TAKS

I think most tests measure exactly what they ask and no more... the TAKS is no different. It can only tell if you know the answers to the specific questions you are being asked, not how "smart" you are.

Since my kids are good readers, I did not have to deal with the drama many others faced. But let me share this story about the Katy (reading since she was 4.5 years old).

Last week they took "practice" tests. Katy scored an 80 (the highest in her class). Apparently, they gave them the hardest samples and told the kids the ones on the test would be easier. I'm not sure that gave the students the boost in confidence that they needed. Katy was worried about the test last night. Apparently, it was stated that if you didn't pass it, then you would have to be in extra study halls or extra tutoring that MIGHT interfere with Choir practice... so don't mess up on the TAKS.

Like I said, my kids are good readers and all this unproductive stress, not to mention all the wasted time this semester to get ready for said crazy test, was bothersome to all.

Jacob also had to take the TAKS today. The curriculum we are using for him, K12, is actually funded through the state and we are part of Texas Virtual Academy...technically a public school student. Darren dropped him off at the Grapevine Convention Center from 8:30am-noon. Jacob said they started the test at 9:10 and he was done around 10am. He had to sit quietly for 2 more hours (yes he brought a book to read) while the others finished.

Someone has got to be able to figure out a better way to find the test results the state is looking for...

In the meantime, I only had 2 kids home today - Claire and Amanda. Seemed like my day actually went slower...

Little Katy

On the first Thanksgiving in our old house, Katy got bit by some insect right between her eyes. This video was a few days later (the swelling had actually gone down).

No one saw what bit her, but here's what my 3 year old thought...


I think Katy was 5 when she got her glasses. I realized that she could read the cereal box up close, but not far away... I remember sitting at the table with Grandma Delight one day (after Katy got her glasses) and heard her say, "Grandma, I can see your eyes."






And here's a glance back at our life when the twins were little. Katy is reading (without her glasses...but more teeth are missing, so I think it's after the previous video), Emily and Becca are squashed together in the little red chair (which is why they are able to sit in it at all) and Jacob comes in with some important news!

Jennifer's Birthday

In one smooth move...I deleted all the pictures from my birthday :(

A moment of silence please. A small tear in my eye.

However, I can tell you I had a wonderful time with my family and friends. I had a date with Darren while friends watched ALL 6 kids, dessert with same friends AND homemade blackberry scones from same friends (hint: it was the DeHarts).

So just imagine with me for a moment...

Katy made chocolate cupcakes (with nuts) all by herself.
- imagine: Katy in the kitchen with her apron on.

Amazingly, there was still some left for everyone.
- imagine: Katy with chocolate all around her mouth from licking the beaters.

Can you see 35 candles spread across 7 cupcakes? Someone's hair would have caught on fire! So I just used 3... which is a much safer number of candles for a cupcake.
- imagine: Jennifer blowing out her candles while Amanda tries to help.

Even Claire got one. I'm not nursing because I think it's so much better for her than real food...I'm still nursing my 8.5 month old because it is so much easier than formula or baby cereal.
- imagine:Claire with a chocolate chunk under her nose - think Hitler.

Here's the new pictures I got - they were on clearance at the local bookstore:
- imagine: picture 1 and picture 2 - both black and white photos with scripture underneath and matching frames

Darren (and all my happy noisy kids) let me take a nap.
- imagine: my warm cozy bed with the sheets pulled back.

I'm also taking my bike to the shop. And looking in to getting a trailer to pull Claire and Amanda when I ride it (Just an extra 60 - 70 lbs)
- imagine: my bike in the back of the van... I didn't actually take that picture, but you can still imagine.

Here's another picture I didn't take ...

When I woke up on my birthday I had magically lost 30 lbs!
- imagine: Jennifer looking super svelt in her new birthday outfit with perfect makeup and hair, gently blowing in the breeze and awesome manicure and pedicures.

Happy Happy Birthday to me!

How much shall I drink?

Did you know that the Mayo clinic recommends a nursing mommy to drink about 13 cups of fluid a day? ... that's 104 oz. of water or 4.5 of my big water cup with straw. I thought I was doing good when I drank 2...but that only ends up being 48 oz (or 6 cups). I need to up it to 5 of those!

They also have recommendations for a normal woman - 9 cups a day and for men - 13 cups a day.

