I always switching from standard time to daylight savings time. I don't like losing that hour of sleep. I do enjoy the much longer days though. Well, then we had kids. What do you do with kids when the time changes? You have to adjust them as well but it never goes well.
This year because Dustin is gone I tried my darndest to get those kids to go to bed on time last Saturday. Did they do it? No. They stayed up until about 11pm maybe even 11:30pm for who know what reason. However, they did fine on Sunday despite their minimal sleep. I was pleasantly surprised.
During the week this week I kept the boys on their normal bedtime routine. Matthew goes down at 7 and David at 8. It has been awful! Don't worry we have blacked out the windows in their room so the extra light doesn't shine through. Every night this week it has taken at least 30 minutes to get Matthew to go to sleep if he went to sleep at all before David went to bed. Then once they are both awake in their room, every problem possible arises and no one goes to sleep for hours!
Well tonight I had the thought that I should just push their bedtimes back and hour each. I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier (oh, yes I do, I'm pregnant and tired), but I did it tonight. I got Matthew into bed by 8pm, other than opening his door once to let Toby out of the room he went right to bed. At 9pm I got David into bed and there hasn't been hours of sneaking in and out of his room. David went right to sleep as well.
I am so glad that I have adjusted their bedtimes and here's hoping it continues to work well for us. The only real bummer part is that I don't get my quiet Mommy time until 9pm which is an hour later than it used to be. I feel the need to make up for it by staying up later. I need to work on this part.
Small victories are the celebration of the day!
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Books
Today (Tuesday) I took the boys to the library this afternoon. Unbeknownst to me there was a program there today. The library had the author Monica Brown there for stories and book signings. The boys were unsure about the whole thing at first but they eased into it. The stories read today were:
I let the boys each choose a book to purchase and have signed. David of course chose Pele King of Soccer. Matthew didn't chose a book so I chose Tito Puente for him. They were both so good about waiting in line to have their books signed.
They looked at their new books a couple of times this afternoon. Matthew was so excited about his book and David's book. Matthew realizes that they each have their own name in a book and it's pretty cute.
I like that the boys were excited about their biographical books. They can learn about a couple of really cool men. The pictures are great too.
It was so fun to be able to participate in this activity. It's always nice to be surprised with something exciting and different and fun. We stayed at the library longer than I had intended but we had a great time.
A biography about Tito Puente
Clara and the Curandera story about a grumpy girl that meets with a wise old woman to help her change he attitude. I thought it was funny and would be a good book to have.
A biography about Pele the Brazilian soccer player.
I let the boys each choose a book to purchase and have signed. David of course chose Pele King of Soccer. Matthew didn't chose a book so I chose Tito Puente for him. They were both so good about waiting in line to have their books signed.
They looked at their new books a couple of times this afternoon. Matthew was so excited about his book and David's book. Matthew realizes that they each have their own name in a book and it's pretty cute.
I like that the boys were excited about their biographical books. They can learn about a couple of really cool men. The pictures are great too.
It was so fun to be able to participate in this activity. It's always nice to be surprised with something exciting and different and fun. We stayed at the library longer than I had intended but we had a great time.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Letters
When David was little he did really well learning his letters by playing Starfall. Matthew has also learned to love the website as well. He mostly enjoys the colors and especially the numbers there. Since the colors and numbers were a membership thing, I went ahead and purchase the membership so that he could do more than the color read and the numbers 1 and 100. He loves it! David loves it! I still limit the time they can spend on the computer, usually 30 minutes each unless I really need to take a nap or get something done. I am so happy that they enjoy learning and that there are many ways for them to learn new concepts.
This week has been a very exciting one for us. We got letters from Dustin! I expected one last week before we left for New Mexico but that didn't happen so we were happy to have a letter waiting for us when we got home. I got another letter Monday and a third letter Friday. By all accounts Dustin is doing well. I think after this next week we will be caught up enough that we are not repeating the same information/questions to each other. It takes about 4 days for each of us to get letters from the date they were mailed.
