Daddio: Another Weekend, Another Medical Emergency

Saturday morning, after getting a bit of yard work done, Jen was sitting on the couch drinking some water when she started getting extremely dizzy, lightheaded and nauseous and almost passed out a handful of times.  Thinking she was dehydrated from being outside, I made her drink a bunch of water, but that wasn't helping.  The fainting spells came and went in waves, so when it seemed to pass for a bit, I got Nana to watch the kids and drove Jen to urgent care.  By the time we got there it mostly passed.  She had a small wave of dizziness while the nurse was examining her, but that was it.

They immediately checked her fluids and found that she wasn't dehydrated, so they checked her heart and she hadn't had a heart attack.  They ran some blood work and it came back clean-- for all intents and purposes she was completely healthy except that she was having these fainting spells.  They figured it was a virus that was making her nauseous and every time it hit her, it dropped her blood pressure.  Jen has low blood pressure normally, so when it dropped it, it made her lightheaded.

So we went home with some anti-nausea medicine and Jen stayed in bed for the rest of the weekend.  She feels perfectly fine now and everything is okay.

Here's the really weird part.  This morning she just remembered that about an hour before the fainting spells first hit, she had been picking weeds out of the cactus garden with her bare hands.  She picked one that pricked her entire right hand with sharp thorns and it made her whole hand numb for about five minutes.  Less than an hour later is when all the craziness started.

The moral of the story: wear gloves when doing yard work.

Connor: Science

Today we started our first day of the science unit on not affecting our environment.  We had more trash than usual like 8 diapers, many bits of food  and food containers and paper.  Yeah so basically we did not reduce our trash today.  Today you kids made dish soap and laundry detergent.  Mason and I had not helped.  I really can't wait to start tomorrow's activity.

Connor: Blog of The Day

Dear Mommio,   I love learning about all kinds of things from you. If it's from Shakespeare or Edgar A. Poe it is always interesting.  My favorite unit was about Homer's epic poems.  To me you are the best teacher evermore.  I will go to Public school nevermore.  I love you Mommio.
Love,
Connor

Connor: My New Bedroom

Yo, Toes today I am moving into my new bedroom.  Marney is playing with her flip video camera.  Tonight is going to be the first time I sleep in my new bedroom.  Mommio is moving my bed into my bedroom.  Dadddio is sorting his tools.  When we're done the kids are going over to Nana's house. Here's me in my new room!

Mommio: Our Week

Monday- Six Flags
Tuesday- Sea World
Wednesday- Disney World
Thursday- Bush Gardens
Friday- Worlds of Fun
Saturday- The Great Escape
Sunday- Disney Land

Just checking to see if any toes are reading. But our week will be just as fun with no amusement parks!

Mommio: A Wednesday In November

This Wednesday was a great day, and one that only happens in November in Texas. We started the day in long pants and jackets and ended it in swimsuits in the river. Just perfect. In between the two we had a blast with our homeschool friends at Weavers Bottom. As you can see from reading the kids posts from today, we learned a lot about birds this week at our homeschool Adventure Club meeting. Go take a look at the pictures from the meeting!

Mommio: Our Week

Our Halloween weekend was so busy (and fun) that I never got around to posting our schedule for this week. So here goes...

Monday- lazy morning, yoga
Tuesday- Nana Day, Connor orthodontist
Wednesday- Adventure Club meeting at Weaver's Bottom about birds, D&D night
Thursday- back to the sculpture ranch with Nana and the Weavers, outside day
Friday- morning school, Roanoke Unit Study, house chores, movie night
Saturday- go to Walking With Dinosaurs with Nana and Popo
Sunday- yard chores, start ornaments, science, date night

Mommio: What We Did Today

Today we went with Nana and some homeschool friends to see a play for young children called Farm To Market at the Zach Scott Theatre in Austin. It was really fun, all the kids enjoyed it. Especially the musical tribute to poop! I enjoyed the large puppets- especially the ants.

Mommio: Letterboxing

Today we went to find a letterbox at a really amazing place out in the hill country in Johnson City. The place is called Benini Sculpture Ranch and it is a large family owned ranch (with beautiful views) created by an Italian artist named Benini. There is a gallery with amazing artwork and then huge sculptures all over the property. Take a look at the slideshow of all the art we saw today. There was one letterbox there found near a series of sculptures that represent fire, around a giant fire pit. The box was called Cock's Crow- after another sculpture by the same artist. Here it is!

Mommio: Our Week

Another really fun week was had! The weather has been just right to be outside enjoying ourselves and we managed to spend almost everyday outside doing something.... We moved art/music class outside on Monday, Tuesday Robin and I took time for a nice walk, Wednesday we were outside at Weaver's Bottom learning to plant acorns and playing in tons (literally) of dirt, Thursday we spent a beautiful day at the San Antonio Zoo, Friday was spent playing in the yard and basketball, Saturday we worked in the yard and today we went to a Sculpture Ranch. Hopefully the weather will continue for this week!

Monday- Roanoke Unit Study, music (recorder with Robin), art (silhouettes with Mommio), yoga, chemistry with Daddio
Tuesday- Nana Day
Wednesday- morning school at Weaver's Bottom (Doctor Dolittle book club, scooping out pumpkins, and much more), afternoon school
Thursday- going to the Zach Scott theater to see a play called Farm To Market, eat lunch and play at Zilker park, Connor Teen Library League
Friday- school, Roanoke Unit Study, house chores, movie night
Saturday- Halloween! carving pumpkins, trick-or-treating, and backyard camping with friends
Sunday- finish up camping

Mommio: Group Zoo Shots

Mommio: What We Did Yesterday

We went to the San Antonio Zoo yesterday with some other homeschool families. It was a beautiful day and we saw everything at the zoo. We had three grandmas along with us so all the little children (and the adults too) got everything they could ever want out of the trip! My favorite part was watching the kids feed the birds...such great reactions. You can see all the zoo pictures in a slideshow here.

