Life as we know it.

Preschool

2010-12-15T15:06:00.002-05:00

It has been too long, once again, since I have blogged. Just like most things in my life, blogging will receive my attention and then my attention will be focused elsewhere. I do love to write. I often get scared away because of the many fabulous blogs I read out there. There are so many talented writers who simply draw me in on an emotional level. I anxiously await the next post. Also, so many of those bloggers have used their grammatical skills consistently and have retained the English rules. I am certain I could use a refresher course.

My intention for our blog was to allow family and friends follow us as they wish. It was also a way to document the events in our lives. I have fallen prey to the Facebook underworld. Facebook is a quick and easy way to give my loved ones updates and share my pride with so many. Plus, now that I own an Iphone I can truly be wherever and have all my devices with me. It is my camera, phone, video recorder and so much more. I will never go without such a device ever again! It is the best thing since the microwave and computer!

Now to the reason I decided to sit at my dusty computer and place the phone down. I need to write about preschool. Most of you Floridians know that our state offers a great program called Voluntary PreKindergarten (VPK) for those who have not heard about this I will explain. VPK is free to kids age 4. It allows the children to attend a school setting at any daycare/preschool facility that chooses to participate in the program. I believe two options are offered for the school schedule. The choice is three half days or two full days. I am not 100% certain on the schedule.

Moms have basic questions we ask each other. Most of the time we ask the questions to gauge our own progress with our kids. I enjoy learning new ideas from other moms and equally enjoy sharing what works for us. Without the communication with other moms my job would be more challenging. However, when I am asked, "Where are your kids going to preschool?" the music screeches to a stop. I get wide-eyed and start stuttering, "Uh... well uh." That's because I don't want to uh....well....uh. Fine, I will "type" it right here, right now. I don't want to send my kids to preschool.

Why do I have such apprehension sharing this information with other moms? I am afraid that another mom will think I am judging her for sending her kids to preschool. I am afraid that another mom will think I am not smart enough to teach my kids the lessons they must learn to enter kindergarten as an equal. I am afraid that they will think I am too controlling. I don't understand why a voluntary program has become mandatory among mothers.

Oh do I have days, weeks and, yes, months where I wish my kids were in school a few hours a week. I do wish that. I wish it and I wish it some more. However, this time, the time where my children look at me with eyes wide open willing to believe everything I say to them, (except when I say, "Don't do that. You will poke her eyes out.") I want to be that constant influence in their life. I want to teach them as much as I can before they enter a public domain full of good and not so good people. It is voluntary. I am capable of teaching my kids the ABCs, 123s, our address and names. I can even teach them to color, solve puzzles, sit and listen to a book, follow instructions, play well with others and all of the social skills. I can do it. They will enjoy it because I offer what no one else can. I offer them a mother's love. No matter how hard the days are, no matter how red my face gets, or how hoarse I get from talking loudly (yes, yelling) I love them like no one else can love them. Plus, I want to enjoy them before the mandatory schooling starts and the hormones begin to overflow.

Now, you see this is not where I am trying to make the moms who choose PreK feel less than. That is certainly not my intention. This is me explaining my thoughts to those who question my motives for my children. I don't wish to make my children socially awkward or lacking academically. I love them and I want what I think is best for them. It is that simple.

Being a mom has many difficulties that I never imagined to be. I never imagined that I could feel so much pressure from other parents on what's best for me and them. To be a parent, is challenging. I want so many opportunities and life-gifts for my children and each day I make choices to ensure they have a rich and full life. It seems so simple to peer into a family's life and suggest a path when the full picture can not be realized by simply watching. This is me accepting the path I have chosen and praying to God that I am doing what is best for my children. Afterall, it is a voluntary program.

Getting My Feet Wet (again).

2010-06-21T09:49:00.016-04:00

Wow! It has been almost one year since I have made a new post. I have to make time for posting since this is the closest thing to a baby book I will ever have.

It has been busy in our household as we are able to do more with the kids at this great age. Reasoning is a wonderful parent tool and although it does not work 100% of the time it works enough to make the days easier.

