51 things

Saw this list over at Alphamom.com and thought it was really neat!!
http://alphamom.com/family-fun/51-things-your-child-should-do-before-growing-up/

so far little R has done the following:

1. Camp out in a tent
2. Wear a costume as clothing-all the time, we've been to Walmart with wings on, dinner in a tink costume, etc
3. Climb a tree-yep, specifically the fig tree in our backyard
4. Catch fireflies-at Mom and Dad's
5. Fly a kite
6. Plant a garden and eat what grows-she loves bellpeppers straight from the plant
7. Go fishing
8. Take care of a pet
9. Build something out of gigantic cardboard box
10. Ride on a ferris wheel
11. Roast food over a campfire-did this Christmas 2011 in NC
12. Have dessert for dinner-does Toaster Strudel count??
13. Build a snowman
14. Get a library card-done
15. Go on a hayride-done
16. Get lost in a corn maze-Milton 2012
17. Pick the perfect horse on the carousel-Pier Park
18. Run through the sprinkler-many times
19. Make a slingshot
20. Carve a jack o’lantern
21. Make mud pies-and mud soup!
22. Run a lemonade stand
23. Play on a sports team
24. Swing on a rope swing
25. Build a sandcastle and stay at the beach until the tide washes it away-done!!
26. Roll down a big grassy hill=Seaside flutterby festival but it isn't very big
27. Build a gingerbread house-attempted w/ sissies but not so successful
28. Hatch a monarch butterfly from a cocoon-no but we have w/ gulf fritallarries
29. Make homemade ice cream
30. Blow bubbles-yes
31. Play kickball outside with neighbors
32. Go on a family car trip-yes
33. Fly on an airplane
34. Paint a painting-lots! They make great Christmas gifts
35. Have a water balloon fight
36. Play miniature golf
37. Make a tie dye t-shirt
38. Eat lunch in a blanket fort
39. Play in the rain-Did I mention she likes mud?
40. Go to a county fair
41. Ride a horse-only walked but she was on one
42. Identify the constellations in the night sky-we have watched a meteor shower
43. Play jump rope-trying to learn
44. Learn to play a musical instrument
45. Put on a puppet show
46. Have a picnic-yep
47. Learn to ice skate
48. Learn to juggle
49. Do a cartwheel
50. Catch tadpoles and watch them change-done
51. Rake and jump in a giant leaf pile

Hope to add to this this Spring and Summer!

As I sit here in the office trying to focus on work, my mind and heart inevitably end up with my Dad. He is back in the ER for the 2nd time in a few short days. He complains of pain in various places, is not eating much and is losing weight. Today's ER trip was due to complaints of pain when he swallows and stomach pain but when he gets there he tells them his feet/legs hurt and burn. Just a few days ago he fell and hit head (earlier ER visit). No news as to what is going on but at least this time my brother is there to keep me informed.
My dad's brother has been the primary support for him with me being 300+ miles away and my brother being 100+ miles away and at times overseas. But now he is having his own health problems and has a new grandbaby he wants to visit-this leaves my brother and I trying to figure out what to do. Dad has not wanted to move every time we have addressed it in the past but now I'm thinking we must insist even if it's against his wishes. I feel like I should move him here with me but then I consider how small our house is, our need for a dedicated office (tax purposes and practicality since we are both self employed), our demanding 5 year old, and having unfamiliar people in my home for hours a day caring for him. I feel guilty and feel like I'm being selfish for thinking about those things but remind myself I have to be realistic.
What to do?????????????????????????????????

Christmas Fun

How did you spend your Christmas? We spent ours in Georgia and Alabama with family. We headed to Georgia a few days before Christmas and visited the Georgia Aquarium (awesome) and Stone Mountain (okay, should have reserved a snow time) and spent time with the sisters-hubbie's two older children. R had a fabulous time hanging out with her sisters-watching movies, playing games, going to the playground, getting her nails painted and more. I also got to spend an afternoon with my college roomie and her sister!
We opened presents Christmas morning, spent some time with the sissies and then headed to Alabama to see my Dad.
We stayed in Alabama for a few days and my nieces and their children drove down and spent the days with us and visited their Grandpa. It was nice for us all to be together, even if only for a short time. AND Dad got to eat real food the day after Christmas. Technically it was mush but it was food and not through a tube!

