Its a funny thing..."potty training". Eli has been learning about the toilet for months now, and I could technically say that he's "potty trained." But the term "potty trained" in this sense means...he knows HOW to use the toilet and has successfully done both tasks many times. But as far as mommy goes, I haven't given the title to Eli as "potty trained" yet because well, he has worn diapers all the time and I've continued to change those diapers. Have you heard the phrase "potty trained" enough in this first paragraph? Probably.
Well, I just decided he needs to use the toilet. He's a smart little cookie and communicating really effectively lately. My vision is totally perfect now and I feel like life is possible. So, he's wearing pull ups and I'm taking him to the toilet to do his business now. I'm not going to wait for him to tell me he has to go, I'm making this a regular habit as part of his day now. He's a pretty cheerful guy about it. And so far he's only had one accident but has used the toilet all day. I'm really thinking/hoping this will be an easy transition for him. He called his pull ups something to do with swimming. He saw them and was like "I want to go swimming!!" because he has worn a "pull-on" style swim diaper every time he's gone swimming recently.
So, it has begun. I guess its helps me to blog about it so that it seems more official. Facebook doesn't need to know but I'll blog about my little 2 yr old's potty habits. :)
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Violet's 9th Birthday
Trying hard to remember details from this day! I really need to blog the day of or the day after such events. We're a month past Violet's birthday already and I'm just now sitting down to write about it! I asked Violet to help me remember how we celebrated and the details were foggy to her.
I do remember making a run to Walmart the day before her birthday to get cupcakes for her school celebration the next day. I got her a couple birthday gifts as well. Really planned ahead well, huh!?
She had chosen her birthday food for the day. She wanted egg/sausage/cheese sandwiches for breakfast (not an easy feat on the school morning), mac n cheese for lunch, and taco soup with chips for supper. I did wake up early on the morning of her birthday to cook her breakfast. I also made some mac n cheese at the same time and filled up their hot thermos containers with that for lunch. Calvin got some too.
Vanessa helped me decorate the house while Violet was at school. We made a trip to the dollar store and got balloons and streamers. We went with yellow, pink, and white for decor colors. Violet and Calvin put more balloons up when we got home from school. Taco soup is easy to throw together - it is almost all cans in a pot and it gets heated up with yummy toppings.
Violet remembered these details:
- brought massive cupcake made of a bunch of cupcakes and (said she got really messy at school).
- woke up early and mom made sausage/egg/cheese sandwiches
- made shells and cheese for lunch at school
- got puppy with huge eyes
- bubble gum squares - grape
- Elsa/Anna Frozen gummies
- Perplexis Epic
- taco soup, rainbow cake
She told me at the end of the day, "Thanks for making my birthday really special!" So she was touched. That is sweet, and the most memorable moment for me.
We celebrated her birthday again with the Hardinger family at a cabin in Charles City - we hung streamers, Grandma Jo made a yummy funfetti cake, and I brought ham and mac n cheese along with mom's carrots for supper.
I do remember making a run to Walmart the day before her birthday to get cupcakes for her school celebration the next day. I got her a couple birthday gifts as well. Really planned ahead well, huh!?
She had chosen her birthday food for the day. She wanted egg/sausage/cheese sandwiches for breakfast (not an easy feat on the school morning), mac n cheese for lunch, and taco soup with chips for supper. I did wake up early on the morning of her birthday to cook her breakfast. I also made some mac n cheese at the same time and filled up their hot thermos containers with that for lunch. Calvin got some too.
Vanessa helped me decorate the house while Violet was at school. We made a trip to the dollar store and got balloons and streamers. We went with yellow, pink, and white for decor colors. Violet and Calvin put more balloons up when we got home from school. Taco soup is easy to throw together - it is almost all cans in a pot and it gets heated up with yummy toppings.
Violet remembered these details:
- brought massive cupcake made of a bunch of cupcakes and (said she got really messy at school).
