Blog Changes

If you are looking for my posts on PCOS, Infertility or TTC #2, I have created a blog for that subject alone. You can now find them at: http://desireespcosjourney.blogspot.com/

Sorry for the inconvience but this way all my posts (I had them on 2 different blogs) about that one subject are easy to see and you wont have to go through all these post about our family life if that isn't an interest to you.

Please note you will get a adult content only notice prior to entering the blog. It's not because there are intimate details on it but it's due to the subject being discussed.

Also this blog now will pretain mainly to our homeschooling adventure and Edward's adventures. If you wish to read about our General Family Life, you can find those posts at: http://desireesdailylife.blogspot.com/

Mini Barber

Took Edward to get his hair cut yesterday, but he decided he did not like the hair cut he recieved. He decided to take it upon himself (with the help of some scissors) to give himself a new (more likable, in his mind) hair do. Below are the results of what he did to himself.

Needless to say we had to have it cut very short, almost had to have him bald.

Crazy Week

This week is going to be a super crazy week for us. Edward will be attending 2 Vacation Bible Schools. He will be going to one in the morning at our church from 9 AM to Noon and then going to one at the church where our Co-op Classes are held (and where he attended AWANA's last year) from 630PM to 830PM. Plus we will still be doing our abridge program for school. He is going to be one tired little boy. He starts the evening VBS tonight and the other tomorrow morning.
I am helping with the VBS at our church, I am helping to teach the motions to the songs. It was the last position that was available. Not exactly my strong suit, I was hoping to help with crafts. Oh well, God truly must have a sense of humor....I was never a cheerleader or took dance, so I am a little out of rhythm and uncoordinated needless to say.

Catch Up

Have you been wondering what we have been up to? LOL! So have I.....no actually September and October were busy months for us.
Edward started out bowling again this year but after only 4 weeks in, we ended up pulling him from the league. We did this because we had a situation happen that we felt wasn't healthy for Edward to be around on a weekly basis. I feel bad because he loved it so much but we wanted to do what was best for him and not cause him un-do stress. I am trying my best to take him once a month or more, it would be easier if our towns Bowling Alleys were open more during the week.
Edward is now almost 12 weeks into his 1st Semester of Young Child through Kindermusik. He will be receiving his glockenspiel in about 3 weeks.
Edward started going to Awana's 2 Wednesdays ago (this coming Wednesday will be his 3rd week). He loves it and so do we. He has to memorize Bible verses and so many other wonderful things. It is a great experience for him. He has a little vest and has to earn badges, and receives jewels in a crown for memorizing his verses. I was so impressed the first week he had to say the American Flag Salute on his own with no help...he recited it perfectly word for word. We start every school morning with reading our Bible, doing our devotional, calendar work, saying the Flag Salute, the Christian Flag Salute and the Bible Pledge. It was just amazing that he after only 1 1/2 months into our school year was already able to recite it word for word. He is such a bright little guy.
Edward is still participating in Monart Classes. He drew an elephant 3 weeks ago and we were just amazed by his drawing. I will have to scan in some of his drawings and post them on the blog. We didn't have Monart Classes this last week. He only has 2 more classes this session and then nothing until mid-January.
Edward just finished up his 2 month long tap dancing classes. He loved it and desires to take more lessons. He is also asking to participate in Soccer, I just need to find acceptable places for him to participate in these activities.
I am still busy teaching the A to Z Animal Science Class for the K-2nd graders in our homeschool co-op, I also am the editor for the weekly newsletter, always am making something for the weekly luncheons and shuttling Edward to his extra activities.
Kirk is busy with work and coming home to play with Edward.

Another Thompson Family Update

I just noticed that it has been 15 days since I have blogged....like others I use my blog to communicate with family and friends who live a great distance from us and are unable to share in our daily lives. I also use it as a way to keep record of our lives. I plan to print out my entries and make keep them for Edward to share with his children and their children.

We have been very busy this month preparing for the upcoming school year. Edward will be starting Kindergarten in just a few more weeks. Public School officially started here (also in OK and TX) last Thursday. I think that it is just to hot out and still to summery for kids to be cooped up in a class room. We will start our school year the day after Labor Day. Edward is looking forward to school. We will be using Sonlight this year for our curriculum, along with Horizon's Health (K), Math-U-See (primer), Character First (series 1), and A Reason For Handwriting (K). We will also be learning some Spanish this year using Teach Me Spanish CD. Next semester we will be learning some French using the same series. Then I plan for him to learn Hebrew the first semester of 1st grade. We aren't learning to write any of these languages yet, just what they sound like in familiar childrens songs. When Edward gets to 3rd Grade we will use the Rosetta Stone Homeschool Series to learn these languages more in depth. We will also be working on America Sign Langauge this year too. We are also going to be using Tatras to an extent to learn to read, this is also known as Vertical Phonics. I have heard good things about this. Thank you Renee for showing me this program...you are always so kind to share.

