Category Archives: Health

Joy to the world!

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Yep, I’m gonna keep the joy alive and kicking around here, from chugging good coffee to loving on my beautiful family to celebrating the birth of Jesus at Christmastime.

The wonderment of the season

Last night, the 3 Amigos watched in awe as Santa delivered each one of them a personalized video message. Thanks for turning us onto the Portable North Pole, Granny!

After doing a pretty good job @ being mannerly during “The Nutcracker,” the boys (L to R: Zeke, Houston, Landon, Gabriel & Logan) let loose & release a little post-ballet energy in front of the Gen. Greene monument.

Stephen created the videos, which explain that they’re on Santa’s nice list, yet each should still try a bit harder. Santa said:

    • Houston is “generous,” but needs to “be nicer to his brothers;”
    • Gabriel is “full of energy,” but needs to “work on his table manners;”
    • and Zeke is “quite a character,” but needs to “work on not having temper tantrums.”

Amazing how St. Nick knows such particulars about each boy’s personality and areas of behavior improvement. If you have a child who still believes in Mr. Claus, you should definitely check it out.

It is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas when its mighty Founder was a child Himself. — Charles Dickens

Houston, who despite his best friend Asher’s adamant disbelief in the jolly old elf, still regards Santa’s existence as not only possible, but very true indeed. The funny thing is that he has questioned some of the logistical aspects of the mythical Father Christmas.

For example, “Mommy, do reindeer really know how to fly?” asked Houston. “Sure. If Santa can make it around the world in one night, he has to have a fast sled,” I answered with confidence.

The dudes also sent their letters to Santa a few weeks back, when naughtiness was reigning supreme at the time. (Admittedly, I chose this time to have each boy fess up to some of his misdeeds and to hopefully work through some of the issues.) Here’s what they wrote:

Dear Santa, I would probably not earn that many presents, but maybe one or two. I’ll try to be better till Christmas and after. — Houston

Dear Santa, I’ve been very naughty and I will try to be good and try to be nicer to the cats and Mommy “because she gives us everything we need” (Houston helped him out with that part). I hope Zeke doesn’t throw Woody anymore. — Gabriel

Dear Santa, I’ve been naughty “because I’m always thirsty” (we opted to edit out this excuse), but I will try to use my brain more and just do what Mommy says. I deserve a little bit. — Zeke

More Christmas cheer

Since I was quite restrained in our spending on gifts this year and did 99% of the shopping early and online, we had the opportunity to slow down a bit and soak in the season and all the fun that it offers.

Oh, for the good old days when people would stop Christmas shopping when they ran out of money. — Author Unknown

On 12/1, we kicked things off by attending the annual Holiday Parade downtown with Christie, Logan and crew. It was our first year to claim sidewalk near the start, instead of at the tail end of the route, and the kids scored tons of candy from the spunky and spirited paraders.

On 12/6, the boys and I went to see “The Nutcracker” with our CC pals “Miss Kristy with a K” and her sons, Logan (not to be confused with the other Miss Christie’s husband) and Landon.

Gabriel, Houston & Zeke stand @ the elevators inside the Jefferson Standard Building, the historic downtown structure in which Daddy now works.

Because it was a shortened student version, the local ballet company offered the kids some narrative explanation and let them see the crew do set change during intermission. The 3 Amigos were already familiar with the Tchaikovsky music, the story and its characters, and seemed to appreciate their first ballet, especially Houston.

On 12/15, the boys and I attended Miss Christie’s “Polar Express” Party. All the kids were admitted entrance into the gathering if they met the pajamas requirement and could also present their boarding passes (the invitation).

When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things — not the great occasions — give off the greatest glow of happiness.
— Bob Hope

An admitted Pinterest fanatic, Christie went all out, with cookie decorating crafts, edible chocolate and peppermint trains, festive games and one-of-a-kind handprint ornaments homemade for each child in attendance. Of course, watching the namesake movie while feasting on popcorn was a big hit, too.

On 12/17, the dudes and I we went caroling (in the rain) with Christie and and the kids. Because we went during the day, we hit the homes of two seniors in her hood, and the weather couldn’t dampen our spirits nor could it diminish our singing and energetic instrumentation.

“Big Hashy” (a.k.a. Houston & Asher) get festive & freaky @ the 36th Annual Greensboro Holiday Parade.

Then we came back to our stomping grounds and sung for Miss Shawn and the boys’ newest neighborhood pal, Cameron. Our setlist was You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing and Jingle Bells.

