One foot, a bed and some coconut oil

Sounds like the beginning of a weird joke ... So a foot, a bed and some coconut oil are sitting at a ... You get the idea. But it's not the beginning of a weird joke. It's actually part of my morning today.

It started out like most mornings. I was sleeping, I heard the girls come in my room, I look to see which one is awake, Button roars at me like a bear, I jump. Typical morning. Ok, so she doesn't roar at me every morning. I would grow to expect it and wouldn't jump.  But she did this morning and i did jump.  I get up and get dressed. The girls were playing. That is the typical morning stuff. I tell them I am going to go downstairs to start breakfast. Ask is boiled eggs are good. All say yes. I asked this morning to stay upstairs for a few minutes because after I got the eggs going, I was going to sweep. The fewer people trekking through the dirt the easier it is to sweep. All were good with my request. So I get the eggs going. I start sweeping. I hear Punkin telling Button to stop that she's not helping. Button responds with " I'm trying to help". More dislikes and tone are spoken. So I tell them they need to try again and speak nice to each other. This has been something we have been working on. They go through small spats of time where they get bossy with one another, so I figured this was the same. Then they say, " Mom, we need you". I tell them to work it out. I had started sweeping and thought my help in solving who got to play with which pony or doll was needed. Then they say "Punkin's foot is stuck in Buttons bed". What? So there are two components to the title - a foot and a bed. So I go up and sure enough, Punkin was sitting on Buttons bed, which is a toddler bed, and her foot is sticking through the rails. It was through the front rails, the ones that go only half way across the front of the bed to keep you from falling out. I evaluate the situation.  I ask the necessary questions "What were you doing?" "Why did you stick you foot in there?", etc. I try to pull her foot through, but no luck. I turned it and pointed her foot and bent her knee. No luck. Her ankle bone was getting mushed between the rails. I didn't want it to start swelling and I needed to try to keep Punkin calm too. That's where the coconut oil came into play. I have coconut oil that I use as a lotion and moisturizer in my room. My brain went to shows and cartoons from growing up of someone getting stuck and them getting sticks of butter to free them. Coconut oil. I got the oil. Both girls looked at me like I was crazy. I told them I really did not want to break the bed or saw a rail to get her foot out. I got some oil and slathered her ankle and foot. And my hands and arms ( I had extra, so I figured I put it to use). Then Button says "because its slippery". "Yep" I say. "We are gonna see if this works, otherwise I have to cut out a rail." I told her it may hurt a little to get it out, but it would quick then we could ice it for it to feel better. The thought of me cutting a rail with her foot right there was really not thrilling me. So, with a gentle pull, her foot slipped right out. WooHoo!  No saw needed.

Her ankle was ok. Button went and got her a princess ice pack and she laid down for a bit after with the ice pack. All ankles and bed rails are okay!!!

One foot, a bed and some coconut oil..... A funny something.

Reservations for 20

For the Fourth of July we spent several days visiting family and friends. The girls had spent a few weeks with Nana and Grandaddy, and were gonna be coming home with us. My parents always do a big cookout for the fourth, so it was a great opportunity for us to see friends and family all in one place. The fireworks for the city are shot off directly behind the church we used to go to before we moved. We were excited about being there as well. There is just an incredible feeling in and around His Hands Church. It's definitely a God/Jesus/Holy Spirit thing. Anyway, there were several people there we were excited to see also. Punkin was giddy with excitement at the thought of seeing Jeremiah (see previous post from June Archive Story). Needless to say, we were excited -  friends, family, food, fireworks. What's not to be excited about? Rain!!!  Well, specifically rain on the fourth when we are excited about seeing friends, family, fireworks and food. It poured for days, it poured. It rained on our drive. It rained on the fourth. It rained on Friday after the fourth. It rained on Saturday which is when the cookout my parents have to celebrate the fourth. It rained. The fireworks for several cities were cancelled. The ones we were going to see we're postponed until Labor Day. Big bummer!  We still enjoyed our trip though. We were able to see Hunny's mom (Granna) and dad and Angie (Pop and Grandmama) on Friday. Both visits were very nice. The cookout on Saturday was great too. All in all it was a relaxing few days though. It just rained.

