4 Miles

We’ve all been sick with some cold!

Will’s been sick on and off for about 2 weeks. At times he seems fine, then he’ll get a runny or stuffy nose. Two weeks ago he had croup for a few nights. Then he had a day where he just laid around and watched TV the whole day. The next day he was running aroud, acting fine! Early last week, Alex finally surcame to the chest drainiage/croupy sounding cough. Friday, James came down with it. I was praying I’d be spared, but some how, inspite (because?) of my holding out, I think I got hit the worst! I could feel myself feeling worse and worse on Sunday and by the evening I was VERY sick. Thankfully James was able to stay home from work yesterday to help out…after getting dizzy in the shower, I didn’t feel I could even drive Will to preschool! Today was a bit better, though I’m far from 100%. But we manged a trip to the store to restock up on milk, kleenex and Advil Cold & Sinus.

So, I’m praying I just keep getting better and can make it thorugh tomorrow. We have plans to go to our church’s Fall Festival, and I really want to go with Will & Alex!

…said by Will, with a note of panic in his voice. “Um, darn” was what I thought.
I told him “Don’t worry, we’ll have plenty more!”

Today we spent part of the morning raking the leaves. Well, really we kept re-raking the same pile of leaves, the boys would jump in them and run around in the pile, and then I’d rake them back in the pile again. And take lots of pictures, as you can see below. If you want to see them bigger, you can click on the black screen a few times.

Last weekend we went to my parents house for a family visit, as well as Homecoming for my 10 Year Reunion.  Right off the bat, I must say that it is much nicer to go to Homecoming when it's also a visit to home. It was nice to have a place for the boys to nap, extra family to play with the kids and play games with in the evening.

We left Friday and enjoyed hanging out with my sister and playing games that night.  Saturday was devoted to actual Homecoming Activities.  James ran the 5K, while Mom and I walked the 5K. James ran it in just over 20 minutes–winning 1st prize for his age group! He won a $15 gift certificate from the bookstore.  Mom and I walked it in 40 minutes.  I won a raffle prize, a $5 gift certificate to Ivanhoe's (a local ice cream store famous for having 100 types of shakes and 100 types of sundaes.  We enjoyed using those during our visit.  It was nice to be able to run out for ice cream while the boys were in bed!  Though I'm now wishing I'd had a pumpkin shake! After the walk, Mom and I took the boys to a farm to pick out some pumpkins. SOMEONE forgot her camera, so there are no pictures of that trip.  We didn't get to ride a wagon or anything like that, but had fun looking at all the pumpkins, gourds, squash and apples they had.  I told Will when we got back to our house (not Grandma's) we'd carve his pumpkin (and there's  another post waiting to describe that event, I'll try to share that tomorrow!).

Saturday afternoon and evening were spent at various reunions.  We met at another "townie's" parents house.  I got to spend some time catching up with fellow Biology majors.  Then we headed to my 10 year reunion dinner. I have to admit it wasn't that great.  There really weren't that many more people there that I wanted to talk with. I got to chat with one friend.  But we learned, for James' 10 year reunion next year, don't sign up for the dinner unless we KNOW some of his close friends are going to be there.  Better yet, arrange for our own meeting somewhere else where GOOD food can be found and a better chance to talk (though there were on-site sitters). 

Sunday we celebrated my mom's birthday and enjoyed the (probably last) warm day.  We went for a walk and had fun looking at the Railroad tracks and the leaves. Aunt Heidi took lots of pictures for us. After supper we headed for home. Sadly it took us longer then expected. There had been a bad accident on the road we took home and it added an hour to the trip–but the road had been closed for 2 hours earlier, and the other side of the road was closed for 4 hours.  We were thankful we weren't delayed any longer, we weren't the ones it was closed for, and glad to be home! 

Today Will's preschool had thier Fall Festival.  This was their chance to dress up, play games and eat lots of junky snacks. Will dropped his cookie on the floor, and after he retrieved it, he told me (very loudly so ALL the adults in the room could hear), "Mommy, when cookies fall on the ground they never get dirty!"

Will, at supper last week: "Mommy! This supper actually tastes good!"

* * *

Last night, driving home, Will said "Daddy, you can't sleep while you're driving home." 

