Swine Flu , oh my!

Okay. I'm going to admit that since all of the hoopla with the media that I've been a bit paranoid about the whole swine flu thing. Even more so since we are planning to travel to Philidelphia.
Wouldn't you know though that the first case of swine flu in Pennsylvania was reported tonight and do you know where? Philidelphia. All I can do is scream on the inside. Of course we are still going to go( unless things get bad). Its not until the end of June and so flu season will be considered more then done and over with. BUT at the same time germs are germs and I don't think they care what time of the year it is.
One thing is for sure we pray that we don't get this swine flu. The crazy part is where there are germs , there are my daughters. They seem to catch everything for some reason. We homeschool yet they still catch these ooglie germs. It doesn't help we live in an apartment complex, but still. I guess it goes to show that my girls prove the saying that children are walking balls of human germs.LOL.


Kidding aside though I'm praying that we don't catch this bug at all and that this paranoia of mine can be put to rest once it all fizzles out.

Watching my girls grow up

One thing is for certain. Time does not stop for anyone. Its amazing how time has flown by. It seems like yesterday I was holding my oldest daughter in my arms after having over 12 hours of very hard labor because I had to be induced due to my blood pressure skyrocketing at the end of my pregnancy. Now she is a beautifull 11 year old girl that just amazes me everyday. It was like yesterday that Katie was born. She was just such a silly girl. She gave us a bit of a run for our money when she was little with having seizure problems. Luckily for her it worked itself out and now she is just Katie Reed. A feisty girl who I think someday will be a lawyer. I will award the man that marries her someday. Hannah, she is my quiet one. We tease and tell her that she's going to be a spy. Its kind of creepy actually. Hannah can sneak up on anyone like a cat and they don't know she's there until you almost fall over her. I can't believe she is going to be 6 years old here in June. She is still by Hannie Lou Who. Then there is Maggie. I can't believe that three years have almost gone by. She is still mommy's baby. Its like those first few grueling years never happened.

One thing is for certain when you have children you really see time fly by. Its almost like when you are a child life can't go quick enough so you can be a grown up. But when you grow up you just want it to stop so that you can enjoy every moment.

File Folder Games

Hello all. Thought I would share some pictures of our new File Folder games.
These were downloaded from Fun File Folder Games Hannah was able to play the three word Sight word game, and I finished the two word game this evening so she can play tomorrow.











This is also Hannah's favorite game for skip counting. This game comes with game pieces for skip counting 2,3,4,5,and 10's.

My Ecclectic Life

If your a homeschooler you can really appreciate the title. Even if your not you can still appreciate the title.
Today I sat and chit chatted with a friend of mine whom I don't always get to sit and talk with. She and I had lost touch with each other after the birth of Maggie. Times were tough ( and they still are at times)then and I found that many of our friends who said they were , weren't. These last almost three years have been anything but easy. Being forced into the life of VACTERL ( see I used the word force because we sure didn't ask for it) was tiring, frustrating, and some days down right sad.
Now that Maggie is almost three God seems to be saying to us," Okay, life will be fine and we'll just forget it about it all." Things have slowed down and once again I am being forced to find normal. Yet I can't seem to find it. I've found that I'm not the same person I once was. Anxiety and stress have seemed to entered my life as like I actually asked for it. I was the type of person that let things roll off my back , I rolled with the punches, and I enjoyed everyday with the fullest.
Now worries have set in and I worry about every little thing. I HATE it. I don't like it and it seems like its such a waste of time. Because once time is lost you can never get it back. Yet I am having such a difficult time jousting this monster.

VACTERL is mean. VACTERL is unkind. VACTERL is unforgiving. Maggie's first year was horrible. I remember being tired. I remember seeing my baby in pain. I remember the hospital stays. I remember the surgeries. Yet, one day, going through turmoil after turmoil, tears after tears. God in his infinite wisdom says " Let there be normal." Then what? After spending so much time caring for Maggie , dispensing medications , traveling to hospitals, going to far off places for second opinions. Life just stops. Then when its time to breathe and be ever so thankful all of a sudden you find that you can't. I'm not sure if its Post Traumatic Stress or if something in my own body just isn't working right. But I just go on. I go on and momentarily live my "other" life. The one where I homeschool and the one where I smile as if VACTERL never happened.

Looking at Maggie you would never guess she has all her "unique" issues. Somedays I find that I forget and I enjoy every moment. I enjoy every moment with my girls because time is unkind. My oldest is 11 years old and before I know it I will be sending her off to college. Before I know it Katie will be too, and Hannah ,and Maggie will be 11 years old too.

So I go on living my ecclectic life. One where I am super medical mom, homeschool mom , and just plain old mom.

Free is good

The one great thing about knowing so many people online is the fact that I learn so much from them.
While on my mission to try and save a little money and find some great freebies. I came upon this on one of my friend's blog.


This awesome offer is from Clean Up that Filthy House Just click on Promotions and Offers( on the left hand side) and sign up for a completely 100% free offer of Magie Clean Erasers. I love these things. I keep some stashed away for those times that Maggie is deciding to use her artistic vision on my walls.

Then my next awesome freebie was from Fisher Price. A free DVD called Precious Places.

I really think that Hannah and Maggie will like this DVD. They like Princess stuff.
You can get this great deal at Fisher Price
Just click on the word , then once your on their site just click the little link on the upper right hand side that says country and it will get you started.
This too is 100% free with no shipping and handling charge too.

I'm really hoping that I can learn to gleen from my friend on how to use coupons to get lots of things for practically nothing. Once I get that figured out I will be good to go.

Easter

Of course I always post some sort of picture of us having some sort of family fun. But not today. We are taking a break from school work and just laying back and relaxing this weekend.
I'll admit I'm behind on my college work. I'm behind with lots of things. But I need to take this break.
Ever since we came back from Cincinnati things have just been really off for us. I'm not sure why but we just need to regroup a bit and get back to our old selves.
I wish I could figure out what has put me in such a funk since March. I can't put my finger on it and all I know I can do is pray.

I hope and pray for everyone this Easter Sunday. Have a Happy Easter.

Skip Counting Fun

This little ditty I found on a website that offers free file folder games. We are working on Skip Counting with Hannah. I was very concidental that the link for this new game came in my email the other day.
This came from the website File Folder Fun
They also offer other games that you can make as well for other subjects. But this was a really fun one.
I used our packaging tape to laminate the "game" pieces so that it can be used over and over again. The skip game covers 2,3,4,5,and 10's. It also includes empty game pieces for other numbers as well.