Different Brilliant Colors

Your Childcare Provider is not out to rip you off.

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Thu, 12 May 2011 02:29:00 +0000

So, the incident I’m about to recount happened last week. I’ve attempted to just forget about it… to pass it off as simple ignorance… however… I keep thinking about it, and it’s got my panties in a bunch. Here is what happened: I was in the waiting room at my kids’ dentist, where another mom was making small talk with me. She seemed quite intrigued to find that I was a childcare provider. She began to ask me quite a few questions about it, so I thought perhaps she was in the market for a provider, or else was possibly considering the profession herself. She asked me how much I charge, and how many kids I have in my care. When I told her, she said, “WOW! You must make SO MUCH MONEY!!” Um… OK… aside from just being plain old tacky and rude to say such a thing, the very idea that any childcare provider makes “SO MUCH MONEY!!!” is utterly absurd. I was so taken aback by her comment, that I could do little but just say something about how my rates were fairly standard, and uh… well, there are a lot of expenses involved.

We all know that childcare is very costly for parents. But it’s expensive for a reason, and that reason is not that your childcare provider wants a new Benz. It’s expensive because your childcare provider spends a good portion of your tuition on things like increased homeowners/liability insurance, cleaning supplies to keep the childcare environment sanitary, nutritious food to feed growing bodies and art supplies for all those cute little projects your little one brings home. She must periodically purchase new toys and equipment such as cribs, bouncy seats, strollers, etc. She must purchase office supplies for the business end of things. EEC regulations require that licensed providers continually take classes in education, nutrition, safety and child development, and those cost money, too. If she employs an assistant, she must pay that assistant’s salary, as well as all related payroll taxes, unemployment, social security, etc. And so on, and so on.

Childcare providers typically have their first child arriving around 7am. Their last child leaves probably somewhere between 5:30 and 6, so it would seem that most childcare providers work about 11 hours a day. But there is more… Keep in mind that in addition to all the hours your provider spends taking care of your child’s basic needs, she also spends a good chunk of time setting up special projects and lessons which are developmentally appropriate for all the children in her care. She also must spend time writing up lesson plans, progress reports, keeping safety logs and taking care of other necessary paperwork. And then there are those classes we talked about… those take time, too. Most childcare providers end up doing a lot of this stuff in the evening and on weekends. And of course, she probably has her own family to take care of, as well.

So, to sum up… your childcare provider probably works close to 70 hours a week, and probably makes less than the average Administrative Assistant. So why, you may ask, would anyone want to have this job? Well, aside from the fact that many of us are parents ourselves, and enjoy working from home to be close to our own families, we are in this profession because we love children, and are interested in children’s development and well-being. We know that we are playing an important role in the lives of working families, and we take pride in that role. We choose this job because we want to make a difference, not because we want to make a million.

Giving Thanks

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 13:56:00 +0000

It’s that time of year again… time to think about the many Blessings in our lives. I’ve mentioned this before… but Thanksgiving is my favorite Holiday. While it’s important to be Thankful every day, I love having a special day set aside to count my blessings and share a meal with loved ones. This year, as always, I have many things for which I am Thankful…

I am thankful for My Love, and for the life we are building together… I’m grateful every day that the Universe saw fit to send him my way.

I am thankful for our big, beautiful, blended family. We are so blessed that together we have 5 gorgeous children.

I am thankful to have an ex who is so cooperative and sympathetic to the random rescheduling whims of the other ex in the family. Without his cooperation and willingness to sacrifice a couple of his weekends with the kids, John and I wouldn’t have had all of our kids together at all during the entire holiday season.

I am thankful that this year we finally got an “official” diagnosis for Harry, which is allowing us to get him more of the help he needs to learn and thrive.

I am thankful for Harry’s occupational therapist, Mrs. Levy, who has helped him make such amazing progress over the past year and a half.

I am thankful that I’m able to have a job that allows me to be at home with my children.

I am thankful that our daycare has given me the chance to watch my own children grow and learn by helping to nurture children who are younger than them. It makes me smile to see my Theo taking pride in teaching a two-year old to build a train track, my Annabelle reading stories to the little ones, and my Harry giggling like crazy when he makes a baby smile by playing peek-a-boo.

I am thankful for the few grown-up hiking trips that John and I were able to squeeze in this year, including starting on the 4000 footers in NH! Happiness is standing on top of a mountain with my Love.

I am thankful that all our kids love hiking, too… and that we’ve been able to share our love of nature with them.

I am thankful for the sound of children laughing.