- woke up early and mom made sausage/egg/cheese sandwiches
- made shells and cheese for lunch at school
- got puppy with huge eyes
- bubble gum squares - grape
- Elsa/Anna Frozen gummies
- Perplexis Epic
- taco soup, rainbow cake
She told me at the end of the day, "Thanks for making my birthday really special!" So she was touched. That is sweet, and the most memorable moment for me.
We celebrated her birthday again with the Hardinger family at a cabin in Charles City - we hung streamers, Grandma Jo made a yummy funfetti cake, and I brought ham and mac n cheese along with mom's carrots for supper.
Friday, January 16, 2015
Vanessa says:
While eating breakfast:
Vanessa: "I just feel like I'm at Grandma Jo's house."
Me: "Why?
Vanessa: "Because you just look so much like Grandma Jo".
Vanessa: "I just feel like I'm at Grandma Jo's house."
Me: "Why?
Vanessa: "Because you just look so much like Grandma Jo".
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
My experience with lasik eye surgery
I feel as though I can put a check in a box next to something on an epic list of things that you've always been curious about but never really wanted to do. But I can consider this one done. I'm actually writing this post the day before my third eye surgery. Did I just type that? I had two done on my right eye, and my left eye will be done tomorrow.
I'd been interested (but just too scared) to consider lasik eye surgery. A situation came up late November when I received an email from our health savings account holder reminding us that the year was almost over and we still had a decent pile of money sitting in our account that was going to disappear if it didn't get used. I remember forwarding this message to Dave and he responded with "maybe lasik?" I kinda shook off the idea quickly and thought, well, maybe we can spend the money down by going to a few chiropractor appointments, or maybe .... the ideas were rolling.
Dave mentioned lasik again, and I decided to at least make a phone call about it. I talked to my friend Annette who works for a big eye care center in the area. I knew some people who'd had lasik done. I looked information up online. I learned that Mauer Eye Center had their own laser machine, and most other eye surgeries done were on a borrowed laser machine at the hospital. I called Mauer and they explained that contacts couldn't be worn prior to the surgery for about 4 weeks. I later learned that I was talking to a "front desk gal" who wasn't the one who should have been giving out information. I spoke to the lasik coordinator, Angie, from Mauer, and we talked about more details. She asked about my situation and I told her about the $ we were trying to spend before the year's end. She informed me that I only had to have my contacts out for 3 weeks prior to the surgery. I could do that. I went in for a consultation. My friend Charity watched my younger two kids for this appointment. My corneas were measured, and turned up the result that they had more than enough thickness to handle lasik. I inquired with Mauer about the cost of surgery. They were running a lasik promotion for $500 off per eye. Our VSP insurance gave a discount of 5%. Brought the total to about $1400 per eye. Considering the total in our savings account, this covered almost of it, so we decided to go ahead and schedule the surgery for one eye in year 2014, and the other eye in 2015. This breaks up the cost of paying for the eyes and it ends up almost all coming out of the pre-tax medical spending account (its funded by Dave's paychecks, of course).
SO.
Here I go!
My right eye was scheduled for Dec 29. Honestly, the biggest annoyance to me was having to wear my glasses for three weeks. It felt like a year. Anyone remotely close to me knows I can't stand wearing glasses frames on my face. I felt like they slowed me down. I didn't like how my strong corrected lenses made everything seem curvy when I moved my head slightly. I didn't like the lack of peripheral vision. I felt like I couldn't go exercise anywhere. Kinda felt stuck. I've been used to wearing contacts since I was a young teenager.
Ok, that paragraph is over. You've probably already heard it anyway.
I barely had time to think about my upcoming eye surgery. Christmas was incredibly fun and busy hosting Dave's family (that blog post is in the works) and the day my surgery was scheduled was for Monday evening, the day after everyone left. I could feel myself taking deep breaths throughout the day just thinking about the whole thing. I wasn't EXCITED to go through something like eye surgery. But I was excited at the thought that my vision could be corrected and I could toss the glasses and 27 contact cases I've collected over the years.
