Mango teething

When Boston was a toddler and starting to teeth I gave him the seed of a mango and he LOVED it. Ever since then it has been my kids favorite thing to teeth on and Sydney followed right along like her brothers. It might be messy but it sure is fun!

Hyperdash

I wanted to share a game with you that we love at our house. It's called Hyper Dash. Not only is it a super fun game for the kids but they can play it by themselves or with others, it makes them active as they run around, and it helps learn colors and numbers. In the picture above I had Asher put them all close together but usually they spread them across the room and chase down the one they need to touch. We have had this game for many years and it never gets old.

Whitman Ticket System

We have been using this ticket rewards system I designed for our family for over a year now and I have to say it's been the best system I've ever implemented into our family. It worked wonders when the boys started school last year. For Dallas it was a lifesaver. His teacher even used it for him in class and it was the best thing to help him. When you have a child with Aspergers you have to be on your toes and think outside the box when it coming to discipline and raising them. Things just don't always work as easy as it might with other neurotypical children. This system speaks so well to him!

At first when I started it I wanted to make it a positive rewards system so I never took away tickets. Once we had been doing it for several months I then added in getting tickets taken away for certain things. (I need to make a chart for that too now that I think about it).

For example if they lie they get 5 tickets taken away, if they hit they get 3 tickets taken away, if they name call it's 2 tickets and if they stick their tongue out or make a bad face at someone or roll their eyes it's 1 ticket.

This is also a system you can take with you where ever you go. Dallas teacher would even take tickets with her in her pocket when they would go on field trips. We take the baggies and my tickets to hand out when we go on vacation.

It's also a great way of managing tv and video game time. If they have to buy their time on those things they will think twice before they spend time doing it. And when they get rewarded for playing out side and being active it reinforces those positive things in their lives. Book reading is another one I reward for and they get even more tickets when they read their bible or memorize scripture.

I LOVE giving out tickets. I especially love giving them out for random acts of kindness. If you use this system you can adjust it to work with you and your family and especially with each child in your family. I hope this gets your wheels turning.

I also posted here where we display our ticket system and keep the tickets. It's hanging in our kitching dining nook, a high traffic area and usually where I am...in the kitchen. I'll explain what the papers are hanging behind the ticket baggies another day. Another really fun thing to do with the kids!

My summer job: Referee

So far this summer I'm starting to feel like I hung up the "Mom's Taxi" hat and glued on a Referee's. It's stuck there and I keep trying to pull it off but just when I think I got it....yep it's needed again.

And I don't think what I'm dealing with is all that unusual. I've talked to so many families and they are all going through the same thing. I stepped back and got some perspective on it and what I'm realizing is that in this day and age we can't just let our kids go outside by themselves and play. They can't ride their bike around the neighborhood without having their mom and the rest of the siblings tag along. And then in the stifling heat we are stuck inside and there's not many places to go where there isn't someone else right there. Anyone would get sick and tired of being stuck with the same people all the time. When we were little I remember at 8 years old riding my bike down the street to my best friends house and all over the neighborhood. I remember going to the community pool all by myself. I wasn't forced to play with my younger brother all day long. We most defiantly would have killed each other.

So I realize I can't change the times. I can't just let them roam the neighborhood. So we have to figure out a way to have some space and how to get along with each other without yelling, "Moooommmmm he touched me!!" every 5 minutes Otherwise mom will pack her bag and head on down to the insane asylum and check herself in. Ahhhh relaxation at it's finest!

I had bought this little checklist years ago and never used them. It was high time I wiped the dust off and got to it. We reviewed, trained and trained some more the first 3 and I think they have them down. Tomorrow we will continue until we have reviewed them all and we will do training on it each day. I'm determined to nip it in the bud. Otherwise it's going to be a long summer in timeout.

This is where I have all the charts I have purchased threw Doorposts. We have them hanging here so we can always refer back to them. Our "If Then" and "Blessings" charts have just been erased and ready for new consequences and rewards since the kids are getting bigger. If you look closely Boston put a sticker on the "If Then" chart that says "I didn't do it." Too funny when I found that there one day.

Wall Art

I hung these old clipboards on Friday as a way to display the kids art. They love to bring me pictures more recently and my fridge is only so big (and since I'm a visual person when I look at things I like to have them be clean and this was a much more visually organized way to display them for me.) I got the idea from this boys bedroom. I snagged a few old clipboards my parents house they no longer use. I already had the pictures of the kids hanging so it just made sense to put one clipboard under each person's picture. Of course then I wanted them labeled so very quickly I printed out some letters, cut out black circles and glued them to the clipboards. What's funny about the picture below is that I have kids sissors. All of my adult ones are missing...of course. By the way this was Sydney's first piece of art work. She is always picking up crayons and markers but I had not yet taken the time to sit down with her and let her color. I honestly didn't think she was ready, but my baby girl is growing up fast. Of course mama picked out PINK!

Peace and Quiet

Today I built a tent in the house....stuffed it with book and all 4 kids and zipped it up.

Some may call it camping....I call it peace and quiet!

Yes, I have 4 kids

I love having 4 kids.