Letter #1: Dustin let us know about transferring from Reception battalion to actual Basic Training. They get personal time but for the first week or so it was really preparation time for the next day. They began learning about different weapon systems and began with M-4 weapons emersion. The M-4 is on them at all times during the day so they were learning how to properly enter buildings with it and will eventually begin using it the firing range. The began learning combatives, which is hand to hand combat. They prepared for the Gas Chamber which they did over the weekend (about February 23). He let us know that he received his first letter from us and was really excited because it came in the first batch of mail his platoon received. It also came the day before their big snow/winter storm that basically shut the post down. They went on their first ruck march and began learning combat first aid.
Letter #2: Dustin told us about going through the Gas Chamber. He said it was one of the worst experiences of his life however he followed directions, stayed calm and didn't react too badly. He was really exhausted at the end of the day even though they didn't really do anything physical and so chalked it up to the stresses of the gas chamber. He let us know the results of his first APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test) which he did well on. He did well enough that he passed for even the youngest age group. They also did portions of the Physical Endurance Course (weather permitted only partial use of the equipment) and was proud to say that he was able to complete some of the more physically demanding obstacles like the climbing rope. Apparently not many people could do them. They did the next combatives course. Dustin said that it's cool to learn but then there's the secondary thought of learning these skills to actually cause harm is a little disheartening
Letter #3: This letter was fun because we have caught up enough that he was able to respond to our most recent letter that we had sent him. Dustin told us that the combatives for the week had been wrestling - fun. They learned hand grenade techniques and mechanics. They also did practice throws with practice and live grenades. He did well in his qualification of hand grenades. Friday (3/1) they did a 4 mile ruck march, he said his pack was lighter than when we went back packing a couple of years ago. They did field training on IMT (Individual Movement Techniques), a mock patrol (he's a team leader of 5 members of his squad) where they learned squad movement, hand signals, team work and intel collection. It was a long day, it began at 3:30am. The following day, Saturday, was also spent in the field learning LandNav which is use of maps and compasses. There were day time and night time components and so it was also a long day. They phased up to White phase so he's 1/3 of the way through. Dustin was finally able to make it to church, well part of it anyway, on Sunday 3/3.
On Sunday, February 24, we were able to talk to Dustin for about 15 minutes. It was so nice to talk to him especially since we hadn't received any letters from him. My only information up until that point came from his Company's facebook page.
On Sunday, March 3, we were able to talk to Dustin for just a couple of minutes, we were able to say hellos, I love your and take care of a couple questions before saying our good byes. Knowing that the boys and I would be traveling that day Dustin and I had arranged, the previous Sunday, that he would just call his Mom. He was able to talk to his parents and let them know how he was doing.
Please, please, please write letters to Dustin. They are always encouraging and especially for him to know that our family and friends are being supportive. It has been very difficult for all of us to be seperated like this and for so long. We are excited for the day that we are all together again.
Please email me or facebook message me for his address.
This week has been a very exciting one for us. We got letters from Dustin! I expected one last week before we left for New Mexico but that didn't happen so we were happy to have a letter waiting for us when we got home. I got another letter Monday and a third letter Friday. By all accounts Dustin is doing well. I think after this next week we will be caught up enough that we are not repeating the same information/questions to each other. It takes about 4 days for each of us to get letters from the date they were mailed.
Letter #1: Dustin let us know about transferring from Reception battalion to actual Basic Training. They get personal time but for the first week or so it was really preparation time for the next day. They began learning about different weapon systems and began with M-4 weapons emersion. The M-4 is on them at all times during the day so they were learning how to properly enter buildings with it and will eventually begin using it the firing range. The began learning combatives, which is hand to hand combat. They prepared for the Gas Chamber which they did over the weekend (about February 23). He let us know that he received his first letter from us and was really excited because it came in the first batch of mail his platoon received. It also came the day before their big snow/winter storm that basically shut the post down. They went on their first ruck march and began learning combat first aid.
