Yes as you can see in this picture I was completely taken off guard by Mike. Not for the fact that he was taking a picture of me while I was trying to get lunch on the table after church this Sunday, but the fact that he was taking this picture with MY CAMERA!!! I have wrongly accused my daughter of disposing of my digital camera, when in fact it lay at the bottom of a pretty extensive pile of MIKE'S CLOTHES! I am a mean wife and refuse to put his clothes away for him and while he was doing it he found my camera. I had apparently laid it down b4 I started on out mountainous amounts of laundry and piled his stack on top of it. So yay! I have tons of pictures to share, but that will have to wait for a latter time. Tons of homework!

Just when all hope was lost

For some of you whom I talk to or e-mail on a more regular basis, you know the personal and literal struggle I have been going through these past few weeks concerning Jakob's class. As of Saturday night I was intent on finishing my volunteer hours and pulling him out of school to wrap up the school year at home. After two completely sleepless nights of looking through curriculum and trying to figure out how in the world we would pay for the needed materials, I was left with no answers other than to pray. And so I have feverishly, for an answer, some peace concerning my newly decided venture and the strength to do it all.
I went to Jakob's school today to help with science time and .. well honestly I was shocked. I get there during recess and the kids are usually loud and fussing and hitting and generally out of control while the teacher feverishly tries to put together homework papers into folders and go over behavior charts to send home to the parents. This is where I spend the majority of the time instructing the chilren to not throw things at eat other, to use their communication skills instead of tattling, and generally being a zoo keeper for lack of a better word. The playground had an erie quietness about it and I saw eight children sitting on benches in timeout. I walked up to Jakob's teacher and asked her if they had a rough morning and she just smiled and nodded. So I sat down expecting once the "timeout kids" had served their time I would be back to my normal routine. Nothing! I was astounded.
Back inside the classroom we were preparing for the experiment and getting students together and their attentions to the front of the class where they needed to be and I watched in amazement as Jakob's teacher was able to command (with very little distraction) the classroom into following directions, an on topic discussion of the subject at hand, and an excersise in making a hypothesis! The kids worked through their experiment fairly uninterrupted and with good behavior and seemed to really understand (for the first time since I had been in the class) the topic of conversation.

As I left the class this afternoon I felt as though the biggest anvil had been taken off my heart. I realize it was only one day, but to see the class being conducted like a class and see the realization of learning in the kids eyes made me so happy I cried. I know in my heart that this was God giving me the strength and courage and ability to stay strong and stick with it a little longer. I pray that this continues, not only for me to not have to pull Jakob out of school but for the other 18 children in his class that are good kids and deserve to learn. Thank you God!!!!

Check your Trash

I know this is a weird title for a blog, but after searching my entire house for my camera I have come to the conclusion that my darling daughter had to have thrown it in the trash earlier this week. Of course now the trash has been picked up but I am still holding out hope that I will happen across it. Maybe when we move again! In the meantime Grandma is sending me one of her digitals to use until I resign myself to having to buy another camera. I thought Mike would be more upset about it since he just bought it for me this past Christmas but he just said, "Oh well, start looking for deals, we have to have a camera." It's amazing how a piece of technology becomes so necessary.

Missing Technology

Ok so, somehow I have lost my camera! I have looked all over the house and can't find it anywhere! I know I had it last since the kids and I painted the back patio with chalk paint this past Sunday and Jakob and I were taking pictures of it. So unless I find it soon, the next few posts will be just words. Sorry.

Preparing for Halloween!

So this week Jakob and I were talking about what he wanted to be for Halloween. Since we are really out of touch with what is "cool" for the kids nowadays he really couldn't think of what he wanted to be. I asked him if he wanted to dress up like some character in a movie and Hazel could dress up as another character in the same movie. He loved this idea and we decided on Peter Pan! So, Jakob has decided that he will be Peter Pan, Hazel will be Tinker Bell, Mike will be Captain Hook, and its a toss up for me. At first he wanted me to be the alligator, then I suggested Princess Tiger Lily, and Mike suggested Smee! Gee thanks Honey! So because I am identity-less for Halloween right now, here's a face to scare you all! LOL Luvs!

Ju Jitsu Jakob

Here are some pictures of Jakob practicing his Ju Jitsu. He is really doing well and has to do a lot more exercises than I thought we would! We practice situps, pushups, lying pikes, jumping jacks, squats, and stretching splits! He does almost as much workout as I do at the gym! the last picture is of Hazel "helping" him doing his stretches.

Jakob the Architect (and Photographer too!)

Playtime at the house with our friends

We had our first playdate here at the house on Labor Day. Jakob was soo excited that his friends were coming over that he stood at the door looking out the peephole for 15 minutes until they arrived! We all painted shirts to give to our family. It was suppose to be a Grandparents Day thing but I got sick and forgot about mailing it out! Sorry! But we still love you guys! The kids only had the patience for one shirt that day (Evident in the Pictures of Hazel with paint all over herself!) so Jakob doesn't want to send out the shirt until he has made something for each of his Grandparents. So that is what we have been working on.

