Memory Game

I've seen this on a couple of blogs and thought it looked like fun!

How to Play!!
1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

Kindergarten

I'm so excited to go back to kindergarten. Our homeschool is embarking on a new year, with Z turning 5, and C turning 3, it'll be the experience of a lifetime, to watch them imagine and explore their world at a new level, with the ability to understand more, and imagine more. To create more stories and new worlds, and put themselves in to the books they read. I'm excited, because as Mom, I get to be witness to it all.

All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

- by Robert Fulghum

Most of what I really need to know about how to live, and what to do, and how to be, I learned in Kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sandbox at nursery school.

These are the things I learned: Share everything. Play fair. Don't hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don't take things that aren't yours. Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Live a balanced life. Learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work some every day.

Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out into the world, watch for traffic, hold hands, and stick together. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the plastic cup. The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.

Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the plastic cup - they all die. So do we.

And then remember the book about Dick and Jane and the first word you learned, the biggest word of all: LOOK . Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation, ecology and politics and sane living.

Think of what a better world it would be if we all - the whole world - had cookies and milk about 3 o'clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankets for a nap. Or if we had a basic policy in our nation and other nations to always put things back where we found them and clean up our own messes. And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.

Popcorn!

OK, so, I was telling a friend about the children's experience with microwave popcorn...it was their first time seeing it, as we usually use the air popper. We've been tasting all sorts of different varieties of popcorn (no, not the flavorings, different species of plant!) that we get in the Amish community nearby. You can also order them online http://www.amishcountrypopcorn.com/1pound.html . It really doesn't need oil or butter or salt...just enjoy the sweet natural flavor of the corn. Blue is the sweetest, the red pops up a bright white. Yum! Chayce calls them 'sheeps' once they are popped. Hee hee.

Anyhow, we have video of their first time with microwave popcorn. I didn't get all the cute reactions I thought I had, it's just the tail end of the moment as they start to eat. But, I promised I'd post it:

Prunes

This is Payge...attempting to eat prunes to help a little with...ahem, digestion. Anyhow, she seems to really love them & would get upset if they quit coming.

Peaches Come In A Can, They Were Put There By A Man

Not these! Ha! No, we've had the best week at our CSA, and the peaches are now on in full force! Today, these beauties became dinner. Stephen and I concluded that given the freshness of the ingredients, we'd need little sugar to prepare these into a yummy treat, and it would count as a balanced dinner since I would be using eggs, milk, fresh fruit, and freshly ground grain to make it. Sweeeet! Here's the very-low sugar, high taste, high nutrition recipe we came up with. Try it!

Take 20 or so freshly picked peaches, peel & slice them, discarding the pit. Lay the fruit in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. It'll be pretty deep, this is a lot of fruit, but that is the point.

In a bowl mix:
1/2 C canola oil
1 C sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 C milk
2 1/4 whole wheat flour (the fresher the better, white would work too, but then you can't eat it for dinner, it has to be dessert. )
4 tsp. baking powder (3 if using white flour, it doesn't need as much rising help)
a shake or two of sea salt

Pour mixture over the fruit. Bake until done (30ish minutes?) @ 350 degress.


This was the perfect treat after a day of white water rafting! Yes, we braved the East Race here in South Bend (it's a level 2). We didn't get pictures of us because, well, the water was was a bit fast and our hands were busy keeping us upright. By the way...we did not tip over! But we did get oh so drenched. It was so fun! Thanks for taking care of our wee ones, Tara!




Not us, but on the same course. We were in a two person raft, this is a five person.

The Heart of the Matter

So, it looks like the wee one is in tip top shape--let me explain.

Last week, we took her in for her 4 month check-up (can you believe it?) and she'd grown to a whopping 10 pounds. Now, given that she was born 8 pounds, 5 oz. the doc wasn't impressed, especially since this baby is not solely breastfed (she gets a night time bottle from daddy!). She'd also only grown another inch in length. All of this has been nice...she's light, her tiny clothes still fit, yada yada. I wasn't worried. The girl scoots, rolls, giggles, and grabs. Seemed like progress to me! Any how, given her size and her high level of sweaty-ness (this girl looks like she's just got out of the shower after any meal or nap...) the doctor ordered an ECHO on her heart. Well, it would seem that (as mother's intuition was stating all along) it must just be genetics. She's small, but spunky, spry, and silly. Healthy as they come, and according to the ultrasound tech...cute too!

