean wasn't so darn big. I do miss my mum. A girl needs her mum. It was a stupid thing to do. And it was the right thing to do. Sometimes that's just how it works out.







Tuesday, November 17, 2009

I heart faces - Autumn Beauty

This is an oldie. From 2005. Kaya and Lana in Calendar Park. I like the concept but wish I would have done a better job at snapping it. Maybe some other time.



See other entries Here






Tot Talk Tuesday




Lana can be so random sometimes. Here's an excerpt from this week.


Lana : Aliens don't have noses.
Me: Have you ever seen an alien?
Lana: No
Me: Then how do you know they don't have noses.
Lana: Well, I've seen the video games of aliens. They don't have noses. And you know Dobby in Harry potter?
Me: Yeah?
Lana: Well, I don't know what he is, but he looks weird.

She also picks up these big words from who knows where. This week she told me,

"You can make really nice pictures when you tessellate"

I had to ask her what tessellate means! She told me,
"Oh, it means to make patterns and pictures using small shapes, without leaving any spaces. "

So I went straight to wikipedia to confirm. Yes, tessellating appears to be a mosaic type activity. I'm sure you all knew that but I sure didn't. And was quite impressed with this 5 year old's language. That's Lana for ya. You never know what you're going to get with Lana.


Zoe gets cold after meals. Her fingers still turn blue etc. but it seems to be a circulatory thing, like perhaps Raynaud's Phenomenon. Anyway she usually requests a jacket after she's finished eating. This week I gave her a poncho with a fringy bit that dangles, and she was delighted and exclaimed, "ooooh tentacles".

She doesn't pronounce the letter s if it comes at the beginning of a word. So she eats with a poon and she likes pinning round and round etc.
I was a little confused this week when she came running to me with a terrified look on her face, telling me "oh no, pooky, pooky!" I couldn't figure out how anyone called Pooky could be so scary. It was Kaya who pointed out what she was actually saying. Sometimes I'm a little slow.

What have your little 'ens had to say?





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Read what a Tot Talk Tuesday is and how you can join in here, remember to include the following code in your blog




And please do join in! The more the merrier!





Monday, November 16, 2009

It's what you've been waiting for....

ikaya episode 4! :) :)

Watch this one right to the end, there's an extra bit after the credits. Ah my husband is such a good sport.

FYI no small children were tortured in the making of this movie. The littles were being cuddled and tended to by their dad while we did the drama etc. but they still just screamed anyway, because it's what they do in this household.






Saturday, November 14, 2009

I don't have the heart to stop him

Zoe came to me excitedly telling me that a squirrel was eating our chair. What an imagination she must have.

Then I saw it for myself. He has been tearing our patio chair open, ripping out the stuffing and taking it with him, presumably to keep him warm for the winter. We're going to have to repair it, restuff it and stitch a patch on. And I should take the cushions all in the house to stop him from causing any more damage...but I don't have the heart to. Because he needs to stay warm in the winter. *sigh*






Bibiofreak kindle giveaway

Have you guys seen the kindle and how awesomley amazing they look? I want one so bad.

Bibliofreak is hosting a giveaway!

Find out how to join here.


I'm thinking I'll try the youtube video thing too. It sounds like fun. If I do, I'll post a linky on here for you all to see it. :)

I'm drooling here....




Tuesday, November 10, 2009

i kaya - 3rd episode

Kaya says thanks for all the comments on the last one.

Here's number 3. I think you'll like it. Show it to the kids. :)






Tot Talk Tuesday


I was cuddling Zoe in a bear hug and asked her, "Are you my teddy bear?"
She nodded.
"Yeah, you're my mummy bear, because you make porridge for me and we go to the woods. And we go to Halloween in the woods."

That's about all I've got this week, cause I didn't type much up. I know she said lots of cute things...





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Read what a Tot Talk Tuesday is and how you can join in here, remember to include the following code in your blog




And please do join in! The more the merrier!