Overboard

I woke up with a headache.  I knew I should motivate and get up but I just wanted to lay there for a while.  The boys were up a bit before me and headed downstairs for a little pre-breakfast Wii.  Jerzy was recovering from a cold and was happy to wallow with me, so we enjoyed each others company and just continued snoozing.

That was all about to change.  A boy came up the stairs, with his brothers quickly behind him, shouting, "The fish tank is leaking!"

"What do you mean leaking?"

"Water is going everywhere!"

I decided that this was a good time to get up.  I headed downstairs to the sound of a waterfall--on the carpet.  After emptying a Rubbermaid tote (honestly, God's answer to almost any household problem), I put it under the leaking tank to remedy the situation.

The two family fish are now happily swimming in a Bell canning jar that was nearby.  While this is a frustrating thing to have happen, I am counting my blessings for two reasons:

1) The boys were downstairs when the leak occurred (coincidence?  I'm not sure yet...)

2) Next week we are going on vacation.  I am so glad this occurred now rather than when we were gone.  We would have come home to 10 gallons of water on the basement floor and two rather unhappy fish.

So, we'll either get a new tank later today or the boys will have fish-n-chips for lunch.

You be the judge.

Merry Christmas

Hope you are enjoying the carefree time of this season!  

art by Jozef

Target Market

The boys have been enjoying some old Astroboy (1980) cartoons on Hulu.com.  This is a quite the inconvenience for them, however, as Netflix has no commercials and Hulu has a few commercials here and there throughout the episode.  The boys have little experience with commercials and it usually involves them complaining and asking (repeatedly) if we can somehow skip back to their show.

After one such episode of Astroboy, Kolbe complained about the marketing mismatch between the commercial and target audience:

Oh Mom, I hate that commercial for 5-Hour Energy.  I mean who would want that anyway?  Kids don't need that, they have plenty of energy!

Amen to that son.  My living room floor (which hasn't been seen in days) agrees with you!  Now, Mommy on the other hand, thinks 5-Hour Energy sounds like an interesting prospect...

7 Quick Takes

[ 1 ]

This weekend, we are getting together with some friends and a few of Nate's co-workers.  They've been planning this for two weeks.  You may be thinking we are getting together for some major occasion.  The real reason is their love for The Settlers of Catan.  My friend and I watch the kiddos and keep the guys stocked with snacks while they battle it out for well over the approximated time limit of the game.  It should be fun!

[ 2 ]

One of the snacks I'm planning to make for the game party is what our family calls Reno Dip.  I have no idea why it is called that, other than the fact that my Aunt lived in Reno, NV and brought the recipe to our family.  It's the best taco dip evah!

RENO DIP

1 can of refried beans
1 pkg. guacamole (or, for homemade: 1 ripe avocado, mashed, mixed with 1/2 cup mayonaise)
1 small tub of sour cream
1 pkg. taco seasoning

Spread the refried beans on a cookie sheet or large serving platter.  Next, layer the guacamole on top of the beans.  Finally, mix the sour cream and taco seasoning together in a small bowl, and layer the mixture on top of the guacamole.

Now, you can top the base with whatever you like.  Some ideas are:  black olives, onions, cheddar cheese, mushrooms, lettuce, tomatoes.  Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!  It will not last long at a party!

[ 3 ]

13 Weeks.  It's the end of my first trimester.  Now, if someone could just tell my stomach that--and make this nausea go away.  ;-)

[ 4 ]

The other day Jozef said to me, "But Mom, I didn't sign up for Kindergarten!"  He has yet to realize that his parents are more dictators than democrats when it comes to his schoolwork.  I was eventually able to persuade him that Mom and Dad automatically signed him up and that it was either schoolwork or the corner.  You can see the choice he made below:

[ 5 ] 

Since I haven't felt well a few days this week, the house was in, ahem, a bit of disarray.  As I summoned the troops the other night to pick up a few LEGOS from the middle of the living room, they couldn't resist letting me know that their futures were not going to involve so many "rules" (i.e. pick this up now, please).

Boy 1:  "Mom!  Why do we always have to listen to your rules?"
Boy 2: "Yeah!"
Boy 1:  "When I'm older, I'm gonna let the people in my house do whatever they want!"
Boy 2:  "Yeah!  And I'm gonna buy myself a LEGO set every day!"

[ 6 ]

Obi-Wan Kenobi

by Jozef

[ 7 ]

Jozef and Marcel had their first professional haircuts this week.  They like their hair a bit longer and they were reaching the limits of Mom's...uh...abilities.

I think they look great!  And, it was well worth the price to see them sit so well for a stranger!  And, with not one complaint about getting their hair cut!  

Homeschool Minute

Mom:  Kolbe, please write me a sentence with at least four words.

What was the sentence?

"I wish my homework would blow up."

Someone should inform the homeschooled boy that all of his work is homework.

7 Quick Takes

[ 1 ] 

I am slowly coming to the end of my first trimester.  Yay!  There were days when I couldn't eat a thing.  There were days when I went from bed to the couch back to bed and that was all I could muster.  There were days when Nate had to assume all household duties while I just felt miserable.

Those days are coming to an end.  I am gaining energy and my stomach is settling!  Yay!  And, I'm back online!

[ 2 ] 

I wish I could say that I'm coming through this with some great maternal insight into pregnancy, suffering and the meaning of it all.  Rather, my deepest thoughts were, "Just a few more weeks of this!"  Or, "I can't be sick if I'm asleep...must...fall...asleep."  

[ 3 ]

The boys have been very supportive.  "What?  Mom's sick?  Great!  She makes an excellent place to jump while she suffers here on the couch.  Can we watch another movie?"

[ 4 ]

The first trimester was rough on me, but Nate suffered as well.  There were many mornings when he'd open his drawer only to discover he was out of T-shirts.  Again.  Some nights he'd come home late from a long day and have to make dinner for himself and the boys.  And, he had to do all of the grocery shopping for the month of November, something I've never inflicted upon him before.  I think he's as glad as I am that things are looking better.

[ 5 ]

We had some concerns about our pregnancy last week.  Thankfully, I was able to go in and have an ultrasound.  There is no more beautiful sight to me than a baby's heartbeat.  It was wonderful to see our baby moving around and his heart beating strongly.  It is too soon to know the baby's gender.  For the sake of ease, I often refer to him as "him".  Let's face it, the odds are with me here, right?  The boys keep lamenting it might be a girl.  If it is a girl, then they'll have to watch "girl movies", they tell me.  Like Cinderella, and Beauty and the Beast.  At this point, they're not sure they could handle this at all!

[ 6 ]

Since November swept by without noticing me and my ailing self, we've decided that next weekend we're declaring a holiday.  This Monday, December 6th is our family's St. Nick's Day celebration.  And, on Friday we're heading to the Water  Park of America with some good friends for some swimming and shopping.  We are all on pins and needles for the week ahead!  It'll be so good to crawl out of the house and experience life once again!  =]

[ 7 ]

I'm sitting here feeling pretty good about myself when I come across a serious scientific article that states:  "Good looking couples have more daughters."  Now, I need to go style my hair or something...  ;-}

h/t:: Conversion Diary

[ 8 ]

As an additional bonus "Quick Take", here are some snowy pictures from today.