We had another fun-filled weekend. We took the kids to see Toy Story 3. Jason and I enjoyed the chance to sit next to each other once again. The kids did very well. Later Saturday we went to a birthday party. Birthday parties are so enjoyable for the kids. They love the birthday song and cake. It is great to see the kids make friends. Finally, Sunday, we celebrated Jason. We went to eat, fed the ducks and headed over to Old Navy to pick out some shirts for Jason. It sounds so simple but we were all tired after this weekend.

Toy Story 3. They sat very well. I pack a little Ziplock bag full of goodies and we add some popcorn to the mix. They stay very occupied. It is impossible not to look over at them and watch with amazement. Sophia, Savannah and Tristan give me so many reasons to be proud!

Birthday party fun!

Ready for church on Father's Day. I think we finally found a church that fits our family!!Lunch at Ted's Montana Grill to celebrate Jason.
Feeding the ducks, fish and turtles at the pond.Our final stop on Sunday, Old Navy. The kids posed with the mannequins for me. Once they started they did not want to stop.

Monkey See!

2009-06-25T14:42:00.008-04:00

Savannah's glasses arrived on Monday. We made it a family affair once Jason arrived home from work that evening.

Here she is on her ride to pick them up.

The whole gang went to watch this new journey.
First pose with her new "pink" glasses.
She asked to look in the mirror.

A few more pictures for weepy mom just before we left.
At home with her new patch. This patch slides right over the lense verses an adhesive patch.Overall, she has adjusted famously. She is proud of "my glasses". She has had times where she wants to remove them but she is easily convinced to put them back on. I guess like most things dealing with your children, it is harder on you than your child. She is beautiful and amazing. I am so proud of her!

Jason passes the Florida Land Surveyor Exam, Savannah gets a patch and Sophia puts a button on her nose!

2009-06-16T14:45:00.005-04:00

Life is always interesting in our house. There is rarely time to be bored and I am okay with that!

First, Jason is focusing on Civil Engineering work since his BA is in Civil Engineering. However, he thought it would be a good idea to become a licensed land surveyor as well. After all, he has been in that field since before time began. Finally, after jumping through the "are you qualified to take the exam" hoops he took all three exams and PASSED! He took all three exams consecutively over a three day period a couple of months back. This was during the time we were both working extra jobs to recover lost income. He had no time to study and prayed that he would pass. His goal was to at least pass two of the exams. Of course, he ultimately hoped to pass all three on the first go. He did it! He did it! He has always been the type to barely or not-at-all study! That is why going to school together was not a good idea! I would study until I could not see straight and he would barely study and get a better grade! I am truly proud of him and always think about how one day he will get smart and find out he got the short end of the stick in our marriage. He is destined to do great things and anything he desires.

So here he is with his test scores! It was his idea to pose as a jailbird.

Second set of news is Savannah needs glasses. We saw an opthomologist last week due to Savannah's right eye turning inward. During the exam she was able to read the picture chart to help the staff determine her vision impairments. The doctor repeated over and over how Savannah was the first two-year old to be able to read the picture chart (shapes of animals and a birthday cake) in her 25 years of work! It really helps me carry on doing what I am doing when others around me can point out their progress. So many days I feel as if my wheels are spinning as fast as possible but I am making no progress. Thank you to everyone who tells me that I am making a difference. Back to Savannah, she has Amblyopia (lazy eye) and Hyperopia (farsighted). The treatment is a patch over the stronger eye (left eye) to correct the weak eye (right eye). She is to wear the patch 5-6 hours everyday. Also, she has prescription for eyeglasses and we should have them this week or early next week. Unfortunately, I have to patch her "good" eye even though her glasses are not here yet. She has had some difficulties grabbing things or misjudging the width or distance of the seat (potty or chair). She is handling it all like a champ! I am amazed by her strength and my heart is filling up with warm fuzzy feelings just watching my child in utter amazement!

