Boys will be Boys

I couldn't resist!

Last weekend Paul and his friend headed downtown to watch the Colts vs. Ravens in the NFL playoffs. The boys have had their season tickets together since 2000. They have enjoyed many touchdowns, tailgates, and road trips. After the Colts' victory, they headed out to celebrate. They have forgotten that their bodies do not recover as quickly as they did 10 years ago. They also learned that kids do not care if you want to sleep a few more hours and that your body needs caffeine and a Saga brunch. Ethan was relentless. He showed Shawn every noisy toy he could find. I don't know what he thought was worse: the lack of recovery or the four-hour drive his home.

Let's hope for another Colts' victory today.

Let's go BLUE!

100 Days Smarter

Happy 100th Day to You!
Happy 100th Day to You!
Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy
Happy 100th Day to You!
My Ethers celebrated the 100th day of kindergarten today! His class brought in their collections, made necklaces strung with 100 Fruit Loops, and even made party hats.

Guess what. One kid in the ENTIRE kindergarten class did not follow directions. The students were to place their 100 objects in A ziploc bag. One certain boy (and his mother) placed the project in 10 bags. We sorted his cars. He has 10 John Deere tractors, 10 blue cars, 10 cars with stripes, 10 single-color, 10 trucks, 10 helper cars (firetrucks, police cars, plows), 10 boats, 10 Disney cars, 10 monster trucks, and 10 race cars. It was a great lesson at home sorting and counting.

May I have your Autograph?

Thursday evening, Mom and I headed to Lucas Oil Stadium with Ethan in tow. We wanted cheer on the Colts before the AFC Championship game. Thanks to Mom's retirement adventure (she works at the stadium for home games), we were able to get down on the floor. We were lucky to get a few autographs. Ethan asked everyone he saw to autograph his ball: the lady exiting the bathroom, a stadium worker, my mom's friend, and a few others, before he got the hang of it. It was good practice, because he took his football and pushed his way through the crowd to get Governor Mitch Daniels' autograph and even the mascot's autograph.

Ethan and I could make some great plays for the Colts, you think!?!?!

He already has his ticket to Miami!

His first autograph . . . Governor Daniels.

Did I mention that Ethan also had the son of a former player sign his football? We now have Marcellus Herrod's autograph. Ethan may be the first person to have the 2030 NLF Rookie of the Year's autograph.

This little guy was beat! He told B'maw and I that we were too loud on the way home. I think he enjoyed himself at the "Go Colts Football Stadium," even if his favorite part was the Lucas Oil tractors and race cars throughout the concourses.

Fantastic Fish

Blue to the Gill and Spotted Fish are Ethan and Erica's pets. The named them. They feed them. They watch them swim. They even had to flush Spotted Fish down the toilet. But, Paul, being such a good Daddy, took his little girl to get a new Spotted Fish. This one is much bigger.

Ethan, Erica, and Ellie received their fish aquarium for Christmas. They helped select the decorations for it. Ethan picked a racing helmet, and I am sure you can guess what Erica selected just by looking at the picture. Yep, she picked Ariel. Ellie's is so ecstatic when the bubbles escape the sunken chest. She was heart-broken when we had turn off the bubbles for a short time. This Christmas gift has been a source of enjoyment for our entire family.

Burritos and Bifocals

I was so happy that my camera was close by to snap some photos of Ellie "eating" her burrito.

Ellie made her own burrito mask. She was just testing out the slogan "Burritos as Big as your Head."

still dilated and crossed

Erica had a check up with the ophthalmologist today. She was less than thrilled when she realized her eyes were to be dilated. (I made Paul hold her for this part. She is one strong little girl!) The doctor was pleased with her vision when she focuses on objects at a distance. He was not pleased with her close range vision. Her eyes are still turning in. My sweet girl will be wearing bifocals at the tender age of three. The doctor is still hopeful that surgery will not be necessary. We are too! This momma was in tears when she had her eyes dilated. I can't imagine how it would be if she were to have eye surgery.

Thank goodness for the wealth of knowledge of Erica's doctor.

Ni-nights

There is just something about little girls in their night gowns. It is so sweet and innocent. I love how grown-up, yet so little they look all at the same time.

It may also be that I love what comes with the jammies: snuggles, bedtime stories, "I love yous," hugs, butterfly kisses from Ethan, Eskimo kisses from Erica, and "monster kisses" for Ellie. I love the thanks for today and the wishes for tomorrow. Most of all, I love the three sweet gifts that are all snuggled in their beds at this moment. Who knows, maybe they will still be there come morning. If not, I will just scoot on over to the edge of my bed, hoping NOT to crash to the floor, and enjoy the snuggles.

C18 friendship

One of my wonderful friends and college roommates posted this on her blog. I had to share because it is so true. Love you Kimmer! and Ang and Ali.

