If you live local to this article http://www.palmcoastobserver.com/news/palm-coast/Neighborhood/081520125003/The-100-dresses-project , or you want to send a dress by snail mail (Postal Service), I'm sure they would be overjoyed to accept your donation. What a great service project!!!
Showing posts with label service. Show all posts
Showing posts with label service. Show all posts
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Monday, July 23, 2012
Thankful Thursday: Week of July 12 - 18. 2012
On Monday because I forgot on Thursday. BLAH! my brain = mush ;)
I'm thankful for the opportunity to help others.
I'm also thankful for the illness we've encountered in our family. I have been striving to learn how to give thanks in all things, I've never been truly able to be grateful for illness. But I do feel grateful this time. Not because I'm glad my kiddos are sick, really, but because this illness highlights the long-ish run of health we enjoyed. What a gift to realize how good we had it and will yet have it again! ^_^
I'm thankful for the opportunity to help others.
I'm also thankful for the illness we've encountered in our family. I have been striving to learn how to give thanks in all things, I've never been truly able to be grateful for illness. But I do feel grateful this time. Not because I'm glad my kiddos are sick, really, but because this illness highlights the long-ish run of health we enjoyed. What a gift to realize how good we had it and will yet have it again! ^_^
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Lift Up the Hands that Hang Down
My hands have been feeling quite low to the ground for a few reasons. On of them is that my girls have continued to be sick. :( Kat started with a fever again at around 12:30am today (Thursday morning). Ria is almost better (YEAY!!), but still has a slight cough. Tea is quite a bit better (I think), but still coughs here and there. On top of that Jess is working lots. Monday it was 15 hours. Today it'll end up around 14 or so. It's been rough to bear the burden of our kids needs without him able to come home at a call.
Ria is significantly improved enough that I felt she should be able to go to Dance today, but I did NOT feel good about taking Kat into a crowd with a fever and all. So, I racked my brain for someone I could ask to help me. (Note: I do not enjoy asking for help. I actually dislike it quite passionately as I'm a pretty darn independent girl. I'm sure my family will nod their heads in agreement.)
Finally I realized I should call my Visiting Teachers. So, I did. I didn't get to speak to either, though. Lesley called back soonest and, even though I didn't feel all weepy or ANYthing when I picked up the phone, as soon as I tried to just lay it out and ask for help I started to have an uncontrollable voice. No tears, but I was certainly crying in my voice! Tears would have been easier cause at least she wouldn't have been able to SEE them! *sigh* I couldn't even get anything comprehensible out of my mouth and she was asking if she could come over and help me! What a sweet and wonderful Sister! I eventually communicated that I was really asking if she could take Ria to Dance and she said she would totally be happy to and we were talking about the time of the class and when she'd need to be by. I guess there was something in the way I was talking with her because she asked if she could come over after she made another phone call. I felt SUCH a wave of relief flow over and through me as I told her I would love it if she did. And she did!
I planned to ask her to hold Tea so I could take care of a mess I found in my room yesterday. But do you know what she did? She totally took care of the WHOLE thing!!! She worked and we talked. I helped a little, but ended up holding my fussy, hungry, tired baby almost the whole time! As we talked and spent time together, I felt more and more of the burden I'd been feeling these last many days lift from me. Seriously, I've never felt anything quite like it before. It took her a little more than an hour, but she cleaned that mess up. And, I should add, she did it better than I would have thought to do! What a blessing! In her service to me, which she poohpoohed many times, Lesley lifted my hands up mightily!! I felt that I should share an experience with her and since I'm not sure if I've written it out before I'm going to do that here, too. It's lovely, so even if I have, I think it's worth repeating - especially for myself.
So, when I still lived in VA, my Mom and went to the temple, just the two of us, 1 time. It was a wonderful trip! We talked SO much and it was just WONDERFUL (at least it was for me). One of our main topics of conversation was Angels. I shared with my Mom that I thought it would be really wonderful if I could actually SEE angels in general... and that I'd heard that it was even more possible to see them in the temple. In my heart I was wishing really hard to see an angel that day.
