Journal: possibly the most boring update ever

TODAY

Out my window: Sunny and cool. Good looking forecast though.  A bit of a dip mid-next week, but 60s and 70s otherwise.  Spring?

Around the house: Gemma has started helping with the dishes, and by helping I mean like real actual help that is helpful.  It is awesome.  I told her she has graduated from trash cans.  The boys can do those now, she is on dish duty.  I foresee both big kids helping with dishes more over the Summer.  I would love to have them unload regularly, but I vary so much with when I run the dishwasher that it doesn't always work to wait and let the dishes sit until they can get to them. 

 

The kiddos: Clem has been a bit of a grump lately.  It's like he's three or something.  Oh wait... Last night he woke up three times, once he yelled that Gemma had come in and torn his paper heart (I am still not sure to what paper heart he was referring), once he was mad because he wanted the dominoes.  Like seriously, I had to get the box of dominoes out at 2-friggin-30 AM and he was back to sleep as soon as he grabbed them from me and snuggled up with them, and another time and I don't remember the circumstances of that waking but at least it wasn't going to the backyard to cast his fishing line and reel it in. #yesthatreallyhappenedonce.  He also came in gurmpily at about 6am (dominoes in tow) and asked if it was "morming time yet" (he does this frequently, sometimes as early as 8PM, HA!).  I told him almost and he scowlingly asked why I called him then. Huh?  Aaron said, "go back to bed, Samuel." That kid.

In the kitchen: This week we had Dijon chicken with rice and steamed veggies; crispy chicken salads; chili; grilled pork chops with boiled potatoes and steamed okra (the kids still can't understand how we eat that stuff); and fish muffins tonight.  Up next week: chicken parm with pasta and steamed baby carrots; hot dog night!!!; meatloaf with mashed potatoes and steamed green beans; probably more salads and something meatless on Friday. 

Learning:  Gemma is working on three-digit addition and subtraction at school, and "Rocket Math"  (time tests) which she gleefully recreates for Kolbe, lettered-worksheets and all, at home.  One day she had me time her as part of her homework, so I set my phone for two minutes (or so I thought), and she had been working awhile and I said, "wow, this is like the longest two minutes ever, I can't believe how far you've gotten."  I had set the phone for two hours.  Yeah.  Mom for the win.  Her reader at school has some really fun stories, this week it was How the Guinea Fowl got her Spots.  I added it to our Africa list.  Clem is learning about letter Tt this week.

Reading: Back to The Moffat Museum with all the kids.  Gemma and I finished The Latsch Valley Farm series the other night and it was hard to put that one down.  Or rather, it is always hard to pick something else up after reading something so good.  Sigh.  I think one of my favorite things about this series was how it dealt with weightier-ish topics such as sibling relationships, disobedience, death and even drunkenness very matter-of-factly and age-appropriately (and just appropriately in general).  There's so much junk out there, this series was just plain good, without coming across as trite or proselytizing.  Highly recommend.  I think we're going to go with Caddie Woodlawn next. We also started The Good Shepherd and His Little Lambs as a lead-up to First Communion.  It is going to be wonderful. I picked up an eight pack of Dr. Seuss bookmarks in the dollar bin at Target to give the kids on his birthday (3/2).  We all get a huge kick out of bookmarks around here.  Speaking of Seuss, our pastoral vicar read Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are at the school's annual read-night, and would you believe in all my Suess-lovin' book-lovin' years, I had never run across that one?!  It is really cute, we had to check it out ourselves after hearing it there.  And speaking of birthdays, I think we may read the Ralph Mouse books after finishing Moffats in honor of Beverly Cleary's 100th birthday this Spring.  One of our favorite Tt books this week has been The Tub People.  

 I am still making my way steadily through Fire Within.  Rich rich rich.  I also got The Name of God is Mercy from the library and am hoping to power through it in two-weeks because it's a new release and I can't renew it. I do have a three-day grace period though since we are nerds gold members.  Looks like it should be a pretty easy read, I made it through the intro last night.

