Our new swimming hole

I had heard that a motel here in town allowed people to pay to swim in their outside pool. Last Monday I thought we would go check it out because the rest of the week looked like it was going to be rainy. 

It was $6 a person and they could swim from 1-6. I thought that was pretty reasonable. 

When we got there we had the pool to ourselves except for two older women sunbathing. 

This was Josiah's 1st time back in the pool since his ear scare. I still made him wear ear plugs, but they kept popping out. Finally, we just gave up on them. Hopefully he won't get an ear infection from it. 

I am so happy with the Puddle Jumper we got for Amelia. It's like a life jacket and very trustworthy, unlike her blow up floaties she usually wears. Amelia was all over the pool. Her brothers were mad because they wasn't allowed past a certain spot. 

They took a little break for a picnic lunch. 

I had posted a picture on Instagram that we were at the pool. Soon after that I had some extra kiddos wanting to swim with us. Which was fine with me. My kids always have more fun with other kids around. 

These boys are the best of friends. 

We stayed as long as we could and then all too soon it was 6 pm. Time to dry off and change. Titus was the hardest to get out. He did not want to leave. 

I'm hoping we will get to go back before school starts. This week the weather has been too cool. Isn't that crazy?  The last week of July and it's too cold to swim. Amelia played outside today and came in and asked for her jacket. Last week she said it was too hot to play outside. 

Gotta love KY weather. 

When Jesus cuts it close

Back in May I blogged about the last of school activities and Titus' Kindergarten graduation. At then end of the post I mentioned asking for prayer that my kids would be able to come back to LCA the next year. We had been hit with a lot of financial strain when my mother in law passed away and Maynard had gotten laid off from his job so it was a tough year financially. We normally save our tuition ahead of time, but unfortunately had to live on it instead. Don't get me wrong. I'm thankful we had it because I'm not sure what would have happened otherwise. 

Maynard has since then found a pretty good job with Fed Ex, but hasn't gotten a full time route yet. We are surviving, but not thriving if that makes sense. We thought a route had opened up and were very excited. Not only did it mean more pay, but also Maynard would only have to work Mon-Fri. At the very last minute someone pulled "seniority" on Maynard and instead they were given the new route. We were really disappointed, but I know God has it worked out. 

After much prayer and worry, we finally decided to homeschool the kids. It wasn't something we were excited about, it just seemed our only option. We simply couldn't afford to send the kids back to school. 

We broke the news to the boys and it didn't go over very well. Josiah's heart was broken. He cried and cried. Titus was disappointed too, but he's so hard to read. Titus adjusts well to anything so he was ok with it, but he still preferred going back to school. 

I began to tell Josiah all the pros about being homeschooled. Before long I almost had us all convinced that we were going to love it. 

We went to an Abeka Homeschool Display to order our curriculum. As I walked down the hallway I felt a feeling a doom in my stomach. I couldn't explain it. 

Here we go. This was it. 

We walked in and the kids sat down and each watched excerpts of their class on DVD. Josiah walked over to me and said it was boring. (That's not what I needed to hear)

I was filling out all our paperwork. 

Still worried about if I was making the right decision. (My cheeks are kinda red here)

Time to pay. 

As I handed over my checks I could feel my phone vibrating in my purse. I checked my phone and Maynard had called me 5 times. I was scared something was wrong. We walked towards the door of the meeting room and I called Maynard back. 

He said the kid's school had been trying to contact us. Maynard had talked with the principal and they were trying to make arrangements for the boys to come back to school. 

Maynard told me it looked like The Lord was making a way for the kids to get to back to school. 

"Big problem, Maynard. I already ordered and paid for their homeschool stuff."

"Well, go cancel it right now."

"I don't think I can.  That's embarrassing."

I was still standing in front of the meeting room door. It was up to me now what I was going to do. 

Then I got excited. 

I walked back in and motioned for the Abeka guy to come talk to me. Yes, I pulled him away from another table. Yes, I knew the people he was meeting with. Yes, it was embarrassing, but I didn't care anymore. The Lord just answered a prayer for my family. 

"Sir, you probably won't believe this, I need to cancel my order I just placed  minutes ago. My kids are going to get to go back to school. We just recieved an answer to prayer."

I held my breath as I watched him go and get our order forms and checks and as he handed them back to me. He looked at me and smiled and said, "Sounds like God had other plans for you."

I walked back in the hallway and pulled Josiah and Titus to the side. I told them I had something to tell them. 

I said, "Looks like y'all are going back to school this year."

Josiah: "Really?  You mean it?" <Insert big smile and a very happy dance>

We went straight to school and got them registered. 

