Updates

Update with Dan's job:
Dan is really a trooper. His job is getting a bit better every day. He is learning the computer system and getting quicker with it. He is figuring out ways to work around some of the major challenges that he is facing with the skilled nursing setting. The girls and I make sure to pray for him throughout the day. We eagerly wait for him to come home each day to hear how his day went. With his last job he was able to make quick phone calls a couple times a day to check in with me. He is not able to do that at this job, so I am adjusting to that too.

Food update:
We are on day 6 of green smoothies. So far, Sara is the only one that takes more time to drink hers. She usually finishes it by lunch. Sometimes I sneak some honey in hers to make it sweeter. Chloe drinks hers very fast and would drink ours if we let her. May drinks it well because she can comprehend the benefits to her body. And I have to admit...they are pretty tasty. I am still working on the right recipe for us...the right amount of greens and fruits. Yesterday I used way too many greens and it didn't taste quite as good. But everyone still drank without complaining. How cool that we are consuming more than double of the recommended servings of greens daily! Dan has battled excema on his fingers for years and it is suddenly clearing up. I have learned how to make my own almond milk...we don't drink cow's milk and haven't for about a year. But almond milk is pretty yummy. We have learned about Quinoa (pronounced keen wah) and had it for dinner last night. I sautéed fresh carrots, peppers, and garlic and added some oregano and put it all together. Excellent! And today I learned how to make ice cream from almond milk, frozen bananas and vanilla all put in the blender. It tastes like regular ice cream. For snack this morning, the girls and I baked slices of sweet potatoes to make healthy chips. So good! I am like a sponge with learning about food. I find it so intriguing and am realizing how little I knew....and how much more I still need to learn.

Update on kids:
Until recently, the kids were doing well with obedience but I think the move kind of jumbled us in that area. After realizing that my frustration level was getting too high, I had to regroup and devise a new plan. I pulled out my kids bible....I mean my Tomato Staking book....and reread parts of it. After having a very large power struggle with Mya, I sat the kids down and told them that we were going to stay home all day every day until their obedience and respect improved. That means that I have to stay off the phone, the iPad, and put my novel down. They need my attention and extra teaching until I make sure to win every battle that they present to me. My consistency needs to grow significantly and they need to understand that I will not look the other way when they slip up. So basically we are re-tomato staking until I see improvement. I will say that after outlasting with Mya yesterday she has been different...more respectful. So now I watch to make sure that continues. And hopefully one day soon we get to go somewhere!