Watching: meh.

Bringing me joy: Grace. Springlike weather. The kids. Holy Mass.  New tennies.

Thinking about: Oh! Oh! Oh!  I have two things this week!  First off, why don't they make workout pants that are not skin-tight anymore?  Like, I don't need a gunny-sack or anything, but I don't want my legs and butt to look (and feel) like sausages either.  Where is the happy medium lately??  I have a pair from Target.com ordered.  Review forthcoming...

And politics.  Wow.  I try to keep this blog pretty happy and light and nerdy and not get all bogged down in the heavy stuff, and I really am not planning on doing that, but just wow.  The Republican debate last night was a freaking five-ring circus. Really??  This is what we have to choose from?  There are some candidates I like a little (very little) bit better, and some not so much, and I'm not going to go into that here now (or ever), but wow.  Sigh.

Oh, and I suppose a third, this article on Seder/Passover celebrations was really informative I thought.

And his would be why I always leave the "thinking about" section blank....  

Pictures to share:  
Since I hardly talked about Kolbe above, I have a sweet picture of him.  He is wearing the good-deed beads they got at school as part of their Lenten practices.  He told me this week how sad he is that he can't marry me when he grows up because I'm the best mommy ever.  Goodness I love that kid.

Food for Thought: routines, bedtime and FOOD

I haven't done a Food for Thought post recently, but my tabs are about ready to explode; so even though it's not Saturday I thought I'd "unload" here, with just a wee bit of commentary because I have a million other things I should be doing...

Three Questions to Ask Your Child Every Night - This was neat.  I think I will start doing this.

A Helpful Guide to Becoming Unbusy - So practical.  I liked numbers 3 and 5 the best.

I posted these chore charts before, recently, but thought I would again because I like them.  I am going to print one off for some daily "school" type activities for Gemma in the summer as well.  She was recently asking about school-work during the summer, so I told her we'd figure out a mutually agreeable schedule together!

Truth Cannot Contradict Truth (Address of Pope John Paul II to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences (October 22, 1996) - We've seen and heard a lot about evolution lately, watching Cosmos and seeing some information that was sitting around our Church, so Aaron had me look this up, as he vaguely remembered when it came out. 

Why Are Doctors Recommending this Toxic Drink? - I had never heard of BVO before but Aaron had.  Apparently it is pretty nasty stuff.  I've never done the glucose test during any of my pregnancies, but I know it is pretty routine.  This would be worth researching a bit more if it concerns you.

The Most Food-Dye Laden Processed Foods - I found this interesting, what with Kolbe's sensitivity issues and such.  Reaffirms how important it is to eat "clean".

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup - This is tasty.  I add cubed chicken breast, baby bellas, and chopped fresh spinach.  The kids used it as a "dip" for their cheese quesadillas.  I had a glass of pinot on the side.

Santé!!!

Journal: quick (hopefully) update

TODAY (started Wednesday afternoon, finished Thursday morning)

Out my window:  Sunny, windy, warmish.  It has been up and down, but now it seems we're having more nice days than cold.  The kids are currently all playing in the backyard.  LOVE!!!

Clothing myself in:  Capri sweats and a t-shirt.  I looked nicer earlier, but I don't think anyone really cares one way or another.

Around the house: I finished my last "big" spring cleaning chore (kitchen cabinets), so I am now "done".  But the first windows I cleaned are already looking dirty again.  Bleh.  This housework gig is never-ending.

 

The baby/toddler:  Cute.  Has been eating a ton lately, but still enjoys nursing plenty at night.  Come on kid!!  ;-)  He is the kissiest little fellow, he kisses me a million times a day.  He has such strong feelings about pretty much everything.  He loves his stuffed kitten so much, I decided to order a "spare".  Just in case....  He's been napping less (under an hour), bedtimes have been smoother, and he sleeps a bit later in the mornings.  It works.  OH sleep, once we get in the groove with something it seems another factor changes.  Such is life.