Well, in the DC temple you can climb stairs or take an elevator. Usually (the few times I went there) we would climb the stairs. The stairwells are lovely with stained glass and it feels just as wonderful there as in the rest of the temple. This time my Mom was walking toward the stairs and I felt almost as if I couldn't move away from the elevator. My Mom asked if I wanted to take the elevator and I said I thought I did. So, we were waiting for the doors to slide open and I'm standing there wishing and hoping so hard that I'll get to see and Angel sometime while we're in the temple. Then the doors open. Before me I see a small crowd of temple workers. All dressed in pure white. Almost all with white hair. And the voice of the Holy Ghost whispered to my mind, "These are your angels." And I realized that I didn't NEED to see an angel that day or any day - ever - not the kind I'd been wishing to see, anyway. I realized that I just needed to open my eyes to the angels around me every day!
So, I try.
After I shared that story with Lesley, I told her that she was definitely an angel in my life and especially right then and there. She denied it saying that she wasn't good enough for that. And I explained that Earth Angels aren't perfect, but they are no less angelic in their ministrations. She may have blushed, but she accepted the compliment after that.
I've felt so much better since that time with her today! I've known for a while now that there are hormones/chemicals released in the body of those who serve, those who receive service, and those who observe service in action... but it's not been terribly often than I'm on the receiving end of this kind of service... desperately needed and personally requested!!
Anyway, I just wanted to share my angel experience. ^_^ I hope that if you have hands that are droopy, you might feel able to request some lifting. It's totally worth the discomfort (if you're like me and feel that you should be able to manage on your own).
Ria is significantly improved enough that I felt she should be able to go to Dance today, but I did NOT feel good about taking Kat into a crowd with a fever and all. So, I racked my brain for someone I could ask to help me. (Note: I do not enjoy asking for help. I actually dislike it quite passionately as I'm a pretty darn independent girl. I'm sure my family will nod their heads in agreement.)
Finally I realized I should call my Visiting Teachers. So, I did. I didn't get to speak to either, though. Lesley called back soonest and, even though I didn't feel all weepy or ANYthing when I picked up the phone, as soon as I tried to just lay it out and ask for help I started to have an uncontrollable voice. No tears, but I was certainly crying in my voice! Tears would have been easier cause at least she wouldn't have been able to SEE them! *sigh* I couldn't even get anything comprehensible out of my mouth and she was asking if she could come over and help me! What a sweet and wonderful Sister! I eventually communicated that I was really asking if she could take Ria to Dance and she said she would totally be happy to and we were talking about the time of the class and when she'd need to be by. I guess there was something in the way I was talking with her because she asked if she could come over after she made another phone call. I felt SUCH a wave of relief flow over and through me as I told her I would love it if she did. And she did!
I planned to ask her to hold Tea so I could take care of a mess I found in my room yesterday. But do you know what she did? She totally took care of the WHOLE thing!!! She worked and we talked. I helped a little, but ended up holding my fussy, hungry, tired baby almost the whole time! As we talked and spent time together, I felt more and more of the burden I'd been feeling these last many days lift from me. Seriously, I've never felt anything quite like it before. It took her a little more than an hour, but she cleaned that mess up. And, I should add, she did it better than I would have thought to do! What a blessing! In her service to me, which she poohpoohed many times, Lesley lifted my hands up mightily!! I felt that I should share an experience with her and since I'm not sure if I've written it out before I'm going to do that here, too. It's lovely, so even if I have, I think it's worth repeating - especially for myself.
So, when I still lived in VA, my Mom and went to the temple, just the two of us, 1 time. It was a wonderful trip! We talked SO much and it was just WONDERFUL (at least it was for me). One of our main topics of conversation was Angels. I shared with my Mom that I thought it would be really wonderful if I could actually SEE angels in general... and that I'd heard that it was even more possible to see them in the temple. In my heart I was wishing really hard to see an angel that day.
Well, in the DC temple you can climb stairs or take an elevator. Usually (the few times I went there) we would climb the stairs. The stairwells are lovely with stained glass and it feels just as wonderful there as in the rest of the temple. This time my Mom was walking toward the stairs and I felt almost as if I couldn't move away from the elevator. My Mom asked if I wanted to take the elevator and I said I thought I did. So, we were waiting for the doors to slide open and I'm standing there wishing and hoping so hard that I'll get to see and Angel sometime while we're in the temple. Then the doors open. Before me I see a small crowd of temple workers. All dressed in pure white. Almost all with white hair. And the voice of the Holy Ghost whispered to my mind, "These are your angels." And I realized that I didn't NEED to see an angel that day or any day - ever - not the kind I'd been wishing to see, anyway. I realized that I just needed to open my eyes to the angels around me every day!
