Way to Go Shelby

Shelby's school has 6 Pillars of Character that they focus on developing. Each Friday they mix up everyone in the school and the kids go to Flight School. They are with a different teacher and with kids from all grade levels. The kindergartens do get to have a buddy from their class with them in their Flight School class.

In Flight School, they focus on these Pillars of Character. They dedicate a month to each of the Pillars. December's quality was fairness. At the end of the month, the teacher of each Flight School class picked a child whom she felt best represented this pillar of character. Shelby got picked.



She got an award at the end of the quarter Awards Ceremony.



She also got a free Spurs ticket and the option to buy as many tickets as we'd like for $20. What a good deal.

Anyways, we are proud of our Shelby. It's nice to see that the things we value and try to teach her at home have taken effect, and she's able to make good choices when we are not around. Congratulations Shelby!

Another Round of Illnesses

It was bound to happen. You can't cram 25 people into a house without germs being spread. I think just about all of my family got sick from Christmas. Of course my girls will catch any germs that are around, so we got sick too. It was another 2 week + illness that lead to ear infections and Taylor's asthma acting up.



I picked Shelby up from school around 11:15ish. She had already had lunch, so she laid down on the couch while I made Taylor and Payden's lunch. She was already asleep before they even started eating. She got at least a 2 hour nap. In fact I think she slept even longer than Taylor and Payden (they go down for a nap immediately after lunch). She was definitely NOT feeling well. It was nice because all 3 girls were down for a nap at the same time.





This time Tom, who usually doesn't get sick, was not immune to the illness. He got sick and ended up with bronchitis. They were really concerned that he was going to end up with pneumonia. He had pneumonia in his left lung the winter of 2005 and his lung has never been the same; it is very weak. Fortunately all of the meds they gave him worked, and they gave him a LOT of meds. He was so sick though that it took a few weeks for him to feel mostly better.

As for me, I'll give you an update soon because my story is enough for it's own post. Let's just say it's been a LONG 2008. Hopefully the end is in sight, but I'm definitely not getting my hopes up.

The Medicine Fight

January's round of illness led to Taylor's asthma acting up. It was so bad that the normal breathing treatments weren't helping and we had to go get a prescription steriod (I think it's a steriod, but not the body builder type) to help her lungs strengthen and recover. Normally, she has to take 2 tsp (which is A LOT for a kid) of this stuff and it's pretty nasty tasting, but I know how to get her to take the medicine.



I just pin her and use a medicine syringe to get the meds down her. The hold is so effective that she rarely fights me any more because she knows I'll win (which says a lot because Taylor is a fighter!!!). Well I noticed on the prescription it said pills. The pharmicist told me it's a quick dissolving pill that tastes good. I thought this would be a nice change. No more pinning to take her meds. Boy was I wrong.



The pill does not dissolve quickly enough and apparently is not as tasty as the pharmicist said. The bad thing is it's a lot easier to push a pill out of your mouth, so the fights to get the meds down were a lot bigger this time around. I think next time I'll take the nasty liquid medicine over the pills.

Camping in the Orme Wilderness

Well we promised the girls we'd go camping over Martin Luther King weekend. Well it got REALLY cold and rainy, so we decided we just camp in our backyard. Fortunately for little girls, camping is camping as long as there's a tent involved.



Here's our new tent. Tom can actually stand up inside (which is quite a feat). Our first tent was 6x6. I still can't believe Tom and I actually fit into it.



Making smores. The girls loved it and enjoyed eating them.









Payden just enjoyed stilling the crackers and marshmallows and chocolate before making them into smores.



Tom enjoying the fun.



Shelby's first roasted (or is toasted . . . I can't think right now) marshmallow.



Taylor's first.



Payden checking out the action.



My turn with the smores.



Going to sleep. As you can see, only Shelby gets down to business. If it's time to sleep, then she's going to go to sleep. As for Taylor and Payden . . . well after a few ultimatums and "snuggling" (okay she was slightly pinned) with Payden they FINALLY went to sleep.

Of course with my SEVERE allergies (I'll explain more in a later post) and Payden being so little, she and I both ended up in our beds about 2 am. The others enjoyed it. Although it was cold, there's nothing better than snuggling up under nice warm blankets. They had a good night and really enjoyed camping. It's nice to know that we don't have to be too fancy to make them happy. It was a good family outing . . . even if it was just in our backyard.

A Few Random Moments

She plays like this, draws like this, watches TV like this, and I could go on. You'd think it wouldn't be the most comfortable, but apparently it is. I just think it's too cute.



Our nighttime routine had to change a bit when Taylor's asthma was triggered, so here we are . . . nebulizer and scriptures and all.



Taylor playing the computer. She's getting quite good. I love the tongue.



Payden, who ALWAYS has to be involved in what her sisters are doing, has to take a look too.



The shoe fetish is still going. She even has to put her own shoes on as well as others' shoes when she can't find any of hers or if they look fun enough to wear.