Journal: ho-hum

TODAY

Out my window: Overcast but very mild for January.  It's supposed to cool down quite a bit next weekend.  Spring will come.  January is almost over, and then we've just got to get through February.  And probably most of March.  Sigh.

Clothing myself in:  Jeans, hoodie, tank.  I got my hair cut last week (I was wayyyyyy overdue for a trim) and got some product to scrunch it with.  It's nice to have some variety instead of the same thing every day.

Around the house: Meh, not much.  When I had the boys' pictures taken I ordered a big print (it was the promotion) of the two of them for their wall, and  moved the frame that was in that spot down to Gemma's room with some baby pictures of her, so glad to finally have the final empty space on her bedroom wall filled.  Now just need to get and paint the boys a bulletin board for their room and bedroom walls should be good.

The baby/toddler:  Clement is currently obsessed with his little blue backpack and our wooden Melissa and Doug cupcake set.  Like, whenever we go anywhere he has to take a cupcake with him in a ziploc bag in the backpack.  And he has been very into wearing a ball cap lately.  We have had to really talk to him about not wearing it to Mass or mealtime, to avoid epic meltdowns at inopportune times. (Is there ever really an opportune time for an epic meltdown?)  I also think he is in the process of completely weaning.  He seems to be dropping his nap, and on days he does nap it is either in the van, at the table, or in front of the television. Don't judge.  ;-)  So no more nursing at naptime.  And there have been several nights the past week he has not asked to nurse at bedtime and if he doesn't ask I don't offer.  It will be weird not having anyone nursing.  But I think I'm ready.  It has been a very natural progression.

 

The kiddos:
Kolbe got some Legos for Christmas and his birthday and he has really gotten into those.  And I have really gotten into them as well.  Legos are fun!!  There are some things that I just hate the idea of doing with my kids (ahem, Candyland).  There are some things I am kind of meh about and will do but they don't thrill me (eating a play-food picnic for instance).  And then there are things like reading books and now apparently playing Legos, that I will actually ask them if they want to do.  This week is Catholic Schools Week for Gemma. She will have some special duties at Mass tomorrow, I'll take the kids back later in the morning to shop the Book Fair, and there are several different activities this upcoming week in which she will participate with her classmates and her family.  So grateful for our Catholic schools.

In the kitchen: Mexican Chili, Zesty Italian Chicken with stewed lentils, baked fish with steamed broccoli and maybe some rice, and a classy hot-dog dinner out at the school for Read Night.  On a whim I fried some Chicken Fried Chicken this past week with all the fixings on the sides (mashed potatoes, creamed gravy and canned green beans....because sometimes canned green beans are just good).  It was so yummy.

Crafting: Nope.  Nada.

Learning:  Kolbe still seems pretty eager to learn and work on school related stuff.  Here I was so worried about kindergarten readiness and I think he's going to be just fine.  Curious to have his IEP (here in 6 weeks or so) and know what our plan of action will be for Speech next year.

Gemma is getting more independent with her homework which is really nice.  She is just realllllly pokey after school some most days.  Oh well.  Sometimes you've just gotta let it go.  (No, I am not quoting Frozen, thank you.) 

Reading: Theology, Philosophy, and I started Augustine's Confessions this week as well.  Sometime I will probably need to toss something light in there, but for now I am really enjoying keeping up with the Theology and Philosophy.  Gemma and I are about to finish the Kirsten series, and I have been trying to really make a concerted effort to read more with Kolbe.  I read (the first half of and skimmed the rest) Teach a Child to Read with Children's Books and gleaned some really helpful information from it.

Watching: The back of my eyelids.

Bringing me joy: Days that the kids can play outdoors.  Awesome awesome hubby.  New pictures of my boyzos.  A dead mouse that had been tormenting us for TWO MONTHS.  (//Hides head in shame.//)

Thinking about: Trust in God.  And the pro-life movement.  This post by my friend Jackie was really good, and articulated quite well my thoughts of late.

Pictures to share:  

This year's Baptism Anniversaries.

 Beautiful sunrise.

