Keeping Up With Natania

Ever have one of those days where you suspect something might be wrong but you figure your just being paranoid. Well if your a mom, then your mother's intuition has just kicked in. I find that everytime this happens it is because something needs to be checked out on one of my kids.

Micah today was checked for knee problems. He is almost 6, so I figured what could really be wrong but lets have it checked out anyway. I always thought his knees were shaped funny and often looked swollen. Well about a week ago he was complaining and limping around for about three days. I asked him if he had fallen. He said no. He was in quite alot of pain one of those nights. I assumed it was like a "charlie horse" when you get those pains in your muscles. I massaged his leg, moved it up and down to release the pain, after several minutes it was fine. So I thought good, we fixed that. Until about a day later when it started up again.

I asked my husband what he thought but he said boys knees are just shaped different than girls. I said I don't think that's right. It has become the joke in our house because everytime this happens he thinks nothing of it and it proves in fact to be something. So any of you mom's reading this don't second guess your intuition. And if your DH is anything like mine, just skip the conversation and go right to the doctor.

Well upon checking him out tonight our family doctor (who is so good) told me that he has Patellar Subluxation (when your knee cap moves out of joint and off to the side) and Genu Valgum (known as knocked knees). He also told me that I did what we should do when it happens but to keep an eye on him. He thinks he will out grow it but on rare occasions it requires surgery.

I had thought for a while that something was wrong with his knees but continually put it out of my mind, but my mother's intuition was still always nagging on me. Natania my ten year old, who happens to want to be a doctor when she grows up, had also noticed something wrong with his knees. She is also the one in the family that has most of the medical issues, but Micah is doing his best to keep up with her. So between his surgery two weeks ago, a broken leg, surgery as a baby and now this. I think they are neck and neck in this race.

Homeschool Memoirs #10

Our assignment, if we choose to accept it . . .

is as follows-

This is our 10th Homeschool Memoirs so this week it’s going to be about 10 timely facts about you! Write 10 interesting, crazy, weird, fun facts about you! Include facts about you as a woman, a wife, a mommy, a homeschooler, a homekeeper, a taxi-driver, a cook, etc .

10 Facts about Me

mmmh.....

1. I love to collect dishes.
2. I love to decorate - especially at Christmas time.
3. I love to scrapbook.
4. I do like to exercise but lately it hasn't been much of a priority. Actually for a long time now it
hasn't been much of a priority-I guess I need to fix that, huh.
5. I am 4' 10" -pretty short.
6. I am a born and raised New Englander.
7. I hate all cooked veggies other than corn.
8. I love the ecclectic approach to homeschooling.
9. My 3rd daughter was born on the couch in an emergency (not one of those at home planned
births). Although I would've done it that way but hubby was a little nervous. So instead he
got the crash course with this baby. And she is still a hand full.
10. I love to name my children those unusual, less common names (for the most part)
11. My favorite season is fall.

Well that's eleven but whose really counting anyway.

Have it Your Way #106

On this assignment from Blogger Friend school I am to write about how I "have it my way" during the winter months. What I enjoy doing during the cold spells we have in Wisconsin. Well I really don't like the cold much so I tend to stay inside alot. I enjoy taking the kids sledding a couple of times. I'm always hoping to get some good photos. What I do for myself personally is drink hot cocoa and if I'm lucky I'll get a chance to scrapbook some of those winter photos. I also like to lounge around in my warm PJ's and bathrobe. Sometimes we might even do school in our PJ's. I have on occasion made potatoe and ham soup but some of the kids don't like that. So this is not a very interesting post but at least I made an attempt.

A Homeschool Family #109

Here is the assignment: This week’s theme is about your family. Don’t worry. I’m not going to make you write a long essay about all the great things your family does. Just something little diddy that I know everyone will have fun with!

I couldn't figure out how to post the video so for those of you who don't know the poems are to the tune of the old TV show the Adam's Family. If you search on youtube.com you will find the video.

So here are my few verses. At first it was kind of frustrating to find things that rhymed but also had to do with our family and school. Then it kind of took off on it's own and became a fun way of letting out some stress. So here it goes . . .

We live in a small town
It causes us to frown
Somedays we need a clown
The Emmons Family

They think our school's a joke
They tease, make fun and poke
I need another coke
The Emmons Family

We shoot hoops for phys ed class
And learn to make a pass
We run barefoot in the grass
The Emmons Family

We learn of kings and queens
The function of your spleen
And everything in between
The Emmons Family

Our children love to read
To search and find milkweed
They really will succeed
The Emmons Family

We learned about creation
His-tory is our passion
Of God and every nation
The Emmons Family

They think we march offbeat
but our lives are more complete
Somedays are really sweet
The Emmons Family

"adore"
"explore"
"amore"

So that gives you some fun insight to our family. Once you start this project the list could go on and on. The possibilities are endless just like homeschooling.

A Harvest of Fun

We went on a homeschool field trip to a local apple orchard. We had a great day for it--the sun was shining and it wasn't too cold. One of the highlights for the younger kids was horse rides. Natania was thrilled because she dreams of having a few horses when she is grown and has a family of her own. I guess every little girl dreams of having her own horse. I think I'll get concerned when she brings home "prince charming."

Poetry

I just started today taking two of my girls to a poetry class offered through our homeschool group. It's the kind of class geared to "free verse" type poetry not meter, rhyme or scanning. The following are two poems my 10 year old wrote during class today. The theme was to pick a color and write a poem about it.

Pink is my favorite color
It brightens the sunset
And hot pink burns
Like fire and
Makes it bright and beatiful
Around me.


Black is dark and scary
You can't see anything
It haunts you in the dark
But sometimes it's bright
Like the night sky.

Snacks, Snacks and More Snacks

The assignment this week was to share some of your families favorite snacks. So here it goes. We usually have apples and bananas in the house most weeks. Our girls love the mini baby carrots and shredded carrots for those who wear braces. They love salad type things lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers. But at the same time they love all kinds of chips. One of our favorite family snacks is chips and salsa or making nachos. In the fall we love to make pumpkin bread-that is a favorite for breakfast or as a snack. I love the smell of the cinnamon and nutmeg in the house. It's all warm and cozy. At Christmas time one of the family favorites is homemade hummis. So that gives you a sneak peak into the snacks our family enjoys.