Seventy Four to Twenty Seven

Yesterday, I met with Chloe's teachers and speech pathologist at her school. For those of you that don't know, she began a deaf ed program for hearing impaired children shortly after her 3rd Birthday this past October. At the beginning of her school term , we sat down with exiting therapist ( Ms. Alexis.. o how we miss Ms Alexis ) and her new teacher, Mrs. Adams, the speech pathologist, her speech and occupational therapist and a school counselor. This is called an ARD, for those of you out there with Special Education children or not. We developed a list of goals we would like to see Chloe reach, or master this year based on the evaluations that they held. The goals were things like, match colors 2 out 5 attempts, respond to verbal cues in the class room, initiate play with another child, count to three with no prompting.. there were a lot of goals regarding speech and communication, as Chloe had about 9 words in her vocabulary at the end of October. There also goals for small motor skills, socialization, and sensory issues. At the meeting yesterday, they told me... GRANDLY... that Chloe has mastered all but 27 of those original 74 goals!!! Everyone, throw a Parade!! Now, the remaining of this school term will be focused on the remaining 27 goals, and whatever she does not master will carry over into next year and be at the top of that years list.

To say I am a PROUD MAMA would be the understatement of the century.




** pictures taken on Chloe's 1st day of the school, November 2, 2011

Helllooooo Hellllloooo HOLA!!!

hey guys! I haven't forgotten about you....I just have been sooooo busy that I let the bloggy thing slip behind a bit, ahem. I am working on a bunch of new pictures, YES, including Stars end of season and Easter and tons of fun with the peeps... I will get them edited and posted ASAP!!!

Happy Valentines Day

Valentine's Day, not just for lovers...it's just a day set aside, seperate from the rest...to remind us to say " I love you". Sometimes, we just get busy or frustrated or have just had a bad day or two or three.... it's good to be reminded...to say those little words, we all need to hear them a little more often.
My little peeps and I { ethan and brandon were at school when this was taken }... I promise you little ones, that it will get better....next year, Valentines Day will be more fun, I will make sure of it... but until then know this...that Momsie loves you all dearly...you are all my reason - for everything....

Dear Chloe... I have a mad kinda love for you! For all that you don't have right now...you more than make up for it all with your beautiful smile and your spunky ways:)
Dear Pooh, please cover BOTH of your shoulders, you are too young for Flash Dance....
REd velour flair pants, pink boots ( can't see them but they are there), pink lacy sweatshirt, denim fur edged jacket....VALENTINES fashion tips from a Pooh .... hehe
I do believe my heart just shrieked at the sheer cuteness!
Ethan , my handsome little man. I LOVE that you LOVE red bandannas, have carried the same little red paper heart with you everywhere for days.. like mommy, can't seem to put the cell phone down:) We often struggle with one another but I love you dearly Peach's!
Pooh....showing some love for the teddy bear a kind nice at the hospital gave her last week...

PS.... Pooh, I LOVE the way your curly hair always falls in your face because you won't keep your hairclips in... I LOVE watching my beloved peeps play together... Chloe and Jacob share a moment on the windowsill...

Jacob and Daddy....it's a good thing.

Dear Jacob, I love you for your snuggly , loveable, smooshy kisses, baby voice, works so hard to learn to talk more and more clearly.. I love the way you help chase after Pooh outside. I love that you would live on milk, apples, hot dogs and yogurt if I let you.. I love you for being the biggest boy of all.. I love you for always trying to kick me out of bed at night... love, momsie

This wasn't the best of valentine's days for my little crew' and I.. it wasn't the one I wanted.. but things rarely are what I want for us right now. It was however a handful of memories thruout the day.. and handful of smiles and giggles.. an adventure with Jacob where I got to just hang out with him for a bit... it was a day to focus on the ONLY thing that matters.. How much I love my peeps...for better or worse.. in sickness and in health...in richer and for poorer.. in good times and in bad... I love them, everyday....even when they are super trolls. I got to laugh and hug them all, I am snuggled up with a Jacob right now.. and I know that they know that they are loved.. the rest is just a bunch of details that I am going to fix...so that next valentine's Day will be better...