So, I try.
After I shared that story with Lesley, I told her that she was definitely an angel in my life and especially right then and there. She denied it saying that she wasn't good enough for that. And I explained that Earth Angels aren't perfect, but they are no less angelic in their ministrations. She may have blushed, but she accepted the compliment after that.
I've felt so much better since that time with her today! I've known for a while now that there are hormones/chemicals released in the body of those who serve, those who receive service, and those who observe service in action... but it's not been terribly often than I'm on the receiving end of this kind of service... desperately needed and personally requested!!
Anyway, I just wanted to share my angel experience. ^_^ I hope that if you have hands that are droopy, you might feel able to request some lifting. It's totally worth the discomfort (if you're like me and feel that you should be able to manage on your own).
Monday, March 30, 2009
SE Regional Day of Service
April 25th, 2009. I've seen it on the Stake calendar for a while, but we just heard the word today.
There is the huge possibility that this sort of thing occurs regularly. However, I've not been a participant before. I'm REALLY excited about it, though, because I know how powerful good works on a grand scale can be. There are some studies that show that group meditation in a city for just a few hours can actually reduce the crime rate in that city. Can you imagine what good/improvements can occur when a whole REGION is working together to perform good works?!!! And please remember that when someone is served, someone sees service, someone hears about service performed, AND/or someone DOES service, the same chemical is released that creates good feelings. It's the bonding chemical of breastfeeding: oxytocin! Isn't that awesome? So there's gunna be LOTS of chemicals flowin' in brains on April 25th!! ^_^
Wish me luck in stepping WAY out of my comfort zone and asking AT LEAST ten families (in my neighborhood?) to participate with me. I definitely need it. :)
There is the huge possibility that this sort of thing occurs regularly. However, I've not been a participant before. I'm REALLY excited about it, though, because I know how powerful good works on a grand scale can be. There are some studies that show that group meditation in a city for just a few hours can actually reduce the crime rate in that city. Can you imagine what good/improvements can occur when a whole REGION is working together to perform good works?!!! And please remember that when someone is served, someone sees service, someone hears about service performed, AND/or someone DOES service, the same chemical is released that creates good feelings. It's the bonding chemical of breastfeeding: oxytocin! Isn't that awesome? So there's gunna be LOTS of chemicals flowin' in brains on April 25th!! ^_^
Wish me luck in stepping WAY out of my comfort zone and asking AT LEAST ten families (in my neighborhood?) to participate with me. I definitely need it. :)
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Fullness
Today was a full day and my body is full in more ways than one.
Bloating as Part of the Process
With my first two pregnancies, I started to fill with/retain water around 37 weeks... this time it held off for a week, but I'm definitely feeling it now. :-P Not comfy. At least the hips were better when I awakened this morning... yes, you read right! I actually woke up in the morning hours of the day. Well, I did that on Tuesday as well, actually. Rough week, this one! Sunday I was only able to sleep 2 hours before church, Tuesday was around 6, and this morning was 3.5! UGH!!! I keep hoping the baby won't decide s/he is ready right now because that would make for a difficult labor (starting tired and all). I can do it since I was super tired after laboring for TWO days with Kat, but I'd rather have a more peaceful time this go 'round. Ya know? I was finally able to get to sleep this morning around 5:30am (due to some kiddos night waking issues as of late).
Tire Troubles
Jess awakened me at 9am this morning because one of the tires has been leaking so badly that he had to fill it two times each day for the past two days. That's $0.75 at a "pop," of course. So, he informed me last night (after my totally physically painful evening) that we had to purchase two tires whether new or used, it had to be done. If you can imagine that on top of what I'd just been going through physically you'll probably guess that I broke a bit. You'd be right. But I was sobbing, just a few tears was all. I knew it (about the tires), but it was really depressing to hear out loud. He even went so far as to say that he felt we should use credit. We've been struggling horribly because we're doing our best NOT to add debt to the tremendous pile already on our backs!
