PaperBackSwap

Does anybody like to read? Have you checked out PaperBackSwap.com? It is awesome! If you sign up, be sure to let them know who referred you!

Is it Winter or Spring?

Just have to ask! Our weather here is so completely messed up! Yesterday it was freezing cold and today it is warm and windy. The trees are even confused...they are starting to bud out already and it isn't even February!!! However, the wind has blown in like it is March. Who knows!!!
What's it like where you are?

My Favorite Color Is...

Brent informed me yesterday that his favorite color is no longer blue, but is now red! He asked me if my favorite color is still green and I said yes. (when they divvy up toys or pieces of a toy, brent is always sure to give me the green pieces cuz, he says, it's my favorite!) B's fav color has been blue for a very long time and was orange before that. He doesn't change all that often, but is always sure to tell me when he does!

What is your favorite color?

More Christmas Pics!

While at Janice's for Christmas, we (of course) took lots of pictures. These below are just a few that I think are the best.
The one with the cup in his face is Clayton...he seemed to always be drinking or eating something that weekend! We also took some shots of all the cousins together for Janice...been working on that now for 2 years! Maybe this year we got one that will turn out!

Christmas Happenings!

Wanted to update you all on our Christmas and upload some pics for you to see. Everything has gone digital, so I figured this was the best way to share our memories!

Before the big day, the boys got a special visit from Santa who brought them a new barn to play with. They absolutely love it. Of course, it was from grandpa and grandma, but the boys don't know it.


Then, Christmas Eve Santa stopped by Grandma Janice's house to deliver their presents. They were so excited to have Santa in the same room with them and hand delivering their gifts. They even gave Santa some of the monster cookies we made for him. (Thank you Uncle Dennis for dressing up in the HOT suit!) They had so much fun opening their presents from Santa and having Daddy set up the Thomas Train set Clayton got!


Sorry I have been so slow on the uptake with this! Between illness and just trying to get back in the groove of normal life, I just got the pics loaded on to the computer the other day!

Fixed some things...

Hey all...just wanted to post that I fixed something I didn't know what wrong! I know, that sounds funny... I didn't realize that I had it set where you couldn't post a comment on here. Sorry about that! I have fixed the problem and you may now post comments!

A

Trials of Learning

We have been having a really hard time with Clayton learning how to do any little task. He actually told Terry last night that he doesnt' know how to learn. Really discouraging to us, cuz we're working really hard lately to teach the boys how to work and be hard workers when they work. We don't want them to be lazy. But oftentimes, Clayton will start out picking things up or working with us and then trail off and play when he doesn't know how to do a particular job.

Terry and I were talking about it last night, trying to gain insight and collect ideas on what we could do to help C through this hump and help him to learn. We have been so used to Brent's style of learning where we can just explain to him how to do something or show him one time, and he's got it and can do it from that point on. However, with C that doesnt' work. And he gets so frustrated that he just cries...and you can see it on his face that it truly upsets him that he physically cannot do many of the things we expect of him. Anyway, after talking we have decided to try actually holding his hands during a learning process and moving his hands through the motions. This worked very well with overcoming the frustrations of the spoon at the table....the food would fall off his spoon or he couldn't even get it on there to begin with and he would just give up eating all together for that meal. We finally had to physically manipulate his hands and put our hands on his and show him how to use one hand to hold the spoon and the other hand (or finger) to push the food onto his spooon. That worked well, but even now there are times he starts to get upset cuz his 'food won't work' and we remind him again (verbally this time) how to push the food on with his other hand. And again, it's like a lightbulb flashes in his brain, and he says, "Oh, yeah...I forgot."

So that brings me to today...folding laundry. I have started the chore of them folding their own laundry and putting it away. I'm always there to sort it and surpervise, but they do the folding. Today it took us almost an hour to fold one basket, but it is worth it in the long run I know! But C was doing okay with folding his pants, but when it came to his shirts he almost had a meltdown. Well, I did what Terry and I discussed last night and took his hands and arranged the shirt the way I wanted him to hold it, and together we folded the shirt while I gave verbal instructions. Luckily, he had about 15 shirts to fold in total and so he got lots of practice. However, he was still struggling even up to the end and I was still holding his hands and helping him do it.

This is very hard for me....it takes so much more time than what I think it should and I know that God is teaching me a tremendous amount of patience, both with Clayton and with myself, through all of these trials of learning.

Back in the Groove....

There has to be a way to start the new year without being so exhausted! It seems like every year we say we're going to not do so much around the holidays, and then every year we end up extremely busy. Seems unending...but I know it really is a matter of us just saying no to things and people.

Well, hear we are again trying to get back in the groove of school and housework. So hard....since we're so tired and fighting colds. But we'll make it. Slowly we're getting the school room into shape and then we'll be doing all school work in there, which will help clear out some clutter in the dining and living rooms.

Is anyone else having trouble getting back in the groove? Any tips to share on how to make it go smoother? Am willing to listen to any suggestions!