tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196668502024-03-07T01:25:16.894-07:00White Family NewsShanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.comBlogger842125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-18428536966197118242017-04-28T22:30:00.000-06:002017-04-28T22:30:17.844-06:00My heart's not ready for thisReady or not...we move tomorrow. Those words haven't quite sunk in, yet whenever I say them I feel a knife in my heart with a wave of nausea. It doesn't feel real. Yet the tears I've shed today and the fact that the truck is arriving tomorrow, tell me it is. <br />
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Our house just doesn't work for us anymore. We have a son who is handicapped beyond what we ever expected, and having a three-story house with no bedrooms on the main floor just doesn't work. Plain and simple. So last fall we put the house for sale, thinking we would take advantage of the hot market - and also thinking it would sell very quickly. Fast forward to March of this year when we had finally taken the house OFF the market to focus on Braxton's surgery and recovery, and BAM - that's when the house sold. <br />
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We don't know ultimately where we want to build, or where God wants us. But we still have to live <i>somewhere</i>, so we bought a small house that we will squeeze into for now. And we will wait on the Lord.<br />
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But here's the thing. I'm not sad because we aren't sure where we're going to build. I trust that God will reveal that to us at just the right time. And it's no big deal that we're going to "downsize" for a while (we're talking about 60% smaller). I'm actually looking forward to the "challenge" of living closely for a while, and a season of simplifying. <br />
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It's the dreams. Or, I should say, the <i>lost</i> <i>dreams</i> that I'm grieving.<br />
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Five and a half years ago we were busting at the seams of our house with five kids, and would dream about a bigger house. Maybe something with an extra bedroom, or a bonus room. We had a baby living in our room with nowhere to go, so any extra space would be nice. Then God blew our socks off. We got TWO extra bedrooms. An office. A bonus room. A gym. A formal dining room. It was more than we ever dreamed. It was our <i>dream home</i>.<br />
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We put blood, sweat and tears into the yard. We dreamed about growing our own food - which we did. We planted trees. Lots and lots of trees, and couldn't wait for them to get big enough for a hammock (they did) and maybe a tire swing and a tree house. We even drew plans with the boys for their tree house and talked about building it. I envisioned Braxton running around the yard, and me sitting on a bench while watching him play. I saw Coral sliding down the slide. Emma even talked about wanting to <i>get married</i> in our yard.<br />
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The inside of the house was finally coming together. There were some things about it that weren't perfect, but we were making it our own. The big main-floor remodel we did brought so much natural light in, and gave us beautiful built-ins in the dining room. The master bathroom remodel turned out so nice that I still love walking into it. And then. I <i>gave birth</i> in our house.<br />
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This week has been crazy, and I have barely had any time to pack. But today, as I found myself alone, packing in the quiet, I couldn't stop the tears from flowing. (I finally had to crank some 90's music to pick me up - Beastie Boys, anyone?) I am a naturally sentimental person - but letting go of this house feels like letting go of so many dreams. Even though I know it is the right thing to do. <br />
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But I can't help but feel sad - and even a little angry - that this had to happen. <br />
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I trust God, He knows what's best, but my heart's not ready for this.<br />
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<span class="text Jer-29-11" id="en-NIV-19647" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">"For I know the plans<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-19647A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-19647A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> I have for you," declares the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span>, "plans to prosper<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-19647B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-19647B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> you and not to harm you, <b>plans to give you hope and a future</b>." Jeremiah 29:11<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-19647C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-19647C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span></span></div>
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<br />Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-91093815189047051242013-03-21T09:39:00.001-06:002013-03-21T09:39:30.533-06:00TransitionsI packed up Braxton's bottles last night and gave them to Brian to take home from the hospital. We had switched hospital rooms, and as I was moving the bottles it dawned on me that I won't need them. Maybe not ever again.<br />
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Braxton had another surgery yesterday. His second in two weeks. Over the last couple of months, and especially the last couple weeks, it has become obvious that it is not safe for Braxton to eat (drink - he's been 100% bottle fed) with his mouth. We knew that he was aspirating, which is why he had the surgery two weeks ago. We had his tonsils and adenoids removed, a laryngeal cleft repaired, and general airway lasering and clean-up to try and correct the asperating. But a follow-up swallow study this week showed that he is still asperating - possibly even more. So we needed to do something to make it safe for Braxton to eat.<br />
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Yesterday Braxton had a Nissen Fundoplication, and a G-tube placed. <br />
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This was the hardest decision we've had to make about Braxton's care. Not because it was the most serious issue he's faced. But because there were options. It wasn't clear-cut. We had to educate ourselves. Weigh risks and rewards. I interviewed everyone I came across and could think of who might have insight. Ultimately, we heard what we kind of wanted to hear, when the doctor said, "your son NEEDS this". <br />
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As I packed up those bottles, I realized I was packing up a period of Braxton's life, and that it was signaling a new period in his life. It could have been sad, but it really wasn't. I've had incredible peace the last few days since we've made our decision. And I am hopeful that this is opening up a new chapter of growth and development and good things for Braxton. <br />
