Ick-a-kee-bas, school plans, Zuli and math

Pipalicious was the designated owner and master of  Hava, Maia, Xai and Eli as Ick-a-kee-bas and Liesl as the rider of them. (They contort themselves into a hoodie so it looks like they only have heads and legs: here should be a link to a clip of the two littlest doing it:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/UbrwoWLD217qr3fA8.)  They were at it for over an hour. It is darling. I have such fun children!

Liliputian has been consistently waking up early to exercise--what an inspiration! Hyrum is dedicating himself to rigorous training schedules to prepare for football: we are trying to get him enrollled and on a team this fall if it works out.

Hava just said, "Thanks, Mom, for letting us have cold cereal!" Yah. Easiest breakfast ever and we had a bunch left over from overbuying for last Sunday. Traditionally we have "Cereal Sunday" and "Spaghetti Sunday."

We just found out that football will probably take place sometime this next school year so we are going to enroll Chugger-dude into public school. They are only in school for 5 days out of 10 (doing the other days online) and so it will be the easiest possible way to experience public school!  Papaya and Hava want to give it a go as well, so all three are enrolling. They will start on September 14, which gives us some time to still enjoy our time together.

Pipalicious is also ready for some outside mentoring so we signed her up for Williamsburg Academy, an online, principle-based learning program.  She did her first day today and loved it!  It wasn't as overwhelming as she though it would be and she loves the material they are studying: Leadership, Humanities (Constitution studies) and Language Arts.

Liliputian is starting the Pathways program through BYU-Idaho this fall for her senior year so that means I will only have a few classes with Pipalicious and then the three littlest to mentor more directly.  That will be nice since the baby is due in October. I am happy with where everyone is this year and will provide a fun change to our usual routine.  I am going to be using "Well-Educated Heart" curriculum for the boys and for our reading time on the off days of school (T and Th), which is free and online.  I love all the great resources available in this day and age to individualize my kiddo's education.

This summer has been a great one for rain!  It has been nice because the rain seems to complement when we forget to water our newly planted flowerbed and grass seed or when we are out of town :D. Pipalicious is recently in charge of watering as a way to "earn" her aerial silk lessons we pay for her each week.  I figured that she is one of most dependable of the kids to make sure our plants don't die, sweet girl.  Pipalicious likes her job.  Unlike Papaya.  She gets to wash all the non-dishwasher dishes every day to earn her gymnastics.  She is lobbying for a change in way to compensate for her lessons...I'm liking having the dishes clean. I am also paying Liliputian to take care of the laundry for the three littlest and Quinn and I.  This delegation thing is awesome!

Today, Pipalicious and I did "Exercise with Maurice" right after Chugger-dude and Hava's piano lessons.  Zuli had just taken Zsa-man down with a body slam to the tummy and the punching him in the face a couple times.  Brutality from the 2 year old.  While Zsa-man audibly expressed his anguish on the couch, I removed the little tyrant from the room, barricading her with kitchen chairs.  All during the 15 minute exercise video, she went back and forth between demanding to be let in to exercise and telling us that she was too too tiny to be able to exercise. (I wouldn't let her in unless she maintained a healthy distance from the recovering victim on the couch.)  She has been transitioning to no naps but really could use one most days!  Towards the end of the video, she decided that she could give the exercises a go and declared, "I'm getting bigger!" Yes, 2 going on 22.

Papaya made a little sash for herself out of yarn and told me that I could award her with stars (taped on) every time she did something awesome. :D  We had fun with that this morning.  I am learning that my kids really are good at telling me what kind of love and attention they need most of the time without me having to come up with creative ways. 

For instance, Hava and I love to look at houses together.  She is quite the detective, finding suitable houses for us to explore as potential future homes.  She goes through hundreds of houses on Zillow and winnows out the ones that have specific problems.  Just last week, she found one that Quinn and I drove to check out...only to find out that it was actually a manufactured home (and was not listed that way).  Needless to say that Hava and I (and the others) were disappointed, but she was undeterred and found another 10-15 houses today for Quinn and I to go through.  It is fun to get excited and check out different potential homes.  It is nice that our home here is so nice, with such great property, so that even if things are not working out to find another house as soon as some of us may like, we can enjoy our time here.

