One On One Time

Even though we make it a top priority, giving individual time to each of our 4 kids can be challenging for John and I at times. They all need it, they all want it. In fact, if any of our children go too long without enough cuddle time or time out of the house with just mom or dad then their behavior will definitely let you know it. So, when we are are stretched for time or funds we have a few go-to options that each of our kids enjoy and slip right into our daily schedules. 

Nia is our tv/movie girl. Nothing makes her happier than a little screen time... as long as she gets to cuddle with you in the process. Nia have our own TV show each season (some seasons we have several) that we make sure we watch together when no other kids are in the room to distract my attention from her. John and Nia generally have movie dates together, either at home or out.

Anara feeds the need with food. She loves going for ice cream or other treats, but is also happy to join in with cooking up a sweet treat with you. As long as she gets the largest piece of whatever she is cooking.

Cameron LOVES to shop. Grocery shop, clothes shop, couch shop, even goodwill. Cameron seems to find joy in picking out things for his family. If we are in the grocery, he will insist on taking home a dozen of Anara's favorite yogurt and the certain kind of fruit snacks he knows Nia likes. Not sure if he will grow out of this or not. Both the girls really liked to shop at age 2 and lost interest in it as they got older. However, Cam seems to really take pride in what he picks out for people. Another option for Cameron involves a large stack of books and cuddling up under a nice squishy blanket.

Obviously, Ember isn't demanding his mother-son and father-son dates yet, but he still gets his equal share of one on one time with each us. Usually that time consist of cuddling on the couch or playing on the floor.

Just a few pics

I have a ton of pictures of catch up with and post on the blog. These are all from John's phone. 

Snapped this one of the boys looking at a book together just before we left Columbus. Now Ember is at the point that he really tries to do the things Cameron does. Sometimes he is fairly successful at it.

A Few days before leaving Columbus, Cameron got his very first hair cut. Thankfully, those sweet corkscrew curls were not lost in this cut. 

Cameron driving to KY in the moving truck with daddy.

At the hotel on the way to KY, Cam found the only book in the room to look at. This kid LOVES books.

Serious about getting his grub on at the Chinese buffet. 

Mommy, daddy, daughter date to get ice cream

Em, just chillin'

Cameron hanging out in Nursery with Gisela at Henderson Memorial 

Cam with a big bowl of yogurt 

My super happy boy

Ember getting his first solids. He is now 6 mo and has only had rice, rice cereal, and a pinch of grits. And a few things Cam has shoved into his mouth before I could stop him (potato chip, sweet tea, and ice cream to be exact) He still doesn't eat solids on a regular basis yet.

Worn out, holing the boys before bedtime.

He still sleeps a lot, especially in the car! Well, unless it's dark. Ember totally freaks out in the dark here if he is outside or in the car. In his defense, it is much, much darker in rural KY than in the city.

Plenty of space to have my sewing machine set up and left out in the new house. Doesn't this photo look strait out of the 1970's?

This was Em's favorite toy until we picked up a jumperoo at a yard sale. Boy oh boy does he love to bounce in the jumperoo.

Their first matching pajamas. Ok, I know it's a bit dorky to have your kids totally match, but I figure pajamas are ok.

At Cracker Barrel. He wanted this hat, but I really think he has 2 just like it already at home. 

a concert John and Nia went to.

It was outdoor, lawn seats only. They didn't realize that part 'til after they were inside.

Self portrait Nia did. She is an awesome artist!

Photo of a photo, not great I know. This is our sponsored child.

Poor Nia. Cameron bonked her in the face and it kinda looked as though she might have had broken her nose. This was her getting an x-ray. Thankfully it was just bruised and swollen.

At the concert, John and Nia saw this truck. Looks like a real life Mator.

Cam playing in our new living room before furniture was moved in.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this picture. There is just something about John feeding a baby a bottle that makes my heart skip a beat!

Sounds of Home

Growing up I never gave to much thought to the sound of the accent 'round these parts'. Anyway, I was at my mother-in-law's church on a Sunday a few weeks back when they had a bit of construction going on in their sanctuary. So what does a music minister do when their sanctuary is a mess, the jumbo-tron isn't available, and you still need to lead music. Sing amazing grace acapella.  Wow! Was it a beautiful sound. I can not remember ever thinking this little town's version of southern drawl was more spectacular than in the moments of that song.

