On Second Thought...

Brian and I have plans for the future. There's a good chance that all won't go quite as planned, but one of our plans is that I will return to teaching when Teddy goes to school in a few years. I'd like to say our future plans also include things like early retirement in a downtown luxury loft with season tickets to the Nats and lots of exotically-named margaritas on white sand by a glassy-green ocean, but who's to say.

I have four and a half years of experience teaching English in middle and high schools, but not a master's degree. A few months ago I researched a graduate program at the closest university in something that I have recently become interested in learning more about-- reading and literacy. I loved teaching the boys to read over the past few years, even though I didn't really know what I was doing. It was challenging and super rewarding and big to see the wheels turn and everything click into place as they slowly read their first word and then first sentence and then first book. All of the sudden they were finishing their summer reading programs at the library and becoming some of the best readers in their kindergarten class.

I don't know much about teaching reading, (Though this is the book I used and highly recommend.) and am curious to know more and to help other little kids learn to read. I also know that I'll get paid more if I have my master's when I go back to teaching. Starting the program seemed like the right thing to do for my family-- like the responsible thing to do. Make more money. To help a little more in finally being able to buy a bigger place to live without giving up all our conveniences that are so important to our lifestyle.

So I applied. I got accepted. I enrolled in my first class. I activated my student accounts. And then I went to orientation.

The program is more credits than I realized. It lasts longer than I realized. It includes five education classes. FIVE. All the literacy classes sound super interesting and challenging and fun but reading the descriptions of the education classes made me cringe. That's when I remembered: I HATE EDUCATION CLASSES. I mean, for the most part.

We found out anecdotally things I should have researched before applying to the program-- things like what a reading specialist's job is actually like (more paperwork, less time with kids, we were told) and the pay scale they are on in our county (same as teachers). We added up the credits and costs and the inevitable stress that I would have which would not only make me more prone to seizures, but most likely make me less of an involved mom, and more of a bitchy, stressy, yelling mom. It would also prevent me from working on the writing project that I've been working on and caressing and yelling at and crying about for nearly five years.

I want to write a book. I've always wanted to. And I'm at least halfway there. One problem is that I haven't integrated time for writing into my daily schedule over the past few years. Another problem is that I think what I have might be total crap. But I still want to finish it, minimize the crap, and make it something I'm proud of and see what editors and publishers think of it. I'm thankful for a husband who is so supportive and encouraging of my writing endeavors, but specifically this one.

I had been excited about the literacy program. I'd been excited about going to school again for something that interested me. But after I finally made the decision to withdraw, I felt an immense peace. It is peace I didn't expect I would feel and one that has been pushing me to write and write and write on my book lately. I even made a big map of my story on the wall of our bedroom-- chapter by chapter. This matters to me and makes me so much more happy than being elbows-deep in education classes and spending more time away from my boys and husband. So, on second thought, I'm out.

Maybe in a few years it will be time for me to go back to school for a master's. Or maybe never. But now it is time to finish the project I started five years ago.

Just for fun, here is a lovely read for any aspiring writers to give to their parents.

And here is a bonus Teddy picture from yesterday.

Beginning Kindergarten Series, Day 1

The walk to school was fun and the boys' voices only faltered a few times. They asked again what they'd do today and I told them drawing and coloring and reading and playing on the playground and playing games. Clark, the forever competitor, said, "I'll win 10 games for you today, Mom!" Which almost made the dam break behind my eyes, but I held it together. At the front door it was a little harder, they kept wanting to hold my hands and I could feel their palms were sweaty (or maybe it was just mine). 

At the door of the classroom Clark started to break down. I went in with them and helped them sit down at a table. He kept hugging my legs and crying quietly, asking how long it would be until I would come back, asking if I could stay just a few more minutes. When the bell rang I pulled away and walked toward the door. He kept saying, "Bye Mom,"searching for my face around the other parents. Cal on the other hand seemed fine-- checking out the crayons and books. 

I said goodbye as long as I could and that it would be awesome and they'll have so much fun and can't wait to hear about it. These things were difficult to say. As soon as I turned around I started crying so I walked quickly down the blurry hall and out the door.

This day came so quickly, and yet I am so, so thankful to have been able to spend almost each and every day of Cal and Clark's life at home and on adventures with them. I know many mothers don't get the chance to do that and I will always treasure the years I've been able to be at home full time. I'm thankful for a husband who understands and is on the same page that I'm on as far as me staying home. 

But I digress. 

