The plusses of potty training

(I wrote this awhile back, but just realized it was never published!)

Last week I wanted to go to Sharon's funeral, but I just couldn't there due to cost of plane tickets and the amount of drive time. Instead, I headed to church on Wednesday morning, to say a few extra prayers. As soon as I walked in to church I realized that I didn't have any kleenexes, and of course tears started flowing immediately. I had wipes, but because they were wet, they didn't exactly help. Ugh! So, I searched around and found the next best thing... a pair of Ava's underwear. I figured that despite being blue with flowers, they were pretty equivalent to a hanky. I felt a little silly, and might have gotten a few strange looks, but in the end, they may have been even better than a tissue!

(And, as an update, Ava is out of diapers. A few accidents here and there, but mostly letting us know when she has to go and making it on time, whether it be #1 or #2. I'll keep some undies in my purse for a little while, but by Dominican, she should be completely trained. 4 kids trained, none to go... Some days I wasn't sure I would ever get here!)

Love is in the air

Fortunately, someone around here believes that Valentine's day is more than just washers and dryers. Namely, that person is Alina and the kids! It's a little late to write about, but Dave and I came home from work on Valentine's Day and found that the kids had been hard at work. They made red velvet cupcakes, chocolate covered strawberries...

 And heart-shaped pizza! We were invited into The 4 G's Restaurant, sat at the bar for a drink, and were soon seated with menus.

 How beautiful--A dinner for two!

It's not quite the same as Valentine's Day 10 years ago, but certainly better, at least four times over!

House of Sick

Friday night the littles seemed off. Saturday morning Max broke into tears because he had a fever. Sure enough, 103. And by 9 AM, both he and Ava were asleep on the couch. Where they still remain... coughing and fevers and up all night.

At least it didn't get to the bigs.

And at least they're not puking.

Aiya!

Max has wanted to take karate lessons for awhile now. The challenge, of course, is fitting that in with everything else we have going on. Alina gathered some information from some different places, and we realized that the place Abby went to (for about three classes) has Tuesday/Thursday classes at noon--perfect for Max's schedule! But of course I couldn't just call and make the appointment. He had to earn it first! In order to earn it, he needed to go seven days in a row keeping his hands to himself. It's easy for you and me, but for Max? Nearly impossible! But, after a few starts, he finally did it. And Tuesday evening he got to go to his private lesson where they assess him... mostly for listening skills. And Max was certainly all ears! He was so excited to get the uniform and wore it all night. Something tells me this may be a better fit than baseball or basketball!

 And of course Ava had to get in on the action, too!

Pick a Friday

I wish it were Friday. Any Friday, really, but more specifically either this past Friday or this upcoming Friday.

Dave left this morning for the annual HIMMS conference/tradeshow. He comes back on Friday. Alina is wonderful, but it's not the same as having Dave around to help and to talk to. It'll be a quick week I know because we have a lot going on, yet quick will equal hectic.

I would even take last Friday. Last Friday I had another bone scan done (I should get results today). With that, you go in the morning, they take some xray-like pictures and inject you with something. Then you leave and come back in a few hours and they take more pictures. I didn't have to leave the house until 8:00 (I was still late!), I worked at McDonald's in between picture taking and got quite a bit done, and I got to chat with the technician for awhile. A break from the routine!

Then, I decided to take the rest of the day off and Dave and I met for lunch. We ate at Uno's, and then actually went to watch a Friday afternoon matinee of Safe House (great movie!). We assumed there would be very few people in the theater. WRONG!! Apparently it's senior citizen day. In this movie alone, there were probably 80 people over the age of 65... most even older. It was really a strange thing. But, just added to the quirkiness of the afternoon, and to my and Dave's track record of attending restaurants and other events that are beyond our years.

We topped it off by stopping for a drink on our way home, and was definitely a good start to a nice weekend. (A weekend which also included celebrating Mom's birthday... HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!)

Wake me up when it's Friday!!

Romance is not dead!

Happy Valentine's Day to Dave, the love of my life. I got you just what you always wanted...

A brand new front-loader washer and dryer! Many happy loads of laundry to come!

