This week has flown by for me. We continue our day-to-day routine. This week has been busy with field day activities for the boys. Todd was able to participate on two different days: once for third grade and once for fourth grade. Both boys participated individually in the hurdles. Todd got first place in the Third Grade boys race and Ryan got second place in the First Grade boys race. All of the classes were very competitive when it came to the Tug-of-War. That is my favorite event to watch. The three-legged race has always been favorite event to participate in, and I was pleased that both of the boys let me race with them during the parent participation portion of field day. I would even say that we did a pretty great job (except when Todd paused to say to hi to his spectator brother and friends when we were turning back around).
Ryan begged me to check him out of school after field day today. Many parents check their kids out. About half his class was gone. But I had things that I wanted to do at home. And I honestly think those low-work days when half the class is gone are some of the best. Ryan came home off the bus so cheerful and happy. He clearly had fun this afternoon. It made me feel good to hear him say, "Thanks for not checking me out from school." They celebrated Cinco de Mayo with some snacks and got to watch a movie. I am sure he wouldn't have had so much fun at home.
I enjoyed meeting with Todd's teacher about completing the Fourth Grade math book this summer. It may mean more work for me keeping up with his assignments and tests and encouraging him to continue to make progress. But what else will I be doing? I am also going to try to keep the boys reading this summer. They usually do a good job, but being away from home we will have to make a point to plan reading time into our activities. Vacations are great, but I don't want them to regress too much. And it would be great if they could advance even a little.
I finally had to turn on the air conditioner this week. I held off for as long as I could. There are some times of day when it's not so bad, but it's getting humid also. Today was especially humid. The sun wasn't so strong during Ryan's field day, but it was so humid that I still felt like I was melting.
We had a bit of a downpour last night. I had already been thinking it was time to check the gutters again, and last night confirmed it. Actually, last night I realized that I should have checked the gutters last week. I will work on cleaning them out this weekend. It will be a new experience for me.
Besides being here to clean out gutters and do all the rest of the outdoor maintenance, I also miss being able to call on you to be my bug killer. I had to kill a cockroach last week in the bathroom. I'm sure it would have been very funny to any onlookers. Although, if there were anyone around watching (and laughing) I am sure I would have enlisted their help.
The sago palm is starting to look kind of freaky in an almost obscene way. I'll post a picture later. I'm sorry if you are disappointed about it splitting.
Yesterday the boys and I finally reached our goal of reading scriptures 20 days in a row (110 days this year). We almost didn't make it a couple of times, but we were determined to succeed. We've only reached 20 days in a row once before. We reached our 10 days in a row goal twice before, and I rewarded the boys with a Dairy Queen trip. This time I told the boys they had to reach 20 days before they could earn their DQ trip. If we make it to 25 days in a row they will earn a movie night. On our way for ice cream yesterday I remembered the new frozen yogurt store, Top This. The boys were excited about trying it. It was not as "heavy" as DQ and the boys got to pick out their own toppings. It totally hit the spot.
I made some lentil soup this week. It was so delicious. Ryan loved it too. I will definitely be making it again. Do you think you would eat it? I also made kale chips. They kind of taste like a broccoli, but are light and crispy and almost disintegrate in your mouth. Don't knock it 'til you've tried it.
Copper ran off on me again this morning even though he got a nice golf course run last night. This is the first time he has run off when I let him out for his morning pee before school. He didn't even wait for us to take him to the bus. I was scrambling to get the boys ready for school and I was trying to get myself ready to attend field day. I couldn't start looking for him until after I got the boys on the bus. I drove around the usual streets with no luck. I asked Mark if he could keep an eye out for Copper while I was at field day, but I decided to stop by the house again. I was just in time to receive a phone call from a woman on Kildare who found him. I don't know what he was doing over there or what prompted him to leave this morning.
I picked up a German book from Goodwill about two weeks ago. I've been flipping through it from time to time. I would love to be able to teach myself enough German to be able to get by on my next trip (2013??).
I'm happy to hear that you seem to be doing a little better on the trail. I really don't want you to give up. I think it you can just get through Virginia it will be a little easier. I'm so proud of you!
Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts
Friday, May 4, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
For Brett From Home (4/24/12)
I miss having you around to share my little nothing-happenings. However, it has been kind of fun recording these daily thoughts. Years from now it will be interesting to see what concerned me and what I thought about.
I mentioned on the phone that the sago palm is splitting. It is forming two cones. It isn't the sago palm right by the mailbox as I first told you. It is the one closest to Bobby's yard.
The lawn mower is working well enough that your dad was able to use it today. It still has troubles though. I'm not sure what the diagnosis is, but the motor keeps dying. I blew off the back patio and your dad successfully mowed our yard yesterday. Hooray! Hopefully the oaks are almost done dropping. I will make a point to check the gutters and clean them out soon.
We finally got some good rain last Tuesday. We needed it. It was pouring hard for at least a half hour right after the boys got on the bus. I would like to have been curled up in bed, but no such luck. It was kind of a cozy, snuggle-up rain. I don't suppose you have that same feeling about rain these days.
We got more rain on Saturday. Since then the temperature has dropped, and it has been quite nice, although windy. The wind chimes were so loud on Sunday when Jen was over that she shut the sliding glass door. She said she felt like she had to yell to talk to me. I was thinking about you all day today wondering how cold you have been. I heard that had some snow in New England.
The spring weather has been beautiful lately. There have been a few days (today included) when I would really like to have driven the Mustang. I'll just have to wait until you're back in the fall and make a point to drive it then.
The boys are still not getting to bed with any regularity. It would drive you crazy. There was one day last week when Ryan just didn't wake up on his own. He was completely out of it, and I felt so bad for his tired little body that I let him sleep in until 7:45am. I finally had to go in and wake him up. He was thrown off by the fact that he had slept in past the time that the bus is supposed to come. It made him a little grumpy until he discovered that I had decided that all of the boys would just be car riders that morning.
I have also not been going to bed well (big surprise!). I am not staying up past Midnight; my bedtime has been more like 11:30pm. But the six or seven hours of sleep I get each night just hasn't been enough. It is starting to wear on me. In fact, last week I had a dream where I came across an alligator snapping turtle (which didn't look like a real alligator snapping turtle--its shell was covered in fuzz...). I knew that the turtle was quick and vicious and I had to move it out of the road (I'm not sure why...). But I was simply too weak and tired to get it out my way. I wasn't just tired in my dream. I was weak and tired in real life, even though I was sleeping, and it carried over into my dream.
