tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21792982263993196752024-02-20T04:42:40.124-08:00PinedaFamily5Follow me on my crazy adventures through parenthood, as a totally blind mom with a verry special family of five. I'll be sharing tips & tricks along the way & I'm always open to questions or suggestions. Come on in!MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-62782969717456180242013-05-24T23:29:00.002-07:002013-05-24T23:29:21.910-07:00That Was then This Is Now But I am BlessedDear Friends:
Summer is fast approaching and these past few months have just whizzed by. The last time I wrote I had made the introduction to the dollhouse declutter series I had planned on starting.
God had another plan.
The last time I wrote, I was living in my 2bed 2bath appartment downtown, with my husband and 3 cherubs. I'm now living in the 5bed 3 bath house I grew up in with my husband 3 MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-53953036584188468422012-09-01T22:45:00.001-07:002012-09-01T22:45:23.521-07:00Dollhouse Declutter Series IntroductionRecently I've taken on the project of decluttering my home.
I decided to begin in the most cluttered spot in my home and work my way through. I chose the master closet as my starting point. and as I sat down to plan this project out I remembered that a friend had shared with me about a method her Mama called the "dollhouse Method".
Dollhouse Method?
It's called the dollhouse method because; if MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-55141549269393252142012-09-01T21:08:00.001-07:002012-09-01T21:08:00.582-07:00A simple but Happy summerHello again friends!
This is Labor day Weekend. Our summer is winding down and we are drawing closer to the holiday season.
Summer for the PinedaFamily5 has been a fun and happy one. We began with a trip to northern California where we visited with my aunt, spent some time at peer 39, played on the boardwalk at Santa Cruz, and celebrated DS1's 11th birthday all the while.
Father's day was spent MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-22054302427315660562012-07-08T01:40:00.001-07:002012-07-08T01:40:17.987-07:00My Other Health Issue StoryTonight I am sitting on my couch. Everyone else is sleeping,. This past week has been a particularly trying one. It seems like my health issues have all popped their heads out to wish me a "Happy 4th of July".
Needless to say, this may not be the most positive entry I've ever written. But, as most of us have come to realize, life isn't always a bowl of cherries. And just incase you were wonderingMommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-80643363466490904752012-06-17T08:08:00.001-07:002012-06-17T08:08:49.461-07:00Happy Father's Day To All You DadsFather, papa, dad, daddy, and so many other names we have for the man who raised us. THe man who worked long hours, woke in the middle of the night to check for monsters under the bed, and who gave us a stern "talken to" when we needed it.
This past week, my dad retired after 20 years of cleaning up after elementary school children and teachers. He worked the swing shift for the duration of thoseMommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-33998112946317487712012-06-08T21:26:00.001-07:002012-06-08T21:26:33.214-07:00My Share God ChallengeWe sit down, order our food, and wait for it to come.
When the food arrives, we say a prayer for our food. Usually 1 person prays and the family ends the prayer together with a resounding "Amen".
Prayer in a restaurant isn't something you see every day. And we often get looks for it. Surprising the looks we get are not looks of contempt, but looks of admiration. (I am not being full of myself MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-53155573860496228902012-06-07T23:41:00.001-07:002012-06-07T23:41:26.176-07:00Make My Day I Dare YouToday, is the 1st day of the rest of your life! Enjoy this day, and make the best of the days to come. How? Read on for some tips hat have helped me and I hope they prove jsut as valuable to you too.
1. A good night's sleep always makes for a better day. Rest is so important; since it gives your body the down time it needs to rejuvinate itself, your body also takes this time to heal from any MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-38993212276051248702012-05-27T23:53:00.001-07:002012-05-27T23:53:02.866-07:00Mommy's Manners Make Me HappyRecently, I was walking through a hotel I happened to notice a mom and small child who were walking in front of us. A stranger held the door for them and the mother thanked him. Just a moment later the child opened another door for his mom, who passed through the door with out so much as a, "thanks."
