It's a Dell

I haven't posted for awhile, the old computer refuses. I finally got the dial up loaded(on the new one)...yes we still have dial up. I tried to show Tara Babelfish, but it wasn't as wonderful as I thought it should be. Tara told me she couldn't read it. Funny we use the translator from BBK and it looks the same.

So much has been happening to journal, let's hope I can remember it all.

The school met last week with AEA (area education)to discuss Tara. It was the worst timing for me and I wasn't able to attend. There are stages to learning for Tara and she falls right in the middle, which means it isn't as far up the hill as it could be.

Tara lost another toothe tonight. (3 since she has been home)She lost one last week. Tonight she ask for her toothe to take to school, she told me she will get money. Not sure what?? I will have to check in with the teacher. She has a dentist appt in one month, so I will be curious to see what he thinks.

Homecoming was last week. Each day the school has a theme for the day. Tara loved pajama day (but who doesn't). I came home from work and she was ready for the next day of school. I explained that she should probably wear another pair to bed and put the ones on she wanted to wear to school in the morning. LOL :) We attended the parade and coronation. She had a nice amount of candy from the parade. We didn't have tumbling since Sue had a toothache. We would have been able to do it all, but it was nice we didn't have to. Tara asked me last night if she could go lastnight. I said she had to wait until Thursday. I had planned on the Friday night football game. I asked the girls if we were going Friday and they said they would rather go out for Chinese, so we did.












Tara was able to meet Aunt Kathy from Tennessee on Tuesday and Uncle Greg and Aunt Terri from Colorado on Saturday. This last week and weekend went sooooo fast. To raise money for the peewee football team, they hold an alumni game. The first 10 yrs out of school plays anyone else they can get to play. My guys love football! They didn't get to play much in high school, but make up for it now. Sunday wasn't bad, but ooooh Monday :(

Big Decision

I ordered a new computer today. There are so many brands and so many choices of options to put on a computer. I went with Dell. Tim and Curt both have Dell laptops and my computer at work is a Dell. Is it the best...probably not, but I know my IT at work can fix it if I run into a problem. I payed a little more for it than I had intended, but hope I get my money's worth.

Tara was having a good night. Jeff called and ask to talk to her. She didn't say much, but enjoyed listening to him. She knew who it was when he started talking. I get the feeling she is second guessing her speech. Usually when we get her to talk she says the words correctly and the meaning is correct. We just need to get her to feel confident in her speech. Tara told me Stu was her baby, I told her she was my baby and then I named each of my kids. I told her they all give me hugs. Then she asked about Kase and Kels I said yes they give me hugs too. Then she started asking about Murt, Bailey and Joe & Jamie. We took a sack to the apple trees and picked some from each tree to take to work. Tara and I agree the yellow or green apples are the best. She had 3 problems in math to finish. She attempted to create a word problem. I wrote it and explained it and then she tried to copy it. She forgot half of it, but at least she made the attempt at it tonight. She took her lunch to school today. I asked Tia to help her make ramen noodles to take, she had a banana and a piece of roast. Well Tia told on her...she had 6 snack sz Nestle's crunch. She forgot her piece of roast and I don't think she ate her ramen noodles. I think we will try to get her to eat the school lunch. I told Tara she has a birthday coming up and asked her if she wanted a present. She asked me tomorrow, I had to tell her next month (one month from today). I got the calendar out and showed her (she was receptive and hasn't been in the past to the calendar) she wanted to know when Tia's was and then went through each of us. She hasn't met her elder brother yet and hasn't quite grasped that she has 3 brothers.

Tia called Monday morning and wanted to know why I didn't remind her she had the day off. I made her go to bed early Sunday night. She missed the end of Desperate House Wives. I laughed because we both forgot. It wasn't until the bus didn't come that it dawned on her. The girls ended up making grape juice with Grandma Snyder. She has a stuffed up nose this evening and used my netti pot. Let's hope it helps!!

Another Busy Week

On Monday Gene took the coon dog that was dumped at our house to the vet to become an it. I wish people would quit dumping dogs at our house, we didn't need another dog. My cousin that I am double related to's husbands mother passed away and the visitation was held. Our thoughts are with them! I had to help Tia with her Science test the next day. I have no clue how she can remember this stuff. For me so boorring!

Tuesday when I got home Tara was on the phone with Alyssa from New York. I don't know how long they had been talking, but it sounded like they had a nice conversation. It has been awhile since they have talked. Tara hung up on her last time. I wrote a check for Tara to take to school for lunch. I left it for Tia to give Tara. When I asked Tara if she delivered it okay she had me lost in the conversation. Something about a pink ticket (from video rentals??)We heard from Uncle Greg, he needs information on the alumni football game.