In fact, I have been remembering a lot of my dreams lately. Some of them are good dreams. Many of them are spurred by real-life situations. (Anne had recently told me about coming across an alligator snapping turtle in the middle the road.) I had a dream where I attended an end-of-the-year function at the elementary school. There was some drama in the dream, but what stuck out to me was the table of desserts we got to sample. One of the desserts served was pineapple upside-down cupcakes. I had recently seen a recipe for them in my recipe binder (in real life and in the dream) and was so excited to be able to try them. I woke up wanting to bake them, but have had to hold off because we still have too many sweets around the house from Easter and now Todd's birthday.
Monday was Todd's birthday. It may take me a while to get used to him being NINE years old. We celebrated yesterday and today. I will probably let him invite a friend or two to do something fun this Saturday as well. On Friday your dad took Todd and me out to dinner (Chinese) for our birthdays (even though mine is still a month away.) On Sunday we had the whole family over for cake and ice cream. Todd got a few presents from the family. Yesterday morning I let Todd open the few presents from me before breakfast. I made him orange ricotta pancakes, which he had requested the night before. And I baked chocolate chip cookies for him to share with his class at school. The boys had baseball after school and I had chorus practice tonight, so we didn't really do anything to celebrate in the evening. All in all, we kept it simple, but I think Todd was really happy with his birthday.
Baseball is still going strong. I feel like I haven't seen very much of their games. Last week I stayed home from Todd's two games in order to put Ryan to bed earlier. When your dad took us to dinner on Friday he told me that Todd had been hit by the ball during his game the night before. I asked Todd to show me. He has a huge bruise on his thigh! He never mentioned it when he came home that night. (It was so late that I had to hurry him along just to get him in bed before 10:00pm.) And he never mentioned it the next morning before school. Poor tough guy.
Last week it seemed like Copper was not keeping up with me very well on his walks. Last night was a completely different story. He was so full of energy. I asked your mom if we could give him a run yesterday evening just as it was getting dark. Copper ran harder than I have seen him run in a while. When I got back I told your mom that I was sure that he would have run away last night without that run. This morning he was in the mood to run as well. I'm glad that I was able to give him his morning roller-blading run. He had no trouble keeping up with me. Since the morning was crisp and beautiful I made sure that I went a little longer for him.
The other day I mentioned smelling the honeysuckle vines on the golf course. The flowers smelled so sweet last night that I commented on them. Todd corrected me and informed me that they were jasmine. I looked it up on Wikipedia last night. He was right, of course. And clearly I know nothing about flowers!
I am looking forward for your return for Copper's benefit possibly more than mine. We sure try to do our best with him, but it's not the same. On Sunday he did something that he hasn't done in a very long time. I had gone to Publix the day before and bought a baguette. When I came home from church all that I could find of it was the plastic bag it came in torn in pieces. He ate the entire thing. Luckily it doesn't look like it made him sick. Thank goodness he left Todd's birthday cake alone. It was cooling on a rack, covered with a dish towel.
I have been getting my fill of chick flicks while you have been gone. Lately I have been crushing on Zac Efron. Yes, he is quite young and was a star on Disney's High School Musical. But he has grown to be quite the good-looking man. I'm looking forward to seeing the latest chick flick he starred in.
Wishing you were here to hug and kiss on. Hope you're doing well.
Much love from home.
I mentioned on the phone that the sago palm is splitting. It is forming two cones. It isn't the sago palm right by the mailbox as I first told you. It is the one closest to Bobby's yard.
The lawn mower is working well enough that your dad was able to use it today. It still has troubles though. I'm not sure what the diagnosis is, but the motor keeps dying. I blew off the back patio and your dad successfully mowed our yard yesterday. Hooray! Hopefully the oaks are almost done dropping. I will make a point to check the gutters and clean them out soon.
We finally got some good rain last Tuesday. We needed it. It was pouring hard for at least a half hour right after the boys got on the bus. I would like to have been curled up in bed, but no such luck. It was kind of a cozy, snuggle-up rain. I don't suppose you have that same feeling about rain these days.
We got more rain on Saturday. Since then the temperature has dropped, and it has been quite nice, although windy. The wind chimes were so loud on Sunday when Jen was over that she shut the sliding glass door. She said she felt like she had to yell to talk to me. I was thinking about you all day today wondering how cold you have been. I heard that had some snow in New England.
The spring weather has been beautiful lately. There have been a few days (today included) when I would really like to have driven the Mustang. I'll just have to wait until you're back in the fall and make a point to drive it then.
The boys are still not getting to bed with any regularity. It would drive you crazy. There was one day last week when Ryan just didn't wake up on his own. He was completely out of it, and I felt so bad for his tired little body that I let him sleep in until 7:45am. I finally had to go in and wake him up. He was thrown off by the fact that he had slept in past the time that the bus is supposed to come. It made him a little grumpy until he discovered that I had decided that all of the boys would just be car riders that morning.
I have also not been going to bed well (big surprise!). I am not staying up past Midnight; my bedtime has been more like 11:30pm. But the six or seven hours of sleep I get each night just hasn't been enough. It is starting to wear on me. In fact, last week I had a dream where I came across an alligator snapping turtle (which didn't look like a real alligator snapping turtle--its shell was covered in fuzz...). I knew that the turtle was quick and vicious and I had to move it out of the road (I'm not sure why...). But I was simply too weak and tired to get it out my way. I wasn't just tired in my dream. I was weak and tired in real life, even though I was sleeping, and it carried over into my dream.
In fact, I have been remembering a lot of my dreams lately. Some of them are good dreams. Many of them are spurred by real-life situations. (Anne had recently told me about coming across an alligator snapping turtle in the middle the road.) I had a dream where I attended an end-of-the-year function at the elementary school. There was some drama in the dream, but what stuck out to me was the table of desserts we got to sample. One of the desserts served was pineapple upside-down cupcakes. I had recently seen a recipe for them in my recipe binder (in real life and in the dream) and was so excited to be able to try them. I woke up wanting to bake them, but have had to hold off because we still have too many sweets around the house from Easter and now Todd's birthday.