When Teddy and I picked the boys up at school this afternoon they were a little shaken up. The teacher said they did great all day and then got antsy and scared as they were dismissing them. Understandable. I felt a little jostled in the dismissal herd and I'm 5'6". 

The walk home was nice as I tried to get information from them about their day. I found out that they didn't go outside much and play on the playground because it was so hot today. Clearly this affected them. They got home and yelled, "YYAAAAAAHHHH!" while flinging their backpacks across the living room. After a small snack with Teddy they did NOT STOP THE CRAZINESS all night. Bouncing off the walls. It was storming or I would have taken them outside for awhile to run it off. Clark was literally climbing up the dishwasher an onto the counter, which he has never done before. 

They husked corn for me on the balcony and made a "corn machine" with the sliding glass door. Clark held the stem or handle part of the corn into the space where the door slides into the side of the frame. Then Cal smashed the door shut. They were ecstatic that it worked! 

When Brian got home they wrestled for what seemed like two hours straight. Teddy even got in on the wrestling. 

It's a lot of time that I'm not with them and it will take some getting used to, for sure. I'm supposed to find out in a few days what day I can come into the classroom and volunteer as a room mom. Then I'll really get the inside scoop. 

Here are some good quotes from the day:

On the way to school:

"I'm going to win 10 games for you today, Mom." -Clark

After:

Me: "What did you do?"

"I don't really remember. I think we colored the whole time." -Cal

Me: "Did you read stories? Did you work with letters, did you build anything or do anything with numbers?"

"We didn't work with letters. They assumed we already know them." -Cal

"Lunch was boring and loud, like AHHHHHH! I wasn't even hungry." -Cal

"I did not like lunch. But we did see Peter and Andrew there." -Clark

"She said we were going to do math, but we didn't even do any." -Cal

"I told my teachers all about t-ball." -Clark

Me: "What was your favorite part?"

"The drawing." -Cal

"Yeah, the drawing."-Clark

Getting into bed: "School was funner than we thought." -Clark, with a nodding Calvin agreeing. 

Yay! 

Gammy found two of the same old Norman Rockwell
mugs with a first day of school scene. So
the boys had their milk in those this morning.

Leaving home

At school!

I love this picture so much. They look at each other
the way Cal's looking at Clark here so much of the time.
I'm happy that they have each other. 

I'm still holding it together as we near the door...

Found their classroom

I think it's all hitting Clark right here. 

All done! Water before heading home

Brothers missed brothers

After school snack/leftover lunch

Cal just broke the corn in the door. You can see the little chunk
of cob stuck in the frame.

Corn-cuttin' machine!

Six Months My Teddy

Teddy has been around for six months! His latest achievements include finding his tongue and therefore spitting (the cute kind of spitting) in his free time. He also can hug on command, reach out for people with two hands, talk in adorable little baby babble, and rip open a present with nearly as much gusto as his big brothers.

Today I had a little photo shoot with him when the house stopped shaking because Cal and Clark left for hockey.

Smiley little guy

Hanging out with his coat toggles

What? Oh, there's a sticker on me?

Well, that's ridiculous, let me wad it up. I don't need this.

*grunt*

I'll just go ahead and drop it down over here...

Bye bye, sticker. Don't try that again.

How I'm Not a Pioneer- and Other Observations

I haven’t studied life as a pioneer— early American or any other sort— but I grew up reading Laura Ingles Wilder and early American Girl book collections with the best of ‘em. That was back when there were only three American Girls and they involved passably well-written books with cute pictures- no American Girl salons where you went to get all salon-ified with your doll that cost your parents a small fortune to buy, let alone to clothe. I just found out there’s even a doll hospital with an admission form for when your doll is “sick.” Okay, I have to admit the form is a pretty stinkin’ cute idea for how to get your doll repaired. And if I had a girl I’d probably be first in line to get one of the dolls, or more likely, to buy the Up and Up brand knock-off doll from Target. (I don’t think that’s a thing.) I’ve also completed some American History and American English courses in my day. I’ve toured preserved pioneer towns in states like Minnesota and North Dakota. My point is, I have a vague idea of what pioneer life was like in early America.