So on Sunday, we headed for home. The girls were going to vbs the next week, so we needed to make it back for Monday. Hunny also had to go to work. The drive was good. We started early and from spending a few weeks of action packed fun at Nana and Grandaddy's, the girls were tired. They slept off and on, watched some shows using the iPad and played some games. Scooter Button was playing games on my phone at one point while Punkin was napping. I could hear which games she was playing and she would show me occasionally what she had created or colored. She checked the weather and looked at the news and made a reservation for 20 at a steak house. What?!?  She made a reservation for 20..... Yes, that was not a typo. She made a reservation for 20 at a steak house. Here is some backstory. On my phone I have an app to make reservations for restaurants. When we lived in an apartment before moving into our house, there was a steakhouse Hunny and I went to that was a block away from the apartment. As she was playing on the phone, she apparently went to that app and went to recent reservations. Pressed a few buttons, made some numbers change and viola, reservation for 20. Oh, and it was in 30 minutes. Fortunately I saw the reservation and was able to cancel it in time. Could you imagine the hostess when she got that? Um, we have a large party on their way. We need to get some tables set up. Oh, never mind. If we had been close, maybe we could have changed it to party of 4, but we were still about 5 hours and a state away. She keeps us on our toes.

The rest of the ride home was uneventful. Just a drive. We were making great time, until we got 45 minutes from home. Then there was traffic and those 45 minutes became about 2 and a half hours. Who has traffic on Sunday night at 10 pm? We do. I'd like to tell you it was due to the fourth being only a few days prior. But that's a typical Sunday. Traffic headed into DC. Even from hours away -traffic. Or as I like to think of it - extra time together :-).

I hope each if you had a great 4th!  Rain or shine.

Book - Kisses from Katie - updated

From the introduction: 

"I have absolutely no desire to write a book about myself. This is a book about a Christ who is alive today and not only knows but cares about every hair on my head. Yours too. I'm writing this book on the chance that a glimpse into the life of my family and me, full of my stupidity and God's grace, will remind you of this living, loving Christ and what it means to serve Him. I'm writing with the hope that as you cry and laugh with my family you will be encouraged that God still uses flawed human beings to change the world. And if He can use me, He can use you."

Katie Davis

I have just finished reading this book. It was amazing. If you are wanting to be inspired... Here is your book. She also has a blog, posted below, but you need to read the book to get the story. Then follow the blog.

www.amazima.org
www.kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com

Amazima Founder, Katie Davis 

In December of 2006, 18-year-old Katie Davis from Brentwood, Tennessee, traveled to Uganda for the first time. She was immediately captivated with the people and the culture.

In the summer of 2007, Katie returned to Uganda to teach Kindergarten at an orphanage. As she walked the children home, she was shocked to see the sheer number of school-aged children sitting idly on the side of the road or working in the fields. She learned there were very few government-run public schools in Uganda, and none in the area where she was working. Most schools in Uganda are privately operated and therefore require school fees for attendance, making impoverished families unable to afford an education for their children. God laid it on Katie's heart to start a child sponsorship program, matching orphaned and vulnerable children who are unable to afford schooling with sponsors anywhere in the world. A annual gift of $300 enables one child to go to school and provides the necessary school supplies, 3 hot meals each day, spiritual discipleship, and medical care. Originally intending to have only 40 children in the sponsorship program, Katie had 150 signed up by January 2008. Today the program sponsors over 600 children.

Later that year, in 2008, Katie established a 5019(c)3 non-profit organization called Amazima Ministries International. The word “Amazima” means “truth” in the native Luganda language. The organization seeks to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the people of Uganda who need it most.

Katie also became a mother of three orphaned girls in January of 2008. She would adopt ten (10) more daughters in the coming few years.