Monday was Todd's birthday. It may take me a while to get used to him being NINE years old. We celebrated yesterday and today. I will probably let him invite a friend or two to do something fun this Saturday as well. On Friday your dad took Todd and me out to dinner (Chinese) for our birthdays (even though mine is still a month away.) On Sunday we had the whole family over for cake and ice cream. Todd got a few presents from the family. Yesterday morning I let Todd open the few presents from me before breakfast. I made him orange ricotta pancakes, which he had requested the night before. And I baked chocolate chip cookies for him to share with his class at school. The boys had baseball after school and I had chorus practice tonight, so we didn't really do anything to celebrate in the evening. All in all, we kept it simple, but I think Todd was really happy with his birthday.
Baseball is still going strong. I feel like I haven't seen very much of their games. Last week I stayed home from Todd's two games in order to put Ryan to bed earlier. When your dad took us to dinner on Friday he told me that Todd had been hit by the ball during his game the night before. I asked Todd to show me. He has a huge bruise on his thigh! He never mentioned it when he came home that night. (It was so late that I had to hurry him along just to get him in bed before 10:00pm.) And he never mentioned it the next morning before school. Poor tough guy.
Last week it seemed like Copper was not keeping up with me very well on his walks. Last night was a completely different story. He was so full of energy. I asked your mom if we could give him a run yesterday evening just as it was getting dark. Copper ran harder than I have seen him run in a while. When I got back I told your mom that I was sure that he would have run away last night without that run. This morning he was in the mood to run as well. I'm glad that I was able to give him his morning roller-blading run. He had no trouble keeping up with me. Since the morning was crisp and beautiful I made sure that I went a little longer for him.
The other day I mentioned smelling the honeysuckle vines on the golf course. The flowers smelled so sweet last night that I commented on them. Todd corrected me and informed me that they were jasmine. I looked it up on Wikipedia last night. He was right, of course. And clearly I know nothing about flowers!
I am looking forward for your return for Copper's benefit possibly more than mine. We sure try to do our best with him, but it's not the same. On Sunday he did something that he hasn't done in a very long time. I had gone to Publix the day before and bought a baguette. When I came home from church all that I could find of it was the plastic bag it came in torn in pieces. He ate the entire thing. Luckily it doesn't look like it made him sick. Thank goodness he left Todd's birthday cake alone. It was cooling on a rack, covered with a dish towel.
I have been getting my fill of chick flicks while you have been gone. Lately I have been crushing on Zac Efron. Yes, he is quite young and was a star on Disney's High School Musical. But he has grown to be quite the good-looking man. I'm looking forward to seeing the latest chick flick he starred in.
Wishing you were here to hug and kiss on. Hope you're doing well.
Much love from home.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
For Brett From Home (4/15/12)
It feels like it's been a while since I let you know the goings-on in the house. Based on the list I have in front of me - a lot has been happening.
Today was Copper's birthday. We didn't get him a present. We didn't give him a walk. And we didn't pay a whole lot of extra attention to him today. This had Ryan (who was obviously very tired) crying on Copper's behalf. "It's just so sad. He didn't get any presents on his birthday!" To make matters worse, Copper has been something of a flea bag, despite my effort to treat him. I have heard this is going to be a bad flea year, and it scares me. I am going to run some errands tomorrow and hope that I find something that will give him relief. If it makes you (and Ryan) feel better, I did give Copper some frisbee-throwing time this morning.
The boys and I are faring well while you are away. I do feel a little bad for Copper though. Last Tuesday night he ran off on me again. Big time. He ran off right before I went to bed (in other words, late). I had been throwing the frisbee for him and he just disappeared after the fourth throw. I didn't see him at the door until the wee hours of the morning. That makes for a tired mommy.
I did have an interesting dream that night. I was at the grocery store with two new male acquaintances (rather good-looking men, I might add). I was walking with my arm around one of them. Then I leaned into his chest and . . . slowly inhaled. My interpretation of this dream: I miss the closeness of my Hun.
When you first left, Ryan was having a hard time settling down for sleep. He seemed more scared. He tried to lean on Copper for support. Ryan would try to call Copper into his room to sleep with him, but Copper was never interested. Ryan would end up crying. We got over that, and Ryan became content going to sleep after petting Copper good-night, as long we kept the light in the hallway on.
A few days ago I was the first one up in the morning. I went to wake up Todd for school. Then I went into Ryan's room. The room was empty. I couldn't find Ryan. I went back to Todd's room. I looked all around the house. I was starting to get nervous. I went back to my room and found Ryan asleep on the floor using Copper's dog bed as a pillow. Earlier this week Ryan crawled into bed with me after having a bad dream. He was so sweet putting his arm around me. Then, once more Ryan came in and fell asleep by Copper's bed in the wee hours. Three times in one week. Ryan doesn't act out at all during the day, and he doesn't say a whole lot about you. But I can tell that he misses having you around.
There is another thing that has concerned Ryan this week. His mother can't spread out her toes. That pinky toe of mine (and the three toes to the left of it) has no control. Ryan has tried multiple times to demonstrate how it is done. He explained that I needed to see that muscle working on the top of my foot. But no matter how much I strain, I can only make my toes curl down and back up. No sideways motion at all. I think Ryan looks at me as moderately handicapped now.
The weather has been just lovely (although my hair is telling me that it is a little humid today). I set out the hammock a few times, but haven't really had a chance to take the long hammock-nap that has been calling my name. I have been sleeping with the window open, and this morning I really noticed the birds chirping. "Pretty-bird-pretty-bird-pretty-bird" started right outside the window around 6:00am, and soon it was all a ruckus--albeit a beautiful spring ruckus. I thought about the poem I came across. It made me stop and think about the beauty around me, even in my own backyard.
One thing I haven't enjoyed this week is the dropping of the oak catkins (Thank you, Wikipedia for giving me a name to those annoying and very messy things all over my yard). Our yard is blanketed with them. Literally. They are everywhere! I can't wait for the lawn mower to be fixed some I can suck them up.
Yes, the lawn mower broke this last week. Your dad mowed our front yard and was working on the back, and it just died on him. Your dad did his best to look for the problem. He felt that it just wasn't getting any gas, even though there was plenty in the tank. After looking inside the tank and noticing some debris in the gas, he came up with a plan to take the tank apart, pick out the debris and put it all back together. I proposed a different plan--pouring the gas through a filter and into an empty gas tank. We wiped out the inside (and of course, the outside) of the tank on the mower, and poured the filtered gas back in. We were left with a clean tank, clean gas, and . . . a lawn mower no better working than when we started. I feel the pain that you experience when assisting your less-mechanically inclined family members.
