Catch-Up Post

It's been almost 2 weeks since I last posted. Really the lack of posting is not because there is nothing going on, but rather because there is so much going on. So I thought I would hop on here and do a little catch-up post and get up to date. 

Thankfully, since the last time I posted I am feeling better physically. I still have a dry cough, but the 2nd round of antibiotics seemed to clear up the congestion and crap that I was dealing with for over a month. Just in time for life to get really crazy busy. So let's hit the highlights::

• The boys have continued with Upward basketball. Practices every Monday and games every Saturday. (This coming Saturday is their last games of the year.) They have enjoyed themselves again. Ben made his first basket a couple weekends ago. Jacob fouled out of a game a couple weekends ago, but also made his first 2 baskets including a 3 point shot! They will be sad when the season ends. 

• We took a walk on the bike path. The weather was decent (mid 30s and we had been cooped up for way too long.) The kids were going stir crazy. We walked 2 miles and it felt good to be outside. 

• While I was down with my illness, I came to realize that the kids should be doing more around the house and that I SHOULD NOT be doing everything. So I did some research online and on Pinterest and came up with clipboard chore charts for the kids. So far they are working reasonably well. 

• It's been getting lighter earlier in the mornings. I took this picture right after I dropped Rebecca off at school one morning. I just love the sky in this picture. 

• Speaking of Rebecca, I chaperoned her Power of the Pen team trip to the district competition. Rebecca made the 7th grade team and they have been practicing writing after school twice a week for the past several months. Last Saturday was their district competition. Her middle school was going up against 23 other schools at this competition. She (nor any of her teammates) did not place in the top 12 individually, however the team took home the overall 4th place team trophy! She was pretty excited even though it was a long day (we were on the bus at 6:45 AM and got home around 4:00 PM). She is even more excited because she earned an individual spot at the Regional tournament which is next Saturday! 

• Sunday morning I was startled awake at 5AM by the cats chasing a bat in my bedroom! Nothing like hearing a high pitched squealing and the cats jumping up at the wall to get you to be wide awake quickly. LOL We ended up calling our local police department as we couldn't get it out and an officer came out and said this was the 3rd bat call she had been on that week! Thankfully, she caught it and we have hopefully plugged the hole from our attic that we found so hopefully no more flying creatures in our house! 

•  Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent. I have decided to give up junk food and pop this Lent and focus on eating for health and taking care of me. The junk food hasn't been too bad, but let me tell you, all day yesterday and today I have been craving a Dr. Pepper.

• Finally, Rebecca decided to get her hair cut! She came to me on Monday morning and said really seriously that she wanted to ask me about something that she had been thinking about for quite some time. Inwardly I was panicking. Then she proceeded to tell me that she thought it was time to cut her hair and could she. As I exhaled, I told her that I didn't have a problem with her getting her hair cut. I asked if she wanted me to take her to a salon to get it cut or if she just wanted a basic cut I could do it. She said she didn't trust anyone else except me to cut her hair. So last night, I cut off almost 14 inches of her hair. She is going to donate it. She seems to really like it and she even wore it down to go to school today! 

So there you have the highlights of the past 2 weeks. In between all those things, I have been working my butt off babysitting and tutoring and taking kids to their activities. Bill is currently job hunting again as he hates his job and it is causing him a lot of physical issues.

Well, my time on here is up. I have to get Rebecca from school and start my afternoon/evening activities. Hopefully, it won't be 2 more weeks before I write! Hope everyone is having a great day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Friday and Happy Valentine's Day! The sun is out today and I am feeling a little bit better. Still coughing and have not a lot of energy, but am better than I was. 

Today the kids are home from school for a teacher work day (actually they have a 4 day weekend as they are off on Monday for President's Day as well). That meant that yesterday the boys had their Valentine's Day parties at school. Thankfully, they did their class valentine's last weekend (and it should be no surprise they picked out WWE wrestling ones!). This was good as I have not felt well all week. However, we did have to do Valentine's boxes and those got done on Wednesday night right before they went to bed. Both boys wanted a wrestling theme and both decided to decorate their boxes as a wrestler. 

Jacob made a Hulk Hogan box.

Ben made a Rey Mysterio box.

They had a lot of fun at their school parties although Jacob ate way too much sugar and was dealing with an upset stomach all evening. When the kids got home, I made them get their snow suits on and go out and play in the snow. We had gotten about 2 inches the night before. It was perfect packing snow. Rebecca and Ben decided to make a snowman. Jacob had fun throwing snowballs at people. 

Today, we have just been hanging out at home. I surprised Bill with a card and a Reese's heart when he came home from work this morning. Bill surprised me with some fun gifts-- a sloth, chocolate, a nice warm blanket for relaxing, a puzzle and a sweet tea.

It has been a good day so far. I am going to attempt to make heart shaped pizzas for the kids for dinner. I think Bill and I are going to get subs from the nearby pizza place for dinner. I hope that wherever you are you are having a good Friday as well!

Sick again

SOURCE

Just a quick note to say that I am still sick. I was feeling better for about a couple of days and then Sunday my throat started hurting again and last night I woke up with ear pain. Back to the doctor this morning. Diagnosis: Upper Respiratory Infection, Lower Respiratory infection AND the beginnings of bronchitis! Ugh. Hopefully this new (second) round of antibiotics will do the trick. Doc also told me that I need to rest. Hope everyone else is having a healthy week!  

Sickness, History Day, Basketball, and Snow Days

Happy Saturday night! Well it has been a week and a half since I last posted. At last post, I was sick as was Bill. Here we later and I am still dealing with a sore throat but all other symptoms are gone. Bill ended up getting the flu last weekend on top of the other stuff he had going on. He is doing better thankfully but being sick has sucked. The boys have had runny noses but thankfully nothing beyond that. Rebecca somehow has stayed healthy. 

There is so much sickness going around. Schools around us have been closing due to excessive absences in kids and staff. At the boys' school, they are averaging 12-15% of the students out each day. Last Thursday they had 69 kids out of the school! The middle school has been averaging between 120-150 kids out each day due to illness. Strep Throat, Flu A and Flu B are running rampant. I know so many people that are sick it isn't funny. 

With all the sickness life has gone on. Last Friday evening I took Rebecca to her middle school for her History Day fair and judging. Each child had to do a project on a person who took part in "Breaking Barriers." Rebecca earned a Superior on her project and judging and gets to move on to the district tournament which will take place in a few weeks at the Statehouse in Columbus. We are super proud of her. 

Last weekend was basketball games for the boys. I took them as Bill stayed home as he had a fever. Both boys had lots of fun.

This week was super hard with Ben misbehaving and just being a terror. He is going through a HUGE defiant stage and there has been lots of yelling from both him and I. He reacts poorly to being told what to do by me AND he has been picking on his brother. I have been in tears several days this past week due to his behavior and it has been very stressful. 

I was only able to tutor one time this week due to illness to other clients. It was just an odd week. 

Yesterday, the kids had a snow day. We got about 2 inches of snow and ice and they decided to close schools. I think they were looking for an excuse so that they could clean the schools as well. The kids were able to go out and play for the first time this winter. 

Today was another basketball Saturday for the boys. Today Ben made his first basket! He was so excited. Jacob didn't score today, however he did foul out of a quarter of his game. (If a player gets 2 fouls in a period he has to come out of that period.) Jacob ended up having 4 total fouls today! 

Tomorrow we have church, PSR and the boys will work on their Valentine's cards for their classes. I am hoping to maybe get a nap in tomorrow as well! LOL Hope everyone is having a good weekend so far!