She's come a long way ...

It has been a year since the accident.  March 23, 2012 ... at 10:00ish p.m.

She has come a long way.

5 surgeries.

3 months in a wheelchair.

She is proud to show you her battle wounds on her feet.

Celebrating

20 wonderful years.  We love her!

What will you be called when you are older?

I heard Jaley and Kendall talking about their names earlier. Jaley asked Kendall if he was going to be called Ken when he was older. No, I think my kids will call me Daddy. So cute!

Kendall's math

Kendall (6 years, 1st grade) has moved on to doing multiplication "mad minute" challenges in school since he passed all of the addition and subtraction facts.  He loves to tell me how many more minutes until we have to leave - or how many minutes we are late.  Kendall is very prompt, so we are never late when it is just Kendall and me.  He is constantly adding and subtracting in real life situations.

Tonight he did some more math.  I knew this day would come.  Last year he informed me that I was 19.  When I had my birthday back in June, he told everyone I turned 20.  In fact, when we went out to eat this past week with John's parents, he informed the cashier how old I was because they were asking the children their ages to charge the correct amount.

Tonight he said, "Mom, you were only one when you had Daeia (Julia).  That's weird."

He's too smart for his own good :)

Warning - update

Update on Kendall's toothpaste box warning:  Kendall has been reading the tube of toothpaste he is currently using and it says "Keep out of reach of children."  He was concerned.  Me too.  I'm worried he will stop brushing his teeth because of all of the warnings!

Warning

Kendall saw a box of toothpaste on the counter this morning.   He told me that he needed a 
new tube of toothpaste and was wondering if he could take that box for his bathroom.

I told him he could.   

He took the box over to where he was eating breakfast and started reading the box.

"I think I'll wait until I'm seven before I take this."

"Why?"

"Because it says:
Warning:
Keep out of reach of children under 6 years of age."

He's so cute - and obedient.

Oh, and I think I might need to review this math lesson with him. 

Maybe I'll just take the box of toothpaste and wrap it up for him for his 7th birthday!

Study Skills

We were discussing with our 6th grader, Kerst, about the importance of getting good grades and how to go about it.  (He is an excellent student)

He told us that he does really well on most tests and then not so great on others.

Do you study?

No.  I know the stuff already.

You should still study and review the information.  It is a good habit to develop. We taught your sisters how to study and prepare for tests.    It has made them very successful students.

When did you teach them how to study for tests.

Around 4th and 5th grade.

Wow Mom and Dad.  You really dropped the ball on parenting.

We laughed.  Maybe it is true .... it seems like the younger kids miss out on learning the nursery rhymes, etc. Gotta pick up that ball again.

**  What is wonderful about Kerst is that he does his homework on his own and doesn't need to be reminded.  That is a HUGE step in the right direction.

Great Qualities!

Kendall had to write a Cinquain Poem at school.  I loved what he wrote.  It shows he likes who he is.  That makes me happy.

Kendall M

funny, cool

friendly, fast, handsome

smart, happy, truthful, honest

student

Guilty, but honest

We are working on a lot of merit badges with Kerst.  Cooking is one of them.  Today is a perfect day for this ... we are snowed in!

Kerst is to create a 3 day menu for the family - with lots of details (cost, measurements, utensils needed, etc).

Today for breakfast he made homemade blueberry cobbler and peach cobbler.  Kerst also made some muffins.

Guilty.  But we are honest!  As we would swipe one, we would edit Kerst's number (that he had secretly written on the back of the card).

Saving $

Kerst walked in with the mail.   I quickly went through it and had him throw away some junk mail. He wanted to know why we would throw it away.   I told him that the companies are trying to sell us things that we don't need. "Are you worried about money?" "No.   We just don't need to spend money on things we don't need.   We should save it." Kendall (age 6) piped in, "Why, is it endangered?" I think some government officials need to answer this one.   Kendall's a smart one :)

Musical - Beauty and the Beast

Our high school is putting on the musical, Beauty and the Beast.

I had the privilege of taking the dress rehearsal photos ... even though I don't have a child in the musical, I LOVE being able to help out.  Each year I tell myself I need a new camera (last year the shutter button fell off), but I still manage to get some great shots.  I LOVE stage lighting.  The colors are amazing.

FYI - the costumes were rented.  Two years ago I sewed all of Julia's when she was Sandy for Grease.

Here are just a few of the pictures I took .... I made these posters to be displayed in the foyer for the audience members to enjoy before the musical, during intermission and after.

Snow Day on Sunday

Last Sunday was a "Snow Day".  Church was cancelled.  We were under a blizzard warning.  It snowed ALL day.

After the boys got home from shoveling the church, this is what happened ...

Kendall helped his Dad shovel and shovel and shovel.

 

Kerst snuggled in his bed to stay warm - and play some games.

 

Jenna slept in

Jaley slept in

 

 

Falling - skiing

We were talking about skiing at dinner tonight - preparing Jaley mentally for her ski trip tomorrow with John, Jenna and Kerst (The high school needs me last minute to take pictures of their dress rehearsal for the musical tomorrow).

I told Jaley that she needs to go tomorrow so that she can get over her fear of skiing so that she can help me with Kendall next week when we go up again.

"I'm afraid I will fall over on a little kid on the bunny hill."

Kerst remarked, "You won't fall on the bunny hill."

"I have fallen on the bunny hill."

"YOU FELL ON A BUNNY?"

Kendall was very worried.