Day 10~ 4 day weekend!

YIPPEEEE!!! We have a four day weekend! I will post tomorrow about the occasion for this weekend- but can I just say I couldn't run out of work fast enough today to start my holiday weekend. Technically I have work on Friday- but my awesome teaching partner has agreed to work the whole day. The girls have the day off so we have some exciting plans. Mostly- I'm looking forward to some down time with my family (Rick is even getting some much needed time off). We are still battling the bronchitis- every one is feeling better and we are hitting it hard with medicine and TLC. Happy, happy, happy! Thank you 4 day weekend!

Day 9~ Modern Medicine!

It has been a rough couple of days/nights in our house.

We had Emily sick last week with a cough that lasted almost 2 weeks. Now overlapping that, Madeline has had a cough for over a week and Ashley started coughing last night.

Sigh... coughing kids = little sleep.

Thank goodness we have a nebulizer at home that allows us to give breathing treatments to the girls. When they get sick we have to be on top of things and give a treatment every four hours! I can't tell you how many trips to the ER this little machine has prevented! We did land at the doctor's today and Madeline has bronchitis. Poor thing has a tummy ache from coughing so much. She has been set up with a nice round of antibiotics and heavy duty cough medicine for bedtime. Ashley is still walking a fine line between healthy and sick so for her we just give the breathing treatments for preventative measures. Emily had an ear infection with her cough and has completed her round of antibiotics. She seems to be back to normal.


Over the summer, Ashley and Madeline had ear tubes put in. The procedure was relatively quick and was done on an outpatient basis from our hospital. Both girls we STARS! We had both girls have their procedures the same morning. Emily stayed with my parents and kept them busy! It's something we have hemmed and hawed over for a couple years- but when we hit May this year and both STILL had ear infections from March that we could not clear up, we knew it was time. The great news is that both girls had CLEAR ears today!!! Despite being sick- their ear tubes are doing their jobs! Yes- I wish we would have done it sooner, but I am still so grateful that we did it this summer. They have been great about keeping their ears dry and reminding me to put their ear plugs in at bath time. We also bought these "cool" headbands for them to wear when they are swimming to help keep the ear plugs in place. We only got to use them once this summer because our weather stunk, but we had a fun day when we did! I am so thankful to have the ability to treat my children for their illnesses, at home for the most part, and for the fact that we can avoid the ER (aka GERM area!) as much as possible! ;o)

Day 8~ Creativity! Some things never change!

My daughters never cease to amaze me with their imaginations! On a recent trip to the book store, Madeline was at a loss for what book to pick. After going through many options I finally steered her towards the non-fiction section. At first she wanted to buy a dictionary. It's a great choice- but we have dictionaries at home. So what's a 6 year old that reads and comprehends at least at a 5th/6th grade level to do? We found a National Geographic Almanac. Wow was she happy! I kid you not- she read the whole thing in one day! She has since read it several more times- always happy to share bits of information with anyone that will listen.

Now that she has mastered the almanac- she has moved on to the Guinness Book of World Records. It has inspired her to try to reach her own record. Her choice- stacking cups- but not the speed stacking category- oh no! She wants to build the largest cup tower on record! Here is her preliminary attempt with kitchen cups. Her sisters helped of course. Emily with the cup stack 2010 and Emily in 2005 with a book stackRick went to the grocery store yesterday and bought a few packages of foam cups. It's not enough to break any world records, but it sure is keeping them busy! Ashley likes to decorate the cups before stacking and Emily (I think) likes to knock them down.

I am so grateful that my girls can be so creative and that we can help foster and encourage that creativity. Have I mentioned that their latest favorite toy is a LARGE cardboard box??? Yesterday it was the location of their book club. Other days its an animal cage. Some things never change! (And as a side note- almost every picture I have of Madeline when she was a baby/toddler, she is holding a book!) Gosh I love these girls! I can't wait to hear the stories they come home with today!

Day 7~ Totally Rad 80's music!

We had a dance at the girls' school last night for PTA membership- I am on the PTA Board this year as historian- and this year's dance theme was "The 80's". Whoa! Talk about a blast from the past! Funniest part is- Rick and I were students at the same school the girls are at in the 80's! To be in the cafeteria all these years later- with our own children- was a bit surreal.
I LOVE music- almost any kind (though ask Michelle and she will tell you my feelings on country LOL). The 80's were a great decade for music- Michael Jackson, Madonna, Wham, Oingo Boingo... the list goes on and on! To say music was and is a big part of my life is an understatement- so I was in heaven last night and so thankful that we were able to go!
The DJ played great music all night long (YES! Thank you!) and some people really got into the 80's spirit with their outfits. After dealing with sick kids for 2 weeks- I was burnt out and did not do the best job on outfits- but I know the girls didn't care- they were happy to go and see all their friends and their teacher and dance! So today I am thankful for music and its influence on my children and me!

Day 6~ Pedicures!

A little selfish, yes. But I am so thankful for the pedicure I got on Saturday. I don't get one very often so when I do its a real treat to just SIT for an hour and have someone pamper me a bit. I get to read magazines uninterrupted and I always take advantage of the rolling massage feature on the chair.

The girls ask me every time if they can come with me, especially Ashley (and they usually have some input on what color my toes will be- yes, I have come home with blue toes before). I'm thinking it's about time to have them come with me. I have always looked forward to the day I take my girls for manis/pedis with me- November 2010 might be the time!

Day 5~ My camera!

Madeline is home with a fever today- I got the call from school about 10 am. She's doing ok- Tylenol is working- so its more about keeping her quiet and calm at this point. ;o) Today's "I'm thankful" is going to be short.

I LOVE my new camera and I am very thankful for it! We jumped on the SLR camera bandwagon this summer when my little point and shoot started to sound very sad. To give it credit- it lasted over a year longer than all previous point and shoots- so we had a good run! I still keep it in my purse for those quick shots.

I have not figured some parts of my new camera yet and that is frustrating, but I am hoping to take a class the beginning of next year to get some answers/help. I love taking close up pictures so here are a few I took this summer. ENJOY!

Day 4~ Teeth!

Yes- I am thankful for teeth. (I guess I should mention that these days will be in no particular order of importance, but more related to what is happening at the time and some will be silly!). Why am I thankful for teeth you ask? Check out these pictures of Madeline from yesterday and you may understand. :o)
Madeline has now lost 3 top teeth. She still has bottom teeth coming in. Poor girl looks like she was on the losing end of a fight. Can you imagine trying to eat? (Thus why I am thankful for MY teeth! LOL) The 4th top tooth is starting to wiggle now and I fear that soon she will have less teeth than little Emma!

Here is a before picture with the tooth just dangling! Ick!

The tooth fairy came last night and left Maddie a dollar. She was beaming this morning! The tooth fairy did not come on time with the last tooth lost (just a couple weeks ago). Maddie lost that tooth at school and came running out of the school gate so proud. We felt awful (and she was crushed) that the tooth fairy didn't come that night. We tried to reassure her that there had to be a reason why she didn't come. We all came up with crazy ideas why she didn't come.

That night the tooth fairy DID come. She left a letter for Maddie apologizing and you know what? She had a TOOTH ACHE! That's why she couldn't come- she had to go to the dentist to get it fixed! ;o) She left TWO dollars for Maddie to make up for the extra night and she left a special surprise for Maddie to discover. Who else has the Tooth Fairy's signature on their cast???
Oh boy was the Tooth Fairy redeemed in our house! Phew!