It's still going to be a sacrafice to send them, but it's a sacrafice that is a great investment. 

I'm just amazed at the timing. The Lord worked it out perfectly. Sometimes He knows best at how well He can increase our faith. 

**Homeschool Disclaimer**

For all you homeschool mothers out there, I am not dissing your decision to homeschool your children. It's whatever is best for your family. Clearly we agree that public school is not an option for our children. 

If it came my lot to homeschool my kids then I would have given it my 100%. There's no doubt that I could do it. I rather enjoy school and teaching. Sometimes I wonder if I missed my calling. 

However, my kids love their school. Most of the time I tap them on the shoulder to wake them up for school, only once. They love it and look forward to going every single day. 

I do not doubt the administration or teachers there. I completely trust them with my children's education and the spiritual teaching and guidance that they receive at their school. 

One main reason I want my kids to attend their beloved Christian school is for the social reasons. We attend a small church. There's pretty much 1 other child, their age, that attends. If I homeschooled them they wouldn't really be around any other kids. My kids need their friends and I think it's important for them to have friends. It would be different if we went to a larger church with a big youth group, but we don't. 

Until then..... The back to school countdown is on!!!!!

Funday Monday and Tuesday

Our library has been having Funday Monday at the park every week. We haven't been all summer because Mondays are my days to put my house back together from the weekend. Also the "fun" begins at 9:30 a.m. and well.... 9:30 a.m.  Shall I say more?

Last week we got up a little earlier than normal and the boys asked to go. Normally I give a quick, "not today", but I thought well why not. So we literally all got dressed in less than 30 mins and were out the door. They each ate 3 fig newtons a piece for their breakfast. Umm, yes. That counts as a grain and fruit. Ha

We got to the park and it was cloudy and cool. A perfect park day in my opinion. As soon as they got there they were handed a healthy breakfast. (I didn't know they were doing that). They got Rice Krispies, oranges, and a granola bar. 

After their snack they got to go in the Bookmobile for their first time. 

So many books, so little time!!!!

Funny story about the bookmobile. When it was time to take our books back Josiah was horrified. He thought he got to keep the books he got from the bookmobile. I guess I should have explained it a little better. Ha ha

After the tour of the bookmobile, the local high school cheer team was there to do a demonstration. 

They asked for volunteers and you'll never guess who took off running to join them?

 I thought oh well. 5 minutes ain't gonna kill nobody. 

Then I opened Wednesdaysi paper. 

Well snap!!  Busted!!!  Ha ha

After the cheering/dancing was over, they passed out new books for every kid that was there. 

Each book that each of my children chose describes their personalities to a tee. 

So Funday Monday ended up being pretty cool. Of course, not so cool that I actually wanted to take my kids back this week. You remember what time it started?!?!?

So the next day ended up being a fun day too. Our local inflatable place opened  up for open play instead of the usual party rental. We got our youth group to come play as well as a few other friends. It ended up being a nice little group. We got there at 1 and stayed until 6. 

The Wii on big screen is always fun. 

I spy Titus. 

A slushie break. 

Basketball

Looks like I had way too much fun shooting things in the arcade game. 

Amelia and her little friend from the library had a lot of fun together. 

They also had a fun game of hide and seek. It was the big kids against the little kids. 

The big kids watched where the little kids hid by watching the monitors behind the front desk. Then when it was their turn to hide they hid under the counter there and  no one could ever find them. They are so mean!!!  Ha ha. They had a blast though and so did the employee. She was getting tickled at them. She told me when we left that we had a good bunch of kids and she enjoyed watching them play like they did. 

After we left there we went to McDonalds to meet Ronald McDonald. 

They got their picture taken with him and then got to see a magic show. Then they all had $1.99 Happy Meals. 

It was the perfect finish to a perfect day. 

Then we all went home and collapsed. 

The end. 

The day I had to give up my trusty bobby pin!!

Its true. 

I've given it up. 

Oh the temptation is strong. 

It's a real addiction. 

No more Bobby Pins used for ear cleaning. 

Oh I've heard the dangers of using objects to clean the ears. 

I'm just an ear fanatic. I don't like chunks of ear wax being visible. Or worse than chunks is gold runny ear wax running out the ear. 

Y'all know my obsession with ears. It's not like I haven't blogged about it before. 

Here's my recovery story. Yes, it began with tragedy, but it has a happy ending. 