I have now been a stay at home mom for nearly four years in a fairly updated condo with not only modern plumbing but electricity and stainless steel appliances. I live in a town that is in most places a squeaky-clean suburb, boasting things like wine and fine arts festivals and an organic cupcakery, in a comparatively wealthy county that has some of the best schools in the country, in a state that flat-out rocks, (slogan: Virginia is for Lovers)(peanuts and ham, are you kidding me? Awesome.) in a country that, though a little politically rocky now and then, still is the best democratic experiment ever experimented and in which we have freedoms that many don’t. Long sentence’s interpretation: I do not live the rustic life of a pioneer woman, even though at the end of the day I feel like I have been rubbing my face on a metal washboard in the sun all day.

What I want to know is how in God’s good name did they do it? They had to do things, at least in my mind, like hunt and eat jackrabbits and walk through blizzards in skirts with no gloves. They gave birth with no meds to twelve children and still could fit into their petticoats and bloomers afterwards (probably within hours). They rode on animals, milked animals, slaughtered animals, and preserved and prepared them for their families for dinner. They must have had to do things like scrub outhouses and sew underwear for the menfolk that had to withstand various forms of farming. They probably also helped pull the beams up for new houses. They rocked the once-a-week warm water bath heated by fire. They did all this without power, running water, appliances of any kind, wine festivals, or an edgy state slogan. I suppose some of their extreme industriousness was due to the fact that they also did without Pinterest, HULU Plus, Facebook, Costco, extracurricular after-school robotics clubs, and kids’ weekend basketball tournaments in Ontario.

As I am slaving away in the kitchen, deftly wrestling some frozen chicken breasts into the crockpot whilst still in my pajamas because they’re easier to nurse in, I wonder how they did it. I feel a little embarrassed that I have an ice maker in my freezer and a rice cooker. But then I realize that we have these conveniences due in part to the kick-assery of these women and men. Maybe they are looking down at us smiling because of the advances of modernity. I hope they aren’t cursing at us.

We live in a time when our challenges are different, I tell myself. I have to do things like walk all three children around on sidewalks without letting them get hit by traffic. I have to remember to pack snacks for when the bus or train is late or swim class makes them hungry. I need to monitor what the kids watch on TV and arrange playdates with upstanding toddlers. I remember who is gluten-free, lactose-intolerant, and has food allergies. I plan seasonal kids’ crafts and study the YMCA and community center children’s classes. I have to attempt to take back library books before they accrue fines. I navigate Craig’s List for stroller frames and gliders with the greatest of ease. I have to memorize the local bus schedule and figure out how to remember my medicine so I don’t have seizures. I have to package and freeze my pumped-out extra breast milk. I plan and cook most meals. (Thank goodness I don’t have to also do the grocery shopping.) I have to remember where all the public restrooms are located at parks, museums, and at any given moment on a walk. I have to remember my keys, which for me is a constant challenge that makes Brian want to sign divorce papers and be done with it all. Moms and dads all over do these same things and many more. These aren’t as physically demanding and the actual lives of our children don’t depend on them. But the quality of life does depend on them. We could depend on the television and Papa John’s to raise the kids. Of course both of those things have their places, but I mean solely TV and pizza.

I still don’t understand how those pioneer moms did so much. Maybe they had secrets we can’t imagine today. Maybe venison, jackrabbit stew, and giant fresh carrots provided extra boosts of energy for them. I sit here eating my granola and listening to the hammering of the construction site next door. I hear the hiss of the bus stopping across the street, and see the red taillights of morning traffic. I watch my little life wake up and I like it.

*It should be noted that the three children have not yet risen, allowing me delicious silence to watch and listen to the world around me. And also that I began this blog entry over a month ago, added to it three weeks ago, and then forgot about it. And I’m actually not sure I haven’t already published it on the blog, though I couldn’t find it, so hopefully not.

How my boys work in the field

It's a rough life: had to hike to an outdoor summer concert

One Month Theodore

Teddy is one month old! It's gone quickly, but on the other hand it feels like he's been a part of our family for a long time. He is a calm, patient baby. He hardly ever cries; we've had about four nights out of a month where he hasn't slept well. He usually wakes up every three or four hours on the dot, eats, and goes right back to sleep in his mini crib in our bedroom. He loves his baths. His big brothers are excellent at calming him down. I think they're even better than I am at it, minus the boob factor. He loves them already. We couldn't have asked for a better baby.

Here is a collection of Cal and Clark quotes about Teddy and some pictures I took today.

"You can't take it home. It's our baby."

"Can you imagine all the hair he has?"

"Do you like his face?"

"I don't want us to have any more babies. Do you know why? Teddy is the best baby in Earth. I love him the best on all the Earth."

"I miss Teddy when we're not with him."

