We had a fun day. The kids did very well with it all. A couple minor melt downs, but nothing unexpected. I'm blessed.
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.
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
Labels:
Heather
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.
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
Labels:
tot talk tuesdays
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
--------------
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, December 21, 2009
Rudy and the Christmas wish
Labels:
ikaya
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
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
Labels:
tot talk tuesdays
That it was Tuesday yesterday. I had some material written down too, for TTT.
I'm such a slacker.
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.
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 Renecooked 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.
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
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
Labels:
me
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.
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
Labels:
tot talk tuesdays
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."
--------------
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, December 7, 2009
This week on ikaya
Labels:
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?
Labels:
funny
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
Labels:
misc
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!
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
Labels:
i heart faces
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.
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
Labels:
tot talk tuesdays
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!".
--------------
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!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)