Otherwise known as Blanding. We've been here for almost two months and we still love it. I am still doing substitute work for the school district (mostly the elementary school) and Clint is still doing lots of translation and ASL jobs. Some he can do from home (which is awesome) and others he has to travel for. Gweny loves her preschool and her teachers which she goes to twice a week. On the days that she doesn't go she and I do projects. We also try to incorporate "good" tv including PBS and Kipper which are available on NetFlicks. Every Friday (mostly) Clint takes Gweny on a hike with the cousins and I get a little break. Gweny and I go to the library every week or two to exchange our books. The book she found on this last trip was "Harold and the Purple Crayon" which is one of my favorites. It's from the 1950s so imagine my surprise when neither Clint or his mom had heard of it. We got it yesterday and I've already read it to her four or five times, it's a good thing it's a fun book. :)
I don't have much to share this week. Things are still pretty much the same. We have our routine which we stick fairly close to for Gweny. Clint does grad school mostly at night but occassionally needs to do it while Gweny's awake. We are looking forward to a trip out to see family this summer for my brother's wedding and hope to do lots of fun mini-trips in the surrounding area. We are experimenting with Gwen's hair and are putting cute braids in it today for church. Life is pretty good and Gweny keeps us busy.
Showing posts with label Gweny. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gweny. Show all posts
Monday, March 28, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
An obsession passed down
Do you think certain obsessions can be passed down from generation to generation? I think they can be. I found out recently that my mom's mom's dad was an avid collector of antique books and that he had an literal obsession with Abraham Lincoln. I know that my mom loves to read and is a fantastic writer. I also love books and have way too many for my own good as well as my own little obsession with Elizabeth Tudor. Today while working on a project Gweny told me she loves letters and she wrote "Q", "T", and "O" over and over on one of them. It did my heart good to hear that. She also loves the library, which we visit once every week or two depending on how fast I read. She selects one book each time and we read that together. Sometimes she will pick something that's semi age appropriate but several weeks ago she chose a book "written by" Geronimo Stilton, a newspaper mouse. It was a Christmas book and we read it, then I went to the library and chose another one for her by the same author about sunken treasure. She LOVES them. We went yesterday and she chose a counting book about Cinderella. It just makes me happy to see that she and I share this same interest. Right now she is looking at a dragon book but lately she has been obsessed with her "Body Book", specifically the page on digestion. She has learned all about her bones, nervous system, digestive system, teeth, brain, blood vessels, etc. She's such a smart girl and hopefully, with the help of books and the library I'll be able to keep her occupied and learning. :)
Sunday, March 13, 2011
An Epiphany...but honestly...I think it was a "Duh Moment"
I substitute teach. For kids. Yep...me...weird. This week I substituted three days: 5th grade once and 1st grade twice. I could go on and on about that but that's not the point, we all have jobs and things we do but what do we do with that information? Do you ever take the insights gained home and put them into practice? I have. I realized while being with and teaching other people's kids that my most important role was at home teaching my own daughter. I realized that she and I spend quantity time together and not quality time. She's a smart girl and she needs to be challenged regularly...so I decided to do just that. I went online and started looking up activities and things she and I could do that will challenge her and help her learn.
She expressed an interest the other day about the human body so that day she and I sat down and we looked at two books that are about the human body. Initially she wanted to learn about bones, so we talked about that then we just went through the various body systems including the circulatory, digestive, musculature, and nervous system. We talked about our senses and why they work. Since Clint works with the Deaf and my sister, Anna, works with the blind I talked to her about that. We practiced not being able to hear or see. I talked about what Daddy and Aunt B (Anna) do in their jobs. Later we talked about what happens to food in our bodies and she thought that it was hilarious about where the poop comes out. I didn't teach her "rectum" although I was tempted. :)
I printed off a worksheet with various shapes and she colored it then I cut them out and she pasted them to a sheet and we then labeled them. We worked on her tracing skills and cutting skills. This morning we made crowns and decorated them with shapes. She listened and sang to Veggie Tales (on my iPod) and danced around. Each time we completed a project she was so excited and wanted to show Grandma and Daddy.