I disagreed vehemently and since I'm in charge of the bills, we used our checking account... sort of floating the purchase of tires on other things not yet mailed out, but due sooner than I would like! :( I'm worried about it, but I REALLY believe that Heavenly Father does NOT want us to use credit. So, I'm trying not to actively worry about it and just have Faith that things will work out somehow. They always do... they always have. And I'm really trying to make sure we're doing all the things on our end that we can. *sigh*
Story Time
So, Jess awakened with the girls, figured out where to buy the tires, and then hit the road to do that by 9:15am or so. I was up, of course, to monitor the girls. He was able to get home in time to take the girls to Story Time, which is a huge BIG deal around here because it's one of the few outside activities that they get to count on attending and enjoying other people. And, if you only knew how TOTALLY social these little butterflies are, you would understand how really important Story Time and other such activities are for them both. Right when he got home from taking care of the tires he departed with the girls.
I put myself back to bed to rest. Unfortunately, even in my exhausted state, I didn't fall asleep. I was hoping I would be able to, but it didn't happen. Go figure. Me and my sleep issues, I should've known, really. I did doze lightly, but my mind was hopping the whole time. ahwell
The Mad Dash
The girls and Jess got home RIGHT before noon and we went right to work getting things ready to take Daddy to the drop0-off point so he could catch a ride to Orlando to do service work in the Cannery/Bishop's Storehouse there. He's been SO excited to be able to do that work! He specifically asked for the day off about a month in advance, and then when he was put on the schedule, he traded with someone so he could make sure to be there!
The priesthood requested 12 workers for this particular trip and was able to get that many volunteers a while ago, but this past Sunday a bunch of (at least 6!) people had pulled out at the last minute. Jess was REALLY troubled by that, but was SUPER glad that the Bishop and someone else had spoken to the Brothers about keeping commitments and such. Jess was really disappointed in those who'd signed up and then renigged, though I don't think he knew the names of all involved. It was/is really interesting to me to see how invested he is in "my" church. Honestly, he often refers to it as OUR church, but when it's convenient or he's aggravated with me about something he calls it "YOUR" church. Take of the "Y" and you have... heeheehee ;)
So, even though we left late to drop Jess off, we were able to make it to the drop point TWO minutes before we were due there! YEAY! I'm so grateful for small miracles!
Researching Jobs
Upon returning home I set to work to find jobs for Jess to apply. He's set some really great goals for his employment and I'm doing my best to support him in accomplishing them. Hopefully he'll be able to get out tomorrow after food pickup and put some applications in! We'll see.
I was actually able to find quite a few in the near area. That's pretty awesome to me. In addition, since I was looking in Craigslist, I also looked at property and, believe it or not!, found a house in Ormond-by-the-Sea for $92,000!!!! It's a small home, but from the front door you can see the beach entrance. That is a rediculous and amazing price. Another house in the near area was $115,000. So, it seems that we may not have to move to Orlando to find a home in our price range if things keep at this level and Jess is able to get the job he needs or replace his morning job. Amazing, right!?
Dance Class
Today was Dance class day! Even though I had the van, I took the walk. Who knows when it will be too rough for me to do it, so I'd rather keep plugging along as long and as much as I can! Frustratingly the walk (normally at most 15 minutes) now takes me just over 25 and feels likeI'm creeping along like a snail! :( But at least I'm going!
Ria did quite well in class today and I really only reminded her about her behavior once! I was a pleased Mama. Also, she was SUCH a sweetie... a little girl who arrived right before class started was sitting all alone apart from the other girls (Ria as part of the other girls). I suggested and asked Ria to go sit with her and she was happy to do it. As soon as Ria was over there by that little girl, at least 3 other girls joined her! So, the little girl was no longer all alone! The Grama of the little girl was very appreciative, which was nice, but I was more happy that the little girl wasn't all on her own anymore.
They are definitely learning new steps! It's so exciting to see. And, MAN, I love to see my little Ria lined up with the other ballerinas at the barr for exercises and stretching! It just brings such joy to my heart!!
Kat Dance
Kat has been "tapping" all over the house. There's a particular song from dance class that she LOVES and she'll tap her foot and demand that I sing it for her. Most of the time I love to and I, of course, encourage her desire to dance almost every time she does it. But every once in a while she'll make a poor choice or won't do something she's been asked to do because she's asking/demanding I sing for her dancing. I refuse to oblige her until she's done the right thing. Most of the time she does because she wants me to sing the song SO much! Funny, right?
