Saturday, December 24, 2011

Corey Empties the Dishwasher

Rotary Lights and Headphones

Yay, Kyle and Connor got to shovel. Snow. Actual snow. How exciting.

The Rotary Lights in La Crosse should be an annual tradition. The boys had never seen them and now they are hooked. It was warm enough that we walked through with stops at the igloo to warm our toes. Very festive and heartwarming.

 After viewing the lights, we needed to make a stop at Best Buy. The boys had to test out all the expensive headphones. Who knew testing $200 headphones could be so much fun?!

A Most Weak Moment


In an extremely rare, desperate moment, I took the boys to McDonald's Playland. Yeah, I know. I have maybe once, taken a child, on purpose, to McDonald's Playland. Clearly, I was desperate. We spent two hours, yes, TWO, playing at McDonalds and eating bad for you food. It was a blast. I sat distracted by my phone and they got some exercise. I might do it again. Shh, don't tell anyone. I don't want to tarnish my reputation.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Day 73ish

Last day of school before Christmas break.

Day 73 Life Lesson: In today's lesson, we learn that just because you open a giant chocolate Santa that you got from school, doesn't mean you need to eat the whole thing nor SHOULD you eat the whole thing, mainly because it freaks out the digestive system.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Lunar Weekend Part Two


Corey put a new countertop in the bathroom. We had promised to do it when we put our house up for sale so we needed to make good on that promise. Good work, honey.

Cooper got out his "Tasty Science" book he got for Christmas last year from Salesa and Jason. The first experiment led to a whole day of baking experiments. In the 10 years we have lived in this house the oven has never been on for that length of time nor has that much baking been done. Ever. It was fun to watch him experiment and the little brothers enjoyed being taste testers. 6 hours of baking meant 6 hours worth of mess that the mom got to clean up. If the size of the mess is proportionate to the talent of the cook then we have the next Iron Chef living in our house.

Lunar Weekend Part One



Cooper: (whispering excitedly and tapping my shoulder) Mom, Mr. Paulsen says the lunar eclipse starts at 5:30.

Me: (sleepily) No Coop, I googled it before I went to bed and it starts at 5:30 Pacific time which means 6:30 Central time. You can go back to bed for an hour.

Cooper: (wide awake) I'll just watch out the window to make sure.

Me: Okay

6:30am

Cooper: Mom, I can't see the moon any more the houses are in the way.

Me: Sorry Coop.

Cooper: Mom, let's go. It's probably starting and we are going to miss it.

Me: (frustrated) It's 4 degrees out and we are going to drive around and it will be below the bluff and we won't be able to see anything.

Cooper: (PERSISTENTLY) Mr. Paulsen says we WILL be able to see it.

Me: (under my breath) Then maybe you should call Mr. Paulsen to take you.

Cooper: What?

Me: FINE, let's go.

-------

And go we did. Off to McDonalds for a mocha and a hot chocolate and 2 breakfast sandwiches. Then up the hill to the flat land. We drove back and forth and talked about lunar eclipses and solar eclipses and other important things in life. Oh, how I hated getting up so early and going out in the freeeeeeezing cold. But, oh, how I love that my son made me go. It was a morning I will always remember.



Later Saturday morning we had special visitors. 2 month old Brydon and his mom came to visit with grandma Joyce and grandpa Don. Brydon was having a really good hair day. In the afternoon, we went to the annual Christmas party at the legion where Gramsie was leading one of the craft tables. Only at the legion can you find kids visiting with Santa while the adult helpers sip on their beers and mixed drinks. It takes me back to my childhood days when I hung out at Shortys after my dad's softball games. Some things never change.


Friday, December 9, 2011

Day 65

Christmas caroling at Jefferson school meant Coop got to hang with his STEM 4 buds. It was a fun hour of singing led by Amanda Hardy and her sister. Afterwards, the boys had ice cream sundaes.

