The new car

So last week before Matt left for Las Vegas the check engine light went on in the Malibu. When I found out what the code was for the light we knew it was time to get a new car. So while Matt was in Vegas I checked the internet to find out what might be one of the best cars available with great gas mileage on the highway under $20,000. It turned out to be the Honda Civic. So Saturday after Matt confirmed my research he set out to make a deal on some new wheels.

In the meantime it was such a beautiful day I couldn't let it go to waste and decided it was a perfect day to put the Christmas lights on our front tree. I got out the big big steel ladder that I swear is going to kill me one day because it is so heavy to push it straight up. I finally got it near the top of the tree so I could start there. John and James were available to help out a little while Tommy and Patrick rested. When I got up there I was wondering how am I going to get the lights to go around to the sides without having to move the ladder 3 or 4 times. So I remembered that we have one of those grabber things with the suction cups at the end in the van so when on trips I can pass drinks and snacks to the back seat. John went & fetched that. In no time at all the top part was finished and it was time to put away the big ladder and get out the 6 foot step ladder. Around the tree the ground is not level so it is key to find a good spot to put the ladder. I still needed to go pretty high on the ladder. So when I was nervous about going to the next step I told John and James "Ok, here is the deal. John if I fall and my eyes aren't open go across the street and get the neighbor. Then I made the boys pray "Please do not let Mom fall". We successfully put the rest of the lights on without me falling. It turns out the tree grew and we needed some more lights on the bottom. I bought some a while ago at BJ's. It turns out they were size C6 and I needed C9. James proudly pointed out that if I turned the box upside down it makes a 9. If only I could do that with the lights.

Matt came home shortly after with a sporty looking Honda Civic LX. It is really nice and we now don't have to worry about him getting to and from work.

Yesterday at the kids religion class they talked about prayer. In James class when it was his turn to say what he prays for he said "that my mom does not fall off the ladder when putting up the Christmas lights". My friend who was in the class with her son said it was really sweet. I'm impressed he wasn't praying for Star Wars Legos!

The Business Trip

So this week Matt is on a business trip to Las Vegas for work. Because his car's "check engine" light went on we decided that I would drive and pick him up from the airport. So yesterday afternoon Tommy, Patrick, Matt and I headed out to the airport. Patrick was complaining about the sun being in his eyes so we told him to go to sleep even though we know he hasn't been taking naps lately. We weren't even to the freeway and he was out and not much longer Tommy was out. We ran into some traffic which made us crawl for a bit but eventually got Matt to the airport in plenty of time. When we get to the airport Patrick wakes up for some reason and not far from home Tommy woke up too. Ok so if your doing math at home that is not a long nap for Patrick which is ok but even shorter for Tommy which could make things crazy later. I was most concerned about keeping them entertained so I could focus on homework with John and James. When we got home Tommy said "Where's Daddy?" Umm we just took him to the airport while you were sleeping?? When the boys got home from school we called Matt who was still waiting for his flight so the boys would have a chance to say goodnight. I guess that went well but our boys are not much talkers when it comes to the phone. We made it through the evening without too many more questions about where is Daddy.

So this morning the boys actually sleep in since this time change took effect. I was pleased. Then they come down and start asking "Where's Daddy?" me - in Las Vegas. Patrick in Downtown Cleveland? No Las Vegas. James - did he sleep in his car? Me no in a hotel. I then showed them on the weather map in the newspaper where Matt was compared to where we are.

When we return from picking Patrick up we pull the car in the garage. Matt's car is there. Patrick says "Daddy's Home" Nope Las Vegas. Remember we took him to the airport yesterday because his car is broke and he will probably get a new one this weekend? Patrick - he should get purple, Tommy - no black.

Sometimes I feel like I am in the movie Groundhog's Day.

Halloween Fun

So as the week built up to Halloween the boys were excited but still a little nervous. I bought glow sticks so they wouldn't be afraid of the dark. I offered to take them for a walk so they could see our neighbors houses in the daylight. Costumes were ready. Finally Halloween arrived. It is 6:30am still pitch black out. Patrick is already requesting to go to the neighbors house across the street. I say sure, if they are home. He immediately opens our shutters and looks across the street for any light on. We come home from church. The questions begin - is it time yet?? no. After nap. Is it time yet? no we still need to eat. Finally it is 5:25pm and it is time to start to get layered up. We snap a few pictures in the front yard and the kids cooperated fairly well. They already ditched their masks so they could see ok. We went to the neighbors across the street before Trick or Treat began so we didn't have to try and cross with the extra Halloween traffic of imports coming from other cities. We come back after a nice visit and we light the glow sticks. The kids are running around the yard. Is it time yet? Tommy goes back inside claiming he is already cold. The wind was brutal. Finally it is time. We start at the house across from us. Then we go down the street one house with lights on at a time. When the kids were nervous we just skipped the house. Patrick had no fear on most houses and was first in line. Tommy was usually last and near the end the bag was so heavy that I was carrying it along with the masks. We made our way back up to our house. With bags full of goodies and cold hands. The boys are excited to see Matt again and to begin their duty of shouting out and inviting anyone and everyone to our house for candy. Patrick and Tommy immediately wanted to go in the house to warm up and start eating the candy. After I checked their bags they had a few pieces. It is tradition for the fire trucks / ambulance / or police cars to come around the neighborhood with candy for the kids. John and James announced that the fire truck was making its way down our street. I got Tommy and Patrick bundled up again and we waited on our tree lawn for the truck to come. Finally I realized it was our mayor and a fire fighter on the bumper of the truck with a sucker. The boys all got a good look at the truck and a sucker. The truck left and Tommy was very disappointed. He was crying and crying as he went into the house. Apparently he thought a ride came along with the candy. Sorry buddy that is not the case. We got in our jammies and watched Scared Shrekless for the 10th time in 24 hours and the boys were off to bed with sweet candy filled dreams. The highlight of my night was when John said "I never thought it would be so much fun!"

