Okiemommy's Journal **What I realized today about our journey**

[OkieJonesClan]

Cetta - Congrats!

We are all eager to hear the u/s results.
I have a neighbor who has the side of the house green house going on as well. Last year and so far this year she had greens (several varrieties of lettuce and spinach) as well as turnips all winter long. Her husband used old railroad ties to build a raised bed that attached to the south wall of their house and the plastic (shower curtains from clearance isle) is stapled to a few boards that are attached to the house on hinges. She then raises them when she is going in to weed/pick or water. It is really amazing. Sounds like she isn't the only one clever enough to think of something like this. I wish I was so clever

I am praying for your back. I pray for a speedy recovery and no bedrest for the pregnancy.

 

[Okiemommy]

Thank you for the congratulations and the prayers! hmmm I hadn't thought of the railroad ties!! That is a great idea!! That does sound like an amazing set up!! I think we might have to try that. Sooo cheap and easy

My husband has decided to do raised beds in the front yard more than likely with railroad ties. YAY!!

Happy New Year everyone!!

 

[PamsPride]

My DH calls me the 'white hat'! I am the one with all of the ideas and then I just tell him how I want it done!!

My husband is still resisting my "supervision" yet he won't read up on the stuff himself...so we butt heads all of the time. Just do it like I want!

Why don't they realize that if they would just do it our way the first time life would be so much easier for them??? They can be suck slow learners!!

 

[PamsPride]

I had my sister's three kids for two years. We had 8 kids under 9. So, the older two boys...8 and 9 yo had to do laundry. First I taught them how to just switch it from the washer to the dryer then I taught them how to run the washing machine. Now 4 years later and my oldest is 13 and he does all the washing of his and his brothers laundry. They other 3 boys are mostly responsible for putting it away though.
11 yo is mostly in charge of the chickens. My 9 yo (as well as 11 and 13 yo) can cook all of their own breakfasts and lunches and my 13 yo can put about 10 full dinner menu plans on the table....speghetti, chicken noodle casserole, skillet mac, mac n' cheese...ect. My 9 yo has been using the stove to make his own bacon and eggs for breakfast for at least 2 years. All three of the older boys can run the whole house...vaccuuming, dusting, washing windows, cleaning their own bathroom, mopping the floor...ect. My 6 yo DS is not as cooperate but he does have to help rinse the dishes or dry and put away, clean half of his room that he shares with 9 yo, and put away his own clothes if the other boys fold it or hang it up. My 13 and 11 yo do all of the woodburning tending too. Homeschooling helps a lot because there is time for them to learn all of this stuff.
All of that to say to don't be afraid to have your kiddos learning to take care of themselves and their siblings!! My kids get complimented all the time because of how responsible and well behaved they are just because they actually know how to do stuff!! So, stay rested up and let the kids do stuff! Even my 3 yo DD can fix her own peanut butter sandwhich and bowl of cereal. We just go threw a LOT of cereal because 6 and 3 yo go get a bowl anytime they feel like it. 3 yo DD does really good and rarely spills the milk!

 

[2dream]

Pam I am with you on the children doing their share. Both of mine had chores starting at a very young age. And both learned how to cook and clean at very early ages. Now my son is a better cook than his wife and he does more than his share raising their 3 boys.

Okiemomma - congrats on the baby (babies). Can't wait to here about the u/s.
On the railroad ties. Be sure they have not been treated with cresote. You might want to consider landscape timbers instead if you can not find untreated railroad ties. The cresote will leech into your ground and probably kill whatever you plant. I also figure if it leeches into the ground enough to kill stuff it can't be good for us.
It took me 3 years to figure out why everything I planted close to some railroad ties died. And then I just happened to stumble across a garden blog that was talking about it. We switched to landscape timbers and now everything grows.

Edited to add - Happy New Year

 

[Okiemommy]

Pam I am with you on the children doing their share. Both of mine had chores starting at a very young age. And both learned how to cook and clean at very early ages. Now my son is a better cook than his wife and he does more than his share raising their 3 boys.