Hazel's First Shiner

No, I don't beat my daughter and she didn't get into a fight with her brother! (For once!) Hazel has discovered climbing and decided she did not want to be in her crib so she just went over the edge! Since we have all tile here, she bumped herself pretty good and luckily all she really walked away with was this black eye! I swear if she survives the toddler years it will be amazing! But then I remember thinking the same thing about Jakob. I guess I passed on my clumsy genes to my kids!

I think he may grow up and work for PETA!

Yet again Jakob finds the largest frogs ever! He was really excited about this find since it was the biggest one he had found to date! I was inside the house and he almost ran inside with the thing to show me! Thank goodness I was able to head him off cause this bugger could jump! He has deemed himself protector of all frogs, snails, and lizards. And is afraid that for some reason we are going to run out of any of the three! Sweet boy!

Just some shots of Hazel at the Park

My early Birthday Present!

Yes I know its not that romantic, but hey! No more washing by hand! As soon as Mike came home from Tampa he took a quick look at the old washer and decided to get us a new one! He brought it home and I about cried! It works so well! Actually its a little smarter of an appliance than I am use to since it has this temp gauge in it that switches the water from cold to warm all by itself. I thought the thing was broken and almost had them come and get it. But apparently this is the way it's suppose to work. And its bigger than my other so washing clothes takes much less time! YAYAYAYAYAY!

The best Daddy EVER!!!

Ok I know it's not Father's Day or anything but I have to brag on my Hubby! The times that he has been able to spend with us he has really outdone himself! It amazes me every day to see him work with the kids. Each one demands something different and he has just jumped right in there to help and do. From baths, to books, to just rolling around on the floor to get them wore out to be able to go to bed he has truly made life easier on all of us this past week! Here are a few pictures of him reading to the kids right before bed. Jakob really enjoys it because he can usually convince Mike to lay down with him for a little while and snuggle. Ultimately he knows that Mike will fall asleep and so he has a bed buddy. Thank you honey for all you do! We love you!

Long Time I know

Wow, I didn't realize so much time had passed since the last time I updated everyone. Life has been crazy here and I just haven't taken the time for "playing" on the computer. So I am gonna give a quickie review on each person and then I will get on to the fun posts with pictures.

Mike: Has been working his heart out with this new crew. Bless him, he is getting a crash course in management and how lazy some people can be. This has kept him away from us for most of the time that the boat has been in Miami, since there was so much work to do, he would just stay there to finish it. Luckily he was able to take a week of leave this past week to spend with us before he left this morning to go to a school in VA. He will be back Friday the 26th and then his crew takes back over the boat on that Saturday so he may be immediately gone again for another 3 weeks! We were telling Jakob last night that Mike had to go to the airport and go to a school. When told that the school was for 14 days Jakob lowered his head and gave his signature over the eyebrow look and said, "But that's for too long a days. I don't want that. Can I go with Mike?" Bless his heart Mike about started to cry.

Jakob: Has been going to school and for the most part really starting to enjoy it. We are having a little bit of issues with administration and the fact that South Florida Education standards are no where near our standards so we are still fine tuning some things with his teacher, who fortunately (for her and my sanity) seems to be very receptive. He is making friends both at school and through our playgroup and wants them to always come over and play. He started Ju Jitsu at the Y. I was a little surprised since it was not the form of Ju Jitsu that my Dad and brothers studied but he has a really good instructor and likes it a lot.

Hazel: Well this child knows how to work her Daddy! She has been (almost literally) up his behind ever since the boat came back from Tampa. She even got to a point where she didn't want anything to do with me and only her Daddy. Of course this make Mike beam to the high heavens. She is talking a bit more now but understands just about anything you say to her. We are starting to work on potty training but that is proving to be a challenge since she apparently thinks that its not ok to pee in the potty. But I'm sure it will happen in its own good time. She has started to show her tomboy side by climbing in and on everything she possibly can which has resulted in multiple goose eggs on her head and ultimately one black eye. I swear someone is going to think we beat our children!

Me: Ok well I have started back to school to try and finish my BA in Education. I am trying to be able to obtain my specialty in ESE (Learning Disabilities) but am not sure if we will be here long enough for me to finish it. I may just have to get my BA online and go back later for my specialization. The first week the boat was with the other crew I caught the stomach flu and felt near death for the entire week. Thank Heavens Mike was able to take a couple of days off and take care of the kids so I didn't end up getting them sick too. Throughout this time I was battling with Jakob's school on the fact that what they had proposed was the teaching methods was not what was actually going on in the classroom according to Jakob. The most frustrating thing for me was that this school is the best option for us as far as school since putting him in private would range from $5000- 7500 a year and we just don't have it. So at one point I was seriously thinking of homeschooling him (and may still after Christmas) but was given a little sign and push from God by one of my class requirements. I have to spend 30 volunteer hours in a school this semester and Jakob's school is allowing me to fulfill those hours in his classroom! Things seem to be a bit better or I am more at peace being able to be in the classroom. We will see. Also I have taken on the responsibility of a play date preschool time here at the house, which is giving me crash course in lesson planning and working with multiple ages. I am excited and look forward to sharing updates.


Well that seems to sum up the past few weeks for us. I am sure that I am missing something but I will probably include it with the pictures in later posts. God Bless!