I'm Back!!!

I can't believe I haven't been blogging in over a year and a half. YIKES! I have to learn how to do things all over again. Back in 2012, I started really examining my motives for blogging, and started to slowing stop. Taking a year off, I realized that blogging actually helps me be a better mommy. It held me accountable to actually PLAY with my children. Busyness of life crept in, and with that the time my boys spent in front of electronics increased. Confession.....I became a lazy mom. In all fairness, living in Alaska, the long winters are tempting times to bunker down and hibernate.

We are in the process of adopting from foster care. Something I will share about more when I am able.Something we talk about a lot in training is attachment disorders. The amount of time kiddos are in front of television, movies, and electronic devices can exasperate an attachment disorder because they don't have to bond, attach or socially respond to other people. Even for children who aren't at-risk too much time with inanimate devices can diminish their social skills. The great thing about the adoption process and all the training and poking into your life is you get an idea of the type of mom you want to be. It is a reboot to your family. One we are in desperate need of.  

So it is back to more actively, engaged time playing with my children. It is time to get silly, dirty, creative, exploratory, and active. I'm ready for more healthy and happy children who are connected with their family and the security, delight, and wonder that  attachment brings. 

Ch-Ch-Changes

So it is official.... as of next week I will be a homeschooling Mama/Teacher. Wow! That is weird to say. I am a public school teacher! I Triple Heart Love public schools. Let me revise that to say I triple heart love schools that follow a social constructivism style of teaching. I want the student to take an active role in their education, rather than passively listen as they are being lectured to.

My 1st grader son has been having a hard time since the move and struggles with irrational fears, explosive outburst, negative feelings about himself, and inability to be still and focus. He is also funny, kind, social, and smarter than any other child I know (seriously). Everyday I was seeing a spark go out as he went off to school to sit at a desk that he was unable to get up from ALL day, except for lunch and his one and ONLY recess. He cried with happiness whenever I picked him up and exclaimed,
"Having you get me is the best part of my day."

I have had to stay home this year to take my youngest to FIVE therapies a week. He was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder four months ago. We have found a great pediatric therapy clinic and he sees an Occupational Therapist twice a week, a Speech Therapist once a week, and a Feeding/Speech Therapist twice a week as well. I am home anyway, I am qualified to teach, and my oldest son needs me right now. It isn't what I intended, but it is what needs to be done.

The good news is since I will be forced to do AMAZING and AWESOME activities with my boys my blogging will INCREASE tenfold. I am really excited to start blogging again and have some amazing things to share with you all. So next week in-laws are visiting and my curriculum is arriving. I am excited to start Five in a Row among other things. Our first theme will be apples and I have TONS planned.

Getting the classroom set-up (will share pics later)

Amazing school desk I got at a garage sale for $10-Wahoo!

1st Day Apprehensions

We have moved to a new state, new school district, and new school. I am a little hesitant this year because the kids are forced to sit in a desk all day. As many of you know I having my elementary teaching degree and I thought we had moved away from the idea of direct instruction with kids listening to lectures at their desk to more active learning. I think it is imperative for students to be able to move, have choice in books and what they write about, working in small collaborative groups, and an environment that encourages meta-cognitive thinking. Evidently, not in the AK.

On top of the classroom environment the school days are about 30 minutes longer than his other school (which I don't mind), but he only has ONE 20 minute recess ALL DAY. Also he can't have any snacks. For my little active sensory kiddos I feel like this is just setting him up to fail. So what can I say-I am remaining hopeful (although not positive). I am also making contingency plans to pull out for homeschool if it comes to that. But anyhoo, here it was "A's" first day of first grade...

For the adorable first day of school signs you can go to Super Mom Moments blog. I am so grateful for creative people out there to help me make memories with my little ones.

Motives for Blogging

My mom asked me if I was still blogging and the answer is yes-sort of! This is the thing: I am really investigating my motives for blogging and if it is healthy for me. When I first started I LOVED it. I loved all the pretty posts and my accomplishments immortalized.  I loved the idea of my boys being able to see all that we had did together. I felt like part of a community of amazing people-parent bloggers.

Then I started looking at how many hits I was getting-obsessed actually. I started worrying why some post weren't getting any attention. Then I started to get insanely jealous about people who started blogs after I did and yet had more followers. Oh man-the whole follower thing....is that how my worth is measured?

If you can't tell I have a tendency to compare myself to others-bad habit, I know! When I do this honestly I don't stack up! I am NOT the perfect mother. Man, oh Man do I screw up-daily. I also have two extremely difficult boys. Its a battle everyday just to do the mundane. I love my boys but motherhood is H-A-R-D!!!! You look at other mothers and its hard to wonder how their life can seem so easy or simple, just like people who may read my blog must think the same thing.

So to make this super, long story come to an end. I plan on blogging, for my boys! Since it is for my boys some weeks don't go as planned and we don't accomplish anything and other weeks are great. Those are the weeks I will blog! I hope I still have some readers by then, but if not I understand. Not only do I understand but I will convince myself that I am still a good person and decent mom despite of it.