I am thankful for Dan, Vanessa, Angie, Doug, Joe and Ryan… I know that I’m lucky for such great siblings, who are wonderful aunts and uncles to my kids.

I am thankful for Papa and Nana Kat, and love that even though they live all the way in Florida, they make the effort to be a part of our lives every day.
I am thankful for my extended family… we have been brought together not only through birth, but marriage, divorce, remarriage, etc. My family is not a traditional one… but they are mine, and I’m grateful for them.

I am thankful for friends, old and new.

I am thankful for Date Nights. <3

I am thankful that when I finish typing this, I will be starting some bread dough, and finishing up cooking a big, vegetarian feast, to have Thanksgiving with my whole Bunch together for the first time.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

A Diagnosis... Finally!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 00:12:00 +0000

After many years and many specialists (doctors, speech therapists, developmental experts, etc etc) my youngest child has finally received a diagnosis for his various developmental delays! Harry has Aspergers Syndrome, a diagnosis that did not come as a great shock, as we've long suspected that he has some type of Autism Spectrum Disorder. I've heard a lot of parents talk about the what they felt like when told that their child has an ASD. Many talk in terms of feeling denial at the diagnosis, or fear, or sadness. When the doctor told me that Harry has Aspergers Syndrome, what I felt what a sense of relief... relief that we finally had a NAME for what's been causing all these challenges for Harry, and thus we could now address these issues by name, and help him to overcome them. I'm grateful for all the people who have been involved in helping us get to this point. I'm excited that Harry now has access to the therapy and treatment he needs. It's been such a long road already, and we've still got a very long way to go... but at least now we have a map to follow.

Here is a link to a site that gives a brief overview of Aspergers.

Harts Hill

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 00:57:00 +0000

The other night, my partner and I took the kids on a little post-dinner walk. We headed up to Harts Hill, a walk that I’ve never done, in spite of having lived in this town both as a teen and now for the last several years. I have, however, seen old photos of Harts Hill, and photos taken from the top of the hill (at one point there was an observation tower up there, and thus it was once a very popular place to take scenic photos) Some old photos of Harts Hill can be seen by clicking here and here. A recent photo can be seen by clicking here.

This is the type of view I was expecting… however… THIS is what we saw:

I’m so disappointed that this beautiful part of our town has been treated so disrespectfully (and clearly has been treated this way for quite a while, judging from the amount of trash and broken glass up there!) We have decided that our family is going to change this. We’re going to attempt to organize a clean-up, and to draw attention to this problem, in hopes of preserving this part of our town’s history and natural beauty.

To be continued….

Mom vs. The Insurance Company

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 11:04:00 +0000

I’ve spent the better part of the last two weeks on the phone. Mostly, I have been on the phone with various neuropsychology and developmental specialists offices and my insurance company, having pretty much the same conversation, over and over. For those of you who have been following our adventures with Harry, we just saw a neurologist Monday before last, after a seven-month wait. Yes, SEVEN MONTHS. The appointment went well, but, her conclusion at the end was that SOMETHING is going on with Harry, although she’s not sure what, so she has referred us to another developmental specialist for a full neuro-psych evaluation. Since the wait to get in to the Neuropsychology department at Children’s is anywhere from seven to nine months, she gave us the names of three other providers who could probably get us in a lot sooner. Thus began my quest to set up testing for my boy. After several days and several phone calls, I found out that any of the three providers she recommended could get him in for testing in a month or two, tops. I also found out that NONE of them are covered by my insurance, and the testing process costs $2500-$3000. I definitely do not have $3000. I begged and pleaded with my insurance company to help me find a way to get this at least partially covered. The secretaries at all these practitioners' offices were very kind and sypathetic about my plight, and some even offered suggestions for "loopholes" and such, but nothing worked. The insurance company gave me the names of some providers who are in network, and thus I was back to square one, with a seven to nine month wait, and, it turns out, still no guarantee that they would actually pay for testing anyway! The Almighty Insurance Company did consent to give me “permission” for an initial consultation with a neuropsychologist, who then must submit more paper to the insurance company stating that there is a “need” for the testing. The insurance company will then decide whether or not they’ll pay for it. Meanwhile, my son has ANOTHER nine months where he cannot get the services or therapies he needs, because he STILL does not have an “official” diagnosis (other than SPD)

From all of this, I pretty much concluded that people with money can get their kids prompt and appropriate treatment, whereas us poor folks cannot. As my pediatrician so eloquently stated, “Welcome to healthcare in America.”