Shortly thereafter, Katie was introduced to the Karamojong people of Masese. The poorest of the poor, and losing their children to malnutrition and starvation at an astounding rate, she noticed their desperate need for nutritious food. She started a feeding program to the community, providing meals to over 1,200 children Monday through Friday. This program allows the children to attend school and therefore not go to the street to beg. Amazima also provides medical care, Bible study, and general health training to the Masese community.

As her friendships developed in Masese, Katie wanted to help the women in the village provide for their families. She initiated aself-sustaining vocational program to empower these women to generate needed income by making unique Ugandan magazine bead necklaces. The necklaces made by the women are purchased weekly by Amazima and then sold in the United States. The money the women receive for their beads allows them to support their family and offset the cost of sending their children to school.

Now the mother of 13 daughters, Katie offers, “People tell me I am brave. People tell me I am strong. People tell me good job. Well here is the truth of it. I am really not that brave, I am not really that strong, and I am not doing anything spectacular. I am just doing what God called me to do as a follower of Him. Feed His sheep, do unto the least of His people.”

 

I kept thinking through the entire book, "she is so young. God is using her and she is so willing to give everything and she is so young". But then I think of my own girls and how willing they are to love and listen to god. To love Jesus and thank him for the blessings we have. So young. He uses the little ones to teach us, doesn't he?

I picked up this book on my way to the airport. I was making an emergency trip to Atl for the funeral of a dear dear friend who had passed away a few days earlier (there will soon be a post about that... I just have to write it still). But there was a delay in the flight, so I stopped by a Barnes and Noble to see what might find. I ended up with three books. This was the third book I saw and it just stood out to me. On my way to the airport I asked god which I should take with me, and again this one stood out. So, I took it with me. Only a few short days later and I have finished the book. It was really difficult to put it down. I constantly wanted to know how god was going to use her next and how her family would grow. God knows what we need, doesn't he? I needed to read this book. To trust. To embrace the journey. To let go sometimes and know that he has a plan. To trust. To ask. To trust.

He has a plan.

I am thankful for that.

If you are looking for an inspirational book, if you are a parent, if you think there may be a god, if you know there is a god and want to be amazed ever more by him... Read this book. Kisses from Katie, by Katie Davis with Beth Clark.

Dance Recitals

Saturday was our first dance recital since the move and with the new dance studio. It's was really a lot of fun!  Saturday morning was the mini-mover dancers (ages 2-5), which is what our Scooter Button is. She did both ballet, to Skittermarink (Skittermarink-e-dink a dink, Skittermarink-e-do. I love you), and tap, to a honky tonk You are my Sunshine. Both were super cute and she did great!!!  The mini movers recitals was called My Heart does a Little Dance. After each performance the dancers got a little necklace with a heart on it. Very sweet.

Punkin had four dances - ballet, tap and 2 jazz routines. Her recital was called Viral Video. All of the songs were ones that has had something about them go viral on line. Call me Maybe, Gangman Style, Lady Gaga's Paparazzi, etc. Punkin's dances were to Super Bass (instrumental version of a Nicki Manaj song) for ballet; Friday for tap, and for jazz she did a combo song of Bicycle by Queen into Peanut Butter Jelly Time. You wouldn't think those two went together... But somehow they did. Her second jazz was a routine that a few girls from her class did at a competition at Kings Dominion, a local amuzement park, and it was to Surfin' USA.

I was a backstage helper and got each if the dance groups lined up backstage ready to perform. It was a lot of fun. We were all tired after, but it was fun. The recital was so entertaining. I was able to watch Punkin's dances from the wings and most of the dances at the dress rehearsal.

There were two dancers that were graduating this year. The last dance was their senior tribute dance. They thought it was just the two of them with a video playing behind them of their dance careers thus far. But as a surprise, each of the dance instructors from the studio danced on stage with them. It was such a beautiful dance. It combined each style of dance, well except tap because that would have required a shoe change. But these girls did lyrical, ballet, jazz, Scottish highlands, and hip hop. The hip hop instructor wasn't there because he is touring this summer, but he performed on the video at the same time they were performing the same moves on stage. It was just a cool dance, and really showed the heart of the studio and how they care about their students. As the curtain call, all of the dancers filed onstage behind the two seniors waving - a signal to the audience that the show was over as well as a goodbye to the two the seniors. It really was beautiful. That's also the theatre nerd in me :-). And that's ok.