We call her patch a band-aid. She accepts it and embraces it because it does make her different. I think she likes having something of her own. I ordered eye patches that look like animals to slide over her glasses. I bought the patches online last week and they included a bracelet in our order that says, "Patching makes my eye stronger." Several little kids have asked about her eye and I tell Savannah to show her bracelet to them and I explain what the patch does for her. She is proud of her bracelet and her patch. Temporarily, I have adhesive patches that have girly designs on them. I can not wait for her glasses to come in so we don't have to snatch the band-aid off of her eye several times a day. It hurts! Here is my big, strong, cutie! She loves to say, "My band-aid. My bracelet." Notice the pj tops and bottoms do not match. See the pictures below of Sophia to understand why she is not matching.

Sophia wraps up our third set of recent events. It is minor but funny! Okay, not really ha ha funny but it makes me grin to see her new facial feature! She went down a slide head first, on purpose. Thankfully, the landing was padded by carpet. Her face stopped in the carpet but her body kept going. I was terrified when I saw it but relieved when she jumped up whimpering. This is the result of a nose landing! I told her to point to her sore.

A Trip to Universal Studios Orlando

2009-06-10T13:42:00.011-04:00

Jason and I have not been anywhere other than our hometown since finding out we were pregnant with the three little piggies. I've had an itch to see a new place for a while. On a tight budget, traveling isn't a cost friendly activity. But, we managed a day trip to Universal Studios while remaining in the black. An offer came in the mail for one entry free and $59.00 for the next adult to Universal Studios. The kids are still able to get in for no charge. The drive was only 1 hour and 45 minutes. I packed plenty of fruit and milk. So, our only charges were fuel and lunch. We did opt to use valet services which helped us out tremendously. Everyone had a great time. We arrived at opening time. There were no lines! The weather was cooler that day! The kids were fantastic! Savannah spent most of the rides with her head buried into Jason. Here is a picture of her while we were walking through a Dr. Seuss maze. Tristan and Sophia braved the rides. They were not smiling and laughing but they were alert and strong. Here they are in the same maze. The Dr. Seuss Landing was the most 2-yr old friendly event. They had a huge carousel, that we rode three times in a row. It was such a great opportunity to be there while lines were not an issue! Here are the carousel pictures. We also went on a wet ride. It was the first ride of the day. The look on Sophia's and Tristan's face pretty much was the same on all the rides. I think they had the most fun at the end of the maze. Everyone enjoyed a break from the scary stuff and a nice splash in the water. We stopped for lunch. Here is goofy Savannah and mommy. Three takes and finally we get the picture. After lunch we happened upon a Blues Brother concert. The kids had such a great time dancing and listening to the music. Here are a few videos of the sweetness! Please ignore my voice and madness.
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It was a very relaxed trip (as relaxed as you can get with triplets). I am so glad we went and hope to make another trip to Orlando very soon

6 minutes of TLC

2009-05-12T14:52:00.014-04:00

Tristan always awakes before his sisters (morning and nap time). It is a great time to show off his new singing skills. Also, we can practice his ability to count to ten; although, it has never been proven to anyone other than myself and Jason (and still remains that way today). His favorite songs are "Happy Birthday" and "ABC's". I was able to tape some of his counting and some of his singing but you will see what a monster I have created with all the pictures and videos. All the kids love to "look and see" themselves. On the video camera, I can record them and flip the screen for them to watch. All of my posted videos are made with my photo camera which does not allow them to watch while taping. I tried to translate a lot of his words during the video. Plus, the kids love to hear you verify that you understand what they are saying. Enjoy a little TLC.

All the kids are such a joy. It is great to find some quiet time with each of them. Their personalities shine when visiting alone with mommy or daddy. Hopefully, I can capture Sophia and Savannah alone one day soon. That is a little more difficult since the two of them are like peanut butter and jelly.

Look who is two!

2009-05-06T15:10:00.007-04:00

What an event! I have realized that we get a money BREAK with having triplets on this one event. Having three children share the exact birthday means one big party, right? I guess that will work for a few more years.

The plan was to travel back to our hometown to celebrate with family and long-time friends. We wanted to have an outdoor park party with cake. Since the weather would not cooperate we went from a small budget party to a large budget party at a bowling alley. They had so much fun though. It was complete chaos but it was very memorable.

Each of my pumpkins had their own birthday cake. They truly enjoyed blowing out their candles and having Happy Birthday sung to each of them one by one in birth order.