In the end, my wonderful pediatrician is going to try to get us in ASAP with ANOTHER neurologist who specializes in Autism spectrum and related disorders, to see if we can maybe get a few more answers while we wait for full testing (neurologists are covered by the insurance company, neuropsychs, generally, are not) and also recommended that we talk to our school department’s special ed department (through which Harry receives his OT for his motor delays and SPD) in September to see if they can do a full evaluation. The problem we may run into there is that they are only required by law to test him every three years, and he was just tested a year and a half ago (although that was not a full evaluation, it just focused primarily on his motor delays) and the schools aren’t particularly eager to volunteer to do more than they deem strictly necessary. I have been warned to prepare to battle, if necessary, however, Harry’s occupational therapist is terrific, and I have faith that she will help us navigate the school testing process (this is what I’m hoping, anyway!) I also know of a special education advocate, however I don’t think I can afford her (back to money, once again.)

Overall, this process has been beyond frustrating. But I’m trying to focus on the positive… we are making small progress everyday with Harry. We are working, slowly but surely, to get him what he needs. He’s extremely bright, in spite of his other developmental delays, and wins over almost everyone who meets him with his big smile. He’s my baby boy, and I will do whatever is necessary to make sure he grows up to be all that he can be. I am also grateful to have the support of all the family and friends who have offered a sympathetic ear as we’ve been going through this process. Thank you!

Read. This. Book.

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:10:00 +0000

At the recommendation of both my daughter and my partner's daughter, I just finished reading The Magician's Elephant, by Kate DiCamillo. As I've noted in previous posts, I ADORE Kate DiCamillo. She is, by far, one of the very best contemporary authors. Her writing style is beautiful and evocative, and The Magician's Elephant is her most magical story yet. Like most of her other stories, this book is so lyrical... every word so carefully chosen... I found myself re-reading several passages, even reading some out loud. I think that middle-age readers are the target audience for this book, it's a wonderful book to read aloud to younger kids, as well. For Homeschoolers (or anyone else) who might want to use this book for Book groups and such, check out http://www.themagicianselephant.com for discussion points and activity packets. Happy Reading!

Adventures with Five Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Mon, 03 May 2010 12:57:00 +0000

This past week, my partner's kids were visiting for their spring vacation, so I had a couple of extra kids around the house! It was great fun! I love it when we have the whole crew together. Happy chaos! Unlike when they were here on their February vacation, the weather was lovely during their visit! We were able to do lots of fun things... We visited the National Heritage Museum in Lexington, we hiked at Breakheart Reservation and we played at Ipswich River Park, as well as enjoying lots of time here at home, playing games, doing crafts and playing in the yard. We had such fun, we were sad to see them go back to Vermont. As always, my kids are very much looking forward to their next visit, so we can have more adventures!

Outside the National Heritage Museum in Lexington, Checking out a big fallen tree at Breakheart, and riding scooters in the skate park at Ipswich River Park.

All this time we've been spending together has been the warm up for the Big Event... John and I will be officially combining households by the end of this month! We're all so excited! I feel incredibly blessed to have this kind of Love in my life. I guess it just takes some of us a little longer to find it. We're so lucky to have each other, and to have this wonderful family together. Five kids, four cats, two turtles and two gerbils all living together in one house! That will be an adventure, for sure!

"Oceans" and History!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 10:08:00 +0000

We've had a very busy week! Two highlights... we went to see the film "Oceans" with our homeschool group for Earth Day on Thursday. It's a beautifully shot film, fascinating and educational, to boot. The older kids and I enjoyed it quite a bit, although Harry had some trouble sitting through some parts of it. We're planning on renting the DVD of the film released last year by Disney Nature, called "Earth" since we enjoyed this one so much.

We also participated in our homeschool group's History Fair this week. Or rather, Theo did! He did a project on Paul Revere. Annabelle had planned on doing one on The Underground Railroad, but she decided not to... however, she did help Theo with his a bit. It was fun getting to see the wide variety of projects at the fair... there were displays on the History of Time, Anastasia Romanov, The Pioneers, The Middle Ages, The History of Horses and more! My older kids really enjoy participating in our homeschool fairs, but it's always a challenge to keep my youngest occupied. However, he was pretty well-behaved for this one! He spent most of his time under the table with a stack of library books. At one point, he was joined by several other younger siblings... it was quite adorable.

Today we're off to Theo's Little League Parade. We don't have to leave until 9:30, and yet right now, at 6:30am, he's already all dressed in his uniform! I think he's a little excited!

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:19:00 +0000

So I haven’t updated in ages… I think I’ll blame my blog neglect on the fact that SPRING HAS SPRUNG and thus we’ve been spending as much of our time as possible outside, doing outdoor spring things! We’ve made huge progress fixing up the yard, and preparing for this year’s bigger and better garden! Annabelle helped me build two new raised beds, bringing us to six 6’x8’ beds altogether!