My Walks
I do feel obligated to add and sort of confess that my "long" walks at this point are 35 minutes. And the distance is puny! No, seriously! It's 1 block west, 2 blocks north, then 1 tiny block north, 2 blocks east, what amounts to 2.5 blocks (in reality) south, and then 2 blocks west to my house. And THAT took me THIRTY-FIVE minutes on Tuesday! UGH. I was totally out of breath through points of it AND sweated a bit at the half-way point (which I knew because I had to stop at the public potty near that playground!). Can you believe it? The funny thing is that I often feel like I should just be able to GO and GO... but then I get out of breath and I realize that having a baby in this belly of mine really DOES put some breaks on me!
ChaCha
I'm still a Top Guide with ChaCha! YEAY!!! It's so much easier to work and build up my payday in TG status. Now, if only I could refuse to answer certain questions!
Typing Training
Oh... as part of my self training I've been working on my typing skills. :) I'm at between 67 and 71 words per minute and 100% accuracy right now. At least, that's how I do when I'm focused and not too tired. I'm pleased, but I would really like to get up to 100WPM! Good goal, right? That could help in numerous ways, too, not just ChaCha (especially since I write....). ^_^ I haven't added the site I'm using to my HS list yet, but it's quite cool. If you're interested in it before I get around to it, just let me know and I'll be HAPPY to share!
Toilet Training (done?)
Kat is doing amazingly well with using the potty! She's kept her special panties (some pull-ups my Primary Preside gave us that have little dinosaurs, which smear if the diaper is peed in, on them) dry each day she's worn them all week this week! Today, as a matter-of-fact, she actually pulled down her shorts and "special panties" to use her little potty ALL BY HERSELF! And then, if that's not cool enough, she actually pulled them back on rather than stripping (as is normal for her as of late). She subsequently stripped a little while later, but still! She hasn't had any accidents since we moved the little potty into the kitchen/dining room for her.
After the last couple times that Kit Kat had accidents, which were really Mama's fault since I couldn't get to the bathroom fast enough to let her in, we brought a little training potty in from the garage. She wouldn't use it when Jess first started her potty training, which is why it ended up there. Jess threatened to toss it a few times, but I couldn't let it go and I'm SO glad!! She's so pleased with herself. But she still uses the big potty for poops, which is awesome. I just hated cleaning poopers out of the the training potty with Ria!
Ria and Reading
So, Jess is picking 2nd and 3rd grade books as a standard for Ria's reading class now. I have to say that she IS, shockingly enough or not, pretty dang competent!! The problem I've encountered since I've been responsible for reading class a few times in the midst of it being primarily Jessie's job is that I can tell he dozes off while she's reading. HOW can I tell such a thing? Well, she's gotten even sloppier than she was when she knew I was attentively reading along with her. She injects inappropriate conjunctions and articles amidst her reading of actual text. Also, she's not as careful with her sounding out of long or unfamiliar words. She's SUPER good at figuring out how to read long and new words on her own, but it's apparent she gets away with sounding confident with Jess because she's not trying as hard when she comes to unfamiliar or infrequently use long words. She seems like she's reading, but she's really guessing. Very upsetting to Mama.
I don't mind if she guesses a bit as a silent reader, to some extent... when she's older. But I feel it's SUPER important right now that she read precisely. Not only for her own development, which is the main reason (right practive makes right performance), but because she's reading SO much to Kat! It's entirely possible, even probable, that Kat will learn how to read by reading with Ria... and I don't want her learning wrong habits and guessing strategies! *sigh* Well, it's a problem I'm glad to have (on one hand). I mean, how many Mamas have to worry about such a thing with their 4 year olds!??
Bloating as Part of the Process
With my first two pregnancies, I started to fill with/retain water around 37 weeks... this time it held off for a week, but I'm definitely feeling it now. :-P Not comfy. At least the hips were better when I awakened this morning... yes, you read right! I actually woke up in the morning hours of the day. Well, I did that on Tuesday as well, actually. Rough week, this one! Sunday I was only able to sleep 2 hours before church, Tuesday was around 6, and this morning was 3.5! UGH!!! I keep hoping the baby won't decide s/he is ready right now because that would make for a difficult labor (starting tired and all). I can do it since I was super tired after laboring for TWO days with Kat, but I'd rather have a more peaceful time this go 'round. Ya know? I was finally able to get to sleep this morning around 5:30am (due to some kiddos night waking issues as of late).
