A New Day

Ok... so I have really missed blogging so I have decided to come back. I had to take a break because a lot was going on. We got a van, hubby got a promotion and we got a new little boy. We have stayed pretty busy with four children. We hope to bring the girl's sister over at the end of July. A few weeks before school starts. People are always asking how I do it and all I can say is consistentcy. I say something once and if its not followed I immediatly correct. I dont count to five, I dont repeat myself constantly, I dont whine and nag. If I call you, you come straight to me. If I ask you to do something dont argue just do it. I demand immediate obedience from my children. Especially with four almost five children. I dont have time for anything less. Does it make me a cruel mommy? I dont think so. My children are well adjusted and happy. I have been told many many times that you cant even tell they are foster children. I guess most foster children walk around looking dejected or scared. I can tell you straight up mine dont. They are happy go lucky little people with good boundaries. I love my children and want to see them grow up into responsible hardworking adults with a solid relationship with God. I look over my struggles and know that I want so much more for them. I have been trying to figure out a plan that will work for me. A housekeeping plan I should say. Im also trying to work in an hour a day for "homeschooling". This year my five year old will go off to Kindergarten and my eight year old will explore second grade. All because the state "owns" them right now. Next year though I will embark on the mission God has given me. To teach and train my children like no one else can. I will have two four year olds learning under me this year. Well maybe. I know my T will still be here Im not sure about my new little boy C. I will do preschool work with them. Training them and myself for the following year when I will be an official homeschool mom. Im so excited. Im also a little nervous. Its a huge undertaking. We are doing some stuff this summer. Like I said an hour a day. I have to make sure that my five year old is up to "standard" because they will slap her in special classes so fast it will make your head spin! She is learning how to write and recognize the letters of the alphabet. She can already count to ten and with a little help to twenty. She knows her colors and her shapes. She can follow directions well. I am working on comprehension with her a little more. When we watch a movie or read a book I try to get her to tell me about it. Her sister T who is three will be four in Sept has to learn her colors. She can count to ten and recite her ABCs but we are having some difficulty with colors. She can do some shapes. I did just find out that our school district here does phonetic reading which Im excited about. I have been researching and I think that might be the best way to learn to read. I hate sending my two little girls off to someone else for the whole day but I know that I will pray over them often and keep in close contact with everything that goes on at that school.


AROUND THE HOUSE!

Well I am diligently trying to get together a housekeeping schedule that works for me as mentioned above. This week I am testing one out and so far I have not stuck to the schedule but I seem to be getting more stuff done. Im steady freecycling everything I can. The less I have the better my house will look! Today C and I cleaned out the refridgerator. We really cleaned it out. Took all the stuff out and took the shelves out and washed them. Then washed the walls down and the door. Then put everything back in. I threw out a lot of stuff. I felt a little guilty but the way I see it if I can see whats in my fridge then maybe I will use it. Maybe? I also took some time and straightened up the pantry. I did a pantry overhaul and organization day not too long ago but some things were out of place so I just straighted. Took me a minute maybe. K and T did dishes and loaded the dishwasher for me. They are getting very good at it. I only had to help a couple of times. Im also teaching K how to do her own laundry so she has a load in now. When we were all done I gave them a treat of animal crackers and apple juice. Well A got chocolate milk because apple juice does not agree with his two year old tummy. They then went down for a rest. Its nice and quiet in the house right now. I still have to clean up the kitchen and do some more of my laundry and vaccuum but it has been quiet the productive day so far. We went to Sam's warehouse last night and I actually bought some box dinners at Prince Charming's urging. I have tried so hard to be frugal and thrifty and make everything myself but face it there are some nights you just dont want to do it. What then.. you go to Mickey Ds or order a pizza. Frugal flies out the window. I decided to just go and get great tasting easy to make dinners. I have frozen country fried steak, two boxes of frozen chicken and fried rice with veggies, 12 boxes of mac n cheese, and some pizza rolls. I still have chicken breasts for those nights I feel like really cooking a nice dinner. Like tonight I am making creamy chicken and rice and will post the recipe for it soon. We love it and it is easy to cook but is homemade. Tomorrow night we might have another chicken entree or we might heat something up from the box. But we wont be going to McDs for .39 hamburgers like we do most Wed nights. :)Well off to rouse the kiddies from thier naps!