A bedtime story by Phoebe

Last night Phoebe told us a bedtime (or bednight as she and Owen call it) story. It went like this:

Phoebe: Once upon a time, over in a meadow there was a turkey with her calf.

Chloe: (dying laughing) What were they doing?

Phoebe: Pooping

100 days

Today was the 100th day of Kindergarten. I can't believe that my baby boy has been in school for 100 days. They had a big party all afternoon at school to celebrate. They had to bring in 100 items, Owen took 100 Legos. He's milking the 100 days for all it's worth, because this evening when he wanted some chips I gave him a little bit in a bowl. Then he later wanted more and said, "Since it's my 100th day of school you can give me 100 of those chips".

Home Alone

I bought some paint on Monday to paint my hallway. It's the only place in this house that hasn't been painted at least once. My Mom offered to watch Phoebe today so I could paint. It's amazing what one can get done without a child to chase and take care of. I hadn't been without at least one child in this house for ages. It was odd. I was like a tornado. I painted the hallway, washed down the kitchen ceiling, took down the kitchen and our bedroom curtains and washed them, cleaned the kitchen windows inside and out, washed down the kitchen cabinets and counters, cleaned off the fridge, ran the sweeper, cleaned out a bunch of clutter, and got dinner started.

I'm having a party on Friday evening so I wanted to clean up the house. It's been a long time since I did more than surface cleaning. The good thing about having a party is it forces you to clean. The bad thing about having a party is it forces you to clean.

Beautiful Earrings, Glorious Earrings

We went to the mall yesterday and Phoebe got her ears pierced! Chloe had to get her ears pierced again last summer because her first holes had grown over (she was Phoebe's age when she got them done the first time). Phoebe watched Chloe get hers pierced at the mall. Yesterday when I told Phoebe we were going to the mall she said she wanted to get her ears pierced and get pink earrings. I thought she'd change her mind. We shopped some first, but Phoebe kept saying she wanted to get her ears pierced. She was put out when we went to Target and Home Depot before the mall. She wanted to get her ears pierced! So she did it. Didn't even cry. They are pretty on her. Before bed last night out of the blue she said, I have beautiful earrings, and she smiled so big. It makes me think of the book Earrings! by Judith Viorst that I used to read to Chloe all the time. The little girl in the book wants to get her ears pierced and says "Beautiful earrings. Glorious Earrings. Beautiful glorious earrings for pierced ears. I want them. I need them. I love them."

Here she is before:



Right after:



Then she sat in her stroller and ate a pretzel, went to the Disney Store, then fell asleep. Took her nap, woke up just in time for lunch, then rode some rides.

Blogiversary

It's been one year ago today that I started this blog. I looked back over some of my first posts, and the kids have grown so much! A year just flies by with them. They are good kids. I'm glad I have this blog to look back and remember things they have said and done. Now for some of the things they have said and done lately.

I have been eating angel food cake, strawberries, and fat free cool whip. Phoebe likes to eat it too. Today she asked for angel food bread. The other evening we were having spaghetti. She asked for cheese on top of hers. Danny started handing her the shredded cheddar cheese. She said "No, I want the shaky cheese". She meant she wanted the Parmesan cheese you shake out onto your spaghetti.

Today Owen was helping me make stir fry for dinner. He likes to help cook. We were finished making it and it was almost done. He was still sitting on the counter. He said, "Can I run along now?". I sometimes say to him to "run along" after we're finished cooking, or if he's in the way while I'm doing something.

Miss Chloe has been a having some trouble with her asthma this weekend. Nothing too bad yet, and I hope it gets better instead of worse. She still has a flair for drama. We planned to go to the mall today but it was snowy and I get nervous to drive in the snow. We started to go to the mall but got about ten miles from home and it started snowing harder and I decided we'd better turn around and go home. She was upset and said that we just "gave up" and you should never give up. We had a nice day after we came home though.

Danny and Dad went trout fishing in the mountains today (in six inches of snow) and caught 13 trout between them. When they came home this evening Owen said to Danny, "You missed dinner".

Thanks for reading my blog this past year!

Thanks, Dolly Parton!

Today I took the kids to our community center for an Imagination Library kick off. Imagination Library was started by Dolly Parton. Every child under five years old who signs up will get a book each month in the mail until they turn five. The first book is The Little Engine That Could. The books are nice hardback books. I'm excited about Phoebe getting a new book each month, and I'm anxious to see what the different books are. Our state, and our local libraries, and WIC, has joined together to get the program going in our county.