Funny adendum: Of all three children to have blessed this home, this one is the first one people say is 'just like her mother'. We agree. My mother mentioned the other day that I, too, had an echo ordered on my heart at this age, and I , too, am just fine. Looks like we're off to a great start of "like mother, like daughter."

Snappin'

Today was farm day & it is the height of harvest for some yummy crops! We were pleased to bring home peaches, onions, carrots, lots of green beans, zucchini, raspberries, red lettuce, baby beets, yellow tomatoes, yellow beans...hmmm is that all? I think I'm forgetting something, but what? Anyway, I'm using this time to teach our children the value of work, and putting away their own harvest. It's fun to say, "Get the green beans you snapped out of the freezer for dinner, please." because they have such a sense of pride in the completed job, and it's finished product is something they get to partake of throughout the year. I snapped some photos while they were snapping beans, we had a great time washing them together, too, but I didn't want the camera by the sink (it's already on the fritz!).

Note Z's fancy finger work...snapping behind the leg. He also mastered snapping behind his back, and over his head.

The curse of education without experience

The library's summer reading program awards restaurant gift certificates for children, and we chose a place we had not been to before called Steak and Ale. There was surprisingly steak on the children's menu to which the gift certificates applied. I would have just ordered that for Zachary and Chayce. However, Zachary can read and he choose mac and cheese, which was quite obviously Kraft, and Chayce chose pizza which had quite obviously come in pre-made frozen 6 packs. The food we ordered was good, and the children had fun making their own choices, but it was interesting to note they ended up choosing. They must not know any better which means I need to give them some more experience to supplement their education.

A Copy

Now, I don't usually put the same post on both blogs, but I wanted a few more comments on this, because it's really on my mind lately. So forgive me if you are following http://nursingthesoul.blogspot.com/2008/07/2-nephi-8.html

but...I needed open discussion here.


I've had this dilemma lately: buy "better" food (organic, local, etc) or buy cheaper food? After much research, (which, if you know me, you know that I research a lot before making a decision), I've concluded a few things.
#1. Better is not always more expensive if you know where to look. The farm co-op we are a part of is supplying us with wonderful, organic produce for a fraction of the cost at the stores (in fact, it's less than traditional(?) vegetables there, too). The farmer's market is another example of better being cheaper. Grains, though not grown locally, are cheaper when bought in their whole form & processed at home. Upicks provide fruit I can pick & can myself for less than store cost and 100-fold in taste.

#2. About the other foods I buy; convenience items, milk, cheeses, meats. These are more expensive if purchased from a local source. So, I wonder, should I buy them & support ALL local foods? Or, is there something I'm missing? Local, small farms are usually "cruelty free" (yeah, like chopping a chicken's head off at any time in their life is free of cruelty as long as they lived a good life...hmmm?) and they use organic resources.

However (since I'm not for pushing complete veganism) I wonder if this cost is worth it. Yes, it tastes better, there is higher nutrition, but today's scripture study had me wondering something else: What about those who have NO nutrition? I'm not talking about the kids at the soup kitchen on the corner, they're getting help, but those who are literally starving to death? Is the better "taste" of my food so important, when they are getting none? Is a miniscule increase in minerals & vitamins in my food worth it, when they are getting NONE?

What if I pocketed those extra dollars each year, and then sent them to a better cause? I calculated today that by saving $3/gallon on milk alone, (by not buying organic) given we drink 2 gallons a week, I could be sending $312/year worth of food to a starving child somewhere. I read that in those countries, kids are living on less than a dollar a day (if they are living at all), so just by giving up my extra milk money, I can feed another person for a whole YEAR. And feed them well. The scripture that got me on this was
11 Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy and holiness shall be upon their heads; and they shall obtain gladness and joy; sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
12 I am he; yea, I am he that comforteth you. Behold, who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of man, who shall die, and of the son of man, who shall be made like unto grass?
13 And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth, and hast feared continually every day, because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? And where is the fury of the oppressor?
14 The captive exile hasteneth, that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail.

(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 8:11 - 14)

At first, I was rejoicing that the suffering would not suffer...but then, it came--will he really lift up all the suffering, or is it up to us? Just a thought.

Train Stop Shirt Dress GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!