"We named him Teddy. Do you like that name?"

"He's cuter when you look at him on this side."

"He doesn't cry at all."

"Am I a better brother than Clark?"

"Am I a better brother than Calvin?"

Out and about town

Curly after-bath hair

Finally Cool with the Pool

The last couple summers the boys have been terrified of the pool. I wrote about their escapades here. They screamed at even the idea of us taking them to the pool. It was ridiculous and the only way I could cope with it without going crazy was to write about it and then laugh at what I wrote. Finally last fall I forced them to take a swim class at the community center. They screamed the entire first lesson, including the 20 minutes before class, since we were accidentally early. The old ladies in the early morning water aerobics class were mostly sympathetic... but probably also annoyed by the shrieks echoing off the sterile white walls. The second class was only a little better. I summed up their hatred and tiny tolerance for the water here.

The boys, terrified of a half-full wading pool when they were two...
even when I was in with them.

But since then they've had another round of swim classes this spring and will start another round this summer. They've made strides. I wouldn't call them giant strides, but they're still much better than the days of the Pool Wars.

One of the cool things about living in Reston is that there are 16 public swimming pools in town! It seems that they each have cool features- one even has a covered sandbox area. We've met some fabulous new friends through Blastball who are big fans of the pools. Jackson is about six months older than Cal and Clark and they are in love with him. Jackson's mom Carey is actually due to have her baby any day now too, so we take our combined three boys, ourselves, our ginormous bellies, and our bulging swim bags of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and squirt guns to the pool. We get looks. One guy said to us, "Did you two come here to deliver?" Which isn't a bad idea, actually...water births are totally in right now... ha.

Yes, we're here to deliver.

Now that they have Jackson to go to the pool with and are more comfortable around water, the boys love to go to the pool. We also have a pool at our condo clubhouse that they love to go to. Cal especially is into it. He'll even jump off the sides, as long as someone catches him and his head doesn't quite go underwater. He'll plug his nose and go under with help, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't at all understand the concept of holding his breath, so hopefully his swim teacher will help with that soon. Today at the pool the boys were racing around the kids' pool as if the four corners were bases and they were diving headfirst into each base. It was great. They got their heads wet more than they ever have, all in the name of baseball.

The pool is also a great place for me, being a pregnant whale at the moment. I can sit motionless on a chair while the boys play in the kiddie pools, and I'm virtually weightless in the water where I can hold the boys up right to my face, which I can't do out of the water right now. I can cool off instantly. I don't have to wear real clothes. It is glorious. I'm so happy that the boys are finally excited about the pool! Maybe I should root for Peapod to take his time so I can enjoy a few more weeks at the pool. Nah. I need this child out of me.

Pool hunks

Discovering goggles

Fountains in the kiddie area at one pool!

Pizza break!

Almost There... 35 Weeks

Yes, I'm alive. Just haven't had a lot of blog inspiration or much time spent being comfortable enough to sit and write lately. I'm nearly in unfamiliar territory; I'm 35 weeks pregnant. With the boys I made it 36 weeks and 2 days.

This pregnancy has been much harder than my pregnancy with they boys. And it's because of the boys. I was on bed rest for two months last time. That means I laid around watching movies and snoozing and reading books and napping and sleeping for two months. Brian took care of dinner most nights and I never really left the house except to attend my baby showers. Little different this time. I have two four year-olds who need me and constantly want me involved in most things. Granted, I'm sure it would be harder to have only one four year-old at a time like this-- at least the boys have each other to play with. They want me to take them to the pool, they want me to play baseball with them, to color, to read with them, to play outside, to help build a Lego house, to play Candyland- totally normal little boy things that have gotten much more difficult. And it's not that I don't want to do them... it just hurts. Then there are the non-negotiables like how I need to feed them and clean them and wipe them and help them brush their teeth and wash their laundry and break up their fights. Some days I work in about half an hour of lying down into my afternoons. They're awesome for it. They just play together while I lie there semi-consciously on the couch. I also nearly always fall asleep while doing their reading lessons with them, so that's a nice little break too.

Good playmates...making loud noises

Last week I had severe back pain that I went into the doctor for. I didn't have anyone to watch the boys so they came with me and were super good; they colored and drew in the waiting room for about 40 minutes and then proceeded to talk the ears off several doctors. I had a mild infection and the antibiotics as well as a timely visit the next day to my massage therapist (and blog sponsor) have tremendously helped my back pain. It's still here, but much less intense. I also had other nice things happen during my bad back week- a friend came over and brought lunch, and then I had a much-anticipated night away with my dear friend Missy who I know all the way from the far-off land of College. These days that seems like so long ago.

