Chills and Thrills



Thrills: 

• Erik is home for a couple of weeks.  He just finished a week long visit to St. Louis last week, back in time for Evy's Video EEG.
• Evy is SEIZURE FREE!!
• Merritt is talking more and more. This morning he spilled some milk,"Dad, I spilled.  I need a towel."  He cracks me up because when he doesn't want to do something (something he needs to do), he says,"No, thank you."  And, on more than one occasion, because he says it so politely, I almost just let him not do whatever it is!

Chills:

• My arm.  Frankly, I'm frustrated.  Frustrated.  Everything takes forever to do.  I have typos in everything I type.  I can't clean or cook sufficient to meet my expectations, can't plant in my garden, etc, etc, etc.  And, don't you dare start the "don't be so hard on yourself" speech. 
• The acceptance of mediocrity as okay behavior.  If you are going to put effort into doing it, just do it right.  I'm starting to sound like a cranky person.

A Little Bit of Fun

Before Erik left for Asia, we had several families over for Sundaes on Sunday.  We had a marvelous time!  Everett loved having fresh competition for his air hockey matches!

Memory Lane

This past weekend we toured my old high school and my hometown of Lewisville.  We were sneaky and found an open door to get into the school.  The boys LOVED touring my old high school, which was also the place where my parents met and graduated from school.  We saw my old locker, classrooms, the old choir room which is now the ISS room, the old smoker courtyard, the bathroom where someone started a fire my sophomore year, the first real stage (aside from the podium at church) where I performed, and several other spots.

They are tearing down the high school.  I didn't graduate from Lewisville High.  We moved halfway through my high school years.  No offense to the school I transferred to, but LHS rocked and the other school just didn't compare.  Had to get one last look before it is gone.

My Freshman Locker

This wall once had several vending machines.  I don't remember how many packages of Laffy Taffy I bought from them.

Nothing like a toothy ring pop!

Two of Our Favorite Things

The boys and I have spent a lot of time doing things with just the three of us while Dad is busy out of town.  We love to cook together.  This one was banana coconut muffins.

And, we are suckers for tents.

Would You Buy From This Farmer?

He was selling bunches of herbs for 20 cents apiece.

He sold 4 bunches, gave one away, and walked away with $1.25.

The neighbors loved him.

When we walked up to the door and he rang the doorbell, he was prepared with his sales pitch.  But he always hesitated when he got to the price.  He paused, looked at me, and I would whisper the price.

He was really hoping to sell each bunch for $43.

Next time, he wants to add recipes because one neighbor simply said,"I don't use herbs when I cook," and then she shut the door.

BTW, he chose his outfit.

A Little Bit of Green

We had a visitor walk through our house during the middle of the night, the eve of St. Paddy's Day. When Evy heard that someone passed through, he armed himself with a special outfit and defense weapon, a chainsaw.

Shamrocks!
Treasure!
Green toilet water?
Green milk?

The boys had a great time finding all the treasure that was dropped by our visitor as he was passing through our house.

National Brain Injury Awareness Month

It is March Neurological Madness for us because of our Evy's seizure disorder.

At the same time, March is also National Brain Injury Awareness month.

My first experience in supporting a child with a brain injury was during my first year teaching.  My student's brain injury affected his hearing, memory, and cognitive processing.  At the same time, he was the most thoughtful and kind student.  I learned so much from him.  His injury was from a car accident.

In graduate school, I worked for a non-profit called T.H.E. BrainTrust.  Although their core membership comes from those with brain tumors and related conditions, many of the issues overlap with those who have brain injuries.

Here is one resource I found recently that is one of the easiest to understand publications on understanding a brain injury.  Traumatic Brain Injury Survival Guide

There is more to say, but my blasted arm hurts. 

Got a couple of minutes, check out the info on this link:  Children and Brain Injuries
Brain injuries aren't as uncommon as you think.

As for our March Neurological Maddness, we are packing our bags, planning our fun, and have our snacks picked out.  It will be like a 3-day birthday party!

Promises, Promises? Yes, an Update.

Let's see.

This has been the longest patch of silence ever for our blog.  It is time to pick up and begin again.  I've put out short updates on facebook to keep Erik in the loop.  I need to get back to this forum no matter how long one entry takes me to type.