2 weeks ago Josiah started feeling bad. He was coughing his head off, but didn't complain of anything else hurting. Then at bed time he was in soooo much pain with an earache. He was crying for me to help him. I used to have earaches a lot when I was little so I knew how he felt. I gave him Tylenol and ear drops. Nothing was helping. He begged me to clean his ear. And well, I had a willing victim so a mom had to do what a mom had to do. I checked his ear and he had a big chunk of wax sticking out his ear canal. So I just did a quick scoop to get it out and Josiah jerked and screamed. He cried and said it hurt really bad. So I got frustrated and said, "I'm going to bed. I was trying to help you and you jerked up on me."

So I went on to bed. Of course I couldn't sleep because I felt guilty. So I got up about 10 minutes later to check on him. I wasn't prepared for what I seen. He had blood dripping out his ear. Pools of blood. Not just drops of blood. So I put cotton in his ear and he drifted off to sleep. Said it didn't hurt anymore. I was worried sick and started texting my friend that was a nurse and googling info about ruptured ear drums. I realized it didn't warrant an er visit, but I would have to take him to the DR the next morning. 

I kept checking on him all night and the bleeding never slowed down. I cried and cried all night. 

The next morning the bleeding had finally slowed down, but there was still fresh blood all in his ear. His pillow even had a bloodstain on it. 

We went on to the Dr.

When I get nervous I talk. I talk a lot. Anything you want to know just comes rolling out. So when the Dr asks "What's going on with Josiah today?"......... It just came rolling out. I spilled the beans. I confessed. 

"I did it with a bobby pin."

I might as well tell her. I'd rather it be me than Josiah to rat me out. 

She checked his ear and said, "Yep, it ruptured. It's a mess in there. Full of infection and lots of blood."  She checked his other ear.  

"Oh my!!!  He has a horrible ear infection. This ear drum is about to rupture as well. There's all kinds of blood behind his ear drum pushing up against the drum."

She then rechecked the other ear again and turned to look at me. I was ready for the "never ever put any object in the ear canal, blah, blah, blah. How can you call yourself a mother" and so on. 

But that's not what happened. Maybe what I deserved, but I was spared. 

She began to explain that his ears were really bad infected. Possibly what happened was what I actually thought was wax, was really his ear drum that was inflamed and sticking out of the ear canal. When I touched the wax (which was really the ear drum) it caused it to rupture. That's why he jerked like he did. All the blood that was pouring out was everything behind the ear drum that was causing so much pressure. She then told me I actually did him a favor. Once the ear drum ruptures all that pressure eases off and there's no more pain. I guess that explains why he went on to sleep right after that. Of course I didn't because I layed there thinking I just caused my child to go deaf and I dreaded the drs visit because I was the one who had hurt him.

When the Dr told Josiah his ear would heal on it's own and he would be just fine, he dropped his head and his eyes swelled up with tears. 

He said with a trembling voice, "I thought I was going to have to wear hearing aides like my Papaw."  It made me feel awful. I hadn't realized that he had been worrying about losing his hearing. Even the Dr was about to cry. Ha ha

We left the drs office with prescription ear drops and a strong antibiotic. Also with strict instructions to absolutely get no water in his ears. He wasn't happy about that because it's summer break and they love swimming and playing in the water. 

Well, over 2 weeks has come and gone. We have avoided swimming and the splash pad. We bought ear plugs for him to wear in the tub. 

His ear still had all that dry yucky blood all in his ear. I was dying, literally dying to clean his ear out with peroxide. I knew I couldn't but all that old visible blood was killing me. I refrained and eventually the ear absorbed all the yuckiness. 

Today was his follow up appointment. 

The Dr checked both ears and looked at me and said, "Both ears are fine, Mommy."

I said, "What about his ruptured ear drum?"

The Dr checked again. 

"The ear drum is completely intact.  He is just fine."

I was so relieved. 

Josiah wanted to leave right then and go jump in a pool. Ha ha

I don't think this was a coincidence or the Dr made a mistake. I seen the amount of  blood that dripped out of his ear. Something was wrong. 

God healed him is what happened. Our church had been praying for him as well as others. 

I am so thankful to serve a living God. 

HE DiDN'T HAVE TO DO IT, BUT HE DID!

And that's what has cured me from the ear cleaning craze. 

Now when my kids are bad I threaten to get a bobby pin and they stop dead in their tracks. 

I'm not saying I'm not tempted. I still check their ears. Amelia in Titus have chunks. I've decided to leave them alone. 

For now..............

More Play Dates and a Mad Scientist

There's only so much playing with your brothers until you just need to have a friend of your own to come over. 

I called a little friend of Amelia's, that she doesn't get to see very often, and invited her over for a few hours to play. So far all summer we've had boys over and I thought it would be a nice surprise for her. 

