Ramlings on a Monday

Whew! This past weekend was a disappointment to say the least. I had hopes of carving pumpkins with our family for the 1st time ever on Saturday night and then dinner with my parents and brother whom I haven't seen in a while on Sunday. None of the aforementioned things worked out.  I did get my errands completed before my body was overcome with bone chilling aches and pains and my tonsils swelling to the size of a golf ball (not really, but you get my drift).

I was talking with a friend in Joann's and when we ended our conversation and parted ways I noticed that my legs and the back of my knees began to ache.  I thought it was strange but had one last stop to make, Aldi, which was just next door.  As I walked into the store I just knew I was getting sick. Ugh. All I could think about was the fact that we were supposed to carve pumpkins and how excited Madelyn was for this.  I finished my shopping ever so quickly and by the time I left (about 20 mins later) I hurt from head to toe. My throat was growing sorer by the minute and I called Robert to warn him that I thought I was getting sick.

I spent the rest of the evening lying on the couch curled up in a ball with multiple blankets on me trying to warm up.  Those chills are the worst and only make your body ache even more!

Lying around has been about all I can do for the past couple of days and after getting to the doctor today, I have confirmed that I caught strep for the 1st time in my life. AND make no mistake, IT IS AWFUL! I told Robert, before knowing it was strep that this is seriously the worst I've ever felt being sick. It was horrible.  Monday night and I've taken 2 amoxicillin pills and my body aches are fading. Throat and neck are quite sore still but I think they'll start feeling better by morning.  Now I wait for any sign of one of the girls having it. :( I hope Madelyn doesn't get it and have to miss her Halloween party at school. That would be such a bummer!

When the weather's warm, we jump in the leaves!

 They girls also helped me pick a bowl full of small acorns for a pinterest inspired Christmas project:)

Boo! at the Zoo 2012

While sitting on the couch, drinking my coffee Sunday morning a commercial came on TV for Boo at the Zoo at Potter Park zoo.  I jumped up to check it out online.  The weather was absolutely gorgeous and I knew I wanted to do something outdoors with the girls.  After all, Robert was about to head out of town later that afternoon and would be gone the entire week.  The hours for the zoo event were 12-4 and knowing the weather forecast for next weekend was going to be drastically colder, I kindly requested that we go to the zoo.  And so we did!  It was a lot of fun and also Alyssa's first time.  The girls wore their costumes- Madelyn a princess (Rapunzel) and Alyssa was a kitty cat (Madelyn's costume from last year).  Alyssa was oooohhh-ing and ahhhhh-ing over all the animals, including the trees and leaves all around.  It was so cute though:)  We ate lunch at Panera and then headed up to the zoo.

Field Trip to Puddington Farm

Last Thursday Madelyn's preschool class took their first field trip to a farm where they were able to see lots of animals, play on the haystacks, and pick out a pumpkin.  It was the perfect spot to take a bunch of 4 year olds and their parents:)  The day was gorgeous and full of sun after a wet and rainy morning.  The highlight of the trip was the bus ride.  Madelyn was so excited to ride the school bus and that was all she talked about for days leading up to this trip.  Here are some pictures of our afternoon.

Bus ride with Macy- their excitement was too cute:)

 Daddy came too!

Time for donuts- which she claimed was her favorite part of the day. What a goofball!

Ready for the mud!!

Half the group with their pumpkins (no zoom lens)

 Back at school and running with Becca!

Helper Of The Day

 Life sure is tough when you're 4.  It's tough waking up at 5:25 only to hear your mommy tell you it's still the middle of the night and time to go back to bed.  It's rough  getting to play with friends every  day, sharing in snack time, playing outside, and with toys all morning....What a life:)

Today was Madelyn's special helper day at Preschool. You have no idea how exciting this is.  Did you know she got to bring the "ME bag" home so she could bury a prized possession side and share it with her friends on her helper day at school?!  Inside the "ME bag" was a small notebook where we wrote 3 clues about the object she brought in...

1. I have long, blonde, curly hair.
2. I am wearing a beautiful pink gown.
3. I am headed to the ball with my prince!

You guessed it!-- I am Sleeping Beauty Barbie!!

She also go to bring in a snack and drink for everyone today.  Her 1st pick was "muffins!"  She really likes the blueberry muffins but for some reason all they had were chocolate chip so that is what she shared along with fruit punch juice boxes. 

When I picked Madelyn up, I asked her about her day and all that she got to do. 
"I got to tell everyone how to go back to their table- Dance!"
"I got to walk around the tables and tell everyone 'five more minutes' (until clean-up)"

Phew! Exciting (not to mention tiring) stuff I tell ya!!!

Alyssa- 22 months

I can't believe how quickly time has gone with this girl.  If I could freeze it right now, I would.  She is so much fun has really begun to absorb and take in the world around her.  She's such a little inquisitive girl and is saying new things with each day.  A bulleted list of some of her favorites:

• books, books, and more books.  She loves reading and will sit through book after book if you have the time.  
• favorite books include; Goodnight Moon, "Numbers", "Goodnight baby", Twinkle Twinkle, A Cuddle for little duck, "Bunny book" and on and on...The quoted books are ones she has given her own name to.
• binky- we are down to only having this at bedtime and weekend naps.
• My Little Ponies
• Bathtime
• Lotion- "wil bit wo-shun!" (little bit of lotion)
• washcloths
• crayons
• weebles (Thanks Jordan & Iris!)
• any animal
• Peek-a-boo Pets on the ipad
• Counting to 11 :) so proud of her for that!
• singing "motie botie" (Motor boatin'- Pontoon song), Tonight We Are Young, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Call Me Maybe.
• dance parties in our living room.
• putting her blanket over her head in the car and playing peek-a-boo while I drive.
• blankeys- she has a select 3 that she adores.  Nothing special about them- just some random Gymboree blankets that used to Madelyns. 
• mimicking anything and everything Madelyn or anyone says.

I was going to keep working on this list but truth be told...I don't have the time to continue pondering what else to add and certainly don't have the time to get back on to actually add it.  So with that...I will post what I thought of at the time:)

Lazy Saturdays

  I love being home all weekend in the fall.  The week is so extremely go, go, go that all I want to do is stay home with my girls and relax.  Today was just that for me.  Robert was away at a UM football game, as he is too many Saturdays every fall, and the girls and I enjoyed just being together with nowhere to go.  The weather is cold and rainy so we stayed inside by the warm fire. 

Although it was a lazy day, I did manage to be quite productive.  I submitted an assignment for my grad class, began the final project (for the entire program!!!!) that will be due in a few weeks, vacuumed the 1st floor plus the stairs, washed 4 loads of laundry, folded, and put away 2 (so far), read Alyssa a bazillion books, made a fort with Madelyn, did a paint project and Halloween mask with Madelyn, began some online Christmas shopping, measured 2 walls of vertical stripes (for project girls bathroom upstairs) AND we had a delicious roast w/ potatoes and carrots preparing in the crock-pot for dinner. Now I will cozy myself up on the couch with a blanket and watch a movie...and wait for my hubby to come home:)

Oh happy day!