CLEAN TIMES FOUR

We spent over 2 hours at the dentist's office. I am so glad that my dentist allows me to make an appointment for them ALL at the same time. I have mentioned before how much I love the fact that they have such a BIG, OPEN room. I can see all of my children at once. This was Levi's first time, and he was so good. Everyone came back with an A plus, except for Abishai. He had two cavities last time, but they didn't think it was necessary to fill them. This time they did. So, he had two fillings, and he has also been gnawing at his lip. I think his lip hurts worth than anything right now. Poor guy! So, we are all set for 6 months.........

WAITING HIS TURN



FINALLY IN THE CHAIR, WAITING


GETTING X-RAYS

GETTING HIS TEETH CLEAN



FINAL LOOK........and HE CRYS!!!


FORCING A SMILE

ZEKE GETTING X-RAYS

HE LOVED THE FEELING OF HIS CLEAN TEETH

ABISHAI WAS WAITING

X-RAYS FOR "BUBBA"

AND........I GUESS I FORGOT A PICTURE OF JAEL??? HOW DID THAT HAPPEN??? OH, that's RIGHT........I WAS AT THE DENTIST WITH FIVE CHILDREN!!!!

BACK IN SCHOOL

This is already our second week of school. We survived!! AND hopefully had fun, too! Jael has already learned an egg will float in salt water and sink in regular water. Oh, the joys of science experiments.

Our curriculum, My Father's World, looks like this: easy to teach, integrated Biblical content, less preparation, strong academics, multi-age unit studies, international focus, hands-on activities, character development, and recognizes the Bible, God's truth, to be the foundation of wisdom and education. This curriculum combines the best of Charlotte Mason's ideas and classical education with a Biblical worldview, an international focus and our own observations of how children learn.

Abishai and Ezekiel are both learning together, and I, of course, expect less of Ezekiel since he is only 3. Our complete unit-based curriculum includes a phonics-based learning-to-read program and focuses on God's amazing creation (kindergarten). I really like 100 Easy Lessons for teaching them reading, and I will probably focus on that this next summer, right before Abishai goes into first grade. Ezekiel's biggest accomplishment, so far, is that he can now properly use scissors. (Notice the number 5 he cut out, below.)

Jael is learning U.S. history (second). We have a spelling book, and a primary for English lessons. She will be doing a lot of memorization. We also use Saxon math. Jael is still devouring books. And reads, on average, a book a day. She is in the process of finishing Anne of Green Gables, but she finds time to fit in a BoxCar Children book, too!

I love the easy-to-teach, integrated curriculum that is enjoyable, academically strong, and focused on character development.

Trying to Catch Up

Being spoiled with help for almost 5 weeks was an amazing blessing. Josh's mom and my mom came to help me during Shallah's first few weeks. All of the children enjoyed have both Nana and Grammie visiting for so long. My friends also threw me a baby shower a week after Shallah was born; I was blessed with MANY wonderful things.








Since we had babysitters Josh and I decided to go out to dinner for our anniversary. Yes, June 19th, 2009 was a our 10th anniversary!! We made it, and it's only because of God's faithfulness. Each year is just more and more precious to me, and I am VERY glad to announce that we are doing better than ever. Daja mentioned that this was our diamond anniversary, which spiritually speaking is the perfect representation of what we have been through. Thank you for all of those who have supported is through the refining process.

Oh, and then two weeks after the baby was born my mom and I, PLUS 5 children, drove to Pennsylvania!! My aunt graciously paid for the gas and hotel, which made it all possible. It was fantastic; it really wasn't a bad trip at all. I loved sharing my family with all of my relatives. We enjoyed many things like a trip to the zoo, a buffalo farm, a FISH farm, and a host of other things. My family was amazing in their hospitality; they do know how to make us feel welcome!!

Just today, we got a wonderful package in the mail, which brought up all of the wonderful memories from our visit. Jael got a bear with a picture of a sandbox on it, plus a necklace and bracelet. Oh, and a few Boxcar children books. The boys got some handmade pillows with pictures of the Sneetches on them, PLUS the SNEETCHES book. Levi got a few new pairs of socks. (always a necessity) Shallah got a CUTE duckie outfit, and I got a nice birthday card and a decorative plaque about being "together!"