January birthdays 2015

Our oldest two have birthdays five days apart from each other.  Less than three weeks after Christmas.  We have struggled to find a good balance when it comes to birthday celebrating.  We've tried the big birthday parties with cousins and everything and it is just...a lot.  Especially right on the heels of the holidays.  Not that it's my kids' fault for being born in January, but even so...  Then the past two years they were both sick on their birthdays and that kind of torpedoed or at least postponed any plans we had.  This year we sat down with Gemma not long after Christmas and discussed birthday options.  We decided for this year (and probably years to come) we would choose a weekend evening around both birthdays and invite grandparents (both sides) over for dinner and the evening.  Then on their actual birthday, each kid gets to choose what they want for dinner, has a special cake or brownies made for them, and gets to open their presents from mom and dad.  This worked out really well and hopefully we'll settle into a nice birthday routine in years to come.  As the kids get older, birthdays will probably be a good opportunity for them to do something with a small group of friends from school as well.  

So "birthday week" started off with dinner with the grandparents.

We served pulled pork, baked beans, steamed veggies and tater-puffs.  Strawberry shortcake and apple crisp were the birthday desserts of choice.  A good time was had by all.

 

Then we have Gemma's actual birthday.  The kids always get cake or brownies for breakfast on their birthdays.  And then Gemma had a donut after Mass since her birthday fell on a Sunday.  OH sugar!

Opening gifts, she got a Calico Critters bunny family, a Clifford stuffed dog and DVD, the Samantha American Girl books and a perler bead pattern book.

Gemma's godmother and her husband joined us for a sushi dinner (Gemma's request) that evening.  Gemma got more books from her godmother!

 

One down, one to go.

Kolbe's birthday started with birthday brownies that had chocolate chips in the shape of a "5" on top.

Since it was a weekday, he got to open two presents at breakfast and one at each other meal.  That way at least mommy and daddy could be around to watch him (sis had school).  At breakfast he got a "5" shirt, which he requested since he liked his "4" one so much.  He also got a Lego car set and and some Lego wheels to go with his big tub.  Cars are his favorite thing to build.  He also got his "save" "spend" and "give" jars since he will start getting an allowance.

At lunch Koble got a Ninja Turtle night light and toy.  The toy actually ended up kind of being a bust though, and so I told him he could pick something else (and I would return the other one).  He picked this slingshot, stuffed animal thing that had actually been what I originally wanted to get him but couldn't find it locally.  As luck would have it, the Target on the other side of town ended up having ONE, so we made a special trip out there.  He was one happy kid, and I was happy to get to do something special and out of the ordinary that I wouldn't normally do (driving to the other side of town) for him.

He had requested to open his gifts in order from smallest to biggest, which worked out really well because I wanted to wait and give him the hopper ball in the evening.  I was four for four, he was thrilled with it (!!!), which was great, you never know with Kolbe.

And yet another "birthday week" is in the books.  We have a couple Baptism anniversaries this week, and then celebrations should slow down for awhile.  Whew!  Happy #7 and #5 to my beautiful (growing) babies.

Journal: January is not my favorite time of year

TODAY

Out my window:  Bright and sunny but freezing cold.  We've had snow on the ground for almost a week now (read: it hasn't been above freezing).  January is not my favorite time of year.

Clothing myself in: Jeans and a tank and a hoodie.  The usual.  Sigh.  I miss my summer uniform.  January...yeah, read above.

Around the house: Took the tree down last weekend.  I know, I know, the Twelve Days weren't over.  I love the idea of leaving decorations up the whole time, I just can't.  There, I said it for everyone to know.  It was time for the decorations to come down and the house to get back to normal so we could get back into the swing of things.  We leave our nativity on the mantle through the Presentation, and we celebrate the Epiphany on the 6th (have you ever tried explaining to your almost seven year old which one is the "real" Epiphany?  That conversation was interesting.  And unproductive.)  I just can't do the tree that far into January.  Can't.  Even if we waited to put it up until later (we usually put it up the first weekend of Advent) I think I would be ready for it to come down.  

Having the kids keep their toys in their rooms is working out really well. 

