babies everywhere: the rest of the story

I had to update my post from the other day. The one about babies popping up everywhere. Cassie had Baby Grace last week. Isn't she sooooo cute!
All girl babies!
We also got to play with Ben.

Our pile O'kids.

my baby

A few days ago Conner and I were at home alone.
A very rare occurrence.
Emma was at a friends and Callie was at the neighbor's house playing with their baby.
Conner asked for some mac and cheese.
One of his favorites.
So he sat at the table eating it and watching his cartoons. I sat there and watched him. It was one of those moments where your heart fills up and feels like it is going to explode.
I felt sooooo much love for him.
And then I felt the pain a mother feels when she realizes that her child is growing up SOOOOOOO FAST! I watched his little boy face. I noticed his little boy spoon and bowl.
These days are flying by.
All of our baby stuff is pretty much gone. I am holding onto our highchair. It is wooden and pretty so I tell Jim I am saving it. We use it when little ones come visit.
I felt like I did not want to even blink because I was afraid I would open my eyes and see a teenager sitting there.

I love this little boy so much.
I am so grateful that I get to spend everyday with him.
Please don't let him grow up too fast.

NO LIBRARY FOR KIDS

Can you believe this? What is going on?
This is from my friend Kristina.
She makes beautiful baby blankets.
Not after Feb 10th if our government has it's way.

I have a little more information on the CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act) for you. Currently the CPSIA requires that all childrens books be removed for library shelves February 10, 2009. Here is a little bit from The American Library Association. This Act currently affects all school and public libraries. Check out this link-

http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1573

Thanks -
Kristina

Is this for real?

Is everyone aware of the new Act that goes into effect on Feb. 10, 2009?
This is so ridiculous and the effects are staggering.
Is this the start of "Big Brother"
What is next?
This is information I got from a homeschooling family. They sell homeschooling items including history kits they put together. They will no longer be able to sell these as the inspection for each item in each kit will run them a total of about $30,000. Just one kit, not a batch of one kind of kit.
You can go to their website here.
http://handsandhearts.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=98
At the bottom of the linked page above are some suggestions to how we can help.
Please send a letter to your Senator and Representative.
The CPSIA (Consumer Produce Safety Improvement Act) was passed in August 2008 and goes into effect on February 10, 2009. It was passed in response to recent lead paint scares involving imported toys. While all good parents wants safe toys and other products for their children, the unfortunate truth is that this law was written FAR too broadly.
Because this over-reaching law mandates expensive ($400 - $4,000 per test) testing on every part of every batch of everything made for children 12 and under, the ramifications are terrible. Mid-size and small companies of all sorts will go out of business as they cannot afford the testing. If a company makes clothing, for example, they would have to test every batch of every color and style of fabric, every batch of buttons, snaps, zippers, thread, elastic, etc. Even if they used the same bolt of fabric to make several different products, simply testing that one bolt would not appease the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Instead, every size of every style of finished product would have to have every component tested individually! This scenario applies to every product made for use by children - clothing, books, DVD's, craft products, toys, sporting goods, furniture, bedding, educational products, and so forth - even if the items are made from completely natural components.
Here are just a few results of this law:
1. The children's resale market will be seriously impacted. While new updates to the CPSIA state that resale shops can continue to sell used children's items without testing them, the updates also state that no one can sell used children's items that violate the new testing standard. Selling these "banned hazardous materials" is a felony offense with a $100,000 fine and jail time - and without performing the testing, resale shops and other resellers have no way of knowing if their items are in compliance. Many used children's items venues just aren't willing to take that kind of risk and are closing their doors in spite of the updates to the CPSIA.

2. The used children's book market will cease to exist.

3. All small and cottage industries related to children's products will have to close their doors. This includes natural, organic, and/or handmade products.

4. Many mid-size companies are closing because of the enormous financial burden of the testing and the paperwork nightmare created by the necessary labeling, tracking, and certification of their products.