Train Stop Shirt Dress GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!

AAAHHH! She does it again. This dress is too cute. If you haven't been following the giveaways on this website, you need to, if you have a little girl. Someday, I hope that she will do a boy something or other.

Update on God's Internet Usage

Well, I do have to say that today went VERY well. I have been reminding myself that my children are amazing, despite some, ummm, challenging behaviors.

Today was exceptional. Why? Because today my children dumped pink fingernail polish on my white carpet. Yup. This is great. Why? Because I handled it so well. Not to pat myself on the back (there was a little voice in my head guiding me the whole time, I'm finally positive God answers prayers). I had them scrub it with water to make the point that it wasn't coming out (Can't use polish remover because the carpet is acrylic fibers,doh! Another reason to buy wool next time). The carpet is still a mess, but my sanity is intact, they have learned an important lesson (oh, and I took away their afternoon trip to the zoo, so there was a consequence), and the day continued peacefully. Nice.

The Toddler Diet

EEEEWWW! I now know why my parents always said, "Don't talk about that at the dinner table." I'm now on what we'd call the Toddler Diet. My son, enjoys analyzing a lot of things. Unfortunately, now, it's dinner. Yesterday was our first night after two weeks that we got to have a sit down dinner with Daddy home (he'd been teaching a night class). We sat down to a nice meal of pork chops, apple sauce, zucchini, cucumbers, and pie. Yum! Usually, the kids ask, "What animal is this from?" and we discuss it, the raising, the parts, etc. It doesn't bother me. I mean, my son was one who would cluck as he ate at KFC. It doesn't bother him either (and at least he knows where it comes from, he's not just blindly eating what I shove in front of him, and wondering how those carrots got in the dirt...another story, but let me say if you don't know the story you need to read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver).

Tonight, however, I had a hard time eating. The usual conversation began: What animal is this, where'd the veggies come from, what part of the animal is this, etc. when Z made quite the comment: "Mom, I like meat from all sorts of animals, but not from people. No, I just don't think I could eat people meat."

I really didn't know what to say. I replied with, "That's a good thing, Z, people aren't supposed to eat people meat. It would be disgusting." Stephen adds, "What a scary thought."

One of those moments I was glad it was me he was talking to, yet at the same time, I wish we could have saved the comments for after dinner.

Tis A Private Matter

Ho-hum. It has come to this. See, we are promoting my mother-in-law's website (Geneva Springs) via a blog (http://genevasprings.blogspot.com) and while it is great advertising, we don't want to be advertising our kiddos. See, we are connected to her blog via our profiles, and so anyone who sees an ad for her business (which have become many because we're gonna grow, baby!) can click on over and see how the Tueller's are doing. It wasn't an issue prior, because I didn't figure too many people would find us, but people tend to find you when you pay for advertisements.

Anyhow, my point is this, we are going private on July 24th. If you want to be sent an invite so you can login, please leave a comment before then.

Jillian

Psychology’s Quantitative Program continues rapid rise - University of Notre Dame : News & Information

For those interested, the link below is a news story about the PhD program I am in. I feel very blessed to have been accepted into a program which, by some criteria, can be called the best Quantitative Psychology Program in the world.

Psychology’s Quantitative Program continues rapid rise - University of Notre Dame : News & Information

God Uses The Internet

First, I have to be totally honest. Today, I almost gave up. I almost hired a nanny, someone who knows how to get a 4 year old and a 2 year old to acknowledge their existence without yelling. I wouldn't leave, I still love them and want to be home with them, I'm just very saddened by the idea that I can't control my children. There's that phrase--control. So, then, I turned to God instead of the nanny service, I confessed that I wasn't really good at this whole mom thing, that I didn't like the idea of being so grumpy, but that I didn't know how to act when I was being disobeyed constantly. I keep being told that it gets better as they get older, but I'm doubting this, I mean, if they don't want to listen now, what gives me any hope that the teenage version of them will do any better? Anyhow, as I prayed, I fell asleep (perhaps I was the one who was tired & cranky?), then I arose and came downstairs to the computer to search the word "obedience" on google. I like google, I can search for things and end up somewhere else completely. Anyhow, I did a search with obedience and toddler in it, and found a story, a story that was making me laugh, until I got to the last section. It had some language in it, so I'll edit it for the sake of my readers, but I'll also post the link. Here goes (note, I'm only posting the last section:

The Purpose of Parents

When I got comments on these journals (which were usually, in general, positive), I occasionally received an angry complaint about people who “can’t control their kids.” This phrase generally comes from a person really in love with the idea of his or her own intelligence.

