I have my opinons. . .

One of my favorite shirts. :)

You look like Spider Man!

This morning I decided to wear pantyhose (black) b/c it was pretty cold out. Ani likes wearing hers all the time, I don't b/c they are just uncomfortable for me. Anywho, when Ani saw that I was wearing the pantyhose she said to me "mom, you look like Spider Man!"

Luna

Yesterday was very cold here in Florida. I know other parts of the country are worse but it was pretty cold here yesterday and the whole past week. I know this won't be a shock but it was to our fellow Floridians. . . IT WAS IN THE THIRTIES!!! Anyways, we stayed home all day cause like I said before, it was too cold to go anywhere. Today we had Stake Conference and so yesterday I was asked to bring some some food (snack). I didn't know what I was going to take to church so I had to go to the store. I felt bad b/c the kids had been home all day so I decided to take both of them with me, Daniel stayed at home watching Harry Potter on t.v. We got the kids ready and the kids and I walked out. The sky was a dark pinkish, purplish, reddish color. There weren't any stars and the moon wasn't out. Kai loved the moon! He says it belongs to him. He was very disappointed to not see the moon out so he started yelling "luna?! luna?!" He kept looking up at the sky yelling for the moon. I just thought that was cute.

I haven't updated my blog like I used to do in Utah. I don't want to say that I have been too busy but I have been. Lately I don't know what to write about and since there has been so much going on I know that I would have to sit down for hours at a time to post. I guess that is what I get for not doing in at least weekly. Another problem is that once I sit down to write about one thing then all these other things come to mind and I go crazy typing. . . which will probably happen know. So if you don't have much time then you probably don't want to keep reading.

Law School is expensive, Florida is expensive too. Law School for us right now is at 35,000 a year, now that doesn't include books and all the other stuff you need to get. The good thing is that we won't so much debt as some of the other students b/c Daniel got a good scholarship, he just needs to get good grades in order to keep it. Housing is soo expensive plus gas and everything else. We have a very small three bedroom apartment with two "full" bathrooms and 1 "walk in" closet in the "master bedroom". I am not complaining, well maybe a little. But I know that we have to go through some tough times before things get better and I know they will. This past year was much easier for me to see the "vision" as Daniel calls it. The vision of having a home with a big yard where the kids can run around, a barn with animals, 2 cars, a garage and tons of storage space. CAN'T WAIT!

For 5 months I worked at a Chiropracters office in Fort Myers (30 minutes from home). I liked my job b/c I went in there knowing what I was supposed to do, knowing that if a patient came in with a sore neck they could leave feeling better. . . knowing my job. At this job I got paid more than I ever have in any other job and I felt wonderful, $15 dollars and hour was good. I brought money into our home the first couple weeks, even though I was only working part time. Part time for me was 3 days a week 5 hours a day. Not bad, huh? Once Daniel started school things got a little harder. We had to find a babysitter and having a babysitter meant losing money. When this happened we started to realize that working part time wasn't going to help much with the bills so I then went on to full time. Full time work included 3 days a week 10 hours a day. The days were long and and endless. I Needed to be at work by 7 which meant I had to leave Naples by 6:30 a.m., but before that I had to drop off the kids at the babysitters at 6 and then drop off poor Daniel at school. I would then get off work by 6 if I was lucky. I would pick Daniel up from school then the kids and then home by 7:30 - 8:00 pm. By that time my feet were so tired, my hands hurt and I just wanted to crash! My kids would miss me so much and they required a lot of my attention b/c they hadn't seen me all day. I went back to part time after 2 months. Even though money was great, it wasn't worth it, not for my ki

The Vision

Kai has a very cute laugh. Ok, so towards the end he falls. It looks like a really terrible, painful fall but he didn't cry at all, and he didn't complain or have any red marks on his face. It wasn't as bad as it looks. I am a good mom. This is also his little "corner". he loves going in there and hiding or just playing.

