Because we were going to be in Vegas for Easter, we only dyed a few eggs and I was only able to get Alissa in the action. Zach was out playing with friends, came in to dye eggs and then Carrie came over to drop off a cooler and while we were chatting, Zach dyed his with out me knowing lol. Oh well, it was a quick proses this year anyways.
Zach and I did another Lego challenge and he chose to do an Olympic themed one. It was a great idea! We decided on swimming and I didn't have a vision of what to do, but he got started and came up with a great idea to take the legs off the Lego men so it looks like they are swimming! Clever idea, I was wondering how we were going to make them look like they were swimming! We really had a good time putting this one together and I loved the way it turned out. Zach loved his flags and he had to go show it off to Alan. This is really a simple idea and way to spend some extra time with Zach. He loves this time together!
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Alissa did her book report on Leonardo Da Vinci and for her visual aid she drew the Mona Lisa! She was so intense while trying to copy the picture and it turned out super cute. I like when the kids get the chance to be creative and artistic!
Today I was going to make a quick post on Facebook and ended up with this:
"I love those unexpected little reminders that we need in our lives. I'm sure they are ALL around us and only when we open our eyes, we will see them and then UTILIZE THEM!
For months and months I have told myself daily that I would work some kind of exercise into my day and with out fail I went to be that night not exercising and thinking the same thing about the next day. Yesterday after my rant about sweets I was feeling a bit guilty because eating clean is only 1/2 the battle. There MUST be physical activity. I had been sitting there thinking that I should get up and go on a walk, but it was a little windy and cold out, and then I saw Jess Ainscough's post and she said "Don't let the weather be an excuse not to move your body!!". WOW! perfect timing. I put my walking shoes on and although I didn't go into that windy weather, I did hop on my treadmill for 30 minutes!
Also, I know that I spend too much time on my computer. It's been a problem for quite some time. The internet (weather it be Facebook, blogs, Pinterest) is addicting. Each day I tell myself that I wont get on so much and with out fail, I'm on my butt here longer than I wanted. For a month or so I had this awesome system down at home where I found the balance in my 20 min days and it felt good. It incorporated getting stuff done at home while getting also getting to hop on here or check email or update my blog etc. Lately, all that has fallen to the wayside and I start to feel that guilty feeling again (you know, that wonderful guilty feeling we get when we KNOW we are in the wrong, but don't want to admit it ourselves?). Yep, I was feeling that! So again, this morning I hop on Facebook to see a post by a new friend who wrote an old post about her internet addiction and it just "happened" to be bumped up because some other new friends commented on it. It was the little reminder that I felt balanced when I did my 20 minute days and so today I start over with those!"
It is funny that the little reminders are ALL around us and it isn't until we chose to SEE them that they become helpful in our lives. I'm happy for my little reminders today!
Last night was rough. For some reason I was up with stabbing gas pains in my stomach and didn't get to bed until after 4am. Needless to say, I am not feeling awesome today. I told Alissa I'd play battleship with her, but it was a new version and I wasn't quit sure how it worked and my brain just didn't want to figure it out so I suggested playing the "Old School" version of paper battleship that Mindy and I used to play together as kids. It brought back memories and I'm glad I remembered it so I could share it with Alissa. We played and killed some of each others solders, tanks and then Alissa got bored. We'll save our game for later...
Night routines are pretty solid around here. Zach quietly reads in his bed until he gets tired and then drifts to sleep. Alissa, on the other hand, plays and plays and comes into our room multiple times to show, tell or give us something. This night she came in with some tool on her head and can't remember WHY she came in this time and I tried to take some pictures, but he little mind was going to quick with what she was doing, I got her on the way back to her bedroom.
Oh my gosh, Tiss was cracking us up the other day! She was so curious about the fish tank. She a slow and cautious curious cat. Sitting, looking, resting and taking peeks around at Alan and I to see if we are watching her. She sat on top for nearly an hour deciding if she wanted to try putting her head in there to drink some water. It started with a foot resting "close" to the water, then touching the water and then just leaving her foot hanging out on the water. Even in her curiosity, she is prissy! She finally did it and it was too funny! She stuck her head in for a drink and turned to "see if we were watching" and got her drink! She is such a cute silly cat.
