Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

So this has been floating around Facebook. I love red velvet and I love cheesecake so I decided to try it 

                     Finished product!

My opinion: I thought they were good. Though they were more cake like than brownie. I think next time I make them I will try to make them a bit more brownie like as well a putting more cheesecake mix on them so that you can taste it better. 

Testing time?

Do any of you have to do state testing as part of your homeschool requirement? Or do any I you do it just for your information?

In Arkansas we have do state testing from 3rd to 9th grade. The results are not even sent to the state just us. We can either attend a host site that gives the test or we can purchase a test from one of the approved suppliers and administer the test ourselves and submit our receipt of proof.

We just received our registration packet and I am trying to decide on doing the test myself or taking my 3rd grader to the host site.  In a way I think she may do better at the host site because she will know she can't ask for help. However I still don't like the whole testing idea in general. What would you do, or do you do in this situation?

On another note Kiya did all the testing at the local public school to determine a learning disability. We had not received the official results because of all the snow days and such getting everyone behind. We have an appointment this coming Tuesday to go over those results. I am nervous as heck. I don't want anything more to be wrong with her but I know she has an issue, so far they say ADD and Dyslexia. I want her to be able to get help that she needs. If they determine she needs it they will give her an IEP ad that will help her next year when she is in third grade and has to test. She will either be excuse from testing or she will get help with the test. 

Until then she does great with video learning. I she hears what she is learning she remembers every bit of it. 

Bed Schooling

Since I am still recovering from birth and we are all recovering from the nasty virus we are loving bed. So here is my view today.

To my right I have a sleeping infant and a still sickly 5 year old. They get to rest an be close for me to watch them and take care of them while still able to teach the girls.

Kiya works on her Foundations B book and Kailea is working on her Language Arts Lifepac book. Each is quiet work so they don't bug each other except to ask a question on the work. Getting back on the groove from holidays as birth has been slow but we are making it.

How do you get back into thing after birth of a new baby?

Sick week

This week brought us pain. We thought we were going to be getting back into the groove of school and we all got slapped in the face with some nasty virus. We all ran fever with a horrible headache. As the fever broke we all developed a nasty cough, that is still lingering. I was so scared the baby would get sick but I think he is making it through just fine. Hopefully we are are on the mend now and can get back into action. I am excited to start working on t reviews and sharing them with everyone.

Back to the grind

It is so hard to get back to the grind of school when you have been off for so long.  It doesn't help that we keep getting lots of bad weather that is causing the public schools to close as well.  It is so easy to say no school for us if public school is out too.  

I think the biggest struggle is having a new baby in the mix.  Taking care of him and trying to give full attention to the kids is trying.  I know we will eventually get into a good routine and I need to give it time.  If anyone has any tips on how to get back into the swing of things after a birth let me know.

I am also still very tired from birth.  I lost a lot of blood, my hemoglobin was a 6 when it should be at least 13.  I declined the transfusion  since I wasn't having any symptoms besides tiredness.  So I am trying to build that back up with lots of iron.  Also a couple days ago I noticed my incision is coming open in two spots.  So far they said just keep it clean and dry.  I am going to give it till Monday and go to the doc if it seems to be getting worse.  I am still having lots of pain in my belly area.  I can't get a full cough out with out pain let alone go to the bathroom comfortably.

On the up side nursing is going very well and Syler is growing just fine.  He is a picky eater and only likes to eat with me sitting up and in the football hold.  With my last he didn't care how I held him (he would have been fine upside down) he would chow down.

January is rough!

So as you have seen I had my wonderful baby #4 on Dec. 26th!  He is a great baby.  He only fusses to eat or if he has a poopy butt.  He really is very content any other time of the day.  His daddy was very proud of him as you can see as well.

Syler is now a week and a half old and still being that great little baby.  Though this are starting to hit me about how rough they are going to get.

My other 3 kids went to spend Christmas with their dad and then their nana and papa took them while I had the baby.  That way I could come home and heal with out having to run after the rest of the kids.  The kids will be coming home this week and I am scared. 

I know they will be a big help but I also know that the trials I had before the baby (like them fighting) will still be there.  Then we have to get back into the swing of homeschool all while trying to figure out how to add the new baby in the mix. 

I took this quarter off of college to have him and I am really scared that I won't be able to juggle being a full time mom, homeschooler, and college student anymore.  It wasn't so bad with the other kids because I could work while they did their school work, or I could send them to play so I could work.  Now I have a newborn that needs me at all times.  I can't imagine being in the middle of a quiz and him start fussing wanting nursed or changed.  I know I have always been an advocate of being able to do it.  Maybe I have a touch of baby blues that is making me doubt myself, I am not sure.  I am sure that I am scared to death of what is to come but I am also trusting in God to lead me in the right path.  Maybe this is a time that my path needs to change or it is a challenge that I need in order to grow and do better at what I am now.  I guess through the next weeks and even months we will see how it all pans out.

I hope everyone else is having a smooth transition back into the stride of work into the new year.