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I am also thankful that I thought to snap a quick picture right before he finished his last bottle. (sorry I can't figure out how to add the picture from my ipad. If you're on instagram you've seen it already.)<br />
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Good things are coming.<br />
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<br />Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-77611123833788083612012-09-17T10:07:00.000-06:002012-09-17T10:07:19.778-06:00Summer Catch-UpI have so many things I want to blog about from our summer. But sadly, our iMac crashed last week, taking our hard drive and our pictures with it. We believe we will be able to restore the lost data (<em>please, Lord</em>) for about the price of a small car. I would sell an organ, though, to get the last 18-months of pictures back. <br />
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Side note: don't procrastinate on backing up your data...even if you believe you have an unbreakable Mac. <br />
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Here are some bullet points that I want to touch on from the past few months.<br />
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- Our summer started off slow, as we were done with school around May 23rd and the weather had not yet consistently warmed up.<br />
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- I started a job at the end of June. I work for my dad's magazine publishing company, from home, as much or little as I want. It's a pretty great arrangement.<br />
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- I started training for a half-marathon, that I will be running in October. Brian is doing it too - yay!<br />
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- We had three amazing camping trips with friends.<br />
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- Emma, Isaiah and Noah took swimming lessons and did so great. I was completely amazed at their progress over four weeks.<br />
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- Braxton started wearing Thera Togs. It's therapy grade compression clothing that helps stimulate his muscles and helps him work on controlling his movements. <br />
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- Braxton finally cut his first tooth at the end of August - a top molar! He has since cut another molar, and just this morning, his lower front tooth. <br />
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We finally started the new school year late last week, and are still getting used to our new schedule. We have some new activities I am super excited about, like horseback riding and violin lessons. <br />
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I can't wait to get my computer and all my pictures back so I can get back to some regular blogging. <br />
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Happy Fall!Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-8014368966453063832012-08-09T14:26:00.001-06:002012-08-09T14:26:21.429-06:00August Camping Trip<br />
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What a fun weekend we just had! Some friends invited us to go camping, so at the last minute we packed up and headed out for a long weekend. We <i>thought</i> we were meeting them at a campground on a lake. But, the campground was full and our friends set up camp - <i>in the wilderness</i> - on the river. <br />
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I'm not gonna lie...I was a bit nervous about not having a bathroom. But, I put on my big-girl panties and got over it. And it was so much fun!<br />
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Biniam had to work so he stayed home, but the rest of the kids were excited.<br />
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The nice drive up the mountain.<br />
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We got stopped for some road construction so I got a nice picture of the river.<br />
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The kids quickly made themselves at home in our little oasis.<br />
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Our home away from home. <br />
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Setting up the fly-fishing gear.<br />
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The beautiful scenery.<br />
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Intently watching the fishing from shore.<br />
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My fly-fishing lesson: learning how to cast.<br />
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I started getting the hang of it!<br />
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It's a rough life. <br />
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Working on his survival skills. <br />
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My little book-worm.<br />
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Heading out on an exploration.<br />
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There were huckleberries galore!<br />
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The water moved just enough to not be stagnant, but was slow enough for the kids to safely play.<br />
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Sweet Braxton even had a great time!<br />
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We apparently intruded on some deer, and they let us know by constantly circling our camp. That bright spot in the bushes in the center of this photo is "Rosie" the deer.<br />
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Noah was content to just sit on this rock and ponder life.<br />
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Up a few miles from our camp was a beautiful meadow that the kids got to explore. <br />
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Such great family memories, and good times with friends!Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-60360644518442947642012-07-24T09:52:00.000-06:002012-07-24T09:52:17.105-06:00Brotherly Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-3473511749037209682012-07-05T14:14:00.001-06:002012-07-05T14:14:44.383-06:004th of July Photo Dump Our neighborhood may be small....but we know how to do the 4th!<br />
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<br /></div>Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-74870130366126310202012-05-28T21:15:00.004-06:002012-05-28T21:15:59.002-06:00Look What's Happening Here!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-24599135650505088062012-05-22T16:48:00.001-06:002012-05-22T16:48:38.658-06:00Oops, I'm here.Whoa! Where did the month go? I'll tell you where I've been....in the yard. Every. Single. Day. Until past dark. But I'll tell you what...we've made some good progress. I'll get pics up soon. And I'll tell you what else....working your you-know-what off in the yard, is good for your you-know-what. Those last few pesky pounds have melted off the past couple of weeks. <br />
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The May Challenge has been going really well, despite not having any time to blog about it. I have a pile of receipts next to me that I am going to tally up in a minute and add to my sidebar. I'm thinking I'm under $400 spent on food for the month, and we only have a little over a week left. Shouldn't be a problem.<br />
