4 Miles

So far the boys are acting fine. Fussy, but fine. I'm thinking the fussing is cabin fever is from mom being too sick to do much with for part of the week. (Or at least I'm hoping!)

* * *

Will had a substitue teacher in pre-school yesterday. He told us "there were structions left on what to do and they were wrong!" When I asked what he meant, he told me they said to have circle time, then the story and then snack! I asked what they usually do and he said usually they have circle time, the story, then craft and THEN the snack. I asked him if he told the teacher they weren't supposed to have snack yet. He said "Nah!" "Well, why not?" I asked him. "I wanted to eat the snack!" he quickly told me.

* * *

Alex has started to count things. His way of couting? "one, two, five, six, seven, eight, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven-teen!" (no how many of the objects are there). Also, yesterday he was "playing" the piano (more like banging gently) and singing with great gusto, "With a duck, duck here and a duck, duck there! Everywhere a duck, duck!"

Oh my, I have been SICK the last few days.  Sunday I woke up and did NOT feel good. But I tried to get up and shower and see if I'd feel better. After the shower, I went right back to bed. I didn't get up off the couch or out of bed much that day.  My symptoms? I felt like I'd had all my energy sucked out of me and a really quesy stomach. James was so nice and at 10 pm went out and bought me the 7-Up and apple sauce I'd been craving during the evening–before that nothing sounded that good. 

Monday I didn't have the stomach problems and was doing better–I actually could sit up for part of the time and only took 2 naps, not 4 or 5! Oh, and food sounded better–I was just too tired to make much of anything.  Thankfully James was able to stay home with the boys and I could rest up.  Today he went back to work. While I'm not 100%, I am able to walk, prepare food and read stories to the boys. (Oh, and fold the load of laundry that's been sitting in the basket in the living room, annoying me all weekend!) I did have to cancel my class Monday night–I knew there was no way I had enough energy to drive an hour each way, let alone teach three hours! So that opens up a new can of worms as far as scheduling goes, but we'll work it out.

I've been thankful I didn't get the flu that involves throwing up, and praying the boys don't get that version (if they have to get it at all).  But, it's 4pm and Will had a crying fit, so I made him go lay in bed. (The rule in our house is if you're going to cry, you have to do it in bed.) He fell asleep.  He'd acted tired this morning but then was doing better–I'm hoping it doesn't mean he's getting sick.  Alex as also seemed out of sorts/needing a better nap than he had. So we shall see! I'm sure you'll wait in breathless anticipation for updates!

I'm sure after my earlier post (from yesterday) you were wondering what I ended up doing in the afternoon! I gave up on cleaing or working and we went outside to play in the 2-3 inches of snow we'd gotten the night before. Plus, it had "warmed up" to 20 (the two previous days the windchills had been in the neg. single digits, so this did seem warm!)  

Here, Alex proves it's NEVER too cold to slide (no matter WHAT Mommy says):

After playing outside for awhile, we went over to Daddy's office to sled down the hill. Sadly, the hill faces the south and so the sun had melted enough snow off that we just couldn't do it that well. So we hiked around the pond. It was great to be outside!

One more picture from Tuesday. Sunday the boys had a bath before church. James spiked Will's hair. After two days of sleeping on it, Will had developed a "faux hawk" (a fake mohawk). This picture doesn't quite do it justice (the only other one I took was blurry),  but it was cracking me up.

We are in a bit of a quandary in our house, and I'd like friends/family to weigh in.  Will is 4 1/2, and will turn 5 mid-August. The school system we live in allows kids to go to Kindergarten if they turn 5 before Sept. 1st.  So he could go next year. I had been confused because the STATE says you have to be 5 before Aug. 1st, but the school systems in the area have set Sept. 1st as the cut-off. 

I talked with Will's preschool teacher today. She said socially and emotionally, Will is ready. We keep trying to decide if it'd be better to send him (so he could have some challenges, not be bored so he wouldn't be a trouble maker in the future, plus, all his friends at church are going next year so he'd be in the same level with them) or wait a year and send him when he's six. So many people say it's best to wait. Then he'd be an older one in his class, more of a leader probably, he'd be the first of his friends to drive, not the last, he'd be 18 going to college, not 17. But he'd like to go next year.  So, those of you who know him, what do you think? 