Kai explains how he popped a balloon

little notes

Being married can be hard at times. Daniel and I have a little way of reminding each other of our pet peeves. It all started with Daniel. He kept asking me to not do something and I would always forget so he wrote me a little note and taped it in a place where I would not miss it. For example with this picture below. This note is taped onto our printer. I would always put stuff (books, papers) on top of the printer and when he needed he hated seeing stuff up there. I believe this was his first note.


This note below I wrote when he decided he liked the spray on deodorant better. The spary on stuff is really strong and he holds it down for like 4 seconds, which may not seem like a long time but it is when the deo stinks! Not only did it smell but it was the type of deo my dad used and I have always hated it. . . for the same reason. It stinks!



I think by now you get the point. . . this next note is pretty obvious why it was put up. You might be thinking that the dishwasher is the one that does that. . . well it does, when the dishes are put in there right after using them. Leave them out for a day or two till the food dries and it's pretty much impossible. And yes, we do leave the dishes out that long when there aren't enough to put in the washer all at once.

A year ago

A year ago today I was laying in a hospital bed. Still could not believe I had lost a little one and believing I would never be able to get through it. Today I was thinking a lot about my little girl. Still can't believe it's been a whole year. I am now living in FL with my family and still trying to get through life like everyone else. I still believe that things happen for a reason, and that our father in heaven only gives as much as we can take. I am here today and I am proof of that. I miss my little one, but I know I will see her and be able to raise her someday. . . never lose hope.

Here is my cute little boy. He was tired.

Aniseth was Cinderella for Halloween. Sorry there aren't a lot of pics.

Kai was a mexican. . . for once.

Our family outside of Dan's school.

I haven't felt inspired to blog lately. I don't know why, maybe I am just too busy.

UpDaTe FrOm ThE bUsEyS'

This fish was given to me by Ivette (pic. below), for my birthday. It's still ALIVE! Yay! His name is Dorio. Ivett wanted me to name him Dory but it's a male, from what she told me. Therefore, I decided to name him Dorio. Cute huh?


This is Ivett. She is a great friend of mine here in FL. She is several yrs. older than me but we get along so well b/c she is just a happy, playful person. And I on the other hand am "very" mature. . . at least I think so. Therefore we have several thing in common. Age doesn't matter when you have friends, as long as you get along.


Me making a funny face on this thing. . . whatever it is called.


Here is another one of my friends, her name is Anabel. She is awesome! She has taught me a lot of different recipes which I will soon post on my recipe blog.


These pics were taken on the 29th of August. They threw me a mini b-day party. It was fun. Ivette made me a carrot cake. It was delicious!


I actually hang out with them most of the time. There are 4 of us and we are the primary presidency. The fourth girl is not in this pic. b/c she didn't go to the party. Her name is Leigh Anne. She has a beautiful daughter.



For Labor Day we went to the beach with a couple friends from church. We really like the beach but as I mentioned a couple posts ago, it takes a lot of time and effort. Then there is sand EVERYWHERE! AHHHH!!!! It drives me nuts.



This Is Lizvette. A YW from church. Her mom is the primary president. I thought this was a really good picture. . . she doesn't like taking pics. :)





Our friends Jim and Emily have gone to the beach with us a couple times. One of the first times we went Jim said Kai looked like the Michellin Man. :) LOL
Kai really does! But hey, I don't have to watch him soo closely b/c he just floats. I do watch him don't get me wrong. I just don't have to hold on to him the whole times, and he doesn't like to be held the whole time either.



Kai asleep with the calculator and a 2 liter soda. I promise, I take care of my kids. And Daniel, he looks like someone I know. HMMM??

Whenever we go to the library Kai likes to run away and hide. In the picture below Ani is hiding in the spot Kai usually hides. When he runs off and of course I run after him, this is where I usually find him. I wanted to get a picture of Kai hiding in the shelf b/c he is much smaller than Ani and he looks really hidden in there. This was a cute picture of Ani though, so I could not
pass it up.