Edward starts Kindermusik Young Child 1 tomorrow. He starts Homeschool Bowling League on the 4th of Sept (he rocked during summer league...he bowled a high game scratch of 105, a high series of 196 and his game average was 81...he was 2nd highest in game average and in high series, would have been in high game scratch if he would have just bowled a 107 or better game. Not bad if you ask me). This will be our last year for summer bowling league. Next summer he and I will go bowling once a week together. He will be moving up that fall to the Batnam's League which is sanctioned and doesn't allow bumpers. We will be working during the summer to get use to bowling without bumpers, with out the distractions or pressure of being on a league. Plus there were somethings that I saw during summer league that I just don't want Edward to be around or see. I think a break will do us good and we will see about doing a summer league in 2010.

Our Homeschool Co-op starts on Sept 5th. I will be teaching 2 classes this semester. A Arts and Crafts Class for Pre-K to 2nd grade and an A to Z Animal Science Class (this is a curriculum that is through our local zoo) for K to 2nd grade. My Arts and Craft class is only 6 weeks long. The A to Z Animal Science Class is actually 2 semesters long, so I will teach that class all school year long. I am looking forward to it.

I just have to share what we are having for dinner tonight....stuffed head of tenderloin (as seen on one of Edward's Favorite Food Network Shows; Good Eats), this is stuffed with crumbled blue cheese....Kirk's mouth has been watering ever since he saw the show so I thought I would fix it for him. We will also be having Parsley and Chive Mashed Potatoes, Broccoliflower and Purple Cauliflower (we haven't had either of these so I thought they would be fun to try), butter and egg dinner rolls, and for desert petite strawberry shortcakes. Is your mouth watering yet? I will have to let you know how this dinner turns out. One night I also plan to make Swedish Potato Balls (Kroppkakor) for Kirk. His mom's parents use to make them when she was a kid and he remembers eating them when he would go to visit them. He has been talking about them. I also have Swedish on my side of the family, I think it would be great for Edward to taste some Swedish style foods. There a Swedish Community here in Kansas (Lindsborg....aka Little Sweden) that has a Swedish Festival (Svensk Hyllningsfest) once a year, I am hoping we will be able to go in either 2009 or 2011 (it's only done every uneven year). It is in Mid-October.

It is different with Sebastian gone, we all miss him so much. Thank you all for the well wishes and condolences. It has taken some getting use too. So far Bear and Storm seem to be dealing with it well.

We are off here over Labor Day weekend for a mini family vacation in Nevada. Pray everyone comes home in one piece and no one tries to amputate any of their body parts.

We wanted to wish Happy Birthday to Jim, Mom T (Kirk's Mom), Oma Du (my Grandma), Paige (our beautiful neice), and Charlene, who all have birthdays in August. Also Happy Anniversary to my brother and his wife.

For those praying for us, please remember that Kirk goes at the end of next month to see the Urologist. Will keep you posted.

Hold Your Children A Little Tighter

Please cherish every moment the Lord give you with your children because you never know when it might be your last. Yesterday morning I received a phone call from the head of our homeschool Co-op letting me know that one of my fellow homeschool moms passed away this morning. She was about my age (35) and had 3 beautiful children (a 12 yr old, a 8 yr old and a 4 yr old (approximate ages of the children)). Her name was Desiree also. There was no know reason for her passing this morning. I don't know when we will know. All I can do right now is think about those 3 beautiful children and the fact that they will never have their mommy tuck them, kiss them, laugh with them, cry with them, hold them when they hurt or rejoice with them when they accomplish something. Please keep her husband, their children and the extend family in your prayers at this time. Please hug your children and let go of the small stuff. Time is just to short.

************** UPDATE ***************added June 11, 2008******************
Desiree had been having some issues with fainting and her heart, they aren't sure if this is what took her life. I haven't heard about the results of the autopsy yet. A correction about her age she was 32 (born on Dec 1975...). When I was reading her obituary in the paper, I found it odd that not only did we both share the same first name, but our grandmas did too (Sylvia). She will be greatly missed. Please continue to keep her family in your prayers as they are facing some huge adjustments in their family right now.