I certainly appreciate all of the honey-do's you do for us. Thanks for walking me through tightening the door handle in the kitchen. I was grateful again today for you fixing my car door. I keep expecting it to be broken, and am always happily surprised when I remember you fixed it.
I still haven't seen much of Mark and Donna. Mark said that the spring breakers have been terrible. I would guess that it has been the worst year ever. Apparently the beaches have been packed. I'm glad that I haven't had to be in the middle of it all.
I had one of Sandra's mint brownies this week. It was as delicious as ever. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to ship one or five to you. I'm thinking I'll have to beg Sandra to make you a batch when you get home.
I talked to the boys last night and got them to think of some questions to ask you about the trail. I'm not going to tell you what the questions are ahead of time. They came up with some good ones and some not that great ones. I look forward to hearing your answers.
I think you'd be proud of me. I've been drinking at least 32 ounces of water every day. When I'm really trying I can drink 40 ounces in a day. Impressive, huh?
We sat in the back of the church today. I had a rough start with Ryan and felt a little frustrated soon after we sat down. I took Ryan out, talked with him and let him know he needed to change his behavior. He had already accumulated 45 minutes of no outside time when we got home. I basically told him to put on a happy face and get over it. Not that many minutes later, back in the chapel, he rested his head against my shoulder. I put my arm around him, breathed in the "my-sweet-little-boy" scent from his head, and we essentially made-up and had no more issues. I was able to enjoy the meeting. After church the bishop said that he noticed me from the stand and said that I seemed to be glowing. It was such a touching thing to say. It made me think that although things are tough sometimes without you, we're doing okay. Still I miss you and love you as ever.
Today was Copper's birthday. We didn't get him a present. We didn't give him a walk. And we didn't pay a whole lot of extra attention to him today. This had Ryan (who was obviously very tired) crying on Copper's behalf. "It's just so sad. He didn't get any presents on his birthday!" To make matters worse, Copper has been something of a flea bag, despite my effort to treat him. I have heard this is going to be a bad flea year, and it scares me. I am going to run some errands tomorrow and hope that I find something that will give him relief. If it makes you (and Ryan) feel better, I did give Copper some frisbee-throwing time this morning.
The boys and I are faring well while you are away. I do feel a little bad for Copper though. Last Tuesday night he ran off on me again. Big time. He ran off right before I went to bed (in other words, late). I had been throwing the frisbee for him and he just disappeared after the fourth throw. I didn't see him at the door until the wee hours of the morning. That makes for a tired mommy.
I did have an interesting dream that night. I was at the grocery store with two new male acquaintances (rather good-looking men, I might add). I was walking with my arm around one of them. Then I leaned into his chest and . . . slowly inhaled. My interpretation of this dream: I miss the closeness of my Hun.
When you first left, Ryan was having a hard time settling down for sleep. He seemed more scared. He tried to lean on Copper for support. Ryan would try to call Copper into his room to sleep with him, but Copper was never interested. Ryan would end up crying. We got over that, and Ryan became content going to sleep after petting Copper good-night, as long we kept the light in the hallway on.
A few days ago I was the first one up in the morning. I went to wake up Todd for school. Then I went into Ryan's room. The room was empty. I couldn't find Ryan. I went back to Todd's room. I looked all around the house. I was starting to get nervous. I went back to my room and found Ryan asleep on the floor using Copper's dog bed as a pillow. Earlier this week Ryan crawled into bed with me after having a bad dream. He was so sweet putting his arm around me. Then, once more Ryan came in and fell asleep by Copper's bed in the wee hours. Three times in one week. Ryan doesn't act out at all during the day, and he doesn't say a whole lot about you. But I can tell that he misses having you around.
There is another thing that has concerned Ryan this week. His mother can't spread out her toes. That pinky toe of mine (and the three toes to the left of it) has no control. Ryan has tried multiple times to demonstrate how it is done. He explained that I needed to see that muscle working on the top of my foot. But no matter how much I strain, I can only make my toes curl down and back up. No sideways motion at all. I think Ryan looks at me as moderately handicapped now.
The weather has been just lovely (although my hair is telling me that it is a little humid today). I set out the hammock a few times, but haven't really had a chance to take the long hammock-nap that has been calling my name. I have been sleeping with the window open, and this morning I really noticed the birds chirping. "Pretty-bird-pretty-bird-pretty-bird" started right outside the window around 6:00am, and soon it was all a ruckus--albeit a beautiful spring ruckus. I thought about the poem I came across. It made me stop and think about the beauty around me, even in my own backyard.
One thing I haven't enjoyed this week is the dropping of the oak catkins (Thank you, Wikipedia for giving me a name to those annoying and very messy things all over my yard). Our yard is blanketed with them. Literally. They are everywhere! I can't wait for the lawn mower to be fixed some I can suck them up.
Yes, the lawn mower broke this last week. Your dad mowed our front yard and was working on the back, and it just died on him. Your dad did his best to look for the problem. He felt that it just wasn't getting any gas, even though there was plenty in the tank. After looking inside the tank and noticing some debris in the gas, he came up with a plan to take the tank apart, pick out the debris and put it all back together. I proposed a different plan--pouring the gas through a filter and into an empty gas tank. We wiped out the inside (and of course, the outside) of the tank on the mower, and poured the filtered gas back in. We were left with a clean tank, clean gas, and . . . a lawn mower no better working than when we started. I feel the pain that you experience when assisting your less-mechanically inclined family members.
I certainly appreciate all of the honey-do's you do for us. Thanks for walking me through tightening the door handle in the kitchen. I was grateful again today for you fixing my car door. I keep expecting it to be broken, and am always happily surprised when I remember you fixed it.
I still haven't seen much of Mark and Donna. Mark said that the spring breakers have been terrible. I would guess that it has been the worst year ever. Apparently the beaches have been packed. I'm glad that I haven't had to be in the middle of it all.
I had one of Sandra's mint brownies this week. It was as delicious as ever. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to ship one or five to you. I'm thinking I'll have to beg Sandra to make you a batch when you get home.
I talked to the boys last night and got them to think of some questions to ask you about the trail. I'm not going to tell you what the questions are ahead of time. They came up with some good ones and some not that great ones. I look forward to hearing your answers.
I think you'd be proud of me. I've been drinking at least 32 ounces of water every day. When I'm really trying I can drink 40 ounces in a day. Impressive, huh?