Spooner continues to light up every time someone mentions the word "math" and we have fun many days sitting around the table doing "math stuff."  Just the other week Pipalicious organized a little store for a math game.  I had ordered a bunch of cool dice sets (with 10s, or up to 20 sides, etc) and the kids would earn a penny each time they rolled the dice and computed them together correctly.  Then they used the pennies to claim goodies in the store. It was a great way for them to review their basics: addition, subtraction and multiplication.  I let them determine which and how many dice they are going to use, finding that most kids who are in a healthy place will challenge themselves, and if they are not in a healthy place shouldn't be challenged externally...at least with things like math and especially those who are young or have a history of trauma with mathematics ;).

I just found this note from February about Zuli in my phone and wanted to make sure it was recorded:

I love how she let's me squish her
So polite
Her teasing
Her dancing and exercising
She adores her binki and loves to play with it.
She's helped heal me with her gentleness
I love her cute little songs and words
They make me appreciate what I have
A cute moment when talking to Kel and Réka, I whispered if I could get Piper some cookie dough and then Liesl got a chunk off and said "For Piper" she just knew
Babies heal through the eyes

Science of Water, Exercise, and Pretending

Just a couple things about today...

I finally got to do "science class" with the kids, one about water.  We started out by each of the kids getting a brand new piece of paper (they only really use scrap paper unless we do a particular project, so they loved that) and me challenging them to draw about all the cool things they like or know about water on it.  Then I read a bunch of kid's books to them while they colored, like"Pout, Pout Fish," "The Fisherman and His Wife" (I think it is called), "The Little Island," and "Somewhere in the Ocean" (a more musical book set to the tune of "Somewhere in the Meadow").  Then we sang some songs about water, like "Rain is falling," "Snow is falling," "Hail is falling," "Fog is falling all around." (I love versatile songs like that, and so does Papaya :)...)

Once we covered what everyone had colored up to that point, we turned to serious science :).  We have this really cool DK book "Big Ideas of Science" that made its way over with us :), so I covered the info in that book, about how much water is in our body and some of what it is used for, some of the basic chemical properties of water (physical states, polarity, ability to dissolve, etc.), and then the water cycle itself.  That book has a cool reference place on the internet with little videos going into further detail, so we explored that a bit, and then, grand finale, watched "A Magic School Bus"....

...my teaching style is so classy, eh? :)  I like that Q-dawg is teaching the older kids physical biology out of this great book from Apologia Science at the same time, so I can just use the topic we are studying in his class and make it simpler for the younger ones...saving me figuring out what cool thing we want to study that week, and helping me consolidate my studying and preparation.

Okay, we did do a little experiment afterward getting some water and ice comparisons going, but the kids had a great time and learned about "perspiration" (according to Pipalicious :)...) even on the basic level that I taught.  Liliputian is also quite the artist and used some of the perspective drawing techniques I taught her last month, which is fun to see her incorporate.  The Goob just eats up anything scientific, so he was drawing all sorts of diagrams and figures about what we were talking about over his paper.  Chugger-dude methodically used a ruler to write "WATER" on his paper, meticulously recreating my example, and Pipalicious's paper was a delightful assortment of randomness, just like she is :).  Papaya even got into it with a bunch of little circles on her paper, while Hava threw a tantrum half-way through and crumpled hers up defiantly :).  Classic. Lek hung around enough to be "in the class" so he could watch the Magic School Bus at the end, although he did contribute a lot about why salt dissolves due to the polarity of water that he learned from his preparation for dad's class.  He even brought in some salt and water to demonstrate :)...cool! I love learning with my kids!
******
Q-dawg has officially declared that exercise is mandatory, so he is coming up with programs daily for the older kids and younger kids.  I take the littles and wander up and down our street, with the occasional "run" to keep Papaya happy..."Run, mommy, run!"  So funny...fortunately, she considers a "run" anything that keeps up with her, so I can manage that most of the time :).  Hava and Papaya love to hide behind trees and pop out and surprise me or pretend they are ghosts to startle me.  There are some really cute little dogs up and down our street that we enjoy seeing as well.  Chugger-dude is also more comfortable doing his run up and down the street knowing I am out there (he still has his phobia of dogs).