Why Is It????

Why is it that as soon as people hear the words "We Homeschool", they look at you like you are an alien from outer space? They instantaneously judge you and think you are a weirdo for wanting to homeschool. I hear comments all the time like "He wont be socialized", "What about College?", "Won't he miss out on the "normal" things", "How will he make friends his age", "Why don't you cut the apron strings and let him go to real life school?" and so many more. Yes, he is socialized probably far better than most kids his age. He is able to interact with people of all ages, not just children his age. Yes, he can and will go to college. Homeschool Children get High School Credits and Diploma's just like those who attend public and private schools. And guess what, they get to have a real graduation too. "Normal" things, not quite sure what is meant by this statement but if it means do I want my son going to school every day having his back pack checked and sent through a metal detector just to get into the school building...then NO I don't want him to go through those "Normal" things. If by "Normal" things, they mean introduced to drugs, bullies and peer pressure by 4 yrs old, then NO I don't want those "Normal" things for him either. If "Normal" things means having lables slapped on him by adults who are suppose to their to guide them through the most important time of their life, then NO I don't want that for him either. Now please don't get me wrong, not all public and private schools are bad, there are great ones out there ( I do feel that the public school system as a whole though is in great need of a major over haul). Not saying that there aren't any locally either, just saying that I choose to educate my son at home....where he isn't just learning Reading, Writing and Arithmetic, he is learning about God (no I don't believe that it is the churches place either to be responsible to "educate" my son in Christianity....where in the Bible does that say that....it is us, as their parents, responsibility souly to do that....church is a corner stone in that foundation of Christianity that you are helping your child build), Family Foundations, Good Ethics, A adventurous love for learning, Freedom to learn what they want and how they want, Freedom to learn they way they want (and if necessary, in a way that is souly individualized for them and their learning style), and most of all being Loved and Guided by a adult who truly loves and cares for them and their what their future will hold for them. As for making friends his own age, he has plenty of them through Homeschool Co-op, Kindermusik, Bowling League, Monart, Church and various other activities we do with him. It's not like we have him locked up in the house 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Yes, I am well aware of the fact that some homeschool families are very strict about interaction and so forth. But do not judge me and the fact that I choose to homeschool, based on them. Just like I don't children who are public or privately schooled, to be hellions, rebels, wild uncontrollable children. I know some great children who are in public school as I speak. I love them for who they are not how they are educated. We have just educated ourselves, looked at all the options, prayed about where and what God had in store for us in the means of Education and went where He led us. I live in a country where this is a FREEDOM, it is My CHOICE not that of those around me. This is a FREEDOM I am grateful for each and every day. I do not take this FREEDOM light and neither does any of the homeschooling families I personally know. Each of us have chosen to homeschool because that is what God has called us to do for our children and our families. As for "cutting the apron strings" I think I just answered that question. My son, is not going to be any less of a man when he grows up because he was homeschooled by his Mom, I pray that homeschooling him will make him that much better of a Man and a stronger Christian.