Tire Troubles
Jess awakened me at 9am this morning because one of the tires has been leaking so badly that he had to fill it two times each day for the past two days. That's $0.75 at a "pop," of course. So, he informed me last night (after my totally physically painful evening) that we had to purchase two tires whether new or used, it had to be done. If you can imagine that on top of what I'd just been going through physically you'll probably guess that I broke a bit. You'd be right. But I was sobbing, just a few tears was all. I knew it (about the tires), but it was really depressing to hear out loud. He even went so far as to say that he felt we should use credit. We've been struggling horribly because we're doing our best NOT to add debt to the tremendous pile already on our backs!
I disagreed vehemently and since I'm in charge of the bills, we used our checking account... sort of floating the purchase of tires on other things not yet mailed out, but due sooner than I would like! :( I'm worried about it, but I REALLY believe that Heavenly Father does NOT want us to use credit. So, I'm trying not to actively worry about it and just have Faith that things will work out somehow. They always do... they always have. And I'm really trying to make sure we're doing all the things on our end that we can. *sigh*
Story Time
So, Jess awakened with the girls, figured out where to buy the tires, and then hit the road to do that by 9:15am or so. I was up, of course, to monitor the girls. He was able to get home in time to take the girls to Story Time, which is a huge BIG deal around here because it's one of the few outside activities that they get to count on attending and enjoying other people. And, if you only knew how TOTALLY social these little butterflies are, you would understand how really important Story Time and other such activities are for them both. Right when he got home from taking care of the tires he departed with the girls.
I put myself back to bed to rest. Unfortunately, even in my exhausted state, I didn't fall asleep. I was hoping I would be able to, but it didn't happen. Go figure. Me and my sleep issues, I should've known, really. I did doze lightly, but my mind was hopping the whole time. ahwell
The Mad Dash
The girls and Jess got home RIGHT before noon and we went right to work getting things ready to take Daddy to the drop0-off point so he could catch a ride to Orlando to do service work in the Cannery/Bishop's Storehouse there. He's been SO excited to be able to do that work! He specifically asked for the day off about a month in advance, and then when he was put on the schedule, he traded with someone so he could make sure to be there!
The priesthood requested 12 workers for this particular trip and was able to get that many volunteers a while ago, but this past Sunday a bunch of (at least 6!) people had pulled out at the last minute. Jess was REALLY troubled by that, but was SUPER glad that the Bishop and someone else had spoken to the Brothers about keeping commitments and such. Jess was really disappointed in those who'd signed up and then renigged, though I don't think he knew the names of all involved. It was/is really interesting to me to see how invested he is in "my" church. Honestly, he often refers to it as OUR church, but when it's convenient or he's aggravated with me about something he calls it "YOUR" church. Take of the "Y" and you have... heeheehee ;)
So, even though we left late to drop Jess off, we were able to make it to the drop point TWO minutes before we were due there! YEAY! I'm so grateful for small miracles!
Researching Jobs
Upon returning home I set to work to find jobs for Jess to apply. He's set some really great goals for his employment and I'm doing my best to support him in accomplishing them. Hopefully he'll be able to get out tomorrow after food pickup and put some applications in! We'll see.
I was actually able to find quite a few in the near area. That's pretty awesome to me. In addition, since I was looking in Craigslist, I also looked at property and, believe it or not!, found a house in Ormond-by-the-Sea for $92,000!!!! It's a small home, but from the front door you can see the beach entrance. That is a rediculous and amazing price. Another house in the near area was $115,000. So, it seems that we may not have to move to Orlando to find a home in our price range if things keep at this level and Jess is able to get the job he needs or replace his morning job. Amazing, right!?
Dance Class
Today was Dance class day! Even though I had the van, I took the walk. Who knows when it will be too rough for me to do it, so I'd rather keep plugging along as long and as much as I can! Frustratingly the walk (normally at most 15 minutes) now takes me just over 25 and feels likeI'm creeping along like a snail! :( But at least I'm going!
Ria did quite well in class today and I really only reminded her about her behavior once! I was a pleased Mama. Also, she was SUCH a sweetie... a little girl who arrived right before class started was sitting all alone apart from the other girls (Ria as part of the other girls). I suggested and asked Ria to go sit with her and she was happy to do it. As soon as Ria was over there by that little girl, at least 3 other girls joined her! So, the little girl was no longer all alone! The Grama of the little girl was very appreciative, which was nice, but I was more happy that the little girl wasn't all on her own anymore.
