Day 12 - Stage 2 of Intro

Let's see.  Hmm.  Today went pretty well all in all.  Our 2 year old is continuing to regress, but Praise the Lord, I think I know why and can do something about it.  Our 8 year old and I are still battling constipation and irritability.  Our 8 year old also has some signs of yeast (we will skip the details).  Our 5 year old and 11 year old seem to be doing pretty good for the time being.

Everyone got up and ate and did their chores.  The older two didn't have any issues with their schoolwork today.  I just LOVE how responsible and independent they have become.  Thank you, Jesus.  The timing could not have been more perfect.  Last year at this time, we were struggling with learning to be independent.

All morning and early afternoon, the older three children helped out wherever needed and worked on their schoolwork and their chores a little here and a little there and they still got it all done by lunch around 2PM.  That was the earliest we could pull it all together, but they snacked all along the way so it was really no big deal to eat so late.  We had lots of messes and lots of stuff to take care of, but we did some recreational stuff, too.  We went for a walk around the block with my loved one's dad who comes over every day at 10AM to play with the 2 year old or whoever.  We raced.  We found acorns.  We studied a fairy ring with giant mushrooms.  One was 8 inches in diameter.  Huge!  We looked at crepe myrtle flowers and discussed how the bees had pollinated them and looked at the 'fruit' that was produced as a result.  We felt the cool breeze (cool for Houston, Texas in September) and enjoyed the beauty of the blue sky with the soft white clouds blowing by.  Ahhh!  That was nice.

We changed diapers.  We cleaned up messes.  We cooked.  We scraped spaghetti squash.  We washed and dried squash seeds.  (We are thinking that we can roast them later or grind them up for flour.)  We blended soups.  We folded laundry.  We cleaned the table and the floor and we loaded the dishwasher.  I am sure that there is more.

By three, I put a video on for the little two year old and retired to the back to put the very tired baby down for a nap and get a little rest for myself.  I think the older kids played and watched TV and just vegged out for a while, too.  They earned a break.  My dad came over (He helps out every day.) and thought it looked like everything was under control.  Everyone looked happy.

Quotes for the day:  "I love living in this house."  (11 year old boy as he was helping me with chores in the kitchen)  "I drank all my broth.  Will someone please pass me the asparagus?"  (5 year old, formerly picky eater, at dinner tonight)  "I love Mommy!  I love Mommy!  I love Mommy!"  (Chant started by my 5 year old and copied by my 2 year old.  You have to put your finger in your mouth and pull your lip down on the left side while saying it to get the actual effect of the chant.  The 2 year old copied every detail of the 5 year old's mantra.)

WHAT WE ATE TODAY:

filtered water with lemon

chicken or brisket

squash and carrots

chicken broth

squash soup (butternut squash, broth, chicken pate, sea salt)

leftover hamburger soup

spaghetti squash

roast beef

cauliflower

sugar snap peas

asparagus

magnesium tea - the girls and I

We all skipped the eggs today as I was processing what I learned last night.