In a life saving move that kept Merritt from harm's way, I screwed up my right arm.  What?  Why, yes, I do write with my right hand.  What?  No, I can't write right now.  Thanks for asking.  Damaged a nerve and strained two tendons.  It makes it very, very difficult to type. and cook. and clean. and do laundry. and drive. and write checks. and make to-do lists. and organize. and you can imagine the rest. Thus, a main reason for the blog silence.  I wear a splint full time.  I spend an inordinate amount of time with physical therapy.  In all, I am confident I will heal and my boys and husband are ever so awesome!

BTW, I nominated Merritt to be the one to take care of me when I'm 82 and break my hip.  I know he'll have the energy.

Another reason for the silence.  We made a decision, and people are, hhmm, not nice about it.  Much of what I have been doing in the past month is to manage that situation.  When I write in a personal manner, like this blog, I release stress and it took me awhile of processing to be able to want to write without releasing about that situation.

Erik toured Asia, working very hard.  He was gone 22 days, I think.  In that time, we were sick, and I became injured.  I had to rely on others like I never do.  You know how I hate not being independent.  See, I even have a hard time writing the word d.e.p.e.n.d.e.n.t.  I had to say "not being independent."  Sheesh!

The boys are doing so well! 

• Evy has started baseball.  This is a big week for him, and he has his first game on Friday.
• Merritt is chatting up a storm.  The other day I asked him to do something and he said,"Yes, your highness!"  HAHAHA!  I don't know where he got that one but I'll take it.
• Evy has been an earning machine.  He has earned over $30 in the past month doing odd jobs, etc. He is now designing new money that he would like to sell door to door in order to earn more money. Not only am *I* out of money now, but I obviously need to find other ways for him to earn money. Maybe one of our neighbors will buy a post-it decorated with tape and boasting the five year old handwritten message of "10000$". (He came up with it during Quiet Time.) 
• Everett is now selling bunches of herbs (rosemary, mint, and cilantro) cut from our garden.  20 cents a bunch.  His first time going door to door to our neighbors resulted in $1.25.  He is eager to earn more.  (I'll have to post a picture of him after his first selling session.  He picked out a "gardener" outfit to wear while selling.)
• I was at my first physical therapy appointment the other day for my messed up arm. The physical therapist, with straight-beautiful-long-blond hair, was notating my pain and difficulty with tasks. "It is hard to fold clothes, open jars, . . . ." When I stopped, she looked at me, glanced at my hair and asked very sincerely,"You having a hard time doing your hair, too?" Bbwwaahhhhhhhh! If she only knew . . . .
• Evy has been adamant about being bald for the video EEG.  (I may or may not have mentioned that it is "March Neurological Madness" for our family.)  The glue is terrible to get out of hair. I've been hesitant to shave his head. So, we started with a modified mohawk . . . a couple of weeks ago.  Last week, he said it was time. I tried to stall but he was certain. He is delighted with the results and wants a BFBC (bald family by choice).

Next, I'll include some of the updates I put on Erik's facebook wall.  Seems that on many days his facebook wall is the best way to get a message to him when he was in Asia.

Feb 14th

Although you flew through Valentine's Day and are gone, it is okay because I get to wear your favorite sweatshirt whenever I want to today and you won't know, um, yeah. Love you! Be safe! (Photo by Evy the Photographer)

Happy Valentine's Day, Dad! (Luckily, the photo was taken before kids were jacked up on candy.) We love you! Evy is wondering if you have eaten fish eyeballs yet.

Feb 22nd

Our Asian Market Field Trip

Yep, we found one!!! (too huge for the 3 of us to eat even if it tasted like chocolate)

Just in case you need some silly . . . Too bad the fieldtrip pictures were taken before they got their hair cut. :)

We bought many things that I'm going to have to learn to cook. I had to convince Evy to pass on the $10 bag of dried fish. He thought it was *so* cool. Instead, I have to buy a can of sardines the next time we go. That was a pretty good negotiation, I think.

Feb 24th

Both boys were singing their hearts out to Uncle Kracker's version of "Drift Away" while driving around town this afternoon. You'd have been proud!

Feb 25th

Merritt continues to find your travels inspiring! Love you!

Feb 28th

While Erik was in China.

Greetings from over the Wall:

If you don't get back soon, you'll miss the entire season of spring, seriously.

Confiscated toy total: 9. Number of toys earned back: 1. At this rate-we'll never have to buy a toy for Merritt ever again since we can regift him his own toys.

Getting injured at school, means cookies and flowers in bed. (Evy biffed it today on the trails today.) 

