So a few weeks ago Alex and Ben woke us up on a Saturday morning and said they had a surprise for us. Up the stairs they came with each of them holding an end of a big baking sheet with breakfast for us. Let's see... for each of us there was toast with butter and cinnamon, a bowl of cereal, a bowl of dried cranberries, a granola bar, a hershey kiss, a glass of orange juice, and a mug of hot chocolate complete with milk and marshmallows, oh, and a banana to share. Alex really wanted to fix us eggs but the rule at the moment is no use of the stove unless an adult is at least awake and aware of the kid cooking. So they settled on cereal as the main dish.
We were so touched at their thoughtfulness, you would have thought we had given them the moon instead of just a huge hug and a few dozen kisses. Apparently we ignited a fire in them.
They were so proud of themselves that they have since repeated the treat several times. However breakfast each time is less and less elaborate. This past weekend, they each carried up a bowl of cereal and a plain piece of bread - didn't even bother to toast it. It's so sweet and they are so cute.
Again, they wanted to bring us breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. Well, truth be told, there are only so many soggy cheerios one can eat. So I flipped the tables and said why didn't I make them a nice breakfast on Sunday. They thought that was great and they wanted a turn to be served in bed. Fine. Only problem is, Alex woke up way too early and came in to wake me up demanding to know where his breakfast was. That wasn't part of the deal. I sent him back to bed, eventually got up and served them breakfast in bed - no cereal, they got the real deal. And they loved every minute of it.
I might just have to break down and let Alex cook the eggs just so we get a break from the soggy cereal!
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Stories
A friend posted an interesting little note on her blog about stories. Specifically, as a child, when does your story become your own and similarly as a parent when does your child's story stop being your story?
It's an interesting thing for me to think about as the kids get older and as I am reminded of the purpose of this blog. At the moment, that purpose is to keep in touch with those far away that we can't talk to or see easily. Do those people want to hear my story, my children's story, my husband's story? Does it become monotonous to hear constant bits of "Oh, child/ren did this and isn't it funny/adorable/scary/ridiculous/amazing?!"
So I wonder.... does it really matter what I post? More pictures and stories of the kids? More stories of my life? More just plain stories? I don't know. I think that as this progresses, to keep me interested and posting this will become more of a journal. Things that I might want to remember or pass onto the kids one day are inevitably the things that will find a home here.
As the reader, take from it what you will and remember just because I post it doesn't mean you have to read it :-)
It's an interesting thing for me to think about as the kids get older and as I am reminded of the purpose of this blog. At the moment, that purpose is to keep in touch with those far away that we can't talk to or see easily. Do those people want to hear my story, my children's story, my husband's story? Does it become monotonous to hear constant bits of "Oh, child/ren did this and isn't it funny/adorable/scary/ridiculous/amazing?!"
So I wonder.... does it really matter what I post? More pictures and stories of the kids? More stories of my life? More just plain stories? I don't know. I think that as this progresses, to keep me interested and posting this will become more of a journal. Things that I might want to remember or pass onto the kids one day are inevitably the things that will find a home here.
As the reader, take from it what you will and remember just because I post it doesn't mean you have to read it :-)
March 5, 2015
It's a snow day! SO very glad that LISD took preemptive steps to cancel school at 5:30 last night. Wow, what a hardship it would have been to get the kiddos to school today. Check out these uber dangerous icicles...
I promise there really are icicles in the picture - teeny, tiny, itty bitty icicles that aren't even a result of sleet or freezing rain or any other icy frozen precipitation. These it would seem just happened to be drips from the thunderstorm that froze. Anyway, we were supposed to get this big nasty ice storm overnight, with measurable accumulations of ice and the whole nine yards. What we did get was a couple of thunderstorms and a cold front that dropped the temp from near 70 to below 30. But, the threat of all that dangerous weather is always enough to cancel school. I'm actually OK with it, I get a day at home with the boys, they get to sleep in, we all win. Yeah, we'll have to make the time up, but that's ok too.
So what do we do on a snowy day such as this? Well, the usual activities are out, sort of because we don't actually have any snow to play in. So I made marshmallows, chocolate and vanilla swirl marshmallows with little chunks of chocolate in them to be exact. No weather, but it sure is cold and we can't exactly have hot chocolate without marshmallows. So. Marshmallows it is. And, I am reminded of why the only way I really like store bought marshmallows is if they are baked into something or in that cup of cocoa. Nothing compares to homemade. They are fluffy and sweet and gooey and chocolately and silky and it's sort of like eating little clouds.
Next up, some rosemary cinnamon graham crackers to go with those marshmallows.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Feb. 24
Let's see... the usual of not much happening here the last week. A few really warm days followed by some really cold ones. School was even delayed 2 hours this morning over the threat of ice. Yeah, just a threat. Better safe than sorry I guess.
Mike is happy at work, insanely busy as usual, but he seems to like his new role. Sounds like he'll finally get to hire someone to do his other job so hopefully by May or June he'll be out from under the strain of two jobs.
I decided against curling again this season. It's odd, I miss it very much but I'm generally not sad on Sunday mornings when I don't go. The last couple of seasons I played I was stuck with teams that just didn't feel like showing up a lot of the time. Really hard to find a way to enjoy the game when I can't get a consistent team from week to week and we were hard pressed to win any games (and no, it's NOT about winning, but that sure is fun sometimes). And the cost went up. So. In the fall I'll reevaluate and maybe go back out again.