Day 65 Life Lesson: Ice cream is a treat even when it's below zero outside.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Day 64

One of my favorite events of the Christmas season is the Cotter Choir Concert. I love watching my dear friend, Cathy, direct the young voices. It will be the last time senior JB will sing in the chapel. Boo hoo. It was definitely a Kodak moment when big sis Fallon stood by her little brother for the finale. So cute!

Day 63



It's really not a most wonderful time of the year without helping Gramsie make cookies. The boys delight in not only creating their masterpieces but eating them, as well. There are many jobs but the most favorite is taste tester. We only had one casualty. Cooper grabbed a hot pan. Ouch! It left a pretty nice imprint but he'll be okay.

Day 63 Life Lesson: Too many cooks make the cookies really yummy.

Day 62

Memories. You stumble onto a lot of them when you are packing up your house. Some of the yucky memories of twenty years ago came back to me in the form of photos. In particular, big hair and big glasses. So very painful.

I am a recovering thrower. I am really good at throwing things away. Sometimes too good. So I have transformed myself into a donater because believe it or not people do have a need for other people's crap. It's tough to be a throwing addict when a dumpster has been in your driveway for 3 weeks. I mean that thing has been enabling me in a major way. I get an immense rush from throwing things in it.

Day 62 Life Lesson: Just throw it.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Day 61

Wow, day 61. SIXTY ONE! It's December. DECEMBER!

December 21st is a big day if you struggle with the lack of light during the day which is just about everyone in the Midwest, right? The winter solstice. Woohoo. The light at the end of the tunnel or at least it feels like it. By this time of the winter I normally have a deep groove embedded in the couch. I can be found with my nose smashed against my light box. I can be found on my knees, begging God to fix my brain. Not this year or at least not today. And I will take all the good days I can and thank God for them.



"A Silent Night for Peef" was the first book on the pile of Christmas books this year. It is an annual favorite written and illustrated by Minnesotans. Before I can start the boys run and get their Peefs and then listen intently while "peefing" annoyingly through the whole story. This autographed copy was a gift from the Devine Ones. We are so grateful for this special gift that we get to enjoy every year. Thanks, friends.

Get well soon, E.G.. Ky misses your mommy.

Day 61 Life Lesson: "It's knowing who you are, and being where you ought to be, and doing what you ought to do... and you gave that to me."

Day 60


I had a super fun time celebrating Kyle's birthday with him at school. Gramsie read Rumble in the Jungle to his class to start off the fun. And to all of the parents who think they have to celebrate with sugar and processed crap, I am here to report first-hand that kids do not need junk food when celebrating a birthday. My mom and I brought bananas, pretzels, cheese and apples and the kids ate like they lived in a third world country.


Kyle was the official page turner during story listening time. It's a very important job. When you hear the chime, turn the page. Yikes, that's a lot of pressure. My heart was pounding in anticipation hoping he wouldn't blow it. Okay, not really.

Kyle has the most welcoming teacher I have ever met. Mrs. G. is great at letting parents come in to the classroom to observe, help, cut, play football or just sit and drink coffee. This kind of freedom is ideal for a stalker parent like myself. I can walk into their space and not feel like I am intruding.

Admittedly, Kyle gets the short end of the stick when it comes to birthdays. I didn't even put a birthday sign on the wall. Oops. For this reason, I tend to go a little overboard with his gift. And when I say "I", I mean "me" not "we" as in me and Corey. Corey has no clue what to get our three sons, where to get it, when it needs to be ready, etc... you get the idea. As long as I don't involve him he is happy. So, Cooper got a much desired three ring binder for his birthday. I actually think he got teary-eyed. Kyle got a Razor Powerwing Scooter. I got stampeded at midnight on black friday and knocked in the head with a Barbie Ride-On Four Wheeler for that baby. 3 dollar gift... 49 dollar gift. Hmmm... I wonder how long I can get away with that?

Day 60 Life Lesson: No present is worth getting stampeded for, even if it's a three ring binder.


Sunday, December 4, 2011

Day 60 coming to your computer soon

Technology. Blissful when it works, painful when it doesn't. Our wireless Internet is on the fritz. Hopefully, we can get back online on Monday. Until then...