Sometimes we as moms can forget that a simple thank you can go a long way. Please and thank you MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-33460501213442039542012-05-19T23:51:00.000-07:002012-05-19T23:51:10.650-07:00Half Full Or Half EmptyEvery once in a while, life will throw us curve balls that have the potential to knock us six ways from Sunday. I mean those moments when it seems like nothing is what it should be, everything is going wrong, and on top of that you still have your everyday tasks to attend to.
Staying positive: OUr attitude and how we perceive things can make all the difference in the world. We've all heard the MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-16218820616925914942012-05-18T17:54:00.000-07:002012-05-18T17:54:45.518-07:00Old Lessons - "Please Pass The Potatos?"With such busy schedules most families face today; dinner as a family is something that requires a conscious effort. But that effort is crucial to the morality and family bond. THe lessons our children learn from something as simple as setting a table, the etiquette, and presentation of a formal dinner meal is something that is quickly being lost in modern society. Even if it's not _every day, MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-43819132027746420172012-05-18T17:46:00.001-07:002012-05-18T17:46:04.970-07:00Mommy And Me Manicure and TeaMommy, put your hands like this so I can see them? Momm, it's time" Daughter says smiling as she squeezes my index fingernail between her tiny index and thumb.
"Time for what?" I say taking the bate.
"let's paint your nails!" she happily whispers in my face.
I set up a TV tray in front of the couch while she gets the manicure box (an old wipes box) from my room.
This box contains nail polish MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-20964781599725265772012-05-18T17:34:00.000-07:002012-05-18T17:34:59.508-07:00I never Knew"wow, I never knew the back of my car looked like this," my mother said to me recently as I was helping her clean out her van.
Those words sparked a thought I hadn't considered before.
"Think of all the things we miss because of the idea that we're grown now."
The backseat of a van, the bottom or top bunk, sitting on the floor. These are all things our children do on a regular basis. Yet we MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-29430192611617035602012-05-18T17:08:00.000-07:002012-05-18T17:08:25.894-07:00Why We Sign & - APD And ASLASL stands for american Sign Language.
"Ok, so what do these things have to do with each other?"
I've written before about our struggles with my son's APD and how long it has taken to get a written diagnosis. Even with out the written diagnosis and through all of that time we were told that he needed visual clues such as pictures, or written word. (my son doesn't read fluently yet) I found that MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-17623115117994173572012-05-18T16:31:00.000-07:002012-05-18T16:31:31.987-07:00A Little Elbow Grease Can Save a Lot Of MoneyBy making your own things, up cycling or repurposing used containers, and cooking from scratch; a family can really save a pretty penny. I buy what i need in bulk put it together and store it as best I can in the space I have. An added bonus is that bread or cookie mixes, spice combinations, pasta and dry ingredients, etc. placed in pretty containers (even up cycled containers) make great gifts.
MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-79341008667065567342012-05-18T16:04:00.000-07:002012-05-18T16:04:26.586-07:00A Word Is Like a Latter
On a daily basis I sit with my 2nd oldest son and listen as he does his best to read the books on our shelf. For a long time, I'd have him spell a word he was stuck on and then give him the answer. Until I figured out the easiest way to explain the process of sounding out a word.
"remember, a word is like a latter. you have to step on every rung of a latter to get to the top. Likewise you must MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-13554200080820160572012-05-18T15:53:00.001-07:002012-05-18T15:53:23.905-07:00Back onlineHello Friends,
This is just a quick note to say a big thank you to John over at Apple support. In February My sweet hubby bought me a new mac computer and Up until now I had been struggling with the site I use for this blog. Not because they did something, but because I couldn't get my new screen reader to work with the programing. So, anyway, I am back and this next few hours I will be posting MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-36523382664439504412012-05-18T15:43:00.000-07:002012-05-18T15:43:37.968-07:00Unschooling our way
Have you ever wanted to spend a day at the beach, in the park, or just watching TV?
