Keepin' It Real

Not complaining, but not doing a happy dance right now.  Just telling it like it is.

• The adults are sick.  We had an appointment with the dr this afternoon, and now have 2 z-packs, 4 packs of tissue with lotion, a bag of cough drops, and one bottle of prescription cough suppressant.  We should be fine in a few days.
• In the meantime, we are eating like ... Well, like no one feels like cooking.  Toast, eggs, cereal, oatmeal.  Cookies.  Yes, cookies.  They are oatmeal, at least!  We tried to clean out the fridge before our holiday travel, and came home not feeling well.  It was the weekend, then the holiday, so the dr office wasn't open.  We sat around and felt icky while the kids enjoyed (too many) movies, (not enough) outdoor time, and their new Christmas gifts.  
• Christmas was nice.  I did not stay up until the wee hours of the morning ... waiting ... for Santa, which was nice.  But we still didn't get enough sleep, considering that it was vacation :)  
• The kids got plenty of super-nice things.  Not too much.  That part of Christmas was pretty perfect.  Oh, and I got a new 50mm lens for my camera.  That was very perfect :)  Haven't gone out to do anymore "photo shoots" - I've just been playing around with it and really don't have anything cool to share yet.  Yet.
• Even though I told everyone that M didn't need anymore art supplies, someone (ahem) got her some watercolor paints and paper.  And suggested to a certain aunt-to-be that a crayon tower would be pretty cool.  I just can't help it that I'm in my mid-30s and love crayons.  Also?  We need to add on an art room for the girl.  It's the first thing she does when she walks in the door from school.  Yes, even before unpacking her lunchbox and doing her homework - unless mean Momma is on patrol.  
• We also signed her up for a weekend art class.  She's totally excited - and I'm excited for her.
• Basketball is in full swing this week, with the first game this Friday!
• Miss M asked, "When do we go back to school?" (or some variation of that question) for the first several days of the holiday break.  I think she was pretty happy to go back to school.  I'm sure J was glad to see his friends again, too.
• I did not miss packing lunches - I'm always glad for the break.  I also considered - but only for a moment - letting J and M eat the hot lunch at school.  I read the menu and quickly changed my mind - it would have been a waste of money.  Another reason I considered it...  It was COLD today.  And I typically pack a sandwich, fruit, vegetable - basically, a cold meal - so I was thinking that it would be nice to have something warm in their tummies.  And since we are low on groceries, that wasn't really an option (see above).
• Hoping to get back to a regular exercise schedule - I've already got plans to walk with a friend twice in the next couple of weeks.  We've got quite the cold snap now, but hoping for biking when it warms up a bit.
• And, just because I want to end on a good note, I have to add this thought that I shared with a friend recently.  I was writing a note - probably in a Christmas card - about how big the kids are getting, what keeps us busy lately (school, church, scouts, basketball),  and how much fun they are right now.  I have always loved every stage of their growth and development, though for a long time I would tell folks that my favorite age was "from sitting up to saying no."  That was really a fun time, and I still really enjoy others' kids who are that age.  But I have come to realize that every age - whichever one my kids are currently in - is my favorite.  There's something unique and special about each stage, and it's so much fun to watch each of my kids develop.  Even though M is where J was about 2-2.5 years ago, she does it differently.  And so, while developmentally things progress along pretty much the same path, they each do it with their own style, which makes it brand new and special - and fun.  Love them!

So - there's the 'first installment' - hope to be back with another post sooner rather than later!