Lots of Green

Was it a green pepper or a green blob?

Anthony really didn't care.

He was pleased with his green pepper outfit.

He really loved the little hat made with a sleeve.

Mission accomplished!

Momma Can Make It

Momma....that is what my kids call me when they either want something or they are being affectionate.

A few weeks ago I had two kids calling me momma.......can you make us something?

Jason was holding a bunch of beer boxes and Tasha had two shower curtains. They were going to a non-clothing party together and needed clothing made of other items.


Naturally they needed them right at that moment. Jason ended up with a vest and kilt made up of beer boxes and Tasha got a top and skirt made with her shower curtains. All put together with duck tape. (The kilt was a big hit by the way although Jason was skeptical at first. How do you make bottoms with cardboard?)

I have got to say that those outfits were the most unusual requests up to date. I have made many school and Halloween outfits. The kids just naturally expect that if they dream it up momma can make it. Some days I am challenged but I love it.

Today Anthony told me that he needs a green pepper outfit for tomorrows play. Yep, tomorrow. Green pepper! Anyone make a green pepper outfit out there? I asked him if his teacher had told him his vegetable was a green pepper or if he had chosen it himself. He said he picked it. I asked him why since it seemed like an odd vegetable to pick. He said that I put green peppers in my fajitas. Naturally, I should have known, one of his favorite dishes.

So, I made a second trip to Walmart today and bought two t-shirts, stuffing and brown felt. I purchased a grey shirt in his size and an adult mans shirt in green. My plan is to sew the green shirt to the grey shirt and put some of the stuffing in between to add some fluffiness. If anything he will look like a green blob. When I told him I was going to cut the sleeves off of the green shirt since green peppers don't have arms he immediately said that I could use the pieces for a hat. Funny, that was what I had planned. I knew last year that A in Anthony was for Artist.

Well, that outfit was from last year (another last minute creation). If you want to see the green pepper (aka. green blob) on Anthony you will have to wait until tomorrow. I guess I'd better go....I have a green pepper outfit to make.

That pool water is very cold....but it didn't stop the little ones from trying it out.

Anyone with an Intex pool out there? I need to figure out the filtering system. I am also looking for a safety ladder. I have found one that folds up and locks and a different style the has a cover on it, I can't decide which would be easier to secure. I know my kids well enough to know that if I leave the ladder in they will be up it. Actually, any ladder set up anywhere and they will be up it.

I have been trying to get myself organized for the summer. It feels strange to not have anything due for school....I feel a little adrift right now but I have many things to do.

In medical news, we got an appointment for Larissa to get an evaluation done......in August. That was the earliest appointment available. We are on their call list if they have a cancellation. I also have an appointment for Sarah in July with the geneticist. A long neurofibromatosis story for another time.

In Joselin news....well, not so good. More lying on a regular basis. She took Sarah's phone from her bedroom and used it to text until I looked up the account, found the text phone numbers and called some of them. I realized that they were to/from Joselin's friends and suddenly the phone was found in a laundry basket (by Joselin). But she still denies that she ever had it. Even tonight Sarah lost her IPod (actually her dads because hers disappeared in the house) and we scrambled to find it because I had seen it on the island right before Joselin walked through. Suddenly it appeared but we must have been too quick because her facebook was still up on it. So, we live in a house with a person who is always on the lookout to take stuff. It is getting really, really old.

In foster child news.......the baby is finally walking. She just got up and started walking, little stinkpot, I think she has been capable of doing so for a while but liked being carried more. She is not a light little one either! Their court date is at the end of this month and the SW tells me that they are definitely going home. With her level of confidence I'd say that there is an 80% chance that they are going home. Just in case, she wrote down our cruise dates for respite care.

In fostering news....we have signed up for a 6 hour class in love and logic later in the month. Anyone hear of it and use it? We will get 6 hours of training hours for foster parent recertification and hopefully some new parenting ideas. We are always open to new ideas.

So, even though I feel like I am doing nothing, I am slowly getting things accomplished......even if it is looking for lost electronics.

