Flashback Friday

I am SO behind in blogging memories that I have decided that on Fridays I will try and post an event from our past...hence "Flashback Friday."  Don't pass out at my creativity!  They will be very random.  They will probably be very old.  So here it goes...(I know you are at the edge of your seats right now...all 3 of ya, ha!)

Flashback Friday: First Day of School 2011-2012

Last year we home schooled Michaela for K-5.  We live out in the country and there are not any Christian schools really near us but we felt the Lord leading us in a different direction for this school year.  We looked at several schools and the Lord directed our steps to First Baptist Academy.  I can not even begin to tell you how much we love this school!!  It has been a gift from God to our family.  We are so blessed that the girls were able to attend FBA this year.  We love our teachers Mrs. Moenning and Mrs. McCorvey.  I will say I pray for these ladies so much as they spend so much time with my babies.  They are both so sweet and we could not have asked for better teachers!

It was very hard to kiss my babies BOTH goodbye for the first time this past August but I had such peace as I knew this was God's will for them.  I am very grateful they love school so much...makes it easier to kiss them goodbye each morning.

We do have to drive quite a lot...like 3 hours a day a lot.  School begins at 8:30 so we usually leave around 7:20 and I can be back home around 9:00.  Traffic is never as bad in the afternoon so I usually don't leave until 2:20 since they get out at 3:00 and we are usually home by 4:00.  We listen to lots of Adventures of Odyssey and Patch the Pirate!  I love this time to chat with my girls.

Here are several pictures from our first day of school.

First day of school breakfast.  We have since gone to eating breakfast in the car.  Some day I will do a whole post of what you can eat for breakfast in the car besides pop tarts every day.

They were not quite ready for this early wake up even though they had 12 hours of sleep!!

Wow!  How do they get so big so fast.  I don't like it!

One last picture before class started.  I love my family!!

Happy 6th Birthday Sophia!

February 15, 2012

So better late than never!  Sophia turned 6 this year.  I can't not believe my baby is 6.  How did this happen?  Just yesterday you looked like this...

And now you look like this...

Dear Sophia, Six years ago we were blessed with you. I'll never forget that moment when they said you were having some problems and they took you to the NICU.  I was so scared and all I could do was pray.  I'll never forget holding you for the first time and how special that was.  You are so funny and I love when you cuddle with me.  I love you so much.  I love that you love Jesus and that He is in your heart.  I pray you will always learn and grow in your walk with Him.  Thanks for letting me be your mommy...best job EVER!
xoxo,
Mommy


Sophia wanted a Tinker Bell party this year.  This was actually the first year we have done a "friend party" and it was lots of fun.  We invited just a few friends from church over and they had a great time.  Our big activity was coloring Tinker Bell pillowcases and they all got to take theirs home.  Here are a few pictures from the day.

Rosie the Robot

Michaela is in the first grade and loves school.  She is like a sponge and learns more and more every day. She says that math is her favorite.  We will see how long that lasts :)  So far this year we have not really had any projects so I was pretty excited when we got instructions to bring in a Robot on March 15!!

Michaela and I talked about it and the only robot we really knew of was Rosie the Robot on the Jetsons show. So we decided we would try and make our version of Rosie.

Here she is...

We really tried to use things we had around the house.  We did purchase the silver tape that we wrapped stuff in although we could have used tin foil and the flower pot.  Here is a little list of stuff used.

Chop sticks (for the antennas)
Cool whip container (for the bottom)
Large pretzel container (for the middle)
Large Green Been Can (for the head)
Felt for the eyes, buttons
Styrofoam balls (for the antennas)
Dryer duct (for the arms)
Flower pot (for the lower body)

Love these kind of projects!!  Love spending time with my baby girl who is getting SO big!

Never A Dull Moment

Happy Sunday!  I wanted to share this little memory from this morning so I won't forget it.

The girls and I were getting ready for church this morning together in my room.  Michael had already left so he could go over a few things at church.  I had lit a candle on my bathroom counter.  My girls are past the age of blowing candles or trying to touch them.  They are super responsible however, today was a little different.

Each girls uses the same counter every day.  One uses my husbands sink and counter and one girl uses mine.  It just makes life easier.  When they are of the age that they can clean their own bathroom is when they can use their own bathroom :)  Anyways, one of the girls (who will remain nameless for this story) set her little towel on the counter after brushing her teeth and it caught the fire.

So I am sitting on my bed supervising the "getting on of the tights" and I begin to smell a strong smoke smell.  I look up and see a large flame coming from where my little candle was sitting...key word little.  Yep, the towel was on fire.  Thankfully it was just a few inches from the sink so it was quickly put out!! (Side note: I am going to buy a fire extinguisher this week, not sure why I don't already have one!)

I should NOT have left the candle down on the counter.  I should have blown it out as soon as I left the room but I didn't...my fault.  My daughter was shook up but we talked through how we just have to be very careful and aware of what is going on around us.  Needless to say I had a really good praise in Sunday School..."I'm thankful my house did not burn down this morning!"  My husband was quite shocked too as he had missed all the fun.

I am praising the Lord for His protection this Sunday!!!

