Multiple Nelsons

Last week we learned about Community Helpers for our Summer Preshool.  This week I was finally able to get a friend (Good friend of Troys b/c he worked with him and I grew up with James), that has been working with the Raleigh Police Department for about 4 years.  He had to make sure to get approval from his boss to be able to come show the kids his police car and etc.. It was extremely hot and humid outside (96-98), but the kids loved it while us adults, Troy, James and I sweated through it.  "Crazy A" at first was just waking up from a short nap and didn't want Troy to put her down. The two younger girls sat in the back for a while, of course the car was started to get some a/c going. There is Office J.D. Rollins (James) and "Jare Bear" loving the hole hat and stick thing. (For friends in Utah and other places... in the background, this is my parents home.  Isn't it beautiful with all the green!)   Grandpa came out to join us for a short ...

Can you spot who arrived in NC yesterday? Give you some clues: 1. She will be here for 2 weeks 2. The favorite aunt I know we are crazy bunch of people. :)

This guy had fallen asleep on Friday afternoon, NAKED.  He is mostly potty trained except for bowel movements.  He basically has a bowel movement in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon/evening. So after he had one (a bowel movement) I did not put a diaper on him like usual and he didn't want to put anything else on.  I couldn't wait for him to make a decision b/c one of the other kids needed me.  When I came back to him 10 minutes later and he was asleep. :) Yard Work "Crazy A" helping me pick the weeds out of the circle garden in the front yard. "Jacolena" choose to stay inside most of the time to play by herself.  She did venture out once or twice during the day but working out in the yard really isn't her thing.   Poor thing she is such delicate individual. "Missa" and grandma pruning the dead stuff off of the trellis. Where's Troy? oh wait there he is, mulching in the plant beds. After a "Crazy A" ...

 I love this video... I have had many experiences either watching others do this or have been in it myself.  The last 6 months have been difficult: being pregnant, moving, Troy searching for a job and medical things with one of the kids.  Our life has been a little crazy in recent (as many of you too) and we are trying to get through the times as best as we can.  I call it "survival mode".   Right now I am going thru something similar to this, not exactly, but it is where I am getting judged very critically.  Basically I have been personally attacked and called irresponsible by someone b/c of my circumstances (a mother with lots of small children and so forth).  It hurts deeply.   I have thought about how to handle this: 1. Write back another email 2. Put something on my FB status  3. Not respond I have chosen the third... b/c I really feel there is no need to further fuel unkind feelings for this person....

We used glitter for the first time this week in Preschool.  I knew it would make a mess (or "Jare Bear" would accidentally spill the glitter) and all we had to do was vacuum it up.  We will be using glitter in the future just not the near future.   

That night we started two different sessions of fireworks.  Before & after dinner.  Troy went out with the kids and lit Sparklers.  All the kids love to see fireworks EXCEPT "Missa".  She has never liked them from the time she was a baby.  That is why she is not in as many pictures. Here is the bunch of pictures you can see the great reactions of the kids to the Snappers.  The younger three's anticipation was awesome! As part of the celebration, after dinner we made pinwheels and little flags.  That was our craft for preschool that day.  We also did a Gator parade and the pinwheels "rode in the wind". The Davis (a family in our church) joined us for the after dinner celebration.  Grant (my nephew) was staying with them for half of the week. (His parents are at Girls Camp the entire week).  My kids loved having the older kids there to have fun with them.  Troy didn't do anything to big... just a normal packet of firewo...

Our church congregation had a breakfast the morning of July 4th.  It was good… there wasn't a certain person or committee in charge so the festivities weren't scheduled one right after another.  So people (us and others) ended up leaving after 2 hours even though we hadn't done the watermelon eating contest and water balloon volleyball.  But it was still fun. Here we are getting ready for the kids parade. "Jare Bear" borrowed another friends scooter for a time. He did pretty good on it since it was kind of small for the scooter. :) The start of the kids parade. My girls bringing up the rear of the parade. "Missa" was a really good sport and ran along the side of a friend.  She was the only one (other than her siblings) to not have her scooter or bike.  I was so proud of her to not breakdown and cry about it.  It didn't bother her. More pictures to come from that night….

On a typical Saturday morning.  Usually 2 or three kids are watching cartoons with daddy while he gets some "extra" sleep. We took our 1st pool trip in 2 years.  People have asked me, "Why haven't you gone to the pool?"  Well, I am very afraid of one of my kids drowning when NONE of them can swim.  I basically can't be in 4 places at one time.  Wait I don't think anyone can! :) Yes, you heard that right... even our 5.5 year old can't swim.  I have never been able to put her in swim lessons b/c of either the money or I can't take 3 other kids with me to swim lessons. This summer all this is changing... we live near my sister's pool and we are going to go every week with her and kids AND my mom.  "Missa" will be taking swim lessons at the pool hopefully starting soon.  So far we have made 2 trips to the pool and here is how it goes: 1. Child 1: goes back and forth from the baby pool to the big kid pool to follow her cousins.  ...

Ok... I have pictures to put up on the blog but just haven't gotten to them.  Probably later today I will do it. I think I am thirty weeks, almost 7 months? I really can not remember unless I get the email from babycenter telling me what i am.  :) Just how it goes with the 5th kid. Some good things and not-so-good things that go on with this pregnancy as of this point: Not-so-good 1. Everytime I go up and down the stairs I get Braxton Hick contractions... the more times I go up and down the more contractions I get.  I told the doctor 2 weeks ago I get them maybe once a day... WRONG. I counted that afternoon and I was getting 8 a day.  Yeah maybe I better slow down with the stairs. 2. My veins on the right leg don't ache anymore b/c I rest, but they are spreading around the leg more.  They aren't clustered by my knee.... on the calf, the shin and more places. 3. I get so tired, just going to the store regardless if I have a another child with me.  Espe...