Heroes

Last week the kids did Jump Rope for Heart, and to celebrate, they have special dress up days. Monday was pj's, Tuesday crazy clothes, Thursday was wear red and Friday athletic gear. And Wednesday was dress like your hero... here they are dressed as their heroes. Abby as Dave going to work, and Nolan as me, after the marathon. Awww! :)

This was Nolan's alternate dress like a hero... Me, 120 pounds lighter? :)

I'm glad he went with the marathon clothes!

Prayers please

My cousin Barb lives in Michigan, and is one of my cousins from Guam. I have not seen her for many years and, unfortunately because of time and distance and life, I have never met her children.

Last night, I got a shocking email from my Uncle John. Barb's daughter Sharon, who is 13, collapsed in gym class. They took her to the hospital, but she could not be resuscitated and passed away.

I am at a loss. There's nothing I can do, say, buy or write to help. I can only imagine the shock and grief being felt by my cousin and her husband. And my heart is torn when I think about the utter helplessness that my aunt and uncle (Barb's parents), who are still on Guam, must be feeling.

I will do what I know how... Say lots of prayers. And humbly ask if you'll say one too.

More rites of passage

My littles are getting big. There's just no way around it.

First, I went to bed at 8 on Tuesday, right when the kids did, and I forgot to put a diaper on Ava. I thought I would have a complete mess. Turns out she woke up dry. And since that night was successful, I tried again on Wednesday... Dry again! Thursday was wet but I put a towel under her before bed so all was good. She has been mostly good during the day with just a couple of accidents this week. We may be done with diapers! (One thing that she loves is after she poops on the potty, she gets to hand out treats to everyone. I read that trick on another blog and she loves it!)

Our second rite of passage this week was kindergarten registration for Max. I truly can't believe he will be in school next year. My little guy! When Nolan started it felt like we would be waiting forever for Max, but here we are, on the verge. Good luck to the kindergarten teachers!

And then there are those not quite ready to grow up. I took Abby to the doctor tonight for a post-check of some stomach issues she was having last month. In the waiting room there were some pamphlets called "My Maturing Body for Girls." Abby read the first page or two while we were waiting and promptly declared, "I am not doing that. That's disgusting." I'm not even positive which part repulsed her most, and I didn't have the heart to tell her it wasn't really optional.

9, 7, 4 and 2 all to soon will be 21, 19, 16 and 14... And more!

Gung hay fat choy!

For those of you who need translation, "Best wishes! Have a prosperous and good year."

January 23 started the Chinese New Year--Year of the Dragon. And as you would suspect, we had Chinese New Year celebrations going on around here left and right!

Give it's the year of the dragon, they went to see a real live water dragon. Ava was so brave touching the tail! Max was a little braver.



The zen garden... although, notice the plastic zen fork? That was to eliminate a not-so-zen-moment of arguing over the zen rake.


Chinese food art...


And what do these cupcakes have to do with Chinese New Year?


The frosting, of course, which looks a little... dragonish?


Chinese lunch! The kids had off school this day, so even the bigs got to enjoy, as well as Holly, one of Abby's friends.





Abby helped Alina make homemade fortune cookies...


Abby wrote some great fortunes...


And then there were others...



Ava was all about the pandas.


Max made his very own dragon, out of a kleenex box.


I think Abby, Nolan and Ava might have played with it more, though!




What a colorful Great Wall of China!


Max may not yet be able to write all of his English numbers, but he's got Chinese down pat!





And of course, a karate studio. Do you like the karate robes?




Hmmm, maybe this won't be Nolan's year? Regardless, Happy Chinese New Year (a little late) to all of you!

Random fun

Between Dave, me and Alina, I don't think the kids ever know what's coming next. Or maybe it's Dave and me (and maybe Alina!) who isn't sure what's coming next. For example...

Who could have seen naked butt Ava in a guinea pig coming?


And if you could predict that, could you predict Max in the cage next? (Probably!!)

Hot chocolate is a staple around here in the winter.

 
 Shirts optional.

How about glow in the dark balloons?

And cookie making... inbetween Nolan's basketball, Dave coaching, Abby volleball and Abby pitching, sometimes we do things besides sports! Mmmmm... chocolate cookies!

 And a peppermint torte.

And football players? Or powdered sugar.

Very nice!

You just never know what you're gonna get at our house from one day to another!!