 

The kiddos:  Let's see.  Gemma has seemed to need less sleep lately, but she still goes to bed at the same time as Kolbe since they share a room.  The past week or so I've been going in and reading to her from a chapter book after Kolbe goes to sleep.  It has been so nice.  Cozy.  We just finished All of a Kind Family Downtown, and now we're reading More All of a Kind Family.  I also decided it's time for a chore chart for Gemma.  I found this one and customized it for her.  She has 2 chores a day (in addition to the regulars like making bed, feeding fish, tidying play areas, etc.)  So far so good.  She is really growing up lately, I am noticing so many things about her that are just so much more mature than even six months ago, namely she is beginning to show remorse for her actions (that is HUGE) and I am seeing a ton more empathy from her as well.  Oh my baby girl...

Kolbe is just Kolbe.  I enjoy him in such a different way when Gemma is away at school.  I'm so glad I get this time with him.  Still working on the speech.  Sometimes I worry about how he will be doing come kindergarten, but I suppose that is over a year away.  Still....  I thought about making a chart for him but then thought it may squelch his enthusiasm.  He loves to help with laundry and vacuum the kitchen, and he makes his own bed most days.  So for now we'll leave it at that.

In the kitchen: Black bean and Chicken Tostadas; Meatoaf with edamame and green beans; Meat and Veggie Lasagna with mixed veggies on the side; wraps; salmon patties and simple sides.  This past weekend we grilled some steaks and I steamed asparagus and made mashed potatoes and homemade white gravy.  It was mighty tasty.

Crafting: durrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Learning:  Thinking about Summer and what our days will entail.  I think I'll mainly focus on math facts, handwriting and reading with Gemma.  I figure she gets enough science going to the zoo and traipsing around the lake, trees, etc. around here.  Homework can be somewhat of a battle with her somedays, I think she is just "done" and thus has a bad attitude.  So we'll see how summer goes.  I also got her Kumon books on time and money.  Kolbe has some new speech exercises we've been working on.  The kids have been playing together, all three of them (!!!!!!), better and better as the time goes by, so I anticipate lots of basement and backyard play.  The other day they played...all three of them.  BY THEMSELVES.  In the BASEMENT (this is huge, since that's where the monsters and other scary things live).  For ONE AND A HALF HOURS.  It was amazing.  I had to document it here, and am thinking about writing it on a paper and taping it to my fridge so when I am in the midst of wanting to leave and never come back I remember they CAN do things like that!!

Reading: Still working my way through The Joy of the Gospel.  Trying to read the Passion narratives from The Better Part this week.  At least from Matthew for starters.  I'd like to read John as well.  I think his story of the Passion speaks to me the most, maybe for no other reason than I accompanied for the men's choir several years when they sung the Passion, and it was the Passion according to John, so whenever I read it these little snippets of song go dancing through my head.  Hmmm...  I also checked out Ten Days to a Less Defiant Child upon the recommendation of someone, in light of some of my struggles with Gemma.  I really, really hated the title, but still tried to have an open mind about the book.  I skimmed/read about the first half one afternoon while the kids were playing and it just wasn't for me.

Watching:  Not a whole lot this week.  Here's a great commentary from Fr. Barron on the Cosmos series that my uncle (hello!) shared with me.  I believe there are 1-2 episodes left of the series??

Bringing me joy:  The graces and beautiful liturgies of Holy Week and the coming celebration of our Lord's Resurrection.  Gemma.  Gratitude.  Good books.  Spring weather.  Looking forward to an upcoming family reunion with relatives, some of whom I haven't seen in decades!!! 

Thinking about: Logistics for said reunion.  Confession.  My Faith.  Kolbe's skin issues. 

Pictures to share:  

I took some pics of the kids on our deck to update our frames in the hallway and my MIL's grandkids frame.  I thought they turned out pretty sweet.

 

And a few outtakes.  The kids have figured out the whole "making faces for pictures" game.  Oh joy.  I blame school, they hadn't figured this out up until now, haha.