It's another snow day here in OH! Gabe has no school (again) and the storm might not be good to drive in, but it's great for playing! It's wet snow which is perfect for packing and making forts, or any creative concotions you can think of. Today they built their first real snowman named "Zoom". You can't see his arms very well here, but they are there in all their twiggy-ness! In the past, I did most of the work but this time I just had to delegate and little and they took care of the rest. Job well done guys!
This flu season is horrendous, people are dropping like flies! Our midday girl (Gina) has been in the hospital for over a week with pneumonia. Our entire staff has been bombarded with a bug of some sort and now Jim is down for the count! He went to the emergency room last night because he couldn't breathe and had a 103-degree fever. He's finally resting comfortably in bed but I've never seen him that sick before. I took the day off, got Gabriel to school and filled his prescriptions, and washed all the germy bed sheets. I'm glad to be here when he needs some extra TLC. I remember when I was 18 and living alone in Wausau, WI where I had my first morning show gig. I got acute bronchitis and strep throat with a high fever and I was all alone. I had to drive myself to the hospital (I could barely even stand) then wait by myself, and go home to an empty apartment. I remember that was one of the worst times of my life, I felt so miserable and all I wanted was my mom to make me some chicken noodle soup and take care of me! It sucks when you are sick and alone. I still think about that and pray for the shut-ins and those who are lonely, it can be so depressing.
Anyway, take care of yourself and drink plenty of fluids and healthy foods so you don't catch any of the junk floating around! I can't wait until Spring gets here, all I want is one 65-degree day with sunshine.:)
It's been about 4 months since we bought our treadmill. We waited years to even make the purchase because we wanted to be 100% sure we would actually USE it. You hear that pretty often, the workout equipment is used more for hanging clothes and collecting dust than it's intended purpose.:) Well, I am happy to say we are still going strong! Jim goes for his early run about every other day, meanwhile I do my workout about 3-4 times a week. Even my mom comes over a few times a week to get her walking in! So I'm happy we went ahead and finally invested in the ole' Nordic Track.
Speaking of running, I need to decide if I'm going to sign up for the Cleveland Marathon this year. Honestly, my heart really isn't as into it as much as last year. I feel like I've kind of been there, done that and I'm looking for a new/different challenge. Either that or I'm just lazy!:) The hard part is finding time to train. Last year we incorporated the kids in the training, they were a big part of the process and it was very rewarding. Still, my mom-guilt is setting in and I just don't know if I want to make that kind of commitment again. I still have a few more weeks to decide, maybe I'll get some last-minute motivation.
One more thing! We took a quick trip to Sears today to get Gabriel a uniform sweater from Lands' End and oh mama did we hit the sales! If you have a Sears nearby that carries L.E. it's a great time to stock up! I bought $50 snow boots for $15! A backpack, snow pants, sweaters, pants, and gloves, all marked down with an extra 50% on top of that! Everything from the winter coats to many uniform items were all discounted, plus all the men's and women's stuff too. I went online after we got home and saw the same stuff, full price on the website! So the store is a good place to sneak some big sales if you get there quick. Here is a picture of Grant showing off his new duds!:)
I am beginning to feel a competitive side of myself kick in. Gabriel brought home an entry form for Little League this year, but it only applies for kids who will be 7 by May 1. I am not happy! He won't be able to participate because he is only 6. I don't like that the majority of his friends and peers will be able to begin playing this year and he'll have to wait until next season. So Jim and I have devised a plan to start him with drills, going to the batting cage, and doing some calisthenics so he doesn't fall behind. I swore to myself I would NOT be one of "those" parents who gets intense and overly focused on sports at a young age. More than anything I just want the boys to have fun in what they do, and thrive because they are passionate about it. At the same time, no one likes to see their child fall behind and I think (at least I hope) there is a way to teach discipline and hard work, while still making it fun. So we will see if it works. Poor Gabriel, he gets the brunt of our "experiments" as parents because he's the oldest. By the time Garrett rolls around we'll have this all down to a fine art!:)
I have a song that kind-of ties in to the topic. It's something I like to sing to the boys and we were excited to find it on You Tube today. It's one of my favorite's ever! I just love the message. It's called "Dream Big" and I hope the words resonate with the boys and everyone else who hears it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=188fVog7KiI.
People can join activist groups or do radical things to try to change the world. That is fine, I think we are all called at different levels, but I feel my mission is to change the world through my kids and raising great leaders. That's one thing we always instill in the boys: are you a leader or a follower? If we can raise men of virtue who serve God first and honor their families and country, then to me, that is better than contributing to saving the whales, or anything else we could offer. To raise strong citizens is something that will live on for generations. Okay, I am getting way too deep lately! Next time I'll post something about a cute handbag or new stroller!:) Lol.
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The stains, the piles, the never-ending quest to match the socks again....laundry is taking over my house! With 3 boys, Jim, and me it's unbelievable how many garments we can go through in the course of a day. I realize that if I ever really try to conquer every last piece I will just end up frustrated, but it's still hard to just tread water. Sometimes it seems like Groundhog day...I feel like I just folded the same shirt and pants the day before, and the day before that.:) The thing is, I honestly don't mind any of the other household duties; dishes, dusting, scrubbing, shining are all okay with me, heck I even enjoy vacuuming! For some reason it's the laundry I have a hard time with, I just groan at the sight. I do have something that keeps me in check though and makes me realize I need to just suck it up and go with it. I remember helping my grandma do laundry when she had an old washer (pictured above). It took her forever to scrub on the washboard, then wring out each individual item and hang it to dry. She did that almost always by herself, and while raising 11 children!! I can hear her sweet voice in my ear "Come on little girl, toughen up, all you have to do is press a button and the machine does it FOR you"!:)
I think about that on the days I feel overwhelmed. I complain about dishes, yet we have a dishwasher and all I have to do is fill and empty it. I have no idea what it means to deal with firewood, soot, and heating the house with a tiny fireplace. I have a stroller where I push one button and the entire thing opens (or closes) without me having to even break a nail! Oh, and did I mention disposable diapers?! If my great-great-great grandma was here she would probably laugh at what I lightweight I am!:) So although I might gripe and REALLY dislike laundry, I try to keep it in perspective and realize it's great to have modern conveniences in the first place. That's what happens when you watch all those old western movies, you see how tough things really were. One look at the outdoor potty and I realize, there's a good chance I wouldn't have made it back then!:)
