Mommathon

Saturday-Chicken, carrots and new potatoes with Greek dressing
Sunday-Autumn Casserole
Monday-Hamburgers, Potato Salad, Fruit
Tuesday-Bruschetta Chicken, Salad
Wednesday-Salmon, Bread and Butter, Asparagus
Thursday-Pizza, Salad
Friday-Out to dinner?

Decorating the outside trees

From November 2008

Decorating the inside tree

From November 2008

Making cinnamon and applesauce Christmas ornaments

From November 2008

Playing in the snow

From November 2008

We also had a marvelous Thanksgiving dinner, went to two birthday parties, went ice skating, went to church, watched the Polar Express and spent a lot of time sitting around doing a whole lot of nothing.

I was talking to my brother this evening and he was telling me his wife (my SIL) had a dream recently where she was given the chance to go back in time and spend one day with their children when they were one. (They are now twelve.) It almost made me cry. Kids grow up so fast. I would love to go back in time and hold my babies for a day when they truly were babies. I would happily change their diapers, get up in the middle of the night and feed them and play peek-a-boo with them to their hearts content. As difficult as those days were at times, I am sad they are gone.

A little laughter for your holiday weekend. Make funny sentences for everyone in your family, just follow the instructions.

Make sure to leave a comment telling us what your sentence is!

Pick the month you were born:
January-------I kicked
February------I loved
March--------I karate chopped
April----------I licked
May----------I jumped on
June----------I smelled
July-----------I did the Macarena With
August--------I had lunch with
September----I danced with
October-------I sang to
November-----I yelled at
December-----I ran over

Pick the day (number) you were born on:
1-------a birdbath
2----- --a monster
3-------a phone
4-------a fork
5-------a snowman
6-------a gangster
7---- ---m y mobile phone
8-------my dog
9-------my best friends' boyfriend
10-------my neighbor
11-------my science teacher
12-------a banana
13-------a fireman
14-------a stuffed animal
15-------a goat
16-------a pickle
17-------your mom
18-------a spoon
19------ - a smurf
20-------a baseball bat
21-------a ninja
22-------Chuck Norris
23-------a noodle
24-------a squirrel
25-------a football player
26-------my sister
27-------my brother
28-------an iPod
29-------a surfer
30-------a homeless guy
31-------a llama

Pick the color of shirt you are wearing:
White----because I'm cool like that
Black-----because that's how I roll.
Pink-----because I'm NOT crazy.
Red------because the voices told me to.
Blue-----because I'm sexy and I do what I want
Green----because I think I need some serious help.
Purple----because I'm AWESOME!
Gray-----because Big Bird said to and he's my leader.
Yellow---because someone offered me 1,000,000 dollars
Orange---because my family thinks I'm stupid anyway.
Brown----because I can.
Other-----because I'm a Ninja!
None------because I can't control myself!

I found this fun little activity at Some of This and Some of That! Enjoy!

Bolt is such a good movie!!! We took the boys today and they loved it and so did we. Would we have gone to see it if we didn't have kids? No, but it is a movie that both parents and kids can enjoy which doesn't always happen.

Just when I thought we had read every Halloween book written within the last thirty years...Colm found another one. We went to a different library this week and they have some books we haven't read. Joy! This is his favorite one from this week.

Sunday-Rotel Chicken and rice
Monday-Pasta with Italian Sausage
Tuesday-Tacos
Wednesday-Autumn Casserole
Thursday-Thanksgiving
Friday-Salmon, Bread and Butter, Asparagus
Saturday-Fajitas

We were in the car today and Colm told Liam that he wanted to marry him. Liam then informed Colm that they couldn't get married because two boys can't get married, it has to be a boy and a girl. Right, Dad? There was a pause and Sean and I looked at each other and gave each other that knowing grin and mumbled something about well...if you live in Vermont... We then told him he was right...it has to be a boy and a girl. He's six and I am not ready to go there, especially with Colm listening in.

I would do just about anything if it meant that Liam would no longer have to have asthma. I hate it!!! I hate that I have to worry about it. I hate that he has to worry about it. I hate that we have to make other people, like his teachers, worry about it. I hate that he has to take so much medicine. I hate that we have to go to the doctor all the time. I hate that he can't just get a simple cold and be over it...it always ends up being something much more complicated. I hate how all that coughing wipes him out and makes him look like a zombie he's so tired. I hate that he can't just be a kid sometimes. I hate that his asthma ostracizes him at times. I hate that he doesn't freak out about riding in an ambulance because he has done it so many times. I hate that he knows that he needs to bring a book with him when we go to the hospital because we're going to be there a long time. And I hate how I am still not always sure what to do when he gets asthma. I know there a lot worse things he could have, but I still hate that he has asthma.