We made it through week #3 of teaching!  Once again, driving home, I drove home through snow showers on Monday night. Nice how this is happening on Mondays! Actually, we got more snow last night (enough to cover the grass! Will is very happy!) and are supposed to get snow/ice tomorrow and Friday. 

We also made it through a long weekend of no preschool (Will had Friday and Monday off).  I had hoped to do something special with the boys, but the Valentine's celebration on Thursday was about it. Friday was a needed day at home, trying to get caught up on laundry and cleaning.

Saturday James went out and bought a new TV.  A big, flat screen HDTV.  It was in celebration of paying off the well (from last May that broke) and a furnace in our rented home, and still having cash left over from our tax rebates.  And it was because our previous TV was about 11 years old and had to be hooked up to the VCR for you to be able to see anything. And the VCD (also 11 years old) was starting to act up/eat tapes and not work at various times.  And the TV had died once but then surprised us by working again, but we were thinking it'd be gone for good soon.  (Enough justifications for you?  Not quite for us–it's also our Valentines' & Anniversary gift to each other. But James said it couldn't count towards his Birthday gift–darn it! Now I'll have to come up with an idea of what to get him! ;-)  If you have seen our TV cabinet, we joked about how small the old TV looked in it. This fits it in just right. (That's a reference to a commerical we used to laugh at where the husband gets a TV and the wife says "But it doesn't fit–There's still room!" and he has quite a fun time running and getting a bigger TV.)

Sunday James and the boys enjoyed watching the first NASCAR race of the season. They all enjoyed watching it on the big TV.

So that's what we've been up to. I was working like crazy for the office + school, and once again I'm projectless for the office. So I guess I should go grade the tests they took on Monday. Or get the power point together! Or work on the cleaning that NEVER seems to be done.

James and I got to go out for a Valentine's Date on Tuesday night. Despite some snow, we dropped the boys off at our Date Night. (we were one of two couples who dropped kids off!  Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow will keep us away from Date Night! I was glad we weren't the ONLY ones–then I would have felt really guilty!) We enjoyed a nice dinner then. So today was more of a chance to have a fun day with the boys.

I have two main memories of Valentine's Day growing up: getting up in the morning and finding MY OWN heart of chocolate candy, and Mom making a heart cake. I have resolved to keep those up! Will helped out by getting me a heart shaped pan for me for Christmas. He couldn't wait for me to use it today. The boys got their heart box of candy and were allowed to have one before breakfast! YUM!  This afternoon, during nap time, I made the cake and we decorated it right before dinner. As you can see, we spent a LONG time working on it.  Don't you want a bite?

I did try to take a few of the cinnamon hearts off the top and move to the side, but there are still a large number on top. No matter the appearance, the cake was declared good by both boys.  As usual, you can click on any of the pictures to see them better.

I also figure, while I'm taking the time to update the blog, I should put up a bit about this week! I'd been meaning to post about teaching Monday night (Thinking the title would be One More Down, 11 To Go!). That makes it sound totally horrible! It wasn't…but the night did have its ups and down.  I felt I started off really well. But, I didn't feel it ended well…part of it was because I was teaching a topic I haven't ever taught (we didn't get into the specifics of Photosynthesis at the high school level). So even thought I spent the week working on it, we'll it wasn't the same as the Cell–that I'd taught for years! Anyway, it IS my first time and there are going to be ups and downs.  The crazy part was the weather. We'd been warned about this big storm that was going to come through Monday night…first it was the evening, then it was late night. So I packed the kids up and we went home that night, so we wouldn't get snowed in at my parent's house.  Both boys were awake the whole drive and it took a bit longer because we managed to have one small snow squall follow us the whole drive home.  I woke up Tuesday morning and there was NOTHING! Just a dusting! I was a bit annoyed, but it was nice to be home. Anyway, it did turn out to be more snow, mixed with freezing rain, so it was nice to not have to drive in it. And, it wasn't bad enough to delay schools the next day, so Will's Pre-school Valentine's Party happened as planned (unlike last year–last year we had the big February "Blizzard" the day before V-Day and we were trying to get Alex home from the hospital!).  So that's been two storms that were forecasted to be big ones that let us down. Maybe the dusting we're supposed to have tomorrow will surprise us!  But, they are forecasting rain/snow for next Monday again! What's up with the storms on Mondays?!?