We are very thankful for our friends and family. Their great aunts sent them birthday cards with money- already! I wonder if I got money at the age of two?

Here are some photos of the birthday and later with some of our presents.
First family photo of the day.

Sophia's Cake

Savannah's Cake

Tristan's Cake

Tristan moves into a toddler bed

2009-05-06T14:25:00.008-04:00

First, I want to say I am so sorry that I have not updated my blog in such a long time. I promise to start making this a top priority when I get a break and not Facebook!

Tristan moved into a toddler bed because he learned how to climb out of his pack and play which led to climbing out of his crib. My first gut reaction was to buy a crib tent. For those who do not have young kids this is what a tent looks like.

Then I thought about the price of a tent $50-60. For $55.00 I was able to get a toddler bed at WalMart and use his crib mattress.

The transition has been fairly seamless. We are still teaching him that 3am, 5am and so on is not the time to get up. I really want to try this product that allows you to set a time for the image of a sun to appear. Here is the product... click here-Goodnite Lite
However, it is pricey and possibly back ordered. I will continue to do what I do and that is to walk him back to his room and explain, "The trees are asleep. The sun is asleep. Your sisters are asleep. You need to go to sleep. Don't get out of bed until mommy comes to get you."

Naps are easy. He is normally so worn out by 12:30 pm - 1:00pm that there is little hesitation on his part.

I am not sure how long the girls will stay in cribs. I figure they can stay there until they reach an appropriate age (meaning I am ready) or they start climbing out. Maybe by the time they are potty trained they will have beds. For now they are quite content with their cribs and I feel Savannah would have a problem with such a huge change; She likes things to stay just as they are.

Here are the kids helping daddy with the assembly of the bed and pictures of the big boy in his new bed.

More ice cream.

2009-03-10T14:26:00.005-04:00

This was the scene after meeting Jason for lunch. I loaded everyone into their car seats with a shake in a regular cup with a straw for our drive home. Sophia and Tristan are not pictured because they were very clean and their cups were fully intact.

I promise to everyone that I do give my children well-balanced meals most days. However, the kids get to enjoy the bad (but oh so good) stuff once in a while as well.

Ice cream!

2009-03-02T07:34:00.010-05:00

The kids had their first ice cream cones last weekend. We went to the park and afterwards we walked to Baskin Robbins. The kids sat in their chairs like big kids - ice cream helps that!

I chose chocolate for Savannah. Big mistake on my part. She is very messy at all times. Thankfully, I am now a pro at removing stains. Move aside Kate Gosselin, there is a new stain remover in town!

I picked cookies n' cream for Sophia. She is the tidy one of the three (should've given her the chocolate). You can see she is clenching her
napkin. Eventually, Savannah and Sophia made a swap.

Since Tristan loves - I do mean loves-strawberries he got strawberry ice cream. I think he liked it. What do you think?

After Sophia finished her cone, Tristan shared his ice cream with Sophia. He is truly a great big brother. He adores his sisters.

Pac-man, rolling over and ring around the rosey

2009-02-13T14:12:00.011-05:00

This is the scene every time I vacuum. It reminds me of my all-time favorite arcade game, PacMan. The vacuum turns on and I take on the role of PacMan and the kids are the ghosts. They chase me around screaming but sadly I can not eat a power ball to eat them. :)

Here is a clip. Sorry I am moving around so much. I know it will make some of you dizzy. Notice Savannah signing "sit" when she sits down. Yes, I am so proud.

Savannah is pretty good at flipping over. Sophia and Tristan try but aren't quiet there yet. I just missed Savannah flipping over but you can see Sophia trying and Savannah rolling over. Oh, at the end you can see why the girls stay away from Tristan. I had to turn off the camera quickly to rescue Sophia.

Here is one of the few times Savannah has allowed Tristan near her. They love ring around the rosey.

Playtime outside.

2009-01-15T16:38:00.013-05:00

It's another day in the life of this mom and her three children. Even the difficult days are special- not that today was difficult. I am grateful for the hard days- grateful when they are over. Buh du dum!

