Hand Foot Mouth

Evan ended up with a fever this past Monday. By Wednesday he had spots on his hands and feet. He had sores around his mouth and inside his mouth. Today it got a bit worse. He is itchy and uncomfortable. I have worked with young children for over a decade and Evan has the worst case I have ever seen. So far no one else in the house seems to have caught the virus. We will keep our fingers crossed that it stays that way. 

Getting into the spirit of things

I finished working on my door. It's not as detailed as I have done in the past but it is nice to look at.

Mother in Shadow

This picture was taken recently by my friend Caroline. She took it herself. The camera and the rest of her arms are hidden in the shadow. It is so beautiful. It reminds me of a Greek statue of Aphrodite. She is expecting a little boy in February close to Valentine's day so I guess looking like the goddess of love is fitting. I worked with Caroline years ago. She was always a huge help in my classroom. She is a wonderful mother to two boys already. She allowed me to give her advice when she was expecting before. It meant a lot to me to share all that I have learned as a mother and an educator. Thank you Caroline for letting me share this picture.

Happy Birthday Lyn

Twelve years ago Lyn came into this world to become a huge part of my life. She is a smart, sassy, and very nurturing child. She is great with her older brother, who has Autism, and with all of her younger siblings. At times the little kids get on her nerves but she hardly ever looses her cool with them. She may be the youngest player on her volleyball team but she is a great player. They haven't lost a game yet this season. Lyn is mature and everyone she meets feels that she is older than she actually is but she still knows how to be a kid. I am so lucky to be her mother. I love you Lyn!

Pressing leaves

Lyn went out exploring today after church. She picked out some great maple leaves. since we had some wax paper in the house I showed her how to press the leaves using an iron. All you have to do is put the leaves between two sheets of wax paper. Then place them on a towel or pillowcase. Fold the towel over them and apply enough heat from the iron until the wax melts enough to hold the leaves encased inside. As simple as that!

Check out her new shoes and socks!

Lyn has official volleyball shoes and socks for tonight's game.  Thanks Granny for the shoes (birthday present). And thanks coach for the socks!

Learning at the park

Lyn and I spent some time at a local park learning about several different things. We explored the area and discovered the insects and plants of the park. Lyn focused a lot on the clay deposits in the area. We learned about how clay is formed and what it is used for. We took some clay home and Lyn is working on an original sculpture made of clay. She took what she saw around her and turned her interests into learning opportunities. And since we were hanging out in the Frisbee park she tried her hand at a few "holes". (It is Frisbee golf.) 
Check out the sidebar for more pictures.

Happy birthday Eliot!

My baby girl is 3!

Scary pumpkin

Brightens my day

The weather has been hot lately and the heat has been almost unbearable at times.  It has been a long hard week and this afternoon the sun actually brought me comfort. I sat with Annika and Ben in the backyard in the shade and gazed up at the clear sky.  I was finally able to breathe. Life is good. 

Lyn's 3rd win of the season

You can't judge a book by it's cover. The team The Riptide played tonight was huge! The girls were tall and big. I was sure they were going to give us a run for our money. Lyn is the youngest on her team and looked tiny compared to these other girls. Well, we showed them. We won with no problems. Lyn has developed a lot more control. Her serves are good and her aim is good. She could stand to be a little more agressive on the court but they are all that way. No one wants to hurt anyone's feelings so they let everyone have a turn at the ball but sometimes you just have to dive after it. Way to go girls!