Wednesday Tia had tumbling. Each nite I have been telling Tara we have to go. She put up no fuss and came into the gym and watched Tia. I brought the game gear and she played while she watched. She even thought I needed to learn the game. (if I haven't with the last 4 kids, I don't think I will with this one)she then tried to teach Laura Beeler. Laura thinks as much of the games as I do, but had fun with Tara. Tia was having a bad night with being mouthy...ooooh. Tara's teacher called before bedtime and told of a story that they had worked on in class. It was about their favorite place or thing to do. It was riding her bike to Grama Snyder's and feeding the chickens. Now she is so wound up, I'm not sure she will go to bed. We had just finished her math homework. She totally does not get the concept of a word problem in math. Explain that one??

Thursday, each day I have been trying to ask Tara what she was wearing. It's picture day. She would shrug her shoulders. If I'd have known I would have ironed her shirt. Hope it doesn't have to many wrinkles. Tia thought she needed a grey shirt under her sweater, but worked around it. Hope that gum stuck to Tara's face came off.?? Tonight is Tara's tumbling night wish me LUCK :)
Okay, I feel good about tonight. Tara made the usual "do I have to do this gestures" in her way. I said yes come on and she got in the car.(No leo) oh well. I told her she had to come into the gym and watch. She threw her book on the floor of the car and started to slam the door, I caught it. I had the kids on the trampoline and she was in the bleachers. Tia came over and said look Tara's with Sue...Yeah! She didn't make it to the trampoline, so after class I let her jump a few minutes. Tia was mad when we got home cause Tara stayed up until 9 how terrible.

Friday we made another evening of it shopping and eating out. We headed to the local Chinese restaurant. The girls were in, so we had a good visit and Tara gets to use her Manderin. Then we head to the grocery store and stocked up on fruits and veggies. Also a treat of some kind, Tia chose beef jerky and Tara gum. Tia needed a gray shirt for phys ed so we headed to Wally World in the rain. It is swampy out. Tia wants to know if it is thanks to hurricane Ike??

Saturday was cleaning day. Since we didn't have plans for Sunday we were spreading things out. It was an overcast day. Marcia called and wanted to know if we wanted to work apples on Sunday. Needless to say chores didn't get done.

Sunday we finished laundry in the morning and headed to Aunt Marcia's after lunch. Mom was there and lots of buckets of apples waiting.

Family Day

I started my Sunday with laundry and got 3 loads done before I ran out of time. Gene's Dad's sister Carolyn and husband Robert are in Iowa on vacation. Gene's mom had dinner, it was very good and I hated to eat and run. Tia had decided she didn't want to go to a baby shower (I don't think she knew what it was) also didn't want to jump back in a car and be gone several hours. Tara thought she also would stay with Grma. I headed to the baby shower for my nephew's baby due in 2-4 wks by myself. After the shower I stopped at a house and picked up some kittens. I have a softspot for polydactls->sp they have 6 or 7 toes. We now have 2 females and a male, hoping to have some future litters of our own. We will keep them in a cage for awhile until they get bigger and used to our home. (out door cats this time) Tia had instructions to help clean the table, I forgot to ask if she did. She also got the yard mowed while I was gone. It looks nice!!

Not having a full day home to clean house and do those must do things throws the whole week off. Hopefully I will catch up on Tuesday.

Iowa State Football

It was our second game and Tia wanted to go. The first was a school night and she needed to go to sleep earlier than the game would have allowed. This one was also a night game, but Saturday. On Wednesday I called and got her into the Cyclone kids club. This game they were going to let the kids down on the field to watch the players run out. Dad was just as much or more excited than Tia, cause he got to go too. She really didn't need a chaperone, but didn't mind having him tag along. Also with her ticket she got to eat at the kids club tent. While we were there we collected signatures from alot of the girls basketball team. During halftime in the ladies room we ran into Tia's second grade teacher Mrs Beeler (now Tara's p.e. teacher) and then visited Tia's home-ec teacher who is a grad of ISU. Tia tried to sell magazines, but didn't have much luck. We played Kent State (Ohio) and won, it was a good game (Kent State won last year).