If you get a chance or are interested, feel free to check out the studios website, Facebook page or Pinterest. It's called Artistry Dance Center. www.artistrydancecenter.com There should be pictures there also.

We are all signed up for summer and next year also. Punkin wants to try Scottish Highlands, so we are adding that one to our list, and adding hip hop back on. So she will actually have 6 numbers next year. Button is keeping tap and ballet, but adding hip hop to hers. I can wait to see her do some hip hop. She wiggles and jumps so much already, I think she's gonna love it.

We have found a great studio.

CAT Test

Part of homeschooling, we have to show "evidence of progress" at the end of each school year. This can be done by either have an evaluation done (basically an interview with someone, usually a former homeschooling mom, who has a masters degree or higher, who writes a report stating whether or not the student shows evidence of progress for their age) or you can do an accepted standardized test (Calif Achievement Test, Iowa State test, etc). Most of these standardized test are the same ones kids in public school take also, they just typically take them beginning in the third grade, then very so often after that. We choose to try the CAT test. Punkin is the only one who has to take the test, because she is the only one "officially" in school. So at the beginning of the week we did a practice test so she would be familiar with the format of the test. We were also able to talk about the test and questions after she finished and work through any she may have had difficulties with. She did great. 

So yesterday, I asked her if she wanted to do part of her test. She grinned and said yes. Great!! We sat at the table and Button watched a show on the iPad. We want through 3 of the 5 tests - the language, reading, comprehension and vocabulary sections - like a breeze. She was awesome. We took a break after that and she played with Button for a while. Then Button went to take a nap. I asked her if she wanted to move on to the Math sections or wait until the next morning. She was game. So we started the math tests which included addition, subtraction and various math applications (shapes, money, calendars, word problems).  I'm telling you she did great. I'm biased, I get that. But she really did great. There were a few that she didn't get to in the time allowed, and that was fine. But to watch her think through the problems and figure them out as I sat quietly reading the instructions as the administrator. And for her to be confident in what she was doing. It was rewarding as her homeschooling mom to see her excited about taking the test and confident in displaying her knowledge. 

She understands that she had to take the test to show the school system that she is learning while she is at home so we can continue homeschooling. She gets it. She also gets that she is a smart girl. I am proud of her. We are taking her to a celebration dinner tonight for her awesomeness. She originally said she wanted sushi, but has now said Mexican. We shall see. 

It's been a great first "official" year of homeschooling. Both girls have progressed more than I could have expected. Blessings. They are blessings. It has been a blessing to homeschool them also. 

Tree Frogs and Terrapins

We have lots of critters at our house. Deer that eat in the field across the street from us, deer that eat in our yard, frogs, cranes, turtles, swans, ducks, bald eagles, ravens, fish, bunnies, sacadas, dragon flies.... A lot of critters. We have recently seen the deer in our flower beds whose tracks we have seen for several weeks. We watch frogs on our windows. We watch them eat in abundance when we turn on the outside lights and the bugs fly towards the light. We even saw a turtle a few weeks ago in our back yard.

On Tuesday, we decided to go to the $1 summer movies. When we got in our car at home, Button got in on Punkin's side of the car. But at the theatre, she got out through her door. When she did, she exclaimed "A froggy, mom there's a froggy!"  I asked where, thinking on the ground, maybe on the tree we were parked next too. She says "on my door". She was right!  On the inside of the door where there door curves over the wheels, was tucked a little green tree frog. I took a napkin and encouraged him off of the door - after taking a picture of course - and he jumped to the parking lot. He was not there when we returned, so we were positive he had found a new home in the trees at the movie theater. We now look at the doors before getting in, just to be sure we don't have any hitch hikers tagging along.