We’ve also been spending time going for hikes and just hanging out in our yard. We’ve got a new fire pit this year (a holiday gift from my man) and we’ve really enjoyed spending time by the fire.

Speaking of our yard… we had a little visitor in our yard yesterday… A turtle! Because we have a lake behind our house, we often find various critters in our yard… woodchucks, chipmunks, various birds, dragonflies, bunnies, toads, etc… but this is the first time we’ve seen a turtle! He was way up at the top of our yard, quite far from the lake. We’re not sure how he managed to travel so far! We’re guessing he may have been transported by a predator or something. He was looking quite dry and dusty, so the kids (with some assistance from my almost-brother-in-law) returned him to the edge of the lake, where he promptly ran right into the water and swam away.
We’ve got lots on our plate for the rest the month… some spring cleaning, some home repairs, more yard work, baseball (little league starts today!) our homeschool group’s annual History Fair, and more!

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:57:00 +0000

Today we celebrated the anniversary of Theodor Seuss Geisel's birth. Dr. Seuss has delighted millions of children all over the world, across many generations, with his magical and imaginative stories. We gathered our collection of Seuss books, and enjoyed a fantastic Seuss-themed day!

"Green eggs" for lunch! (the green is actually pureed spinach) Harry and the daycare kiddo LOVED the green eggs, but the two big ones wouldn't even touch them. Oh well.

"Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you."~Dr. Seuss

Heritage Fair!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 11:42:00 +0000

Every year our Homeschool group hosts a Heritage Fair, which is an opportunity for the kids to make and present a project on a country from their heritage. My kids always have a lot of fun with it, and this year was no exception. While my kids enjoy learning about their family history, and about different countries around the world, I think the most important thing they learn is how to work together to create something... coming up with a plan together, compromising, sharing tasks, and managing their time. I try really hard to offer my assistance or opinions only when asked. I feel it's important for them to work through it on their own. This year, the only thing I helped with was a family tree of the English branches of our family, which we all worked on together. The rest was all them, and I have to say they did a GREAT job! The only thing they ended up arguing about was the list of famous people from England that they chose to include... Annabelle felt there were too many men on the list, and not enough females! They worked it out though, and with the addition of Julie Andrews and J.K. Rowling, all was peaceful once again. Here are Annabelle and Theo with their display at the fair:

Full House, and Celebrating our Heritage.

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:41:00 +0000

This week we have a full house, around here! We've got a brand-new daycare kiddo who started with us this week, which now brings us up to TWO part-time daycare kids in our care. Our newest little friend is a precious 17 month old boy. He's been here just one day so far, but he seems to fit right in! The rest of the week we'll also have my significant other, John's two kids joining us, as they are on school vacation this week! I was hoping to take the five kids on a little winter hike up at Plum Island one of the days they're here, but sadly it looks as though the weather will not be cooperating, so goodness knows how I'm going to manage to keep them all entertained! I'm sure we'll manage to have fun... we always do.
We DO have plans in place for Friday, however... our homeschool group is holding it's annual Heritage Day, in which the kids come up with some kind of presentation about a country from their heritage. In past years, my kids (who have quite a bit of heritage to choose from!) have done presentations on Italy and Ireland. This year they have chosen to do their project on England. Somewhat remarkably, Annabelle and Theo have been working on this project somewhat consistanly over the past week, rather than wait till the last minute, as is often their habit! I think the extra time they're putting in really shows... it's really coming along quite nicely. We'll also be contributing to the bake sale portion of the event with some proper British scones. After all, nuthin' says British cooking like butter, white flour and heavy cream!

Changes!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:02:00 +0000

So... I haven't blogged in a while. It's been a little nuts around here! Where to even begin... let's see... I'll start with Harry. We've been doing his OT and all that, and he's scheduled to go to the neurologist in the spring for a full evaluation, and hopefully, a real honest-to-goodness full and thorough diagnosis which will open the door for us to get him more services and therapies. Theo is also undergoing some testing and such... he recently had a hearing test done. It is suspected that he may have some sort of Auditory Processing Disorder, so he will be going back for further testing in the summer, after he sees the neurologist in the spring, to address his ADHD stuff... so yes, both boys will be undergoing a fair amount of testing and evaluation in the next 6 months or so. It will be an adventure, for sure, but hopefully in the end it will help me to make sure all their needs are being met, and that they are able to learn and grow and thrive.