The excitement over this box of goodies was contagious. I mean, I am blogging about it!!! The Sneetches book was a memory I will never forget and now the boys won't either. The LAST night we were there my Uncle Rob was entertaining the boys with book after book, but it started with this one. It's a favorite, and it was delightful to hear both boys know that UNCLE ROB was the one who read them the book!! He reads very entertainingly. I hope they remember this for years to come, and now they have pillows and a book to remind them.

PromiseLand

The week before Shallah arrived the kids attended our church's VBS, and they had a blast. The theme was PromiseLand (like Candyland).....there was SO much candy involved that it was ridiculous. AND REZ makes every effort to make things over the top. The church was filled with everything related to candy. Candy bars hanging from the ceiling, cotton candy, and colored carpet squares were EVERYWHERE. The goodness of God was the main theme, and the children were also told to share it with others. Crazy hair day had to be the funniest, although, HAT day was a lot of work.

Time is Ticking Away

So this whole scenario just doesn't play out right for me; I tried it! The sooner I fall behind, the more time I have to catch up. It's been two months since I blogged and a LOT has happened. I have yet to "find any more time!"

IT'S A GIRL!!

Shallah Rianne Abdelaziz

7lbs. 5 oz.

19 inches long

June 14th, 2009

Baby Girl

Now that I am almost 7 months pregnant the questions of.........do you know what you are having are MORE frequent. People do NOT like to be surprised. Josh and I have always told the ultrasound techs that we do not want to find out.......the looks of surprise and "torture" is displayed on their faces.....EVERY TIME.

Well, from the beginning of this pregnancy, I have really hoped we were having a girl. I really try not to get my hopes up, but I can think of so many reason why it would be perfect. Now, if only God had the same superficial reasons.


Saraa, my neice, needs a girl cousin. The way our family seems to have a lot of boys.....well, we need to have at least two in a row.

Oh, not to mention the fact that I really want to have a baby girl to dress up again, oh, and it would save me about $250 if I have a girl, and an extra trip to a doctor around 8 days old.

Now, I am posting this so that it can be said WHY I think we are having a girl.......

When I was pregnant with Jael I remember many times feeling like we were going to have a girl because her name was the ONE that I felt God gave us. Jael's middle name is Abeni; it means a girl prayed for, and long awaited. How perfect is that? Josh and I both liked the boy's name, but it just wasn't as fitting.

With all three boys it was the same way......the boy's name was just "perfect," or we didn't have a girl's name that we really liked. Ezekiel Savage's name means, "the Lord's strength is WILD." THAT name was the passion of our hearts. Levi Joseph has SO many reasons for his name; the meaning, "a union supported by Jehovah."

Now, the name we have picked out for a girl is Shallah Rianne, it means "river of grace." At the moment, we do not even HAVE a boy's name. About 2-3 months ago, I received a prophecy over this pregnancy, that it would be "full of grace!" After that, we talked about the fact that the Hebrew number 5 means "grace!"

Maybe I am overworking this a bit, but even Josh will tell you that he has a feeling we will have a girl. Names have always meant so much to me, and it always seems to play such a big part in the gender of our children. We always favor one name over the other.....and this time it's the girl's name!!! At this point I sure hope so.........because I need God to give us a great name for a boy.

Sunday Morning Breakfast

I honestly do not know how we are going to afford to feed all of these children when they are bigger!! (good thing God is such an awesome provider) The kids asked if we could have an extra special breakfast, and we figured that was a great reason to make extra yummy foods. We had so much food, and we used 1 1/2 dozen eggs!!!!!!! My, My, My!!!

Our Menu:

Fruit Salad: kiwis, strawberries, fresh pinneapple, blueberries, apples, and a super yummy sauce I made the night before.

