Remember this photo?

You never know what will strike people. This was just a quick shot I took in Kate's studio. Her adviser, Jana loved it and forwarded it to the school director who used it in the school's slide show on Tuesday. We had conferences today and Jana asked my permission to forward it to a Montessori magazine publication as it "captures her spirit". I thought it was a sweet compliment.

Both girls are doing well in school. Kate's advisers said they'd love to have 30 just like Kate in their class. She is respectful, kind, helpful, joyful and fun. Again, a sweet compliment. Academically they are pleased with her progress and she sited reading as her favorite when asked to participate in the discussion. Lauren has grown personally and academically this year. All of us are blown away by her progress. She started the year unable to speak in front of the class and is now taking an optional theater class for additional practice. Her latest presentations have left her advisers speechless. She is poised and confident. We started the year hoping to achieve basic skills and have quickly realized she has the potential to earn an honor diploma. I am grateful beyond words for the methods used and more so how much these amazing teachers pour into my kids.

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Greg took Lauren out to practice driving in the school's parking lot Sunday afternoon. Ty rode along. Greg was as impressed with her natural ability as me. Erin is another story but it isn't nice so I won't be sharing. They were only home a few minutes when Ty whispered into Lauren's ear, "take me to Pa-pa's house". Another driver in the house may be a good thing!

Lauren is not overly excited about little kids. She isn't into babies and doesn't pay much attention to them in general. In fact, if we are being honest, she finds them loud and annoying. That being said, there is a special bond she has only with Ty. That little guy makes her smile everyday. No matter what drama is in her life, she will sit back with a grin on her face watching him be himself. He is so confident, happy and full of energy. She doesn't get onto the floor and interact but thoroughly enjoys observing him in action. I love sitting back and watching her face while she takes him in. Joy.

Kate has struggled with one little boy at school who has decided she is a punching bag of sorts. He hits her as she walks past, kicks, pushes and makes mean faces on a daily basis. Kate has been empowered to tell him to stop but we were reaching a point of asking for a little more intervention as this has gone on too long. Our conferences are tomorrow so we thought it would be a good time for that discussion; however, Kate came home with the news yesterday that this particular little guy and his friend both have crushes on Lauren! There is ONLY a 9 year age difference and they are pretty smitten! Lauren has decided to wander down to Kate's studio today to ask her petite "boyfriend" to look out for her sister and make sure she's not hit anymore. Who knows, we may have just solved our issue! Boy crushes. They make them act crazy.

Masking Tape Race Track

Have ya'll heard about Pinterest? It's the latest online addiction. I used to clip photos, ideas and articles from magazines so I would have them to refer to later. The only problem with that approach was my tendency to purge all things paper when that "I have to clean this house NOW mood" struck. And, let's be honest, I never referred back to those clippings anyway. So here I am in 2012 searching online bulletin boards with photos that link to articles and craft ideas galore. I love the recipe board the most. But, I ran across this little gem last week and pulled it out as a distraction for a couple of busy little people yesterday. We bought more tape today.....

And, the track was later wadded up into a tape ball that further entertained the boys.

Did you know?

• Honey is my new best friend....I asked our pediatrician friend for tips to help Ty deal with a nasty cough that had him up three nights in a row for over an hour constantly coughing. She recommended a teaspoon of honey at bedtime. It worked! Who knew? (Besides Robyn anyway)
• Warmer weather makes me giddy. I hardly know what to do with myself!  I am scraping the paint off an old wooden door for a project I am itching to finish. It was supposed to be a spring project but with weather like this, it may as well be spring and besides, I fear that spring will be filled with winter. (if that even makes sense) I have also slipped out for a few walks this week. Life is good.
• I enjoyed a cup of tea on my porch swing this morning. It was glorious. I am a little worried though as my typical summertime perch looks directly into my new neighbor's house. They don't appear to believe in window treatments. They have their couch facing my swing. This could get colorful. 

• The boys believe they are helpful. Ty is holding a piece of my vacuum that is not supposed to be removable. Turn your back for a second....sheesh.
• Speaking of back turning....I took a few minutes for myself yesterday (I swear I could write an entire post titled "while I was in the bathroom") and heard my microwave running. Ty was the only other person here. I panicked and discovered him standing on a chair "pushing a button". Have mercy.
• I think the toddler years have arrived in full force. Our sweet little guy probably thinks his legal name is Colby James No! 
• Our precious elderly neighbor passed away this weekend. Our girls adored Miss Jean and will miss their little chats. Erin is a teaching assistant for her son and is particularly saddened.
• I have two daughters who are at an age to be discussing driver's education. (Help me). Erin is afraid to drive and has kept this topic on the back burner for quite awhile. Her little encounter with the deer a few weeks ago did not help. She would just assume allow everyone else cart her around. Lauren, on the other hand, just turned 15 in November and is pretty sure we are crazy for not having her signed up for driver's ed! She wants it all. NOW. I honestly don't know which one makes me more nervous. Greg has signed them up for a course called "Alive at 25" that will likely traumatize Erin and hopefully slow Lauren down a bit. Can't we just bubble wrap them?