* * *

Today, Alex decided he wanted to play with the train tracks (this is after he said "Rail Road Tracks!" at my parents house ALL weekend).  He walked into the living room lugguing the wooden train station that is about 1/2 his size and kept saying "Hea-by" (heavy). I was impressed he got it so far when his brother claims it's too heavy to carry out every time he needs to clean it up!

Earlier in the week, Will was doing a craft with water colors. To help Alex feel special, we let him use the markers. (I figured markers were the lesser of the two evils.)  After Alex got done coloring the paper and himself, it was bath time. (You can't see the color on his lips and forehead in this picture, but you can see where else he was coloring himself.)

I am sorry for the family or friends who've checked here and see the same post up for–oh, two weeks now?!?  But I'm going to try to make up for it today!

A week ago Friday Will's preschool went to a near-by Apple Orchard.  The apple crop here is very small this year, because of a late freeze and a dry summer. So there weren't many apples on the trees.  But the kids got to go through a corn maze.  They still learned how the farm takes the apples and turns them into apple cider. The kids still got to sample some apples and the apple cider.  Then–the most exciting part–they got to go on a tractor ride!

Alex and I went, and Alex enjoyed it a great deal as well.  He became an honorary member of the class (he got to wear a zebra bandana just like the other kids in the class).  Now he seems to think it's his right to go into the classroom & play with the toys every time we go to pick up Will.

The picture of Will is from when we were in the corn maze. The picture of Alex to the right is him holding a gourd they passed around and let the kids shake. This finally picture is of the boys playing on a wooden car. The farm had a boat and a car for kids to play on. After we did the tour, I let the boys play on the two. You can click on any of these pictures to see them bigger.  

That was Will's question tonight. 

Personally, I'm LOVING our fall cool down. We had a wonderful beef stew tonight.  I'm enjoying pulling out the jeans and long sleeved shirts. I love having the windows open in the bedroom and snuggling under the big heavy comforter.  You won't hear me complaining! (Whew, you all think!)

* * *

Now, for a total change of subject…

Today I agreed to teach a General Biology class at my alma mater, about an hour north of us, during the spring semester.  I'll be teaching a class that is focused on(but not only for) Elementrary Education majors.  So, they wanted someone with teaching experience in there.  I won't be as good as the actual profesor (he was my advisor and taught a number of my classes, so they will get someone heavly influenced by him) but he has a huge overload and this was the easiest way to ease it.  We've worked it out so I only drive up to Upland once a week.  But I'll be doing a 3 hour evening lecture for about 60 kids.  So please pray for me and the students, that I will be able to figure out a good way to engage them in such a large setting, for such a long time. 

Here are some pictures I've taken the last few days.  Click on the one to see the series.  Aunt Heidi, you need to look to see the picture of the boys using something you gave Will 2 years ago (it's still played with!).  Everyone else can look to see that as well as the tractor races & an Alex melt down over trains. I found both funny. :-)  (But I'm evil like that.)

October–playing around

Where in the world is fall?  I've grown used to Mid-west Fall–but we're having either a Southern Fall or summer here!  Our low today is supposed to be what the normal HIGH temp. is. Yesterday we tied the record high and today and tomorrow we may be breaking it (90).  While we've had a few cooler days (enough to pull out the jeans and give the A/C a break, but no frost) it does seem like we're just having a super long summer here.

I haven't bought fall gourds or pumpkins to put out on the porch because it's so warm, I'm thinking they'll rot even faster.

We haven't gone to the pumpkin patch yet because it's so warm it doesn't sound fun (and we've been a bit busy, and it's only the first weekend in October–that an activity for a later date).

I haven't pulled out the fall decorations because it just doesn't seem like fall, I can't get motivated to put them out. I realized today I usually put them out in September–and it's already October!

I have this wonderful spice candle I got for my birthday that I want to use, but it seems wrong to be making the house smell like fall spices when it feels like July outside–never mind that burning a candle just seems to be adding to the heat!

I have beef stew meat & a pot roast in the freezer, waiting for a cold day, ready to be pulled out for a warm, filling (easy) supper.

Ok, I'm done ranting. We're supposed to have a change around Tuesday (though that change keeps getting pushed back, seems this weather pattern is sticking around longer then the forecasters expect).  Please don't throw this back in my face in March or April, when I'm sick of the winter weather.