In anticipation of this week (Spring Break) I've been thinking about when we'll be home and what we can do. So far only Thursday is planned. It's St. Patrick's Day and my brother's birthday. I'm sure we'll make him a card and mail it this week but I've been planning all kinds of fun stuff for the two of us to do. We're going to have green food (green bread, green eggs, green milk, green pudding, etc), we are going to make a shamrock tree using an outline of her arm for the trunk, I have a puzzle to finish making for her (a leprechaun), and a coloring sheet.
I've also thought about incorporating history into her learning. Mostly they will be coloring sheets of famous people (African American's, Deaf, Women, Inventors, Presidents, etc) while I give her a brief description of what they do. I will save each of these in a "Gwen's History Binder" and add their stories etc so we can look at them later. I am also in the process of making U.S. President Flash Cards...I already created Prophets of the LDS church cards which we look at during Sacrament meeting and whenever else she wants. I'm still trying to determine the schedule but I know that the days she doesn't have preschool (so three days a week) I'll work on these things with her. This will give her a set schedule and the two of us will have quality time. I've had so much fun with her and am excited to start working on this in earnest. Below are two coloring page websites I've found that I like. I hope you like them too! As I find more great websites I'll be sure to share them. :)
http://web.knoxnews.com/web/blackhistory/color/
http://www.educationalsynthesis.org/famamer/
She expressed an interest the other day about the human body so that day she and I sat down and we looked at two books that are about the human body. Initially she wanted to learn about bones, so we talked about that then we just went through the various body systems including the circulatory, digestive, musculature, and nervous system. We talked about our senses and why they work. Since Clint works with the Deaf and my sister, Anna, works with the blind I talked to her about that. We practiced not being able to hear or see. I talked about what Daddy and Aunt B (Anna) do in their jobs. Later we talked about what happens to food in our bodies and she thought that it was hilarious about where the poop comes out. I didn't teach her "rectum" although I was tempted. :)
I printed off a worksheet with various shapes and she colored it then I cut them out and she pasted them to a sheet and we then labeled them. We worked on her tracing skills and cutting skills. This morning we made crowns and decorated them with shapes. She listened and sang to Veggie Tales (on my iPod) and danced around. Each time we completed a project she was so excited and wanted to show Grandma and Daddy.
In anticipation of this week (Spring Break) I've been thinking about when we'll be home and what we can do. So far only Thursday is planned. It's St. Patrick's Day and my brother's birthday. I'm sure we'll make him a card and mail it this week but I've been planning all kinds of fun stuff for the two of us to do. We're going to have green food (green bread, green eggs, green milk, green pudding, etc), we are going to make a shamrock tree using an outline of her arm for the trunk, I have a puzzle to finish making for her (a leprechaun), and a coloring sheet.
I've also thought about incorporating history into her learning. Mostly they will be coloring sheets of famous people (African American's, Deaf, Women, Inventors, Presidents, etc) while I give her a brief description of what they do. I will save each of these in a "Gwen's History Binder" and add their stories etc so we can look at them later. I am also in the process of making U.S. President Flash Cards...I already created Prophets of the LDS church cards which we look at during Sacrament meeting and whenever else she wants. I'm still trying to determine the schedule but I know that the days she doesn't have preschool (so three days a week) I'll work on these things with her. This will give her a set schedule and the two of us will have quality time. I've had so much fun with her and am excited to start working on this in earnest. Below are two coloring page websites I've found that I like. I hope you like them too! As I find more great websites I'll be sure to share them. :)
http://web.knoxnews.com/web/blackhistory/color/
http://www.educationalsynthesis.org/famamer/
Monday, May 3, 2010
Surgeons and Doctors and Nurses...Oh My!
It's been a bit longer than what I was hoping for but I have good reasons! I promise! Over the last few weeks I have been (seemingly) inundated with doctors. The first I told you about: the vet. The next one was for me, about a week and a half ago I came down with SEVERE allergies. They were so intense and so fast that I didn't plan well enough and ended up with double ear infections and a ruptured ear drum. If you have never had an ear infection let me just say it feels like someone is stabbing you in the ear with a long thin sharp object "OUCH!". If you have never had a ruptured ear drum this is how I described it to Clint "It sounded and felt like someone set off a bomb in my ear." It was loud and extremely painful. Currently I'm 10 days from the initial infection and am finishing up my antibiotics but still can't really hear out of my right ear. I ended up at Urgent Care on Saturday around noon when the pain hadn't subsided, I didn't know (for sure) that I'd ruptured an eardrum but when you are draining blood out of your ear it's a pretty good indication. Anyway, he gave me the antibiotics and it took six days for the draining to stop, the blood stopped after about three days.