In other news... I'm sad to report that as of the end of January, I am no longer writing for Life123.com. There was a management change, and all current staff was dismissed. This was quite a blow for me, as I really depended upon that income. I'm doing my best to make do, and try to get through this. I'm trying to view this as a good change... perhaps this will open the door to some other, more lucritive opportunity. I'm lucky to have a lot of wonderful support and encouragement from an amazing guy, as well as family and friends. I'm hoping to get an income rolling again soon!

And now... to end on a positive note. Another thing that has kept us busy is that we've been spending more time with my partner, John, and his kids. We're easing our way into "blended family" territory, which can be a tricky thing to navigate. However, in our case it's going so smoothly! The kids all get along great. I've really come to enjoy the weekends when we have all five kids together... going on adventures, just hanging out, sharing meals... it's chaotic, for sure, but it's a happy, comfy chaos. Having John and the kids in my life definitely makes the difficult times much less difficult.

Polar Plunge!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:25:00 +0000

A few months ago, if anyone had ever suggested that it would be a good idea to let my kids jump into the ocean in January, I'd have thought they were insane. In fact, when it was first suggested to me a few weeks ago, I thought it was insane! But guess what my kids did yesterday? They jumped into the ocean. In January! And they LOVED it. Confused? Let me explain: One of my fellow homeschool mamas and experienced "polar plunge" jumper organized the First Annual NSHL Polar Plunge, and it was a huge success! My two older kids were immediately drawn to the idea, and practically begged me to let them do it. I managed to push out the "mom voices" in my head that said things like, "Are you crazy? You'll catch your death. Go put on a sweater!" and realized that this could be a good experience for them, and would certainly build character, and really, what's the worst that would happen from spending 30 seconds in a cold ocean? They tried to talk me into joining them, but I convinced them that someone had to be standing there with the camera and warm towels! :) Here are photos from the big event:

Afterwards, everyone gathered for hot chocolate and doughnuts and celebrated! I was really proud of all the jumpers... I could never do it! Later in the day, I asked my daughter what she thought about the experience, and she said, "Well, for about 15 minutes you really regret it, but then you totally want to do it again next year!"

Playing in the snow and Math Treasure Hunt!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:23:00 +0000

I'm feeling some serious maternal pride today! First of all, this morning my daughter decided to make a "Math Treasure Hunt" for her brother. I don't know where she got the idea, but it was pretty awesome! She spent about an hour secretively writing up clues and hiding them around the house. The clues were all in rhyme, and each clue led him to the next one, and required him to solve a math problem at each stop. The clues were things like, "Answer the problem where you sleep, and away the guard will leap." At the end, he found his "treasure," which was some change from her piggy bank that she'd hidden in the kitchen. They're so funny, those two... they sure can fight in typical sibling fashion, and if you ask them, they will insist they can't stand each other... but they are definitely the best of friends, always playing together, making up games and stories, and even getting into trouble together!

My other proud moment today involves my youngest, Harry. Today Harry played in the snow! This may not seem like a big deal, for a 5 year old to play in the snow... but for Harry it's a very big deal! His sensory processing issues have made being out in the snow absolute torture for him. Last year he was only just barely able to tolerate going to and from the car, but would freak out if the snow got on him at all. He flat out refused to go out in the yard, and didn't even like to step in snow, even with boots on. But this year I've been taking him out a for a few minutes here and there, encouraging him to walk in the snow. He's been doing much better, kicking at the snow with his boot, and one day even dipping a mitten into the snow. Today, at his brother's urging, he tried sledding! And he LOVED it! He stayed out in the snow for a whole 15 minutes... a record for him! He then went back out later, although the second time he only stayed out for 5 minutes. This is probably the most time he's spent in the snow in his entire life! I'm so proud of that boy, and all the progress he's making!

I'm proud of all these children of mine, with how they're growing and learning so much every day.

Some Thoughts on Schedules and Routines

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:57:00 +0000

The other night we hosted our moms and daughter’s group for a relaxed evening of knitting with our girls, along with a cookie swap! It was a lot of fun… a lovely way for friends to spend an evening together.

That evening also brought to my attention just how much my middle child has come to rely on routine and schedule. It was a very busy day for us… we had our daycare baby with us from 7 to 5:30, Harry had OT in the afternoon, and we had the girls coming over at 6:30. We also had to squeeze in our normal schoolwork, chores, etc! In order to fit in all the things we had going for the day, we altered what has become our normal schedule… We ate dinner a little early, did evening chores after dinner instead of before, stayed up a bit later… minor changes, really… but at bedtime, my son let me know that he really didn’t like having his routine disrupted. I was surprised, as when I first began to implement a more consistent routine and schedule in order to keep my sanity while working two jobs and homeschooling, he really fought it. And now he was telling me he missed it!