French Toast

Sausage Links

Fried Eggs

Fried Potatoes

Orange/Apple Juice

(oh, we had it all made and ready in 30 minutes.....)

His tummy was SO full and tight!

Times Three

I like it when I find an office that is willing to see more than one child at a time. The kid's pediatrician in CA would not see them all in the same day. It made for..........well, not going!! I got a call from the kid's dental office here, reminding me of Abishai's dentist appointment. The funny thing, is that I had not made an appointment for him. I don't know WHERE they got that I had. BUT it worked out great, because they fit in the other two kids for the same times. It was actually a great experience for all three of them. They got pictures of their teeth. Jael did have a cavity, but it was fixed the following Friday. Both Abishai and Ezekiel were cute enough that the hygienists wanted to take them home. The office was really relaxed, since it was only for children. AND the dental room was just one big giant room that made it very easy to be with all the kids at the same time. Monday we have eye appointments!!!

Our First Snowman

I cannot remember every building a snowman, so it was a lot of fun to enjoy it with my children. Abishai, especially, has been waiting for almost a year to make a snowman. He had a carrot that he brought from California, JUST for this occasion. I had to freeze it last year, knowing that we would not be able to use it.

We have had a few inches of snow, but we happen to live in a house that gets direct sunlight most of the day. Most of the time our snow melts pretty quickly. I almost thought that we would get to build a snowman last weekend, but I was told that -15 degrees was not good "snowman-making" temperatures. I was told from the "snowman experts" that 25 degrees was the best temperature.

We waited, hoping that the snow wouldn't melt too much. Josh came running in the house to say it looked like it was a PERFECT time, so even though I was in the middle of cooking......we went outside. I think we did a pretty good job, for first-timers.

Three Clowns

Today has been a BIG day for "dress-up!" I am not sure what inspired the creativity, but it has been fun to watch. I was sitting in the living room, and the doctor walked in to get his "patients!" He had a BIG pile of stuffed animals to carry downstairs. He never said a word, just very focused. They all came to show me their clown costumes, so I had to take pictures.

He had to make his own costume, since we only have two clown suits:

a ladybug body, and duck pants. I think he wins for creativity......

She just looks like she is getting too old to be a clown! :-(

To be honest, he just makes me laugh!

ZQ really was having fun......he wasn't forced!

Free the Leash Kiddies~Part 2

Okay, since bonding with your child is obviously not a selling point, there are practical purposes as well. You can only know what your child is doing when you are not looking if the leash is taut. Parents usually develop a sixth sense, but if you are distracted because of clothes shopping or talking with friends, you get distracted. TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE. If you hold hands or carry your child, you will always know what is happening. Holding hands gives you direct physical contact with your child. If he or she is reaching for something, you can feel it in your hands. You can feel the little fingers twist, and the palm flex as it matches the action of the other hand, ready to snatch something, possibly to pop it into an awaiting mouth. You will know what he or she is up to. A leash… your child could go behind you and stick something in a power outlet. All you will hear is a snap, and ...........a jerk on the leash will do nothing at that point.

Maybe I can scare you into the NON-LEASHING GROUP! If your child is really hyper, instead of leashes, here are some tips that may not solve the problem, but it will help:

Watch your child's diet. This should be obvious, but you can make a kid hyper by giving them sugar and caffeine, which occurs in such things as soda, chocolate, cookies, and candy. Some kids also get hyper on MSG, which occurs naturally in soy products, and also a lot of fast food. Reduce these in your kid's diet, or cut them out altogether. This is a HUGE topic, all it's own!

Pay attention to the right things. If you ignore them when they are being good, and pay attention to them when they are being bad, you end up saying, "You will get attention from me when you act up," because to a kid, bad attention is better than no attention at all. Kids crave attention because it is natural. Hey, if I do it--my kids definitely will.Praise them often for good behavior, like, "Thank you for being calm while I was talking to our Pastor" and "I am proud of you for acting so good in that restaurant." "Catch them doing something right!" They will learn over time that controlling themselves brings praise, and being hyper makes you more distant. Boy, I am writing to myself here......