They are definitely learning new steps! It's so exciting to see. And, MAN, I love to see my little Ria lined up with the other ballerinas at the barr for exercises and stretching! It just brings such joy to my heart!!
Kat Dance
Kat has been "tapping" all over the house. There's a particular song from dance class that she LOVES and she'll tap her foot and demand that I sing it for her. Most of the time I love to and I, of course, encourage her desire to dance almost every time she does it. But every once in a while she'll make a poor choice or won't do something she's been asked to do because she's asking/demanding I sing for her dancing. I refuse to oblige her until she's done the right thing. Most of the time she does because she wants me to sing the song SO much! Funny, right?
My Walks
I do feel obligated to add and sort of confess that my "long" walks at this point are 35 minutes. And the distance is puny! No, seriously! It's 1 block west, 2 blocks north, then 1 tiny block north, 2 blocks east, what amounts to 2.5 blocks (in reality) south, and then 2 blocks west to my house. And THAT took me THIRTY-FIVE minutes on Tuesday! UGH. I was totally out of breath through points of it AND sweated a bit at the half-way point (which I knew because I had to stop at the public potty near that playground!). Can you believe it? The funny thing is that I often feel like I should just be able to GO and GO... but then I get out of breath and I realize that having a baby in this belly of mine really DOES put some breaks on me!
ChaCha
I'm still a Top Guide with ChaCha! YEAY!!! It's so much easier to work and build up my payday in TG status. Now, if only I could refuse to answer certain questions!
Typing Training
Oh... as part of my self training I've been working on my typing skills. :) I'm at between 67 and 71 words per minute and 100% accuracy right now. At least, that's how I do when I'm focused and not too tired. I'm pleased, but I would really like to get up to 100WPM! Good goal, right? That could help in numerous ways, too, not just ChaCha (especially since I write....). ^_^ I haven't added the site I'm using to my HS list yet, but it's quite cool. If you're interested in it before I get around to it, just let me know and I'll be HAPPY to share!
Toilet Training (done?)
Kat is doing amazingly well with using the potty! She's kept her special panties (some pull-ups my Primary Preside gave us that have little dinosaurs, which smear if the diaper is peed in, on them) dry each day she's worn them all week this week! Today, as a matter-of-fact, she actually pulled down her shorts and "special panties" to use her little potty ALL BY HERSELF! And then, if that's not cool enough, she actually pulled them back on rather than stripping (as is normal for her as of late). She subsequently stripped a little while later, but still! She hasn't had any accidents since we moved the little potty into the kitchen/dining room for her.
After the last couple times that Kit Kat had accidents, which were really Mama's fault since I couldn't get to the bathroom fast enough to let her in, we brought a little training potty in from the garage. She wouldn't use it when Jess first started her potty training, which is why it ended up there. Jess threatened to toss it a few times, but I couldn't let it go and I'm SO glad!! She's so pleased with herself. But she still uses the big potty for poops, which is awesome. I just hated cleaning poopers out of the the training potty with Ria!
Ria and Reading
So, Jess is picking 2nd and 3rd grade books as a standard for Ria's reading class now. I have to say that she IS, shockingly enough or not, pretty dang competent!! The problem I've encountered since I've been responsible for reading class a few times in the midst of it being primarily Jessie's job is that I can tell he dozes off while she's reading. HOW can I tell such a thing? Well, she's gotten even sloppier than she was when she knew I was attentively reading along with her. She injects inappropriate conjunctions and articles amidst her reading of actual text. Also, she's not as careful with her sounding out of long or unfamiliar words. She's SUPER good at figuring out how to read long and new words on her own, but it's apparent she gets away with sounding confident with Jess because she's not trying as hard when she comes to unfamiliar or infrequently use long words. She seems like she's reading, but she's really guessing. Very upsetting to Mama.
I don't mind if she guesses a bit as a silent reader, to some extent... when she's older. But I feel it's SUPER important right now that she read precisely. Not only for her own development, which is the main reason (right practive makes right performance), but because she's reading SO much to Kat! It's entirely possible, even probable, that Kat will learn how to read by reading with Ria... and I don't want her learning wrong habits and guessing strategies! *sigh* Well, it's a problem I'm glad to have (on one hand). I mean, how many Mamas have to worry about such a thing with their 4 year olds!??
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