Transforming from Five To Six

This week it was all about getting ready for Matthew and Lucas to turn six. However, we had some hurdles to get over before the parties could happen. Derrick was in Phoenix for PLI, which meant the boys were staying either at Derrick's parents or my parents. Monday, St. John's had a basketball game. That meant in order for me to get the boys to the Hursts, we had to go to the game and then the Hursts would take them home after Darragh's game. We had a "date" night to McDonald's, and then to the game. Tuesday after school I took them to my parents and we had dinner and I left them there. Then, I headed back to school for the boys game. I haven't been to a lot of games, and since the boys were at my parents, I decided to go to this one. Wednesday they had karate, and I took them to my parents afterwards, and Thursday Derrick came home. His flight wasn't supposed to come in until 10, so I had planned on going to the store to get party food, make cupcakes, feed the boys, clean a little, and then put them in pjs and head to pick him up. Meanwhile, he was working on getting home earlier via standbys. He texted me at 4:45 to say he was on the flight from Chicago to Columbus and he would be there around 5:30. This is while the boys and I are at the grocery, and we needed to check out, run the ice cream and milk home, and get to the airport, which is 40 minutes away. We hurried and finished, ran the goodies home, and made it to the airport by six. The boys were so hungry, so we hit the McDonalds drive thru at the airport. I have typically looked forward to having the house to myself when he goes out of town, but this week it was a little rough.




Friday was previously scheduled as a winter break, but we used it to make up for a snow day we had gone over. Therefore, we had to be at school Friday, which wrenched my plans for cleaning and baking cupcakes on Friday. We hurried home after school, stopping at Goodies Galore for the traditional mylar balloons. They didn't have Transformers themed balloons, so I settled for the gigantic number sixes. They were pretty cool. My parents and sisters came over Friday for a pizza buffet and cupcakes and ice cream. They got a lot of Transformers stuff, and one of the highlights was a gift card to Toys r Us. Excitement over that you ask? Yes, because they like going to the store and being able to buy something they pick out. Saturday we moved the living room furniture around, and cleaned up to get ready for party number two. Altogether, our families make about 25 people, so we split the parties up. Saturday night Derrick and I went to Little Tony's with some friends for dinner and to hear our friend Lukas sing and play his guitar. It was a lot of fun. Sunday was church. The boys traipsed around church showing off their "I'm Six Years Old Today" buttons we had bought at the party store. Then, Derrick's family came over for a pasta buffet after church, as well as cupcakes and ice cream. When we were singing to the boys, and it was time to make a wish, they bowed their heads on the table like they were praying and were whispering a "lots of toys" chant as their wish. It was really funny. His family was here most of the day, playing the wii, and playing with the nerf swords and guns that Grandma Patty and Grandpa Keith got for them. Today we are off for President's Day and did some errands this morning. Overall, we had a great weekend.

The First Lost Tooth!

Derrick pulled Lucas's loose front tooth out last night. We were sitting on the couch for our pre-bedtime snuggles, and he was wiggling it. Before we knew it, it was out. Lucas was excited, and of course much tooth fairy talk was floating around last night. He went to the bathroom to check out the gap. It's so cute how they go from all gums, to that exciting time of cutting teeth, back to being gums and loosing teeth. He had a plan to set up a trap camera in the doorway to their bedroom to catch the tooth fairy in action. He had it all rigged up in his mind...set up the camera, hook a rope to it, and when she flies in, it will push the button and take her picture. Too funny! We put it in a ziploc bag, left her a "note" that his mommy wanted to keep it for scrapbooking/memory purposes, and off to bed they went. This morning, he came straight to our room to ask if we could go to the store today and buy a toy with the two dollars she left. We convinced him to start saving his tooth fairy money and soon enough he'll be able to buy a toy. Matthew was excited for him and proclaimed to my mom today that he was "Proud of Lucas for losing his tooth." Such a good big brother!

The Hardwood Floor Project

First of all, let me just say again how much I adore my husband for getting me/us this computer for Christmas. We had been using laptops...his from church and mine from school, but it was a pain for me to bring it home and unhooking it from my SMART Board. Plus, the boys are into any ".com" website they hear about and couldn't navigate the mouse very well on the laptops. Second, the new digital camera he got me has been very busy also. That is why I am blogging so much more now...it is so much easier!