My Awesome Weekend

We had an Awesome time! Friday night after we arrived we just stayed in. I had a fruit and cheese tray along with a small bottle of white wine in the room for when we arrived. So we enjoyed that when we got in. We had a separate sitting room with it's own 1/2 bath, mini bar & TV. There was a small balcony. However there wasn't really a view to see so we didn't use that. There were 2 double beds, a TV and full bathroom in the other bedroom portion of the suite. We ordered room service for dinner (which were so wonderful...she had chicken and I had steak) and played Here and Now Monopoly, while visiting....we also watched a little TV. We got up Saturday went to Inspirations Tea Room for lunch. This tearoom is owned by Christians. It is fabulous, we both have been there other times. I told the waitress that we were celebrating Trisha's Birthday. When she brought back our dessert (we were sharing, it was a Strawberry Shortcake) it had a candle in it. They also gave her a little gift back with some of their scones (yummmy) and a few teas. We wandered around their gift shop afterwards until we had to leaver for the spa. I have to say that I went to another spa last Feb and that spa has nothing on the one we went to. It was so relaxing, tranquil, and serene. The treatments that we had were just fabulous. We started with a Lavender Hand Luxury Treatment. We soaked our hands in this water that had a lavender fizzing marble in it, then they took our hands and massaged them with lavender lotion and then dipped them in paraffin wax, we sat there with our hands in the wax, covered with plastic bags and these towels that were sewn like huge mittens, while they did our feet. We had the Grape Peel Foot Treatment. Our feet were soaked in Champagne fizz. Then they were exfoliated with Grape Pedi Peel and Champagne Oil (it was a foot mask), then they put our feet in plastic bags and they blue slippers. They looked like Smurf booties. LOL!!! While our feet sat in these booties, they finished our hands. They removed the paraffin wax, and massaged our hands with lavender oils. Then they removed the booties and finished our feet. We were able to stay together during these two treatments, we visited and just had a great time. Then we were taken to separate rooms for our facials. We had Chocolate Champagne Facials. First we had to remove our tops including our bras and done the soft spa towel tops that snapped closed. Then we laid down on massage tables and covered with sheets. They started our facials with a facial cleansing with Chocolate milk (LOL....that is what they call what ever it is), that was followed with hot stones rubbed on the face, then removed with a steaming hot cloth massage. Next came Exfoliation with a Revitalizing Exfoliating Scrub, and another rub down with hot stones, then removed with another steaming hot cloth massage. Then the Chocolate Masque was applied. While that was being allowed to do it's thing. We received a Champagne and Rose Butter Oil Massaged to the hands, arms, shoulders, neck and scalp. The Chocolate Masque was removed with a steaming hot cloth massage after it was rubbed down with hot stones. Then we had ultra hemp moisturizer put on our faces followed by a cold stone rub down on the face to help with the redness. This was heavenly. We finished up the day at the spa with Chocolate Strawberry crepes and tea in the fireside room. When we checked out we were given some Ultra Hemp Moisturizer and Eye Pillows that you can heat or put in the freezer. We went shopping at Target afterwards, then back to the hotel. We decided that we were going to go to Brick Town for dinners at an awesome Mexican Restaurant called Abelous. We were just about to leave when my cell phone rang. It was Kirk. He was Frantically asking me where Edward and I go for walks. I was trying to figure out why he was so frantic about going for a walk and why it was important that he took Edward where we go. I kept asking why he wanted to know and was so frantic about it. Finally he tells me he can't find Edward anywhere. He explains that he hadn't seen or heard Edward in almost 30 minutes. That he had looked all over the house but he was no where to be found. That he had called the cops and that they were there searching the house too. He told me he had to go, leaving me hanging and not know much more of what was happening. I called my mom, my step mom and Jennifer to ask them to start praying that Edward was found. Trisha called her mom and did the same. I called Kirk back and asked if they had found him. He said no, that he was looking for something that Edward had been wearing for the scent sniffing dogs that they were bringing in. Our elderly neighbor was searching the alleys and streets for Edward. Kirk hangs up on me. I can tell he is frantic. I am trying to stay calm and not just jump in the van and fly home, thinking how long do I wait before I do so. I felt that Edward had just fallen asleep somewhere in the house like he does at times with me and that Kirk just couldn't see him. I wanted to give ample time for them to look and not have Kirk worrying about me driving frantically home. Kirk called back and I asked him if they had found him. He was saying no, then in the back ground I hear a cop say that they had found him. Relief filled me so much, and Kirk too, I could instantly hear it in his voice. Kirk asked where they found him at, Edward had gone and curled up in his big butterfly chair back in the little reading nook in the playroom and fallen asleep. This chair is full of stuffed animals. He had crawled under all of them (probably had been playing there and fell asleep unplanned), the only thing that was sticking out was his hair and a tiny portion of his head. They brought Edward to Kirk and I could hear Kirk squeezing the stuffing out of Edward. PTL That he was safe. I finally got the rest of the story. Kirk was trying to surprise me while I was gone with redoing our downstairs bathroom. Edward had been going back and forth, and then Kirk realized that Edward hadn't come around for about 20 to 30 minutes, it was awful quiet so he went looking for him. Couldn't find him and this freaked him because there had been a yard sale just a few houses down the road with lots of people coming and going in the neighborhood. So he called the cops after he was unsuccessful in locating Edward. He says now he feels like an idiot but I told him not too. He did the right thing, minutes are so important in finding a lost little one. After everything was calmed down, Trisha and I decided to still go to dinner. We hoped the downtown trolley (caught it unfortunately at the beginning of the route so we had to ride it the whole route...it was only a quarter though) to Brick Town. We had a great dinner at the Mexican Restaurant, went back to the hotel, rented a movie (Because I Said So with Diane Keaton and Mandy Moore) , order a midnight snack from room service and then went to sleep. We woke up Sunday morning, ordered breakfast from room service, packed up and left. She went to her aunts, I went shopping (had to get some things for father's day to make for Kirk), then I went to see the Wilkinson's (my first nanny family).....visited for almost 2 hours then came home. It was a nice weekend minus the missing Edward thing.