  

child of an aging parent

Once again I find myself sitting in a hospital, my heart heavy and torn between being a mommy and wife and being a daughter. My daughter, husband, home and job in one state, my Dad in another. I leave tomorrow to go back home to work for a few days, take care of my little person, and spend some time with the hubby. What happens from then, I have no idea. Hubby and I are both torn about Thanksgiving. We would like to spend it with his parents but also want to take little R to see her Poppy. They don't interact alot but she brightens his day and he enjoys watching her play.
My Dad has had a significant cognitive decline, a possible TIA, is unable to swallow and had a hip replacement in the past few weeks.
Tomorrow's barium swallow test determines whether or not he can resume eating or has to have a feeding tube put in. Even if the test comes back positive, he may still need a tube for meds and additional nutrition. Either way, he will be moving to a nursing home in the next few days.
The idea of my Dad being in a nursing home 300 miles away makes my heart ache. The thought of him possibly not being able to get up and get around, get dressed, go to the potty, etc on his own and relying on others to do these things for him makes me cry.
So, I will pray for God's Will and peace and comfort for both my dad and me.

Publix Savings!! and Thrifting

So impressed with my Publix haul today.
6 bags of Eight O'Clock whole bean coffee
4 boxes Toaster Strudel (little R will almost always eat these for breakfast, don't judge :) )
2 boxes Toaster Scrambles
2 boxes Krusteaz Heart Healthy pancake mix
6 cans 100% Natural Campbell Soup
2 Hidden Valley Ranch Dressings
2  Minute Rice steamers
4 boxes Quaker instant grits
2 bags Chicken nuggets/tenders

all for $ 51.03 after BOGO, sale, and coupons. YAY yay YaY

I know I could make some of these myself and save more $ and be more healthy but sometimes saving time is more valuable :)

On another note, scored some bargains over the weekend at the thrift store in Alabama.
Yellow flowered Gap Dress for R
Mancala game
Skirt for me
~90 Wilton Cookie Cutters (box says 101 but I'm guessing some are missing)
2 new wipeable workbooks for R
Wooden mugholder (will paint and use as bracelet holder)
Cookie tin

Total less than $20.00

Summer Sand Pail List

R and I's Summer Sand Pail List

TP bird feeders

 
Melted bead sun catchers
Play in the sprinkler
Mini Golf
Sunset Picnic
Pick blueberries
Bake cookies and send to Dad and Uncle Jim
Pool at Boys and Girls Club
Water gun fight
Beach trip to Camp Helen
Early morning seashell hunting at Crooked Island Beach
Afternoon swim in the Bay
Splatter painting, outside of course
Star gazing
Canoeing on the Econfina
Fishing at the Marina
Birthday party for the Cats
Water bomb (sponges) fight
Make Coffee filter flowers

more Gardening

Once again I am making an attempt at gardening, this time with a modified square foot gardening approach. The hubby built a raised bed with landscape timbers and I used a mixture of garden soil and bagged compost. I also have tomatoes in buckets and some random veggies in the flower bed-some I planted and some little R decided to add in. So far we have-radishes, carrots, yellow squash, zucchini squash, acorn squash, butternut squash, cucumbers, bell pepper, tomatoes, pole beans, cilantro, basil, and okra. Things look great and I am super excited and ready to really make it work this time.

On another note, I tried to make a sunflower house for little R again, the squirrels had another idea. I planted seeds, the squirrels dug them up. I planted seeds again and this time covered them with old screens. The seeds sprouted and I had tiny little sunflower plants. I was certain the sunflower house was on it's way....NOPE!! The X@#%?/"*&^%%$#$ squirrels dug up the plants too. Aaaarrrrggghhh! Maybe another year.

I hope it's just a phase!!!!!!!

OK, so I haven't blogged in forever, oops :) Maybe I should revisit the idea?
So, my little R is being absolutely Terrible about most everything most ever day. She screams when she doesn't get her way, screams when she gets a consequence, yells alot, talks back, throws things, bosses us, hits, kicks, complains about every little detail, is obsessed with washing her hands and can be just downright mean. Geez I hope this is truly just a phase. It's been going on about 6 weeks of the awfuls and I am praying it ends soon. I know some of her actions are just a reaction to us so we have got to make changes too.
I've heard some positive things about "Have a New Kid by Friday" and just checked it out. I'm open to trying almost anything :)