Today we ventured outside. It was a bit chilly when the sun ducked behind the clouds. Otherwise, it was lovely. I keep the kids in pjs all day lately. We are not going anywhere so I decided to have one (really three) less battle(s). I've even taken them to the grocery this way. I figure people have to understand, right?

I brought out the umbrellas and here are a few videos and pictures from our playtime outside (in their pjs). Notice Savannah is wearing boy pjs but she loves "choo-choos" and begs for them!

Not sure why it was a good idea to lay inside the umbrella. Maybe they are trying to figure out the purpose of an umbrella!

They will play nice once in a while. Here is Savannah pushing Tristan in the stroller. Notice he is holding a bucket of chalk. The chalk enters his hands as soon as we go outside and does not leave his hands until we go in. He rarely draws with it. He just likes to hoard it all.

Sophia says umbrella!

Tristan saying hey to a few family members. Sorry Cindie. I should have left off aunt and he would have said it!

Savannah allowed a little camera time. She fell yesterday on the sidewalk and busted her lip open. She gave the word umbrella a good try!

This last picture was taken a few days ago. Savannah loves to dress up. Here she is in my pullover sweater.

My son - the make-up artist.

2009-01-04T16:06:00.005-05:00

Tristan loves to mimic his mommy putting on make-up. He is getting better at putting it on. Today, he drew a mustache. I think I could send him out to apply make-up for special events. What do you think? Maybe he could get enough money to pay for the gallons of milk he drinks and the diapers that fill-up because of all the milk he drinks!

The girls hold hands and a few short clips of dancing.

2009-01-02T14:46:00.007-05:00

We went to a park yesterday and I was behind at the van while Jason took all three across the street. I heard him ask Savannah to hold Sophia's hand. I was not the least bit confident that she would. Once again, they prove me wrong!

Just a few shots of the kids at play.

Here is Tristan dancing to a song we know- Shadow Dancing. It is so neat to see them realize their surroundings. They love their shadow. Tristan was last to dance but the first to love singing. I think I caught a little of that. It is a quick video. Sorry!

The cutest trash bandits ever!

2009-01-02T14:20:00.003-05:00

I have given much thought to the idea that I am "lazy" as a parent. I have tossed it around and believe I have settled with the thought- I am not lazy; I am a momma to soon-to-be two year old triplets! I allow them more freedoms than I would have if I had only one child at this age - a decision that was made for my sanity. In preserving my sanity, there are some insane moments (moments I treasure, oddly enough). I hope you enjoy the insanity of this video! Of course, I was only able to capture the ending of their rampage through the trash. I am never quick enough!

This is not trash, by the way. Well, it is the recycling bin and we wash all the containers before throwing them in the bin. Sorry about the video quality and sound. Savannah mimics all our words now and she was repeating "triplets" and Sophia immediately started squealing, "Cheese mommy." They love the camera!

Thanksgiving and Christmas Events

2008-12-04T16:30:00.008-05:00

I found a picnic table on Craig's list. I love love love finding good deals. This table is like new and was $10! The kids are loving it. I take it in and out of the house. They read their books, eat, and climb on the table. It's a hit!

I did not take many pictures on Thanksgiving day! Not sure how that happened. I guess I got too busy with preparing the feast. Here is Sophia enjoying the fire on Thanksgiving day - which fell on my momma's birthday. It was nice to have my parents over for the holiday!

Here are Tristan and Sophia enjoying the tree. There is nothing like a real tree! I decided to decorate the tree as usual with the exception of hanging the most valuable ornaments out of reach! The kids have been exceptional. I allow them to touch or kiss the ornaments but they can not remove them from the tree. There have been a few times where the ornaments mysteriously land in their hands. There have also been times where the kids whack the tree with an object (as if it is okay since they are not technically touching the tree). The needles are falling faster than years without kids since they love to walk by the tree or lean in to kiss their ornaments.

Savannah did not want to pose with the tree because she was too busy in the van pretending to drive.

Here is Sophia and Savannah playing at the mall after our visit with Santa.

And here we are at TGIFriday's after Santa!

The decorated tree and the temptation! You can see the Elmo ornament. That is Savannah's second Christmas keepsake. She loves it and yells Elmo every time she spots him!