Happy Valentines Day everyone!

Don't forget...that the love of good friends, peeps and family...is really the most important thing to OWN.

It's a beautiful Day to fall in Love....

Passing Time...

Yep, that's what the snow looked like...beofre it all melted a few days ago. I thought you might like to see what we did while all trapped indoors for several days due to the ice that came before the snow...

We did

a little of this and that

we watched a movie or two

played with lots of toys

and


Made PlayDoh cheeseburgers and french fries....

Someone also spent alot of time just being as cute as a button:)

Snowmapalooza

We here in Texas, don't get most of the fun that some of you might get during winter. It might snow for a day, but just that day...and then it's gone 24 hours later. We usually get ice, sleet. the not so fun variety....everyone takes a day off and plays.. then we all go back to to the real world the following day...

This year Mother Nature decided to remind us how powerful she really is again. We got rain, freezing rain, sleet, sub zero temps and Ice 4: thick from city to city. It was gridlock. An unprecedented 4 bad weather days from school....

But that wasn't the end...o no... after 3 days of ICE... we got SNOWMAGGEDON!!! It was unreal amounts of snow!! On top of all the ice that couldn't melt...

I know have 3 ziplocs of snow in the freezer, to make snow ice cream with the peeps on a rainy day...{giggle}....

Chloe took off running across the sheet of ice as if she was on grass.. never even faltered once, a born ice skater that girl...

We are pleased to report that 1 more ice day and a week later, it's 60 degrees and feels a little more like Texas but we will be talking about SNOWMAGEDDON 2011 for years to come:)

Sometimes You don't need words.....

Sometimes you don't need words... sometimes the pictures speak for themselves. With everything my beloved peeps have gone through and are still going through... it's days like this one, where they are able to really bust loose and run free, that are the most fun for us all. There is nothing like a little sunshine and the Park to lift everyone's spirits. There is nothing this momsie loves more than watching these lovely children, run and play and giggle....sometimes you don't need words.

*** As you may know we were recently hit with Snowmageddon and as such these pictures were actually taken a few weeks ago.

~Desiderata~

-- written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920s --
Not "Found in Old St. Paul's Church"! -- see below

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.


With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.


**I think one of the most difficult things any of us have to do is acknowledge our HUMANNESS. Let's face it - ALL OF US HAVE A PULSE. Sometimes we need to remember that

The Sword of the Stars....

http://watch.tsn.ca/nhl/clip404844#clip404844

OK, Did you know I am a slight hockey fan? OK, I live and breathe Hockey.. but you probably know that already. The teams that are the most successful ( in any sport ) are the one's that have the most fun. This year, My Stars are having ALOT of fun... both on and off the ice. Click the link to see a recent video of a challange they have issued to one another. It's not a long video... but you need to watch the entire thing.. and then when you are done laughing hysterically...let me know how long it will take you to run to the store for your own SWORD...

*** note.. due to technical issues you might have to copy & paste the link into a new window but trust me, it's worth it!

My little Cowboy

Ethan's Kindergarten class had a Cowboy day theme one day recently. They all had to wear something that fit the theme. We decided our little fashion maven would love to wear the bandanna scarf. And yes he did! He fell in love with his dad's of course, so I had to find clothes that matched, and let me tell you.. .he wore this bandanna day and night, for about a week... we might have to buy him more colors he liked it so much....

It's the little things

Did you know... that Chloe has mad kind of love of balloons? Well, she does! Anytime she see's them, she gets wonderfully excited, and her love of them...well, it just shines thru.....

She will take them, hug them, kiss them ( with lots of supervison ) ... she will carry them around & in general, she just LOVES balloons...

"Nobody can be uncheered by a balloon."

~Winnie the Pooh

**** note. These pictures were all taken at Jacobs 4th Birthday party. I chose to make a seperate post just for these, so his adorable little sister wouldn't trump his Birthday Party Post...