Tasting the Rainbow

A few weeks ago I was observing a 2nd grade classroom during a nutrition lesson. At the end of the lesson on fruits and veggies all the students did a vegetable tasting of all the colors of the rainbow. I was shocked to discover that NONE of the students complained and everyone tried all of the different veggies. There wasn't an, "Ewww Yuck" even murmured. Well if these 2nd graders could do it, so could my son! Today as I was getting my fruits and veggies prepped for juicing (more on that below) I made him a rainbow of produce for him to have a little tasting of.

Not pictured but in the green was also a spinach leaf

Half way done

Some tasting rules: 1) You need to try a bite of everything. 2) If you don't like it set it aside and try something else 3) If you have nothing nice to say don't say anything at all. 4) If you don't like it commit to try it again another day. 5) If you don't like what you tried for that color find another fruit or veggie within the same color band. 6) Make it fun!

"A's" breakfast creation this morning

Benefits of tasting the whole rainbow: 1) We should have a minimum of 5 fruits and veggies a day, but you can never have too many! 2) Fruits with the same color tend to have the same vitamins and minerals. For example, carrots and cantaloupes both have Vitamin A which help your eye sight. If you only eat the same color of fruits and veggies you are missing out on some vital vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.3) Studies have shown people could cure high blood pressure, Type-2 diabetes, high cholesterol, some autoimmune diseases and even stop cancer growth by eating a plant-based diet.

With all of these health benefits and more I have been making a conscious effort to eat a nearly vegan lifestyle. What does that mean? Well, I am choosing to eat a mostly vegan diet except I am allowing myself two dinners a week to eat meat and cheese if I want to. To take it one step further I am choosing to only drink fruit and veggie juice during the day and then have a healthy meal with my family for dinner. Before people start leaving me comments I just want to say that I am over 100lbs over weight, have medical problems, and did some research. Two of my most favorite documentaries are Forks over Knives and Fat,Sick, and Nearly Dead both currently on Netflix streaming. My family has a very high history of colon cancer and heart problems. I need to make a change to be a positive example to my children and live to be over 70 (a rarity in my family). I am in no way judging or being on a soapbox. I love meat and cheese! I have just decided to make this lifestyle change for me.

What is on my menu today (grapes, strawberries, clementines, spinach, kale, pineapple, cantaloupe, kiwi, cucumber, apples, carrots, and cabbage). I would definitely say I have the whole rainbow represented.

No matter what your diet consists of I would encourage you to do a veggie and fruit tasting for you and your children. Commit to trying a fruit or veggie you have never had before. I just tried kale for the first time. Not a huge fan but can add it to my fruit juice and it doesn't bother me. Prepare your produce in different ways. What is the worst that can happen? You may actually like it!

We arrived in Anchorage

In the last two weeks I have graduated college with my B.A. in Elementary Education, packed up my entire house without the hubs help, and flew my two little ones and two dogs to Anchorage by myself. To say it has been a whirlwind would be an understatement. Thank you for still tuning in since I have had to neglect the blog world in the last couple of months. Simply survival mode!

I am so excited for our new adventure here in Anchorage, AK. I am even more excited to be reunited with my hubs (he came up Sept 1st for work). It has been a LONG time since we could be a family on a daily basis. I have tons of plans and ideas to do with the kiddos so tune in for TONS of post with craft/learning goodness! However, I first have to wait for all of our belongings to arrive. It is going to be a LONG two weeks.

Exploring the backyard

Sunk down deep

Snow cave caused by meltwater

Exploring our neighborhood

Home Sweet Home

Current Update

I am so ashamed that I have only written twice this month. It is really telling how often I have done supplementing at home with the boys-not much. In 5 weeks I will be boarding a plane to move to Anchorage. Before that time I need to back up the house, finish student teaching, finish my state/school final project, get the boys and dogs ready for the move, and make about a million calls and plans. Can you tell I am overwhelmed!

My hubs found our new home in Anchorage today. I am so excited! It is the biggest home I have ever had the privilege of living in. One of my wants is making a playroom. I am thinking about converting the formal living room into a playroom, since we don't need a living room & a family room. I am trying to figure out how to do this and yet not have the main living space not look cluttered and dirty. I am also trying to decide on layout and storage. I can't wait until we are unpacked and playing in our new home.

Thank you for being supportive and I promise the posts will return with a vengenous in April. Your patience has been astounding!

11 Reflections on 2011

Scouring blog world I came across this fun Linky Party over at Teeny Tiny Teacher to reflect on 11 things in 2011. It seemed like fun so I thought I would have a go at it...

11.) Favorite movie watched:

It is between The Help and Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows #2. The Help is such a great and well written story and the acting in the movie didn't disappoint. Harry Potter is simply because it is the end of an era.