Hunny also had one on his truck the day before on the inside of his door too. Apparently it's easier for them to get in than we thought.

Then, last night, as Hunny was taking the dogs out, he was looking at the hoove prints by some flowers and noticed what looked like petals on the ground. The problem was that we didn't have any petals of that shape near that area. Further inspecting the white "petals" he realized that they were eggs. Eggs!!!  Something had hatched in three separate places in our flower beds. We looked up eggs for a few creatures that we thought it could be ....  Terrapins. We had baby terrapins hatch in our yard. I just wish when I saw the wholes in the ground previously I would have been brave enough to peak in to see the eggs. I would have liked to watch the process and to be able to share that experience with the girls. But knowing we were a good incubator for little turtle eggs is pretty cool.

Tree frogs and Terrapins - baby terrapins at that. That's our critter funny something for today.

Flubber

Flubber - a putty type substance made from a combination of glue, water, borax and if you'd like, food coloring.

[Note:There is also a movie from the 90s with Robin Williams named Flubber. It didn't appear to get good reviews in my google search. I have never seen the movie. I only know bout the putty type substance.]

At THINK we made flubber. It really is a lot of fun to play with. It is super simple to make. And it's a cool science experiment for the kiddos. Having said that, it is important to note that flubber should not come into contact with fabric of any sort. It sticks to it and does not come off. We play with our flubber at a table that has a plastic table cover on it and we try really hard :-) not to let any drop on the floor.

So after making flubber, it has been a fun activity throughout the week molding it into different shapes, popping air bubbles that come up or squeezing it into a cup and hearing the "toot" noises it makes. After, dance the other day, we came home and the girls were playing with flubber at the table while I was making lunch. I was almost finished when I heard a very calm "I have some goo in my hair". Ok, I thought.  Then Punkin says "oh you do have some in there". Nothing alarming, I thought.

Then I turned around.

There was a glob of flubber in the front of Buttons hair that stretched about 6-7 inches down and about 2 inches thick - a huge glob of pink flubber hung from the front of her head. Not the "I have some" amount that I was expecting. I took a deep breath, put my hands on my knees and took a moment. My first thoughts honestly, were this is made of glue and we are going to have to cut her hair - and she has a recital in a week. I know, very dance mom of me. Sorry. After my moment of silence and breathing, I evaluated the flubber to hair issue. I let her know that I was going to try my best to get it all out, that it may hurt, and that if I couldn't get it out we would try to wash it out. But that there was a chance mommy would have to cut it out. It really was a lot in there. To my surprise, it came out pretty easily. Much easier than I first thought. I really thought she was gonna have to have bangs to try to get it out.  But, piece my piece, strand by strand, the flubber came out, without too much pulling and no scissors needed.

I'm still not sure why the flubber got put on her hair. I asked, but nothing was really offered. I was thinking when I was getting the flubber out that I remember getting gum in my hair as a child - falling asleep with it in my mouth - and having to freeze it to get it out or cut it out. And I'm sure that happened more than once. But I don't recall ever deliberately putting something like that in my hair.

Lesson(s) learned - 1) flubber is fun. 2)flubber does not come out of fabric 3) flubber does come out of hair.

I have included the recipe for flubber below. May you have a funny something kind of time with your own flubber. :-).  If you add a small amount of cornstarch you can roll it into a ball that as it hardens becomes a bouncy ball. Feel free to search for he specific recipe for that one. We preferred the flubber of the two.

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 cups elmer white glue
food coloring
1 1/3 cups warm water
3 teaspoons borax
Directions:

1) In one container mix 1 1/2 cups warm water, white glue and a few drops of food coloring.
2)In a second container mix 1 1/3 cups of warm water and Borax.
3)Mix the Borax mixture into the glue mixture until combined. (may be some liquid in bottom of container).
4)Place Flubber on a tray and let stand for a few minutes before playing with it!
5)Store in air tight container.