That's All She Wrote.

Here we are at the end of the blog year. My dashboard (The page that gives my blog stats) confirms that this is post 365. I never missed a day and I feel strange to be at the end but I feel accomplished that I was able to complete such a lengthy challenge. Through the ups and the downs of the year I kept at it and now here we are today.

I know that by the title it would seem I'm done with blogging but I don't think I'm done yet. I've just closed a chapter in my blogging life and I don't think I will post every day but I will still post. Within a few weeks I'm going to do some changing and might start a new blog so this can stay a unique project. I plan on printing all the posts from this year and creating a memory book for my kids. I'll introduce the new blog as soon as I can get around to creating it.For today I thought we should get some better quality pictures of Ronan since I was having to use printed transfers for the t-shirts. I enlisted Isaac into taking some nicer pictures with his camera. I don't have the ones he took yet so I'll post a couple of mine. His pictures turned out awesome and we found the one that will be on the shirts.My Brother and his family came over to help make the shirts but there was a delay on the photos. We had to postpone until tomorrow. Instead the kids had cupcakes and played a little bit.I thought since this is the final blog within the 365 day challenge I would post side by sides of the kids at the start of the challenge and then of them today so here we go.



First up was Landon who was five and about ready to start kindergarten. We've improved on his apple phobia this year, lost his first two teeth and he is now a first grader. He's also a reader and writer. Huge accomplishments for one year.

Xander was four when we started and in preschool. He is still one tough little goof ball. He is improving on his charming skills and is now in kindergarten.

Jadzia who was two when we started is now edging very close to four. Her communication skills have seen great strides and she is still a pink obsessed, pony loving princess. She just started preschool.

Ronan. What's there to say about Ronan other than he went from barely crawling this year to full out walking. He has learned to sign about 15 words. Has learned how to show his desire for independence and has confirmed his strong willed personality. He was 14 months at the start and is now two.

Baby Inara has grown from a two month old newborn into a 14 month old toddler. She has done all the normal baby stuff, crawling, walking, mood swings, and talking.

Here we are at the end. An idea that sparked in my mind late one night came to life on the computer screen and I did it! One year later. That's all she wrote. For now....

1st Day of School!

Here we are on the day before the end of the blog challenge. It seems surreal to have made it this far. Back when I started I really wondered if I'd be able to do this the entire year. I'm very happy I have only one day to go. Not that I don't enjoy writing the blogs and then going back months later and enjoying them all over again; because I really do enjoy creating and reading each blog posts. But I'm glad to have accomplished a year long challenge.

Today was the start of our home school year. Landon is in first grade, Xander is in kindergarten and Jadzia preschool. Landon was so excited to start 1st grade and could hardly quit wiggling long enough for me to capture a picture of him. Xander was a little less thrilled. It would seem that he had his heart set on attending as he put it "an actual school". He has never brought this up before and he's known or months we were planning on doing school at home. Once we got into the actual learning he perked up a bit and started getting excited.

Jadzia was happy to have a workbook this year although she put a limited effort into her work today. Everything was "I can't know that." It went like this "Jadzia, which letter is "N"?" Jadzia: "I can't know that." It went like that for pretty much everything and I know she knew a lot of it because she's done it in the past. Maybe today was just an off day for her.We are still waiting on new and official textbooks. We'll be getting those mid to late September. Until then Landon had a little bit left in his kindergarten textbooks to complete and I figured it was a good review. Xander and Jadzia have Wal-Mart textbooks until their Abeka ones arrive.

The kids' favorite part was PE when we went outside, got some fresh air and ran around to get exercise. There was also some swinging involved and the babies got to enjoy the sunshine as well.

Ronan was super congested today and Inara's cough was worsening. When Ronan got a really bad bloody nose for the third time I decided it was doctor time. My mom went with me to help. Not only did this help with the doctor's exam but we had a t-shirt issue to work out. Ronan has bronchitis and Inara has an ear inection ( a pretty bad one according to the doctor.) We stopped at the store to wait for their meds and to try and sort out t-shirt options.

The annual Buddy Walk (the walk for Down Syndrome Awareness) is this Saturday and weeks ago I ordered t-shirts from Wal-Mart photo center. They were custom with Ronan's picture and our team name. I had been calling and calling Wal-Mart trying to figure out why they hadn't arrived yet. Finally today I found out they hadn't sent the order through right so we had no t-shirts coming despite the confirmation number I have stored on my computer.

With five small children you learn to be ready for anything. I knew it was too late to order the actual Buddy Walk shirts so this left trying to come up with another plan. We discussed using last year's shirts but those are all packed who knows where. The next plan was to just go and do the walk but I was really disappointed that we wouldn't look like a team. We finally decided we would do iron on transfers of his picture and words. While I'm not completely thrilled with this idea because they won't turn out as nice it is better than nothing.

Now I have thirteen shirts I need to custom decorate before Saturday. Somehow I will accomplish this.

A Picnic at Church, Sick Babies at Home.

Two more days!!! It's bitter sweet to see another year passed and the kids growing bigger. Both babies are still sick. Inara is doing ok just has a runny nose and slight cough. You can take one look at Ronan's droopy eyes and runny nose and you can tell he doesn't feel well.

He sounds congested which may lead to a doctor visit tomorrow. I have to catch it quick if his cold is going into pneumonia. Evey time he's had pneumonia in the past he has been hospitalized because he just can't handle it well.

The babies and I stayed in since the cold battle was still going strong. The three oldest went to church with my parents. Their church was having their annual summer picnic and the kids were very excited.

While the babies and I were cuddling away back at home the big guys enjoyed balloon races, baseball and Frisbee. They came home lake dirty and tired. Baths and early bed time are on tonight's agenda.

Tomorrow we start homeschooling for the year. Xander will be starting kindergarten and Landon first grade. Landon says he's in the big time now. Don't be fooled by his tired, played at the lake all day, expression below he's pretty excited for tomorrow.