Kai wearing my hat. Look at those puppy eyes!


I love watching tv. Lately I have been watching Americas Next Top Model. Yes, it's kinda cheesy and I am a little emberassed but I love this show! I like looking at the pics and figuring out who is going to be kicked out next. I also like to pick who I think will win or who I think should win. . . then I just wait for the outcome. I love it! Ani sometimes watches it with me and as you can see, she knows a little about modeling. Look at that shoulder! And that smize (smiling with the eyes). Hey!, I have learned a thing or two. :)



Aniseth is such a great helper. Now that I have started full time work, things have been somewhat tough. I get Tuesdays and Thursdays off, this gives me the chance to spend some time with the kids. It's tough b/c it seems like I cook all day long. WHY? I have to prepare enough meals for the kids to last them 10 hrs. the next day. That means breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks! That is some work. Aniseth always prepares her stuff for the following day. She is getting soo big. She is already picking out her own clothes and if I ask her to put something on and she doesn't like it, then she won't wear it. I love my kids! Not only does she prepare her stuff but she also prepares Kais' stuff. Diapers, clothing shoes. . . everything. All this is done while I pack their lunch right before putting them to bed. Each one has their own little backpack. Ani got hers from a good friend in Utah, Rachel Lyman. Thanks! And I found Kai's at DI (Deseret Industries) in Provo for 2 dollars. They love their back packs. Once they are packed aniseth puts them against the wall right beside the outside door (main entrance to our cave). Shoes are put right by the back packs and they are set for the next day. Aniseth, thank you for all your help. I love you sweetie.



Mommy and Kai



My little girl got glasses. Doesn't she look cute??

The Art of Food

http://theart-ofood.blogspot.com/

Teach your child to read

I found this great article at the following site:

http://www.teachkidshow.com/teach-your-child-to-read/

This is a really good article. I also checked out the sites at the bottom of the page and they are really good.

Teach your child to read

Reading is an essential part of all children’s education; it’s the only subject that each academic subject draws from to teach children. To understand and be able to complete all the tasks involved with math, science, social studies, health and writing your children must first know how to read. Learning to read is one of the first things taught in school. Therefore, teaching your child early on how to read you will be giving them a great start to a prolific educational experience.

Although many experts say the best age to teach children how to read is around the age of four, it is very important to read to your children as soon as they come out of the womb; of course age appropriate material should be incorporated. A baby’s mind is like a sponge so if you begin connecting the brains neurons early your child will have an increased perception of language and conceptual speaking. (For more information on reading to your baby please review the link *KIDS Health)

When you are reading to your children make it as exciting as you can. Take for instance a book that you always loved, instead of using your normal voice, assign a voice for each character in the book. You can practice this alone if you’d like until you feel comfortable, but your children will delight in the stories you tell if you are putting as much enthusiasm as you can into the story. When your character is sad, be sad when they are happy, be really, really happy and just have fun.

Preschool
There are two wonderful methods for teaching young children to read, both (which are equally successful) should be incorporated while you are teaching your child to read.

Phonics Method
Educational professionals have used phonics for years to teach younger children how to read. It is a model program for most elementary schools worldwide. Phonics uses the basic sounds of letters as opposed to focusing on reading the entire word. Sound out the words to your child through alphabet flash cards, or you can always purchase a product called Hooked on Phonics, which uses music and repetition to teach your child the letter sounds. Have fun while you’re doing it, if you do purchase a product similar to this dance around the living room and be silly with your child as they are learning.

Sight Words Method
Sight words are commonly used elementary words, taught through repetition. The more often a child sees these words, the more likely they are to remember them. Reading books or using tools such as flash cards, your child can learn these words by “sight”, instead of by spelling them out. You can review and even print out a list from the Dolch words list web site. Flash cards, done once a day for ten minutes a day, will give your child a positive start with their reading adventure and will be ready to read by the time kindergarten comes around.