We sat in the back of the church today. I had a rough start with Ryan and felt a little frustrated soon after we sat down. I took Ryan out, talked with him and let him know he needed to change his behavior. He had already accumulated 45 minutes of no outside time when we got home. I basically told him to put on a happy face and get over it. Not that many minutes later, back in the chapel, he rested his head against my shoulder. I put my arm around him, breathed in the "my-sweet-little-boy" scent from his head, and we essentially made-up and had no more issues. I was able to enjoy the meeting. After church the bishop said that he noticed me from the stand and said that I seemed to be glowing. It was such a touching thing to say. It made me think that although things are tough sometimes without you, we're doing okay. Still I miss you and love you as ever.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Bulbous Bouffant . . . Macadamia
I got to see my twin sister Lisa in Utah this past November. Okay, so she's not really my twin. In fact, she's nine years younger than I am. In other words, she's like fifteen--or something close to that. But whenever we get together with the family we are undoubtedly called by the other's name. All.The.Time. Especially by Mom. So, we decided to have a little fun with it. Lisa straightens her thicker-than-mine hair every day. Every Day. This was the second time in my life I had straightened my hair. I am just too apathetic--and lazy, I've concluded.
What do you think? Can you see the sisterly resemblance?
Lisa straightened my hair the night before I flew back home. That day I enjoyed the silky smooth feeling of my new hair and looked forward to seeing what Brett thought about it.
As you may know, Winter has passed us by this year. We have been enjoying the season called "Humid" for months now, with very brief reprieves. The night that Brett picked me up from the airport in the convertible was no exception. By the time we got home, there was only a hint of the formerly silky smooth hair. By morning, all traces of it were gone. Ah, Florida.
I got three inches of my hair cut off this week, and we haven't had a dry day since. Which means that somehow I am sporting what I can only describe as a modified bouffant.
It's not exactly a bulbous bouffant, but when considering my hair this morning I couldn't help but think of this "song". The first year that Brett and I were married we lived in Tallahassee and drove "home" once or twice a month. Sometimes on the drive we were rewarded with a little Dr. Demento time on the radio. That is when I discovered this gem. Just saying the word "bouffant" brings back memories.
Be forewarned. It's catchy.
(And, just for fun, here's another one of Brett's favorites.)
(Why stop there? Brett, this one's for you.)
What do you think? Can you see the sisterly resemblance?
Lisa straightened my hair the night before I flew back home. That day I enjoyed the silky smooth feeling of my new hair and looked forward to seeing what Brett thought about it.
As you may know, Winter has passed us by this year. We have been enjoying the season called "Humid" for months now, with very brief reprieves. The night that Brett picked me up from the airport in the convertible was no exception. By the time we got home, there was only a hint of the formerly silky smooth hair. By morning, all traces of it were gone. Ah, Florida.
I got three inches of my hair cut off this week, and we haven't had a dry day since. Which means that somehow I am sporting what I can only describe as a modified bouffant.
It's not exactly a bulbous bouffant, but when considering my hair this morning I couldn't help but think of this "song". The first year that Brett and I were married we lived in Tallahassee and drove "home" once or twice a month. Sometimes on the drive we were rewarded with a little Dr. Demento time on the radio. That is when I discovered this gem. Just saying the word "bouffant" brings back memories.
Be forewarned. It's catchy.
(And, just for fun, here's another one of Brett's favorites.)
(Why stop there? Brett, this one's for you.)
Saturday, January 9, 2010
No Snow?
My hair has lost its curl. Sometimes it's kind of nice--in a flat and lifeless sort of way.
My fingers are cracked, and I have had to resort to wearing gloves each time I wash the dishes to protect my chapped and red, raw hands from greater pain and damage.
Everyone in our house has doubled up on the bedding.
Todd and Ryan have asked for hot chocolate every morning for two weeks.
We just missed out on having the 30% chance of precipitation turn out to be snow. After the rain, the clouds cleared and the temperature dropped back below freezing.
We have had to keep a light on our dear, covered orange tree.
I ran errands and did a little "me" shopping today. Somehow I came home with two sweatshirts, one blazer, a pair of tights, knee-high socks, and a ski band for my ears. (Not that I don't have some of these things at home that I have already been putting to good use.)
In other news . . .
It's C-O-L-D here in Florida!
My fingers are cracked, and I have had to resort to wearing gloves each time I wash the dishes to protect my chapped and red, raw hands from greater pain and damage.
Everyone in our house has doubled up on the bedding.
Todd and Ryan have asked for hot chocolate every morning for two weeks.
We just missed out on having the 30% chance of precipitation turn out to be snow. After the rain, the clouds cleared and the temperature dropped back below freezing.
We have had to keep a light on our dear, covered orange tree.
I ran errands and did a little "me" shopping today. Somehow I came home with two sweatshirts, one blazer, a pair of tights, knee-high socks, and a ski band for my ears. (Not that I don't have some of these things at home that I have already been putting to good use.)
In other news . . .
It's C-O-L-D here in Florida!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Let the Summer Outings Begin
And it's time to start being vigilent about sunscreen again. Ugh! But it's worth the effort.
Our "summer outings" began with a trip to the pool last week with Oma. The water was still a little chilly for me. I was able to get in and swim with the boys for a bit, but after a little while I got cold and had to get out. Of course, getting out is almost as painfully cold as getting in. The boys had no problems jumping in and staying in.
The boys have been looking forward to swimming. However, they both needed a little time to get used to it again. Ryan went ahead to the pool with Oma while I finished getting ready. Oma said that Ryan jumped right in, then realized that he had forgotten how to swim. He panicked, and Oma had to jump in after him. I got in the pool with Ryan, let him jump to me, then made him swim back to the edge by himself. He did not want to let go of me. "It's too far. I can't do it." Finally, I pried him off of me and gave him a little push. That was all it took. He remembered. That's when the fun began. Jumping, swimming and jumping some more.
Todd had a similar experience to Ryan. He got right into the pool and pushed off the stairs. I was watching from the edge of the pool. Todd forgot how to swim, panicked, and I had to grab his arm and guide him to the edge. I reminded him how to use his arms to make circles and how to get his feet behind him and kick. He kept trying and it clicked. He remembered. Then he was jumping and swimming and racing with Oma.
Just don't splash Oma...
This weekend I took the boys to the beach. I was looking forward to some beautiful photos, but the beach was kind of dirty: seaweed and green water (the yucky green--not our beautiful "Emerald"). We still had a great time, and even got in the water. The yellow flag was flying, so I didn't let the boys go in too far. We just had a good time jumping over waves. Once Todd put his mask on he had a great time jumping through the waves.