While drying off and warming up at our casa, the kids devoured the gingerbread house the 3 Amigos had made with Miss Jessie a couple days prior, and (sort of) watched A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Perhaps the best Yuletide decoration is being wreathed in smiles.
— Author Unknown

On 12/19, Miss Shawn invited us over for cookies and playtime with Dixie. It was nice to get together with our awesome neighbors, who we don’t see near often enough these days.

That afternoon, we headed downtown to attend Daddy’s work party. The boys loved the the parking deck, elevated crosswalks, elevator rides, visit to Daddy’s cubicle and his tour of the historic building in which he now works almost as much as they enjoyed the endless supplies chicken strips and strawberries.

Gabriel & Mommy keep the seasonal spirit alive well into @ the lengthy holiday parade, while Zeke crashes quite comfortably as the festivities rage on.

Another hit was the kid-friendly room, featuring choice live performances of The Nutcracker, holiday movies, made-on-the-spot theater-quality popcorn and tons of fellow youthful travelers on this stimulating ride we call Christmas.

Not a basketball star yet

On 12/1, Gabriel had his first basketball game, which fizzled before the scheduled end time. Gabe kept running off the court to see the photos I was snapping, one kid was crying ’cause he didn’t want the ball, while another was sobbing crying ’cause he didn’t want to share the ball … it was too comical.

Gabriel did much better at his second game on 12/8. Only he and one other Wildcat played the entire game. I was so proud. And Daddy and bros reported that he also gave a worthy effort the following weekend at his third game. Way to man up, Gabe!

I took Gabriel to buy a youth basketball (with his own piggybank money) after the 12/8 game. And since then, Stephen I have since souped up the boys’ old toddler hoop, attaching it onto the back deck at the six-feet regulation level used in his league.

Gabriel concentrates (as best as a 4-year-old is able) on making a free-throw shot during one of his recent basketball games. Go Wildcats!

While I spent some one-on-one time with Gabe on the 8th, Daddy took Houston and Zeke downtown to the city historical museum. Then we all met up post-basketball for a massive Mexican feast, which included guacamole galore for the 3 Amigos. Happy campers, for sure!

Other merry outings

On 12/9, the boys and I went rollerskating with a huge group of our CC friends. I knew it would be difficult for the kids, being their first time skating and all, but it was way more demanding on both them and me than I had imagined.

I had rented skates, too, so every time they pulled on me, I nearly toppled over. Just standing up was almost as an impossibility for the dudes in the beginning. But through diligence, each one made it around the rink twice, before giving up on skating and opting for video gaming with friends instead.

Zeke, Gabriel & other merry passengers on the Polar Express proudly admit to devouring Miss Christie’s chocolate, licorice & peppermint train cake. All aboard!

Of course, we’ve gotten together with Christie and the kids a few times beyond the already-mentined outings. One was a record-setting six-hour playdate that included good times at her house, my lunchtime lesson/discussion on “The Pilgrim’s failed socialist experiment” and then more romping at the park.

On 12/14, we attended our final Moms Club playgroup. The kids and I hadn’t been to one since the summer, so we decided to go and bid the group farewell and a Merry Christmas.

Moms Club was a life-saver for me two years ago, when the 3 Amigos were very young and I sometimes felt trapped around the homestead. We made some good friends over the course of our membership and surely plan on keeping in touch with those fine folks. Thanks, Moms Club!

Stephen and I had a nice date night that evening. It was a dinner-and-a-movie affair, featuring Thai food and then the spectacular flick Life of Pi, which was the first regular-release film (i.e. not a kids dollar movie) I’ve attended since seeing Apocalypto while pregnant with Houston.

Here’s handsome-boy Houston in one of the phenomenal photos Miss Christie took of the family back in November.

Then the dudes spent this past weekend up in the mountains with Granny and Grumps. The creek house had no power for two out of the three days, but Granny survived (barely) and the kids had a great time roughin’ it, playing in the snow and listening to the wind howl “like a ghost.”

Sickness & health

In the midst of all this merriment, we have battled and conquered a couple illnesses.

First, the dreaded stomach bug, which raged through the entire family, starting with Zeke puking all over my side of the bed during the first Saturday night of the month. (I blame it on the kids literally hanging out on the dirty downtown streets for 2 1/2 hours during the parade earlier that day.)

