What I Wore Sunday - Ed #3

This is going to be short for two reasons....
#1 - babe in my arms
and
#2- we are surviving yucky fevers, coughs, and now a stomach bug.  Oy!!  (Poor hubs didn't even make it to Mass since he's on day 4 of fever himself)

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How To Survive A Visit To The Doctor With Littles (and a Photo Shoot)

Pookey and Rose have been sharing fevers and coughs this week, and I thought I better take them into the doctor before the weekend to see if anything else was up.  They checked out ok and we were told it "was just a virus".  Phew!!  Glad it wasn't anything major, although days of fevers/coughs and being stuck in the house does take its toll.  So, we're going to let the stinkin' bug run its course and hopefully kick it goodbye soon!

For this appointment, I only had Pookey (6) and Rose (3) with me (not the whole crew of 8), but it's still a handful to keep them happily contained in those four walls of the room waiting for the doctor to come in.  We get "your kids are always so good and well-behaved", "you have some of the best kids we see here", and "how do you do it?" all the time when we are out and about at libraries, doctors offices, museums, grocery stores - you name it!  And, I guess I could say that I do have really good kids, and I do, it is true.  But, its the hard work and "tricks" and prayers that have helped them become this way.  Here are some of my pointers in surviving trips to the doctor....

**Prep Your Kids**
Remind them during the drive where you are going (doctor's office) and that they need to be on their best behavior.  Knowing their expectations and why they should behave properly is HUGE.  Do not forget this step.  It's a key to going anywhere!

**Play Games**  
We like "Mother Says", just like Simon Says.  Also, "I Spy", although this is a short-lived game as most of the rooms are pretty bare and empty and your run out of things to spy pretty quickly - lol!

**Sing Songs**
Yes, don't be afraid to belt out a little "If You're Happy and You Know it" or "Old MacDonald Had A Farm" or "Mr. Sun" or "Five Little Ducks Went Out To Play".  The louder the better.  The more motions the better.

**Take Pictures**
You got it!  Get out that phone and click away.  Silly pics.  Happy pics.  Sleepy pics.  Whatever they want to do pics.  Here's our fun pictures from our visit this past week...

So there ya have it!!  Try to add a little fun to the uncomfortableness of waiting to be poked at while at the doctor's office.  I promise it will make the time go faster!!  Enjoy these moments with your kids.  You will be happy you did!!

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For more, How Do You Do It (HDYDI) posts, click HERE.  

Thankful Thursday - ed #1

It's the small stuff.  Grace, love, and joy can be found in the smallest most ordinary moments of every day life.  I had a couple today that I wanted to share...

**Sweet Pookey came to me and told me he wiped clean the toothpaste dispenser because it was all gunky and gross.  This is normally a job I do once a week on my own, but he noticed before me and did it all on his own.  No prompting at all!  Just saw a job that needed to be done and did it.  He's 6 years old, by the way.

**We just got back from a little trip up to WI last night and I had mountains of laundry and unpacking to do today, so I was just going to let the kids have the day off school today.  This sweet kid ate breakfast, showered and got his basket of schoolbooks out and began working all on his own.  Wasn't told.  Just did it.  Because he's homeschooled and that's what you do on a weekday.  WOW!  Mario blew me away!!

++Thank you, God, for showing your presence so beautifully in these small but really BIG ways.  You are truly here and present with us daily!++

Wordless Wednesday

What I Wore Sunday - Ed #2

I hope and pray you all have had a blessed, relaxing weekend with your families!!

We sure love our weekends and treasure our time with Neil.  Mondays are always so tough handing him back to work and beginning our school week.  But there's always Saturday and Sunday to look forward to!!  

Here's my second edition of What I Wore Sunday...  (like last week's it's taken on Saturday since we go to the vigil Mass)  I almost forgot to get my picture taken, hence all the cuties in jammies already.  Not going to post links of where my pieces came from this week.  This is definitely one of those simple outfits....  blue tank with white cardigan and a gray maxi skirt.  I even wore flip flops to Mass.  Can you tell I'm ready for warmer weather??!!  We may even be done with winter coats, hats, gloves and boots!!!  Squeeeee!!!!!!!!!!

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Linking up with Rosie this week! 

Click on the image below to see what others wore this Sunday!!

Wordless Wednesday

Leap Day Time Capsules

**Don't open til Leap Day 2020!!**

How cool is this?  These are Time Capsules that our kids made yesterday said.  They wrote in a little about themselves now and four things they hope to do before the next leap year.  A couple of my kids even threw in some cash as a present for their future self.  Love the thoughtfulness and generosity!!

We found this great idea from Jessica at Shower of Roses.  My biggest worry hope is that I can remember where I stash these and find them in four years - lol!!

 2020??  Can't even imagine how much different my life will look like then...  I'll have an 18 year old, 17 year old, 15 year old, 13 year old, 12 year old, 10 year old, 7 year old, and a 5 year old!  And we won't even say how old I'll be by then - lol!  But man, it was cute talking to some of them about how different their own lives will be then....  Fone will be taking college classes, Mario will be driving and probably working a part-time job, Melody will be finishing up her driving hours, Ariel an official teenager, Max - can't even imagine him being 12 yet (wow!), same with Pookey being 10 (seriously?!), and sweet Rose better be potty-trained by then and will most likely be reading, and lil babe Yoda, I'm hoping will be sleeping in his own bed and walking (hee hee!).  And, all of this is our plans and outlook of where we will be in 4 years.  It's all God willing.  He is in charge, not us.

++May God bless us and help us to always know and feel His presence between now and then++