Sandy bottoms...
Sand angels...
Making "dog prints" in the sand...
Our "summer outings" began with a trip to the pool last week with Oma. The water was still a little chilly for me. I was able to get in and swim with the boys for a bit, but after a little while I got cold and had to get out. Of course, getting out is almost as painfully cold as getting in. The boys had no problems jumping in and staying in.
The boys have been looking forward to swimming. However, they both needed a little time to get used to it again. Ryan went ahead to the pool with Oma while I finished getting ready. Oma said that Ryan jumped right in, then realized that he had forgotten how to swim. He panicked, and Oma had to jump in after him. I got in the pool with Ryan, let him jump to me, then made him swim back to the edge by himself. He did not want to let go of me. "It's too far. I can't do it." Finally, I pried him off of me and gave him a little push. That was all it took. He remembered. That's when the fun began. Jumping, swimming and jumping some more.
Todd had a similar experience to Ryan. He got right into the pool and pushed off the stairs. I was watching from the edge of the pool. Todd forgot how to swim, panicked, and I had to grab his arm and guide him to the edge. I reminded him how to use his arms to make circles and how to get his feet behind him and kick. He kept trying and it clicked. He remembered. Then he was jumping and swimming and racing with Oma.
Just don't splash Oma...
This weekend I took the boys to the beach. I was looking forward to some beautiful photos, but the beach was kind of dirty: seaweed and green water (the yucky green--not our beautiful "Emerald"). We still had a great time, and even got in the water. The yellow flag was flying, so I didn't let the boys go in too far. We just had a good time jumping over waves. Once Todd put his mask on he had a great time jumping through the waves.
Sandy bottoms...
Sand angels...
Making "dog prints" in the sand...
Monday, April 13, 2009
MOPS Tea and Testimony
Every year our MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group has a special "Tea and Testimony" for one of the meetings. It is always a nice event. It is one of those events when women bring in their own dishes from home and dress the tables up nice and fancy. I volunteered (by default) to be the hostess for my discussion group. I brought in my Butterfly Meadows dishes to set the table, and everyone else pitched in with silverware, tablecloth, cloth napkins, centerpiece, serving dishes, etc. I thought our table looked nice, which was my goal. Imagine my surprise when we exceeded that goal and came away with the prize for best table. I was blown away. There were so many cute and very creative tables. I think ours won because the judges liked the traditional look of the table. Personally, my favorite was the birthday-themed table, but I'm not complaining. This is our "Spring" table:
I put some time in the night before getting things organized. I made sugar cookies and decorated them with every one's initials for place settings. I laid out all of the place settings and serving pieces I would need to bring the next morning. I also made sure to have a variety of herbal teas for those of us who don't drink the regular kind. I was glad that I had offered those alternatives. The majority of the ladies at my table chose from the herbals.
The ladies in my discussion group:
I volunteered to organize a special musical number for the "testimony" portion of the meeting. I selected a song by Sally DeFord called "Miracles." We practiced almost every Sunday for about a month and a half before the performance. Our practice paid off. I thought it sounded very nice. 
Ryan took this photo of me with my "prize" after the meeting. It was such a gorgeous spring day.
I must admit that I was exhausted by the time the tea was over. I had stayed up too late for too many nights in a row. I know that I have used the word "heavenly" before to describe a beautiful day in a hammock. It still applies, especially when it includes a sweet, cuddly boy . . . . Heavenly.
I put some time in the night before getting things organized. I made sugar cookies and decorated them with every one's initials for place settings. I laid out all of the place settings and serving pieces I would need to bring the next morning. I also made sure to have a variety of herbal teas for those of us who don't drink the regular kind. I was glad that I had offered those alternatives. The majority of the ladies at my table chose from the herbals.
An individual place setting:
We had a good time, as evident by my expression. I was sitting by the "mentor" mom for our discussion group, Joy, a very sweet lady.
The ladies in my discussion group:
I volunteered to organize a special musical number for the "testimony" portion of the meeting. I selected a song by Sally DeFord called "Miracles." We practiced almost every Sunday for about a month and a half before the performance. Our practice paid off. I thought it sounded very nice.
Here is the introduction I presented for our song:
The song I selected for our group to sing at the MOPS tea has a message that I felt was perfect for the women here in MOPS. The composer of the song “Miracles” explained that as a young girl she felt love and a desire to help the whole world, yet she would fight with her own brothers. She wanted to “save the whales,” but she would forget to feed her own dog. As an adult she grew to realize that some of the greatest miracles are those that happen closest to home. It is easy to become overwhelmed by all that we think we should be doing as women and mothers. Perhaps we feel like we should be doing more to make a difference in the world. I would like to remind each of you that you are making a difference in the world. Being kind and loving mothers is one of the most important things that you can do. In addition to making a difference in the lives of your children, I know that you are also helping to create miracles in the lives of others around you. It may not seem like much, but the smiles and kind words you offer make a difference. The support that you lend another mother facing a difficult challenge makes a difference. The meals, childcare, prayers, and more make a difference. Do not underestimate the good that you can and do accomplish each day. Our Savior Jesus Christ performed great miracles serving those close to Him. While we can not hope to do the things He did, we can follow His example by loving and serving the people around us. He will make the miracles happen from there.
Unfortunately, both Ryan and I later came down with a stomach bug. We had about three sick days between the two of us. At one point, Ryan was so feverish and tired that he fell asleep on the couch. He rarely takes a nap anymore; and he never falls asleep on the couch.
Those who didn't snuggle much (Todd and Daddy) managed to avoid being sick. I still say cuddles are worth the risk!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Weeds Pulled--Check
Last weekend was absolutely gorgeous! I wish that I had been able to go play at the beach. Instead, I was responsible and took Todd to his baseball game. After the game the boys spent the afternoon at Oma's house. I stayed home, did some chores, and yard work. Do I look exhausted? I was.
The good news is that now that my beds are weeded, I can do some planting. That is, assuming the weather clears up sometime. We were in a tornado warning earlier this morning, and I think it is supposed to rain for the rest of the week. By the time I get back around to planting some flowers the weeds will all over again. Groan. Not to worry though. I will get my plants in the ground, and I will have flowers for spring. It's hard not to stay motivated when the weather is beautiful, which it should be next week. By summer, I will be over it. Then there will be no more yard work by me until fall. I'm such a wimp outdoors.