Congestion Home Remedies List

I thought I would share some of the congestion home remedies list that helped us get through a couple of really sick months earlier this year. I wrote this when I was pregnant with Ember. Cameron had a combination of pneumonia and RSV, doesn't he look miserable here. There is a picture of his x-ray at the bottom of the post. John and I had bronchitis.  Anara and I had pneumonia. Nia also had viral respiratory ick.

1. Eucalyptus essential oil

We have gotten a lot of comfort from eucalyptus oil. Put 2 or 3 drops on the bottom of the feet for relief from coughing and to make breathing easier. Add a few drops to bath or a pot of boiling water or to a diffuser to breath in it's aroma. Add a few drops to some olive oil natural lotion and gently massage over the sinus area (be careful not to get to close to the eyes), just behind ears, and down throat and chest to relieve congestion. Ok, I realize here that essential oils are not something that everyone has sitting in their cupboard or maybe even know how to get their hands on. If you live close to a Giant Eagle or Whole Foods, you're in luck, it's just a trip to the grocery store away. If not, Amazon.com is where I usually get mine. I like the Now (also labeled Now Foods) brand. There are many other brands available all over the internet and their prices range anywhere from about $3 to $40 an ounce. There are several articles out there dedicated to purchasing and using essential oils. For eucalyptus essential oil look for one that is steam distilled and 100% pure.

2. Honey

If you are not pregnant use raw (and preferably local) honey. Raw honey is not advised during pregnancy or for children under 2, however it is fine when you are nursing. Honey can be added to tea or other drinks or dishes. All the benefits of raw versus over processed honey are really best left for their own post, so I will try to get to writing it soon then link back to it from here when I do. However, even processed honey has benefits of soothing sore throats and helping to reduce coughing. A large spoonful of raw honey with a few dashes of cinnamon 3 times a day have been known to knock out a cold. I did this one night as I started coughing and feeling stuffy and the next morning I was symptom free.

3. Hot Tea

I like a good spiced or peppermint tea when I'm under the weather. Adding honey, lemon, and/or cinnamon to it is a good way to combine home remedy treatments. Obviously you would drink the tea. Also breath it in as it is cooling to a drinkable temperature. Breathing it in will help loosen up mucus and sooth inflamed sinus tissues.

4. Lemon

Lemon has antiseptic qualities and boost immunities  It also reduces swelling, helps clean out your system, and is packed with vitamins.  Add lemon to water and hot teas. If you are blowing your nose a lot leaving nostrils inflamed or have a swollen throat, I highly recommend adding lemon to your drinks to reduce the swelling. It is also good in warm baths or add to boiling water to diffuse into the air. On a side, unrelated note, if you suffer from swelling while pregnant adding lemon to your water could offer you some great relief.

5. Chicken Soup

Not only does it soothe the throat and help open up nasal passages. There are properties of chicken soup that have actually been proven to reduce the length of a cold. If you're making homemade, I advise adding plenty of salt and garlic to the mix as both help in warding off germs.

6. Humidify

We have 2 humidifiers and both go full blast when we are congested. I can definitely tell a difference in my comfort level when they run out of water or when little Cameron sneaks over and turns the level of produced mist down. Cool mist is supposed to be better than the hot option (not sure why). Make sure you keep the humidifier clean or you could actually make your symptoms worse. I've heard or seen where others advise to add vicks or eucalyptus to your cool mist humidifier. I've tried both and can't tell or smell a difference with either. I think getting these into the air only works if you are using some sort of heat or a device designed to diffuse them into the air.

7. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

You should do this even when you aren't sick, but since all that mucus coming out of you takes a lot of fluid to make, extra hydrate at this time. Drink water with lemon, warm teas, even sports drinks to keep up with the lost fluids and help cleanse your system.

8. Spices: Salt, Garlic, Cinnamon, Ginger, Cayenne, & Mint

Obviously, if you are allergic or have been advised not to use any of these then don't. All of these together in one recipe probably wouldn't be too pleasant on the taste buds. Add 1 or few to as many dishes or drinks as you can though. They all help with congestion and have antibiotic or antiviral properties. Also, the cinnamon, ginger, and mint can be diffused into the air to help kill germs and clear sinuses.

9. Hot Shower or Bath

Sometimes this is really all it takes to clear things up in the morning to get you going. I have never been sick and not felt at least a little better after a hot bath or shower. For baths adding epsom salt, lemon, mint, or eucalyptus will give you even a little more relief. It will allow you to breath them in and absorb their nutrients through your skin.