Posted by Kim on Tuesday, December 22, 2009 at Enjoying the Entire Journey

Over break I had the joy of having lunch with my 3 college roommates....better know as some dear friends! I was going to take a photo, we got to busy talking that I forgot, no surprise there!
It was a wonderful visit.....I will sum up our friendship in a top ten list....
Top Ten Reasons Why I adore our C-18 friendship....
10. Who else could live together in college and not have one disagreement...it is true
9. We are all individually unique, yet a great team of friends
8. We have great husbands....great choices girls!
7. Cute kiddos...We have that covered....10 to be certain but 11 is one the way....(not from me...) or me
6. College Memories aplenty
5. We will be friends forever...we know too much about one another
4. Support...I can always count on them....always
3. Laugh....We can laugh....until we cry
2. Young....we may not be, but we feel like it when we are together
And the #1 Reason....
1. No matter how long between our visits, we pick up right where we left off...Priceless....

Uninvited!

Ethan went to the doctor on Monday to be told he had an ear infection. The doctor suggested that he stay home from school Tuesday and possibly Wednesday. Ethan and I stayed home from school today, the first student day back from break. What kid wouldn't love to prolong their vacation?!?! Not mine! About mid-morning Ethan and I had the following conversation.

Ethan: Mommy, can Luke and Jake come over and play?

me: No, buddy. They are at school today.

Ethan: But, I want to go to school. Why won't you let me go to school?

Me: Ethan, Dr. Dave said that you needed to stay home from school because you are sick.

Ethan (screaming mad and tears): I just want to go to school and learn, but you won't let me. Why won't you let me learn? Why? You hurt my feelings.


Now, secretly, the teacher in me is loving this. Yes, he wants to go to school and learn! Yes, he LOVES school, and hates to miss! But, the mother in me is thankful that the "sick kid" with a fever is at home and not bringing all of their germs to school.

Ethan was so mad at me that I was uninvited to his birthday party. This is the same boy that has been planning his birthday party since Halloween. The same boy that invited the furnace repair man, the same boy that has invited just about every teacher in school (some to his 10th birthday party), the same boy that invited complete strangers in the grocery store today, and the same boy that wants to invite "the whole Earth." Somehow, his Mommy is left off that list. That is, until I posed the following questions to him: "Who makes the birthday cakes for your party? Who sends out the invitations? Who buys the presents?" I think he might reconsider, as for now, he is ready to go back to school tomorrow. AND, I am ready for this family to be healthy!

The Gift that Keeps on Giving

If I had a white flag I would wave it. The flu bug has hit our house, and hit it hard.

Christmas Eve Ethan was not feeling well. He felt so poorly that he told me that he was just going to stay home from Gammaw and Papaw's house. Now, anyone who knows Ethan well, knows that he must have felt awful. He slept through dinner that night, but seemed to better after that.

Fast-forward a few days, Ellie started vomiting around bath time. In fact she ended up in Erica's bathwater jammies, blankie, and daddy's shirt with her. Thankfully, Erica had not yet stepped into the tub. By bedtime, Ellie and I were banished to the bedroom. She and I were two sick girls. Ellie looked so lifeless. It is something that I never want to see again.

I thought the rest of the family would be free and clear of this bug. Boy, was I wrong. Erica came down with it several days later. Luckily, it was a mild case for her. Paul followed, and then it hit Ethan. When Ethan gets sick, he gets sick! Eighteen hours of sleep later, he was wondering why the sun wasn't coming up at 4 in the morning!

This house is out of Lysol, Clorox wipes, and bleach. We would probably be out of laundry detergent, but our water line is frozen to the washing machine. I think I have done more laundry the the local mat on payday, and it keeps piling up. It didn't freeze up until after Ethan got sick, so I was able to get a good portion of it completed.

On the bright side, the weight loss from this bug helped me jump start my resolution.

Santa Stopped at our House

Santa stopped at our house. He left his snowy bootprints down the hallway. I didn't mind cleaning up these footprints!

On Christmas Eve eve, we headed to Christmas services at church. This was the first time attending church services on eve of Christmas Eve. Then, on Christmas Eve the Buening family gathered at Gammaw and Papaw's House. As always we enjoyed all the kids, all 7 of them, and our time together. It was wonderful the time that we are able to spend together.

Christmas Eve, Santa and the Mrs. and son stopped to visit at Gammaw's house.

Erica's twin babies

Erica gave Max one last Christmas hug before heading home to wait for Santa's arrival.

Santa found his way to our house. It seems that Rudolph had the night off. The reindeer must have clipped the power lines after leaving our house, because we lost power. Paul and I were very excited about Christmas, so it was disappointing that we did not have power until mid-morning. Thankfully, the kids didn't mind too much that we postponed our Christmas morning until the next day. (Thankfully, Santa hid the "good" presents, so the kids didn't see them!) Still in our jammies, we headed to B'maw and Pop-O's house early where we enjoyed the time with the family.

Daddy manned the camcorder while I manned the camera. We are a great team!


Ellie would not put her chap stick down long enough to open presents.

Ellie got her very own baby! Chap stick still in hand.

Ethan was so excited with Santa's delivery.

Princess Erica claimed the kitchen and dress up clothes for herself stating that Ellie was too little to play with the big girl toys. She is doing a great job of sharing now. She even let Ethan dress up in the pink flapper girl dress. I was too slow with the camera.

Maybe, next year Rudolph will be back. He can guide Santa's sleigh above the power lines. However, it is funny how things work out. Paul and I were discussing how quickly Christmas comes and goes. It seems that we were to sit back and enjoy the season a few days longer.