I got my eye drops from the pharmacy. My mom kindly came down to transport me to the eye center. I checked in, took my valium pill, and was moved to a waiting room. Someone called me back and moved my mom to a different room. I entered the room and found it to be less "fancy" than I was imagining. A big tubular machine about 5 feet fall, smallish room, a chair for me, and supplies in racks. I go to wear a hair net and booties. The nurse let me hold a stuffed animal and put a warm blanket over my body. She put in a ton of numbing drops, some more eye drops, covered my left eye. They let me listen to the sounds of what would happen before it happened so I wouldn't be surprised. One tool used to create the flap in my eye (gotta just admit, it sounded like a dental drill, and another was a loud repeated clicking of the laser. He said my eye would be propped open for a few minutes. They began. I agreed to behave. I focused on staring at that red blinking light the whole time. My eye was totally numb, and the doc just did his thing. I could observe what was going on with my eye but nothing really specific. He said the procedure was perfect. He said, "have you done this before? You're like a pro."
I just kinda pretended that my eye was not part of my body and that I was observing something odd.
I was done just like that. Got to sit up. Was warned not to blink my eye hard or rub it. Eye goggle protection on. I was moved to another room and met my mom with a smile on my face. Done! I said. They gave me instructions on eye drops for the next 7 days. Mom drove me home and I got to go right upstairs and go to sleep in bed (ahhhh YESSS) for the next four hours.
Recovery felt just fine. There was never any pain. Slight blurriness became clear. I went to my post OP check the next day and doc checked my eye and vision and said it was 20/20. He said You're a show-off! He did notice what he called a little "fold" or "wrinkle" on the eye flap that was in the healing process. He said he'd rather try a non-invasive way of fixing it by using a little "iron"...looked like a little 4 inch metal stick to me. He numbed my eye and rubbed it somehow for about 5 seconds. A few days later I went back for another check, and he said "hmm...its looking worse". Maybe I slept on it funny and caused a wrinkle? A nurse at the office asked if I needed more rewetting drops, I told her no, I had tons left. She asked how much I'd been using and I said maybe three or four drops a day. She told me oh no..keep it soaking wet. Go through as much as possible and soak that eye!
My vision had gone down a little, and he said he'd rather do a "flap lift" to fix it. I'm thinking oh no! another eye surgery! Yep. That's what I had to do. He wanted it done asap (like that day), so I scrambled to find a situation that worked. I picked up kids from school, dropped them off at home, let them watch TV while Dave finished work. Barb A. drove me to doctor. I then had to under go this "flap lift" and what I don't like saying is "flap lift and stretch"...yeah. The stretch word just makes me cringe. I don't really even like talking about it. I was prepped for surgery just the same as before. I really wish I'd had the thought to ask for valium during this surgery but I didn't get that privilege. Doc used some instruments to open the flap and rub/stretch/whatever it back to its normal-ness. I got queasy during this one. My hands didn't know what to do...I didn't have a stuffed animal to hold onto. :P It took much longer. He was tedious and precise in his skill and didn't settle for less than best. I kept seeing little things come at my eye and move around. It was kinda freaky.
He finally said it looked perfect and closed up my eye. WHEWWWWW. I blinked my eye quickly and softly. It started watering like crazy. I came home and was so careful not to bump my eye. Rachel came over that evening and gave me some TLC ...I needed more rest so I laid on the couch. At this point I was a little scared because my right eye vision was really, really blurry. My eye hurt. I was "weirded out" by the whole long and uncomfortable eye surgery experience. Doc did say I needed to rest and wait.
He was right. A week later I'm back to better than 20/20 and I can see tiny branches in trees a mile away with my right eye. Incredible.
I'm sitting here a day before my second eye surgery and I'm anticipating this one to be a breeze like the first one. I will be so careful not to cause any flap issues.