10. Saline, Mist, or Neti Pot

These have the ability to clear out your sinuses and shove antiseptic treatment right to the source. Saline mist is the easiest of these three and the only one I would recommend for children. Some older children may be able to use the neti pot, however some adults even have a really hard time using this one. There are a couple of kinds of neti pots on the market and are available at most any drug store. Basically  with a neti pot you are pouring or shooting a warm water solution into one nostril and allowing it to flow out the other.

11. Gargles

Gargling warm salt water is probably the most popular of gargles. You could also gargle with warm water and ONE  of the following: baking soda, lemon juice, crushed garlic, or mint. There are some warm water and essential oil blends that can also be gargled as long as the oils you are using are food safe. For this drops of any of the following will work: peppermint (only use 1 drop), eucalyptus (5 or 6 drops), oregano (1 drop), tea tree (2-5 drops), sage (2 drops), garlic (2 drops), ginger (2 drops), or lemon (2 drops)

12. Lymphatic Drainage Massage

This one is kind of new to me. Here is a link to a youtube video that I watched to teach myself how to do it. What you are doing with this is massaging the drainage passageways of the lymph system to encourage the funk to move around and hopefully out of your body.

13. Eat Healthy

When you are down and out, it's really tempting to grab whatever is quick and handy. However, if you put crap in... I don't really need to go on here. Simply put, the better you eat, the quicker you should feel better. If you are not knowledgeable on nutrition, there are a variety of pamphlets, infomercials, books, and websites that are easy to find. Just google proper nutrition and a few of your symptoms.

14. Rest

This is a no brainer. Your body can't heal if you don't allow it to rest.

15. Warmer, Cleaner Air

Over several weeks, my family used all of the above suggestions and did gain some comfort from them. Some may cure you some of the time, obviously none are  a cure all of the time or we would have all felt better much quicker. What eventually did the trick to get us well again was week long trip trip south to grandma's house. The clean, warm air of the rural south turned out to be the best medicine for our sick lungs.

The girls walking to creek to get water for fresh picked flowers on our trip to grandma's.

John getting a breathing treatment for bronchus. I was pregnant with Ember at the time, no breathing treatments for pregos.

Little Cameron's x-ray.

Welcome Home! Our New House

Ahh, the feeling of having all of your stuff under one roof again. After moving back to my husband's and my hometown, it took a few weeks for the perfect rental to open up (it's a small town so there really aren't a ton of options out there). As frustrating as it may have been to move all of our stuff then move it all again, God had a plan. We stayed with my mother-in-law as we waited.
For the past 10 years when driving by this certain house on the street my husband grew up on, I have told my husband, "That would be the perfect house for us." His response was usually either, "I know, you've told me." or, "How do you know, you've never even been inside of that house." It's not the biggest, or the fanciest, or the most unique, nor does it have the best or biggest yard. There has just always been something about the house that has seemed to say to me, "I'm perfect for you guys." When we decided to move back to town I started praying that God would provide, "the perfect house for our family." So, when my husband walked in one night and said, "You know that house you think is perfect, there's a sign in the window that is is for sale or rent." I was ecstatic! We are renting it now with the option to purchase.

It seems to have just the right amount of space for our family right now. If we do purchase (which is the plan) we will likely add on 1 more room. I've already got the plan drawn in head. And, even with the cost of an addition, it has a great asking price for the neighborhood. We have 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, a kitchen with a really nice size eating space, large living room, and a very large bonus room that is being used as a playroom and homeschool room. Can't wait to get some pictures up when stuff gets just a little more settled around here.

Baby Wearing

When Nia was a baby, I purchased a used front baby carrier at a consignment store and HATED it. I was uncomfortable the one time I wore it and I was in constant fear of her falling out of it. This was long before I had heard the term attachment parenting or realized there was even more than one type of baby carrier. As much as I hated that 1st attempt at baby wearing, Ember hates being in a stroller. This has led me to searching out a few options.
By the time Anara came around it seemed the ring sling was all the rage. It was very simple to make and purchasing rings were just a click away. I really liked putting her in her sling and she seemed to like it also. However, I never considered it completely hands free. Anara has always  been wiggly so the fear of her wiggling right out of it was still present. Also, it seemed to bunch at that neck and though it did get the baby's weight off my arm I was then holding her with my nck. Carrying like this for a long time would be really hard. I generally used it when I was going somewhere I would be up and down a lot or I was just going to sit. I continued using it with Cameron. Ember has always seemed to long to comfortably be in it. Nia probably would have sit (similar to the baby below) in a ring sling for hours, but Anara and Cameron bent themselves backwards within seconds when I tried to do this with them.
I also now have this sling

It's a Seven Slings Baby Carrier. Works like the ring sling, but without the rings there is a bit more space for baby. Although it to would have been plenty easy to make, I got it free and just had to pay shipping. I keep it in the diaper bag although it's been used more as a nursing cover and blanket than as a sling, I have put Em in it a few times. He isn't big enough to sit in it like in this picture and now, even with the extra room not being taken up by rings, he is again to long to use the sling the other way. I do love that it is small enough to just stay in the diaper bag. I don't love that it isn't adjustable. It seemed huge the first few weeks. Em fit beautifully the next couple of months, but now it's just a to tight squeeze.