I still can’t get over this phrase. I dwell on it a lot. So I will write about it only one more time, and then shut the **** about it.

You CANNOT CONTROL your kids. You can influence their behavior. You can shape it, slowly, over a period of years, to make a sensible, bearable human being. But you CANNOT CONTROL your child.

Why? Well, I will answer that reasonable question with another of my own. What would it take for ME to control YOU?

What would it take for me to control you? To jump at the sound of my voice, to obey my whims? Suppose I walk into the room and start barking orders at you. What would it take to make you obey them?

My guess, if you are a sensible human being, is this. For you to utterly submit to my control, I would have to tie you to a chair, and I would have to start torturing you. I would have to make you undergo so much fear and pain that your sense of humanity snaps. That you will do anything, say anything, shrink yourself into a tiny ball of former humanity, to keep my rage from lashing out.

That is what it would take for me to control you. And do not think, for a second, that a small child is any less a human, any less independent at the start of the process, than you.

I sometimes read about people who try to control their children. About the series of increasingly extreme steps they take. After reading these stories in the paper, people usually say, “And where was protective services while that was happening?”

I’m not controlling my child. I’m molding her. It takes time, and it involves going out in public. I never take her to nice restaurants, just pizza places, BBQ joints, and the like. And sometimes, during this process, she will annoy you. God knows she is annoying me. But the way you learn to do something is by trying to do it. Sometimes you fail, but you get better next time.

But she is better with every passing month, and soon she will be a pleasant human. And if you have a problem with it and can’t cut us any slack, then please give me the honor of being the first to invite you t...[edit].

http://www.ironycentral.com/archives/toddler/todvol32.htm

So, as you can see, I was spoken to, almost slapped in the face with this part because I'd asked God, "How can I control my kids?" and then I came and read this. It was perfect, for me. I can now go to bed with the mindset to start again, with a different point of view. And maybe, just maybe, I'll learn to control ME.

Four...Months.

Yes, tis true. Wee Payge is a full four months old as of yesterday. Funny moment in her short life: We were at Sam's Club just the other day (I'd already taken to saying 4 months since we passed the 16 week mark) and one of the sample ladies said, "Awwwww, how old?" My reply: "Four months." A few seconds later (a noticable pause) she says, "Wait! Did you say months? I was thinking 3/4 weeks, tops."

Ha ha. Yes, our youngest is petite in her baggy zero-to-three month outfits, but she's healthy, happy & full of smiles--especially when she's with her siblings, they get all the good grins!

Distracted

Ahhhhh, books. I love them. They are EVERYWHERE in my house. In baskets, on shelves, in stacks on the floor. I read them. A lot. Being literate is one of my favorite blessings. I thank God daily that I can open a book and sink into it, almost absorb it, putting myself into the story so effortlessly. It's exciting to see that I'm passing this ability on to my children. Watching my oldest sit with a book, listening to him ask questions, really getting into it. It's bliss, it's...distracting. What? Yes, that is what I said--distracting. Not that books are bad, not that they aren't full of wonderful information (and don't the scriptures say that we should search in the best books, learning all we can in this life, for the knowledge we attain here will help us in the world to come?). Yes, books amaze me. They thrill me! I could live in a library. In fact I often choose to spend my "night off" wandering the stacks of books on Main Street. However, there is a problem. I'm forgetting to search the BEST books: The scriptures. While sitting today, I realized that I've read through countless books, cover to cover, but only snippets here and there of scripture. I enjoy the scriptures, I've read many parts of them. But there are parts that elude me. Parts that I have never opened...I don't know what they say. I have to acknowledge: This is a problem.

So, I have decided that I must remedy this problem. I spend plenty of time on the couch feeding my shortest child, and therefore, that will be the time I delve into the scriptures. I'm also starting a new blog, as I have a feeling that getting a little better aquainted with the scriptures is going to be an amazing journey for me. Feel free to join me. While I'm nursing my baby, I'll be nursing my soul...and writing about it at Nursing My Soul.