Anyway, we are making great headaway with the floors. This morning I unloaded the boys' closet, stripped the beds, and moved the mattresses and boxsprings out to our room so he could start their floor when he gets home from the dentist. Our room looks like a war zone....so does the computer room because it has the flooring boxes in it, as well as baseboards. But, after today and this weekend, the boys' room and the hall will be done. All that will be left is our closet and the computer room. I've added a few pictures of the project and will add some more of the finished project. The boys were VERY helpful in unloading their closet and taking things back to our room. They want Derrick to work on the floor in their room, so they are all about speeding up the process. They took all their "friends" out to the couches and snuggled up to watch Toy Story 2...they LOVE snow days! Movies and video games are special treats on weekdays when we have no school.

As for the tooth..last night when Derrick was brushing Lucas's teeth, he accidentally hit his loose tooth the wrong way, and we thought it was going to come out...no luck. Derrick tried, but Lucas wouldn't have it. Hopefully he will suck his fingers enough to loosen it a little more. According to him, he can whistle now with a loose tooth...not sure why he thinks that, but who am I to question the mind of an almost six year old? We have another snow day today, which according to Matthew is the "Perfect PS2 Day!" Any excuse for him to play video games....oh well. I am very thankful for the snow day, however tomorrow back to school will be rough, and come June I may not be so excited when we have to add days on . Oh well!

Much Excitement!

Well, we have a first in our house....Lucas has two loose teeth. It all started last night when Derrick was getting them bundled up to go to the neighbor's so he could meet me for their parent/teacher conference. He noticed Lucas's bottom tooth was loose. When he asked Lucas about it, he started crying. He was very nervous about losing a tooth and all that involved. Well, in that moment, it all came clear..Lucas hasn't been eating a lot and has been crying and very touchy a lot. Come to find out it has been loose for awhile, and he didn't want to tell us.

So, off to the neighbor's they went. Zach and CJ, who are eight and ten told Matthew and Lucas all about how cool it is to lose a tooth and the tooth fairy, etc. Of course, what Zach and CJ say goes, so Lucas was fine with it. When we got home, Derrick asked him what he knew about the tooth fairy. Lucas told him that sometimes she brings money or toys. Derrick asked him where he learned that, and he said from "Little Bear"....according to Lucas, Little Bear got a whistle under his pillow when the tooth fairy came. He gave us a very assured, knowing look that said he knew all about the tooth fairy information. Too funny! He also said today that maybe the tooth fairy would bring him $100. Not sure where that came from, but let's just say he's going to be a tad disappointed with the dollar or two that will be under his pillow instead of 100.

We had a snow day today, as we have over 8 inches of snow and we are under a level 2 snow emergency. Fun stuff!

It's STILL Cold!

So, this week was a short week. Not as short as last week, but hey. Monday Matthew, Lucas, and I baby-sat for my cousin's little girl, Mabry. She was over for a few hours, and we played in the basement with the toys, and when Chelsey came to get here, she was knee-deep in moonsand. It was so much fun to have a little girl around for a few hours. Lucas especially is good with her and playing nicely with her. Matthew likes to take her on the "grand tour" of the newest toys they've gotten, which he thinks she'll love when in reality...they are too boyish for her. Oh well.

Tuesday was back to school for all of us, and Pregnancy Care Center Volunteer Training for me. I almost didn't go..we had two VERY whiny, tired, little boys on the edge of Derrick's nerves. I did end up going after we decided that an EARLY bedtime was in their future and he'd only have to put up with the whining for about an hour after I left.

Wednesday we had a scheduled 2 hour delay at school so we can continue working on our Lutheran school accredidation. Derrick had church Wednesday night and the boys and I stayed home to do homework and so they could get showers.

Thursday wasn't too exciting except that I was at school until 8:30 for Parent/Teacher Conferences.

Friday, I left in the morning with Derrick telling me he was detaching from church and building something..toy room shelves...that day. It was one of the warmer days of the week, so being out in the garage building would be no big deal. Well, I come home to a VERY tired and rundown, and sick husband because he had worked TOO hard all day on moving all of our bedroom furniture out of the room, tearing out the carpet, and putting in hardwood floors. Needless to say, he'll never work that hard again. Remember...he is getting over strep and not off his antibiotic yet. He works hard a lot, but not like this, and his body was telling him to cool it! Saturday, we went to my parents' for lunch and then came home. Derrick rested up, and decided to do one more case (we have like 20 cases) of hardwood in the hallway. He is going to slowly put in the hall and do the other two bedrooms. Rome wasn't built in a day, and our floors aren't going to be hardwood in a day...a week....it will probably be about two weeks. His goal is to be done by Matthew and Lucas's birthday party....it will be done by then....because he is going to Phoenix for PLI the second week in February. We shall see!

Stay warm!