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As of today we are officially on summer break. Emma worked so hard and finished her last second-grade book yesterday. Biniam will be done with 11th grade on Friday, and then we will all celebrate the official start of our summer.<br />
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Noah is going through a phase where he is destructive and slow to obey. The phase has been going on for three years, so it's due to end any day now. I write this so that years from now, when Noah is a little angel, I will look back and remember that it wasn't always like that. Speaking victory.<br />
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My sweet hubby just emailed me and asked me out on a date. Date? What's that? Do I have to shower?<br />
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Yesterday I played in poop. Horse poop, to be exact. I guess if you think about it, I have my hands in poop every day. Moving on....we got a load of poop from our neighbor's pasture. Have I mentioned how much I love living out here? I had a smile on my face the whole time I was working our neighbor's horse poop into our garden.<br />
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I guess some of you probably call it <i>manure</i>. Whatever, snobs.<br />
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Off to tally up those receipts now.<br />
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<br />Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-66796404087798732892012-05-02T17:22:00.001-06:002012-05-02T17:25:52.355-06:00In The TrenchesThis week's project (and last week's) has been focused on installing the sprinkler system. Last week we had a skid steer with a trencher attached come dig all the trench lines. That was a comedy of errors in itself, given crazy weather that included 75 MPH wind gusts, hail the size of quarters, and flash floods. At one point the poor tractor guy gave up on the day as he had been sitting in his truck, waiting for the lightening to pass. Apparently Big Open Field + Metal Tractor + Lightning = Bad Idea. <br />
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The trenches were finally finished, but the flash floods that came the next day washed dirt/mud back into a lot of the trenches. Plus there were some areas that were too tight to get the trencher where it needed to go. Enter hand-trenching. Lots and lots of it. Actually, I worked so hard that I sprained my wrist - not from any one impact, but from digging over and over and over. I've been on the injured list for the past three days, which just means even more digging for Brian and Biniam.<br />
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Good news is, the trenching is now about 96% done, and a lot of the pipe is already in the trenches. Next is (and don't quote me on this) installing the sprinkler heads and a valve box or something. Brian's goal is to have the water turned on by Saturday. We will see!<br />
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This shows about one sixth of the yard, and the trenches only get closer together in the front yard.<br />
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Also, you can get a little sneak peek of some of our trees here. The one closest to Brian is a Linden, then there is a Sycamore way in the distance near the playground, and even further out along the fence are seven Hackberries, which will provide wind-protection and privacy - bye bye blue trailer!<br />
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Looking straight out the back door, you can see that the blue house behind us is disappearing as all the foliage comes in. And if you look really, really close, you can see our ten fruit trees planted along that fence.<br />
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Such a handsome, hard-worker!<br />
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<br />Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-6359429079008567692012-05-01T15:19:00.000-06:002012-05-01T15:19:22.536-06:00May ChallengeIt's no secret that we're spending every extra minute on projects in the yard right now. We're also spending every extra dollar out there as well. Sprinkler system, trees, shrubs, boulders, weed barrier, landscape rock, curbing, grass seed....the list is seemingly endless. Unfortunately, our bank account is not.<br />
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So this morning, with exactly zero days notice, Brian emailed me and implemented the May Challenge. Here it is:<br />
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<li>Spend 30% less on groceries this month ($500 instead of $700)</li>
<li>No eating out</li>
<li>Entertainment to a minimum (we already have movie passes, enjoy picnics in the park - and frankly we have no time for entertainment, anyway)</li>
<li>Use as little gas as possible </li>
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I am totally on board, and even excited. I have already come up with a few ways to save money. </div>
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1. I will hold-off on my already-overdue hair cut.</div>
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2. I will trim Emma's hair myself.</div>
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3. I saved a coupon from the mail today for a free men's haircut, and will give it to Biniam.</div>
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4. I will make all our sandwich bread this month.</div>
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5. I have already browsed grocery store ads for food sales, and have clipped a few coupons.</div>
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6. I read up on tips as to why Braxton's cloth diapers might not be working as well, and will give those another try. (Disposable diapers are currently coming out of our grocery budget.)</div>
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7. I will be making meals as frugal as possible, using ingredients that are in season and on sale. I will NOT be sacrificing my family's health during this time.</div>
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8. I will be updating and re-consulting my <a href="http://thewhitefamilynews.blogspot.com/2010/05/saving-money-on-groceries-know-what-you.html">food spreadsheet</a> to make sure I am getting the best deals. </div>
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I always LOVE a good tip on how to save money, so if you have any ideas I might not have thought of, please send them my way! And if you'd like to join in on our challenge, please do and let me know!</div>
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I will be posting my grocery spending throughout the month on my sidebar...so help keep me accountable. Oh, and it doesn't help that I've already been trying to stretch our food, so our reserves and staples are pretty lean right now.</div>
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Ready, set....GO!</div>
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<br />Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-57608589976362508032012-05-01T12:39:00.001-06:002012-05-01T12:39:48.075-06:00Where I've Been It was my birthday a little over a week ago. As a present to myself (well, and from Brian) I went on a road trip to Seattle to see an old friend of mine.<br />