It is so much fun to be a parent on the days when your kids are learning something new. To see their eyes light up with pride is enough to make any parent's day. Colm came home from school today reading. He was SO proud of himself and he read those same words over and over and over again to me in the car and then to Sean when he came home from work. It was great! There were high fives all around. Then to see Liam at Tae Kwon Do today. He is working really hard to get his first stripe. He is going to try and get it next week and I think he will. One more thing and then I will stop bragging about our children...Colm is a rock star ice skater. I am serious. He isn't going to be in the Olympics any time soon, but he is doing awesome. Even if he wasn't doing great, what makes me smile from ear to ear is that he is trying something new and he loves it. Being a parent can be the hardest job on the planet, but there are days like today when you get paid in smiles, hugs, high fives and accomplishments that make it all worth it.

I have taught in four different schools, in two different states and in two different grades and there are some things that you can be pretty certain of no matter where you teach or what grade you teach. I subbed again today in the same class I was in yesterday and I could see little bits of former students in these kids. Almost every year I taught there was someone who I lovingly referred to (only to myself and obviously never to the child) as pigpen. This is the poor, sweet dear child whose desk is a complete pit even though you JUST had them clean it out yesterday and whose shirt looks like they used it for a napkin during a very messy spaghetti dinner even though it is 10a.m. and you haven't even gone to lunch yet. Their shirt is always untucked and their fly is usually down. There is usually a student who has their own agenda...these are the ones that drive me BATTY because I also have an agenda and since the teacher (that would be me) is in charge, they should be following my agenda, not their own. There is the student that no matter what you do just doesn't seem to be able to get their work done. Sometimes they are really trying and just can't get it together and then there are the ones who aren't trying because they are either in la-la land or they are too busy messing around. There are usually a couple of girls whose mission it is to please the teacher at all costs...I would like a whole classroom of these please. :) There is the child, usually a boy, who feels it is his job to entertain the rest of the class. (If you can get this kid to come around and be your ally life is a lot easier.) Then there is at least one boy who is super smart, but not too cocky about it and usually very sweet. I'll take a couple of those, too, please. Obviously there are all kinds of children that make up a classroom, but I couldn't help but notice today that the kids in that class reminded me WAY TOO MUCH of kids I have seen before...it's like I never left.

I subbed for the first time yesterday in a second grade class. It was only for the afternoon and there were only twelve kids in the class and two of them were absent, so I can't complain. I miss teaching and having my own class in a lot of ways, but yesterday reminded me of why I am not going to jump back into my own classroom anytime soon unless I really have to or unless an opportunity I can't resist comes my way. Like I said, I miss teaching...it's all the other crud that goes along with teaching that I don't miss. I just can't imagine spending my whole day with other peoples' kids and then having enough energy to love on my own kids at the end of the day. At the end of each school day I would still have to get ready for the next school day, go to meetings, shuttle my kids wherever they need to go after school, grade papers, return parent phone calls/e-mails, cook dinner, clean up, get everyone ready for bed, pack lunches and on and on. There are only so many hours in the day! I am going back to the same classroom today for another two hour stint...wish me luck! :)

For part of his homework this weekend Liam had to make a list of about twelve things that he is thankful for. They are going to use this list for a project at school. Liam listed the cats, Colm, me, Sean, the dog and some other things. I would have assumed that some family member would have made the top spot. Nope, the first thing he was thankful for was the television. I came in a close second...at least I know where I stand.

We had a lot of firsts happen at our house this weekend. Liam had his first Tae Kwon Do lesson. He really liked it and he looks adorable in his outfit. Liam also was diagnosed with strep throat on Sunday; this is a first for him. Lastly, Colm had his first ice skating lesson on Sunday. I wasn't there for it (I was at the dr. with Liam) but from what I understand from Sean is that he was cold and wet by the end. He fell down a lot, but he did well enough that they didn't feel like he needed a walker thingy.

From November 2008

He has wanted to do TKD for over a year now. I hope it was as fun as he anticipated. He was a little overwhelmed since there is a lot to know and some of it is in Korean. I assured him that, in time, he will know exactly what is going on and that no one expects him to know anything at this point...he's only got one lesson under his belt..literally!!!

From November 2008

This is what Liam did for most of the weekend. The strep throat bug wiped him out completely.