I love the reaction when someone asks how many kids I have and I respond 4....and I pick their bottom jaw off the floor.

I don't think 4 is a lot. I know lots of families with more than 4. And although going from 3 to 4 has been the hardest jump, it's been my most favorite. Don't get me wrong....it's been crazy....insane....daily surviving sometimes, but there's also the joy of each unique child that is all yours. Their individual smiles, laughs, ways of loving, funny sayings. And it's fun to see just how different they each are and watch them interact with one another.

I had no idea how hard parenting was going to be. And I really had no clue how taxing 4 children going in different directions would be. But I wouldn't change it for the world! The craziness is part of the fun. And there are those days where everyone gets dressed on their own without me asking, they get their homework done quickly, there's no whining or crying and everyone gets along. And it's on those days that I gently sigh and smile at my life.

Then there are those time I'm dragging kids out of bed, someone's screaming because the other one is looking at them, Asher is whining because some food spilled and he can't stand a mess, Dallas is having one of his meltdowns, the baby is crying because she's teething and Boston is giving me an attitude about going over his spelling words. It's on these days the I sigh for a totally different reason. I sigh a DEEP sigh so I don't explode the inner monologue in my mind. And after I sigh (1, 2 or many times) I can sit back and look at the madness running around my house (and it's not even 7:30am) and it's amusing. 10 years from now I will wish I could be right back here at this moment. This moment where my kids need me to wipe up the spill they made, wipe their butt, or wipe the toothpaste they got all over their shirt.

And being a woman who's love language is Words of Affirmation I strive to hear "Wow you did a good job!" But when you are a mommy you probably aren't going to hear those words so often. And sometimes, even though you are trying your hardest to be the best mom you can be, and innocent bystander judges your parenting even though they don't know the situation. This happens to any parent but especially to those parents of children with Aspergers. But I try to remember that God sees it all. He sees the pee that I'm cleaning off the carpet when my 3 year old didn't make it to the potty in time. He sees the patience I exuded when my son is having a meltdown because he can't play a video game. He sees it all and He says "You've done a good job today Cricket." It's the unseen that matters. I exalt Him when I do these unseen things because this is where he wants me right now in my life. This is what's most important. THIS is my mission field! And He's teaching me that pride is no good. That I don't need other's approval or affirmation. All I need is Him. HE is enough.

So hold your head high mamas. You ARE doing an outstanding job. You are because you are trying. And HIS grace is sufficient to cover the areas you aren't so good in. Rest in Him and enjoy the precious little chicks that need you in the here and now.

(And you just can't help but laugh at this picture and Dallas face, Boston with his blank look, Asher clueless and Sydney more interested in my necklace. Hey - at least Sean and I are smiling! :-)

Dallas' teacher home visit

At the boys school they do home visits at the beginning of the year where they go to all the kids homes to get to know the kids and their families better. I'm so impressed with this and it just shows how much they care about the kids at this school.

Dallas was so excited about Mrs Holland coming last week. He was counting down the minutes, checking the door and listening for her car. She finallly got here and I'm not sure who was jumping up and down more, Dallas or our dog Dillard. He quickly whisked her in the house and lead her to his room to show her proudly his Star Wars themed room and point out all his favorite things about the room.

The kids all played on the patio while Sean and I got a chance to speak with her a little. She had some questions for us and and at the end of the questioning she said the Dallas was 100% a kinesthetic learner. We weren't too surprised with this.

But I got a little nervous about the year when we heard more details about his behavior in class this last week. The first 2 weeks he did awesome but now he's started having some issues in some areas. It tore at my heart. I know his heart is to behave his best. And you try your hardest to train your kids to do their best in school but you can't go with them to the class. I was so upset about it and was racking my brain, praying to the Lord, asking Him for a direction, a plan, a way to help him make better choices and think before reacting. That's when He reminded me about my ticket system that we use at home. There it was! It had been right in front of me all the time and I didn't see it. I emailed his teacher and asked her if we could incorporate the ticket system we use at home into his school day. He would get a ticket for behaving correctly at school during certain times and situations that he has a problem with. She loved the idea! This week has been amazing. He's come home everyday with 4 tickets and a great report from his teacher! That sleepless night spent worrying was fixed by a little rectangular, red piece of paper with the word "ticket" on it. Thank goodness for tickets!!!!

Lowes with the boys

This morning we took the boys to Lowes to
their Build and Grow workshop. The boys enjoyed making a pet leash holder. I was so impressed. It was our first time going here and they each got their own work bib, eye goggles, a certificate and a patch and the project was free as well. I would highly recommend doing this with your kids! We will most definitely be back. And our boys are oh so proud of their pet leash holders.

Whitman Family Rules

I have been wanting to create our own Family Rules for a long time now. When I happened upon Pleated Poppy's Family Rules and saw exaxtly what I was looking for.

Instead of creating mine with paper and modpodge I did it digitally on the computer. I have an empty 24x36 frame that I'm going to use and it's been sent off to the printers. I can't wait to get it hung up!!!