This previous week I've had to leave out my contact in my left eye in preparation for the lasik tomorrow. It has been a really annoying experience, to be honest. My crisp clear vision is fighting with my awful fuzzy vision in my left eye. I can see "clurry". My word of the week. I've worn my goggles all week with something covering my left eye so the blur is just blocked out. This makes for a one-eyed mom...no so ideal. But I've dealt with it (yes, I've complained...and also kept my mouth shut a lot)..and managed to get through. Super proud of my right eye right now, though.
I'll finish this up after my left eye heals over the next few days.
*******************************************************************************
Update! 1/15/2015
I'm all DONE! I can SEEE...wahooooo!!! My left eye was done today, and it went perfect. Doc said it went well and my vision is clear. He put a clear contact over my eye to keep the flap in place which will come out tomorrow. I'm going to prevent a flap issue as best as I can!
The procedure today went very much like my first eye. My friend Kim was able to watch my younger two while Dave brought me to my appointment at 2:00. My mom drove to town and picked up our van in time to get the older two from school at 3:15. My mom picked up the younger two kids from Kim's place after getting the older ones. I was home and asleep and dreaming when everyone got home. I had the craziest dream while I was sleeping. Maybe it was the valium. I dreampt lots of things but what I remember the most is being in a fancy hotel reception room up many floors and looking out a big window at a big "drone" war happening in the air very close to the window I was looking at. Hmm.
I'd been interested (but just too scared) to consider lasik eye surgery. A situation came up late November when I received an email from our health savings account holder reminding us that the year was almost over and we still had a decent pile of money sitting in our account that was going to disappear if it didn't get used. I remember forwarding this message to Dave and he responded with "maybe lasik?" I kinda shook off the idea quickly and thought, well, maybe we can spend the money down by going to a few chiropractor appointments, or maybe .... the ideas were rolling.
Dave mentioned lasik again, and I decided to at least make a phone call about it. I talked to my friend Annette who works for a big eye care center in the area. I knew some people who'd had lasik done. I looked information up online. I learned that Mauer Eye Center had their own laser machine, and most other eye surgeries done were on a borrowed laser machine at the hospital. I called Mauer and they explained that contacts couldn't be worn prior to the surgery for about 4 weeks. I later learned that I was talking to a "front desk gal" who wasn't the one who should have been giving out information. I spoke to the lasik coordinator, Angie, from Mauer, and we talked about more details. She asked about my situation and I told her about the $ we were trying to spend before the year's end. She informed me that I only had to have my contacts out for 3 weeks prior to the surgery. I could do that. I went in for a consultation. My friend Charity watched my younger two kids for this appointment. My corneas were measured, and turned up the result that they had more than enough thickness to handle lasik. I inquired with Mauer about the cost of surgery. They were running a lasik promotion for $500 off per eye. Our VSP insurance gave a discount of 5%. Brought the total to about $1400 per eye. Considering the total in our savings account, this covered almost of it, so we decided to go ahead and schedule the surgery for one eye in year 2014, and the other eye in 2015. This breaks up the cost of paying for the eyes and it ends up almost all coming out of the pre-tax medical spending account (its funded by Dave's paychecks, of course).
SO.
Here I go!
My right eye was scheduled for Dec 29. Honestly, the biggest annoyance to me was having to wear my glasses for three weeks. It felt like a year. Anyone remotely close to me knows I can't stand wearing glasses frames on my face. I felt like they slowed me down. I didn't like how my strong corrected lenses made everything seem curvy when I moved my head slightly. I didn't like the lack of peripheral vision. I felt like I couldn't go exercise anywhere. Kinda felt stuck. I've been used to wearing contacts since I was a young teenager.
Ok, that paragraph is over. You've probably already heard it anyway.
I barely had time to think about my upcoming eye surgery. Christmas was incredibly fun and busy hosting Dave's family (that blog post is in the works) and the day my surgery was scheduled was for Monday evening, the day after everyone left. I could feel myself taking deep breaths throughout the day just thinking about the whole thing. I wasn't EXCITED to go through something like eye surgery. But I was excited at the thought that my vision could be corrected and I could toss the glasses and 27 contact cases I've collected over the years.
