Poor Hudson

Where do I start with Hudson. Well, if only it was a bad case of gingivitis. We have been through a roller coaster of a ride with the dog. We should have budgeted more for him. After taking him to the internal medicine doctor we came to the conclusion he had snout cancer. We had to do one more lab test to rural out a fungal infection before starting him on steroids and pain meds. We had prepared ourselves with Hudson having snout cancer and started to prepare for making sure he had a great time with what he had left with us. Well, the fungal test came back positive, so he doesn't have cancer. The vet offered scans, surgery, and all sorts of treatment with only a 60% cure rate. It would only cost us $12,000. When all three kids ask can we have a car, go to college....I will just whip out a picture of the dog and say no.....This is what you get! A picture of the dog that took your money. We decided to turn down the surgery offer and treat him with oral medications. The oral medications are still a bit pricey, but we are going to give it a try for a bit and hope it can help. The good news is that Hudson is now on the Walgreens prescription plan. For a small fee he qualifies for meds at a very reduced rate due to him not having insurance. I now go to the pharmacy for meds for the dog! Wish us luck, Rob is defiantly not ready to let his first born go and I am struggling a tiny bit as well!

They Hatched

Our praying mantis egg hatched today! It said we could get 75-200 nyphys and we got over a 150, but less than 175? If you look closely you can see the tiny little guys on the top of the butterfly habitat. The kids were thrilled to see the transformation and the egg finally do something!

You know it is bad when our kids see a moth or bug flying free in our house and give the statement: Look mom we have a new pet!

The First Lady

Girls Inc. had a luncheon and brought The First Lady in as a speaker. 

Mason 4th Quarter-Mid quarter report

Mason came home with his mid quarter report for the 4th quarter.
Thematic Units included the following: eggs and chicks; spring; trees; plants and seeds; weather; caring for the earth; reduce, reuse, recycle.
Concepts are language arts and mathematics. Mason is satisfactory in both categories. He is reading, writing, and doing math. He is also satisfactory in personal and social growth.
Mrs. Farley wrote the following in the comments section:Mason continues to do well in all areas. He can work on the following:
-staying focused during work time (especially writing so that he produces his best work)
-neat handwriting-this has improved

Overall we can't complain!

How to Draw

I checked out a how to draw book from the library and Mason was very excited to draw the airplane. I was very impressed how good he did with something to look at while drawing. He then added a roller coaster and a rocket.

Loves to Cook

Mason wasn't the role play child, Bryson will play any roll you put him in. He currently loves to bake cupcakes. He even pretends they are hot and wears his hot pad as he serves you! He spends hours playing in the toy kitchen! 

Mason School Music Program

Mason debuted in his first school music program. They sang Friday Nights, Under the Sea, and You've Got a Friend in Me. They had actions they did with the songs and a speaking part he had to memorize. The video of him singing is too big to upload, but you really aren't missing anything. Rob captured the smile in the and it shows his excitement. We were surprised that he actually participated and sang. When they sing at church he doesn't sing and he may or amy not do the actions! As the night went on the actions were smaller and smaller as Mason lost interest or was just too tired to carry on!

They Clean

If only it was help that was actually help. The positive is that my floor had a bit of water on it after so it is also a bit cleaner. Not sure if the dishes are clean, but nothing the real dishwasher couldn't clean up! Funny how times have changed. If the sink could eat people I think it would have eaten Mason whole! 

Reduce-Reuse-Recycle

Mason is talking about recycling in school and they asked for him to take a picture of himself making an impact on recycling. He is more than happy to help take out the recycle bin at this point in time. Funny how I mentioned him helping prior to this movement at school and he had no interest! The power school holds while I hold none! Hmmmm something is wrong!

Dressing

Ellery is working on dressing herself! What a thought to have two children that can dress themselves. She does great as long as her undies are set out for her. If she has to do any figuring out how they go on, they go on like this. I can't imagine how uncomfortable that it, but it doesn't seem to bother her!

Another loose tooth

We have another really lose tooth. Warning: this video contains wiggling in inappropriate ways!

Bryson's new tote

Bryson really likes to mimic Ellery. She is very impressionable for him as Mason is for her. She tends to be more into what Mason likes when he is around, but when it is just Bryson and Ellery her girly girl side really comes out which brings out Bryson's girly side. Grandma Debbie probably had no idea that the barn yard animals in this cute barn carrier would get a lot of playtime. Bryson likes to carry it around and will put anything he finds in it along with the animals. Sometimes he chooses to find another home for the animals so he can put more into the barn. Today he decided that Rob's shoe would be a perfect new home for the animals. Sometimes he tucked it under his arm like a football and other times the shoe strings proved to be a great handle for him!

Eagle Report

Mason's school has an Eagle Report every morning. It is produced in the library and the reports are staffed from the 5th grades. The  5th grade anchors do invite in reports from the field aka younger classes. They do the kindergartners towards the end of the year and invite the parents to sit in the library or known these days as the "media center". I think if you asked Mason if his school had a library he would say you mean the media center. Regardless of the somatics these days we sat in the room full of books and watched Mason on the TV. He had to do a report on tools to prepare himself for the big event and I don't think we have to worry about him being camera shy!

I can whistle

Ellery is a self taught whistler. She can only whistle by sucking air in, but she is getting pretty good! I am not sure where her motivation came from, but she has determination when she wants it!

New Pets

I really can blame this one on my neighbor Darcy. She wanted to get a praying mantis egg and said she would split shipping with me if I got one. I couldn't resist that offer!  I then ended up getting the praying mantis egg and lady bug larvae. I missed my calling in being an entomologist. The kids are fascinated and I am excited to see if the egg hatches. I am a bit nervous, it states we could get 200 nymphs. Wish me luck!