A Political Stand

I must say, I've found a few good comments online today that I do not want to forget. I don't frequently take a political stand verbally, but it was funny to me to get a phone call from a survey taker who was very obviously a democrat...how did I know? His question, "And what do you think of the current President (of the USA)?" My response: "He's doing the best he can, given the circumstances." His (unbiased?) response: "REALLY? YOU DO? Oh, umm, OK, let's see, next question..."

As for the quotes I found, here ya go:

Ours is the first generation of Americans that thinks it can demand perfection in war. Our present leisure, wealth, and high technology fool us into thinking that we are demi-gods always be able to trump both human and natural disasters. Accordingly, we become frustrated that we cannot master every wartime obstacle, as we seem otherwise to be able to do with computers or cosmetic surgery. Then, without any benchmarks of comparison from the past, we despair that our actions are failed because they are not perfect.
Victor Davis Hanson

This may become the first time in the history of the United States Congress that it has voted to send a new commander into battle and then voted to oppose his plan that is necessary to succeed in that battle.
President Bush when he was referring to Lt. Gen David Petraeus as the 'new commander'.

Swimmin'

Ahhh, swimming lessons. I got some great shots of the kids...and a video. I'm not posting the video due to the number of little kids whose parents I do no have permission from to post online, but feel free to ask to see it when you come visit us. Visit us. visit us. visit us...
Notice, Chayce reaaaaallly dislikes the backfloat.

Anything You Say Can AND WILL Be Used Against You!

This evening we made cookies...chocolate chip--no decorating required. This, however, did not phase my dear children. They still got the sprinkles out. I informed them they could only put sprinkles on the ones they were going to eat. The following conversation ensued:

Z: Why?
Me: I don't like sprinkles, so I don't want any on my cookie.
Z: Here's a cup of sprinkles.
Me: What for?
Z: You need to try them again. You said that if I don't like something I need to try it a few times. Keep eating those sprinkles until you learn to like them.

(a few minutes later, he comes up to me imitating my "mmm, this is a good (insert veggie here) statement)
Z: Mmmmm, Mommy, these sprinkles sure are yummy! If you'd try them, I know you'd like them!

I'm trying really hard not to laugh.

THEN, I find Chayce with the colored sugar bottles.

Me: what are you doing?
C: Eating these sparkly sprinkles.
Me: I see....why?
C: They are yummy, and they don't have sugar IN them.
Z: Nope, not in them, because they ARE sugar.

Laughter no longer controlled. You have to love them.



With red sprinkles stuck to her face.

Good morning daddy

Here is a quick picture of the youngest upon waking from her morning nap:

Can anyone read this?

While walking home from the library, we noticed these strange lights on the Chase building. We guess they are reflections of light from the building behind the camera (the sun is setting to the right of the building pictured), but nothing about the surface of the building would make one expect this particular array of lights. It looks like some ancient language, so if you recognize it and can read it, let us know ;).

This is why

you don't get makeup at age 16. At least in theory. But the 2 year old is defending her future rights. I guess there are stranger obsessions than wanting to break into mom's makeup several times per day.

What The!!?

Today, Zach's attempt at using "slang": "Mom, you scared me out of the heck!"

I'll be laughing for a week. Man, I love this boy.

Think Limitless!!!

So, we've decided that our dream big examples for our children are really sinking in. They have at least learned that you should never give a limit to what is possible, as what may happen could surprise you. Case in point:

Z: Hey, Chayce, how much ice cream do you want?
C: More.

Obviously, she was not going to limit him by saying "One more scoop." We sat back and watched this occur, to see how things proceeded...indeed, all of the ice cream was gone by the end of the evening. Happy 4th!!

'C' is for COOKIE!!!

Chair Remodel

We are trying to find some semblance of order, and given our current budget, that requires creativity and big dreams. My first adventure was turning some furniture we already had into furniture we wanted (not that we don't want what we have, but there was this cute little girl's room ensemble that I loved and...)

We had adopted a chair from great-grandma Tueller's house, and although it looked old & antique-y, it was falling apart. We'd been using it in the dining room as a side chair, but kept having to hammer it back together. Its sides were showing the wear from this, and the cushion just wasn't comfy.



So, I took it apart, painted it, re-upholstered the cushion with the innards of a pillow I didn't like anymore and a $1's worth of fabric.



Then I put the chair back together.
Here's what I ended up with. Not bad for a day's work, eh?