I got my eye drops from the pharmacy. My mom kindly came down to transport me to the eye center. I checked in, took my valium pill, and was moved to a waiting room. Someone called me back and moved my mom to a different room. I entered the room and found it to be less "fancy" than I was imagining. A big tubular machine about 5 feet fall, smallish room, a chair for me, and supplies in racks. I go to wear a hair net and booties. The nurse let me hold a stuffed animal and put a warm blanket over my body. She put in a ton of numbing drops, some more eye drops, covered my left eye. They let me listen to the sounds of what would happen before it happened so I wouldn't be surprised. One tool used to create the flap in my eye (gotta just admit, it sounded like a dental drill, and another was a loud repeated clicking of the laser. He said my eye would be propped open for a few minutes. They began. I agreed to behave. I focused on staring at that red blinking light the whole time. My eye was totally numb, and the doc just did his thing. I could observe what was going on with my eye but nothing really specific. He said the procedure was perfect. He said, "have you done this before? You're like a pro."
I just kinda pretended that my eye was not part of my body and that I was observing something odd.
I was done just like that. Got to sit up. Was warned not to blink my eye hard or rub it. Eye goggle protection on. I was moved to another room and met my mom with a smile on my face. Done! I said. They gave me instructions on eye drops for the next 7 days. Mom drove me home and I got to go right upstairs and go to sleep in bed (ahhhh YESSS) for the next four hours.
Recovery felt just fine. There was never any pain. Slight blurriness became clear. I went to my post OP check the next day and doc checked my eye and vision and said it was 20/20. He said You're a show-off! He did notice what he called a little "fold" or "wrinkle" on the eye flap that was in the healing process. He said he'd rather try a non-invasive way of fixing it by using a little "iron"...looked like a little 4 inch metal stick to me. He numbed my eye and rubbed it somehow for about 5 seconds. A few days later I went back for another check, and he said "hmm...its looking worse". Maybe I slept on it funny and caused a wrinkle? A nurse at the office asked if I needed more rewetting drops, I told her no, I had tons left. She asked how much I'd been using and I said maybe three or four drops a day. She told me oh no..keep it soaking wet. Go through as much as possible and soak that eye!
My vision had gone down a little, and he said he'd rather do a "flap lift" to fix it. I'm thinking oh no! another eye surgery! Yep. That's what I had to do. He wanted it done asap (like that day), so I scrambled to find a situation that worked. I picked up kids from school, dropped them off at home, let them watch TV while Dave finished work. Barb A. drove me to doctor. I then had to under go this "flap lift" and what I don't like saying is "flap lift and stretch"...yeah. The stretch word just makes me cringe. I don't really even like talking about it. I was prepped for surgery just the same as before. I really wish I'd had the thought to ask for valium during this surgery but I didn't get that privilege. Doc used some instruments to open the flap and rub/stretch/whatever it back to its normal-ness. I got queasy during this one. My hands didn't know what to do...I didn't have a stuffed animal to hold onto. :P It took much longer. He was tedious and precise in his skill and didn't settle for less than best. I kept seeing little things come at my eye and move around. It was kinda freaky.
He finally said it looked perfect and closed up my eye. WHEWWWWW. I blinked my eye quickly and softly. It started watering like crazy. I came home and was so careful not to bump my eye. Rachel came over that evening and gave me some TLC ...I needed more rest so I laid on the couch. At this point I was a little scared because my right eye vision was really, really blurry. My eye hurt. I was "weirded out" by the whole long and uncomfortable eye surgery experience. Doc did say I needed to rest and wait.
He was right. A week later I'm back to better than 20/20 and I can see tiny branches in trees a mile away with my right eye. Incredible.
I'm sitting here a day before my second eye surgery and I'm anticipating this one to be a breeze like the first one. I will be so careful not to cause any flap issues.