Letter #2: Dustin told us about going through the Gas Chamber. He said it was one of the worst experiences of his life however he followed directions, stayed calm and didn't react too badly. He was really exhausted at the end of the day even though they didn't really do anything physical and so chalked it up to the stresses of the gas chamber. He let us know the results of his first APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test) which he did well on. He did well enough that he passed for even the youngest age group. They also did portions of the Physical Endurance Course (weather permitted only partial use of the equipment) and was proud to say that he was able to complete some of the more physically demanding obstacles like the climbing rope. Apparently not many people could do them. They did the next combatives course. Dustin said that it's cool to learn but then there's the secondary thought of learning these skills to actually cause harm is a little disheartening
Letter #3: This letter was fun because we have caught up enough that he was able to respond to our most recent letter that we had sent him. Dustin told us that the combatives for the week had been wrestling - fun. They learned hand grenade techniques and mechanics. They also did practice throws with practice and live grenades. He did well in his qualification of hand grenades. Friday (3/1) they did a 4 mile ruck march, he said his pack was lighter than when we went back packing a couple of years ago. They did field training on IMT (Individual Movement Techniques), a mock patrol (he's a team leader of 5 members of his squad) where they learned squad movement, hand signals, team work and intel collection. It was a long day, it began at 3:30am. The following day, Saturday, was also spent in the field learning LandNav which is use of maps and compasses. There were day time and night time components and so it was also a long day. They phased up to White phase so he's 1/3 of the way through. Dustin was finally able to make it to church, well part of it anyway, on Sunday 3/3.
On Sunday, February 24, we were able to talk to Dustin for about 15 minutes. It was so nice to talk to him especially since we hadn't received any letters from him. My only information up until that point came from his Company's facebook page.
On Sunday, March 3, we were able to talk to Dustin for just a couple of minutes, we were able to say hellos, I love your and take care of a couple questions before saying our good byes. Knowing that the boys and I would be traveling that day Dustin and I had arranged, the previous Sunday, that he would just call his Mom. He was able to talk to his parents and let them know how he was doing.
Please, please, please write letters to Dustin. They are always encouraging and especially for him to know that our family and friends are being supportive. It has been very difficult for all of us to be seperated like this and for so long. We are excited for the day that we are all together again.
Please email me or facebook message me for his address.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Cassie Comes Home
February kind of got away from me. I got the posts written but I didn't get the pictures loaded. I will get them loaded on there and the posts published.
My sister Cassie came home from her mission on Tuesday. She had been serving in the England Birmingham Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was so fortuitous that she came home this week because David had Thursday and Friday off of school. Wednesday afternoon we headed down to New Mexico so go see her and visit for a couple of days.
Upon entering the door at my parents house Cassie greeted the boys and they immediately ran away from her. The boys did, however, run and excitedly greeted their Uncle Brian. By the end of the day Cassie was the favorite and the boys loved playing with her.
I have enjoyed being able to visit with and spend time with my sister whom I haven't seen in a couple of years. She may come up to Idaho in the next couple of months but I won't be traveling down to New Mexico again before Benjamin is born, so it's nice to visit.
I am so proud of my sister and her decision to serve a mission. I know she learned alot and has many great, uplifting and inspiring experiences to share. I know that this has been a great benefit to her. I am glad that she is home though. It will be exciting to see what happens next in her life.
My sister Cassie came home from her mission on Tuesday. She had been serving in the England Birmingham Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was so fortuitous that she came home this week because David had Thursday and Friday off of school. Wednesday afternoon we headed down to New Mexico so go see her and visit for a couple of days.
Upon entering the door at my parents house Cassie greeted the boys and they immediately ran away from her. The boys did, however, run and excitedly greeted their Uncle Brian. By the end of the day Cassie was the favorite and the boys loved playing with her.
I have enjoyed being able to visit with and spend time with my sister whom I haven't seen in a couple of years. She may come up to Idaho in the next couple of months but I won't be traveling down to New Mexico again before Benjamin is born, so it's nice to visit.
I am so proud of my sister and her decision to serve a mission. I know she learned alot and has many great, uplifting and inspiring experiences to share. I know that this has been a great benefit to her. I am glad that she is home though. It will be exciting to see what happens next in her life.
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