So, this week I bought fabric for a moby style wrap. I've always thought the moby was expensive (at between $50 to $70) for just a strip of fabric, but it is about 5 or 6 yards long. So, really the actual brand name one isn't that bad of price. After my first experience with a front carrier, I've never been able to justify buying the actual wrap or for that much fabric. So, when I went browsing though fabric and saw one that I thought would make a good wrap I was thrilled when I found out it was on clearance for $1.50 a yard. I could justify $9. 

I like it, it kind of pins the arms down a bit though. The baby weight is more spread out so I think I could easily walk around the mall with it on. I wore it while doing the dishes the other day. Em fell asleep and I wound up wearing him for his nap while I was sitting on the couch. I think I'd need a lot more practice to get it on all by myself and I'm not sure I would ever be able to get Ember into without an extra hand. 

This challenge (not that I'm ever alone) has led me to want this carrier

The Gaorui Baby Carrier, similar to the Ergo from what I have read. I've got the thumbs up for the purchase from the hubby, but I have to admit I'm waiting a few weeks in hopes Em will develop a new found love for one of the strollers we already own.

Life Is A Whirlwind

There has been so much going on in our lives this summer it really does feel like life is an out of control whirlwind lately. Here are some of our recent and upcoming highlights:

Ember!
He is truly amazing.
-He is just starting to say a few words. His first word was, "Dad." Which was done the first time while he was lying in his cradle. His cradle is between my bed and the bathroom door. John had just walked out of the bathroom and he happily said, "Dad!" He also says mama and Nia.
-Em sleeps really well. He started sleeping through the night at about 2 1/2 weeks and there have only been a few nights since when he has woken up. If I put him down before he gets to tired, then he will put himself to sleep in his own bed. He usually sleeps in his cradle, which is the same cradle his brother and 2 sisters also slept in. It and my own baby blanket are actually the only baby things I've had for all 4 kids.
-We recently found out he is lactose intolerant, not a fun process. Just take my word for it. My milk also dried out so he currently eats 26 to 32 ounces of Soy formula a day. No solids yet.
-Now that we have cut the cow's milk and he is getting enough food, he is an extremely happy baby that only cries when he is hungry or overly tired. He is also a huge flirt.
-His feelings are really hurt when you walk into a room he is in and don't speak to him, then the only way to make him happy is to pick him up.
-He loves watching Cameron play. Cam gives him toys, even though Ember can't play with them yet, I think it makes him feel big and included.

John will soon be working from home.
Because of my recent health issues, John asked his work if he could begin working from home on a permanent basis. This is so he can 1) be close by if I'm really sick, 2) not need the car when I have doctors appointments, and 3) he just likes being around the rest of us so much. The biggest change that this makes in our lives is that it allows us the freedom to move back home to Kentucky. Which brings me to our next point...

We Are Moving! 
Our house is currently a box city. We have it about 85% of it ready to be loaded onto the truck. The move is set for middle of the month. We however, do not currently have a confirmed spot to hang our hats.

Spending time in KY this summer.
The girls went down earlier this summer to spend time with the grandparents and when we went to pick them up, Anara decided to stay there until we move so that she can sign up for and begin soccer (and I'm thinking to also get out of packing and loading the moving truck).  Part of both trips down were spent looking for a place to rent... no luck on that part, so it looks like we will be staying with grandma for a week or few weeks until something becomes available. It's a small town so there really aren't a lot of rentals that will hold a family of 6 just sitting around empty. When we go to KY, my blood pressure goes down which helps me in recovering from...

Postpartum pre-eclampsia 
has been a complete hell. No really, completely horrible. In the first 8 weeks it boast a 1 in 5 death rate (glad to be past that point, I actually demanded a celebration). There was one evening I had fallen asleep on the couch while watching TV with John and Nia. When I woke up I said something and nobody responded. I said something else and again no response. Next I found myself asking out loud if I had actually died and if I was a ghost. John and Nia thought I was kidding, but I was seriously wondering if I was dead and if they could not hear me because of it. Not all better yet, but I'm getting there. Going through this without having family members close by has made it all even harder.

