Tid Bits

We have been pretty busy.  Helping three children with homework takes a lot longer than helping just one.  We have been having lots of fun, though. Here are some interesting tid bits that have been going on at our house.

- We have had a kindergartner teaching a first grader and second grader how to tie their shoes.  They are now almost experts.

- Anton brought home a recipe for "raisin cereal" from school.  It called for three cups of cereal and one cup of raisins.  A GREAT recipe for me.  So we made it.  We had just enough different things for kids to dump into the mixture, i.e. one cup per kid, minus Devin, he was busy eating toast instead.  Anton excitedly sat down to eat it and asked, "Does this have protein in it?" and "I am sure it is very healthy."  I didn't know five years old were worried about nutrition that much. 

- We still have fun at bedtime.  Some nights are better than others.  We got a twin air mattress for Devin, the three boys in the full bed wasn't working out very well.  There is just enough room for it on the floor.  We move it onto the boys bed in the morning so they all have space to play.

- For the first time ever Tyanna earned 100% on her spelling test last week.  And then she got another 100% this week!  Good job, Tyanna.

- Anton and Tyanna have become Isabel's fashion consultants, choosing her clothes and helping to get her dressed. Now if I could just get them to change her diaper, or get her potty trained, that would be even better.

- Devin loves sitting at the keyboard and listening to one of the pre-recorded songs on it, "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring"  He will listen to it over and over.

- Zackary has fallen asleep each time the CPS worker has been here, taking a nap on the couch. He isn't getting enough sleep at night, but enjoys his time with Mom enough that he won't take a nap, ever.  I guess that curling up on my lap while I visit with the CPS worker quiets him down enough to have him fall asleep.

- Isabel LOVES the sunbeam song ("Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam").  This week it has been the only song that the kids choose to sing each night for scripture study.  We have all of the kids crouching down to the floor to JUMP up as high as they can at the appropriate parts of the song.  Isabel included.  She crouches down and tries so HARD to jump.  She just doesn't quite get it, yet.  About a month ago, we were singing it and after trying to jump twice at the beginning of the song she went and got her doll and helped her doll "jump" for the sunbeam song.  She was THRILLED with her ingenuity.  I only wish I had gotten a video of it.  It was adorable!!!

- Another favorite song at our house is "Scripture Power."  When we sing it, we have to go through it at least three times, so that everyone gets their fill of the chorus.

- Devin's favorite lullaby is "I Am a Child of God."  We go through it twice, once in Spanish and once in English. Devin sings along both times in English.

- During scripture study we have always done it in both languages.  Just this week I decided to start helping Tyanna and Devin "read" (repeat) in Spanish.  They are thrilled with being able to learn some Spanish.

- Tyanna's reading is improving, slowly.  She just gets distracted so easily.

Things overall are going really well.  Life is a lot busier with five children versus three.  The cousins LOVE playing with each other.  I just need to learn how to help them not tattle on EVERY LITTLE THING!!!

Rachelle's next court date (Devin's and Tyanna's Mom) is on March 7.  We will see what happens then.

Aunt Annikka and Aunt Brina got matching pajamas for the kids.  I just couldn't resist getting some pictures.

They are all supposed to be smiling in the pictures above and below. It is more difficult to get five kids to all look at the camera than I thought.

At least they all look quite adorable.

What is a photo session without one where everyone gets to make a funny face?

The boys WOULD not hold still for their picture. This one is the least blurry of all of them.

And the girls. Isabel and Tyanna are enjoying having another girl in the house. They both like pink and pretty things.

A Family of Seven

On Saturday we inherited two children. Temporarily.?.  We are thrilled to welcome Devin and Tyanna into our home.  Linden's sister is currently unable to care for them, so we have them for a while.  We were able to put a twin bed into the kids room and with a little arranging there is still room for the kids to play!!  Thank goodness that this room is SO MUCH BIGGER than their old room.  We have two dressers, a full bed, a twin bed, a crib, and a toy box in there.  The three boys sleep in the full bed, Tyanna gets the twin and of course Isabel is in the crib (toddler bed).  Now if we could just actually get them to SLEEP!!  Devin and Tyanna aren't quite used to a regular bed time, so the last few nights have consisted of all five kids getting into bed at 8:00 pm, Anton, Zackary and Isabel's normal bedtime, and then lots of playing, giggling, talking, bathroom trips, water trips, and "Mom (Aunt Rachel) so and so is pushing me, pulling the covers, etc."  until 10:30 PM when everyone finally settles down and falls asleep.  They have been instructed that there is only one bathroom trip per child per night.  And that they aren't to get out of bed unless they are bleeding or the house is on fire.  I even stay in the room sitting in the dark, encouraging less playing which helps.  Hopefully in a few more nights they will be more settled and more used to all being together.

A challenge of welcoming two more children into our home includes transportation troubles.  Our car only seats three children.  Hmmm, our three plus two more is FIVE!!  I didn't know how I was going to get them to school and home again while Linden is at work. Thank goodness for a wonderful Relief Society President that asked for volunteers at church and then made several calls until she found someone to watch the three youngest kids in the morning for me while I took the other two to school.  I was extremely anxious to have someone I had never met watch my kids, but she was a wonderful lady.  Another amazing and generous lady in our ward let us borrow her van so I could get the kids picked up on Monday.  By Tuesday the School had declared Devin and Tyanna as transitional, i.e. homeless, so that they could arrange bus transportation for them so that issue is solved, THANK YOU!! 

The kids love playing together.  Our biggest challenge is trying to get them to focus on homework after school and helping Tyanna catch up with her work.  I am also amazed at how much they eat.  On Sunday Tyanna had SEVEN, yes seven plates of food.  Devin wasn't far behind that.  Tyanna is seven years old (officially tomorrow) and Devin is eight.  They are really good kids and have even been good examples for Anton and Zackary at getting their pajamas on the FIRST time they are asked.

We have had some great moments of peace and comfort as we read books together and sing songs together.  How wonderful it is to have Devin and Tyanna with us!  They miss their Mom, but seem to be truly enjoying our home.  Last night as we were reading scriptures Zackary watched Devin, Tyanna and Anton each read by themselves and when it was his turn to "read" (repeat the words we read to him) he asked me to show him how to read!!  Our little boy that normally onlys sits still long enough to tell me about four letters wants to learn to read!! 

I'll get a picture of the kids posted after school.  It has been a little hectic around here the last few days and I haven't even thought of getting a picture until now.