From November 2008

I don't know if you can tell from this video, but his pants were VERY wet. Next time he is going to wear his ski pants. :) Again, we're not expecting miracles here...this was his first lesson. He really wants to play hockey though, so he has to start somewhere.

Monday-Pasta with leftover chicken spedini
Tuesday-Chili and Cornbread
Wednesday-Birthday Party
Thursday-Oven Fried Chicken, Biscuits, Cole Slaw
Friday-Hot Italian Sausage and Peppers with Italian Diced Tomatoes
Saturday-Salmon, Bread and Butter, Asparagus

It is my dear hubby's birthday today and I am afraid to say it has probably not been his best. Not only did he have to deal with me still being sick, but Liam woke up in the middle of the night throwing up. For the past few days he has not only had to be him (which is more than a full-time job) he has also had to be me. He has been driving the kids to school, picking them up, doing the dishes, picking up the house, putting the kids to bed, feeding them, making their lunches, dealing with the pets and sitting with me in the hospital and at the doctor's. This is a man who works more than sixty hours a week and work does not stop just because I am sick. So, on top of all the stuff we have been dishing out as a family he has been trying to get some work accomplished, but I don't think we have been much help. So, sometime this weekend, hopefully, he is going to get a much deserved redo birthday with a cake, presents, a nice dinner and a healthy family. You deserve it, honey.

I will spare you the gory details, but let's just say I had some fairly serious complications from the surgery I had on Friday and this morning started with an ambulance and more blood than you ever want to see come out of one person all at the same time. I am fine now and am at home resting, but I never ever want to go to a hospital again. I never want a catheter. I never want a nurse to tell me that she blew my vein. I never want to hear a doctor tell me that I may have to have surgery again even though I just had that surgery four days ago. I never want to have two sonograms in a row after they have deliberately filled my bladder to capacity and then clamped my catheter so I can't pee. Oh, and I never want to have to hear that those sonograms, after all that trouble, were inconclusive. And yes, I have still spared you the gory details.

Monday-Pastina Soup, Salad
Tuesday-Turkey Rueben Sandwiches, Chips
Wednesday-Sean's Birthday...out to dinner
Thursday-Chicken Pot Pie, Salad
Friday-Pesto with Farfelle
Saturday-Baked Chicken, Roasted Potatoes, Green Beans

Our book club has chosen John Steinbeck's East of Eden as our next read. We decided we wanted to read something that might be considered an American classic, so we looked over some high school reading lists that we found on-line and decided on this one. I need to get going on it. We are meeting right after Thanksgiving and I haven't even started yet. It is not a short book.

Colm came home today from school and was a little upset that he had "unjustly" gotten in trouble today at school. Luke had cut in front of him in line, so Colm pushed him and Colm got in trouble. He couldn't understand why he got in trouble when Luke was the one that cut in front of him. We talked about it and how to better handle similar situations in the future, but it was just too cute. I could tell that he really felt an injustice had taken place. It's hard being four.

My blog has been quiet for the past week because we have been going through a lot here. About six weeks ago we found out we were expecting. I am not a good pregnant person. It involves a lot of throwing up, trying not to throw up, sleeping and then trying not to throw up some more. I am so glad the boys are at school all day because I would spend most of that time sleeping. Our house has been a wreck, the laundry is everywhere and don't even look at the kitchen. Two weeks ago we had a sonogram that was not good. At six weeks they could not see a baby. (Click here for more details.) They reassured us that it was early and sometimes you can't see a baby that early and we should come back in two weeks. So we went back on Wednesday and there was still no baby. It's hard to be so sick and have nothing to show for it. It's hard to get into the mindset of "we're going to have a baby" and then not. Your mind has already gone through some names, thought about how this new baby will fit into the family we already have and what we will have to do to make room for this new baby. Where will the baby sleep? How will the boys react? All that stuff. Technically, we did not lose a baby; we did lose a pregnancy though. So this morning we got up at the crack of dawn (while my dear mother came over to stay with the boys, get them ready for school and take them to school) and went to the hospital so I could have my surgery. The doctors and nurses were so kind and it was over in a flash. I don't remember anything...that sleepy stuff really works. I am under doctor's orders to pamper myself for the next week. I think I can do that.

Wolverine

From October 2008

Spidey

From October 2008

Parade at School

From October 2008

First Grade Party Craft

From October 2008

Montessori Covered in Orange Icing (By the way, there were four Spideys in Colm's class)

From October 2008

All the Loot

From October 2008

Colm's Frankenstein

From October 2008

Liam's Alien

From October 2008

From October 2008

From October 2008

From October 2008

From October 2008