• My son is adorable when he blows on hot soup. Hot soup would have made sense on the meal plan for a typical February 1st.

Grandpa and Grandma visited today

Ty joined us in looking through the childhood scrapbook Carol made Greg. His younger years look a lot like Ty; however, Greg's teen years reflect a lot of Lauren! We didn't expect that as a lot of people see my mom in her.

Learning

Kate's class has been doing research for a couple of weeks on a country in Asia. Today they presented what they've learned in a fair setting where other classes and families were welcome to visit. Kate and Lilly worked together to study Thailand. Kate's been excited about it as we've heard a lot about it at home even though all the work was done at school. I happen to love that approach as my neighbors have complained over the years about the work they have to put into their kids' reports. The teachers expect professional looking projects rather than allowing the kids to create and explore for themselves. It is a missed learning opportunity at best.

Kate was eager to show off her work today. Her adviser Jana has her sister visiting the class this week since she just returned from teaching in Thailand for three years. She asked the girls what they were going to tell people about Thailand when they stopped by their booth. Both little girls shrugged as they hadn't thought about the actual presentation beyond coloring, gluing and printing on cardboard. She then asked them if they knew what Buddhism was. Lilly volunteered that she was pretty sure it meant "people who don't wear boots". Adorable. Apparently the year in Thailand is 2554 because they base their calendar on the life of Buddha rather than Christ......interesting little piece of trivia for you today.

After we visited the fair where Aiden was exposed to the chinchillas, bearded dragon, birds, fish, snakes and crabs around the school for the first time we headed home to make cupcakes. The boys loved lining the pans and stirring the ingredients. They are quite proud of themselves and can't wait to share their treats with the houseful of teens we will be hosting after tonight's basketball game.

In all fairness.....

When Greg and I were discussing how much all of our kids look like him, Kate's little face presented traits that are clearly mine.

Sherri age 5 and Theresa age 2 (we think)

My childhood photos are all Polaroids so they aren't as easy to scan and work with as Greg's 8x10 Olan Mills portraits. They aren't documented in anyway so I have no real idea how old I am in either shot. On this front, his mom scores all the winning points.

His Pa-Pa's House

Monday night I took my little guy to Ohio because a friend needed some support as she faced a biopsy on Tuesday morning. Ty could hardly contain his excitement as we prepared for our mini trip. He quickly grabbed his dinosaur shirt and his frog boots and declared he was ready to go! I added a few more items to the bag, just in case the shirt and boots wouldn't quite cover 24 hours.

Kristin and her mom kept Ty while I was at the hospital with my friend. We both wish we lived close enough to have play dates more often.

God is Good......
So I begged God to spare my friend the ordeal we feared she faced. Two mammograms and an ultrasound showed four nasty cysts that the radiologist believed needed biopsied. I literally prayed for God to take this away from her unless He was going to in some way use this to draw her closer to Him. I just couldn't see her going through cancer. The procedure was supposed to last a minimum of two hours but in just over an hour, she emerged with grateful tears in her eyes. As the fluid inside the cysts was being aspirated, the cysts literally vanished before their eyes....all four of them. The fluid was clear and left absolutely no reason to be concerned. Yes, God is good.

A peek into my world

Colby's dad says they are as close as brothers. I say they are partners in crime.

At this point, Aiden typically tells me he thinks my house is always a mess....assuming no responsibility, just pointing it out.

Ahh.....but restoration is sweet.....

A day that all of them nap at the same time is a VERY good day.

I spend a lot of time running these two all over town which provides one more opportunity for that needed nap.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree

Ty at 29 months                                             Greg at 31 months

Ty was being his silly self the other day when Greg looked at me and said, "Don't blame me, he's yours". You think? Despite the silliness, I think I'll keep them both. They are rather cute.

That was quick.....

Makenna decided our local public middle school was not what she expected and opted out of completing the semester there. She finished her last day today and feels as though a huge weight has been lifted. We achieved what we set out to do. She experienced "real school" complete with bus rides and homework. It was not a good fit and I am happy to have her home again.

Our crazy January weather threw us into a tornado warning today.....good times. I was happily (maybe not happily) vacuuming my house when I noted how dark the sky had grown and then saw my phone lighting up as if a half dozen people were trying to reach me at the same time. I shut off the vacuum, reached for the phone and turned on the local weather just in time to see we were under a warning and lose power. I screamed at Greg to get out of bed and help me grab the boys from their snacks. We camped out in the bathroom for awhile but in all seriousness, we missed the storm! It was over by the time I realized what was happening. Colby kept returning to the bathroom to sit on the floor and enjoy a few more animal crackers and Ty kept repeating "thunder was spooky" while moving his fingers in a strange motion. He was hunched over and whispering as he did this all afternoon. You just never know what will make an impression on those boys. Did I mention I was planning SNOW photos this month?

Who's got your back?

It's good to know who's got your back in life. At our house, Ty thinks he's the man. In reality, God does. Erin went out with her friend Carlyn Friday night and they hit a deer. Carlyn didn't see it before she hit it. She had no time to respond and for that, I am grateful as there was on-coming traffic on one side and a tree on the other. The deer was a doe and it did not hit the windshield. There was damage to the car but no one other than the deer was hurt. I am grateful on so many levels. Erin says she and Carlyn are more successful deer hunters than Greg. She's sweet like that.

