life with 10 kids 3 dogs a cat and a husband doesnt leave much computer time. put dogs out, Cook, wash dishes,let dogs in, clean up messes, do laundry, and cook again. referee, let dogs out, answer the phone, make appointments, let dogs in, drive to appointments. get kids fed and to bed and fall into bed. This is life with 10 kids. I have also decided that we dont read enough. myself included. So I am on a mission to spend less of my spare time on the computer and more of my time reading. so when the kids go to bed I want to curl up with a good book. we all cleaned up the living room and the boys room today. folded a bunch of laundry. still need to find a working system for 4 boys clothes. They have plenty of clothes to WEAR but where to put it when they arent wearing it? The girls are putting their new dresser to good use. this also freed up another small dresser for Chrysta to have. The boys need a dresser. the small 3 drawar one they have was inadequate for 2 boys. it is woefully inadequate for 4! Even if I take out the shorts there still isnt enough space.
the kids are really settling in nicely. Although Jaeger has his moments of defiance he is improving steadily and is always first in line to give Mama a hand with any chore I might be working on. Andre is not biting. at least for now. I had the translater at the doctor tell him biting isnt ok. and the translater told andre and had this look of horror on his face so I hope that Andre got the message that biting is not cool. in general Andre remains a loving and active curious little boy. too curious for his own good sometimes. Natasha and Diana will be in different classes in school next week. I think this will be good for them. One cant seem to make a decision without the other. cant go somewhere without the other. cant do ANYTHING without the other. Today Natasha wanted to go outside and Diana didnt. I said that was ok diana could go downstairs while Natasha went outside. but instead diana got her sweater and went out with Natasha even though she really didnt want to. things like this happen all the time. Diana needs to learn to be just Diana and just Natasha needs to learn to be Natasha and not always part of "diana and natasha"
I love my new laundry soap. it was fun making it. I use a bit more of it than I used for a load when buying detergent but its super cheap, pennies, so its ok to use a bit more to get things clean. my borax isnt that high and that could be part of the problem, I just used the borax I had around instead of buying a higher mule team. Perhaps it would be worth it to buy more before making the next batch.
Well the dishes are waiting and i have to go to the drugstore before it closes so I better go!
This blog is about our adventures as a large family. We have fourteen kids in our family. Not every one lives at home. Sometimes life is easy and sometimes its weary to the bone hard.
Tammi - glad to hear that things are improving...your idea about reading more and using the computer less will be great modeling for the kids. Even a half hour every day for reading for everybody quiets the spirit, involves one's imagination and improves vocabulary.
ReplyDeleteDo all the kids have daily chores to do to help you out and provide structure to their days (and to give you some much-needed assistance)? I am sure you have already figured that out. I remember when Bob and I visited a refugee family from Cambodia that had recently emigrated to the U.S. (our church had sponsored them) the kids' bedrooms only had mattresses on the floor, but on the wall was a timeline for each night's school studies - they knew that in America, the road to success was education! I remember that they even inquired what were the best private high schools in the Twin Cities. Very remarkable.
Hope all continues to go well when school begins. Tell everyone that Uncle Bob and Aunt Jeannie send their love and best wishes for a great school year!
We recently got an HE and made our first batch of detergent for it; we used half the amount of water called for in the recipe, this allows us to use less detergent.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you've got your plate full. I wouldn't worry too much much about the girls; they'll adjust eventually. And it isn't all bad to do things one doesn't want to for the sake of another. When two of ours bicker, one way I deal with it is to have them spend an hour doing what the other wants. It can get comical when five yr old Destiny wants to play dolls. Seven yr old Sam looks at me as if to say, "Are you SERIOUS?!"
I agree with you, it will be good for them to be in separate classes. Of course the bond between them is unique and very special, but they also need to be independent. How are the rest of the kids doing? (I mean the "old" kids)
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