I worried what to do with Tara. Gene wasn't ready to take her to the game. I was going to have the girls at the Chinese restaruant talk to her but that didn't work out. Grma Snyder said she could stay with her, but Tara would have been wondering the whole time what time we would be home and I'm not sure she would go to sleep for Grma. Kase, Kelse would watch her, but they had softball and soccer. Jamie to the rescue! He said he would watch Tara and Bailey during the games and get them back to Murts. She was in bed with Kelse when we got there. I think she had a good time with them.

Jeff decided to go to the UNI game and Curt was in Rota, Spain. (We broke on thursday so me and one of the pilots went to Gibralter. We took the tour and played with the monkeys. It was pretty fun. We should be home in 24 hr. dpending on the weather on the east coast. I guess a tropical storm, Hanna maybe, is blowing through the Chesapeake. I bought a new phone the day after so if you didnt get ahold of me that pry means I was flying.) Curt had tickets, but sent them to his friend Jarek.

Never a Dull Week

After a holiday it is always tough. Wednesday night was the first tumbling of the season. I quickly read my paper and saw it was at 6:50. Tia and Tara were different nights. Well I read wrong I took Tara and it was Tia's night first. I couldn't get Tara to even go in. I didn't have enough time to go home and change kids. So we started again on Thursday to take Tara to her class and it was world war 2. The coach said bring Tia since she missed and she could help the younger kids. She wasn't sure how big the class would be and wanted me to help. Not a problem, I thought. Tara did not want to go. When we needed to be walking out the door she was being stubborn and was not going. I used a firm voice and told her to get in the car. She proceeded to lay down and throw a tantrum. I tried to pick her up and carry her and she started fighting. It wasn't pretty, but I got her in the car. She cried and screemed all the way to St Charles. I wasn't going to make her tumble, but it would have been nice if she would have come in and watched. She sat in the car until we left. She wrote a note in pinyn, so will have to have it translated. Hymmm. She had calmed down by the time we came home. Can't wait for next week. Yikes!

Friday was groceries. I told Tia to not eat supper and tell Tara. Sometimes they eat before I get home. I picked Gene up Chinese to go to put in his lunch. Then took the girls out for Chinese. I was hoping the girl in Osceola would talk to Tara for me. Find out what she was thinking about tumbling. Explain it will be getting cold and she needed to where warmer clothes. It didn't work out the girls had went to the Friday night football game at school. We then went to shop for Tia's first female slingshot. What fun!! And home with ice cream.

Labor Day

We had a great holiday. I hate to see summer go, but we have a fun year ahead. So far school is going fine. Tara is still smiling and likes going. The teacher says she has to tell her not to blurt answers when she knows them first (mostly math). Gene was on vacation last week. We all planned on going to the football game on Friday. Tia decided she wasn't going, Tara said she wasn't going if Tia wasn't. If they stayed home I would stay home. Then Tia decided to go and Tara still did not want to, so Tara and I watched Miss Congeniality. Welcome to a day in my life.

Thursday night Aug 28th was our first Iowa State football game of the season, they played South Dakota State, we won 44-9. It was a beautiful night. Gene picked the girls up early from school and met me at our friends house in Altoona. Their girls watched our girls. It was Jeff's birthday so I picked up a cake to have after the game. Happy 22nd Birthday Jeff!

Saturday we loaded the camper and headed for Lake Thunderhead in Missouri. It was funny Tara looked at the pickup (single cab) looked at me and said 4, I said yes and named us off. Then she said no and counted seat spots in the pickup. Then I laughed and pointed to who was setting where. It was tight, but we aren't huge people and it works. I tried to put my seatbelt around her and I both and that wasn't happening. My brother and his wife and 2 granddaughters were also there. Tara and Katlyn seem to hit it off. All the kids spent alot of time bouncing on the trampoline. I will do alot of thinking about this for x-mas. The water was a little cool, but the kids were in for a brief swim. We had supper around the fire. I picked up corn on the cob, we soaked it in water and sacrificed it. Some spots got a little well done, but it was very good. Tara went with Casey and watched a movie in Murts bed. When we decided to go to bed we had to turn the TV off and send her to our camper. She hopped right in with Gene. I ended up in the sleeping bag. We are looking for a larger camper and then probably a larger pickup. Tia had ask a friend to go with us, it worked out she had to go to her grandmas. (5 in the truck would have been pushing it)

Sunday we loaded the boat and piled in the truck (Mike's truck) and headed for Rathbun. It was very rough, so didn't spend alot of time. It was fun to see our camping spot so close to the waters edge. They still have the road closed, but the water is not over the roads (in our area) although loop E in under water.

Monday was cleaning the camper to put it away for the winter. Plus belated birthday cake for Grandpa. Happy 80th Birthday Grandpa!