The good news is that now that my beds are weeded, I can do some planting. That is, assuming the weather clears up sometime. We were in a tornado warning earlier this morning, and I think it is supposed to rain for the rest of the week. By the time I get back around to planting some flowers the weeds will all over again. Groan. Not to worry though. I will get my plants in the ground, and I will have flowers for spring. It's hard not to stay motivated when the weather is beautiful, which it should be next week. By summer, I will be over it. Then there will be no more yard work by me until fall. I'm such a wimp outdoors.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Relaxing at the Shore
Have I mentioned how much I love Rocky Bayou State Park? Well, I do. I love going there with one or both of my boys and letting them play while I relax. It is so peaceful there by the shore.
I took Ryan last week while Todd was at school. I had not been able to join Anne at the beach, so this was a consolation prize later that afternoon. And what a consolation prize it was. It is officially spring in Florida. Cool, crisp mornings; warm afternoons; and blooming azaleas.
Ryan, with his favorite accessory (well, second to Todd's baseball helmet): goggles!
Left, Ryan demonstrates what a zigzag looks like. Right, Ryan starts digging in to the sand toys.
Left, building a sand castle. Right, playing with water.
Left, building up a mountain for his volcano. Right, adding the lava to make it explode.
Thanks for taking me to Rocky Bayou, Mom!
I took Ryan last week while Todd was at school. I had not been able to join Anne at the beach, so this was a consolation prize later that afternoon. And what a consolation prize it was. It is officially spring in Florida. Cool, crisp mornings; warm afternoons; and blooming azaleas.
Ryan, with his favorite accessory (well, second to Todd's baseball helmet): goggles!
Left, Ryan demonstrates what a zigzag looks like. Right, Ryan starts digging in to the sand toys.
Left, building a sand castle. Right, playing with water.
Left, building up a mountain for his volcano. Right, adding the lava to make it explode.
Thanks for taking me to Rocky Bayou, Mom!
Let's do it again soon.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Dreams and Storytelling
I recently posted about some of my dreams. I had more since then, of course, but what I enjoyed this morning was hearing about Ryan's dream. He will often tell us (Todd and myself) about a dream he had the previously night while we are eating breakfast. This morning Ryan shared his dream from last night.
He said the he and his cousin Kellie were driving a golf cart. A car sped by and they jumped off into a leaf pile, and after the car passed they popped their heads out. But they didn't get run over. And, they had said, "Don't let Casie in!"
I love hearing Ryan share his dreams with us. After talking about dreams earlier this week I find it interesting that Ryan frequently tells me about a dream he had--once, twice, or three times a week--but I almost never hear about any dreams Todd had. What I do hear from Todd is him trying to embellish Ryan's dreams. Todd understands that dreams are not real, so after Ryan tells us his dream Todd will try to finish out his own version of the "story" Ryan started.
He said the he and his cousin Kellie were driving a golf cart. A car sped by and they jumped off into a leaf pile, and after the car passed they popped their heads out. But they didn't get run over. And, they had said, "Don't let Casie in!"
I love hearing Ryan share his dreams with us. After talking about dreams earlier this week I find it interesting that Ryan frequently tells me about a dream he had--once, twice, or three times a week--but I almost never hear about any dreams Todd had. What I do hear from Todd is him trying to embellish Ryan's dreams. Todd understands that dreams are not real, so after Ryan tells us his dream Todd will try to finish out his own version of the "story" Ryan started.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
I Told You We Had a Fall
The boys love it when Uncle Mark is outside doing yard work. They have fun keeping him company. Unfortunately, Mark doesn't get as much accomplished with them around. He usually gives in a little and ends up playing with them, as he did with Ryan the day Mark was raking leaves.
I LOVE this photo of Ryan. Thanks for taking these pictures, Kellie.
I LOVE this photo of Ryan. Thanks for taking these pictures, Kellie.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Who Says Florida Has No Fall?
Who says that Florida doesn't have real seasons?
We do have a very long, very hot summer. But we have near perfect weather during our short spring. It also gets quite cold (below freezing, even) in the winter. When I woke up this morning to 37 degrees outside and frost on the ground, I was convinced that Florida has a winter. True--I doubt I'll see snow, and it warmed up in the sun to a comfortable 60 degrees outside this afternoon. But there will be days when I wish it would snow. Otherwise, what's the point of staying so cold?
And this year we have had a "real" fall, including the beautiful change in foliage. I don't remember past years being as beautiful as this year. See the reds? See the yellows?
I took some photos around my neighborhood, including this maple in my front yard.
I love this red!
What I like about this photo is how this tree (not sure what kind of oak it is, and I'm too tired to look it up) is no longer camouflaged. The red foliage gives it away.
Changing the subject from fall, but keeping within the category of "nature"...
We do have a very long, very hot summer. But we have near perfect weather during our short spring. It also gets quite cold (below freezing, even) in the winter. When I woke up this morning to 37 degrees outside and frost on the ground, I was convinced that Florida has a winter. True--I doubt I'll see snow, and it warmed up in the sun to a comfortable 60 degrees outside this afternoon. But there will be days when I wish it would snow. Otherwise, what's the point of staying so cold?
And this year we have had a "real" fall, including the beautiful change in foliage. I don't remember past years being as beautiful as this year. See the reds? See the yellows?
I took some photos around my neighborhood, including this maple in my front yard.
I love this red!
What I like about this photo is how this tree (not sure what kind of oak it is, and I'm too tired to look it up) is no longer camouflaged. The red foliage gives it away.
(One of these branches is not like the other. Wait! How did this tree get here?)
This is another tree on our street that I love. I admire it every time I pass by on the way to Todd's bus stop. (Well, maybe I don't admire it as I'm running to the bus stop in the morning, but I do the other three times I pass it each day.) It is past its prime now, but the yellow was so beautiful with almost purple leaves on the ends of some of the branches. What a striking contrast.
This is another tree on our street that I love. I admire it every time I pass by on the way to Todd's bus stop. (Well, maybe I don't admire it as I'm running to the bus stop in the morning, but I do the other three times I pass it each day.) It is past its prime now, but the yellow was so beautiful with almost purple leaves on the ends of some of the branches. What a striking contrast.
Changing the subject from fall, but keeping within the category of "nature"...
