Oliver brag

Oliver is a physical kid, with a ton of energy.  From the moment he wakes in the morning I think "What can we do today to get him to sleep tonight?"  Not negative energy, not annoying energy, he just really enjoys physical challenges and he likes having a job to do.

Oliver loves his new swim lesson class.  It's called first wave for kids 5+.  He is so brave in the water, he puts his goggles on, puts his face in the water and kicks around like a little fish.  My favorite part is that Oliver is the only one in his swim class that can't reach the bottom of the pool, and he could care less.  This wouldn't be all that impressive but do you remember how his relationship with water started?  Terror.

a gem that the orphanage took

beginning to be okay with water

Even more exciting than advancement in swimming lessons is moving to a new gymnastics class.  This summer Oliver will move on from his grasshopper (4 intermediate) class to an all boy 5-7 class.  The co-ed classes are great, but an all boys class means Oliver will get to finally use the rings in his class, he is just going to love that! 

On top of all of the above developments, we are getting ready for kindergarten in the fall August.  Boo.  Our boy is so old all of the sudden.  Full day kindergarten is fee based, and as a stay at home mom/retired kindergarten teacher we can't really justify that price.  I know the benefits of full day kindergarten, but I also know the benefits of exploring parks, and playing, and being home, and visiting museums, and hanging with your sister, and relaxing at home, and learning at home.  So we requested afternoons.  We haven't received his placement yet, but I assume afternoon is less popular so it shouldn't be too much of an issue. 


So, in conclusion, Oliver's awesomeness continues.

Let's get going. Update.

Week 1 and Week 2 updates...

Errrr, productivity is such a challenge with three kids, Oliver on spring break, a sudden trip to Boston, and everything else that needs to get done during the day.  However, some things have gotten accomplished. 

And here is my list

1. Oliver's room
2. Oliver's closet
I keep Oliver's room very minimal.  Bed, dresser, books.  It's just easier that way.  It's easier for him to fall asleep, easier for him to clean himself, and it usually looks pretty good.  We went through his closet and dresser together, tried on clothes and piled up ones that don't fit.  We touched up some paint.  Washed duvet and the duvet cover and sheets.  While changing his bed sheets I noticed a few papers sticking out from under the bed.  Then I looked under the bed...OH MY STARS, It's like a mini episode of hoarders under there.  Tons of paper taken from the office, my fabric scissors, a vat of vaseline with deep finger holes stuck into it, a bunch of books, one of my rings,  few toys snatched from Lydia, and two used cloth diapers.  Nice.  So yeah, he cleaned those things up and now we check under there a couple times a week. 
I also added a little hook and eye lock to Oliver's closet door because he was peeing on his closet floor instead of going to the bathroom in the morning.  Four year old boys are an interesting bread. 
3. Master bedroom
4. Master bathroom
5. Master closet
Donated clothes that don't fit or don't get worn, refolded dresser clothes, refinished a ceder trunk and added it to the room to hold sheets and extra pillows, hung new blinds, scrubbed the bathroom, and touched up paint.  I would like to replace the ceiling fan with something different or a better fan, but that's going to have to wait until a later time.  Oh I also cleaned under our bed, not as scary as Oliver's but lots and lots of dust bunnies that needed vacuuming.  Found plenty to donate.  
6. Lydia's room
7. Lydia's closet
Collected out grown clothes and got them to the consignment store.  Touched up paint.  Organized her closet and dresser. 
8. Kid's bathroom
Scrubbed!
9. Office - The office/guest room needs more help than I can give it!  Will keep working at it. 
10. Office closet
11. Hall
See when I clean the upstairs rooms I throw everything that needs to be relocated into the hall, thus the hall needing its own day to be rescued.  Got everything to the goodwill or the consignment shop or back to where it lives in our house. 
12. Hall closet
Refolded sheets and towels, donated useless stuff, put Oliver's games back together, and touched up some paint.  
13. Catch up! -I need more time to catch up!! 
This week I'll try to finish upstairs and keep plugging along. 
 How is your lent journey going?

