2014 week 9

I have had a bad cold for a few weeks.  I have cough drops everywhere and the only thing that feels good on my throat is my precious Diet Pepsi.

This is what I am using as a bookmark. It is a love note from Jess.  In it she offers free musosh and snugls (massage and snuggles.)  I had commented on Mike's nice, soft body pillow--the man likes his bedtime comforts.  He brought me home one of my own and I am loving it.

This is what our bed looked like Sunday morning--Mike with his small sliver of bed, Christian snuggled right up against him and Blackie resting on top of Christian.  I have always subscribed to the "family bed" theory.  Mike tolerates the theory.

Drew performed with the District Honors Choir.  

The kids were loading up for school when Tiger first sat on top of Bev's backpack.  Bev moved her off to leave for school and Tiger then moved to Christian's backpack.

Blackie/Charlie/Klepto has made "friends" with a neighborhood girl cat.  We are now trying to keep him on restriction, although he does still go outside.  This is him longingly looking outside for any sign of her.  (At least that is what I think he is looking for.)

Poor Jessi.  Kid's Marketplace is a time when third-graders all get assigned a job, with an income and the opportunity to learn about real life by purchasing pretend necessities.  I guess her teacher randomly assigned the kids their professions.  I had volunteered to help with it, and she had said nothing about her job.  So, the day before I asked her about it.  She covered her face with her hands and half laughing, half sad, said that she had been assigned to be a plumber.  She was trying to have a good attitude about it, but she was not excited.

The kids are told that they can dress up for their profession.  I asked her if she wanted to and she, very adamantly said, "no."  Mike even offered to bedazzle a plunger for her.  She just wanted to be "Normal Jessica" that day, and wanted to "try to forget about being a plumber."  Mike tried cheering her up by telling her how important plumbers are.  She then said that she knew they cleaned out clogged poop.  We told her all of the other things plumbers do.  She had fun, and did a good job at budgeting.  (Unlike Christian who last year at his Kid's Marketplace decided to share an apartment with two friends, buy a motorcycle for transportation, and own 20 dogs and a few horses.)

A few days later, I found that she had made a change to her form.

With some of the beautiful weather we have had, the kids are gravitating outside.  These two do math together almost every night.

Not sure why, but Bev's Honors English class has read some pretty sad books.  She tells me about them, and sometimes I listen to her read.  She has asked lots of questions about child abuse.  She wrote a paper about two of them.  

Christian's shoes were getting small and falling apart, so we went shopping.  I lost.

For Christmas, my mom, Camille, Erika and I gave our husbands tickets to Brian Regan.  We went to dinner at Red Rock and then went to the show.  The show was great.  Then, that night, Mike ended up with food poisoning.  Merry Christmas!

Jess was on tv for a story about a girl who was given the Heimlich by a lunch worker at our school.

I love her spelling.  "Be prowactiv. Do not be lazy. Do sumthing go on a jog or play ball or do socer or junasticks (gymnastics.) the End.

More of Jessi's artwork.  Some of her art is taking on a theme of big-busted women.

 Often, when I am on the phone, Bev and Jess politely write a note asking for things.

Charlie strikes again.

I have one of these babies for breakfast every morning.  I am trying to get the rest of the family converted, but they persist in unbelief.

Christian's first day off track and this is what I came downstairs to find.  Apparently, the room was too bright and he wanted a "movie theater" experience while watching his Kindle.  Blackie loves this blanket and loves sitting on top of us, so it all worked out for him.