Lots of homeschooling families resist schedules and routines, for fear that it takes away from the freedom and sponaneity that makes homeschooling fun. For us, what seems to work best is have structure at key points in the day (morning, mid-day, evening) with lots of unstructured time in between. This gives them the balance of having reliable routines, but still gives them the freedom to play, read and daydream. For those who have asked how we manage it, here is a sample of what a typical day looks like:

6:30am- Kids get up, get dressed, tidy rooms
7:00am- Start breakfast, Daycare child arrives
7:15ish- Clean up breakfast, brush teeth
7:30ish- Start schoolwork

After schoolwork is finished (usually between 8:45 and 10am, depending on the day) the kids are free to do whatever they want… play outside, read, do a project, etc.

11ish- clean up
11:30-12- Lunch

After lunch we have quiet time while the daycare baby naps (on days when he’s here) followed by some kind of outing or activity.

5pm- clean up all toys and projects, make sure rooms are tidy.
5:15-5:30- Daycare baby goes home.
Once clean up is done, the kids are allowed to watch TV from 5:30 to 6 while I make dinner.
6pm- Dinner
6:30- clean up kitchen, start baths.

After baths, they get into bed for quiet reading time, until it’s time for them to sleep… Harry at 7:30, Theo at 8:30 and Annabelle at 9:30.

On days when we don’t have the daycare kid, or if we have some kind of special event scheduled, then this routine does change a bit. However, having some kind of structure to our day makes life much more peaceful. This isn’t to say that mornings and evenings don’t get a little hectic sometimes… in homes with kids, that’s just how it is! But overall, our routines do make life easier!

Giving Thanks

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:03:00 +0000

Last year at this time, I blogged about the many blessings I have in my life. This year, I feel like I have even more to be grateful for.

I’m thankful for my three beautiful children, who are the very center of my world. I’m so lucky to be their Mom!

I’m thankful that the Universe saw fit to give me another chance at Love. Having John in my life has been such a gift… a most wonderful surprise… which just keeps getting better every day.

I’m thankful for Nick and Annabelle, John’s kids, who accepted me so warmly and so readily.

I’m thankful for Papa and NanaKat for their Love and support, in good times and in tough times.

I’m thankful for all my brothers and my sister… I appreciate them more and more the older we get.

I’m thankful that my brother Dan is FINALLY coming home, and that he Vanessa can finally start building a life together on their own terms.

I’m thankful for my cousin, who is six months older than me. We have grown up together, and I treasure those 38+ years of shared memories and experiences.

I’m thankful that I’m able to homeschool, and let my babies live a life full of free time to play, learn and grow at their own pace, in the ways that work for them.

I’m thankful for my big yard, which contains two big climbing trees. I’m so fortunate to get to watch my two big kids climb among the branches every day.

I’m thankful that every spring I can sow seeds that will grow and feed my family.

I’m thankful that my kids love books so much, and I’m grateful that I get to discuss so many of my old favorite books with my two older kids.

I’m thankful for the magical light of my youngest child, and the amazing gifts he has to share with the world.

I’m thankful for my fellow Homeschooling Moms… I’m so blessed to have these women in my life, with whom I can share in the joys, struggles and challenges of raising our families.

I'm thankful for time spent in the woods, on mountains, and by the ocean. Fresh air and sunshine feed my soul.

I’m thankful for Friends, old and new.

I’m thankful that I can think back and remember the amazing summer I had… it was a really great summer!

I’m thankful for the people in my life who believe in me, and have encouraged me and kept me going when I didn’t believe in myself.

The past couple of years have been a journey… a journey toward finding peace within myself. The journey hasn’t always been easy, and it involved a lot of difficult decisions. But… I’m surviving, and in many ways even thriving, among the many changes and challenges. In spite of the fact that I’m more broke than I’ve ever been, and I’m working harder than I ever have, I am, without a doubt, the happiest I’ve ever been. I’m so so blessed, in so many ways. And I am Thankful.

Thanksgiving Project

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:02:00 +0000

We have done this project every Thanksgiving since Annabelle was about 4... I think this is the 5th year! We cut a bunch of leaf shapes out of colored paper, and we write things we are thankful for on the leaves. When we're finished, we string them up into a garland. I love doing this activity with the kids, as it always opens the door to some good discussions about being grateful, and appreciating all the good we have in our lives.