This week I read a book Mom picked up for me for my birthday called 90 Minutes in Heaven. I wasn't immediately drawn to the title as I think there are a lot of false stories floating around out there about that topic. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. This man's story about recovering from an accident has a lot in common with Greg's, although the author's injuries were much more severe. The ilizarov frame, bone grafts, sleeplessness, depression, the toll on family that lead to a deep bond in our family, the pain, financial impact and familiarity with hospital surgical wings were all covered. I have mentioned to Greg that we need to write his story for those going through tough times or recovering from accidents but he's been reluctant. I wonder if having something in print would help others understand his relentless quest to prevent work related injuries. I don't know that answer yet but just wonder what God will do to further use that trial. 

So January arrived with a vengeance. We saw temps near 70 last week and this week, single digits. Yep, it's here! I've enjoyed scrap booking, having a fire in the evenings and relaxing at home as we don't want to get out in the weather if we can avoid it. I miss homeschooling in temperatures like these! No one had to go out if it was icy and the route to the dining room was always clear so we didn't have to watch for school closings. Just a few simple things I miss about homeschooling these days....there are many more.

January?

According to the calendar it is January. I haven't worn a coat but a handful of times and we've been outside playing more days than not. I'll take it!

I planned to take snow shots this month, but shadows will do!

Remember that JoAnn Fabric stop? This is what I was up to.....rumor has it that someone has started a real middle school and is therefore too old to have Tinkerbell posters on her wall. In fact, brace yourself....her sister has decided that wallpapering her bedroom in Justin Bieber posters may have made her look like an obsessed fan and those were eliminated too! I am thrilled with both decisions as we can actually see the eggplant wall color chosen for that room! Anyway, that left me with abandoned poster frames and I decided they'd be perfect for showcasing our cousin photos taken over the holidays......

I'm pretty pleased with the results. Greg hung them without saying a word which was his reaction to the throw pillow I added to our bedroom and these little cuties I picked up for my kitchen window. I lovingly pointed out that the mere idea of a throw pillow doesn't impress him so I should handle the decorating. He'd have camouflaged furniture and dead animals everywhere if it were up to him. 

Aren't the tea cup measuring cups adorable? They will house my mini herb garden. I used a table runner my friend Nancy made as the window valance....just a few little touches to brighten up my home.

The future Mrs. Bieber wants me to verify (just in case Justin reads this) she kept all three of her life-size cutouts, the hand painted desk with all of his songs written in his favorite colors and her Bieber collection of bears, dolls, silly bandz, perfume and books.

"Stay away!!! Be afraid.....be very afraid"

On my way back into town after a relaxing weekend away with my girlfriends, I stopped at JoAnn Fabrics. I have a project in mind and pulling the van into that parking lot with any one of my children is met with a protest that would shame the Occupiers. Anyway, I was checking out when the above was texted to me by my wonderful husband. I laughed out loud and shared it with the cashiers. They also laughed and one asked me quite seriously if I worried the kids had tied him up. I was confident they'd be smart enough to remove his phone; however, at that moment I wasn't entirely sure I wouldn't come home to find my children tied up!

I still hurried home. I had a great weekend but homecoming was sweet too. I miss my family when they are away. I miss them when I am away, which simply does not happen often enough if this "I can't stop enjoying my babies grin" is any indication. Greg fared very well as the single parent for the weekend. All of my children were bathed, fed and even nurtured beyond normal levels as two of them were sick. That guy is a keeper.

And so are these beautiful friends! We've been friends a long time. Discussions about twenty year reunions took place this weekend....that means we've been friends A REALLY LONG TIME! Kristin and I started our friendship in a cooking class with a crazy teacher in high school. We found that we have a sarcastic sense of humor in common rather quickly as we were less than polite in our observations during that class. Kristin and I have been as close as sisters through the years. She is my daily sanity check. And Jill, well we all love telling the story about how I dated her husband. Sounds really colorful doesn't it? Her husband Greg and I were high school sweethearts who broke up shortly after graduation but maintained a close friendship. I still have a lot of respect for the Godly man he's continued to be. Jill and I met when I was jewelry shopping for my wedding. She was so much fun and absolutely perfect for Greg (hers not mine!). We became fast friends and have always enjoyed any opportunity we get to visit.
Missing this weekend was Cherie. And miss her, we did. Cherie and I have also been friends since high school. I adore her. She spent the weekend with her family as Hospice has been called in for her Grandpa. I think that means we need to plan this again soon.

Little Boys

Ty was quietly sitting at the counter with Aiden today while I made lunch. All of the sudden, without any provocation, my son blurted out "poop.fart." and looked for a reaction. I did not respond but texted my sister that Ty just had a "Mason Moment". Mason, my four year old nephew used to blurt out the only bad words he knew "poop.butt.fart" to the point my sister feared he had Tourette Syndrome! She texted back, "good luck with that".

2011 Send Off