Trying something different with prayers...we always did some intentions with morning prayer, and some with bedtime prayer.  We decided to move all the intentions to bedtime prayer and just pray a Morning Offering and something "simple" (for now we are using the little prayer in the back of the Magnifikid) before breakfast, instead of after when we normally prayed morning prayers.  So far so good, there were wayyyyyyy too many interruptions by the end of breakfast to keep everyone (namely myself) at the table and focused.  Now if I could just get Gemma to finish eating in under 45 minutes.  Sigh.  I hate January...oh wait.  Can't blame that one on January I guess.  Blargh.

 

The baby/toddler: Is currently sleeping on the couch.  In front of the television.  Yes, he is my third child.  He is in the loooooooong paaaaiiiiiiiinful process of dropping his nap.  If he sleeps until close to 7am he can make it all day.  If not, not so much, but lately he is not asking to go down.  So I just let him sleep in the van or in front of the television during "quiet time".  Mom of the year.  It works.

 

The kiddos:  Gemma is back to school.  She is not super thrilled about this.  I am trying to resign myself to the fact that she just doesn't like school a whole lot, and maybe she never will.  She doesn't hate it.  And behaviorally and academically she does fine.  She just doesn't like it.  It makes her anxious.  And when she gets anxious she gets grumpy and takes it out on other people.  Like her family.  Sigh.  The lack of daylight and nice weather does not help matters because when she comes home we are pretty much cooped up here.  Curse you, January.

I took Kolbe yesterday for food allergy testing.  More to rule the eight major allergens out, than to rule anything in.  Trying to get all our ducks in a row and document his issues as best we can so we have a game plan for school next year.  He was a rock star, didn't even flinch.  They took four vials (two for the allergy testing, two for a few titers) and he just sat there and watched. 

We are having grandparents over tomorrow night for a little party for Gemma and Kolbe's birthdays.  After weighing our options and talking with Gemma a bit we decided that would be our best, most viable option for celebrating.  The kids will get presents from us and a special dinner of their request and probably the customary breakfast brownies on their actual birthdays.  We'll probably try to go out to eat as a family soon as well to "celebrate".  Trying to start establishing some birthday traditions with our kids.  That one has been a long time coming, for whatever reason.  Maybe due in part to the fact that they've been sick on birthdays the past two years.  Praying that everyone stays healthy this year!

In the kitchen: This week we had fajitas, creamy tomato tortellini (with chicken), tacos, leftovers and tonight is fish muffins and canned green beans (we really live it up on Fridays).  Up next week: breakfast casserole and fruit, crispy chicken salads, dijon chicken with roasted brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes, and whatever Kolbe chooses for his birthday.  Aaron is making sushi Sunday for Gemma's birthday.

Crafting: I have some supplies to make a birthday banner for the fireplace mantle.  I am planning to put it together tonight after they are in bed so I can have it hanging to surprise them in the morning as we kick off "Birthday Week".

Learning:  Kolbe has been very gung ho to work on "school work" in the mornings this past week.  We've started working on lowercase letters in his handwriting, and we need to tackle numbers here soon.  I also have a kindergarten skills book he has really been enjoying going through.  He has been showing some real interest in learning to read (like, he asked me when he can learn to read because he wants to read things himself) and is starting to sound letters out especially when he writes things, so I may start some reading lessons with him.  I'm really not sure he's ready, but I suppose it doesn't hurt to try.  He has started talking a lot about kindergarten, and is very excited about the prospect of going to school.  I am so grateful for this (namely due to aforementioned issues with Gemma).  The kindergarten meeting is the first part of February, and screening is the week after that.  We'll have is IEP in March to see what his speech needs will be for next year.  He is making lots of progress.

Reading: Keeping up with my Theology reading and started some Philosophy on my own this week.  I need to find something light to toss in there I think...  Been reading the American Girl Kirsten books with Gemma.

Watching:  Nothing much.  Keeping up with Gold Rush on Fridays.  We're so exciting.  Seems as if there were something else I was going to mention here but it's not coming to me.

Bringing me joy: Stepping back to see God's work in my life.  Looking forward to the kids' birthdays a lot this year (please God let everyone stay healthy)!  My hubby, he's so great.  We have so much fun living our simple life together.  My cooking job, I am loving it.  Being back in a routine now that school is back in session.

Thinking about: lots of stuff.

Pictures to share:  

Sporting some of their Christmas gifts. (the headlamps are the best, sooooo entertaining)