The exercise wears them out, keeps them fit, seems to balance their excess of emotions a little, and I enjoy it as well.  Yeah for inspired fathers!
******Side note on Chugger-dude:  he continues to daily ask for me to pretend:  "Mom, can you pretend that I am your son?"  Wow.  What a stretch :).  I love those kind of pretend games.  I normally have two or three "pretend scenarios" like this going on at a time with different kids, but I guess the kids have learned that if mommy can pretend that they are something they already are and she can work in her role, it works out much better for everyone :).  Chugger-dude does like to follow up with one of two other questions.  It is either, "Can I be a son who can turn into an animal...which animal do you want?" and then I have to try and guess the animal that he has on his mind but won't tell me; or the other question, "Can I be a son that has a super-power?" although, he is getting better with this question.  He gives me choices on this one, because, at first, I kept asking that his powers be something like the ability to super-clean the bathroom or the ability to keep the house clean.  He would just roll his eyes at me and say, "Oh, mom!"  Okay, okay, so maybe those powers aren't as cool as the lava powers he had today, but I liked them :).

Weekly news...

Hopefully, I will find some of my pictures to go with some of these "articles" later, but for now...

each moment is precious, and I want to cherish them all :)!

Papaya in the Buff

Papaya has officially decided that “buff is better,” and streaks naked regularly through the house and yard.  We also lost her again once this week, until we found her at the park with her brothers at their early morning work-out….apparently they had decided it wasn’t worth the fight of leaving her, and had left us a note we had missed.  Going back to Papaya's "free-ness", when we realized her “state in the buff” was her official new modus operani, we resorted to duct tape for the diaper last night.  Before the duct tape, she would come up to us, naked, and say, “Poopy!” pointing to her cute little cheeks, and we would have to find the poopy diaper wherever she had left it.  Not so fun! She also thinks she know how to go potty, so will start stripping in public, if she finds a public bathroom to "try out."  Ah, me.

Hiking Mt. Olympus

Avot and the Goob (aka Mountain Goat boy) hiked Mount Olympus yesterday with their Aunt Shara and some of her friends.  The Goob would take short breaks with everyone and ask, “Are you guys ready to go again yet?”  Avot said she had a nice, hour-long conversation with Zeus at the top, so the two of them are on great terms now.  Watch out, world! (Thanks to Shara for the pictures!)

Lek--Eagle, Patriarchal blessings, and male bonding

Lek has been madly working on his Eagle this week, trying to get it before we go.  Famous words, “I wish I had worked harder on this during the summer,” remind me of his mother J.  It’s genetic, I’m sure.  He’s made great progress so far, and should finish, if not get awarded it, before his father leaves in two and a half weeks.  Lek also is getting his patriarchal blessing today…I am so excited!  He wanted to get it in English, and the Bishop suggested it, too, so it is all good to go.  He also got to see a couple great friends this week from our old area, which filled his friend cup.  The icing on the cake of his awesome week was football scrimmaging with his dad and uncles yesterday, and a fun time watching the big rivalry game last night while eating some of the fresh salsa his dad and Uncle Aaron made…yum!

Go BYU!

We had a fun BYU/Utes rivalry this week with Aaron and Niesha.  Monday night, we left the old, broken and bleached toilet seat we replaced in the upstairs bathroom on their doorstep, open, with a sign that said, “Utah Football is Poopy” and a plate of no=bake cocoa cookies (we call the “pooh cookies” at our house, thanks to Q-dawg).  Saturday morning, Avot came in and said, “Aaron has been here.”  Sure enough!  We had a bunch of red duct-taped “U”s up the front steps of the house, a huge one in the driveway, and a bunch of “loving” messages scribbled all over Q=dawg’s car window. (It was fun to hear the comments about “Go Utes” and “Graffitti!” during the day when we drove it places.)

