Journal #13

Out My Window:

Hot.  It is supposed to get up to 100 degrees today with 35 mph winds.  Welcome summer.

Clothing Myself:

Green gym shorts I picked up from Gabe's in college, orange MS Walk T-shirt, sporty sandals.  In my defense, I was PLANNING to work out in the yard today (mow and trim, maybe paint the fence or scrape the house and prep it some more for painting).  I worked in the garden a bit and then got pretty hot (and I'm still pretty tired from an exhausting run yesterday in 90+ temps - which was not my brightest idea ever).  Now I am in here updating the blog.  Hello flexibility in scheduling :)

Around the House:

Well, the "schoolroom" was tidied up, but has since turned into a disaster and catch-all.  Two or three days of not putting things back EXACTLY where they go and that room is gone.  Oh well, we are not in there much right now anyhow.  I usually keep the door shut to keep the baby out (unless invited) so I went ahead and closed the vent in there (one less room to cool).

The train table is working out well in the tv room.  It is used for much more than trains.  They build many creations with our several different sets of wooden blocks, mixed with the big cardboard blocks, and other random toys.  It makes me a little claustrophobic to have it in there, but the kids really enjoy the space.

The Baby:

She is a year now and yes she is FULLY CAPABLE of sleeping through the night (thank-you-very-much).  A year is usually the "magic age" where I demand such functions from my children, but for some reason, I am still babying my little lady.  Although she has slept through the night a handful of times (maybe a couple weeks or  a month total - but not all at once - she would for a few days and then not for a while) she is currently teething hard again and waking to nurse like a rabid werewolf at least two or three times in the late evening/early morning hours.  Although I am exhausted, knowing this will pass soon and my adorable little snuggler will turn into the ever-questioning-I-do-it-MYSELF-toddler VERY SOON, I seem to be tapping a reserve of patience on the matter.

Miriam is also babbling and "speaking" (actual words and phrases is still debatable - "kinda sounds like" type of stuff).  She LOVES to be carried in the front pack or the backpack.  She also enjoyed the jogging stroller the other day (mostly because I fed her crackers the whole time - what can I say, she really would rather be carried).  What cracks me up most about her, though, is her choice of seat.  She is most happy sitting on my lap.  She does not necessarily want to cuddle or nurse.  She is happy with her toys or books or to watch siblings, but she likes to sit on my lap to do it.  

The Kids: 

Paul's latest cute habits include using the phrases, "I never" and "every time."  Paul goes to that park "every time!"  Or "I never put the toy there, I never, Momma!!"  Or when he is mad about a lack of fun snacks he will tell me, "I NEVER got a cookie, Momma, I NEVER!"   He also likes to break things down.  For example, we are all going to the park and he is so excited he exclaims: "Momma goes to the park!  Jacob goes to the park!  Daddy goes to the park!  Samuel goes to the park!  Rebekah goes to the park!  Miriam goes to the park!  Paul goes to the park!!  And often adds an "every time!!" for emphasis.

Jacob is going through a weird phase (or is just oddly more sensitive to some things) where he wants me to help him get dressed.  He will be five-years-old in August and is fully capable of putting on his own clothes, but for some reason he always wants me to help him.  And it is not like he actually NEEDS my help, like tough buttons or snaps or something.  He just WANTS me to help him for some reason.  Kinda strange, but not the end of the world.

Samuel is kind of turning into a bully and I am trying to nip that in the butt.  He does not quite have Rebekah's authority (or sweetness in caring for others) so Samuel will pinch or push or fight his way into getting what he wants.  We are working on it.  Silly boy.

Rebekah is more helpful all the time and we have now crossed into the "tasks for money" realm with her.  There is a lot I expect of her just because she is a member of this family and she seems to get that pretty-well.  But now I feel that on occasion I offer her an opportunity to go "above and beyond" for a small sum. I just picked up a roll of nickles at the bank and you would NOT BELIEVE what five cents will buy as far as "Rebekah labor" goes.

In the Kitchen:

I tried a few new dessert recipes.  One was for "secret ingredient" (avocado) recipe chocolate mousse.  It was edible, but not exactly "dessert" in anyone's eyes.  The other was for chocolate peanut butter bars and OH MY they were good, but not healthy at all (surprise) and definitely NOT GOOD for me to have around to snitch.  I should link the recipes for you but I do not have time to look them up right now.

Since the hubby got his blood-screen results back I am not trying to find "low cholesterol" choices for our meals (hahahahahaha - as if I have EVER made or eaten such a meal) so I'm in the market for new recipes.  But I'm kind of in a deadlock as we have a freezer full of ground beef (from the in-laws, bless them) but that is definitely not the "healthy meat of choice" and chicken is expensive, so. . . try to find chicken and cook more "healthy" or just cook what we have although it is not so healthy.  Such decisions.  I do supplement our meat a lot with beans and always cook off the fat, but I know these small practices are not going to redeem this meat choice on their own.

Crafting:

Nothing right now.  I'm not even sure where my needles are!!  But I sure NEED to get to sewing up my sling.  I snagged it on some broken plastic and really need to fix it up before it gets worse.

Learning: 

Rebekah and Samuel took the California Test of Basic Skills. They are both in the mid-nineties for their scores, so I figure their schooling is going ok.  I think we will take this test at the end of every year to track their progress.

As for our summer learning. . . we are hoping to dive into that next week as we had Totus Tuus church camp this week.

Reading:

I am still reading basically all the books I have ever mentioned as I cannot seem to finish ANYTHING.  I have about a chapter left in Surrender by Father Larry Richards.  I have also started a book called Exercise After Pregnancy, How to Look and Feel Your Best by Helene Byrne.  The review of it boast of fixing diastasis recti.  I have this, but my regular doctor told me there was really nothing to be done about it.  Now I work-out regularly and do ab exercises and such, but lately I have noticed that some of my friends are commenting on exercise one should NOT be doing if you have diastasis recit and then I stumbled upon this book as a way to close it up.  It was not expensive and so far I find it interesting (all one chapter's worth) so we shall see if it holds salt for me.

Bringing Me Joy:

*I really enjoyed our extended family trip to the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado.

*Just watching Miriam toddle around and discover the world.

*Miriam's smiles - so innocent and sweet!!

*My neck troubles being fixed!! Three visits to a new (to me) chiropractor, along with some stretches and self-care and I am good as new!!

Thinking About:

Taking my daughter to adoration with me tonight!!  I think it will be a special time for us.  I love having an opportunity to share my faith with her and letting her innocence rekindle mine at the same time.

Bible Verse:

"We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed  but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the Body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.  For we who live are constantly being given up to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh."  (2 Corinthians 4:8-12)

Pictures to Share:

Our family picture.  I have no idea what Rebekah is doing.  I blame the influence of her older cousins.

Lining up the grandkids.  Grandma got everyone a shirt that read "Schroeder Clan 2013" on the front and then the grandkids got the number that they were in the family (for example, Miriam was the latest baby and she is #10).  The back of my shirt read: "Mom 5" (as I have 5 kids).

Me and the hubby. . . him acting mature as ever (going for the "nose pick" look here, but fortunately failing and instead making me the "great thinker").