5. Many homeschool authors and publishers will be going out of business.

6. The economy will be impacted on several levels: economically challenged families who rely on the children's resale market will suffer, families who lose their businesses will suffer, and families with members who lose their jobs due to businesses closing will suffer. Many related industries (those who produce support products like packaging, equipment, etc.) will suffer from the loss of companies who once bought their products. The companies who can afford the testing will surely pass their costs to all of us. This means GOODWILL!!!!

7. The environmental impact will be staggering as resale shops and other business are forced to dispose of their inventory, and as families who would have donated or sold their children's used items will be forced to discard them.

8. Our freedom to choose the products that we feel are best for our children will be severely hampered. We, for example, place a high value on children's toys made from natural materials like wood or wool, or items that are handmade. We will no longer be able to purchase these items for our children.

9. At this point, libraries will have to ban children 12 and under OR remove all children's books. I have no idea what the impact will be on schools!

You can contact your lawmakers here:
HOUSE CONTACT INFO: http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml
SENATE CONTACT INFO: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Bowling

Callie's lifeskills class had a bowling fundraiser.
I either hit almost all of the pins or none at all. Mostly it was none.
Fortunately they had bumpers that would pop up for the kids.
They had a blast!
I just wish we had a rollarskating rink close by. Now that would bring back some childhood memories.


Emma didn't really bowl the ball, she kind of threw the ball. lol

Praying for babies.

We are praying for both of these babies. Both were born full term with severe respiratory distress. Both of their mom's have struggled with infertility. Both families LOVE the Lord and would so appreciate your prayers!

You can click on the button to go to their mom's blog.

babies everywhere!

Seems like there are babies POPPING up everywhere.
These pictures are from Renee's shower. Suzanne had it at her house on Friday.
Renee POPPED her baby out about a month early so baby Sarah got to come enjoy her very own baby shower!
A little over a month ago we had a shower for our friend Tara. Her baby Sophia POPPED out about 5 weeks ago. She got to come enjoy this shower with her mom.
Our other friend LaRae POPPED baby Adyson out a couple of weeks ago.
We are waiting on our other friend Cassie to POP baby Grace out. Any day now.
BABIES EVERYWHERE!
Hopefully someone with share with us?

Suzanne and I lovin on these babies!!!!
This is baby Sophia. I was her mom's nurse when she was born.
LOVE THOSE CHEEKS!!!!

This is baby Sarah. It was her special day. Isn't she beautiful! She is about 3 weeks old here.

homelearning

Here we are working really hard with our homelearning.
We don't really homeschool.
I have given up "doing school" at home.
I am their mom for pete's sake, not a teacher.
I helped them learn to walk.
I helped them learn to talk.
I helped them become potty trained.
I help them learn to read.
I help them learn their multiplication tables.
It's a mom thing.
I mostly try to help them to love to learn and to be open to lots of learning opportunities.
The more I have given up on "schooling" them,
the more I have found that God has given us these learning opportunities.
Today's lesson - graphing - with M&Ms
Does this look like fun or what!!!???

Jonas Brothers

Need I say anything at all?

Can't always be good news.

This week had it's ups and downs.
THE UPS: Emma riding her bike! Yea! (By the way, Jim went to Walmart the night I took those pictures and bought her a helmet. The dogs had chewed on her old one. Plus, we are not really strict about helmets and training wheels. It is when the training wheels come off that we make the rule.)
THE DOWNS: Callie and I both got the flu. yuck. I took this picture of her one night. She is feeling so much better now. And I have a fresh start on my diet!

prayers

I got Emma a book for Christmas that talks about prayers. It talks about different kinds of prayers, prayers of praise, thanksgiving, forgiveness etc. It also came with 300 small magnets with words, letters and pictures on them. Every morning the kids have been putting a prayer on the fridge. I love it. A good way to sneak the homeschooling in on them too. Conner is even sounding out words. Here is a picture of one that Emma did. This is my former "reluctant" reader and writer.

Can you guess?

Can anyone guess who this is?


That's right! It is Emma! Riding her bike!!!


Can you just see the concentration!



Yea Emma! We are so proud!