Spring Break 1

I loved, well who doesn't love, spring break!  No schedules (mostly) and even though we had little bursts of non-rain, we had a lot of fun.

The Toledo Art Museum Family Center

Open gymnastics at the Y

We love visiting Jan!  She is the nicest person and so gracious (even when my kids may not be :)

and here, her cat is letting her pet him/her.

there's a few more pictures that will have to wait. 

The best news is, sunshine, we got some sunshine!!

It's Spring, It's Spring

April 17, the day before TAX DAY!  There is currently a certain mood hanging in the house, mostly surrounding Eric and his laptop.  I'm just minding my own business here and trying to be helpful and not interfere with the madness. :)

This past week Avery and I were sick.  When she's tired and sick, she doesn't use words, just cries, moans, flails, ect.  I'm just so glad Avery could take naps.  I just wanted my head cut off to ease the suffering I felt.  Glad we don't always get what we want. :)  I took some mediocre medicine the first 2 days and then some other medicine I dug up from the back of my stash.  Well that wasn't doing much, and so I read the expiration date which said it expired in 07!!  Eric picked up some new meds and I was a new woman.
I thought I had escaped any sickness this winter, and I did, it just got me in the spring.
It made me think about the process of going through physical discomfort/pain.  I think we're supposed to suffer now and then, at least, just to keep it real. (not really the reason, I just like saying "keeping it real").  We all are supposed to be tried in all things.  While this was minor, I just felt like crap.  there, I said it.

The highlights of this week:
1- Daffodils are starting to bloom!!!  I probably already said that, but it's worth mentioning again.  The forsythia is also flowering.  I think it's unanimous, we're ready for nice weather!

2- I went out with this really neat guy this weekend.  He took me to the Black Pearl, which always makes me think of Pirates of the Caribbean, but there's no connection inside. Anyway, while the service was sloooow, and the bathroom icky, the food was great!  We were there for a UT Law Alumni thing.  They had cheap tickets to the symphony that night.  It was the Three Phantoms singing broadway songs they'd been in.  I love broadway and loved the music!  It was great.  We sat with a work friend of Eric's, and his wife, and had fun chatting in between.  (Can you believe they don't lock their house, ever?)  I won't disclose their names, but I am still shocked.  Thanks, Eric for a wonderful night!

3-Zach and Avery had a lot of fun playing together.  Avery wants to be where Zach is, always, but that's not always the case reversed.  I probably said the same thing in my last post, I won't even check, but that just means life is about the same.  Small changes that I don't even notice, til many months have gone by.

Here is Avery with her occupational therapist, Lyn.  They meet weekly to play and eat.  Avery has come a long way, and still has some ways to go.

We went to a magic show at a library, and Zach looooved it.  He kept talking about it and the next morning on the way to school was checking his hair for money. :) 

Z and A were laughing so hard and being so silly.  Avery just loves Zach.  They're so goofy together sometimes.

I am so impressed with Zachery lately. In preparation for the church's general conference, I've been talking about what we'll do and how we get to hear what Heavenly Father wants to tell us through his prophet. Mostly I've been prepping for the quiet listening we'll do. Today I got out the G.C. activity packet, given to Zach at primary, and he loved it! He was so good. I learned that with good prep and for a good cause, kids can do anything.
I can ask much and with effort, much can be produced. I'm sure there's a better way of saying that, but you get it.

Avery is taking a nap and all is right in the world. :)
She started preschool a week and a half ago. That is both wonderful and strange to me. Can she be 3?!! What craziness we've been through and because of that I appreciate all the good things (blessings)! It seems like her first year of life was a dream, and whenI say dream, I mean a long night of little rest and lots of worry and work. I want to move past that, tuck that away in the back of my mind, and never recall it. Ok, not exactly. Not think about it, yes. But we're all different, better, with a few (many) more gray hairs (except for the kids). I guess we're all a culmination of all our experiences. Not one single good deed or a single bad day of bad decisions. Thank goodness. I'm so glad to have a Heavenly Father who knows all and is watching over, ready if we are to let him better our lives.

Writing is good for the soul. My folks are in Georgia, missioning and I was waiting for a nice weekly email update,... but nothing. :) So I called (love that) and she didn't seem to think it was a big deal. We did all get an email the next day, but it bothered me a bit. I can see now why my mission president made it a rule that we had to write home every week. Oh, when will those kids learn? ;) I need to write this week too.

I pulled out Zach's papers from his backpack and was looking at them. One of his papers he had done really well, especially his handwriting, which we've been focusing on. I was impressed and said so outloud, but softly to myself and from the other room I heard,"Oh thanks Mom!". It seems like a small thing, but it was so sweet. They need to hear good things about them and overhear us saying to others good things too.

I love these little guys!

Dancing

These are pictures of some of the things we've been up to lately.

And it's mostly dancing,

after dinner,

at playgroup at the library, (Eric met us there for a bit, what a treat.)

after church, in my favorite dress of hers.

Today though, Avery wasn't feeling so good and had a bad hair day (she get's that from me).

But, I got a cute side shot of her.  Lots of snuggles today.  Thank you tylenol.

This also happened today.  I neglected to pierce the potatoe before baking and Eric heard this "BOOM" and something shaking.  :)  Oops.

