Friday, June 17, 2011

Baby #3 Update

I'm now 20 weeks. I took the girls with me yesterday to my appointment where we had our anatomy ultrasound. Everything looked healthy, and we found out the girls will be having a baby brother!

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Little Game I Learned

This past weekend Brent and I went to the SETHSA (SouthEast Texas HomeSchool Association) Conference in Houston and learned SO much! I was looking over some of the notes this morning, and decided I needed to make this game I learned about NOW, before I forget to!!

This is the second place I've heard Carol Barnier speak and it is always SUCH a JOY!! She's real and such an encouragement. She often speaks on "the highly distractible" child, and I've learned Raegan seems to fall in this category. I've also learned more and more that I probably fell (fall) into this category. BUT this game is for any child that is in the learning to read stage! So check it out!

She taught us about the game in a session called, "Teaching Your Child to Read...made Easy." The game is called Roadblock. Basically, you make this Road (make it with no letters so you can copy and play many, many times!). I scanned and saved mine as a PDF so I can just print it out. When filling it out, use only5-6 letters and repeat them in different orders. The child starts out at the gas station and tells you the letters on the road. If they get one wrong, a roadblock comes down (your hand...or you can buy a plastic toy roadblock). When the child gets one wrong, stop and spend some time working on that letter...make up a little song about it, talk about words that start with that letter, draw the letter, make it out of yarn or spaghetti noodles, etc. Then, start over at the beginning, and repeat. On their 3rd Roadblock, the game is over! Either when the game is over or when they get to the Finish line, count the correct squares and they could get a prize for them or you can keep a running total of their points and let them "buy" prizes with their points. That pretty much is how the game goes and is the first level.


After the letter names, you can move on to next "levels" to help promote reading.
Level 2-Letter Sounds: Stick with just one sound per letter at the time.
Level 3-Squishing: On the road, use letters that make small, simple words and follow with the word Squished together, ie....A, M, AM, C, A, P, CAP, B, A, G, BAG, N, E, T, NET, etc...
Level 4-Expand the Rules: Introduce multiple sounds for those letters, blends, silent e, etc.
Level 5- Taking it to the Limit: Google "word lists" for age/grade level, or point to words in dictionary...OR take a book that is on their level and as you play the game...on the squishing level put all the words from that book in the road, each time you play. Then at the end, pull the book out and have them read the book!

Enjoy!

Monday, April 25, 2011

Baby #3!

Wow! It's been a while since I've posted. We are expecting baby #3! The official due date is November 2, but with our family theme...it's gotta' be sometime in October, you know!

Tomorrow I have another appointment. Nothing special at this one, though. I'm hoping my next appointment will fall within the 18-20 week ultrasound time frame! We'll see!

If I haven't already asked you personally, please keep me in your prayers during this pregnancy. I was very concerned about having a 3rd child after the problems I started having while nursing Bethany. I'm trusting that God is in control and His will is in motion. The ole saying, "If God brought me to it, He'll get me through it!" But I don't think it hurts to ask for prayers that His will is for everything to go smoothly and for no health problems.

I have a few specific prayers: 1) I was put on a proton-pump-inhibitor in December for abdominal pain. I got off of it for several weeks back in January-February, but then the pain came back. I have now been on it for almost 2 months with little-no relief. I keep praying God will heal whatever is causing the pain, so that I don't need the medication!

2) Also, I have a limited number of positions I can sleep in. I've found a few that don't make my arm go numb. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll make it like this throughout the rest of the pregnancy, as I get bigger! So I'm praying God will heal that and allow me to find a few more positions to sleep in without my arm going numb!

3) And of course, for a healthy baby!

Thank you for your love and concern!

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Post for WildforWags


A Blog I LOVE, "WildforWags" has a contest for viewers every week where we get to "show our shops". This week I decided to show mine, so here's the break down!

I only did one transaction, which I love! I hate having to do multiple transactions, because I know the cashier gets annoyed and any people behind me are too, especially around the holidays when it's busier!

This was Wednesday Dec. 1st, so I used the Friends & Family 15% Discount Coupon, so prices are after the discount!

Bic Mulitpurpose Lighter $2.54-$1.00 WQ-$1.50 MQ
SalonPas $5.09-$1.00 MQ (Received with sample a while back)
(2) Truvia 40 ct. $1.69ea.- (2) $1.00 MQ
(2) Ducolax 4.1oz $5.94ea.-(2) $8.00 (adjusted down to $5.94) MQ-$4WQ
Natrol Melatonin $2.55-$2.00 MQ
(2) Votive Candles $0.42 ea. - $0.56 WQ (probably didn't need as filler because of the Wet n' Wild items, but didn't think of that until after I left!)
Pampers Cruisers $6.79-$2 MQ Catalina
(4) Wet N' Wild Mascaras $1.27 ea., although 1 rang up at $0.84
(4) Wet n' Wild Nail Polishes $0.42 ea.
(2) Wet N' Wild Eye Shadows $0.84ea.
(1) Wet N' Wild Blush $0.84
-$5/$10 Wet N' Wild MQ
Local Newspaper $0.42 (Not Pictured)
-$3/$15+ WQ Catalina
-$4.00 RR
-$2.50 RR
=$1.90 OOP
& Got back $10 in RR for SalonPas, Natrol, and Pampers.

I had a $2 RR I could have used if I went and got another small filler item, which would have made the total under $1, but I had 3 people waiting behind me, so I just left it as is!

I still feel like it was a great deal, since I'll use the diapers, mascara, the newspaper, the Truvia, the lighter and maybe the salonpas. I've got to find a place to donate the Ducolax to...I have a ton and never use it! And the fingernail polishes will be Christmas gifts!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

I have to admit....I have not been doing a good job at the 30-Day Giving Challenge! I planned on gutting the house for donatable items the first two days and not much of that got done. Monday afternoon I had to go to town and Tuesday late morning I had to go to town again. And of course, Wednesday...well, I might as well mark all Wednesdays off my calendar to begin with! Although I did do something that is particularly hard for me to do yesterday for someone else. So I do count that as "giving" of myself.
Now on to the rest of the 30-Day Challenge... Today, I came across the JCPenney/Salvation Army Angel Giving Tree, very similar to the KSBJ Giving Tree they have done in the past and are doing again this year. And there are about 12 children in our area listed on here to be "adopted" for Christmas. So I thought I'd share this with anyone interested. They make it real easy for you to shop off of JCPenney.com and ship the items for FREE. But you may also shop wherever you like and ship them or deliver them!


As for the KSBJ Giving Tree, so far there are only about 38 needs listed. But I'm sure that will grow to several hundred. I searched and found 3 for Conroe, but none for Huntsville yet. Last year there were several from Huntsville. I know for many families, like ours, we are not always able to meet large needs, but I can sure help spread the word, so maybe someone out there can, or a group can get together and help another family in need.

Help spread the word! Or get together a group to "adopt" a family in need this year!

Monday, November 1, 2010


I came across this and have decided to participate. It may not be by great financial means, but hopefully this 30 days of giving will push me to give more of myself. My personal goal is just to be more self-less and give more time to God, my husband, my children, my family, and my friends. And to focus on a verse that I always post at the end of my "Freecycle" emails...

... "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same." Luke 3:11 NIV

...Giving from what we have been given.


These 1st two days, Monday and Tuesday, I plan on simply going through our house and getting ready bags of things to donate, things to list on freecycle or craigslist, things to sell and donate the money, etc. And getting some more ideas ready for future days. Feel free to share ideas and I'll add them to my list if they're not already on it!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Beach Trip 2010

Flying the kite...


Bethany LOVED playing in the sand!