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You may have heard of her.<br />
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And you might recognize her. <br />
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Yep, it was just me, Ree, and about 500 other people who think they are her BFF's. <br />
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Ree put on a little presentation for us, filling us in on some of the little details of her life.<br />
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Then, as a special treat, Ree sang. "Endless Love"... to a picture of her dog, Charlie (or "Charles", as the emcee infamously flubbed that night).<br />
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My friend, Sara, joined me on the road trip, and my SIL's joined us for the evening. When we arrived at the event, in what we thought was plenty of time to get a good seat, we were surprised to see all the chairs full. It ended up being a blessing because we found a table on the side, right up front, where we could eat, feed our babies, and watch Ree all at once. <br />
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After the presentation when Ree exited the stage she walked right past us and made eye contact with us. We had a moment.<br />
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Ree has a thing for babies, and Braxton didn't disappoint. She asked if she could keep him. I said no. Although if she had extended the offer to me to be his wet nurse, I might have considered it.<br />
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As we were chatting it up, Ree said "didn't I walk past your table with all the babies earlier?" Yes, yes you did, Ree.<br />
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See? We had a moment.<br />
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She signed my book "Love to Shana, (heart) Ree". I'm sure I'm the only one she wrote that for.<br />
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Speaking of my birthday, we had a lovely dinner out, followed by frozen yogurt treats. I got some great self-portraits with my kids (Biniam had to work).<br />
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The wrinkles evidenced in this photo are making it harder for me to pull off "29".<br />
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Isaiah was a stinker. This is the best shot we got.<br />
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Here's to another year!Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-46929721731017235892012-04-20T07:00:00.000-06:002012-04-20T07:00:12.402-06:00Holes!Has anyone else seen the movie Holes? I'm pretty sure it has Sigourney Weaver in it, and that's all I remember, other than some kids digging some random holes out in the desert. <br />
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We had our own version of that painful movie last weekend. On Saturday, Brian and I went to a local tree auction. It's a wholesale nursery that sells larger-than-average trees, and twice a year they get rid of a bunch of trees at once by hosting an auction. It was crazy fun, and we ended up purchasing 12 trees! There was a catch though. All trees had to be picked up by Sunday afternoon. And the trees are so big, you can't exactly transport and move them yourself. Believe me. We tried.<br />
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We borrowed a friend's pickup truck, and another friend's utility trailer. When the guys at the nursery went to load our trees into the trailer with a skid steer, they quickly realized only two of the trees would fit in the trailer at a time. Brian drove the trees onto our property right next to where we wanted to plant them. Brian, Biniam and I then attempted to unload the trees. They. Wouldn't. Budge. Like not even an inch. We were screwed. We had ten more trees to pick up, two that were stuck on the trailer, not to mention twelve giant holes to dig.<br />
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Our backup plan was to call the guy who we were buying our boulders from, have him deliver the boulders on Sunday, then pick up the trees for us, and come place the trees in our pre-dug holes. At 5:00 PM on Saturday we connected with "our guy" and made arrangements for him to come deliver our trees at 8:00 Sunday morning. At this point we were starting on our third hole, and had also just found out our first two holes were too small.<br />
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Did I mention we were screwed?<br />
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We sent out the SOS, and by about 7:00 PM we had two friends-with-shovels helping us out. By dark, I think we had 8 1/2 holes dug. It's a bit blurry to me now, but late Saturday night or early Sunday morning, we got grace as Our Guy called and said it would be closer to noon. Good thing, because we also realized that not only did we have to be ready for our trees, but since he was first dropping off our boulders, we would need to be ready for them, too. Which meant creating a raised berm for some of the boulders to sit on. <br />
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Oh...my...word. We were digging and hacking and scooping and wheelbarrow-ing so fast. One neighbor saw what we were doing with the dirt-moving, and came over and dropped off his 4-wheeler with a trailer. That helped a LOT. <br />
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We were just working on the last tree hole when Our Guy pulled up with our rocks. He unloaded the rocks, placed them were they needed to go, then took off with Brian to get our trees, while Biniam and I finished up the last hole.<br />
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Have I mentioned that these holes were about six feet across and three feet deep? <br />
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Everything went smoothly with delivering the trees and placing each one in each hole with the tractor. And our holes were just the right size! <br />
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Next up, pictures of our trees. Although they aren't very photogenic right now without their leaves.Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-63260571873637660882012-04-19T11:38:00.000-06:002012-04-19T13:36:20.129-06:00Gym Make-Over<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I've been mostly focusing on what's been happening outside at our house lately. But, we've had some stuff going on inside, too.</div>
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Remember our gym, from the <a href="http://thewhitefamilynews.blogspot.com/2012/02/house-tour.html">house tour</a> I gave back in February?</div>
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It's a perfect room, off the far end of the basement, for a home gym. It's far from other bedrooms, and stays nice and cool. In my mind, the only thing that would make it better was adding a ceiling fan, and ripping out the carpet and replacing with some sort of hard-surface flooring.</div>