I don't have a picture, but our daffodils and tulips are coming up!  Spring is here.  I absolutely love the spring blooms.

I found this old picture of Zach when he was two.  I love those cheeks!

Dinner and Led Zeppelin

Dinner at our house last week had it's highest and lowest points, ever (or so it seemed). :)

We've had meatloaf many times before, but this night, Zach was in misery having to eat just ONE forkful.  Can you see the agony in his eyes?

I pulled out our camera, in hopes to get Zach to eat more of the meatloaf, for a picture.  Got a nice picture, but no bite.  It took way too long for dinner this night.  Torture for all involved.

This was the following night, when we had an italian sausage bake.  Smiles and seconds for everyone (Avery too!  Woot, woot!) 

We love strawberries too, as shown here.

I took this picture this morning.  It rained a lot yesterday and we got another pond.  Then it froze overnight and now (until the sun shows) we have an ice skating pond.   Less than 3 weeks til spring!

Last night the Toledo Symphony Orchestra had a Music of Led Zeppelin: A Rock Symphony night.  UT Alumni were offered cheap seats, and Eric snagged us two tickets.  It was my first time at the Stranahan theater and I do love dressing up occasionally to hit the town, so to speak.
It was a rock concert!  I know L.Z. existed, but never heard their music that I know of.  Eric, on the other hand, has 10 of their tapes. :)  The singer, Randy Jackson (of the rock band, Zebra?) did a awesome job wailing the words out.  At first I couldn't tell if he was a man or a woman (the clothing and long hair didn't help).  It wasn't so much orchestra, as it was rock concert (bonus) because the lead guitarist was doing his job.  They had a lot of lights in sync to the music, which made the event.  I enjoyed it, except for one song, and my favorite L.Z. song is "Physical Reaction".  I finally heard the famous, "Stairway to Heaven".  
There were a lot of groupies there and I did see a flashlight come on.  I was thinking L.Z. was ZZ Top, but it's not. Flashes of "Wayne's World" kept running through my mind.  Another class act.
We had a fun night!  The Toledo Symphony Orchestra is going to Carnegie Hall, way to go!

Warming up to February

February has been very busy so far, and there's still 8 days left.  What will happen next?

We went to the Imagination Station here in Toledo for a UT Alumni night and had a blast.  

This was the first time we got to use their sportscasting "station".  It was pretty cool and the kids were pretty much mesmerized by seeing themselves on TV.

The next weekend was Eric's birthday and we headed down to Granville, OH to spend the weekend with his sister and her family.

It was Zach's idea that "Daddy wants a Star Wars cake". :)  But no one sells those, so cousin Parker loaned some action figures to deck-out his cake. 

Happy Birthday Eric!  You are amazing!

Uncle Tim and cousin Lauren got a hold of our camera. Love it!

Valentine's Day we dropped off the kids at free babysitting at the Y (yay) and went out for a, surprisingly yummy, chinese food.

Avery turned 3 yesterday and we had a family party here.  I can't believe, hardly, that she is 3!  Avery is doing so well.  Some areas better than others, but she is acting like a normal (crazy, non-stop-leaves-a-path-of-disaster) now 3 year old. :)  Eating and talking are coming along and will get there eventually.
We love Avery and all the joy she brings to our family!

My birthday is today and I'm just glad to be at the end of birthday week at this household. :)  I feel so blessed and through it all I am happy for what I have and what lies ahead.

Thank you!

Today's a snow day, but the main roads are cleared, which means we were able to do fun stuff today, away from home.  I love not having a schedule sometimes, just "being" and taking life as it comes.  On the other hand, laundry would pile up, sticky floor spots would remain, and I'd eat more than I should (not that I don't do that anyway). A day like today is great to enjoy the family, bake a little, and ponder goals.

My "to do" list until further notice:
1. Do my version of "Food Nanny" and make a weekly schedule of meals, and avoiding altogether the last minute dinner dilemma.
2. Smart spending for everything.  It all adds up, even the little things.
3. De-junk as I go.  When I come across something in need of being less, lessen it.
4. Take more deep breaths daily.  Ponder the big picture in the moment where I most need it. :)
5. More importantly of late, to listen and wait more, and steam-roll ahead less.
6. Be in the moment.

You get the gist, love everything a little more.

My brother's wife, affectionately referred to as, J-dawg, has planned for the month of February, a service boot camp focusing on saying/writing thank you's!  Taking the time to write someone a note, letting them know you appreciate them, something they've done, or just saying hey.  She will also have some give-aways for those who enter and participate.  Something to do for February.

One highlight in our family is that my parents received their mission call to serve in Atlanta, GA!  They're going to start the 21st of this month.  They've talked about this for a looooong time and I know this will be the best, hardest thing they've done, next to raising 7 kids.  So if you're living in northern Georgia and see a great looking missionary couple, please stop and say hello!

Avery is doing well.  She is dangerously close to being a terrible-two, and she's almost 3.  We cut back on the food she's getting overnight, and so she's stopped (knock on wood) spitting up AND she's eating more!!  Woot, woot!  She's getting there and we've never been more optimistic about this. :)
Avery will be starting special preschool later this month.  This will give her the extra boost to catch up to her peers, that's the plan anyway.  She will also love the social aspect, even if I'll miss her for the little bit she'll be away.

 aw, boys