This week's jollies

Time for another weekly post. And what a week it has been! I am feeling rather sleep deprived, as I had three nights of barf-o-rific fun! Praise the Lord I was not one of the victims.

All of the boys were down and out with a vicious stomach virus. Shannon started with it early in the week, right at bed time (why is it always at night?). Thankfully he's getting big enough to understand the concept of the toilet being the best place to get sick. I made a bed for him next to our bed so he could be close by during his distress. He did pretty well the next day but was down and out again the day after. The same night around 3 AM it hit James. Seems like the little guys bounce back a lot quicker than the big folks. James was miserable for two entire days, and stayed either in bed or on the couch...or another room in the house, the details of which I will spare you.

The night after Shannon and James were hit, Avery comes down the stairs about 11:30 (30 minutes into my sleep), saying, "There's yucky stuff. Yucky stuff in my bed. You help me?" I don't know why it didn't occur to me what it could be until I got to his room. Only another mom can understand the carnage. Or possibly a nurse. Ewwooooo!!! He was very sweet though, patiently sitting through a bath then the bed/floor clean up process. When I was done I intended to play fruit basket turnover with the beds and put Shannon in Avery's bed (since I had yet to remake Shannon's bunk bed) and put Avery on the makeshift floor bed in our room. Before I could move Shannon Avery started back toward his bed saying, "Thank you! Thank you, Mommy." Since I didn't want the virus I didn't kiss him. But he was so sweet I wanted to.

Thankfully Amelia and Elizabeth were spared, and I mostly was too. I felt wiped out and yucky yesterday and part of today, but didn't get the full blown version. I was still able to function, thankfully!

So that's mostly what has consumed our week. Yesterday everyone was a lot better, so we went to playgroup at Alison's. Then she kept the kids while I went to the eye doctor and was held hostage there for TWO AND A HALF HOURS! I've been thinking my now three year old corrective eye surgery needed a touch up in my left eye, but it turns out I just have really, really dry eyes. Apparently the surface of your eyeball doesn't like to be parched and will take out its frustrations on your vision.

Last night was Thursday night dinner at the Davidsons. We made yesterday a party all day after being quarantined to the house earlier in the week.

I did take a few pictures this week. The kids have had a blast with their new Christmas gifts. I had a Colorforms set as a kid, and thought they might enjoy one too. They are really creative.

Amelia made people in a boat.

Shannon was explaining his creation in great detail. Turns out this is a stop light, air compressor that turns and the air goes out there and this thing goes round and round and then it goes up machine.

These two are actually from last week. A new trick Elizabeth has learned- clapping. She likes to practice a lot.



We reached a milestone today with school. Amelia finished the book we used to teach her to read. We did "100 easy lessons" in only 450 days! She was reading well before the end of the book, we've just been using the stories in it for continued reading practice off and on. It still feels good to finish something!

Shannon has started the book as well, now that he's four. At first I was worried that he was too, um, energetic and strongly focused elsewhere to do it just yet, but he's really making progress now. He especially likes to practice the writing part of it, and puts his pencil in a death grip and writes his letters very small. This week he traced his hand on a piece of paper and said, "Look at my hand writing!" Huh, looking back at this picture I realize why he was having a tough time this day. He's actually right handed.

Now for several pictures of a cute baby.

Check me out, I can sit up.

And I can do it while flapping my arms like a chicken!

Aren't I cute?

And now for another installment of, "What My Sister Amelia Did To Me While Mommy Wasn't Watching."



Is this stuff edible?

Today the kids and I made candle holders from baby food jars and tissue paper. They thought it was a lot of fun, made even better by the fact that the Dollar Store tea light candles in them smell like cookies. I found an awesome website, www.education.com, that has a lot of terrific ideas for teaching things to kids of all ages, as well as a lot of neat art projects. I've had this one bookmarked for awhile, so we finally did it today.

Here they are with their creations.

And the photo shoot digresses from here.



Avery sniffed too much of the glue...



We are looking forward to an uneventful weekend. Things are about to get busy around here at camp, so we'll enjoy one last weekend together as a family. Perhaps put away another ton or two of stuff, continue to organize the seven acres of junk in the basement, maybe sneak in a horseback ride. We did finally say goodbye to Christmas at the house this week, so progress is being made. There's something decidedly UN-festive about a Christmas tree still up two weeks after Christmas.

Have a happy weekend!