This previous week I've had to leave out my contact in my left eye in preparation for the lasik tomorrow. It has been a really annoying experience, to be honest. My crisp clear vision is fighting with my awful fuzzy vision in my left eye. I can see "clurry". My word of the week. I've worn my goggles all week with something covering my left eye so the blur is just blocked out. This makes for a one-eyed mom...no so ideal. But I've dealt with it (yes, I've complained...and also kept my mouth shut a lot)..and managed to get through. Super proud of my right eye right now, though.
I'll finish this up after my left eye heals over the next few days.
*******************************************************************************
Update! 1/15/2015
I'm all DONE! I can SEEE...wahooooo!!! My left eye was done today, and it went perfect. Doc said it went well and my vision is clear. He put a clear contact over my eye to keep the flap in place which will come out tomorrow. I'm going to prevent a flap issue as best as I can!
The procedure today went very much like my first eye. My friend Kim was able to watch my younger two while Dave brought me to my appointment at 2:00. My mom drove to town and picked up our van in time to get the older two from school at 3:15. My mom picked up the younger two kids from Kim's place after getting the older ones. I was home and asleep and dreaming when everyone got home. I had the craziest dream while I was sleeping. Maybe it was the valium. I dreampt lots of things but what I remember the most is being in a fancy hotel reception room up many floors and looking out a big window at a big "drone" war happening in the air very close to the window I was looking at. Hmm.
Today was the day Eli decided he didn't like his pockets
He was so irritated all morning. He wasn't happy when eating, he wasn't happy when playing, and I really know something is wrong when he isn't happy watching Thomas the Train. His hands were shoved in his pants pockets a lot and he just really didn't like those pockets. I don't remember all the events of the morning, but as soon as the pants with the pockets came off and he got different pants on, he was much better.
At dinner, we discussed this. Eli says "I don't like pockets." and of course this makes everyone laugh. :D
At dinner, we discussed this. Eli says "I don't like pockets." and of course this makes everyone laugh. :D
Saturday, January 03, 2015
3 oldest kids' time in Mason City - entry from "Grandma Jo"
This is copied and pasted from an email that my mom sent me a few days ago. She recapped the two days that Violet, Calvin and Vanessa got to spend in Mason City the last couple days of their Christmas Break. January 2-3, 2015.
"Hi there this will be a “gramma and grampa entry”.
"Hi there this will be a “gramma and grampa entry”.
On Friday it was a bit earlier of an arrival than planned so we got Arby’s sandwiches and bottled water for a quick lunch before going to the gym.
Vanessa ate her entire sandwich, as did the others.
Gym time wasn’t totally trampoline for Calvin this time, and Vanessa avoided it the trampolines altogether, and Violet said bouncing hurt her back. Never the less taught both to do a tummy drop from the “table” hands and knees position and return to feet...put a soft mat on the trampoline to cushion the impact.
So robe swinging and rolling and chasing hoops was explored as well making an obstacle course with ramps and mats and I added two skills in it...a forward roll from a semi handstand and a backward roll down a wedge. Typical of most boys, Calvin doesn’t like to tuck his head either, and if he does, he keeps his mouth wide open so it won’t curl in too far...and wants to do everything too fast without listening to instructions. This is par for the ‘boy coarse’ and I certainly got him “fixed up” without forcing the issue. Violet is totally coachable and listens to details and doesn’t mind “do-overs”. That’s why most gymnastics coaches like to coach girls...but with patience boys “get there”. (There’s a “Rickie” in Doug’s gym that didn’t focus on details until he was 17...now he is great on trampoline, but before he just wanted to flip his own way and didn’t spend time on corrections...by that age most girls are fading out.) Vanessa took to the beams and played with the “donut” and soft soccer balls and ropes creatively...lots of “make believe” scenarios.
When the better team kids came at 4:30 we watched them warm up to music and soon left to meet Jay and Jon at Perkins.
We got served much later than anticipated, so kids were hungry and ate fruit cups while waiting, then a choice of corn or broccoli then Mac n Cheese...oh...and while waiting at the gym they had cherry juice and an oatmeal bar.