Busy Saturday

Fencing....lots of it. (No, we didn't put it in ourselves)

So that we could put in one of those intex above ground pools. As a foster parent fencing is a requirement for any pool. So the cost of that inexpensive above ground pool was quite high!

I may not be able to move tomorrow after attempting to level the ground. I did reach a point where I didn't care if it was level or not.

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I am not sure when this monster will be filled but Larissa was most impatient. (It is still filling now....hours later)

Anthony and Larissa are close to being able to swim. However, we didn't get to a pool often enough last year for them to become accomplished swimmers. I really like for my kids to be able to swim so hopefully this will do the trick.

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Well, guess I'd better find a flashlight and go check on the pool. Night

Things Change Quickly

Last week Jason finally got a job as a security guard. This week he went to training so he could start. He was supposed to start today at Lowe's. Yesterday he came by with his pants....unhemmed. He said he needed them by tonight. A few hours later he called and said he needed them ASAP. He was called and was asked if he wanted to go to Alabama to work. He was so excited, he said he was going to help people.
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So, I hemmed his pants, ironed his shirt for him and handed him a few bucks. He is in Alabama tonight and starts work in a few hours. He will be working 12 hours shifts. They told him they would be there for 3 days. After seeing pictures of the devastation I imagine it will be longer.
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I wonder what he will see. I hope that he will be safe. He is a grown man but I still think of him as my little boy.....when does that stop?
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Tonight I will pray for the people of Alabama. I will also pray for my son.

Day 10

Day 10, today I was thinking about what I am thankful for today. I went about my usual business; dropping kids off, dropping the hail damaged car off for repairs, picking up the rental, grocery shopping, picking kids up, feeding kids, taking Sarah to church, picking kids up from church, and finally sitting down and watching American Idol.
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Frequently, I would stop and think of the costs. Gas for all that "dropping off" has gotten high, groceries have gotten higher, insurance keeps going up. It seems as though all across the board everything has gotten more expensive. It would be nice if our income has gone up with it but it hasn't. If anything it has gone down because of more taxes coming out.

So, yes, I am so thankful that my husband is able to support us. There are so many people who thought that we were crazy for adding to our family. Kids are so expensive. However, a funny thing happened.......our income stretched and supported the extra kids just fine. My husband hasn't changed careers or had a huge increase in income. Probably the biggest increase in costs has been in food. It is crazy how much we spend every month in groceries!
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But, more then the income, I am thankful that we have been given the opportunity to bring more children into our home, both temporary and permanent. Who knows, we may not add any more children to our family, or we may get that phone call, it is out of our hands at this point.
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Isn't life exciting and grand!

Day 9 (kind of)

Well, I missed posting yesterday. But, I have a good excuse....school.

Being the procrastinator that I am I had to wait until the very last minute to start on some major projects. Actually, I have been working on them all semester but I had to put all the information down in APA format. Between yesterday (late last night) and this morning I finished my last two projects. I drove them to Columbia today and got them in on time. One was due today and the other tomorrow, I didn't want to drive into town twice.
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I have learned so much this semester and have really enjoyed my classes. However, I am SO thankful that I am done with this semester! Thankful, thankful....even Sarah is thankful (my babysitter!)
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Taking four classes was insane. It would have been a little less stressful if the foster babies had gone home in December but I know how that goes. It might have even been better if my dear husband had been home. Perhaps it was the stress of a kid going bipolar that put me over the edge. Better yet it might have been the teenager that did it.
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Either way, it seemed like everything was conspiring against me this semester. So much that I am not taking the summer classes that I really should be taking. I hope that this doesn't cause a delay in completing my degree. It is hard to tell because you don't know when they will offer the classes. Not all classes are offered every semester and some are only offered in the summer. Next summer I will have to take a class because it is only offered in the summer.
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So, I am taking the summer off. I have a feeling that it will go very fast since I have a lot of projects that need finishing and some books that I need to read. But, first I REALLY need to clean off my desk and the house has been neglected.

I think I am going to go and check on my farms.....