Psalm 91:2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Disney Tips

I love Disney World!  As a child we were able to go a couple of times and to me there is just something magical about the place.  I am not sure my husband would agree but he is a good sport and realizes he has two little princesses at home who love it too!  One perk of living in Florida (beside the beaches, humidity, and very hot temperatures) is Disney.  They usually have really good deals for Florida residents.

 

A year ago we decided to purchase, for the first time, Season passes.  We went with the lowest price which was weekday passes (we usually can’t get away on Sundays anyways so this works great for us).  So this year has been filled with many visits.    I love going with no pressure to fit it all in or do a whole park in one day.  It has been a wonderful way to really enjoy Disney.  So on that note I thought I would share some tips…

1.  Don’t push your children to go past their limit!  I promise it will be more enjoyable for all involved if you don’t run your babies raged!!  Especially if they still are nappers.  Thankfully mine gave up naps really early on so that has never been an issue but some are blessed with children who see the need to sleep.  Allow them that privilege.  You may not hit every ride on your list but it will be a much happier day.  Go slow!  Take time outs to go back to the room to take a swim or a nap.  Plan maybe just one or two late nights or sleep in a little.  The parks aren't going anywhere.

2.   Bring lots of snacks!  I know Disney has wonderful snacks located all throughout the park but sometimes they don’t fit in your budget.  I love Pringles for chips since you can’t crunch them up in the can or pretzels they are pretty durable too.  We always have a cooler packed with waters or Capri suns.  I like the water bottles and then bring the flavor packets which cut down on what I need to bring.  Disney does have water fountains so you can refill as you go.  Lollipops are good for waiting in the stroller.  Grapes or apple slices are another one of our favorites.  Cheese sticks are yummy too.

3.  My list of staple items found in my bag…

Ponchos – have you been to Disney?  If so you know it rains, a lot! I bring the old ones too that may be small or have ripped a little and use to cover our stroller.  Also I don’t buy mine at Disney.  It is very hard to locate your children in a sea of clear Mickey ponchos, but if they have pink or yellow ones those babies will stand out in the crowd! (Plus it is cheaper)

Wipes – both sanitizing and baby wipes.  You will need these for lots of things!

Camera

Video Camera

Cell Phone

Aspirin/Excedrin/Tylenol for the adults in your party

I don’t carry cash we use our Key to the World Card so I don’t even bring my purse just my license and that card

Epi Pen-Sophia has a severe peanut allergy

Lip gloss

Tissues

Gum

Lots of patience!!

I will do a part II at some point in time.  We are headed there in a couple of weeks (yippee) so I will share some more tips after that trip.

Lessons to Learn

I really believe we will never stop learning in life.  There is no ultimate level we will reach.  We have a goal which is to be like Christ and that is what we live for. I generally lead a Ladies Bible Study at our church.  This spring we are going through “Seeking Him” by Nancy Leigh DeMoss.  This is my second time to lead this study and I am enjoying it even more this time.

Our goal in this Christian life is to Seek Him.  Why don’t we do it?  Why do we fill up our lives with so much else?  What is stopping us from really "getting real?”  I have really been asking myself those questions.  Throughout this study she takes you on a journey to spiritual revival.  It is a great study and if you will be really honest with yourself and God it could be life changing.  I know for me it has been!

I really think my ladies are enjoying it and we are seeing some real life change being made.  If you are looking for a great study to do or lead I would highly recommend this one.  You will not be disappointed.

Amblyopia

What is amblyopia?  Amblyopia means there is a vision deficiency in an eye that is otherwise normal.  It usually only affects 1-5% of the population. It is what Michaela was diagnosed with at age four by her eye specialist.

When I took Michaela for her three year old well check up at the Dr. She did not do well for the eye exam portion.  We flagged it.  Thinking it could be eye problems or it could be a VERY active three your old trying to focus on a paper at the end of a hallway with lots going on!  When I brought her for her four year old well check up she totally failed again.  She did not even know they were holding up a paper L  They recommended us to go and see an eye specialist, which we did.  They diagnosed her with “amblyopia.”  Once it was explained to me I totally understood why she could not recognize all her letters or even write her name.  To simplify it Michaela's brain had stopped asking one of her eyes to work.  She was completely relying on only one of her eyes to see.

It was at our first appointment they gave Michaela glasses to wear and patches for one of her eyes.  Usually amblyopia is only in one eye and rarely in both.  So thus began our new way of life…glasses and an eye patch.  I can never form into words how wonderful Michaela was with all of this.  Most children would have fussed and argued.  She did not.  She has never taken her glasses off…she wishes she could sleep in them!  Only a few times did she ever ask for her patch to be off.  What a brave and kind little lady she was. 

We have been seeing Dr. Duss for three years now and we are so thankful for her!  It was at this last eye appointment a few weeks ago that Dr. Duss declared her healed of her amblyopia!  She said had we not caught it when we did Michaela would have completely lost sight in that eye!  I guess I was not fully aware of how serious her case was.  So the moral of this little story is GO to those well check up appointments for your little ones!  In our case it saved Michaela’s eyesight!!  I am so thankful for the doctors and nurses God puts in our path!

Here are a couple of pics of our little lady at the eye doctor.