I realize that often I do not post about the day to day stuff that happens around here. I usually just post about the places we've been to etc. But for some reason I decided that I'd update you all on the day to day stuff that takes place over here. If you aren't in the mood for reading...then I guess stop now...but if you are in the mood to read instead of just looking at pictures (for this post has no pictures)....keep on.
Often we say to ourselves when something happens to us - "I'll remember that" but truth be told...we forget! So I recently decided I would jot down in my journal some of the day to day stuff that is happening here. Just so I can remember and look back in a few months, or a few years and either laugh, cry, or be thankful for prayers answered, or blessings bestowed. I did this sort of thing with each of my kids when they were babies for the first year. But for some reason after that first year I stopped...or wrote things down less often. But since this blog is now my scrapbook of sorts - I thought I'd also start including these weekly updates of the day to day.
The following happenings are random and in no particular order of how they happened this week...they are just as I remembered them and wrote them down before I forgot them. I hope you enjoy!
1) The autobahn by us has been under construction for the past month. This has turned my normal 15-20 minute drive to school in the morning into a 35-45 minute miserable traffic-filled commute. To make matters worse the past 2 weeks there as also been construction on the other road that I've been taking...which slows things down even more...and therefore I was looking for yet another route into school. HOWEVER...Friday I rejoiced as I learned that the autobahn, although still under construction, was no longer splitting traffic into separate one-lane roads, but now 2 lanes driving slower - but flowing smoothly. So Friday morning I dared to once again take the autobahn and arrived at school in 15 minutes. I was SOO happy. Instead of being late...like we had been several morning in the past month. We were the FIRST ones at school...and actually had to wait before they opened the doors!! I was so happy -my day was made! Later that afternoon as I went to pick the kids up from school and once again took the autobahn...Shaylee says to me as we head down the road to the school that we hadn't been on for weeks..."Mom, you took the autobahn and had no construction or traffic...wow!" She was just as amazed as I was.
2) Silas continues to do AMAZING with his potty training. He has been sleeping dry at night (he usually wakes up once at night and I go in and get him and take him potty, then give him a little drink, and he goes right back to sleep) so I decided why waste diapers...if he doesn't need them - why use them. So we are officially NO LONGER USING DIAPERS!!!!! He is truely amazing. He is so excited too and I'm so proud of him. This is a true blessing from above!
3) While I was doing dishes the other morning a glass cup fell off the counter and shattered into millions of tiny pieces on my kitchen floor. So I ended up sweeping, mopping, and even washing the kitchen rugs...they needed it...I guess this was my motivation to finally get it done.
4) I was craving chocolate chip cookie dough, so made up a batch of chocolate chip cookies. While I was pulling one batch out of the oven the pan slipped and a dozen cookies slid and crumbled into the bottom of my oven. I hurried to pick up the pieces to prevent them from burning to the bottom of my oven...fortunately I didn't burn myself in the process. But I did wonder - what do I do with this now...so I let it cool, then chopped the remains up and we had chocolate chip cookie crumble topping for icecream!!
5) I read not one, but TWO books this week. Sometimes while lounging on the couch - and others while basking in the sun in my backyard!
6) I finally dusted my bedroom. I also vacuumed up all the dust bunnies hiding under the bed and furniture, and mopped the floor. It actually felt so FRESH in there, like I could actually BREATHE again....There is something I like about cleaning!!!
7) I've started working with Shaylee on a book called "Get Ready to Learn" by Nancy Champion Chupp (my mom picked it up for me on a garage sale a few years ago). Anyway - Shaylee LOVES it, and Syd does too. It basically is filled with little tasks they have to do and work on every day. Shaylee sweetly reminds me now "Mom, don't forget we have to do the 'Blue Book' today."
8) Jer is traveling
9) Girls stated to me today that I had to put "stars in my head" for them like grandma does because they did such a good job!
10) The kids had programs at school this week. Syd sang "Blau, Blau, Blau sind alle meine kleidung" she was dressed up like a construction worker...so cute! Shane played his recorder (remember those) and also did a play at school that he and his buddies wrote "Two Hunters and Three Penguins". Hilariously cute!
11) Enjoyed having "coffee" with friends
12) I Started drinking more water.
13) More on Silas - he is so funny these days. He walks with a "spring" in his step. He is so annimated in all he does. He just makes me crack up. I love him so much. He is such a sweety. He uses "signs" to communicate what he wants since his words are still few. But he is gaining more words lately too.
14) Had an all out battle with TIRED, CRABBY kids (and mommy too) in the van on the way home from birthday parties the other night...got home and it was chill out and off to bed time!
15) Received a basket of markers, paints, paper, and a game from another Expat family that is moving back to the states (sad face :( here) since they didn't need to take that back with them. My kids in turn were THRILLED to have NEW stuff to play with. Thanks for making their day Ochsners (4 smiling faces :) :) :) :) here)!
Thats about it for this week...at least what I can remember...as I start to jot down stuff more frequently I'll be able to rewrite to you more of the funny things the kids say and do...stay tuned for more "Weekly Updates of the Day to Day" in the future.