Amelia was beyond excited. She refused to share Myia with Josiah and Titus. I mean she would yell like crazy if they came in her room. Which the boys thought was so unfair because she always plays with them and their friends. She may have even once attacked one of their friends with a tennis racket because he wouldn't play Barbies with her. Luckily his Mom knows Amelia and understands her. Ha ha

After playing at home they decided they wanted to go to craft/story time at the library. 

Storytime

Craft-time. 

Myia is really funny. Like she's bad, but funny. Lol. They were building towers and Amelia turned her head and Myia knocked down Amelia's tower. Then Myia knocked her own tower down and yelled, "Amelia!!!"  Amelia was confused, but I was cracking up. 

Then they had a puppet show, complete with an audience, and I will admit to being a tad nervous on how it would go. Between the two of them I figured it may contain some violence. 

It actually went good until somehow the puppet show turned into a game of tag, which I'm pretty sure is not allowed at the library. 

All too soon it was time to bring Myia home and Amelia was heartbroken. She cried and cried when we dropped her off because it would be too long before she got to see her again. 

The next day we went back to the library to see the Mad Scientist show. I was bored to tears because I'm not into science, but the kids seemed to enjoy it. 

I do have to admit the remote control shark balloon was pretty cool. 

Then they went outside and released a balloon with money attached to it. Something to do with gravity and aerodynamic and helium.... Blah blah blah. 

The next day it was pretty hot and humid outside so I drug out the paint. 

I love to paint. I'm horrible at it, but my kids think I'm pretty awesome. I asked Maynard about what grade my painting looked like and he said 5th grade. Ha ha

By Saturday Josiah was begging for someone to come over and play with them.  So we invited Zackery over. He and Josiah were best buddies when they were small. They rarely see each other, but they always pick up where they left off. 

They enjoyed some PS2 for most of the time. Then they wrestled and wrestled some more. Titus was being the punching bag so I finally had to ban the wrestling before it turned real. 

Then they all sat down and looked at a book for awhile. 

Last week was more of a low key week. We wasn't booked solid everyday and it was kind of nice. This week is different though. Stay tuned next week for all our cram packed fun. Summer is winding down and we are trying to enjoy every day. 

Our 4th July 2014

4th July fell on a Friday this year. Maynard was off work and so it made it even more special. 

I got up and started fixing pancakes and then the very last minute I used a medicine dropper and made Stars and Stripes out of the extra batter.  It's the little things that make my kids happy sometimes. 

We hung around the house all day and Maynard hooked up the play station.  He and the boys played about all afternoon. 

We left around supper and decided to celebrate the 4th by eating at Shiloh's. It's a tad expensive to eat there not during lunchtime, but my kids asked for salad. I love that they are on a salad kick right now.  So we ordered two chicken salads and fed all of us. The salads are huge. Plus, we kept the yeast rolls coming too. 

Our city was hosting a Red White and Boom celebration so I thought I would take the kids by to check it out. The first thing we seen was inflatables. The kids took off a running. Unfortunately, they got scared at the top. 

Amelia would not slide down. She insisted on walking back down. The line continued to grow awaiting other kid's turn to slide. 

This picture cracks me up.  Maynard was pleading with her to hurry up and get down. Ha ha

Titus did go down the next slide. He said it wasn't as steep. 

Then they spotted a bungee jumping line. They begged and begged so we stood in line for 45 mins until it was finally their turn. 

Amelia jumped really high. She loved it. 

Josiah didn't get much higher than that, but he said he couldn't get his feet down far enough to push up. 

Titus was either staring up at what held it all together or down at the trampoline. He was a bit nervous, if you believe that. 

We got us some water and cotton candy and then went to the petting zoo. 

There were lots of other things to do like face painting, zip lines, train rides, but by now it was getting later and getting more crowded. All the lines were long and we had waited forever already for the bungee jumping. Maynard was ready to go. Plus the loud music was wearing on my nerves. We left there and went to find our special parking spot to watch the fireworks. We found a great construction site that included a porta (porter)potty. That is an important detail if you read my last post. 

I put this picture on Instagram asking who people thought the first kid to climb the fence would be. It was Titus and I know that shocks everyone reading this. He didn't cross over, but he did make it almost all the way up. 

Amelia was entertaining herself in my mirror. 

We enjoyed an awesome firework show. I laughed all the way through it because of a 2 yr old girl next to us. Apparently she expected the fireworks to be all pink. I kid you not. The first firework was gold or green and this little girl began to wail and scream, "I want pink. I want pink!!"  Her parents tried to get her to hush the whole time. I think the whole crowd was relieved when there was red fireworks because the parents passed them off as being pink to their little princess. 

I hope everyone had a great 4th!!  I love all holidays and especially the ones where you get to spend time with your family.