Tips For Buying Used Books

As a homeschool family, one easy way to save a good bit of money is buying used books or materials.

There are a couple of downfalls to buying used. The best way I've found to purchase used items is online, so the first downfall is that I don't get to see what kind of shape my purchase is in until it arrives at my door. Usually there are just a few marks and we ignore them. However, the photo above shows a particular book I spent probably 2 hours going through erasing then scribbling over where I had erased. Apparently  the student had done all of their work in the book and the parent felt it was still acceptable to sell the book in that condition.  There was really no way for Nia (or my other children if we reuse this book) not to cheat without me going through and getting ride of the answers. So, below is a picture of what I found to be an acceptable solution. I erased, scribbled in one direction and then the other.

The other downfall I have found also stems from purchasing online. Sometimes you may not catch exactly what is included in what you are buying. For example, we purchased Wilson reading material for dyslexia. It included instructional videos... that were on VHS. We have purchased other curriculum that called for a zillion pieces to implement (workbooks, flash cards, magnet boards, you name it) to find after spending more than our budget would allow that we really still needed more pieces for the curriculum to work. Or, that we purchased part of level 1 blue edition and part of level 1 aqua edition and they are not compatible.

Here are a few tips we have picked up over the years in purchasing used:

1) Avoid curriculum designed for 'regular' school. There are usually several pieces you need, and might now be able to find. I taught in public school for a few years before homeschooling and my first inclination was to grab my favorite  curriculums from my old life and use them at home. Major foul! One they are designed for a classroom not a single student. Two, see the paragraph above. Keeping all this in mind, I still manage to decide to do this for at least one subject a year for the last few years. Maybe one day I'll decide to take my own advice...

2) Grade level bundle sets. I don't recommend them, but several people like the a lot find them good to use. I've yet to find anyone that really loves the 'bundle sets' as I've labeled them. I'm talking about lifepac, Sonlight, and other programs that include everything needed for one year in a box. Most of the people I've known that have used them do so for the first year and then move on to something else. Let's face it, there is no perfect curriculum and getting everything for the year in one purchase would make life a lot easier. However, none of these companies specialize in any certain subject nor will they be tailored for a certain learning style. Many homeschool kids work on different levels in different subjects and buying everything at the same level could prove to be a big pain in the neck for you and your kid.

3) Figure out your budget FIRST. It will do you no good to fall in love with a curriculum that runs 2 grand if your budget is $200 or even tighter like $20 (as mine was one year). If your budget won't allow for buying all you need at once, stager your purchases. Our girls generally like to focus heavily on one subject at a time, so it's been fine for us to purchase a few subjects later in the year at times. If the budget is really, really tight you can check if your state offers online school for free. Most states offer some if not all course work online for grade school age students for free. Ohio, the state I live in, has online charter schools where they provide a computer, school books, and some school supplies all for free. This greatly conflicts with why some people want to homeschool, but for many it's a great option. Googling K12 (one of the big names in online kindergarten through 12th grade schooling) will give you a ton of information on the this option.

3) If you need help figuring out which materials to use there are several homeschoolin' mommas out there that love to write reviews and opinions of what they have used on their blogs.   If you are new to homeschooling a 1st grader, find several blogs that have written reviews of what they used for 1st grade. Look at what they did. Consider your child's/children's learning style and your teaching style. Think of how you want your school year to go and narrow down from there.

4) When you think you have decided, read reviews, read more reviews, and then ask questions. Find the bloggers that have used what you are considering and ask them anything you can think of about the material. Sites like Amazon also have a ton of reviews. Then weigh them out. If you read 5 people that say a book was perfect and 1 that says it was too challenging for the grade level, odds are there is something going on for that one family that makes it too challenging for their child, not most children at the grade level.

5) Once you have figured out what you want, I have found the best place to start when looking for used homeschool books or other materials is Amazon. Our next stop is generally ebay. I always do a google search of whatever it is I'm looking to purchase also. I've seen materials for sale on craigslist and through homeschool groups. Some groups even have curriculum swap/sale days.

6) The best times to purchase are the end of the school year and just before the beginning of the school year. Other families will be trying to unload their used stuff as the finish up with it, but some will wait until the beginning of the next school year in hopes more people will be trying to find it. There are always people randomly putting things up for sale, so don't get too discouraged if you miss that window.