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Well, in January, we had a handyman here working on some wiring and small maintenance projects. One of those projects was moving the ceiling fan from the master bedroom (since we were replacing it with the chandelier during our room <a href="http://thewhitefamilynews.blogspot.com/2012/02/room-transformation-master-bedroom.html">make-over</a>) to the gym (which also required installing a support box in the ceiling for the fan). Check the fan off the list!</div>
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Then, one afternoon, right after our big snowfall and rapid melt-away, I walked barefoot into the gym and found myself standing on soggy carpet. A little investigation revealed that there was some sort of leak coming from the wall by the window, which had left some of the drywall soggy, as well as a section of the carpet. Further inspection revealed mold inside the wall, which indicated this was not a new problem.</div>
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So the good news? I got to have the carpet ripped out of the gym, like I had wanted. The not-so-good news? Our pocket book is lighter and the gym was quarantined for about six weeks until the work was all completed (by mold-certified professionals). </div>
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The room has been completed for a couple of weeks now, and I am finally back into using it on a regular basis. Yay!</div>
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For the flooring, we went with stained concrete. Since the room is in our basement, we already had concrete slab under the carpet. So we just had the existing concrete stained and sealed.</div>
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The color is hard to see from the pictures. It was a three-color process, starting with a steel grey, then a charcoal, then finished off with a milk chocolate. It's the perfect blend of cool and warm tones, and I love it.</div>
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We still have some plans for this room, like installing large mirrors on the walls, mounting a TV on the wall, and maybe adding some more equipment like a pull-up bar and some weights. But first, back to yard work....Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-9181785978960912532012-04-14T06:00:00.000-06:002012-04-14T06:00:00.141-06:00Easter 2012We were so blessed to have family in town with us for Easter this year. We just love having visitors! Especially when we put them to work. Ha!<br />
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Here is Aunt Lisa giving us a hand on digging our trampoline hole.<br />
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And here is Uncle Evan being helpful. I think.<br />
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Putting the final touches on the new (used) play set.<br />
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Uncle Evan hard at work, while the rest of us play.<br />
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The kids enjoying the inaugural swing.<br />
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A quick break to color Easter eggs. On that note, does anyone have any idea what eggs have to do with Easter?<br />
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We even went roller skating! I hadn't been to a rink since I was in my teens. I am happy to say that this girl's still got it! Unfortunately, my camera battery died before I got any more pictures. Also unfortunately, Blogger prefers this photo sideways.<br />
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We took our cousins back to our <a href="http://thewhitefamilynews.blogspot.com/2012/04/my-favorite-day-this-year.html">favorite</a> park. Uncle Evan is scouring the face, and pondering life's deepest moments.<br />
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Look! We made it! Or, look! Blogger still prefers sideways pictures! (WTH, Blogger?)<br />
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We also took a trip to the local old-fashioned candy shop.<br />
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That place is such a blast!<br />
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Also, because I cannot tell a lie...I brushed out my wrinkles in this photo. I guess I wouldn't have really been lying if I just hadn't said anything. But I needed to get that off my chest.<br />
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The cousins all looked so cute at church. The girls had similar dresses, then I made matching bow ties for the boys.<br />
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The "hunt" after church. Boy, I hope the kids can find all those hiding eggs! Maybe we should just call it what it really is...an Egg Grab.<br />
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My handsome nephews.<br />
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As we were preparing for Easter brunch, we started cracking into the kids' dyed eggs to make deviled eggs (yum!). When Noah saw what was happening, he lost it. I finally convinced him that we could take a picture to remember his eggs by, which worked, for a moment, until he decided again that we could not use his eggs.<br />
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Brunch was yummy and bittersweet, as our guests had to leave right after. Poor Emma cried for quite some time. <br />
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Our annual backyard egg hunt lifted the kids' spirits, although Noah started coming down with an ear infection. What is it with us getting sick right as company leaves?<br />
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Happy (belated) Easter, everyone! We hope you remembered the True Reason for the day, and enjoyed time with family.Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-40411245923059727092012-04-13T14:58:00.000-06:002012-04-13T14:58:12.962-06:00Room Clutter Quick-FixEmma's room has had a problem. It's cute, but it lacks in storage. Recently we moved the spare mattress out from under her bed in order to give her some under-bed storage space. <br />
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But here's what we saw when we walked into Emma's room.<br />
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The way Emma's bed is built, it doesn't really work for a bedskirt. So as a quick-fix, I sewed two strips of white fabric together, hemmed it, then gathered the top and attached velcro to it. Then I stuck velcro on the inside of the bedrail, and, voila!<br />
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Look! It worked so well, her bed even got made!<br />
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<br />Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-89421515609928678152012-04-12T10:38:00.001-06:002012-04-12T10:38:28.472-06:00Where's Isaiah?My poor kids have been fighting some nasty viruses this week. Four of them had wellness checks scheduled over two days, and all four kids ended up having fevers at those checks. So much for <i>well</i>-checks. Between all four (youngest) kids they've had: fevers, headaches, coughs, sore throats, ear infection, pink eye, and vomit. Oh yes.<br />
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Sweet Isaiah woke up first today, just before 8:00, which is a little early for him. He said he didn't feel well, and I thought maybe eating would make him feel better. So I got him set up with cereal and milk, and left him to go upstairs and feed the baby. <br />