14. Stairs
15. Living room
16. Downstairs bathroom
17. Toy room
18. Toy room
19. Kitchen
20. Kitchen
21. Kitchen...3 days, yeah, there is a lot that needs organizing!
22. Laundry room
23. Porch
24. Deck
25. Dining room
26. Windows, ugh, I'm so awful at cleaning windows, and we have sooooo many.
27. Coat closet
28. Catch up!
29. Basement storage room
30. Basement bathroom
31. Basement work room
32. Basement main area
33. Basement stairs
34. Catch up!
35. Clean out the cars
36. Garage
37. Garage
38. Yard work
39. Yard work
40. Yard work

What are you working on?  Do you have lent goals? Or spring cleaning/organizing dreams?

let's get it done

Over the past few years I've taken time during the lenten season to rescue my house and push through random projects that I may I have been putting off, and this year is no exception.  Our house, in general, is feeling pretty neat and organized, but there are defiantly things that need attention. 

I get my inspiration over here.

The goal is to get rid of things we don't use or can't fit, fold things that are not folded, touch up paint, hang things that are waiting to be hung, put away the Christmas wreath, and make it so the junk drawer(s) can shut.

And here is my list

1. Oliver's room
2. Oliver's closet
3. Master bedroom
4. Master bathroom
5. Master closet
6. Lydia's room
7. Lydia's closet
8. Kid's bathroom
9. Office
10. Office closet
11. Hall
12. Hall closet
13. Catch up!
14. Stairs
15. Living room
16. Downstairs bathroom
17. Toy room
18. Toy room
19. Kitchen
20. Kitchen
21. Kitchen...3 days, yeah, there is a lot that needs organizing!
22. Laundry room
23. Porch
24. Deck
25. Dining room
26. Windows, ugh, I'm so awful at cleaning windows, and we have sooooo many.
27. Coat closet
28. Catch up!
29. Basement storage room
30. Basement bathroom
31. Basement work room
32. Basement main area
33. Basement stairs
34. Catch up!
35. Clean out the cars
36. Garage
37. Garage
38. Yard work
39. Yard work
40. Yard work

What are you working on?  Do you have lent goals? Or spring cleaning/organizing dreams?

resolution update

I'm a little late with the February resolution update.  February just doesn't have enough days. 

So here's an update on the remaining goals, not that anyone cares, it just helps me stay accountable if I write it down, errr type it out. 

1. Get dressed.  Everyday with the exception on last Sunday (snow day!) I totally got dressed in real clothes.  Since starting this new job watching a drooly slobbery 6 month old they are usually covered in baby slime, but I am dressed. 

2. Get bloggy.  5 posts or more each month

4, ooops

3.  Get a daily schedule down and do more activities with the kids. 

I've started writing a daily plan down each night for the next day.  Building in time to practice sight words with Oliver, special time with Lydia, chores, playing, cooking, swimming lessons, preschool, caring for our new little guy, wash, and a million other things that could be included.  Having the schedule set up in advance for the next day makes it seem less hectic and holds me accountable to get everything taken care of. 


**Bonus Achievement of the Month**

JOINED A GYM!



I've been going to a really fabulous yoga studio for about a year now.  I love it, and yoga makes me feel amazing.  I've been doing yoga on and off since high school and I love the variety of classes at this studio.  Sweaty hot power yoga, hatah to perfect poses, and restorative to stretch everything out and relax.  It's so good and the teachers are great too.  If you're local you should check it out.  First class is free and they have other things besides yoga, but yoga is my joy so I pretend it's all that exists. 





However, yoga classes only happen at certain times, and Jim's only home at certain times, and it's not often enough that all the stars align allowing me to go as much as I'd like, and those last few baby pounds are still hanging around, so it was time to rejoin the gym down the street.  I was a member before but broke up with them when I had Lydia and any free time needed to be spent sleeping or taking care of Oliver.  However, everyone is sleeping better and everyone, including Jim, is in bed by 8:30, so I've got some free time. 