Now they say that lots of our food has liquid in it, even drinks like coffee and soda have liquid, just don't use those as you main staples.

FYI - While we are on the subject of coffee.On another website, it says a nursing mom should drink no more than 5 cups of coffee a day. duh...no one should drink 5 cups of coffee a day....unless you are trying to keep the Alzheimer's away. They mention nothing about creamer.

Jazzercise

So I've done it. I've finally done it. I've decided it's time to exercise.

I know, I know, you are all saying, "Jennifer, don't do it. You don't have the time or the energy. What about the laundry and the meal planning? You've got Facebook to keep up with."

No, No. I've made up my mind. It's time to dance. It's time to start pumping those arms and legs at the whim of some instructor. And dancing with your sweet someone at a wedding reception doesn't count as exercise. I'm talking about moving it 4 or 5 times a week.

But Jennifer, how much does Claire or Amanda weigh? You pick them up everyday. Or how many times do you walk back and forth from the kitchen to your bedroom or the laundry room to the kids bathroom. Surely you are getting ALL the exercise you need.

Again I say nay... to increase my heart rate, to move muscles I forgot I had, to listen to 80's music again, to feel self conscience in spandex...this is my present to me.

Jazzercise :) I'll let you know how it goes.

A single louse...

A single adult louse can lay up to 4-10 eggs a day for about 28 days. Which means I could have as few as one or as many as 280 eggs. Yuck! Lice are blood suckers, like mosquitos. Crawling around and eating my head flesh.

These little eggs are attached to the hair with a waterproof, glue-like substance AND they are nearly impossible to see (being the same color as the hair shaft).

At 10 days, the nymph hatches. Leaving behind a yellowish-brown to white egg shell. Nymphs are also nearly impossible to see...and it can't reproduce for 12 days.

So if you do the shampoo, combing, etc. on day one - you kill the lice and some eggs. But for the few eggs you didn't kill, they may now be nymphs and I've got to get them before they start laying eggs. Which means you do it all over again on day 10.

Today is day 10 for Amanda. We will shampoo and comb her tonight.

Friday is Jenn's day 10. I think Darren and I will make a date of it. We'll put the kids to bed, have a glass of wine, a steamy shower and a fine tooth comb. For few hours, it'll be just the 2 of us. And however many lice left that are nearly impossible to see.

Last time, we might have had too much help (this was the day of the "ice storm")...

Katy was our photographer extraordinare...
The other kids were watching Animaniacs...which is fitting, since they probably look a lot like lice.
(I'm not sure what they are.)

But Amanda couldn't leave Emily alone, so she sat on the floor with us for a while...


which might have been the reason Darren put the comb in
his coffee.


Little Claire had to ride it out in her crib.

Rebecca and Emily - part 6 - THE BIRTHDAY!

The (L)ice Watch of 2009 coincided with the girls birthday.
With the schools closed for bad weather, everyone was home all day, even Daddy.
So we had lots of time to finish our cakes, watch the weather and comb lice eggs out of mommy's hair (but that may get it's own blog post).

We had great plans of sharing cupcakes and juice boxes at Sunday school and with their Kindergarten class. Neither of which happened...so 4 dozen cupcakes, 2 double layer heart cakes and a little double layer star cake later...we partied (ate) on.

You can never have too many sprinkles!
Rebecca on the left, Emily on the right - minus one front tooth and a bottom tooth that is slow to grow back in.

I actually payed money for broken doll parts !

Instead of taking the very small plastic clothes on and off of the very small Polly Pockets - someone came up with the idea to attach the clothes to the bodies, but -pop- the head or waist off and -pop- on a different one. Seems to work for me and much better than the previous magnet swallowing that was going on.




Some of us got Strawberry Shortcake posters to color, and some of us 2 yr olds didn't.
It's hard to understand why they were getting presents and she wasn't :-(

The girls also got jump ropes, play phones, night gowns, new outfit and
High School Musical tennis shoes.

The Sheik and his entourage braved the ice, with presents in hand, to share all the cake and cupcakes and ice cream that we were ill-prepared to consume alone.

Here are our finished projects.

After a second ice day at home, we still have leftover cake AND another dozen cupcakes in the frig?

Which would you prefer?

I think we've started a new tradition...baking your own birthday cake.