Lessons Learned

Why Lydia should never be allowed to go to the store hungry:

Why Jared should never be allowed to go to the store .... ever:

Toothless Jack

Well, it's too late (or too soon) to ask for his two front teeth for Christmas, but maybe Jack will grow some new ones in soon. Or maybe not, because he's just such a cutie pie without them. But don't tell him that, since that sounds decidedly unmanly.

Warning

This is what happens when you're stuck at home recovering from your appendicitis ... and Ellie is bored

Spa Day!

For Ellie's birthday party, she wanted a spa day for her and her friends.

So 8 girls got fluffy pink robes....
And had their nails done - all chose glitter, by the way....
And had their makeup done - apparently the style is 'as bright as you can make it!' ....
And got into fancy ball gowns...
And lots of bling...
And did a fabulous fashion show.
Afterwards, we had some yummy snacks (my instructions were to make all pink food - I came close), and of course cake.

All in all, the girls were really well-behaved - except when Jack came down, and then at least half of them tried to kiss/pinch/chase him. So lesson learned, hide the boys during Spa Day.

Happy Spa Day!

Meanwhile...

...in the most dramatic attempt to avoid Valentine's Day, Jared decided to get an appendicitis the other day. We thought it was a stomach bug, because it started out with a whole lot o' vomiting. But then that passed, but the stomach pains did not. So then came the urgent care. Where they promptly said get thee to the ER. So then came the ER, and many hours of waiting until the CT scan confirmed appendicitis. A couple hours after that, Jared was in surgery. And about 12 hours after that, I was springing him from the hospital. On Valentine's Day. So I pretty much spent my Valentine's Day playing nurse. But not in a good way.

It's a good thing he's worth it.

Happy Valentine's Day, Baby Daddy!



What kind of wife snaps a photo during her husband's absolute worst time? ME!!!

But I did make up for it with some Valentine's cookies to make him feel better. Yes, baked goods are my solution to every problem.

Yes, ANOTHER belt

Well, our Ellie seems to be tearing through the taekwondo belts. Today she tested for - and earned - her yellow-belt-green stripe. She did awesome. She's now just one belt away from catching up with Jack. Which doesn't exactly thrill Jack. To be fair, because Ellie is in a separate kindergarten-age class, she gets a lot of individual attention (1 teacher, just 3 kids), whereas Jack's class has I would guess 30 kids in it. And, to be honest, he's just really not that into it. Not sure that Ellie's all that into it either, but no matter what she does, she does it to win. Which makes it fun to watch her spar - last night, she pretty much chased the other poor kid around the mat. So for however long we continue taekwondo, I'm sure she'll continue to tear through her share of belts.

Congratulations, Ellie!

Pinewood Derby Part 2

So today was the second Pinewood Derby we've done. We took a different route this year, not caring about speed and just going for a fun, cool car. Jack chose a Hershey bar design, and had a lot of fun making it. And what do you know, his car ended up being faster than last year anyway. He competed in four heats - he was in first place for two, and in second place for two. Not bad! Good job, Jack!


Waiting for the races to begin

There were some really cool designs - which makes you wonder just how much direct involvement the kids had in making them

There's Jack's Hershey bar car

One of Jack's wins

Happy Birthday, Ellie!

Now listen carefully everybody.

When it's time to wake up Ellie on her birthday, here's what you do.

You make her an Eggo waffle, and you put a candle in it. Everyone gathers around her bed and gently wakes her up, then presents her with her birthday waffle and a round of the "Happy Birthday" song. Then everyone watches while she opens her presents. Now, listen carefully. There should be 3 presents, since she has 3 members of the family (don't worry, Otis doesn't have to get her a present).

Then, after school, Ellie (because she's the birthday girl) will get to choose our Friday night dinner out, then we'll go to Sweet Frog for frozen yogurt, and she'll get to choose the movie for Movie Night. She's the birthday girl, remember.

****
Sigh
****

These are, pretty much verbatim, the instructions we received from Ellie on the proper conduct of her birthday activities for today.

This is Ellie at 6.

Heaven help us at 16 if this is her at 6.

Needless to say, life with Ellie is an adventure.

An adventure we wouldn't trade for anything.

Happy Birthday, Ellie Belly Jelly Bean! We love you!


Enjoying her gourmet birthday breakfast

Tearing through her presents - she tore through them so quickly, I'm not sure she could even tell you what she got

Our somewhat awake birthday girl

Love Hate

Here are the things I love and hate today:

My fancy new knives that I got for Christmas
I love them. They're awesome. They cut through food like butter.
I hate them. They also cut through the tip of my opposable thumb like butter, leaving me bleeding like a stuck pig for the past two days. And have you tried to make a homemade soup (chocked full of chopped veggies) without a thumb? Yeah, not so fun.

Reese's chocolate peanut butter hearts
I love them. They're chocolatey and peanut buttery and delicious and I love them.
I hate them. Because I can't resist them. And every time I step into a store, I have to buy them. And once I get through this, there's gonna be Reese's peanut butter eggs. The torture will not end. And if you tell me to show some self-control, I might have to cut you with one of my fancy knives - or maybe just bleed all over you with my tip-less opposable thumb.

Second Grade Homework
OK, I don't love it. At all. Not a bit.
I just hate it. Because Jack hates it, and therefore drags it out FOREVER, and I spend half my evening trying to get the kid to do his stinkin' math homework.

Wiisease?

I'm sure the day will come that I will dread the Wii. That I will consider it a plague upon my house. That I will lament my poor parenting in allowing my children to become addicted to it, instead of reading great literature or visiting museums, and will shoo my children out of the room and scream "step away from the Wii and go play outside!"

I'm sure that day will come.

But that day is not today.

Because today, this is what the glorious Wii brought me:

Let me explain this photo. This photo represents a half-hour of (1) no fighting, (2) no screaming, and (3) no "Mom, I need ____!" A half-hour in which I was able to finish the dinner dishes, finish folding the laundry, and eat a Reese's Peanut Butter Heart.

Thank you, Wii.