Monday, May 31, 2010

Memorial Day

This morning Keree decided to wake up before 5am, not a wake up and go back to sleep, but a I'm ready to meet the day kind of awake. Luckily I was able to convince her to lay in bed until 6am, then she joined me in my bed after that. We made it till 7am before she needed breakfast. We took our time getting dressed even though we knew we had a ton of stuff to get done outside before the rain hit. Well, right as we were heading out, my Uncle called from middle Tennessee. So by the time we got off the phone, it was 3 1/2 hours later. And shortly after that my Brother arrived. He had planned to cook out, which poses a small problem since all I have now is a hibachi grill. Well within a few minutes of me getting it out and cleaned off (haven't used it in over a year because charcoal is such a pain). When all was said and done, we enjoyed a wonderful lunch of steak seasoned with Cajun spices, fresh from the field Sweet Corn and some fresh made Amish potato salad. Mmmmm! So we all sat outside and enjoyed the food and conversation. The only thing to damper it, was the sound of our neighbors riding dirt bikes on their track and the bugs (we actually had ants diving from our tree into our food). After we got done eating, my Mom, Brother, his Girlfriend and Keree worked on cutting a huge dead branch in the side yard, while I went about picking a big bowl of mulberries off our trees. Of course I had to sneak a few while I was picking. They aren't as sweet as previous years but they still taste pretty good. After we came in, we all jumped into the shower because we were sweaty and covered with dirt & of course my hands were stained from the berries. Keree of course missed her nap, so she was just a bear the entire evening. She feel asleep for about 10 minutes but when I tried to move her, of course she woke up and didn't go back to sleep. To try keeping her awake and at least semi-happy. I let her play some reading games on the computer. While I was trying to get them pulled up on the internet, she started talking. "You know your Dad died Mommy and that's why you were crying." So I tell her again "your right he did die and now he's in Heaven with the Angels." She then asks "what is Heaven?" I make the simplest answer I can by saying "Heaven is way, way up in the sky, the Angels and Jesus and people who have died live there". Thinking now, I should have added Animals go to Heaven too. Then the rest of the conversation basically went like this "I think he would want me to go play with his Kitty Cats. I bet they are really, really sad. Whose going to take care of them?" I explain to her that Grandma P will take care of the Kitty Cats. Well she wasn't happy with my answer because she said "Well why does Grandma P get Grandpa's Kitty Cats?" I explain to her because they were BOTH Grandpa and Grandma P's Kitty Cats and she would be very sad if they didn't live with her anymore. She then goes "Oh ok, I still think I need to go play with them." By then the computer program had started, so she got distracted by that and just wanted to play the game.

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Processing

Today was spent still trying to process everything that happened from 719am yesterday morning till today. Even though today was alot less bawling my eyes out, it was more of my mind racing a mile a minute thinking of everything I didn't say to my Dad, that I didn't get to share with my Dad, the long conversations I promised him we would have at a later time and everything we are going to miss doing together in the future. I also kept replaying in my mind, how I had such a strong feeling I needed to call my Dad on Friday but I kept coming up with excuses not too, that I would just call him sometime this weekend. Well we see where that got me. My Brother is processing this on his own terms, that is what he has always done and if you push the issue, he gets angry and shuts down. He will talk when he needs to talk, otherwise you don't bring it up. Keree, now she amazes me because yesterday I really didn't think she got it, especially after my whole big long conversation with her, when I was letting her see her Grandpa one last time. We spent the day outside and I decided to burn our brush pile (yes I know horrible for the environment but I only do it once a year!) She was standing by me and we were just sitting on a stump waiting for my Mom to come back with some green branches. Well Keree all of a sudden goes "You and Uncle were really sad yesterday because your Dad died" and I told her "yes we are really sad" and she goes "but you know it's ok (and show starts pointing to her heart) because he's in heaven but he will always be in our hearts". WOW! Where did this come from? When my Mom got there I asked her if she had talked at all to Keree today about my Dad and she said "no" and then said if I did, I would have brought her to you so we could all talk about it again. So where did this amazing, prolific realization come from? I have no idea because no one said that to Keree, so I can only think that she honestly made that realization herself, which totally blows my mind.
But to top off the day, we got news also that my Cousin passed away from an 8 month battle with cancer. It wasn't a shock like the news of my Dad dying was but it doesn't make it any easier. This Cousin, was the 4th person in my family to ever hold Keree. He actually drove my Grandma over to the airport to pick us up and bring us home from Vietnam, so he played a huge part in Keree's life story. I cringe to think of the saying "Deaths come in three's" because I really can't handle anymore bad news this holiday weekend.