Okiemomma - congrats on the baby (babies). Can't wait to here about the u/s.
On the railroad ties. Be sure they have not been treated with cresote. You might want to consider landscape timbers instead if you can not find untreated railroad ties. The cresote will leech into your ground and probably kill whatever you plant. I also figure if it leeches into the ground enough to kill stuff it can't be good for us.
It took me 3 years to figure out why everything I planted close to some railroad ties died. And then I just happened to stumble across a garden blog that was talking about it. We switched to landscape timbers and now everything grows.

Edited to add - Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone!!


I too agree that kids should do their own share. For various reasons it hasn't been as strongly implemented here as I would have liked it to have been. But since life is the learning process, that is changing.

My kids do help out, but I feel like they need to learn more responsibility. It's one of the reasons that moving out to the country appealed to me. Farm work is a great way(though I don't believe the only way, but arguably one of the best ways in my opinion) to teach good work ethic, responsibility, and self worth, among many other admirable traits. We're on a great path.


I am getting so excited about the U/S!!
I think I might even be dissapointed if it's not multiples! That's a little crazy


I forgot about the creosote!! I'm not sure how available the untreated ones are...and if they would even hold up. I forgot about landscape timbers

 

[Okiemommy]

Pam's Pride, I know what you mean lol my 4 year old has been getting milk out since she was 12 mo's old. And she would pick up a full gallon! Is that even normal? LOL My 9 year old does his own laundry, and occasionally loads for the rest of the family. He helps pick up the house, including the play room. My DD who is 4 really wants to help with everything all the time, so I let her "help" and allow extra time, and cleaning supplies accordingly One of the 2 1/2 YO's helps with picking up toys and putting stray laundry away. The other one we're still working with, b/c he has mild Autism(we're in the process of the evaluation, but the psych says that he believes him to be mildly autistic)anyway he has " floppy hands", plus it's hard to help him understand the concept of "put away"

I know what you mean about the food dissapearing too lol I had to put a lock on the pantry b/c the 4 yo would get into it and start handing out all the snacks to the 2 yo's, and they were decimating the food supply Not to mention being wasteful. So now if they want a snack they can get it out of the fridge where the yogurt and apples are...the healthy food

edited for missing words and bad grammar...and still not sure that I got it grammatically correct....DAAAAA-AAAAC

 

[Okiemommy]

Here are the results on the U/S. I had to go to the ER to get the results since it was the ER Dr that originally ordered it!!


I only have one in there. I have to say that I am both relieved and dissapointed. It will be easier on us in so many ways, but the Dr. got me all hyped up for either being farther along or multiples.....and get this: I'm only 5 days farther than originally thought I mean really? Did we need an U/S and to get me all hyped up over 5 days worth of hormones?? Not being a medical professional, I'm not sure if that was enough of a difference to do the U/S now as opposed to waiting a month and a half, at the cost of one less ER visit, and one less U/S.

The baby looks healthy, and measures 11 wks 5 days.

I'm not far enough along to be able to tell the sex of the baby. That will come at 16 or 20 weeks. I can't remember for sure right now lol

So in about one or two months we will know what we have.

I think I'm going to go take a nap now

 

[punkin]

Congratulations on the healthy baby. That's what matters the most. Enjoy your pregnancy and glad everything is A-OK..

 

[Okiemommy]

Thank you for the congrats Yes you're right about that, the baby's health is most important. And I do appreciate that. Especially after having babies born at 32 weeks.

In fact that has been one of my worries since the ER Dr told me about the elevated hormone levels. Will I have to go through bed rest in the hospital for a month again, and the hardship that my family went through while I was there? Will they be born even earlier than the twins were? For the most part, I pushed those thoughts out of my mind, but having twin preemies who were in the nicu for 3 weeks after a normal pregnancy until 28 weeks was always in the back of my mind tugging at me a bit.