Inside the first book we received today Dolly writes,

Try to be the first one up the mountain,
The highest flying dreamer in the sky.
Try your best to be an inspiration
For others that are still afraid and shy.
Try to make the most of every moment
If you fail, get up and try again.
Try each day a little harder
If you never try, you never win.

These are a few of my favorite things

Here are some things I really like these days.

Aussie Opposites Attract hair spray. Love it. Love the smell and how it holds but is still soft.




Avon ideal shade cream-to-powder foundation. I've tried other kinds that are much more expensive but always go back to this. It's the best.




Banana Nut Cheerios. Oh my. I bought these for the kids but I totally love these (the kids do too). They taste just like banana bread, or a banana nut muffin. I wish they made them in a bigger box.




I love all Life is Good stuff. Especially their crusher tees. SO soft and comfy, plus I love all their little sayings. This one shows a house with a family eating at home around the table, and it says "Value Meal". I also love their motto, "Do what you like. Like what you do." Their pajama pants are great too, and their kid things.




I have way too many Vera Bradley purses, but I love them. This new one from their Spring line is my new fav. Danny got it for me for Valentine's Day. It's called Lisa B and it's in Purple Punch. Love it!



I don't usually like perfume, but I do like this Pure Grace from Philosophy. It's not strong, just has a subtle clean smell that I like.



Top Chef! This show makes me love Wednesday nights. Bravo tv makes me happy.



Finally, Nothern Nights flannel sheets. Makes me love sleep even more.

Just call me Ma Ingalls

I might as well be living in the Little House on the Praire. Our electricity was off AGAIN yesterday. It went off at about 4:15 am to which I said out loud, "You have got to be kidding me". No ice. No wind. No storm. Just no power. I get up a couple hours later to the phone ringing. My friend and neighbor called, then my next door neighbor. I get the kids up and get them ready for school in the dark. We go to the bus stop. We wait. And wait. My friend who waits at the same bus stop, turns on her radio and they announce there is no school for our elementary school because there is no electricity. Great. I'd gotten everyone up when we could have slept in. So we went to Walmart. We thought by the time we got home the power would be back on, because first when we called the dear power company, they said it would be back on at 7:30am. (Then it was 9:30am, then 12:30pm, then 8:30pm, then it was 10:30pm.) We are gone a few hours and when we get home, still no power. A little later, Pa Ingalls hooked up the generator for us and we could at least watch tv, Owen could play his Playstation 2, and we could run the refrigerator.

I cooked dinner on the campstove and Pa had to go to work. The kids and I camped out in the living room to sleep. Finally the power came back on at 10:30. I did dishes and took a bath, got on the computer, and picked up the mess I couldn't see in the dark. Today I'm catching up on laundry. The kids and I didn't sleep well last night and I thought when Phoebe took her nap today I would too. I was looking forward to it because I stayed up late and didn't sleep much. It turns out I won't get to now, because I have to help do the fluoride rinse at school that we were supposed to do yesterday. I'll try not to complain, because at least I have electricity.

(To clarify, I know Ma Ingalls didn't have a generator so she could still watch American Idol, or Nintendo DSs to keep her kids busy. I'm pretty sure she still cooked a big meal after milking the cow and killing a snake. God bless her.)

Oddest gift I've ever received

At church we have Secret Sisters that we buy for each month. For Valentine's Day my Secret Sister got me a box of chocolates. And a bottle brush.

Catching up!

We lost our electricity, and water, (again) in a wind storm on Wednesday and just got it back yesterday (Saturday). I immediately started doing dishes, laundry, sweeping, and cleaning up. I was so happy to be able to do my chores.

Last week was very busy and we had to keep going, electricity or not. The little ones are finally well. I helped at school a few days, and Chloe's All County Choir concert was great on Thursday evening. I got my hair cut, we celebrated Valentine's Day with parties at school and some presents and treats at home. Phoebe wished us all "Happy Valentine's".

Here are some pictures of the week.

Sick update and I swear I'm done!

Are you tired of hearing about my sick kids yet? Last post about it, promise. I had to go pick up Owen from school today because his ears were hurting. He acts himself at home though. Yesterday when Phoebe got her blood taken and was so good, the nurse bragged about how brave she was. He kept saying "And she's only 2!". Then when we came home he asked me if they were keeping her blood.