Sooooo, for my bangled arm, I want dinner in bed and a story with songs sung in operatic form. and a tambourine. and a foreign film. and a Monty Python reference.

Evy asked for MILK. AND DRANK IT, AND ASKED FOR MORE. AND DRANK THAT. 'nuff said through capitalization.

Before actually seeing it happen, if you had ever told me that the best way to get ahold of you over the 14 hour difference and third world infrastructure snaffoos was your facebook wall, I'd have taken sugar out of your diet because what else would cause such a delusion. So glad you've gotten our messages!

We love you!

Feb 29th

We are off to Evy's first baseball practice. I'm nervous and Evy is thrilled!

later
Evy is doing well and Merritt is split between running around or watching his brother and chanting "evy, evy, evy." I think evy told him to do that

March 2nd

Greetings from the other side of the Wall:

All the lids for the jars are resting on the jars . . . not screwed on. My way to get into the peanut butter easily, etc, since I felt like I was lucky to open it once and don't have any faith in a repeat performance. And, I have a pile of stuff I need you to open because I can't.

A bird that must have imbibed on some cola pooped all over your car. ...sorry. It is going to take a scrubbing.

And, this is starting to sound like a "when you get back from traveling honey-to-do list" . . . .

Today, Merritt told me he was tired of me and was grown up and didn't need my help getting his bed ready for nap. So, I said goodnight, walked out, and shut the door. Then I heard his little voice say,"Mommy---blankie me." Obviously, he is sick of my gorgeous face!

The list of things that the boys have planned upon your return 1) going to the movies, 2) baseball practice (evidently my pitching isn't accurate enough with my left arm), 3) going to the pizza/arcade place, and 4) going to every store that we went to while you were gone. Get Ready!

Merritt is potty trained. He doesn't allow any pull-ups. His is talking, talking, talking. You are going to love it! "punkin cha-cha chip"--pumpkin chocolate chip

You know that clean house you left to go on business travel. Well, when you get home and open the front door, close your eyes and keep them closed and then image that same house and you won't be disappointed. :) Really, it isn't too bad. Except for that clogged toilet and couch full of laundry . . . . HAHAHA!

We are eager for your return. What a surprise to hear that it is one day less than we thought. 

YAY!  We love you!  

March 19th
Guy Time while waiting for Dad's taxi!

I'll work on getting more timely updates up.  More to come!

Like Totally Awful

Holey, Moley, Cannoli! (my boys think that this phrase is hysterical.  In fact, they laugh at everything I rhyme with moley)

We are sick-o-la.

All three of us.

Yoda, Yoda, lee---iiii----whooooo  (they like that one, too)

Chills and Thrills

So far, so good!  I believe it is like a 14 hr difference.  awesome.

This past week Evy cashed in his ice hockey ticket that he earned and went with his dad to a game.  AWESOME!  Merritt and I came home to watch a show and eat cookies and candied popcorn.  AWESOME!

Evy had a blood draw, getting ready for March Neurology Madness.  He did a great job. No tears.  He even, after it was over, said,"Sometimes getting a shot isn't bad."

I'm starting to feel better.  Yay!

Hockey Game with Dad

Evy earned the chance to get tickets to an Allen American hockey game.  He was so excited to go with his dad!

A trip worth all that work to earn!

Gifties

One of the things that we do as a family, pretty regularly, is we give things to people.  One of our favorite outings is to take goodies that we have made and leave them anonymously at a friend's house.  I grew up doing this with my family and my kids love doing this.

We also bring stuff and claim it as we say hi to our friends at their door.  The boys like this interaction as well.

Right now, the boys are taking turns bringing each other "gifts" to the doorways of their bedrooms.  Evidently, as I listen in, there are rules:

• The other person cannot know what you are going to leave in the gift box (Evy's is an actual gift box, Merritt's is a Lightning McQueen lunch box).
• Fill the box with stuff from your room.  No rules on this, can be cars/animals/toothbrushes/random pieces of trash.
• You have to knock at the CLOSED door with box in hand.
• The person on the other side says,"Come in!"
• The door opens.  (Merritt likes to say "FOR YOU" when he is the giver.)
• You sit down together and open the box.
• The giver outlines the details of the gift with whatever "fun" story he wants to tell about buying the gift.
• Then the receiver says 'thank you.'
• Then you take turns.

They did think of me.  I got a white stuffed kitty cat that only sleeps at night.  The gift (from Evy to Merritt) that received the most exclamations of joy, a naked babydoll.  "SOOOO CUUUTTEE!!!!!!!"