Tiss's new thing is to come inside, jump on my office desk, roll around and spread out all over my desk! It's cute, but drives me batty when I'm trying to work. She will usually do this quickly, getting her cat fur all over and then leave. Thanks Tiss!
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That I love!
Watching my baby boy go from reading quietly to falling asleep with his Pup-Pup and dinosaur remind this momma that even though he is in the double digits (10 years old) that he is still a sweet boy that finds comfort in the little things. Each night after we read (or every other night when Alan is reading to him) and every night I go into his room to ask him his question from his 3 year question journal, he likes me to tuck him in, grab Pup-Pup, turn on his fan, close his closet and turn out his light. He craves that simple routine and I crave those little moments with him at the end of the day when things are quiet. No more fighting between kids, no more bad attitudes about dinners he doesn't like, no more power struggles...just peace and calm saying goodnight to my baby boy!
I love having my kids room just outside of mine. I walk past each night and get to see them peacefully sleeping and some days my little babies look so big and I just take in the "kid" stuff I see around me. The stuffed animals lined up so Alissa can play school and teach them what she knows, the ponies in my shower and bath tub...the babies sleeping in their "beds"...it will all be replaced someday with "older kid" things and for now I'll KEEP those little things. The other night I walked by Alissa sleeping peacefully and then again a few nights later and her little (big) feet were hanging off her bed. Sweet dreams baby girl..
When the mood hits Tiss just right, she's play...but only for a few seconds and then she looks around with this prissy little attitude like "I hope no one saw that" and goes about her way. The other day after doing laundry, the laundry basket was over on it's side and she crawled right in and laid down at the very back. It was so cute, I quietly grabbed my camera, but she crawled out quickly and then wanted to play for 15 seconds.
I have been calling Otto "Fatty Pants" because since he was just little his belly has been so fat! We have now realized that he likes to sprawl out on his back like a dog would do. I walked into my office the other day to find Fatty Pants Otto just as happy as could be with his feet curled up and sprawled out! He's for sure an awesome cat!
So Alan has wanted a fish tank and fish for a long time. It's something he's always wanted and enjoys the "project" of getting it all ready and was able to find a tank and stand on KSL for a great deal! Immediately the cats had to take a peek and it was cute to see Otto with his face in the tank! No fish yet, like I said, it's a project for Alan. He has been online researching which fish will fit and which wont eat the other and who will get a long with the others. I can't wait to see how the cats react when there are actual fish in the tank!
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We (well, I) have switched up the way we do allowances a couple times. We did lists and x amount per chore for a while there and then we switched to 1/2 of their age in dollars a week. They get their allowance each week if they do what they are asked with out fights and so far they are doing pretty well with the exception of some Saturday's not wanting to clean bathrooms. They each save 20% to give and to save each week and I plan on sometime here (when I get around to it) taking them to the bank to open a savings account that we will put their 20% in maybe every few months. After they put 20% away, they get to keep the rest and Zach likes to save his up and "bask" in it LOL! The other night when I went into his room for nightly reading and a journal question, he wanted to show it all to me. He was so silly, but it's fun getting to spend time with him. He had money under his bed and I told him he should probably put it into the "safe" he bought for his money, so he was reaching under his bed excited to find MORE than he thought he had. He talks about saving up for this or that. He's made a couple purchases on his own and at our last trip to Smith's where he got a Lego set, he had to put back another thing he wanted because he didn't have enough. The man behind me commented to me that I was doing the right thing making him putting it back and teaching him that lesson (because his daughter spends what she doesn't have LOL). It's always nice to get those nice comments as reminders that these little lessons in life are what will "hopefully" help them in the future.
Despite all the bugging, teasing, fighting and not getting along, there ARE days when the stars line up right and my kids get along and even HELP each other! Alissa had to take a little test on line and record the score for her teacher and Zach was kind enough to help her navigate Alissa to the page and show her how it worked. There is no way I can pass up the chance to "secretly" take a picture of moments like this....after all, I do want PROVE of such things! ha ha!