Fun Friday

Today was a fun day. Edward and I went bowling this afternoon. He didn't have Kindermusik or Bowling League today due to Spring Break. So today I decided we would have a Mommy/Edward day. Edward bowled a high score of 68, which was great. We had a great time, we bowled, had pizza and rootbeer, then went to Kohl's and Linen & Things to do some shopping. I enjoyed just being with my son. It was a great time. Kirk is going to take him to his Parent Tots Gymnastics Class at the local Recreation Center tomorrow morning, so I can get some much needed house work done. Not sure if they will go somewhere else afterwards or not, but every free minute will help.

Disaster Zone

I am not sure how it happens but I can clean the house from top to bottom, then just minutes later it is like a tornado flew through (under radar) the house. I know that in my house, the tornadoes names are Edward, Kirk, Storm, Bear and Sebastian for the most part. I would love for my house to stay clean just for one 24 hour period. That is all I am really asking for. Oh the insanity of it all!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh WHAT a week it has been

Hello! Sorry I haven't written this week. It has been HELL around here. Last Saturday (the 29th of July) Edward was washing his hands and he slipped and fell, hitting his mouth on our sink. He ended up shoving one of this front teeth up into his gum. So we have spent this week seeing a dentist (after our ER visit on Saturday night), and an oral surgeon. He has a surgery to remove the tooth from his gum on Wednesday the 9th of August. We (edward and I) leave the very next morning for WA state and a 20 day vacation there. I am spending today cleaning the house, will have to run to the Post Office here shortly to mail somethings off, but 85% of my day will be spent cleaning house....ohhhhh what fun!!!!!!! We have decided to supplement Edwards Preschool Homeschool Program we are putting him in Kindermusik again this year and he will also be joining a Bowling League for 3-6 yr olds called Bouncing Bumpers. He gets a free bowling ball at the end of the League which is 22 weeks long. Next year he can join the Homeschool League. I was going to also put him in a Monart program but I don't think this program is a fit for us right now. So we will hold off for another year maybe. They also have programs for Homeschoolers. In 2 years when he starts Kindergarten we can join the local homeschool organization here in Newton. Kinda stinks though that we have to wait until then to start it. I am thinking about trying to find some local moms who homeschool kids Edwards age so we can do things together. I will have to find them. Well thats the long and the short of it here.

Does the Insanity Ever END???

Family....Friends.....Dogs......Children......Pleasing everyone.........Peacemaker.............Loss of hair. Things are just insanely crazy for me and I don't know if this insanity will ever end. Does it seem that way for you? I need a maid, someone to motivate me, someone to finish unpacking from our move, someone to pack for our vacation, dogs to quit barking, Edward to quit dragging the dogs around the house, dogs to bathe themselves, sleep, people to be where they say they are going to be when you travel 2 1/2 hrs to see them, people to be more giving of themselves and their time and less demanding of me and mine when I am the person who always adjust her schedule for other, sleep, quiet, time to myself, a good book, a nice warm bubble bath, Laundry to do itself, glass that doesn't collect dust and fingerprints, a child who listens better, sleep, a husband who was more romantic, central heat and air, more friends and less worries, and did I mention sleep?????

To DARN HOTTT!!!!

Well here it is Tuesday and they say it is going to be 107 here today, can you believe that? HOT! HOT! HOT! Makes me wish I was back in WA state where it is only suppose to be 73 degrees. That sounds so refreshing. I am hoping that it will be cool there when we go up in Aug, warm enough to enjoy the outdoors but cool enough where your not uncomfortable....know what I mean? Life has not changed since I posted yesterday, however today I am going to go get my Kansas Driver License. I hate getting my picture taken, so this should be fun. I have to take Edward with me, hope he will cooperate long enough for them to quickly take the picture. I will let you know how it turns out. Edward is watching Noggin right now, tomorrow he goes to meet his new pediatrician. I am hoping that she is as good as the one we had back in OK. It is so hard to replace good doctors. However on the good side, I did hear from the Kindermusik teacher that I have the best OBGYN in the area. I will see her for the first time (the OBGYN that is) in Oct, unless I get pregnant before then and seeing as how I will be out of state in Aug, I doubt I will need to see her before then. Praying that September will be the lucky month for us, a June baby would be nice.....no hot summer time pregnancy. Well better cut this short, need to go and try to make myself look good for that stupid driver license picture, which you know no matter how good you look they always look bad.