Playing cheetah

Priorities and Perspectives

Evy cracks me up.  He is pretty adept at communicating his thoughts and needs.

Today, I sat down with the boys and asked them to help me pray for a friend who is having a hard time.  Evy started the prayer, but it was clear that he had a special purpose for the prayer.

Evy:  Dear Heavenly Father, Please bless that Merritt will listen BETTER!!!!  Amen.

----

I am still trying to teach Everett that he needs to write the letters of his name down in a particular order so that people recognize that he is spelling "Everett"--working on it today, I wrote down his name.

Evy:  Mom, (pauses and looks at me with pity) you don't really know how to write.  There isn't a 'K' in my name.
Mom:  That is supposed to be an 'R' . . .
Evy:  (clearly knowing who needs to be schooled now)  An 'R' is like a 'P' with a line from the circle on the 'P'.  That's okay.  You just didn't know how to do it right.

One would never guess I actually taught kids how to write in school

---

Merritt is off doing something. I don't know what.  I am laying down, feeling sick, coughing, sneezing, and kind of not caring what is destroyed in that moment.

Evy:  Are you going to check on Merritt?
Mom:  In a minute.
Evy:  I think you should go take care of him.
Mom:  Got it.
Evy:  (not impressed with my lack of action)  Well, are you going?

---

I am feeling yucky and put on the movie "There's No Business Like Show Business" . . . I can usually entertain them for about 30 minutes with a show like this.  They love the singing and dancing.

Evy:  (watching the chorus line dance and sing)  Are they wearing feathers to be modest?

Evy:  (watching a dance number with guys in kilts doing something similar to Riverdance)  I wuv their dancing.  I want to learn to do that.

---

He loves to earn money by doing work.  We don't pay him for doing his chores, but we do let him earn money for doing extra chores.  He puts 10% aside for tithing and 20% aside for his savings bank.

We've been doing this with him for a couple of months now.  He vacillates between wanting to keep his payment clenched tightly in his fist so that he can buy something "expensive" now vs being excited about putting money towards tithing which will help those that aren't as fortunate as him.  I love having conversations with him about tithing and helping others.

---

We recently were at a fast food joint and there was a worker who looked physically different than the rest of the staff.  After Evy made a couple of comments to me, quietly, about he looked, I gently corrected him and let him know that if the boy heard him say those things it would hurt his feelings. 

Although, no one but me heard it, Evy felt so bad.  He cradled his head into my chest and just cried with remorse.  We talked about how Evy wasn't in trouble and that we all learn how to be nice and that it is good to learn how words affect people.

That was about a week ago.  Every once in awhile, Evy will turn to me and clarify his thoughts by saying,"We all can look different, right?"

He is such a tenderhearted guy. 

Night Out

Erik and I had a chance to see Keb' Mo' in concert a couple of weeks ago.  It was AWESOME!  It was the first time that I had ever sought out a concert and bought tickets for it.  I was so excited!  The setting was great . . . not a bad seat in the house at South Side Music Hall.  He used his resonator guitar for a couple of songs and that was so much fun.  I wish he used that guitar for all his songs.

One of the best loved songs of the evening "Shave Yo Legs"--(He is using a resonator guitar here.)



One of the moments I will remember most:

There was a couple sitting on the row behind us. They were closed lipped and almost angry looking through the opening performer . . . but when Keb' Mo' got on stage, their frosty looks started to melt. And, not but 3 songs into his performance they were relaxed swaying to the music and enjoying themselves. I honestly loved watching music bring them happiness.

Another highlight is we were able to go to a new restaurant Wild Salsa. The food was just amazing! I wish we lived closer because we would go more often.  It was the kind of place you can go and forget that just 30 minutes earlier you were trying to convince a kid to to pee and frantically eyeballing the house to make sure your underwear wasn't sitting in a pile "in plain view" to greet the babysitter.

A fun, fun evening!

Today in School . . . First Stop, Singapore

It it time to tour Asia next week.

We'll be exploring Singapore first.  We'll talk about where it is, conservation on beaches, the food (I'm thinking curry puffs and hainanese chicken rice at Lion City Chinese Cafe for our finale night. . .  the only place near us that serves Singaporean food), Singlish, festivals, and I'm still looking for some art/craft thing to do with them.  Just as when we studied, Dubai, there is little of preplanned ideas for preschoolers to learn the culture aside from commercialism.