Most importantly, read as often as you can to children early on, this will encourage their love for stories and reading that couldn’t compare to any other teaching tool used in or out of school.

Main points to address:

• Use both the sight word and Phonics methods to teach your child how to read.
• Read often to your child.

Grades K-3rd
Children get stuck on words at this age and that’s okay, let your child know that’s okay. Learning is a process that takes time, commitment and practice. When your children brings home books from school, or a local library (if you and your family venture to the library) read them together. Take turns reading throughout the book, you read one page, your child reads the next and you the next. Allow the story to flow back and forth. If your child gets stuck on a word while you are reading encourage them to sound the word out, don’t just tell them the word. This will help tremendously with their phonics skills.

Once you are finished reading to your child talk about the story, what did you like best about this story? What didn’t you like? Who was your favorite character? Would you have done things that way if you were in that story?

Main points to address:

• Take turns with your child reading a book, page by page.
• Allow them to sound out a word that they are trying to read instead of telling them the word.

Grades 4th-6th
You can also have a nightly reading time for your children in this age group where the two of you read together out loud from a chapter book or a book that interests them, such as zoo animals or outer space. Then discus the subject you just read about, talk about the story or the subject. Set a good example for your child by being a super reader as well and talk to your child about what you just read (of course as long as it is an age appropriate discussion).

Have fun with a charades night about a recent book they just read or have them provide the family with an oral or written book report. This can be done on a monthly basis, so to not interfere with school and sport activities obligations.

Main points to address:

• Read aloud with your child.
• Provide a family book report night.

Resources
Resources that can help you in your venture include:

• Dolch Words – http://www.dolch-words.com
• Learning Games for Kids – http://www.yourchildlearns.com/
• Succeed to Read – http://www.succeedtoread.com/index.html
• * KIDS Health (Read to babies) – http://www.kidshealth.org
• Reading Lessons – http://www.readinglesson.com/dnlds.htm
• Flash Cards – http://www.esl-kids.com/flashcards/flashcards.html

What the Heck is on our Door??

Today I was gone all day. I went to the the Orlando temple, which is soo beautiful. I went with some girls from church, it was soo much fun. We left at 6 in the morning and didn't get back until 7 at night. From where we live it's about 3 hours...it's a long trip! Daniel took the kids to a babysitter which is a lso a girl from church (a good friend). I was dropped off at Ave Maria to meet up with Daniel so that I could go pick up the kids, Dan decided to come along too. We went to Sis. Lopez (the babysitter) to pick up the kids and then came home. As we drove by our place I saw this....



I was like "what the heck happened? Are we restricted from going into our apartment?" Of course I could not see the detail from so far away. I just saw a big X. When we got home I ran to the door to see what was wrong. I realized nothing was wrong. It was a Happy Birthday Card from Emily. Emily is my friend, one of my good friends here in FL. Her husband Jim is going to school with Daniel. They have a little boy named Ruger, he is soo cute! Here is the picture of the card they left me.





And they left me some delicious cake! YUMMy!

Thanks Emily!

SOMETIMES I JUST WANT TO BE BALD!

This picture was taken right before the video. Kai was hungry and he wanted a banana, I didn't want to give him one b/c it was very late. He got the banana anyways and peeled it himself. He was so proud of himself for peeling it. You should have seen his face.

Sometimes kids just surprise you. This video was taken very late at night, Kai wasn't tired...obviously. Daniel and I were watching something on TV, and all of the sudden....
I thinks it is a really cute video, it shows a lot of Kais' personality.

Ani loses two teeth

Aniseth has lost her two bottom teeth. Tomorrow I will do the tooth farie thing. I had her smile so that I could take a picture of her, the pic didn't turn out too well. Sorry.



Just a cute picture of Kai
A