Making Breakfast with Harry

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:08:00 +0000

Raising a child with Sensory Processing Disorder is, well… a little different than raising a kid without SPD. Sensory Processing Disorder is a neurological disorder which affects the way the senses process information. Kids with SPD are typically either over-responsive or under-responsive to stimuli, and in some cases can be over- or under- responsive in varying situations. SPD can also cause motor issues, and difficulty in regulating movement, among other things.

In Harry’s case, while he sometimes becomes overwhelmed by visual and auditory stimulation (loud noises, big crowds, etc) mostly he is what is known in SPD circles as a “Sensory Seeker,” meaning he needs to seek out tactile stimulation in order to feel “right”. This takes the form of needing to climb, jump, run, stomp, touch things, get wet, etc. Harry requires BIG sensation. However, this “sensory seeking” presents certain challenges for the rest of us!

This morning, my kids wanted pancakes for breakfast. Harry followed me down to the kitchen. As I was getting out the pancake stuff, Harry was running laps in the kitchen, and then began to try to climb onto the kitchen table. “Whoa, Buddy… I don’t think so.” I said, as I scooped him off the table. “Look at Mommy’s face. Do we climb on tables?” He glanced around. “Look at my eyes, Harry. Look at my face. Is it safe to climb on the table?” He tried to look me in the eye. “Uuuummmm…. No?” “That’s right. We do not climb on tables.” I said, as I wrapped him up in what we call a “Squeezy hug” and started rubbing his back hard. The squeezing and pressure on his back give him the sensory input he often seeks, and is part of his therapy. When he seems calm, I ask if he’d like to help with the pancakes.

We wash his hands, and he pulls the stool up to the counter, and begins to pick up and touch all the stuff there… as I’m measuring ingredients, he’s picking up the baking powder, shaking the cinnamon bottle, playing with measuring spoons. “I wanna stir!” he says. I pass the bowl to him to stir, and I start putting away the things we are finished with. I am standing at the cabinet, putting away the spices when I look over to see him with an egg in his hand, saying “what if I toss this egg?” Before he finishes the sentence, the egg is a puddle on the counter. “Uh oh” he says. I’m feeling a little flustered at the mess and the wasted egg. I sigh, “Harry, why did you do that?” as I’m getting paper towels. “I dunno” he says. While I clean up the mess, explaining that eggs are delicate, and they should stay in the carton till we need them, Harry sticks his fingers into the batter. “it feels gooey!” “Harry… please don’t put your fingers in the batter” I let him play in the sink for a minute, under the guise of “washing his hands” until I realize his shirt is soaked. I take off the wet shirt, and I suggest he draw a picture until it’s time to eat. Back to the pancakes.

On the other side of the kitchen, the floor is strewn with paper, and I look over to see Harry drawing all over himself with a marker. “How about you draw on the paper, Buddy?” He is now lying on the floor, repeating the same line of dialogue from the movie Cars, over and over. Fortunately, by this time, the pancakes are pretty much ready, so I send him upstairs to get Annabelle and Theo.

SPD doesn’t go away. There is no cure… there is just therapy, to teach regulation and coping skills. Harry has come a long way already since we started therapy. We are working with his OT on his spectrum-type behaviors, as well (SPD often comes with Autism Spectrum Disorders, and further diagnosis on that is pending) The biggest challenge of all is helping others to understand Harry and his unique challenges. Harry looks “normal” and so when he exhibits behaviors that one does not expect in an almost five-year-old, those who don’t know him think he’s undisciplined or “out of control.” This is a common problem among parents of children with “invisible” disabilities. We’re not “bad parents” we’re parents who are required to have a little extra teaching, love and patience in our job description.

Halloween, part two, and then some.

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:26:00 +0000

Well, I promised Halloween pics, but then we got busy and I just haven't gotten around to the ol' blog! I fell a wee bit behind on stuff with all the halloweening and such going on, and I'm only just now (2 weeks later!) finally beginning to catch up!

So anyhoo... Here are my kids on Halloween!

We went trick-or-treating in a friend's neighborhood in Rockport... it looked like a scene from a movie, with most of the houses all decorated, and the streets filled with trick-or-treaters. We scuffed through the leaves, walking house to house, and the sky was a practically perfect halloween night sky, with a nearly-full moon. We all had a fantastic time!

The past couple of weeks since have been busy! But, fortunately we've managed to squeeze in time to play with friends here and there. Last week we enjoyed a fun afternoon of games and pizza at a fellow homeschooling family's home, and then today we went for a lazy hike with a big pack of homeschoolers... including a few families we've never met! It's always nice to make new friends!

We've got much to look forward to in the coming weeks, with the holiday season approaching. Thanksgiving is in less than two weeks! It seems that fall is slipping by as quickly as summer did... time flies when you're having fun, as they say.