Got home (finally!) and Jay came over for a good while too. V&C built with foam blocks, and Vanessa played with the old cabbage patch doll and her many changes of clothes...the ballerina outfit being the favorite with the tutu, tiara, and slippers. Grandpa Jon played with Vanessa and her doll by adding two bears to the story. Vanessa dictated the episodes...non-stop creativity. V&C and Jay played mouse trap. To Calvin’s delight he caught Jay and Violet’s mouse so that was the end of that! Time to get ready for bed. They got right to it.
Teeth, jams, and a story by grandpa Jon about the “Train that Could” and gospel story about “Sinerella” and her need for salvation. (Vanessa remembered the classic train story when she was trudging up a steep hill today at Lime Creek...said “I can do it” and when at the top said “I did it”! )
So kids were in bed by 9:30. And all up at 6 AM. Calvin got out of bed, woke up V&V, and all went downstairs to play. Whatever. Jon’s an early bird and I didn’t really mind.
OK so they did this and that and settled on coloring (and sharpening all of the pencils) while I eventually got the waffles I made the other day in the oven to crisp up. Lots of peanut butter and syrup.
I wanted Calvin to use his knife to cut it up...rather than eating it like a hungry bear...biting off pieces so big it falls and drips on the table, his lap, and the chair cushion. Not a happy Grandma. Anyway, they ate well and then back to playing while I washed dishes. Being Saturday Jon was home and started them on computer games. I’m like “NOT NOW”! Oh well.
Got the girls’ hair braided and ponied and in a half hour they changed into hiking clothes...all the layers, hats, boots and gloves and smooshed into the back seats.
(Cracks us up when Vanessa came down the stairs we was wearing silver slippers and a sparkly purple dress! Jon’s like...”She’s dressed!!!”)
Now the temp was “warm” at 30 degrees and no wind and not warm enough to turn dirt and wet trails into mud...so it was perfect. A layer of soft snow on everything...but leaves and rocks hiding under white snow...so I didn’t want them running through the “woods” because under the snow are holes in the ground, sticks and rocks to trip and fall on and still the burs in the weeds that stick to your knits...but Calvin was a rabbit taking off on sight of anything interesting and certainly tree climbing and rock wall climbing in clunky boots and gloves and slippery snow isn’t a smart idea...so they were like herding cats and I got rather irritated with their irresponsible exuberance. Had to take a “time out” and review the goal. Their displeasure with the limitations were expressed as such: I’m thirsty. I’m tired. How far do we have to go. My legs hurt...etc. etc...and Vanessa’s glove didn’t stay on for anything.
Well we got it going again after some water and encouragement and made it to the bridge and checked out the interesting ice formations.
Going back went much better! Got to the Nature Center and checked out the stuffed animals. A live snake and bees were most interesting.
Hunger was back.
Hunger was back.
Had to pack up and head home I knew the burritos would need time to warm up so had carrots, apples, and nuts while waiting. Believe it or not it was 3 PM by the time we had burritos and OH I forgot they all got in a warm bubble bath (one at a time) before lunch too...after lunch they snuggled under a big blanket and Jon read them Heidi then they split into two computer groups and played George games. I knew they wanted to play Mouse trap one more time and Jon wanted to shop for mittens for Calvin so we played another round but the cage didn’t drop so no one was caught. In between things I got their clothes and snow pants washed and packed their things and loaded the car so we could leave close to 5 PM.
Went SO fast!
I was impressed with Calvin’s progress in reading...and he spells out loud...just last March he was sounding out basic sentences - but now does so well!
Violet is using her match skills (adding and sub-tracking) and Vanessa is a delight all around and such a trooper. She might resist instructions for greater attention...so it’s a deal.
No wet beds and otherwise very well behaved I just had to keep reminding Calvin to not hang on the edge of the table (rather keeping weight in the chair!) and not put hands on all of the glass and displays at the house and Nature Center...needs to learn when it’s “hands off” and just look. Violet read the signs and followed the instructions.
They knocked out about 5 minutes out of Mason City and the full moon was bright."
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