Here's our rules:
Always tell the truth and keep your promises
Obey your parents without challenge, excuse or delay
Forgive easily and quickly
Work cheerfully and never give up
Encourage your siblings....share in their joy
Use your manners - Yes, please.....No, thank you
Husband - love your wife daily and Wife: always be by his side
No fussing, no whining
Sing silly, dance crazy, hug often, snuggle up, say I love you
Be on each others team
Be a blessing in this house and out of it
Use Nice words....Ignore dirty words
Too much TV is bad....Too much reading is good
Hands are for hugging not hitting
Bless your food, be grateful, eat together, clean up after yourself
Share everything expect bad ideas
Say your prayers....thank God for this family.

I copied many of the rules from Pleated Poppy's guest post and other examples and created a few of our own. It was hard to narrow down but I'm happy with the final product. Hope it inspires you. If you create one I would love to see it!

Children: a blessing from the Lord

There was a very elderly man sitting in the booth backed up to ours tonight at Perkins. When we walked up I said to him, "I sure hope we aren't too loud for you." He smiled and replied, "Oh no sweetheart, you could never bother me." We ended up talking while we were waiting for our food. He found out that we have 4 kids and laughed and mentioned to me that there was a bar over there in case I needed anything. Ha Ha. I asked him if he had any kids and he said that his wife passed away in 2007 and that they didn't have a lot of money when they first got married and decided not to have any kids because they didn't want to have them without a good amount of money. Then he said that when they had the money there were too old. It made me sad. This poor old man had no one.

No wife

No kids

No grandkids

No great grandkids

He was all alone eating dinner. My heart ached. And it made me feel so blessed for my 4 blessings. We might not have a lot of money because we had 4 kids very early in our marriage, but I'll take a handful of kids over a big house and money in the bank any day!! Thank you Lord for many arrows in my quiver!

This Monday brought a whole new meaning to Monday

So I awoke to an even worse sore throat and still running a 102 temp. At this point I thought that I might possibly have strep, especially since my throat had white spots on it. I thought I would go get swabbed for a test after Dallas was out of school and I was done schooling Boston. But then after lunch I realized that Asher's ear was looking really red and swollen. And when I say swollen, it was actually huge and sticking out from his ear.






I called the doctor and they said bring him in. So much for my dr check up since we have a neurologist appt for Dallas at 3:30. Sure enough the dr said she had never seen one so swollen so we needed to put him on antibiotics. He must have gotten bite by something bad.

While we were there I had her swab Boston for strep throat since he had been complaining of a sore throat for a few days. Sure enough he tested positive, confirming the fact that I most likely had it. I called my dr and they called me in antibiotics. So with three prescriptions for antibiotics we headed to the neurologist appt. After a total of about 3 hours in waiting rooms with 4 kids and a 102 temp I was ready for something stronger than antibiotics at this point. We headed for Publix for the drugs where the madness continued with an hour wait and crazy kids.

FINALLY we made it home and started the drugs....thank goodness for drugs at this point....and a new day tomorrow.

Painting outside

There's nothing like getting outside with the kids for some fun....with my camera in hand. I had a roll of this stuff we had to put under our flooring when we installed it. It was a whole roll left over and I figured it would come in handy for something. While I was wanting to do something fun outside in this beautiful weather I thought what better to do with it than paint! So here's a few shots from our fun outside.


This is Boston who painted his face to look like some bad guy from Indiana Jones

Boston loves to draw...but today he kept getting a little distracted with painting himself! ha! He even mentioned if he painted his whole face he would look like one of the guys from blue man group. I suggested that I didn't think that was such a good idea with this paint. At least we had a good time hosing off....wish the camera could have gotten that too.Asher loves to draw and paint with anything....and when left alone has been known to find his way to my bathroom and use my makeup to color on the walls....and let me say it doesn't easily come off. He seems to be my most interested in making his drawings just perfect at this age. And if you look at them it's lots of very precise lines. He really concentrates when working on his artwork. So cute!
And Dallas was the only one that wanted to paint with his hands and feet, which was kind of the point. Boston and Asher wanted to use paint brushes and water to wash them out so they didn't mix the paint. Dallas wanted to mix them all up and get right in. Totally shocking for me that it was him that wanted his feet wet with paint!Boston thinking seriously about what to add next to his Tiger paintingMy precious, funny, energetic Asher Dallas - you gotta LOVE that smile! And of course he's in a costume....can't go home without one

and then there's always the silly face with Dallas. And one last shot for little Miss Sydney who slept through the paint expedition. She played in her new bouncy seat from Aunt Margie for the first time today. She's focusing and looking around so much more the last few days. Of course the boys wanted to play with all the bells and whistles on this thing whenever she was in it...sleeping or not.

Swine Flu vaccination

I had made the decision a while back that neither I nor the kids would be getting the swine flu or regular flu vaccination even though we are all considered high risk because of their age and my pregnancy. I don't feel comfortable with it and especially with the unknown effects of the swine flu vaccine. I would rather experience the flu itself than risk any long term effects on my children. Here's a video of an interview with a doctor on foxnews that confirmed all my fears. Stay healthy this season everyone!!