BOO!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:46:00 +0000

We've been Halloweening all week!

Tuesday we took a little field trip to the farm for pumpkins! We had the little toddler we care for a couple of days a week with us, and the kids were so cute pointing out the farm animals to him, much to his delight! That afternoon we enjoyed cider donuts for snack and painted our pumpkins.

Since the farm had only small pumpkins, we made another excursion on Wednesday to get a big Jack-o-lantern pumpkin... WOW, did we hit the jackpot there! A church in the next town over has an annual pumpkin sale, and when we went on this rainy wednesday morning, we were the only customers there. There was a lovely elderly couple watching over the pumpkins, and they were so kind and sweet, chatting with us, watching my babies examine every pumpkin, searching for the perfect one. Once "THE" pumpkin was selected, the kind gentleman collected our money, and along with the change gave each child a small pumpkin of their own, along with some stickers! Huge smiles all around!

Thursday night we attended our Homeschool group's Halloween Rollerskating Party, which was good fun for all... Harry even got on skates for the first time, and did really well! The kids were excited to hang out and skate with their friends.

Today, we carved our Jack-O-Lantern! We always do this on the afternoon before halloween, and then we eat our dinner by jack-o-lantern candlelight! This year, rather than a frightful face, we opted for a jovial one... a winking, laughing Jack-O-lantern!

All of these Halloween adventures have been merely a lead up to tomorrow... actual Halloween! We've got a big day planned... we'll be baking Halloween treats in the morning, and then the kids will go with their Dad in the afternoon for some Halloween visiting, and then they'll return home for a bite to eat before the evening festivities begin! Photos to follow, for sure.

Frugal Living

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:15:00 +0000

This year, I find myself with a much tighter budget... and a tighter budget means I'm always looking for ways to live a little more frugally. With the economy in the state it is, even two-income households are facing similar challenges, finding themselves needing to cut back and stretch their dollars. I've already written about our adventures in canning apples, and while I didn't get much to can or freeze from my garden this year, I plan on continuing to buy seasonal stuff when it's cheap, and can it for the winter. This week I also cleared out a space in the basement to store food purchased in bulk, as well as the stuff we've canned.

This week, we're taking steps to reduce our heat bills! Last year, we averaged more than $600 a month to heat our drafty old house. I'm determined to cut that down as much as possible this year. I'm putting plastic up on all the windows, and Annabelle and I have been sewing draft stoppers for all the doors. I'm also going to invest in some flannel sheets, so we can keep the heat a bit lower at night.

The other cool thing about living frugally is that frugal living is usually greener living, too. It's always good when you can lessen your impact on the Earth. I'm finding that many of the typical frugal-living things we've always done... baking from scratch, recycling things, combining errands to save gas, shopping with a list to avoid impulse buying... but I'm always on the lookout for new tips. If anyone has any frugal living tips to share, I'd love to hear them.

Apples!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:16:00 +0000

We went to Brooksby Farm yesterday, and came home with a bushel and one and a half pecks of apples! If you aren't sure how many apples that is, exactly, let me just tell you it's A LOT. We did a bunch of cooking and canning today.... the end result was eleven pints of applesauce and 6 pints of spiced apples, and we only used up slightly more than half a bushel! I plan on doing more canning this week, with the goal of having plenty of appley goodness to last us through the winter! Here are photos from our apple adventure:

Why You Should Listen to Your Mom

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:03:00 +0000

An excerpt from, "Why You Should Listen To Your Mom", by Annabelle Cheever, age 9:

"You should listen to you mom, because when she tells you something, she probably has a pretty good reason, and also if you don't you will get punished."

My favorite form of behavior management for my two "big kids" is to have them write something related to the offense, whether it's a letter of apology to someone for hurting their feelings, or a paragraph explaining why a particular behavior is unacceptable. I feel like it forces them to think about what they did, and also has the side benefit of making them work on their writing. Plus, they don't like to do it, so it discourages repeat offenses.

Theo has his own opinion of this practice:

"Why do you always make us write punishment papers?! Why can't you just YELL like a normal parent?!"

Angels

noreply@blogger.com (Jenney) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:29:00 +0000

There is an Angel in my midst. I've been blessed today... blessed by the kindest of gestures, done anonymously.

Whoever you are, this Angel (or Angels) who is watching out for me and my babies... know that I am grateful... oh so grateful!

We hear a lot about how evil the world is, and of all the bad things that happen in the world. But the fact remains that the world is also full of kind people... Angels who bless those in need.

Thank you, whoever you are!