Us...on a typical day...except I'm not in pajamas and I showered.

Travis and I had been fighting yesterday...so I sent him to his room for like the billionth time...when I went back to check, this is what I found.

Then I celebrated! but quietly....

And this from the girl who never even combed her own hair...

When it comes to doing hair I am a complete amateur---I don't think I even combed my hair till I was like 12! I love the internet though...because then I don't have to be creative and still Martie can look cute. There is a great blog out there called "She does Hair"---this mom comes up with the cutest hair-do's for little girls and I copied this one for Valentines Day...yes, I was pretty proud of myself.

It's a heart...in case you can't tell!

McFly not feeling well!

Martie Jo was sick and not feeling too well all last week. She was really sad and pathetic, and as bad as this sounds, she was also a little funny. I was her best friend all day, her healer, the one who brings her drinks and holds her...but at 9:00pm--when Jeff gets home---I am chopped from the top of the totem pole! She would lay on the couch and if I even asked her "how she was" or "if she needed anything" she would glare at me and say..."NO...I WANT DADDY!"

I tried not to take it personal...but COME ON...Mom's just get NO credit! When she grows up she will look back and appreciate me---right? hopefully? please!!!

P.E.

It was 2:37 time for school to get out, so I headed for the "corner", the spot where I meet my smiling Caleb at the end of each school day. He comes running down the road to me, loud and out of breath, he shouts..."Hi Mom!" It's wonderful. Like every other day, the first thing I ask Caleb is "How was school" and he replies..."Fine."

Me: "What did you do at school today?"

Caleb: "We went to the library and had P.E."

Me: "P.E. now that is fun....What did you play?"

Caleb: "Speed Stacking"

WHAT? This is weird, I have never in my life heard of "speed stacking", is this some new sport I don't know about.

Me: What is speed stacking?

Caleb: Stacking like paper or plastic cups fast.

I laughed really loud & long then blurted out "That is the stupidest frackin' thing I have ever heard"

I'm not great at sensitivity. How ridiculous! What about crab soccer, dodgeball, sit-ups, walking the track, tag, jump rope, heck even badminton, at least you get to stand up... Apparently they sit and they stack cups (but REALLY REALLY FAST) Hahahahaha

People are so worried about funding for programs at school and there is always talk of having to cut programs like P.E., but really if this is the kind of stuff they are doing during P.E. (for one hour every two weeks)---I don't see the big deal. Maybe I shouldn't be so sarcastic---I mean this could be as big as bowling or 4 square. Maybe someday if Caleb works really really hard at his stacking...he could win a medal.


P.S. Incidentally, I also had P.E. today---I did the dishes and put the cups away.

To my friend Becky: forget about going to the gym tonight---stay home and work on your "speed stacking", then later you can do some "speed showering" followed by some "speed sleeping". Sounds like a work out to me.

Physical Education-----hahahaha---I am going to be laughing about this everytime I look in my cupboard at my neat stacks of cups.

The sun was shining....

the air was warm, I could smell something green (grass, leaves, something), and I could hear the birds chirping....

My kids laughter bouncing to my ears from the backyard

No piles of snow suits and boots by my front door

We rode bikes

We played baseball

We painted the town red (literally with sidewalk chalk)

We blew bubbles

We climber all over the jungle gym and made ourselves dizzy on the merry-go-round

We were joyous!

AND NOW....

SNOW and more SNOW and more SNOW...

I feel like a character in one of those historical novels.... I'm living on the prarie in a sod house and getting so stir crazy I start talking to the animals, and myself, and the furniture. CABIN FEVER!

I've made a serious attempt this year to avoid sitting the kids in front of the TV watching cartoons....but I AM OUT OF OPTIONS!!

We've....

colored, painted, went swimming, sledding, snowman, snowballs, crafts, preschool, movies, games, basketball, huckle-buckle bean stock, made cookies, and so on....I am completely out ideas.

So we will sit.

We will watch Spongebob.

We will wait for spring.

And if you don't hear from us...then I wandered away from my little sod house out into the snow.

Seriously though, I'm not crazy just really really tired of winter! I'd never make it in Alaska.

It's cruel to tempt me with spring...to give me a week of it and then take it away. I'm not a glass half-full type of girl....I want it all the way full!

Caleb reaches the age of accoutability...oh snap...

I can't believe my little baby boy is eight years old. I remember when they first put him in my arms...how new and wonderful it felt...and now he is such a part of me, I don't have a thought that doesn't include him. We didn't do anything to fancy for his birthday. We went bowling and Caleb got to invite a couple of friends (Joey and Annie), then we came home ate cake and opened presents. The picture of him with his mouth gaping open in excitement cracks me up because the present he is opening is SCRIPTURES! He is so righteous. hahahha

Caleb's presents were scriptures, star wars action figures (the force is with us... constantly...ugh), an art set, cubscout shirt & book, money, hat, PS2 game.

He is so spoiled. Thank you everyone for Caleb's gifts--you are way too good to us & we are blessed.