Week 45: Downtime

You know your life is a little too crazy when you actually have a manageable week and you go into complete shock. I was caught up on laundry, I had time to knit, we all got our flu shots, and I kept thinking What am I forgetting? Something important? Did I leave one of the kids somewhere? What is going on?! It did finally sink in that we were just having a few easy days in a row, and I was able to enjoy them. Not a whole lot happened in photos, but here they are.

Charlotte found where we were hiding the "good candy."

The desk situation in this house is ever evolving. Right now Zach's spot is in my office.

Zach went in to vote with Daddy, but they brought a ballot out for Gabe.

This little one helped us get everything we needed at Sam's.

This one really captures life lately...Zach is trying to be serious and Gabe is causing trouble.

Week 44: Halloween and then some

Last week was all about Halloween, of course. Our trick-or-treating was on Thursday (30th), which was also the day of Zach's school party that I was helping with and Gabe's fall fest. Frank and Charlotte went to Gabe's school, and Zach and I came later, then we went home to eat dinner, get ready, and rush out to meet our friends down the street. It was a long day for sure. At least we had decent weather.

It was an okay weekend, I think mainly because we were relieved that Halloween was over. We took the kids to the bookstore story time and Chili's, where Charlotte ate chips AND got her own meal for the first time. She had mac n cheese and fries and ate them with gusto, finishing off all her leftovers the next day. We were not prepared for the cold front that moved in though, and it was windy and rainy the whole weekend. I hope the fall weather comes back because it was too short. And after last winter I am definitely not ready for snow!

Zach designs all our jack-o-lanterns.

Everyone is hard at work, including Charlotte who is brushing my hair with a pumpkin scooper.

Zach at his desk.

Gabe's class was spaghetti and meatballs for the Fall Fest.

Week 43: Weekends, I'm sorry I said you were awful

Last Friday I traveled to see Jen, and we went back to campus for a special sorority reunion weekend. We got to hit some of our old hangout spots, including the bar, the campus center, the sorority house, and the house where we lived senior year. The weather was beautiful (actually warmer than we expected) and it was wonderful to see so many friends...and pick up right where we left off years ago! I hadn't been back in almost 10 years, and I hadn't seen some people since we graduated almost fifteen years ago!! How did it go by so fast?

Some of the lovely Delta Zeta sisters from the Class of 2000.

The kids stayed with Daddy, and he took them to a Halloween event at the elementary school. These photos completely crack me up. And I'm so glad that while I was having fun in Ohio they were having fun at Trunk or Treat.

Week 42: Too much weekend

Lately weekends have not been fun. Like, at all. The weather's been cold or rainy or both. The kid bickering and the unbearable noise level and chasing a baby around the house make it like summer break that happens every single week. The boys were off school for Columbus Day and it made that weekend seem crazy long. Frank and I try to catch up on stuff around the house and relax a little, and it is such a challenge.

Last week was up and down as far as level of calm, and all the kids were in varying stages of a cold. Charlotte got it worst. She was manageable through the week, but Friday and Saturday nights she didn't sleep well. So we didn't sleep well.

So I guess I should focus on the positives. Highlight #1: Zach's teacher conference was last Monday. She is impressed with how responsible and cooperative he is. He's at almost a second grade level in reading, writing, and math. She said by Christmas she'll start him on second grade books. It was great to hear he's doing so well. Highlight #2: Frank took the day off on Friday and we went to Ikea. It was sort of an anniversary date while the boys were at school. It brought back memories of our trips to Ikea in Brussels and of only having one kid!

Zach's school photo. I have prints for everyone but I'll be uploading these to Shutterfly too. There are a few different backgrounds.

I took this about a week ago and many of these leaves are gone now!

Charlotte just sort of tolerated the whole outing...we didn't realize how crummy she was feeling until later that night.

A treat from Ikea for the boys, and a bribe for helping clean up the basement.

Another of Gabe's birthday gifts.

Week 41: The short update

(Sigh.) An increasing number of things are falling into the "ain't-nobody-got-time-for-that" category around here, and I'm trying my best not to let blogging be one of them. But it's tough. Thanks for all the birthday wishes and gifts for Gabe; he had a great weekend.

Weeks 39 and 40: I'm drawing a blank

Really. I remember being sick (both me and Frank), and I remember the last few days of putting Ikea furniture together but not much in between. And I have very few pictures. We got a kitchen island that is perfect and stuff to re-do our closet.

Before. I hated the wire shelving and that the corner was never easily accessible.

After. Two rectangular units take the corner out of the equation completely, and we have more hanging space. We can put the shelves and rods wherever we like :) It definitely feels a bit smaller to stand in but we have more space for our stuff.