She fell asleep standing up and playing her VSmile

Friday, May 28, 2010

Lesson 5

I was up in plenty of time to get us all ready for PT this morning. I got dressed and then went to get Keree up. Of course this morning had to be "one of those mornings". From the moment, I tried to wake her, she was crying and just a mess. Luckily after convincing her to eat a few bites of breakfast, she was pretty happy again. I often wonder and have come to the conclusion, even though I'm only guessing but I think her meltdowns from waking up are from low blood sugar. So I finally I get all of us out of the house, we arrive at PT and I sign both Keree and my Mom in. That's when they inform me that our appointment wasn't until 930a. B*llsh*t!!! Our paper said 9am, I'm not stupid (plus I checked when I got home and it was 9am, so someone changed our appt!). Well they were able to get my Mom in right away but that left Keree and I waiting in the lobby till 930 for her appt. I wasn't too happy because honestly it felt like her PT was trying to say "hey, you show up early and I'm just gonna keep you waiting". I love her PT but I guess between being exhausted and just the whole aggravation of the situation, I was at my boiling point. Luckily exactly at 930, she came and got Keree. After PT, we had a business appt, needless to say we were there fffooorreeverr. At the last minute, I decided to run to Michaels in hopes of finding the elusive Lime Green Hot Pink Flamingo grosgrain. After searching the whole freakin' store, there was none to be found. I'm thinking the problem is, they haven't changed their displays over from Spring to Summer and I'm almost 100% for sure, my ribbon is on one of those Summer displays. By the time we got home, it was after 1pm. So Keree laid down for some quiet/nap time. She ended up taking almost a 3 hr nap. Once she woke up, my Mom made the mistake of telling Keree she could go outside. I guess my Mom didn't hear me before nap, when I told Keree that she would be having school when she woke up. Needless to say, my daughter wasn't feeling that well, so it sent her into a downward spiral. Luckily it didn't last long and we were able to sit down and work on Lesson 5. I honestly even if we would have breezed through the Lesson wasn't going to do two tonight. But we actually breezed through the first part but as we hit the almost final part, she struggles. I've complained since the beginning of the school year begging them to work on rhyming. Keree can rhyme some but this is literally one area she struggles in. We repeated the exercise more times I can count and I plan on reviewing it tomorrow and hopefully we will also complete the next lesson. We actually spent the rest of the evening outside since there was literally no humidity today, so even though it was in the high 80's, it felt amazing outside.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Visit with Family

Well it seemed from the minute we woke up, anything we had planned was not going to get done, so as you guess school fell to the back burner. I'm so upset we have now missed a second day in a row. Seriously, I'm starting to feel like a failure because of the two missed days. On a bright note, we drove the next County over and got to see my Cousins D & S, also some other Cousins, Aunt and Uncles. We had a great visit but really wish I would have gotten to spend more time with just D & S. Even though we don't get to see them that often, I feel a special connection to both of them. Maybe it's because they are genuine and have the most amazing relationship. I really wish that someday I would be so lucky to find someone and that our love be as strong as theirs. After D & S left, we didn't stay much longer. I changed Keree into her nighttime clothes before we headed home because my Mom was certain she would fall asleep. Needless to say, when we got home, Keree was wide awake and wanting a brownie. Which, I had promised her earlier in the evening. Since desserts are a rare treat for us, I kept my promise. Well it's now super late and we've got PT early in the morning.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Headache Wednesday