Mommio: Our Week

It was hard getting back to a "schedule" this last week but we managed somehow, we even fit in a swim at Inks Lake- probably the last of the year. The highlight of the week was the archery class for the four older toes, they loved that! Here's the plan for this week:

Monday- Roanoke Unit Study, music (recorder and rhymes), art (silhouettes), yoga, chemistry with Daddio toe
Tuesday- Nana Day, Connor orthodontist, Connor and Mason Wii night with homeschool friends
Wednesday- morning at Weaver's Bottom (Doctor Dolittle, burd stuff, terrarium), sleepovers for Marney and Gabe, afternoon school, leveling D&D characters
Thursday- San Antonio Zoo with homeschool friends
Friday- school, Roanoke Unit, house chores, movie night
Saturday- yard chores, finish Wright Brothers science, game night
Sunday- letterboxing, Mom and Dad date night

Avery: What I Did Today

Today was very busy! The first thing that Gabe did after breakfast is he went and picked all the radishes from our garden with dad! We had a lot of giant ones. Later in the day we all did our chores. I had to vacuum, Mason had to mop, and Gabe had to clean the rat's cage. after we did our chores we had lunch. we had hot dogs. after we ate our lunch mom and Dad went to get stuff down from the attic, so that we could get stuff for our Halloween costumes. I am going to be an elf! At night Gabe and I had a hand and foot combat. I won! Gabe still did a really good job. I just can't wait for tomorrow.

Mommio: Our Week

After a very busy week with G & G toe here to visit we will try to get back to a normal schedule around here this week. Here are the plans:

Monday- Roanoke Unit Study, music (recorder duets), art (relief portraits) and yoga with the Weaver's, chemistry with Daddio
Tuesday- Nana Day, Connor and Mason out to dinner with Mommio, Daddio overnight to Houston
Wednesday- morning at the Weaver's- starting our new book, Doctor Dolittle, for the book club and learning how to make applesauce on a campfire, afternoon school, Daddio home from Houston
Thursday- Roanoke Unit Study, school, Connor, Mason, Avery and Gabe go to archery class with Daddio Connor Teen Library League
Friday- Roanoke Unit Study, school, cooking, house chores, sleepover night
Saturday- yard chores, Wright Brothers science unit with Daddio, family game night
Sunday- letterboxing at the Sculpture Ranch

Mommio: Our Week

Last week went well, it all seems to have been a blur to me though since it just flew by. We didn't have music and art because the Weaver's were out late the night before getting their new goats, but that's okay because we got to meet them all on Wednesday. Connor's neuro. check up went well, his MRI had no changes again so he can wait 2 years now for the next one. Great! This week Grandma and Grandpa are visiting AND it is supposed to rain all week so all bets are off on the schedule...but here is what we have planned so far:

Monday- Russia Morning- learning all about Russia, G & G's trip there, making food and crafts, yoga, Nana & Popo leave to balloon festival
Tuesday- cook "snake" breadsticks
Wednesday- Adventure Club on reptiles at Robin's place, D&D
Thursday-
Friday- Sea World, N & P return
Saturday-
Sunday- G & G leave, chores, science

We also might: go letterboxing, swim at Inks Lake, swim here, swim at the hotel, go to Longhorn Caverns, go bowling, go to Sweet Berry Farms, go to the Witte Museum, do some more baking...and much more, or less.

Mommio: Wednesday At The Weaver's

We had another great morning at the Weaver's this week- it was beautiful outside, we finished up The Midwife's Apprentice in our book club and got to meet the new goats. It's so cool that our friends are becoming actual goat farmers- and more cool that we are getting to learn along with them...coming soon: goat breeding, baby goats, milking goats, goat cheese, goat soap making. So much to learn!

Mommio: Our Week

We had a great week- Avery even had an unplanned sleepover with Lily that went so well they will be trying it again this week. Gabe's had a long, exciting birthday week and we are all recovering from that! This week we are getting ready for Grandma and Grandpa to arrive and:

Monday- Roanoke Unit Study, music (recorder duets), art (clay relief portraits) and yoga with the Weaver's, chemistry night with Daddio
Tuesday- Nana Day, Connor neurologist check-up, Avery sleepover with Lily
Wednesday- book club (finish Midwife's Apprentice) and reptile projects at the Weaver's, afternoon school, D&D
Thursday- school, Roanoke Unit Study, Connor Teen Library League
Friday- park, house chores, Grandma and Grandpa arrive!, family movie night
Saturday- Inks Lake, Mikenna's birthday party, game night
Sunday- letterboxing or Witte Museum

Mommio: What We Did Today

Had the
lake all to ourselves!

Mommio: Our Week

We had a really busy, really fun week and we did everything we had planned to do and more. We got to swim twice this week (at the Slab and at Barton Springs) and are going again here today. We had a great field trip with homeschool friends, you can look at the pictures here. We finished our World Religions Unit Study and got started on some new ones. And no one was sick all week! Here's what we are planning for this week:

Monday- introduction to Roanoke Unit Study, music (recorder duets), art (clay pinch pots) and yoga with the Weaver's, chemistry night with Daddio
Tuesday- Gabe's Alone Nana Day/Night, Inks Lake swimming
Wednesday- morning school and book club (finish Midwife's Apprentice), afternoon school, D&D
Thursday- school, Roanoke Unit Study, Connor Teen Library League
Friday- school, Roanoke Unit Study, house chores, family movie night
Saturday- Gabe's turns 8!, birthday party, bow and arrow/slingshot practice, lake swimming
Sunday- yard chores, groceries, science (Wright Brothers)