The traditional Santa photo.

2008-12-01T11:14:00.002-05:00

Off to the mall to see Santa. We had no idea what to expect this year. Would the kids cry or would they embrace the white-bearded man?

The answer is Sophia and Savannah did not like him too much. Santa never gave us the chance to torture our kids. He immediately said to us, in his most caring Santa voice, "This needs to be a family picture. We don't want them to cry."

I felt like I was 5 years old again! I had no choice but to obey Santa. Although I really did not want to be in the picture it was nice not to have three screaming kids. I am sure Santa was thankful as well.

Merry Christmas to all!

Precious moments like this...

2008-11-17T13:54:00.009-05:00

Precious moments like this
I want to seal with a kiss
Forever tucked away in my mind
Not one single detail left behind
When we are old and grey
We will sit around and say
Thank you God for our life
The blessings, smiles and even the strife
For now we have precious moments like this
How beautiful to reminisce

Sometimes I allow myself to get caught up in the daily routines. You know the ones, cooking, cleaning, brushing teeth, dressing kids, changing diapers, and on and on. Then BOOM WHAM BANG I am knocked out of that state when I witness such pure sweetness. Last night all three kids curled up into Jason's lap. I have so many thoughts about this and I am sure I won't express them all. I can't. I was truly overwhelmed with joy, pride, love and so much more.

Tristan started off with his head on Jason's lap and that was precious. Then the girls came running and wanted in on the action. Tristan dutifully left when they arrived. He knows his sisters do not like to share a lap with him. Jason got the girls settled in and he asked Tristan to return. I just knew Sophia would be unhappy when her brother's head rested on her leg...but...wait...no...she started rubbing his head. Here is a video and a picture.

This my friends is what makes life so sweet! Oh, and for those who know Jason...look he is smiling!

McRib Time and the Alligator Farm

2008-11-11T14:59:00.000-05:00

What does the Alligator Farm have to do with a McRib? Answer is: NOT A THING. But the McRib deserves some praise. I love McRibs and they are baaack! My first McRib of the McRib season 2008. Thank you McDonalds for expanding my waistline! Now, now I am not one of those Americans that blames someone else for my woes. It's a joke!

Now to the kids...

The kids and I met up with two twin mommies today at the Alligator Farm. It was a great time! I am often surprised at how well my kids adjust and handle themselves when we are out(sometimes past nap time). We stopped to watch a noon feeding. The caretaker stood on a platform outside of the caged area and threw dead rats. Amazingly, the gators were not that aggressive with getting the rats. I also learned that gators have blind spots because of their long snouts. These alligators were huge! Very interesting. The kids could take it or leave it but giggled when I made the 'chomp' noise (probably because I looked crazy).

There is a glass window there.

X-rated pics here

While we were eating lunch we kept hearing these grunting noises. This was the scene. For the full effect turn up your sound. Yes, I am childish enough to post this. A little girl next to us kept asking what they were doing. It went on throughout our lunch. The keeper said it was a daily event. Good for them!

A few gator pictures.

Yummy Cookie Batter

2008-11-10T09:56:00.000-05:00

I came across this wonderful recipe for pumpkin cookies. I will paste it at the end of this post. The great thing about this recipe is the batter does not have raw eggs. I took full advantage and gave the kids a taste. Savannah and Sophia got the beaters and I gave Tristan a wooden spoon. Does it look like they enjoyed it?

Easy Pumpkin Cookies

18-1/2 oz. pkg. yellow cake mix

2t. pumpkin pie spice

1c. canned pumpkin

1/4 cup butter, softened

optional: 1/2 cup raisins

16 oz. container vanilla frosting nutmeg to taste

In large bowl combine mix, spice, pumpkin and butter. Beat together with mixer on med for about 2 min. stir in raisins. drop on cookie sheet, bake at 375 for about 12 min. cool, frost and enjoy!

My first post!

2008-11-04T16:04:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure I will be any good at this but I will give it a try. My main goal is to have experiences with my children in writing (so to speak) and to share with family members and friends the latest in the daily events regarding our family. It's your standard "family" blog!