Audrey is Reading!

The other day I got out a beginning reader and went through the lessons with Audrey. She caught on so fast, I was surprised how well she read without much coaching. I asked her if they had been teaching her how to read in preschool and she said no! I guess she is a lot like her dad. He was reading fluently before he started school and skipped kindergarten because of it.

This morning she asked me, "Can I say heck or hell?" She couldn't remember which was ok. Curtis said, "You shouldn't say either." Audrey responded, "You mean I shouldn't say either one!" We laughed because a four year old was trying to correct our grammar.

Audrey wanted some water in church today and instead of asking nicely she whined, "Wa-wa!" I told her to talk like a four year old, so she said, "Agua!" She has picked up on a lot of spanish words and uses them often, sometimes she even signs and says the word in spanish. I guess english is just too simple for her.

Yesterday my mom was talking about the special protocol for an MRI that my sister Alaura and I will be getting next week. It is a new test to look specifically at the veins, particularly the ones that drain the brain. The insurance company can only recognize it as an MRA, which looks at the arteries, not the veins. Audrey piped in, "That's because they don't know what an MRV is!" Mom, Alaura and I laughed so hard. It is amazing what kids hear and understand.

Alaura did a language analysis on Audrey a couple of weeks ago and concluded that Audrey speaks at the level of a seven year old. She amazes us everyday with how smart she is and the things she comprehends. I think kindergarten might be a little boring for her, but she will still love it.

Yet another blog...

So, I really want to keep track of, and share, all the things I am learning about ways to help MS and to spare all of you who are not interested, I have created a new blog. I hope to be adding to it whenever I come across things that I find interesting and helpful and probably updates on my progress and feelings. You are welcome to visit it or follow it. Let me know if you would rather be on an email list and I'll add you to it.
Thank you all for your comments, support and helpful suggestions! =)

www.mymsnotes.blogspot.com

My Compost Box

I plan on growing an organic garden next year and because I have so many produce scraps, I decided to make a compost box so I can add good stuff to this future garden.

After lots of thinking I came up with my own design. It was really easy and done in about 30 minutes from start to finish.

Here is what I used:
10 - 8 foot 2" by 2"s
4 - 3/8" by 3' rebar
1/2" drill bit
Hammer

What I did:
I had Home Depot cut the 2 by 2s in half, then at home I drilled a 1/2" hole about 1/2" from each end.
In the place I wanted the compost box I started stacking the boards onto the rebar, first the top and bottom and then the two sides, again and again until they were all used.
Then I pounded the rebar into the ground.
Voila! All done! How easy was that!

The kids loved helping me, next spring I will probably be ready to build another so I can rotate them.

As Nathan Would Say: Hawoweeen!

We carved our $17 pumpkin on Monday and all of us enjoyed the freshly baked pumpkin seeds.





Curtis said that Audrey looked like Jon Bonet Ramsey with her makeup on. I don't know if that was a good or bad thing.



Nathan was pretty good at sitting still for his makeup, but was glad when it was done.


Audrey says she was a butterfly (I think she looked more like a fairy).
Nathan was a bear, we never got him to growl while in the costume though.


What a cutie!


After a long day filled with sticky candy and chili from the ward party, they really needed a bath.


All clean for Sunday! I just wanted to show off our little professor with his corduroy, elbow patched jacket.

Audrey got her picture taken too.


We had a fun Halloween. I am setting aside a whole bucket of candy to use as stocking stuffers. No need to go spend more money on something we have plenty of!

Before and After, So Far

So a lot of you have been asking for before and after pics. Honestly, I don't have a great before picture, but this one of me playing the Wii in April is ok.

And here I am about 6 months later and 50 lbs lighter.

I love being smaller and healthier. I know I can still lose another 20 to 30 pounds, but it will come. Didn't Audrey do a good job taking pictures of me?

The $17 Pumpkin

A couple of weeks ago Audrey explained to me that pumpkins grow in a field called a pumpkin patch and we can go there and pick some! I thought that sounded really fun and we decided to go as a family and pick out our own pumpkin. I looked online and Hee Haw Farms said you could pick your own pumpkin in their field for 30 cents a pound.

When we arrived they explained that you have to pay for the farm yard entry and then you can pick and pay for a pumpkin. At $5 each (Nathan was free) we decided to go have some fun.

The kids loved the animal train, Curtis and I even got to ride on it!

The corn pit was really fun, too.

This rabbit was the sweetest rabbit I have aver had the pleasure of holding!

Nathan can't get enough of driving!

Hayride!

Pony ride!

The goats reminded me of our family's little farm in Houghton.
I can't seem to convince Curtis that having one ourselves would be fun though. =)

We had a really fun day and got one really expensive pumpkin. I can't wait to toast some pumpkin seeds.

Oh My Little Nathan...

He is growing up too fast! Two weeks ago he figured out how to climb out of the crib, but of course couldn't climb back in, so we switched him to a toddler bed. He loves it as exclaims, "Big boy bed!" when we put him down. I was hoping because he can get back in on his own that he would choose to take naps there, but instead he cries at the door till he falls asleep and wakes up with carpet impressions on his face, but the boy still needs a nap each day, so I'll take what I can get.

He also is binky free! He kept chewing right through them. I would give him a new one and the next day it was destroyed. I was scared to take binkies away completely, I didn't know how he would react, but he did great, no crying or complaining. I think having the exciting new big boy bed helped.

He is talking so much now too! The other day he was sitting quietly reading a book and Curtis and I heard him say, "Three, two, one, BLAST OFF!" He also loves saying "I love you!" He is such a sweetie.

He still loves my green smoothies (though they are a rich red most of the time now because of the beets I have been putting in). He also loves my green water (dehydrated greens in a water bottle). Audrey still won't taste either one.

I love my little guy! He is so much fun.