We called our time away a frienassiance. She just recently finished her year of nursing her son, and to celebrate, her husband got her a night away at a bed and breakfast with spa. Lucky me got to tag along! I think it's only the second time I've spent the night away from both the boys- the other being when my sister turned 21 and we went up to New York. It was refreshing and beautiful and my back barely hurt the whole time. The woman who served us breakfast looked at my belly and asked, "When are you due, like three days ago?" Thanks for that.

Love the swing

Frienassaince!

When I came home we packed the boys up and went to a Potomac Nationals game (Single A Minor League team) as a season-ending party with our Blastball team. We sat on bleachers for one and a half games (I didn't get the doubleheader memo due to a postponed game the day before.), watched fireworks, the boys ran the bases and ate a lot of peanuts, popcorn, and funnel cake with their Red Wings teammates, and we got home super late. They loved it and it was a great night out for baseball. The P-Nats even won both games. (More than the Washington Nationals have done lately) My back barely bothered until the end and I was happy to have slept in late at the bed and breakfast that morning.

Baseball food!

Watching the catcher and pitcher warm up for game 2

The Red Wings with their certificates! 

We've decided on Peapod's name and bought the letters to put on the wall with the boys' names. We have a stroller frame now to go with our car seat. We got a little gift basket of fuzzy blue and white baby things today. I put bedding in the little crib in our bedroom. We found a diaper and wipes sale at Costco and so we've got diapers for quite awhile. It's really happening! And I'm so excited to get this child out of me and in my arms instead of strapped about my middle.

Twenty-five days until the scheduled C-section! I'm thinking things down there are going to be ready sooner than that though...

Yikes!

I Like This

During my last year in college I spent a lot of time with a couple other English Education major friends who I shared several classes with. Naturally, we were all thinking a lot about the future. One of the girls was telling the other two of us that all she really wanted was to be a wife and mother. She loved crafts and Martha Stewart (I believe that was pre-prison) and making dinners and having a clean bathroom. There was nothing quite like perfecting the crepe and displaying the fruit in alphabetical order just in time for a tea party or having a stew in the crockpot for a rainy night, she explained.

We were both incredulous and even made fun of her for it. It seemed so unusual and so…un-college of her to think that way. Ironically, she was the best student among the three of us— never missing a single point on the linguistics exams that made me want to shoot myself. (I’ll admit that I do get a thrill out of correctly diagramming a sentence, but that class was just a little too intense even for me.) I tried to understand what she was saying, but I really couldn’t. I was excited to be finally ready to graduate and teach English— to be helping kids learn the magic that is reading and writing; to be a young professional with my own apartment and growing bank account; to not rely on any man; to take chances and learn new things. Who cares about cookbooks? That’s for old ladies. I was ready to change the world by uniting pimply-faced readers with classic novels that would change their lives.

I suppose there’s a time for everything. It is now my time for stew and cookbooks and piles of Spiderman underwear and little jeans with knee-holes and grass stains. And when I have dinner ready to eat when Brian gets home? Well, it’s hard to beat the feeling. I’ve searched, because I feel like I should, but I don’t find any part of me that feels that I need fulfillment from a real job. This is my job. And most days I love it. Why does having our meals for the week planned or hearing the comforting hum of the dishwasher make me feel so complete? Why does finishing a messy art project or teaching the boys how to plant basil and rosemary seeds make me feel like my day was a smashing success? I don’t know. But it does. And I love that it does because I know it doesn’t for everyone.

I did teach. I taught for five years and wrote online curriculum for two years. I taught a lot of pimply-faced kids, as well as ones with spotless complexions, about writing and books. And I liked it. But I really only liked it until I had kids. I taught from when the boys were 4 months old until they were 9 months old and I hated it. Even though I taught at an amazing school with talented and kind administration and wonderfully motivated teachers, all I wanted to do was leave and go hug my babies. I’m so happy that I’m able to stay home with them. I’m also happy that I feel fulfilled by staying home with them. I have great admiration for women who can both work full-time and run a household. I have no idea how you can do it. I think it would fry my brain. 

Maybe I’ll go back to teaching when the three boys are in school- I don’t know. I took a class and renewed my license so I’ll have the option. I’m hoping I can finding something in writing that I can do from home though- while the stew gurgles in the crockpot and the laundry gets done. But maybe by then I’ll want to venture out into the professional world— dress in real clothes and speak in full sentences and such.

