So I am not much of a blogger, as it's taken me more than three months to post again! Alas I woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep so here I am... Life marches on. The rainy season is here, and the children are stir crazy. We have had a reprieve from the rain for a couple of days, so I've taken the children outside some. I also had some raspberry plants come in the mail that I needed to get in the ground, so that forced me out of the house. There is much to do outside. The original owner of this house was apparently a master gardner, and there are countless living things outside. The most recent owner tried, but certainly didn't keep up with it all. I have started pruning things (like I really know how to prune) that look like they need it, and am working on getting the mindset for having a real garden this year. I am going to try the "square foot" method again - sans buckets, and have started a compost bin (in a big trash can - we'll see), and have picked up more vermiculite - which can be hard to come by.
I found a dance class that is held in Cannon Beach (down the coast a bit from us, and beautiful!) to put Hunter in. It is actually a ballet class, which makes Dean nervous, but Hunter seems to be a natural and the teacher thinks he is great. There are only two other students in the class, so he gets plenty of attention. In pondering what sort of activities to put him in, dance is appealing because it is active and indoors, not to mention that I am determined that my sons will be able to dance, unlike their father who refuses to learn. We probably should get him in little league or something along those lines someday, but dragging chairs around to sit in the rain is less than appealing to me. He wears a white t-shirt, black pants, and black ballet slippers.
Hunter is doing great in Kindergarten; his teacher says he is a role model for the other kids. I only wish he would be so good for me at home. We are so grateful that he was able to start kindergarten here, since his birthday is Sept 9. Hopefully the same will apply when it's time for Kyler to go.
Kyler continues to be an adorable terror. He is irresistably cute and charming when all is going his way, but he becomes an gnashing, thrashing beast when he gets the devil in him. He and Hunter have taken to destroying their room of late. At night when they are supposed to be sleeping, they love to throw the mattress off Hunter's bed, empty their dresser, yank down whatever they can reach in their closet, empty the bookcase, knock down anything up on their shelves, dump out their trashcan, etc. etc. And you thought your kids were difficult! Needless to say I've been losing my mind of late!
We do love that Kyler is totally potty trained. Unfortunately he often runs out the front door (he simply removes child locks) to pee on the lawn. Don't ask me where he got that. He has been trained since December. It can be done! I had wanted to do it before he was two in September, but didn't discover the book Toilet Training in Less than a Day until after that. I ran across it at a used book store and picked it up for a buck. It really works. I think it is the same method that Dr. Phil uses. It has to be followed precisely, but it is well worth it. He does need to wear a pull up at night still, which is A-ok. We were all driving to Longview the other day, which is an hour away. Kyler said a couple of times that he needed to use the potty. We were looking for a suitable place for him to do number two on the side of the road, when low and behold there was a porta potty. I try to avoid them at all costs, but that's not always possible with children. Surprisingly it didn't stink and was well stocked with tp and hand sanitizer, and Kyler made plenty of deposits. And yes, he does loudly demand to "go poop!" in Sacrament Meeting every week, although it's more to get out and try to run around than anything.
We all had a lovely Valentine's Day. Dean gave me two beautiful potted orchids. I only hope my black thumb doesn't rear its ugly head! They are both blooming right now. I've been slowly replacing the house plants that I had to give up when we moved, and surprisingly haven't killed anything yet. The orchids were a thoughtful gift from Dean. The children got some cards and money from Grandma Dee. Kyler picked out a helium mylar balloon at the store (which lasted until we got home) and Hunter got more Spiderman socks, and some Superman socks. He had been trying his best to wear every day the one pair of Spiderman socks he got for Christmas. Thanks Grandma! I gave Dean a couple of edited movies.
So I ran across another book that I've been reading called Feeling Fat, Fuzzy, or Frazzled? My hormones have always been quite out of whack, and this book sure explains a lot of it. It is by an MD and his nurse/PhD wife. I highly recommend it to anyone who has any symptoms of thyroid, adrenal or reproductive havoc. It's a bargain book on amazon.com right now. I have an appointment with an endocrinologist in about ten days (which I've had for a few months - that's how long it takes to get in), but have been agonizing over whether to cancel it or try a naturopathic doctor (ND or NMD). The more I learn and research about naturopathy the more I am inclined to think it could help me more than the medical establishment ever has.
I'll post some pictures when I think of it and Dean shows me how (it takes me a few times to learn this technology business).