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After a while when I noticed Isaiah hadn't come back upstairs, I went down to check on him. <br />
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Milk gone, cereal half-eaten, empty chair, and no sign of Isaiah. For a second, "rapture" crossed my mind.<br />
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Then I noticed something in the background.<br />
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The blanket on the couch looked a little more "rounded" than usual.<br />
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Sure enough, sweet Isaiah was under the blanket, sound asleep. I thought about uncovering him, but after I determined there was enough air-flow I let him be. <br />
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Thankfully most of the kids are turning a corner and starting to get better.Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-53084358402768186052012-04-05T08:00:00.000-06:002012-04-05T08:00:01.943-06:00Cowboy TroyY'all remember Troy, from Season One of The Apprentice? The country boy from Idaho who made it as one of the finalists, and who Donald Trump famously offered to pay for his tuition to any college?<br />
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Well, he was the emcee at our local World Down Syndrome Day event. His sister has Down syndrome, so he is heavily involved in the Down syndrome community.<br />
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Now, I am not one to go out of my way to meet a "celebrity". But this was a pretty intimate family-oriented gathering, so I thought it would be fun to go up to him and meet him. And of course I drug the whole family with me.<br />
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Please note how excited Isaiah and Noah are to be in the presence of a celebrity.<br />
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Troy was asking Noah questions about himself. This was right after Noah told him that Isaiah may be taller, but he can run faster. <br />
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It was fun meeting Troy, and asking him questions about his experience on The Apprentice. In case you're wondering, yes, he's still good friends with Kwame, and no, he never took Donald up on the college offer. But more importantly, it was fun seeing Troy making a difference in the lives of others.Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-24208661412080485022012-04-04T08:00:00.000-06:002012-04-04T08:00:02.458-06:00My Favorite Day This YearThis was about four weekends ago, but it still holds place as my favorite day of the year (so far). <br />
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My Dad and step-Mom were in town. It was the first warm day we'd had all year. And our whole family went to our favorite park.<br />
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That hill in the background gets crazy steep at the top (I hold on to the ropes for about the top 1/3). We like to do things like see how many times we can go up and down, or see how fast someone can go to the top and back. </div>
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It didn't matter that on the way back to the car, Braxton had a poop blowout that got all over his clothes and stroller. Nothing could dampen that day! We topped things off at home with homemade lasagna, homemade margaritas and daiquiris, a beautiful sunset, and a late-night game of cards. <br />
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The next day I got strep throat, which quickly marked it as my least-favorite day of the year.<br />
<br />Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-80156687697213547702012-04-03T08:00:00.000-06:002012-04-03T08:00:10.756-06:00Emma's Easter DressWell wonders never cease. I done sewed a dress. And it's cute. And it fits. Who knew?<br />
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Dress tutorial found <a href="http://thecottagehome.blogspot.com/2011/01/party-dress-printable-pattern-and.html">here</a>.<br />
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<br />Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-52749165476101715052012-04-02T15:19:00.000-06:002012-04-02T15:25:25.360-06:00Yard Kick-Off! The weather here the past three weekends has included the following. Temps in the 70's, temps in the 30's, rain, snow, sun, crazy wind, rain, and rain. And wind. All that combined makes for some sporadic yard work. But we're on a schedule. We <i>have</i> to get going on getting a yard put in. For one, we owe it to our neighbors, who have had to stare at this dirt-and-weed fest for the past four years. Also, we have to work in the spring while the conditions are favorable for things like planting grass and trees. And speaking of trees, we have two weekends until a big local tree auction where we are hoping to get a lot of, well, trees. And we need to be ready for them.<br />
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First thing on the agenda was correctly preparing our storm-water-drainage ditch. County code requires that we have a ditch at the front of our property, lined with stones, that leads into the community retention pond (which is in the front corner of our property). At the time we purchased our house, there were no rocks in our "ditch", and the dirt barely sloped down, so we had a lot of work to do.<br />
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Our first weekend was spent digging. And digging. It had poured rain the night before, so we were digging in heavy mud. Did you know that mud is really heavy? And sticky. In fact when we would tip our shovel to get the <strike>dirt</strike> mud off of it, it wouldn't budge. So we'd have to slam the shovel against a rock. It was slow. going. And also back-breaking. That was Saturday. It snowed on Sunday, and we were thankful for the break.<br />
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The next weekend we finished the digging and also started moving some of the rocks. The rocks on average weighed probably 20-pounds each. Some more, some less. Each one was moved by hand. In fact, I can probably say with confidence that I personally touched 99.9% of the rocks, either from moving them myself, or rearranging them once they were in the ditch. I still have rock-shaped bruises up my arms, legs, and feet to prove it.<br />
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But look! See how pretty it is now! It's one of those jobs where the hard work paid off and had something to show for it. And even better, the day after we finally finished, we got a heavy rain which proved our ditch works, as the water ran through it and into the pond. Yay!<br />
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We still have some excavation work to do in the pond, which is why there are still some piles of rocks (on the right) and dirt (at the top).<br />
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Another project the last few weekends has been to try and get the weed situation under control. We started by burning the piles of dry brush we had all over the yard. That was pretty fun, and for a bit felt like we were actually ranchers.<br />
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Please note Noah's choice of hand-protection. On the left he has a green gardening glove. And on the right, a baby-blue snow mitten.<br />