Phoebe is much better today. She did take her iron better too. However, she had terrible diarrhea once, and it was red and I temporarily freaked out (thinking it was blood). Then I remembered the iron could do that. Hopefully the diarrhea is from the antibiotic and not the iron that she has to continue taking for awhile.

On the lovely subject of diarrhea, I'll stop now. (I think diarrhea is the hardest word to spell! And isn't it amazing how much we discuss poop when we have little children?)

Another day at the doctor

Yesterday I took Phoebe and Owen back to the doctor. Phoebe because she was still really sick, and Owen because he had complained all weekend about his ears hurting. He was already on an antibiotic and I couldn't imagine he had ear infections, but I thought since I was taking Phoebs anyway, I'd take him too. Good thing I did. He had really bad ear infections in both of his poor little ears. I did send him back to school today (he hadn't been since last Tuesday) since he plays here fine and he's now on a stronger antibiotic. I sent a note to the teacher to let him call home if he needed to.

As for my pitiful Phoebe, she really feels horrible. She has a bad sinus infection and bronchitis. The Dr. let me listen to her lungs and they were crackling with each breath. They did xrays and it turned out no pneumonia, just bronchitis. They took her blood (she didn't even cry or anything) and discovered she is very anemic. I feel so bad about it because its from her drinking too much milk. She has iron to take twice a day and she can only have two cups of milk a day. This is hard for her because she LOVES milk. She cried for it this morning. The iron has to be diluted in water or juice and I can't get her to take it. I'm going to call the pharmacy and see if I can just give it to her in a dropper like her medicine. She is also on an antibiotic and she and Owen both have a medicine for their cough and runny nose, and other symptoms. They both go back next week for a recheck, then Phoebe goes back in three weeks to test her iron again. I hope she'll start feeling better soon, she just lays around, plus her cough sounds terrible and she still has a fever. Her eyes look so sick and sad. They are all runny, and her nose runs like a faucet.

Hopefully the little ones will be well soon, and Chloe doesn't get sick!

She doesn't have one

This morning in bed Owen was petting Molly. She said she had a cute chin. And a cute belly. But he said she didn't have a belly button. Now, I had never thought of that once in my whole life. Leave it up to Owen to think of that.

Owen and Phoebe are still sick but on the mend, I guess. Owen is awake each night from about 3:00 on. The last two nights his ear has been bothering him and he's much more congested than he was. He still coughs. Phoebe still has a terrible cough and her voice is hoarse, and her breathing is heavy from all the head congestion. They play though and I hope will be better soon.

Chloe stayed the night with Mom and Dad last night. She is well so far. She got all As on her report card last week. She has a very hard teacher this year for 5th grade, so all As was quite an accomplishment. Owen did great on his too. They don't give letter grades in Kindergarten, but the teacher evaluates them individually on many things.

I'm off to let Molly, without the belly button, back in the house.

Sick and Tired

The sick part? That would be Owen and Phoebe. The tired part? That would be me. Owen has been sick since Tuesday night. He missed Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from school. He had a cough, then he got a fever. I took him to the dr. yesteday morning. The dr. thought his lungs sounded junky but the xrays were okay. He gave him antibiotics, breathing treatments, and cough syrup. Phoebe suddenly got sick yesterday. She woke up from her nap sounding croupy. I took her to Urgent Care and waited for almost three hours for the dr. to tell me she didn't have croup and sent me home with the same cough syrup Owen had gotten that morning. I brought her home sounding like an animal breathing. I was scared to take my eyes off her all night. She slept fine but today has a fever and sounds horrible. I may take her back to Urgent Care to see a different doctor.

