NO MORE Thumb Sucking!

We have tried to stop thumb sucking with all our kids.

Grace stopped on her.  Sam stopped because of an infection.  Rita stopped a few weeks ago.  

The motivation:  Braces on her Doll!

Brilliant idea by our orthodontist and it worked like a charm.

This is Rita and this is Julie before the procedure.

Rita got to pick out Julie's colors.

Rita's orthodontist took it very seriously.  As you can see, he put on gloves.

Good job Rita!  Julie looks so cute.

Saturday Pizza Class

While I was taking Grace to the airport to go to camp, Nate took the kids to a pizza class.

It was a darling class.  They got to pick all the toppings that they wanted and they shaped their pizzas like fish.  They even gave Clara her own apron and hat!

 I love how the gloves are so big on their hands!

Sam loves meat and cheese and basil!

Clara - 11 months old

Clara is 11 months old and at a really fun stage!

Clara loves dinner time.

She loves to play in the sunroom.

She loves the cat.  The feeling is mutual.  Adidas will not move when Clara is around.

Clara loves her daddy.

WE Love JUNE!

Dump sink baths are very popular and quick in our house.

 My little helper at Wal-Mart.

 The kids are still LOVING the trampoline.

 This is one of our favorite errands, going to see Walter at the shoe repair shop.

 Happy Fathers Day!

Breakfast at McDonalds

 Taking a moment to hugs the kids.

 Jerilyn, our live-in summer intern, has given us a few opportunities to get out without our kids.  It has been so fun to go out to some of our favorite spots in the area... so thankful.

 Sammy meeting a dog while getting ice cream.

Our Monthly Cooking Class with all the kids and friends!

 Sam had a play date with his buddy Luke.  Luke has two new kittens.

 A night out for burgers.

 Breakout the slip-N-slide!

Flying Alone and Going to Camp!

On Saturday, Grace got on an airplane BY HERSELF and flew to Michigan to visit Grandma and Grandpa and go to camp.  I am so proud of her.  She was so excited and so sweet in the airport.  She was thrilled to get to fly solo, you can tell by her big smile.

Last wave, "Bye Mama!"  I love that I don't embarrass her (yet!)

 Before boarding the camp bus.  She knows all these girls because they go to Grandma and Grandpa's church in Michigan.  The two girls on the right are good family friends.  

I am dying to hear how she is doing this week.

 The entire church group that went to camp.  Grace and her friends were the youngest in the group.  So thankful for this opportunity for her to go.  We will drive up there to pick her up this weekend.

Run through Bull Run

While Rita was at a birthday party, we took a visit to the Bull Run Battlefield.  I was surprised how much the kids loved it!  Sammy knew all about the cannons already!!  He must of learned about them at school because his knowledge surprised mine.  

Grace is such a sweet helper to me.  I am so thankful for her.  And Clara doesn't mind.

Clara's Battery Ingestion

It happened so fast!  We came home from church on Sunday morning and placed Clara on the carpet in the family room with some toys.  As I was making lunch, one of our other children opened up a flashlight pen next to Clara and walked away.  I went in to check on her and saw a watch battery in her hand and something in her mouth.  I swept her mouth with my finger and took out a battery.  

We brought her into the kitchen with the kids and explained how little she is and we have to be more careful.  I Googled the dangers of watch batteries and saw some horrible stories online.  That prompted me to make some phone calls.  I called the Poison Control Center and was advised to go to the ER so they could see if she ingested one (we didn't know how many batteries there were in the penlight.)  

Grace and I went to the ER but I was pretty confident Clara didn't swallow one.  I was wrong.  She did and it was already in her stomach (45 minutes later).  The doctor said that they would give her 48 hours to pass it.  Sure enough, it passed just short of the 48 hours.  The poison control center wants me to mail the battery to them for research.  

Apparently battery ingestion is dangerous when the battery lays against the wall of the intestines or esophagus.  The danger is not what is IN the battery.  That battery was extremely HOT and corroded when it came out.  We are so thankful Clara is okay.

I have a battery in me!

So thankful it wasn't stuck...

I requested a crib to be brought into the ER for this wiggle worm.

She passed it.  Many were praying for this specifically!

Gross, I know.  But it is now a memory!

Don't Ask Don't Tell (Vol 37)

She is only 11 months and is like a tornado!