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We were also going to torch the weeds around the rest of the yard, which were mostly dried from last year. But then the flood rains came, and suddenly everything greened right up. <br />
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Green Weeds + Fire Torch = Still Green Weeds. <br />
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We are going to have to resort to an application of Round Up (gasp!) on all the weeds before they really get out of hand. I am reluctant to do that, as I want to keep things as organic as possible, but with an acre of thick weeds, it's pretty much the only feasible option.<br />
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Our last project that we started yesterday, is digging the hole for our trampoline to go in-ground. It took us all afternoon yesterday to get things measured and staked off so we knew exactly where we wanted to dig. But the timing couldn't come soon enough, as this is what happened to our trampoline on Saturday after some crazy winds.<br />
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The trampoline used to be right-side up (go figure!) and in front of the little step-ladder, about 40-feet to the right of where it is now. So this whole trampoline-in-the-ground thing is turning out to be not only for looks. <br />
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And finally, moments after we staked off the will-be play area, we found an awesome play set on craigslist. So tonight we will be picking up our new (used) Rainbow play set. And of course we will need to put it back together, and stain it.......the projects never cease!<br />
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<br />Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-90195575642023172812012-03-27T12:02:00.000-06:002012-03-27T12:02:48.700-06:00One!Braxton turned one yesterday, and we had a nice, quiet day at home. For a while I contemplated having a huge birthday bash for Braxton. But the more I thought about it, it just didn't feel right. While I wanted to be able to celebrate the first year of our precious Braxton with all our family and friends, it felt like it would be more about us, and not him. He wouldn't be engaged in gifts or balloons. A ton of people and noise might overwhelm him. And he is not yet eating solids, so there would be no traditional cake smashing. <br />
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So instead, we made things all about Braxton. <br />
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He had a nice therapy session at home with his developmental therapist. <br />
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He loves listening to singing, so he thoroughly enjoyed us singing "happy birthday" to him throughout the day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Okay, so he wasn't particularly happy at this moment.</td></tr>
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He snuggled with me in the sling while I made dinner. <br />
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He sat in our laps as we ate dinner as a family. <br />
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And we painted his feet to make footprints to hang on his bedroom wall.<br />
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It was simple. Special. Perfect.<br />
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Braxton, we love you SO much. We have more joy, more laughter, and more love, because of you. We love you! Happy birthday!Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-18552532485158072582012-03-21T11:05:00.000-06:002012-03-21T11:05:55.848-06:003-213 copies of the 21st chromosome. Today is World Down Syndrome Awareness Day. <br />
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What a great opportunity to take a few minutes and learn something new about Down syndrome, or hang out with someone you know who has Down syndrome, or even donate some of your time or money to an organization that supports Down syndrome. <br />
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Tonight we are excited to go to an event that is being hosted by our local Down syndrome association. As we have slowly started integrating ourselves into the Down syndrome community, we have been so blessed by the wonderful connections and relationships that have been forming. I can truly say that I am looking forward to this event, and that I look forward to the friendships we will continue to make. I have come a long way from where I was last <a href="http://thewhitefamilynews.blogspot.com/2011/07/taking-baby-steps.html">summer</a>.<br />
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I leave you today with an essay that Emma wrote yesterday, in honor of this day. And also a little sneak peek from the photo shoot Braxton was a part of for a calendar that will be sold for next year.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><i></i></span><br />
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<i><span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Verdana; line-height: normal;">Braxton is different than other babies, because he has Down syndrome. He doesn't grow very fast. It is kind of neat that he has Down syndrome, because I like that he doesn't grow very fast. Sometimes I wish that he could learn new things, but then I remember that he has learned a lot of things. I want to help him learn things.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Verdana; line-height: normal;">You can't tell that someone has Down syndrome by looking at them, because all people look different.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Verdana; line-height: normal;">I want people to be nice to Braxton and not be mean to him. I wish that I can always be around to help him.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Verdana; line-height: normal;">Some people have 46 chromosomes, and some have 47. I don't think it's good or bad, because all people are different.</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Verdana; line-height: normal;">Emma, age 8</span></i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jenschow.com/blog/?p=5383">photo credit</a></td></tr>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span></i></div>Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-41999086381879954502012-03-19T12:00:00.000-06:002012-03-19T12:00:05.059-06:00ReflectionThis little Lambie-Lump-of-Love is turning One in a week. Can you believe that? ONE! I've been catching myself having feelings of nostalgia lately, as I get little memories and feelings that I had this time last year. I was very pregnant. Although technically not due for another four weeks. I was busy thinking about labor plans and childcare and cleaning the house and trying to come up with baby names. <br />
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On March 21st, I stumbled upon this <a href="http://www.kellehampton.com/2011/03/321.html">blog post</a>. I had only been to that blog one other time, months before. Yet somehow I ended up there on World Down Syndrome day....five days before I gave birth to my own precious child with Down syndrome. It was one of the many little ways God had been preparing my heart all along. <br />