It's a 24 hour gym and it's about a mile away so instead of enjoying time blogging and watching TV on my couch in the evening I can go hit the gym a couple nights a week.  We get our membership through our insurance, so it's super cheap. 

How are your resolutions going? 

two for one

Pinterest tells me I need to use a oil drip pan as a magnetic board.  Pinterest is right, I totally do.  I hear you can find these oil drip pans at walmart, not the walmart near me, and I didn't care to do an extensive search, so I just hit the amazon.  If I can't find it at amazon, then I really don't need it.  $10 and a few days later the drip pan is on my doorstep, along with some new magnetic letters.  

oooo so shiny

To the left of the magnetic board is a little organizer that hangs on the wall.  It has a few other magnetic toys that used to live on the fridge.  Oliver can practice writing his sight words, and Lydia can practice throwing the letters on the floor and occasionally putting them back, occasionally. 

The bonus of online ordering is receiving boxes!  We made our box into a ball drop/ski ball game. 

Cut off the extra flap at the bottom.

Reinforce with some tape.
Saw a few ball sized holes.

I asked Oliver if he wanted to color it or number it, like a score board, he just wanted to play. 

Lydia dropping her ball in

rolling balls down

rolling balls up

3 years, happy family day!!

One moment I think, wow it's already been three years.  The next moment I think, wow it's only been three years.  It's funny how time can feel so fast and so slow all at the same moment.

Three years ago I had the up most pleasure of busting Oliver out of his orphanage.  I just re read my post from that day.  Some of the details I had since forgotten and am thankful that I blogged them all.  How I felt, how I think Oliver felt, and everything else.  Such a sweet time.  What I think about the most or remember the most is how brave Oliver was.  Who was I, just a stranger he's seen a few times.  Undressing him, and re dressing him in fresh clothes, speaking nice words that he didn't know and suddenly leaving everything he'd ever known to go give something different a try.  He was so brave.  He didn't cry or fuss...well I guess he was taught not to.  I didn't hear a peep from him until I tired to bathe torture him.

leaving!

We talk adoption with Oliver.  It's just something we never wanted him to be surprised about.  Gone are the days when you're 16 and you stumble upon some random paperwork and begin to question everything, at least those days better be gone.  I've heard stories of kids asking a lot of questions, kids, even kids adopted young, telling stories of life in the orphanage, asking about birth mothers, etc.  Oliver just doesn't question any of this, and never says anything about the orphanage, at least not yet.  However, just because he isn't asking about it doesn't mean we shouldn't be talking.  It's not something we discuss daily, but during this time of the year I try to help him work out the details of how it all came together, though I'm still amazed that it did.  The point I like to focus on most is that mommy and daddy knew you were a boy that was waiting for a family and we think being in a family is the best thing for a kid.  

On Oliver's family day we like to let him pick what he wants to do.  The first one we picked an indoor play place and he pick hamburgers for dinner at Red Robin.  Last year he wanted to go out for pizza and ice cream at a local spot.  This year he has requested an afternoon at the science museum followed by dinner at Lidia's Itay, a really delicious Italian place....that's our boy.  I love his developing palate.  And we always swing by the European Food Market, which actually should be called The Russian Grocery, where Oliver picks out some of his favorite Russian treats...usually apple juice and chocolates. 

A few pictures from the year...

feb 2013

feb 2014

Oliver is our most favorite boy.  He is the perfect boy for us.  We look forward all the adventures to come.

done

We've been dealing with Russia since February 2010 when switched from Kazakhstan and accepted our referral.  We jumped through all the hoops required to adopt Oliver and as of tonight we have completed all the post placement requirements.

WE ARE DONE!

After our social worker left Jim says, that was awkward.  I thought it went fine.  He says he felt like he was being judged....yeah, that's the point.