I think we all have days like that. but what if days like that could be center of your child's education?
In September I posted an article about our homeschool schedule, but since things have been so hectic around these parts lately; I have sort of dispensed with the schedule and watched what happens.
WHat MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-36711690967697716542012-05-18T15:33:00.000-07:002012-05-18T15:33:27.134-07:00Back burner blog
Hello again friends,
Over the passed few months this blog baby of mine, has been set on the back burner to make way for Birthdays, broken bones, and blessed holidays. After that, surgery, recovery, and that has lead the Pineda family 5 right in to the final week of the 1st quarter of 2012.
While all this has gone on I've not had much of a chance to keep in touch with friends or extended family, MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-89864016780855298872011-09-06T12:58:00.000-07:002011-09-06T12:58:29.599-07:00More cleaning funIn my last post, I wrote about a few games my cherubs & I play to help get the jobs of household cleaning done & keep smiles on all our faces.
Here is the post I promassed with the game instructions.
1. Laundry Basketball:
Have children search for any dirty laundry they can find. Set a line where they can stand & toss the clotheing into a hamper or basket. (try searching online or MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-10026387811978500982011-09-06T12:24:00.000-07:002011-09-06T12:24:33.343-07:00Our Homeschool ScheduleSummer is winding down & we’re picking up the homeschool pase & getting back in our groove. This year, I’ve made a few adjustments to our schedule, method, & adopted a few dreams to work on through the year.
The 1st change I made was to bring in the “workbox” method. Except that I sort of tweeked it to fit my family’s needs. Here’s how.
While shopping for school supplies, I happenedMommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-37614038230029073152011-09-06T09:58:00.000-07:002011-09-06T09:58:57.060-07:00A Quick UpdateHello Friends,
Here we are at the beginning of September & this summer like much of the 2011 year has flown by.
This summer has had it’s ups & downs for the pineda family. We’ve seen the doctor almost every week, swam to our heart’s content, the boys experienced summr camp for the 1st time, hubby took some much needed time off work, I’ve been swamped in paperwork, & life is good. MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-8378322906451062192011-07-27T21:54:00.000-07:002011-07-27T21:54:21.222-07:00special needs in publicRecently I was reading my facebook feed & happened upon a question that got the wheels in my head turning. A question to the tune of "what not to say to a parent of special needs child/ren.
Hmm...
The following is what I posted in response to this question, what comes next are my thoughts that came after that particular post was already sent.
There is so much to be said on this subject. I MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-89356293223803598152011-06-13T13:19:00.000-07:002011-06-13T13:19:16.757-07:00A Birthday Blog or Parenting From A Special-Needs Child-now-Parent's Point of ViewHappy Birthday Annie Girl!!! My mom half shouted into my bedroom door on the morning of my 10th birthday. I stretched and lazily rolled out of my bed.
"I'm still tired," I yawned with a smile.
"Come on out to the living room," she said quietly.
So, I got dressed, & when I was ready to go to school, I made my way down the hall into the living room where I promptly flopped down on the couch or MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-72052074152060132692011-06-13T09:04:00.000-07:002011-06-13T09:04:02.683-07:00Time Flys When You're Having FunHello again friends! It is now the middle of June and half of this year has just flown by like a rocket.
This past few months have been a bit hecktic with health issues, and unexpected chalenges. Getting settled in to our new place has proven to be a bit more time consuming than I had expected, and of course homeschooling always keeps us on our toes. But life would be borring if it never threw a MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2179298226399319675.post-62352723930719036162011-04-10T23:27:00.000-07:002011-04-10T23:27:10.708-07:00Common Cents - Some Tips for saving themThis recession has been on for a very long time. Now the government is having a "shut down" (leaving active military with only half a paycheck to work with until they get it together & pass a budget), some rely on supplemental security income, others are single income families, and Lord knows there are a million and one different reasons why families have to function on less than the ideal MommyO3Cherubshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12121732963486109408noreply@blogger.com0