SingaporeExpats
Wild Shores of Singapore
NationalLibrarySingapore Picture SG
Tchoukball
Durian Fruit
Sri Mariamman Temple
JC Sum the illusionist, of course
The Merlion

Lots of world domino records were achieved in Singapore.

Frankly, their toilet program just makes me want to move there.

I wonder if there is a Jet Li film I can show the boys.  He's from Singapore, evidently.

From Singapore, we'll go to India (our participation in The Color Run will help them visualize the Holi Festival), and then China.

Chills and Thrills

We had a busy week.  It ended, thankfully, with a trip to Austin for the Color Run.  I'll post more later on that.

Evy is more and more interested in writing.  He isn't convinced that I understand exactly how to write or how to spell his name.  So, he's been working on his own way to write stories and his name using the letters of our conventional alphabet.

Right now, he is using the *real* tools he got for Christmas to take apart his laser gun to get parts to make a robot.  He has full confidence that he'll be able to put it back together in working order.

"Which way is Lefty Loose-yyy?"

Merritt has some fun responses these days to basically any announcement we make (what's for dinner, where we are going, etc)  Here is how it goes--

M:  What?
Me: Yes, peanut butter and jelly.
M:  No WAY!
Me:  Yes, way.
M:  You are KIDDING me!

or

Me:  Do you want to ____________?
M:  Toadawwee
Me:  Okay, let's do it.
M:  Sweeeeeet!

I love my boys!

Chills and Thrills

This past week we enjoyed some awesome weather!  Lunch with Dad!  Monday night at a special dinner place with arcade and video games.  Rock it!  The boys now have their first whoopee cushions.

Saturday, we spent watching Star Wars!  All of us had a great time!  "Too great, perhaps," is what I thought as we cleaned the TV room this morning. Awesome time!

Merritt went to school without crying.  YAY! 

We had church today.  Bleh.  Seriously.  I don't think I will enjoy church until Merritt is like 25.  It is, but it isn't, him.  What can I say?  Church is not designed for an active, exploratory, and fun loving three year old.  I love him to pieces and will probably start avoiding church instead of, well, you know.  At least that is my fall-back plan that I think about as I continue to push us out the door and off to church each Sunday.   This kid can't seem to catch a break.

Evy had a splendid time at church and came home with an absolute MASTERpiece that he colored in class.  I'll have to post it soon.

CREPES tonight with some fun friends!  I've been using balsamic vinegar for awhile now and we loved our balsamic chicken savory crepes.  Evy loves Nutella and whipped cream on his sweet crepes.  Merritt just likes to faceplant the whipped cream.

We have a fun and full week planned. 

Chills and Thrills

I've been spending an enormous amount of time on my church calling. It is going to continue to ramp-up until mid-March.  And, I can see I am gaining some personal benefits from it.  So, that is good.

Merritt had an awful day in church on Sunday.  Well, that is not quite true.  He did great in Sacrament.  The idea that he needs to sit for *two* more hours smack in the middle of lunch and nap time is a horrific nightmare for his parents.  We swapped places with each other to share the load, trying to help him maintain some decorum in Primary without irritating everyone else and overwhelming him.  I'm not liking things right now.  It would be WAY easier to stay home and sing Primary songs.   In fact, I was so bothered by it, I woke up early on Monday just at a loss as to what we are going to do, especially when Erik flies to the other side of the world for weeks on end.  Sundays should not be about reverence warfare with a 3 year old when the expectations aren't age appropriate.  You can tell I'm still bothered.

Erik is working like a madman doing his best to balance his calling, work, and us.  He sure does his best to be a great husband and father.  The boys hang on his every word.

Evy started back at his museum preschool.  I love hearing about all the things that he learns about.  Today, it was about the solar system.  LOVE IT!

Merritt did not cry for the FIRST time this morning when I was dropping him off at school.  Evy even remarked about how he didn't look upset.   And, he is doing a splendid job of being a big boy in the bathroom. 

Other than that, there is the usual tedium of life (flat tires, bills, etc).  But, we are trying to enjoy it as much as possible.  I did buy some music support books from the church website and LOVE them.  We are also using some new resources in reading the scriptures to the boys.  I don't know if they are getting more out of it, but the new stuff holds my attention longer.

One of the things I am starting to use on a daily basis---nothing Earth shattering in the book.  But, it has great and simple ideas that I don't have to think of to teach my boys the songs.

A Children's Songbook Companion

This weekend:  CREPES!!!