Be considerate of your child. Many children become hyper and cranky when sleepy and tired. Children also become BORED quickly, if you know you are going to be a long time in a place where they might be bored, bring a paper and pencil. Cut down on all the TV and video games--and children become more interested in the simple things. I tell my children that I don't want kill their imaginations......so, no, you cannot watch TV.


STOP CONFESSING BAD THINGS OVER YOUR CHILD!! "Jimmy has some behavioral issues, but his doctor thinks it might be........" Kids have feelings. AND Satan usese our words.....

Think about that for a second. Kids are HUMAN BEINGS that THINK and FEEL and have different thoughts than everyone else.

This is my main gripe about putting kids on a leash.But honestly, if you treat your child with respect and dignity, he or she is sure to follow. Dogs can be taught; I know children can be.....

If your child is too hyper, some hyperactivity is caused by an allergy. And if this is the case, don't take it out on yourself or anyone else. God made our children just the way they are for a purpose. We just sometimes have to WORK harder to find what it is.....

But throw away that leash. Leashes are for dogs and horses, not children (or cats).

The only time I want to see a harness on a child is when they are on a boat, it it will keep them from falling over the edge. (or maybe you could convince me, at an amusement park......I said, MAYBE!)

Now that I have finished.......do YOU use a leash? I promise--I don't hate you!

take your parents to work day

Free the Leash Kiddies~Part 1

Thanks, Amy !!

Don't put your kids on leashes.

I hate that. Picture this (a few things changed from a REAL story) : Some parent comes from around a corner, lagging behind a small girl, possibly 2-3 years old, on one of those harness leashes. She goes right up to a couple of children at a park, but one strong jerk of the leash, and she was forced to heel to her master. The parent then became consumed in conversation with someone else who was leaving the park. Because the child was on this leash, she ended up entangling the other children as they tried to reach the playground. After a few frustrated attempts at restraining her wanderings (which consisted of sharp jerks on the harness), the exasperated parent picked the girl up by the leash, where she hung in mid-air like on a stage harness. I doubt she is in any pain, but once she realized that she was restrained in mid-air, she began to squeal in frustration. After a few moments of this, the bus-load of kids were now playing at the park, and satisfied that the traffic had slimmed down, she put her back on the sidewalk, where she sat and clawed at the grass between the crack in the sidewalk with her fingers. After a while, she got up, and then got her neck entangled, which made her whine some more. The parent gave an exasperated sigh, and proceeded to angrily untwist the toddler until she was free to roam the circumference of her tether. Finally, the parent realized that the distraction of the toddler jerking at the leash was too much, told her friend they could meet later, and the parent passed, with the toddler anxiously tugging forward like a dog on the chase.



Sarcastically, of course, I used to have a dog like that, but she gained her own independence and sense of self-worth, so I had to put a shock collar on her. She's dead now.



Dogs have leashes. Horses need to be restrained because they don't know better. I guess you could say the same of toddlers. But toddlers evolve into thinking human beings. Leashes are a strong physical restraint from master to servant. They are appropriate on animals. (only some, see cat post)



"But he's so active!" I have heard from parents. "It's a safety harness, to prevent kidnapping," say some others. It really is just a crude, cheap tool used for restraint. For those who have those excuses I have two words for you: Hold hands.





I can argue now....I have four kids! "I don't have four hands?" I know! I know! TEACH them to HOLD EACH OTHERS hands....you know how mommy ducks stay all in a row?? Make the child who is the MOST squirmy hold your hands. I may look like a "sight," but I don't have a leash. AND since I started writing this I have NEVER seen a mom walking her four kids???? Now, THAT would be a sight!!





I take it back..........I guess you just add a few more tethers! UGH!!

"He's hyperactive, that won't work!" I have seen many parents with children who have an excessive amount of energy, even diagnosed by doctors. But I have never seen their children put on a leash or tied to a hitching post. Okay, you don't want to hold a little sweaty hand that has been God-knows-where. I get it! "If I hold hands, they pull away", you say........

TO BE CONTINUED...........