I was grateful for the tip that I got from Brett's mom as I was walking out the door to chorus practice last night. The Moon, Venus, and Jupiter were very close together in the sky last night. I took an extra few minutes to admire it and tried to snap a photo before heading off to practice. (I was already five minutes late--what's another five? It was worth it.)
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Hammock-Worthy Weather
This post is hard for me to write. These photos were taken earlier this week when it was sunny, dry, and the perfect temperature for keeping your doors and windows open: cool mornings, warming up to shorts-and-T-shirt afternoons.
Today it has been wet and rainy all day. Even now as I type I still hear the wind and the rain. I don't think it's let up much since since 1:00pm. It is hard to believe that yesterday was absolutely gorgeous.
I had been setting up our big hammock outside quite often. (We don't keep it up all the time because the rope mildews and rots too quickly when left out.) Ryan has enjoyed a few "rest times" on the hammock when Todd has been at school.
I have enjoyed some nice quiet time out there with Ryan as well. Ryan especially enjoys being read to on the hammock. He frequently brings a pillow to the hammock with him. One word: heavenly. 
Ryan even got Daddy to lay down for a few minutes and read "Harry the Dirty Dog," his favorite book this week.
Here's hoping for more hammock-worthy weather, and time to enjoy it after the rain leaves!
Today it has been wet and rainy all day. Even now as I type I still hear the wind and the rain. I don't think it's let up much since since 1:00pm. It is hard to believe that yesterday was absolutely gorgeous.
I had been setting up our big hammock outside quite often. (We don't keep it up all the time because the rope mildews and rots too quickly when left out.) Ryan has enjoyed a few "rest times" on the hammock when Todd has been at school.
I have enjoyed some nice quiet time out there with Ryan as well. Ryan especially enjoys being read to on the hammock. He frequently brings a pillow to the hammock with him. One word: heavenly. 
Ryan even got Daddy to lay down for a few minutes and read "Harry the Dirty Dog," his favorite book this week.Thursday, September 18, 2008
Homework, Cooler Weather, and Competition
Homework
This is the follow up to Todd's sick day post. Todd ended up being out of school for three days. I had hoped that he would be well enough to go to school on Friday, but he was up most of the night (Thursday night) coughing. When he went to school on Monday I sent a note to the teacher explaining his absences and said to feel free to send home any work she wanted me to go over with Todd at home. We spent all of Monday afternoon and early evening finishing his "homework." It was all easy stuff, and Todd was a great sport about it. If anything, it was more one-on-one time than he usually gets with me in the evening. However, I am not looking forward to when homework becomes a daily chore.
Sometimes Todd still doesn't seem like his body has fully recuperated. Not that he has a temperature or a constant cough and runny nose. He just seems to get tired out more easily in the evenings. Tonight he had to be sent to his room for a little quiet time. I can see it, but he doesn't recognize that his body is still a little worn down.
I am still having him take his breathing treatments twice a day until I am sure that he is back to normal. He has been protesting the medicine the last two days, because he doesn't consider himself sick. I am hoping that this doesn't become a battle this winter when he needs to take his breathing medicine every day to treat his "asthma-like symptoms". A summer with no problems has made him forget that sometimes we use the medicine to assist in treating a cold, but we also use it at times (colder winter weather) to help prevent the coughing fits he is prone to when he is off the medicine. This all still feels new to me as I adjust to caring for someone who needs regular treatment for a (comparatively very minor--thank goodness) chronic health concern.
Cooler Weather
I was so excited this week when I was able to open the sliding glass doors for the first time since Spring. We set up Play-Do on the craft table in the screened porch for Ryan. No more reminding, "Shut the door!" I enjoyed some time finishing my book outside and playing basketball with Ryan. And yesterday we had an absolutely lovely day at the park with our church playgroup friends.
Competition
One reason (among many) why I find it harder to spend much time on the computer these days: as soon as I sit down during the day at the computer one or two little boys will immediately ask, "Can I play on the computer?" They have become quite adept at controlling the mouse and figuring out how to play the activities on their favorite web sites (Thomas and Playhouse Disney). They do a pretty good job taking turns when I use the timer, but I still need to monitor them closely so they don't get glued to the screen. I am looking forward to having a system at home where they will be able to earn the privilege to play on the computer for a set amount of time according to the chores they have completed. Coming soon!
This is the follow up to Todd's sick day post. Todd ended up being out of school for three days. I had hoped that he would be well enough to go to school on Friday, but he was up most of the night (Thursday night) coughing. When he went to school on Monday I sent a note to the teacher explaining his absences and said to feel free to send home any work she wanted me to go over with Todd at home. We spent all of Monday afternoon and early evening finishing his "homework." It was all easy stuff, and Todd was a great sport about it. If anything, it was more one-on-one time than he usually gets with me in the evening. However, I am not looking forward to when homework becomes a daily chore.
Sometimes Todd still doesn't seem like his body has fully recuperated. Not that he has a temperature or a constant cough and runny nose. He just seems to get tired out more easily in the evenings. Tonight he had to be sent to his room for a little quiet time. I can see it, but he doesn't recognize that his body is still a little worn down.
I am still having him take his breathing treatments twice a day until I am sure that he is back to normal. He has been protesting the medicine the last two days, because he doesn't consider himself sick. I am hoping that this doesn't become a battle this winter when he needs to take his breathing medicine every day to treat his "asthma-like symptoms". A summer with no problems has made him forget that sometimes we use the medicine to assist in treating a cold, but we also use it at times (colder winter weather) to help prevent the coughing fits he is prone to when he is off the medicine. This all still feels new to me as I adjust to caring for someone who needs regular treatment for a (comparatively very minor--thank goodness) chronic health concern.
Cooler Weather
I was so excited this week when I was able to open the sliding glass doors for the first time since Spring. We set up Play-Do on the craft table in the screened porch for Ryan. No more reminding, "Shut the door!" I enjoyed some time finishing my book outside and playing basketball with Ryan. And yesterday we had an absolutely lovely day at the park with our church playgroup friends.
Competition
One reason (among many) why I find it harder to spend much time on the computer these days: as soon as I sit down during the day at the computer one or two little boys will immediately ask, "Can I play on the computer?" They have become quite adept at controlling the mouse and figuring out how to play the activities on their favorite web sites (Thomas and Playhouse Disney). They do a pretty good job taking turns when I use the timer, but I still need to monitor them closely so they don't get glued to the screen. I am looking forward to having a system at home where they will be able to earn the privilege to play on the computer for a set amount of time according to the chores they have completed. Coming soon!
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