Tierney's Prom Dress

It's that time! We just ordered Tierney's dress. I hope it's as cute as the pics (it's too hard to get out with kiddos).


Very excited! 

Creepy, desperate, and cute

My insecurities regarding the imperfections of my house amuse me, as I always seem to have to record them out loud!

Please Save My Tender Heart

From my 13 year old. I can't take the sullenness. The disgust at every dumb thing I say.

It makes me sad. What happened to my sweet, laughing little girl?!

Sick Kiddos

It started with Gabe. Nose running, coughing sneezing. Now Liam has the same. Both are raspy, but I checked on Liam 30 minutes ago, so raspy, red-cheeked, rough breath. He worries me. I dug out a humidifier after debating with Karl over warm or cool mist. We worry he may wake in the night and be curious about the humidifier and play with it, and don't want him to burn his fingers, but the cool mist vaporizer will make his already cold room colder. We decided on the warm, but Karl's going to stay up awhile and check on him.

But overall, they have been pretty healthy this winter, so I can't really complain. 

No doctors or daycare providers here, thank you!

Gabriel has started eating some solids. Seeing as how jarred baby food is a Madison Ave. invention, we just give him real food. I guess the veggies weren't in small enough pieces because Gabe had a particularly nasty diaper today. Liam took one look, gagged, and vomited a little on the floor. This is really going to limit him, I am afraid. How would he handle an elementary lunchroom? 'Do you like 'see-food?'

No pics on this post.

Snapshots

My pretty Valentine

Cousin Patchen

A crew of thrilled looking partygoers

Note the big milk stain noone told me about.

I just love his hair.

Little Liam

My Gabe

My Gabe does NOT want to be still for a photo

Note the hand holding him down

Making Valentine Shirts

Liam's (I sort of messed up)

Mine...it's a rather huge shirt

Taryn decided to paint leggings with hearts on the knees

An Experiment

I recently read a book, The Dumbest Generation, and it made me think about...well the same stuff I have been thinking about for years, but just haven't known what to do.
I believe access to easy entertainment has played a role in my children achieving less than they could have. Granted, they are still young and able to turn things around, but once upon a time (early elementary) they were near the top in their class and I have only become more educated since then, meaning I should have had some kind of an influence on them. But let's be honest. The lure of the internet is strong. It has hurt me.

Somewhere along the way, they got the idea their existence is all about being entertained.
Well. I guess I am becoming a fuddy-duddy. I believe in a "classical, with secular science" education and I think kids should have to memorize things. I think knowing a lot of facts, not just knowing how to access them, actually enhances the brain and makes a person more educated. Call me crazy.

So, during prep time last week when I subbed an afternoon at a local middle school, I made this:

Internet/TV-Free Zone
Sunday-Thursday
4:30-7:00 and after 10p.m.

No Wifi/TV/Videogames/Computers
News is okay

Exceptions:
1.5 hours of doing homework or reading the "common room" will allow access for person who does it (By 6pm if working steady).

Note: If your progress report has anything less than a B-(or if you lose your progress report) early access is not allowed. If you complain about the rule, there will be no access all night.

I don't think this is unfair since they still have their phones. They might have to use their own data amounts or whatever for their phones without wifi (I did not buy these phones-nor do I pay the bill on them), but it's a start.

Their responses:
Oldest child: What's my boyfriend supposed to do when he comes over?
Next: That's stupid.
Third: You can't make me do my homework (this from the child who dreams of getting into Columbia U.)

So, maybe I can't make them study. But I can try and bore them into expanding their minds.