Pipalicious added the perfect finishing touch to Aaron's families decoration of our yard (check out the better details on Q-dawg’s Facebook page).  We went to “the castle park” yesterday, where they have a tire, spinning swing, and she spent too long on it and, when we arrived back home, "lost her breakfast"... all over the steps….and, all over the U’s J.  Nice timing, Pipes!

Move to Hungary and pregnancy update:

I packed up most of the bags this week, and all of the backpacks are set with treats and entertainment for the airplane ride…and I think they can all even carry their backpacks except for Papaya, whose pack also includes the family supply of Legos.  Legos can be formed into guns…do you think they will let us check those? J

We have found a couple houses that we are interested in renting in Hungary, now; Q-dawg’s job arrangements for working online for his current appraisal company are solidified; and I have started deeper cleaning and restoring the house we are in now to its previous state (I had put away towels and dishes, etc. when we moved in to keep them nicer).  We have dental appointments set up, we have some last days planned for visiting family and friends, and I have my final OB check here in the US scheduled (we found participating providers and a hospital in Budapest….go figure! What a miracle!).  I found out, after a 3 hour glucose test, that I do not have gestational diabetes—thank goodness!—so now I just need to keep my blood pressure down.

I just need to not have any stress in my life, right?  What could I have to be stressed about J?

Exercise!

Chugger-dude and the Goob went out on their own several times this week, running and exercising.  Speaking of running, we had a break-through for Avot to help with her painful running…she runs in first position, a ballet position with the heels together and toes at 45 degree angles out from that!  She said that it is like learning to walk again, but has already cut 15 minutes off her 3-mile time after just two runs.  Go Avot!

For one of our exercise times this week, we went to the Jordan River Parkway and biked/walked along for a ways.  Liliputian and the Goob had fun trying out their heelies they bought at the DI.  The Goob would go sailing by on a speeding bike, heelies extended and rolling on the ground, yelling, "I can't stop!  The brakes don't work!"   Liliputian was a bit more reserved, walking by me, and holding onto the stroller whenever the heelies threatened to fly out from underneath her.

Papaya loved the park...she takes delight in swinging in the most dangerous places and causing me, even after years of dealing with her adventurous father and all his and the other kid's daredevil schemes, to have my breath catch and my heart stop.  I thought I had developed nerves of steel, but, apparently, this latest edition of our family, is going to test those in every way she can.  She knows nooooooo fear.

Liliputian brought a book to read at the end: "I always read how in stories, people read by the pond, and now I get to do it!"  We need to do that more :).

Boys and Girls Nights out

The boys headed out on Friday night for Fathers and Sons camping with our LDS Stake, armed with marshmallows and catapults…and a huge  box of firewood.  They came back tired, happy, and smelling of smoke, with tales of victory at the tug-of-war and other manly conquests and, of course,  no sleep. (The firewood was completely gone, surprise, surprise.)  

The girls, at home, walked up the street to the Macey’s tailgate party, had 25 cent snow cones and hotdogs, free samples, and the younger ones bounced on the bounce houses and slides they had there.  Papaya wouldn’t get off the slide, throwing herself off headfirst, Superman style down the tall slide.  Pipalicious wouldn’t go down after getting smashed into accidently in the bounce house, only trying once with Liliputian the brave with her, and deciding “I am shy” and not doing it again.  Hava had no such reservations.  Of course, Hava is the one who will “jump hug” to Q-dawg from 8 steps up the stairs every morning with him at the bottom…footage to come!  Anyway, we walked home, the girls watched a Veggie Tale movie while Avot made chocolate cookies, I read to the girls, and then Avot and I watched the fourth sequence of “North and South,” a Pride and Prejudice-type movie not about the Civil War J.  Ahhhhhh…..so romantic! I watched the last 10 minutes at least 5 times this week, probably more J.  What a great girl’s night out!

