Preschool

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).

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!

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!

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

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

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!

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