There are annoying things about being a full-time mom— cleaning the toilet seats after little boys, doing so much laundry that you want to make them go naked for the rest of forever, (or at least until puberty) just potty training is pretty horrific, being constantly in the middle of making a meal and forever behind on dishes, remembering to have snacks and wipes and extra pants and Tylenol and sunblock and crayons and diapers and water packed in every possible carrying case, that kind of thing. But for all the annoying things there are a million fun things. And very weird things that give me reasons to write, so that's cool.  

It took me ten years, but I finally understand what my college friend meant. Being a housewife and mother can be fulfilling and fun and rewarding in itself. And that’s okay. 

Sometimes this happens. I'm pretty sure it was clean underwear at least.

Cal is arranging his quinoa baseball field to have pork chop outfield seats.
 It is also delightfully flanked by a broccoli forest down the first base/right field line. 

Hearts and Seizures and Kidneys and Eyes

We have some medical updates and news as of late.

Heart: Awhile ago we learned that there is an elevated risk of cardiac problems for babies whose moms are on seizure medicine and who have seizures. So the doctors do a detailed heart scan at 22 weeks where they look at all the parts of the heart and the blood flow and use a lot of words whose meanings I don't know.

Last week they did the scan of the baby's heart and everything checked out normal. It took the technician 30 minutes to complete the scan because Peapod wouldn't hold still. That kid is constantly moving. He must be taking notes from his brothers or something because he was flipping around in there like a gymnast and driving the technician crazy. She suggested we name him Speedy, which will definitely be worth considering, based on the boys other name suggestions. Which have been, among others:

Zamboni
Lasagna
Slapshot
Gorilla
Kevin Bacon
Fred
Balcony
Alcohol

So all is good on the pregnancy front, aside from the fact that I'm ready to hold this child in my arms, as I so eloquently wrote about here.

Seizures: I haven't had any since my last one about a month ago that scared us. I wrote about it here. A huge blessing has been that my wonderful mother-in-law has been coming over four mornings a week to just be here for two hours before she goes to work. I hadn't thought of her as a possibility because she works full time, but she works across the street from us and can come over and be here for roughly the first two hours I'm awake. This is huge! The boys love having her here and she has been able to get all kinds of cross-stitching done on her grandchildren stocking projects.

When the baby comes we will try to have something else in place for the other one day a week when she can't make it, but what a huge relief it is to have her come over! It gives us, especially Brian, peace of mind to know that if his pregnant wife has a seizure, she isn't alone in the house with 3 year-olds.

Kidney: On another medical issue that came up a couple weeks ago is that we found Clark has an abnormality with one of his ureters (tubes in between kidneys and bladder) which seems to be causing him occasional pain. The urologist doesn't think his back pain (which he complains about when he needs to go to the bathroom, but not every time) is related to the abnormality so he sent us back to the pediatrician to check out everything else again. Nothing else seems wrong so we are now documenting every time he complains of pain. Apparently the abnormality with the ureter doesn't normally cause any pain unless there is a much more serious problem, which results in all sorts of horrible symptoms such as projectile vomiting. Anyway, we will most likely be taking Clark in for some pretty invasive tests (think catheters) soon to find out if there's something else wrong.

Eye: As far as Cal's eye, everything seems to be fine since his alignment surgery in the fall.  He still patched four hours every day. He will actually see his eye doctor for a vision test this Friday and we think he may need a new prescription-- which is hopefully because his vision is still getting stronger!

So, there's the medical news of the household in case any of you were wondering...

Just for fun- Cal and the green wig

Pictures Update

I haven't felt blog-inspired lately, I've even spaced out my last couple Thursday Thesicles, but I thought I'd do a little update in pictures of what we've been up to... in order to keep our virtual scrapbook up to date. Enjoy.

We've been...

playing in the snow

dressing up

looking at DC from Kierra's office roof

making volcanoes 

playing horseshoes on the balcony

dressing in astronaut gear

hanging out at Air and Space

driving a Cessna "to Idaho"

making colorful music

visiting the firehouse

trying out the ladder truck

and the outfit

and the ambulance

polishing off the hot cocoa

building racecars

using bell peppers...

to make St. Patty's day art

cracking each other up/picking our noses

eating plenty of sandwiches

learning about vowels while eating bananas

using snow clothes as hockey pads