The kinder class that I taught Spanish to is no more. The teacher had to retire due to some very serious health issues. Circumstances being what they were (too much to go into here) the administrators split the kids among the other kinder classes. I cannot express how incredibly happy I was to drop that Spanish class. Such a great release. I thought that would free up a bit of my time Wednesday mornings but as I was working with the teachers to rearrange my schedule one asked me if I could work with one of her kids in my now free time. So, not the time break I was hoping for, but no Spanish and that is a good thing. Now if I can just finish out the last few weeks of library time Spanish I will be free!
I am still spending lots of time on the MOOCs. They are so fascinating. Among others, I am retaking the guitar course I did a few months back. This time a friend is taking it with me. She is really wanting to learn to play the guitar, as am I. We figured together we might actually accomplish something. So we are taking the class, finding some time to get together every week or two to practice and our goal is to actually be able to play by the end of the year. The boys want me to practice with them every day while they practice the piano. It's good to be held accountable!
And now... I have a hot cup of tea to drink and the funnies to read.
Mike is happy at work, insanely busy as usual, but he seems to like his new role. Sounds like he'll finally get to hire someone to do his other job so hopefully by May or June he'll be out from under the strain of two jobs.
I decided against curling again this season. It's odd, I miss it very much but I'm generally not sad on Sunday mornings when I don't go. The last couple of seasons I played I was stuck with teams that just didn't feel like showing up a lot of the time. Really hard to find a way to enjoy the game when I can't get a consistent team from week to week and we were hard pressed to win any games (and no, it's NOT about winning, but that sure is fun sometimes). And the cost went up. So. In the fall I'll reevaluate and maybe go back out again.
The kinder class that I taught Spanish to is no more. The teacher had to retire due to some very serious health issues. Circumstances being what they were (too much to go into here) the administrators split the kids among the other kinder classes. I cannot express how incredibly happy I was to drop that Spanish class. Such a great release. I thought that would free up a bit of my time Wednesday mornings but as I was working with the teachers to rearrange my schedule one asked me if I could work with one of her kids in my now free time. So, not the time break I was hoping for, but no Spanish and that is a good thing. Now if I can just finish out the last few weeks of library time Spanish I will be free!
I am still spending lots of time on the MOOCs. They are so fascinating. Among others, I am retaking the guitar course I did a few months back. This time a friend is taking it with me. She is really wanting to learn to play the guitar, as am I. We figured together we might actually accomplish something. So we are taking the class, finding some time to get together every week or two to practice and our goal is to actually be able to play by the end of the year. The boys want me to practice with them every day while they practice the piano. It's good to be held accountable!
And now... I have a hot cup of tea to drink and the funnies to read.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Birthday Fun
Alex is 9! It was a beautiful day yesterday and a perfect day for a birthday. All in all I would say the kid had a pretty darn good day. Lots of presents and surprises, a nice little walk in the park, a visit from Aunt Stephanie & Uncle Michael, and cake. What more could you ask for. Oh yeah, he got his chainsaw, thanks Uncle Andrew!
Fun with Lizards
The boys found a couple of green anoles last weekend. It was a little cool so the lizards were on the sluggish side and couldn't quite escape playtime. Alex & Ben played with the lizards for probably close to 3 hours, miraculously without harming them. When they finally tired of their little friends the boys returned the lizards to the garden where they found them.
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Ups and Downs
I got a couple of extra days with the boys this week. Each February the school district shuts down for a few days for teacher continuing ed conferences. It's a nice mid-winter break for everyone.
Anyway, it's been nice having the kids home even if they are a little crazy. We've definitely hit the stage of "boys will be boys". Today's example - Alex brings me the electric pencil sharpener. He says he jammed it when he stuck the eraser in it to sharpen. Apparently erasers aren't the only foreign objects to get shoved into the pencil sharpener. Apparently the pencil sharpener isn't the only thing of mom's to be abused. The kid gets a few points for honesty and not screaming about it as if the world is going to end. But...
Oh, it's all academic anyway. Every single one of us went through this stuff as a kid. Every single parent got irritated and frustrated with it. Most of us come out the other side of it all right. I thought I had a few more years before it all started, but nope, pre-teen kid has officially joined the household.
It all just adds to the general winter malaise that seems to have settled over me. February is a hard month for many reasons: bills, mid-winter doldrums, too much school before summer, etc.. I don't dislike February at all, but I just can't seem to find a center of balance and happiness at the moment. The weight of all the little things in my world seems magnified and immense and quite frankly I'd really just like to crawl back into bed with Mike and a good book and my blanket and wake up when the sun is shining all the time and school is over and I don't really care how much crap gets shoved in my pencil sharpener.
Anyway, it's been nice having the kids home even if they are a little crazy. We've definitely hit the stage of "boys will be boys". Today's example - Alex brings me the electric pencil sharpener. He says he jammed it when he stuck the eraser in it to sharpen. Apparently erasers aren't the only foreign objects to get shoved into the pencil sharpener. Apparently the pencil sharpener isn't the only thing of mom's to be abused. The kid gets a few points for honesty and not screaming about it as if the world is going to end. But...
Oh, it's all academic anyway. Every single one of us went through this stuff as a kid. Every single parent got irritated and frustrated with it. Most of us come out the other side of it all right. I thought I had a few more years before it all started, but nope, pre-teen kid has officially joined the household.
It all just adds to the general winter malaise that seems to have settled over me. February is a hard month for many reasons: bills, mid-winter doldrums, too much school before summer, etc.. I don't dislike February at all, but I just can't seem to find a center of balance and happiness at the moment. The weight of all the little things in my world seems magnified and immense and quite frankly I'd really just like to crawl back into bed with Mike and a good book and my blanket and wake up when the sun is shining all the time and school is over and I don't really care how much crap gets shoved in my pencil sharpener.
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