Then on Monday I went to the surgeon's appointment with Clint's mom, Kathleen, about her gastric bypass surgery that was to take place on Wednesday. All of her tests were okay except her EKG which he didn't like so he has postponed her surgery. She goes to a cardiologist tomorrow (Tuesday) so we will see what happens. That appointment was from 8:00am - 1:00pm...really, really long!
On the following Wednesday Gweny looked at me and whether it was on purpose or accident she swallowed a coin she'd put in her mouth and showed me. Needless to say we went to her pediatrician. It made it past her esophagus and into her stomach and they told me to watch for it in her poo. Gross. I haven't seen it yet but she's had a bit of diarrhea so I wasn't going to go looking for buried treasure in that mess.
So there it is. Surgeons, vets, pediatricians, nurses, waiting rooms, blah! I'm excited to go through a non-doctor stretch for a while, my next follow-up is on May 16, 2010, so we will see how I'm progressing. Hopefully that's the last one for awhile, unless Kathleen gets to have surgery soon. :)
Then on Monday I went to the surgeon's appointment with Clint's mom, Kathleen, about her gastric bypass surgery that was to take place on Wednesday. All of her tests were okay except her EKG which he didn't like so he has postponed her surgery. She goes to a cardiologist tomorrow (Tuesday) so we will see what happens. That appointment was from 8:00am - 1:00pm...really, really long!
On the following Wednesday Gweny looked at me and whether it was on purpose or accident she swallowed a coin she'd put in her mouth and showed me. Needless to say we went to her pediatrician. It made it past her esophagus and into her stomach and they told me to watch for it in her poo. Gross. I haven't seen it yet but she's had a bit of diarrhea so I wasn't going to go looking for buried treasure in that mess.
So there it is. Surgeons, vets, pediatricians, nurses, waiting rooms, blah! I'm excited to go through a non-doctor stretch for a while, my next follow-up is on May 16, 2010, so we will see how I'm progressing. Hopefully that's the last one for awhile, unless Kathleen gets to have surgery soon. :)
Thursday, April 15, 2010
And the Prodigal Daughter Returns...
Yep, I'm back! A lot has happened and I've decided to renew my efforts at a blog. I've updated the title because the last one didn't really fit. I've decided to celebrate all of the little things that happen in life...and some of the big ones too. Some people don't believe in random happenings and some do. Some call it fate others providence...I think it's just circumstances that happen in our lives. Sometimes it's based on our choices (good and bad) and other times it's Heavenly Father answering our prayers.
A month ago I underwent a huge life change. I had gastric bypass on March 19, 2010 and am almost one month out. My reasons for making this rather drastic change are so multi-faceted but ultimately it was a selfish decision. I could see my life and health spiraling downward and felt that the best solution was to make a HUGE change...so I did. I want to be here a LONG time, to watch Gweny grow up, to have grand kids and to sit on a porch in a rocking chair with my amazing husband. It took awhile to get the insurance stuff together and the support of some pretty amazing people (without whom I wouldn't have been able to have the surgery) but I did it and I have NO regrets. As of today I've lost 34lbs and am feeling great. I ran after Gweny today and wasn't as winded as I normally would have been. It's difficult getting used to little food but I'm feeling better so I'm happy to make that change. I'm looking forward to being more active and I know that Clint will support it.
I attempted to get into Grad school but it didn't happen. It was probably for the best though so that I can concentrate on myself and my current plans. I have officially given up on hearing back from the author of the book I wrote an adaptation (screenplay) for. He has had it since late Sept/ early Oct and I've never heard anything. One thing I did find out was that they are making a movie of the book and he has gone through someone elese...I imaging that this is my feedback from him. I decided that instead of wasting valuable energy on something that didn't work out I would work on my novel. It's going well, I've written almost fifty pages so far and am LOVING where the story is going. Right now it is in the development stage and eventually I'll go back through and add more details etc. I also recently signed up to be a demonstrator with Stampin' Up! and I'm super excited. It is just a fun way to let out another part of my creativity and I am looking forward to really getting that going. Finally, I am still teaching. I am teaching one class this summer and two in the Fall. It is a joy to go and teach and watch the light bulbs go off above their heads. The Spring semester is almost done which means the crunch is here. I also have an editing job I'm finishing up and will probably send it out tomorrow.