Library, biking, and donuts

The Goob, Liliputian, and Chugger-dude had a great time looking at books at the library while I was at a friend’s house for a couple hours, looking at books.  We rode our bikes there, so the ride home was hard, laden as we were with all our new picks.  My tummy is getting a little too big, I think, for bike riding, as my legs start getting numb from having the circulation pinched :S.  Oh well.   I wanted to pack all our books up, to see how the weight would fit in our suitcases (close, but I think it will work!), so the current plan is check out a new bunch of books each week from the library, hopefully not lose any, and keep the bags packed.

On the way home from the library, I marveled at the kids' endurance--a summer of bike riding has really gotten them in shape!  We stopped by for a snack at Macey's, and, due to a sale, I decided to get a whole dozen donuts instead of just the few we were going to get.  Boy, did my kids think they had died and gone to heaven!  Chugger-dude has decided, somehow, in our "coconut-less" house that he loves coconut and went for the toxic-dyed hot pink coconut topped one.  Weird.  He is his Grandma Susan's grandson, to be sure!  Hava is taking after her sister...anything chocolate.  Scary.  I asked Avot the other day if she really likes chocolate that much, or if it is just fun to be that way.  Without hesitation, her answer: "I really like chocolate that much."  Crazy.

Hava and Obedience Practice...a match made in heaven

Hava has taken to saying “definitely not!” as her phrase.  She also has had a huge transformation in listening after we incorporated some of the Dugger method called “obedience practice.”  I had often heard of people having their kids “practice obedience” after being disobedient, typically a painful process of bending wills.  Well, the Duggers make it a game:  the parent asks the child to do something fun or silly: “Go and jump up and down on the chair and say, ‘I love you, Santa!’”  The child says, “Yes, ma’am” or “Yes, sir” and runs and does it.  The instructions are fun and quick, the children are applauded for their obedience, and, typically, they keep asking for more until I say, “just one more, okay?”  Well, Hava, this week, was having a hard time sitting still and being quiet during devotional.  Normally, all the kids except Avot have a little difficulty here and there with sitting still and listening, but Hava had been singing and humming all through it on that day.  So I sent her to "time out" on a chair in the kitchen.  Her usual storm clouds gathered around her brow as she prepared to battle, and then, magically, it all vanished as she said, “Wait!  Yes, ma’am!” in the same happy way she does during obedience practice and practically flew to her "time-out" chair.  Wow.  Awesome!

Family fun

Yesterday was blessedly filled with grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles at football, the park, and hiking, and we also had a surprise visit from Misty and her family for the afternoon and evening…it was awesome.  We are soaking up all this family time and loving it!

Silly mommy

I was foolish and stayed up until 3:30 am reading another book—something about those calm, late night, early morning hours and a good book are so calming…I just have to work really hard the next day at being nice and coherent J. Fortunately, it doesn’t happen often.  I hadn’t read “Seer and the Sword” for a while, a fantasy book, and I missed the genre, apparently, from my inability to set it down last night.  Ah, me. 

Music notes

Avot has been working hard on a violin-harp duet for the past month and a half with another girl in our ward for Standards Night tonight.  With that, her violin performance last month in Sacrament meeting, a beautiful trio with two other young women of “I know that My Redeemer Lives” last week, and her harmony vocal part on “Maybe I Will Be There” when the YW sing in Sacrament Meeting in two weeks, she is getting some great chances to enjoy her musical talents…as are we J!

Too bad the other kids are going to miss out on their chance to be in the Primary Program…we leave for Hungary a week or two before they perform—and I’m the senior primary chorister….oh, well.  Didn’t plan that one too well, did I J?

Hava sings all day long--through dinner, quiet time, while playing, during prayers--and does it quite well.  Her exuberant, exact singing reminds me of her cousin, Teyla, which is awesome, since Teyla is such a cutie. And they are both determined that they know what is best :).  Some things are pretty strong in the gene pool, I guess.