I know I should be talking about Lesson 5 but instead we took a day off. I didn't plan on taking the day off but I woke up this morning with one of the worst migraines. I tried to stay in bed as long as I could and luckily after turning on cartoons and getting Keree a bowl of fruit loops, I was set for at least a few hours. We made it to 9am (Sesame Street), when she started begging to get dressed and put on her shoes, socks and brace so she could go outside. Since we did have things to get done this morning, like moving the bridge that crosses our creek and planting some vegetables my Mom picked up for us. We spent almost 3 hours in the super hot and muggy outdoors while trying to dig up the bridge, unassemble it and load parts of it onto the tractor. Then we had to hook the tow rope up because we couldn't get the main bridge part unwedged and moved. All in the meanwhile, Keree is climbing up and then off the tractor, poking sticks into the snake holes all around the creek and trying to help. Once we got everything moved, we were all miserable, hot and sweaty, so Keree begged to go swimming. So I happily obliged and she got to take the inaugural swim in her new Fairy Princess pool. While she swam, I worked on planting our vegetable plants. We have tried for the last 3 years to put in a huge vegetable garden on our 3 acres and every year, we will have these healthy beautiful plants and the next day they will be brown, shriveled up and dead. We cannot explain it, other than we think it has to do with either the pipeline running across our land, the chemicals put on the crops near our land or some leftover issues from the Military base nearby. So basically, we made the decision late in last years summer to container grow our vegetables and we had great luck with tomatoes. So with an amazing yard sale find from last year, I assembled the Patio Garden (sold at most chain stores for $99.) Once I got all the plants, planted, I stood back and was amazed at how awesome my $3 Patio Garden looks. Now just hoping maybe sometime this yard sale season, I'll find another one for under $5. We spent the afternoon and into the evening working outside on various garden/yard projects. We headed in right before 7pm, to enjoy a night in front of the TV watching the American Idol Finale. Everyone is in bed now and that's really where I need to be. I'm excited because tomorrow I get to see my Cousins D & S from AZ, who I haven't seen since a few days after Keree's 1st Birthday.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Lessons 3 & 4

This morning we ended up all sleeping in late. I guess even though the ceiling fan and wall fan was on full blast, it really didn't help with the miserable 90+ degree weather and 90% humidity we are having. Needless to say I didn't sleep good, I probably woke up at least 30 times last night drenched in sweat. Keree, well she slept through the entire night and even grabbed her fuzzy pink cover because her legs got cold. We got up this morning and I cooked a nice breakfast, pancake dogs on a stick. Which other than fruit loops is Keree's favorite breakfast food. After breakfast, getting dressed and watching Dinosaur Train, we sat down to cover Lesson 3. Once Lesson 3 was done I asked her if she wanted to keep going, so we got through Lesson 4. But again towards the end Keree started to fidget. I'm thinking once we get pass these basic lessons, that are just teaching phonics, which she has already mastered, we will slow down to just 1 lesson a day but again it all depends on her. So right now she's chilling out and trying to stay cool watching Phineas and Ferb.
9pm - Well this afternoon, I decided to make our favorite soup for lunch, which of course there is always enough for dinner and lunch the next day. I hadn't made it in awhile, not because it's hard to fix but it just seems like lately we've been eating super quick, no think meals (mac n' cheese, ramen noodles and canned veggies, etc). After Keree woke up from her nap or quiet time, we headed outside. I was excited to break out Keree's new swimming pool that I bought on end of the year clearance for $3 last year. So I got out the air compressor, unfolded the pool and that's when I realized the compressor wouldn't work. Instead I had to blow the sucker up with my own hot air. Luckily, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It was blown up and ready to be filled with water within the hour. Keree had fun holding the hose and watching it fill with water. Then of course, she got bored, so while it filled with water she played on her slides and swung. Once the pool was filled, we headed inside for the night. We ate dinner, called my Brother and Grandparents to check on them, Keree spent the night playing while I worked on my never-ending stock pile of bows.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Lessons 1 and 2

Well today we took the leap and I started Homeschooling. Right now we are only working on Phonics and Reading because the Math book I ordered, well they sent me the wrong one. Why did I choose to try homeschooling.....well my daughter has attended a wonderful pre-school for the last 1 1/2 years but she is far advanced then the other children her age. Her Teachers constantly comment about how far above age level she is and also when they test her she scores within a 1st/2nd grade age level. Most of the children in her class, still cannot write their names legibly, most of them also cannot identify letters or their sounds. All skills my daughter has mastered before she was 3 1/2. So basically she is already bored with school, she can read simple words already and has been working on sounding out words and writing them for the last 6 months. Which trust me, I'm not a parent who pushes her child to achieve, one day she literally just started sounding out words and writing them. So since she is on Summer break (couldn't afford the steep tuition for Summer camp at her current school), we decided to give this a try. The book I'm using claims that within 100 lessons your child will be reading at a 2nd grade level. So today we mastered Lessons 1 and 2. I'm not sure we will continue doing 2 lessons a day because she got antsy towards the end of the 2nd lesson. But I was following her lead, after we got done with Lesson 1, she asked "is that all we are doing today, I want to keep going". So that is why we finished Lesson 2. We are now off to enjoy the rest of our day...which means working on business stuff for me.