 

10.) Favorite TV series:

So I must admit I am a total TV junky, it's pathetic. So my ultimate fave is most likely Psych & Bones. Some of my other must-watch shows are Castle, NCIS, Glee, New Girl, Terra Nova, Archer, .... Oh My, see I am pathetic!

9.) Favorite Restaurant

Since I am moving back to Anchorage shortly my favorite restaurant there is Ramono's Italian Restaurant. Here in Portland my favorite restaurant is probably El Indio Mexican Restaurant or Nicholas Mediterranean Restaurant. A family stand-by is The Old Spaghetti Factory and Five Guy Burgers. 

8.) Favorite new thing I tried

I went on a cruise with just my mom and it was an amazing trip of trying once-in-a-lifetime type things. We went cave-tubbing in Belize, played with Spider Monkeys in Isle Roatan-Hondurus, we danced and kissed dolphins, took an airboat ride in the Everglades, and my favorite thing was swimming with stingrays.

7.) Favorite gift you received

For me my two favorite gifts are my Nook Color from my hubby on Valentine's Day and a Christmas Ornament my sister in Japan sent of all of our memories inside. Another favorite gift is my mother-in-law made matching dog sweaters for my two dogs and two matching sweaters for my sons-they make me happy just thinking about them.

On the strips of curled paper are memories

6.) Favorite thing I pinned

Holy cow! I just discovered Pinterest this summer. I am obsessed. I have pinned so many things I couldn't narrow it down. Looking at my boards may give you an idea. 

5.) Favorite Blog Post

This summer I participated in the Smart Summer Challenge and it was just a great summer to kick off blogging and doing some super great educational activities with my boy. One of my favorite blogs (which I have many) is my Urban Nature Scavenger Hunt. We looked for nature in Downtown Portland and kept our eyes out for curious gardens. Then we went home and made our own urban landscape with an architecture stamp set. It was truly an amazing day!

4.) Favorite Accomplishment

Running in a 5K! I am an overweight girl (to say the least) and last January I trained doing the Couch to 5K and ran in the Shamrock Run on St. Patty's Day. I did it in 45 minutes...not super great time. But I set a goal, worked for it, and achieved it! I was really proud of myself!

3.) Favorite Picture

Any picture of my two boys being sweet and cuddly with each other is my favorite. I love to see them grow up to be pals and the love they share for one another. Times like this make motherhood worth it!

2.) Favorite Memory

I would have to say probably the recent vacation to Cabo San Lucas and Los Angeles with my husband and two boys. It was our first family vacation since the baby has been born. It was really great for us to bond just the four of us and experience things through my son's eyes.

1.) Goal for 2012

Graduate with my B.A. in Elementary Education. I start Student Teaching Jan. 3rd. I am scheduled to graduate then end of March. It is truly my passion and joy to teach, in particular upper elementary grades. I will be starting a classroom/teaching blog called, Nurturing the Learner Within. Not only to graduate but getting a job would be super. That is one of the reasons we are moving to Alaska, so that could even be a remote possibility. Lastly, I would like to exercise more! 

 

Christmas Highlights 2011

I am ashamed how little I have written this month. I had the best intentions of crafting, teaching, cooking, and all other fun festive Christmas things, just didn't happen. My boys were sick most of the month and I wasn't really in the Christmas mood with the hubs away in Alaska. That isn't to say we did have some fun, family memories being made. Here is a highlight of some of our Christmas memories.

"B" found the corner behind tree was his favorite hiding place

Ornaments constantly thrown through out the house to be sucked on and played with

Family tradition of walking the Fantasy Trail

Polar Express Train Ride

Golden Ticket

Daddy is home!

 Santa threw up in our house!

My mother-in-law made match dog sweaters=LOVE!

The boys got matching sweaters as well!

Opening Night for the Blazers (Aiden's 1st NBA Game) 

Keepsake Ornament my sister in Japan made me

She included a list of all of our memories that are in the ornament. So thoughtful!~

 

Bad Kitty Christmas

I don't know if you are familiar with the characters Bad Kitty and Poor Puppy but I love them. Nick Bruel is one of my favorite children book authors, and they are great concept books for little ones. If you want to read the books it is best to read Bad Kitty first, then Poor Puppy, and then the chapter books (HILARIOUS), and then lastly this one. That is the order of publication date. If you don't read the chapter books still read the three picture books in order so you can understand the relationship between Bad Kitty & Poor Puppy.

In the story, Bad Kitty runs away and an elderly woman finds him and brings him home. The old woman didn't have much but a small tree with pictures on it. The story has a very sweet message about the meaning of the holidays. This got me thinking about what memories are important to me. I had never though of making photo Christmas ornaments (past ones of the children, of course). I decided to turn our last year Christmas photo into an ornament. I just mod-podged the photo onto some glittery card stock. I added some clear glitter to the photo to blend it into the background, and then added a red ribbon. Now it hangs on my tree to remind me of family memories instead of just possessions!