So, we're busy here. We're all busy eating too much sweet stuff (we ARE brushing their teeth, Mom, I promise!). I'm busy planning school stuff, busy working for James' office, and I just realized the video's we had from the library were due today . I wonder if I take them back now (at 11 pm) if they'll not charge me the $1/day fines!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

You can't see that he also got the inside of his ear as well.  And the desk. And some papers on the desk. <sigh> We had gotten one out for something this morning and I just forgot to put it away. You would think after the coloring on the couch I would remember!

Alex, couting today "one, two, six, seven, eight, seven, eight, seven, eight, ten!"

And, one more Alex story (since I'd been telling so many Will stories).

Earlier in the week, he decided he wanted to wear Will's underwear. BUT–he did not want to go pee in the potty. So he got to wear the underwear over the diaper. We found that funny and have included a picture–for his future embarrassment. He had fun running around like that, and even wanted to wear it was I was getting him dressed.  

* * *

A 30 degree drop in temperatures and a REALLY strong wind (windchills in the negative teens–very cold for us spoiled mid-westerners) kept us inside. The boys both wanted to go out for a walk, but we had to veto that. And to think the 40s for the last few days had me thinking how it was "spring-like"!

* * *

I've been working busily on course building for the office and re-learning (or learning for the first time, I don't think I really had a good grasp on the concept) Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration. Great fun at our house, don't you wish you were here?

Oh! And James' last day at Target is Saturday. He's needed to do more work for the office and can't because he's too tired from that, so he's decided it's time to be done. We'll enjoy having him around more.

Thursday I gave the boys carrots with their lunch (usually we have fruit). I told Will he needed to eat the carrots, they help his eyes to see better.  He ate for a minute and then said "Mommy, I don't see any better." I told him it took a bit of time. Five minutes later, he yelled out "THE CARROTS ARE WORKING! I can see SO much better!" 

The next morning he came into our (dark) room and snuggled in bed with me. Then he said "Mommy, those carrots didn't work, I can't see any better!"

Things have moved into crazy mode around here.  I started teaching on Monday. (One class, a 5 credit hour General Biology class.)  It seemed to go well. I have lots of room for improvement, but am looking forward to going back next week (I figure that's a good sign). It was fun to be back in the lab again, fun to be teaching again, but wow–3 hours is a long time! Yet still not enough to get everything in! I was happy only one student fell asleep.

Also, I've started getting projects from the office again. Thus, no blog updates.  There just isn't time right now! If I'm not working at the computer, I'm playing trains with the boys, reading them stories, making up crafts or activities to do (we're going to get those February birthday cards out ANY DAY now Rachel & Serena–even though we're about a week past your birthdays!) doing laundry, making supper–well you get the idea!

Tonight Will was telling James he doesn't have a Mommy. He has a MOM. When he was little she was his Mommy, but now Grandma Lo is a MOM.  And Grandpa Miles is his DAD, not his Daddy.  Glad we got that cleared up!  He's been asking all kinds of questions about everything, and sometimes my answers come back to haunt me. For example, he was asking me about the moon. We talked about how the moon moves around the earth and the earth moves around the sun, etc. The other day we were driving to preschool and he and Alex could see the moon. When we turned right, he said "Mommy! The moon turned with us!"  I told him the moon didn't turn, we turned, the moon doesn't move. He said "Yes, the moon moves around the earth." Um…yes. So I did say that.  Today he told me "Let's Rock 'n Roll!" (Something heard in Bob the Builder) is Spanish for "Go forward".  I stammered for a minute and then just decided to agree with him. Sometimes, it's just easier.