When it rains it pours

The stomach flu has hit our house this week. It was one of those things where you hope it was just one child and maybe yourself out of sympathy and that was enough suffering. Turns out we were not so lucky. Yesterday after dinner, Tommy became the next victim and then later in the evening it was Patrick. Right now John and Matt are the lucky ones and hopefully with them not being around it as much as I have they will escape this nasty bug. Yesterday I was lucky enough to clean more of Tommy's room in preparation for my parents visit next Monday. When Patrick went down ill, I pulled down a cot mattress and made Tommy's room a medical ward that way I didn't have to keep running up and down the stairs if Patrick got sick again. Needless to say it was not a restful night for me. It was nice that we did not have to be anywhere so I could rest on the couch and then get up to take care of things here and there. I would like to think we are almost out of the woods but I'm not so sure. Tommy hasn't had much of an appetite and I think James' appetite is coming back.

Yesterday John came home from school with a big grin on his face. You would think he won the lottery or something. Turns out he did in a way as he lost another tooth. I'm so glad a few more are starting to drop because it front teeth are looking a little funny and they need the two next to them to grow in so they can be pushed closer together. I'm not sure if John is OCD or just very detail oriented. He made not to us this morning that the tooth fairy put the dollar bill in the top right corner and not in the center like normal. Also the dollar was folded differently than before. I told him it must have been a substitute. I'm also thinking this under the pillow thing is for the birds and he should leave his tooth out on the kitchen table so we don't have to worry about such details.

Good Times Good Times

Yes I am quickly realizing that I no longer have little babies but little boys who don't even think twice about jumping into mud puddles when they are playing a soccer game. Boys that start playing a pickup football game not caring about falling on the wet ground therefore having wet muddy knees and muddy coat. Boys who really want to buy a school lunch and apparently did one day without my knowing - lucky for him the cashier was not the normal one who would question why he wasn't buying milk like he has done several days in a row. Boys who tell me they know their penis is "the best part" (don't ask me how they know this) but would still like it cut off so they don't get pee on their leg or on their toes. Boys who like to ask a question and then constantly follow it up with "why?" Boys constantly telling me they need a snack. Boys who think we can just go see Dancing With the Stars like its in Downtown Cleveland.

At least the boys are still little enough to think its fun to dance together or give their mommy kisses and tell her that they love her. At least they still little enough to sit on my lap and warm up under a blanket. Yes - these are good times!

School Memories

Last week was a great week for the kids with school. James did not complain once about going to school and John came home with school work that made me laugh. Tuesday John came home with a paper that was testing their comprehension of a story. Apparently the story had something to do with rules and following them. The last question was to think of rules you have at home and list one of them. John's response was "Do not use bad words". The very next day John had a paper that had a list of words that had the ending -all. You had to fill in the blanks with these words. When John gets something wrong I look at it to see if I can explain what went wrong and also to see if I can understand his thinking. He got two sentences wrong. The first sentence that was wrong that I looked at was "That man had a lot of ________" John selected the words balls. At this point I'm laughing hard on the inside then I look up to see the word he should have used. The correct answer was gall. I knew he didn't know what gall meant. When I asked him, he said - Mom, "That man has a lot of ball" doesn't make sense, I don't get it. I said the correct answer is gall. He said I didn't know what that meant, I thought it was a fish (like seagull). Now I understand why he put gall in the sentence "That man kicked the ______ in the net". Part of me wants to know what the teacher thought when she read his paper especially how John wrote not to use bad words at home the day before.

Having Fun

I don't know who is enjoying Patrick being in school more - me or him. It has been so nice to have just Tommy around. What is really great is Tommy is not at all clinging to me like I thought he would. He is a happy little guy playing by himself and using his imagination. Just like I figured he doesn't complain when I want to go to a store to look.

Patrick seems like he is enjoying school. I think he likes interacting with the other children. Because of school he seems to have fun playing with other children when we go to parks and is not shy.

I know he LOVES playing on his soccer team. Yesterday when we were walking to his game he was skipping down the street singing and being happy in his super large soccer uniform. It was so cute to watch. He is doing very well too. He hasn't scored a goal on his own where he kicks it in. He kicked a ball last night and another girl on his team pushed it in the goal with her hands. Either way he skips back to the middle of the field to get ready to play again.