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And now, almost a year later, it is amazing how much things have changed. Things I never, ever, would have imagined. I am an expert at rattling off a list of diagnosis to various health providers. I am on first-name basis with many therapists in the valley. And I now have a degree in medical billing. But most importantly, I have been opened up to a world of acceptance. Of love without limits. And of huge, <i>huge</i> blessing. <br />
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Yet at the same time, things are exactly the same. I am a Mama, and have five wonderful children. I have a sweet, sweet baby, who nurses and coos and laughs, just as he should. I see my children for who they are, and not where they were born, what color skin they have, or how many chromosomes they have. They are all equal, and special, in their own way. <br />
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I have learned so much about life through my children this past year. Like how when I tried to explain to Emma that Braxton will look different as he grows up, and her response was, "Mama, <i>all</i> people look different". And how, to this day, she still wouldn't be able to single out a person with Down syndrome from a group of people. <br />
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Total, blind, acceptance. <br />
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I have a lot to learn. And I am so, so thankful that I am finally learning even just a tiny bit. My life is so much fuller. So much richer. And I can't wait to see where it leads!<br />
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This was Braxton at 11 months. <br />
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He loves his Daddy. Forget trying to nurse him when Daddy's in the room - he will crane his head any direction to see what Daddy is doing or has to say.<br />
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Braxton has made noticeable strides lately in his development. He is playing with his mouth more, reaching for things more, and twisting around all over the place. He had a bit of a rough start, but since his surgery he is making up for it. <br />
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Now, excuse me, as I go get my Love Muffin up from his nap.Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-406703882446380342012-03-15T21:39:00.000-06:002012-03-15T21:39:59.164-06:00A trip to the Dentist!My kids love going to the dentist. I think it's a mixture of the entertainment there, plus all the loot they come home with. In fact, while drugged up for surgery last year, Noah famously told the nurse that his favorite Christmas present was his new toothbrush.<br />
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Oh, and we get ice cream after we go to the dentist. Perfectly logical after getting those teeth all cleaned up.<br />
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So yeah, my kids love the dentist.<br />
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Which, I guess, explains why Noah felt compelled to go dressed like this.<br />
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He was too cool to be bothered with answering questions.<br />
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Emma was nursing the spot where a tooth had just been extracted. <i>And</i> she had to get her first filling. She was a trouper, indeed!<br />
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Always a great big-brother, Isaiah made sure Braxton was having a good time.<br />
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With the exception of Noah getting his hand stuck between a giant, play-boat and the wall, which required the help of me, a nearby mom and a dental hygienist...my kids were great. I love that a task like taking four little kids to the dentist, which could be trying, goes exceptionally well with my kids. I have great kids!Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19666850.post-38516297549182613322012-03-15T12:53:00.001-06:002012-03-15T12:53:51.951-06:00FailI am completely failing today at homeschooling. Actually, probably this whole week. The weather is unusually crummy. The time change has us moving very slow in the mornings. And I'm on round two of antibiotics for Strep throat. <br />
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I suppose the good that is coming out of it, is I am thinking about how to mix things up a bit, and what we can do better. I had a "meeting" with the kids this morning and asked if there was anything they wish we were studying or that they could learn. <br />
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Here are their ideas:<br />
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Learn more Sign Language<br />
Learn to read Braille<br />
Learn to write Cursive<br />
Learn to speak Amharic<br />
Learn how to knit without a loom<br />
Learn all the states in America<br />
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I think this is a great start and will keep us busy for a while! Emma is pacing ahead of schedule on her four core-subjects, so I think it would be great to work a couple of these things into our schedule now, and then add the rest next year.<br />
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In other news, it is time for us to get going on our yard. And by "yard", I mean the dirt-and-weeds-that-need-to-become-a-yard.<br />
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We have to start by burning all the dead brush all over the yard. We bought a torch last night. According to our Yard Schedule we have to get the burning done this weekend. Except it's been raining all week. So here's to burning wet weeds. <br />
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There is a tree auction in April that we are hoping to get some great deals at. So everything needs to be ready before the auction, so we can put the trees in the ground when we get them. After burning, we need to use a tractor to clear the dirt of all rocks, and do the final grade. We also need to dig all the holes for all the trees and shrubs. And install the sprinkler lines ourselves. And dig a giant hole for our trampoline. And have boulders delivered. <br />
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After all that, we can get started on the actual yard -- planting grass, creating beds, planting flowers and shrubs, installing weed barrier, landscape rock......it goes on and on. I'm excited. Or I want to cry. <br />
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We heard a rumor that the previous homeowner got a bid to install just the sprinklers, for $5000. Yeah, that's more than our entire yard budget for the year. We'll see what we can do!<br />
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Here are a couple shots of our backyard, from the back patio. It's been crazy windy lately, which is why the trampoline looks like that.<br />
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A few weeks ago, we didn't have any green weeds. Thanks to the rain and warmer weather, we have crops of them.<br />
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Lots of work cut out for us!Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08553880920740654030noreply@blogger.com1