Clint is an amazing husband who works three jobs so that I don't have to go full-time. He seems to enjoy them but I know he would like to be home more. Perhaps one of the endeavors I've undertaken will eventually allow that. He is gearing up for the racing season but it's been a bit slow with the sicknesses and surgeries that have been happening. In December he had his shoulder worked on and so far it has healed wonderfully. Hopefully this means that he will be able to do a triathlon and not be worried about the swimming aspect.
Gweny continues to grow and is 27.8lbs (as of two days ago). She has NO fear which keeps me on my toes and is the smartest little 2.5 year-old I've ever met. She speaks in complete sentences, is very courteous (most of the time), dances, sings, does somersaults, draws, and enjoys giving hugs and kisses. She and Daisy are still best friends and are wonderful together. She is content to stay in diapers and hasn't been interested in her big girl panties for several months. Hopefully she will gain an interest soon.
So there it is. My life in a nutshell. I can't complain, life really is great. I feel like I'm finally coming into my own as a mom, wife, and woman. It's about freakin' time!
A month ago I underwent a huge life change. I had gastric bypass on March 19, 2010 and am almost one month out. My reasons for making this rather drastic change are so multi-faceted but ultimately it was a selfish decision. I could see my life and health spiraling downward and felt that the best solution was to make a HUGE change...so I did. I want to be here a LONG time, to watch Gweny grow up, to have grand kids and to sit on a porch in a rocking chair with my amazing husband. It took awhile to get the insurance stuff together and the support of some pretty amazing people (without whom I wouldn't have been able to have the surgery) but I did it and I have NO regrets. As of today I've lost 34lbs and am feeling great. I ran after Gweny today and wasn't as winded as I normally would have been. It's difficult getting used to little food but I'm feeling better so I'm happy to make that change. I'm looking forward to being more active and I know that Clint will support it.
I attempted to get into Grad school but it didn't happen. It was probably for the best though so that I can concentrate on myself and my current plans. I have officially given up on hearing back from the author of the book I wrote an adaptation (screenplay) for. He has had it since late Sept/ early Oct and I've never heard anything. One thing I did find out was that they are making a movie of the book and he has gone through someone elese...I imaging that this is my feedback from him. I decided that instead of wasting valuable energy on something that didn't work out I would work on my novel. It's going well, I've written almost fifty pages so far and am LOVING where the story is going. Right now it is in the development stage and eventually I'll go back through and add more details etc. I also recently signed up to be a demonstrator with Stampin' Up! and I'm super excited. It is just a fun way to let out another part of my creativity and I am looking forward to really getting that going. Finally, I am still teaching. I am teaching one class this summer and two in the Fall. It is a joy to go and teach and watch the light bulbs go off above their heads. The Spring semester is almost done which means the crunch is here. I also have an editing job I'm finishing up and will probably send it out tomorrow.
Clint is an amazing husband who works three jobs so that I don't have to go full-time. He seems to enjoy them but I know he would like to be home more. Perhaps one of the endeavors I've undertaken will eventually allow that. He is gearing up for the racing season but it's been a bit slow with the sicknesses and surgeries that have been happening. In December he had his shoulder worked on and so far it has healed wonderfully. Hopefully this means that he will be able to do a triathlon and not be worried about the swimming aspect.
Gweny continues to grow and is 27.8lbs (as of two days ago). She has NO fear which keeps me on my toes and is the smartest little 2.5 year-old I've ever met. She speaks in complete sentences, is very courteous (most of the time), dances, sings, does somersaults, draws, and enjoys giving hugs and kisses. She and Daisy are still best friends and are wonderful together. She is content to stay in diapers and hasn't been interested in her big girl panties for several months. Hopefully she will gain an interest soon.
So there it is. My life in a nutshell. I can't complain, life really is great. I feel like I'm finally coming into my own as a mom, wife, and woman. It's about freakin' time!
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