So my day yesterday and this morning:

9:00 Drop Phoebe off at Mom's
9:30 Owen's Doctor Appt.
11:00 Finally get out of the Dr.
11:15 Lunch at McDonalds
11:45 Pick up medicine at Pharmacy
12:30 Pick up Phoebe
12:45 Get home, lay Phoebe down for her nap because she fell asleep in van. Leave her and Owen with Danny.
1:30 Meeting at school for Valentine Party discussion
2:00 Parent Meeting at school
3:00 Get Chloe from her class and head home
3:30 Home from school, rush to fix dinner
4:00 Wake Phoebe up from her nap and notice she sounds croupy
4:30 Eat quickly
5:00 Leave to take Phoebe to Urgent Care. Danny takes Chloe and Owen to Mom's before he goes to work at 6:00.
5:30-7:45 Wait in the waiting room to see the dr. Take Phoebe to potty three times. Go to the vending machine. Entertain Phoebe.
8:00 Finally get out of Urgent Care and didn't accomplish anything. Treat Phoebe to m&ms from vending machine.
8:30 Pick up Chloe and Owen
9:00 Finally home. Give out everyone's medicine, breathing treatments, get vaporizer going, get everyone ready for bed.
12:00 I go to bed.
5:00 am Owen wakes me up telling me his ear hurts. Get Tylenol and hot water bottle.
5:30 Phoebe wants milk
7:00 Get up with Owen
7:30 Chloe gets up
8:00 Phoebe is up
8:15 Pass out the medicine. Make pancakes.
Now I'm getting ready to clean the kitchen and start laundry. I need a NAP!

When a four letter word is a good thing

A couple evenings ago we sat down to work on our valentines for Owen's class. His teacher sent the list home early so the kindergartners could do a couple valentines a night. Well, Owen wanted to do them all that night. He did and it was so cute watching him select the perfect one for each of his friends. He got Clone Wars valentines and they were pretty little cards, so he had to print small. When naming our children we don't often think how hard it will be for them to write their name when they are beginning to learn to write, or how hard it will be for others to write it. He was delighted to write names like Ally, Drew, and Tory. Not so thrilled to write Jacqueline and Savannah. (Twice because there are two Savannahs. And two Lillians.) The name Owen for example, perfect for valentines! (Our last name however is no picnic to write on a small line on the top of your paper.)





The girls did their valentines too. I bought a few boxes last year on clearance after Valentine's Day and I gave Phoebe a box and she occupied herself forever writing on them and putting on stickers.

Blame the sister

I know I've been blogging a lot, but I will forget things if I don't post them when I think of it.

Our computer is in a little room off from our kitchen. As I sat here on the computer, I heard the refrigerator door open. I said "Who is in the fridge?". Owen's voice said "Phoebe!".

He also just brought me a game piece we'd been looking for. He was smiling and proud that he found it. I asked where it was and he said "Under my bed. Phoebe put it there."

Groundhog Day confusion

Yesterday I was telling Owen about Groundhog's Day. I told him that if the groundhog came out and saw his shadow he'd be scared and say "Oh no!" and run back in his hole. I told him if he didn't see his shadow he'd say "Oh, happy day, happy day" and he'd run around. Then Owen said, "So the groundhog talks?".

I also told him he'd probably make a groundhog craft at school. He said he hated crafts. I asked him why and he said he hated cutting and glueing.

So, this morning we were talking about Groundhog's Day again and Owen said, "Well, I know the beaver saw his shadow".






Free Myspace Comments

The President as seen by Phoebe

Phoebe keeps bringing me a Pocahontas book and pointing to Pocahontas and saying "Barack Obama". I guess because she has darker skin. I finally understand why when we watched the Inauguration she kept saying she was looking for Barack Obama in Chloe's room. Chloe has a Pocahontas movie in her room that she often watches before she goes to sleep at night. She also says Pocahontas has a kangaroo. I told her no, it was a raccoon. To which she said, "Oh. I love raccoons."

Big Girl

Phoebe is always saying "I a big girl". Or she tells us things she'll do when she's a big girl. Her favorite being "When I a big girl, I ride the bus" (Oh, just kill me the day that happens!). But, she is getting so big! She wears panties all the time now and is completely potty trained (except for sleeping). When she uses the potty I still clap and tell her good job, etc. Now when she goes she smiles and says "That make Mommy happy". She is looking older too(I think it's the bangs), and doing big girl things all the time.



Yesterday we watched the first half of the Super Bowl at Mom and Dad's. Uncle Ed gave Phoebe her first orange pop to drink. She smacked and licked her lips like she had never tasted anything better. I asked her where she got the drink and she giggled and said "Ed".



We are back to a normal week this week. The snow and ice are melting and the kids went back to school this morning for the first day in a week. Not much complaining, so that was good. None of us wanted to get up early this morning. Phoebe even went back to sleep in the chair. Even a big girl needs her rest!