Whatever the cause, that violent virus eventually made its way to every member of the family, but took each of us only a couple days to get over, thankfully. Pray you don’t this brutal illness anytime soon. Yikes.

Cutie-pies Zeke & Gabriel also “work it” during Miss Christie’s fall photo shoot.

About mid-month, Houston and Zeke developed a nasty cold/cough. Zeke got over his fairly quickly, but Houston actually lost his voice the night of Christie’s party and still has a lingering intermittent cough, but I’m confident he’s at the tail-end of it. Nothing major.

Semi-schooling

Not much to report on the homeschooling front, since we’ve been on official CC break since Thanksgiving. We’ve been doing what I like to call semi-schooling, which has been a relaxed break from the grind, but is still productive.

So, I will leave you with two humorous videos: 7 Lies About Homeschooling and Miss Jessie’s popcorn experiment video, which she had to do for one of her education classes. Enjoy.

Till next time, Clan Dillingham wishes you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Brushfires of freedom

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Halloween, the elections, day light savings and much of our Classical Conversations semester have come and gone since the last blog. Wow!

While I wasn’t at all pleased with the presidential results, many of my local, state and judicial candidates did come out ahead. North Carolina and its increasingly wise voters certainly helped brighten my sullen mood last week.

And I’m confident my choice for lieutenant governor, Dan Forest (who is up 10,000+ votes) will survive the thuggish legal challenges from his opponent. But experience says combining a sore-loser liberal and media-seeking lawyers can certainly be a recipe for disaster. Keep your fingers crossed or … donate!

Gabriel, Zeke & Houston hang out amid the political signs @ the local polling place after waiting in line for more than an hour, so that Mommy & Daddy could early vote on 11/3.

As for my native home of Virginia, it’s sad to say, but that place has positively jumped the shark. Thanks a lot, NOVA! (For those of you not in the know, that’s an acronym Richmonders use disdainfully when describing Northern Virginia.) So much for cherishing the state motto, Sic semper tyrannis.

Another positive aspect culled from the realization that freedom and individualism are no longer in vogue is that my phone will no longer be ringing off the hook. Being registered as unaffiliated, we constantly got surveyed, robo-called and lobbied for cash.

And one of Gabe’s newest obsessions (besides the cats) is answering the phone, regardless of his unpolished skills in the area. To cut down on the number of answered unwanted calls, I started saying, “Don’t get it. It’s probably Barack Obama!” Immediately nipped the problem in the bud.

“It does not take a majority to prevail … but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men.” — Samuel Adams

In order to get some necessary written-word therapy for myself, while not boring to tears those of you who aren’t fellow political junkies, I will simply include a few quotes from one of my favorite founding fathers, Sam Adams  — a patriotic radical of the finest sort.

Daddy took time off from work for celebrating Halloween with the boys. We began our festivities by heading to Westover with Christie, Logan & their crew. Our church hosts a popular fall fest, which features tons of games and activities for kids of all ages.

Logan’s costume is “young professional w/ a smart phone” (nah, not really), while Christie dons Asher’s pirate hat during our Halloween outing to Westover.

It was fun for the little ones, but I was glad to leave the packed quarters and head for the open range of trick-or-treating around our hood. Then we ended the night by devouring candy and playing It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, which was Asher, Jackson and Piper’s first time watching the holiday classic.

Our media consumption has segued seamlessly, with the kids now viewing A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and This Is America, Charlie Brown on a regular basis. In fact, the dudes prefer the latter, a historically-based show about the Mayflower voyagers. (I knew Stephen’s and my love of history would rub off on the boys!)

I often find it difficult to find quality animated children’s movies that aren’t anti-human propaganda. The theme of so many are animals good, people evil. Reminds me of a bumper sticker I once saw around my college campus: Save the whales, kill the babies.

In fact, we had to try out three movies recently before I found one that wasn’t total nihilistic trash. And then you have the unoriginal bad guys that pepper so many of Hollywood’s movies, from the big-oil villain in Cars 2 to the greedy oil tycoon in The Muppets.

Now that he’s potty trained, Gabriel is the proud owner of a brand new Spider-Man bike. (Zeke got one, too!)

What’s next, a malevolent Republican or a diabolical preacher?! Oh yeah, those have been standard go-to foes in the unimaginative and predictable world of film for a long time now. How pathetic. I’ll stick with Peanuts, thank you very much. But I digress.

Since late October, the dudes have been in engaging us in deep discussions about theology. While Sunday school prompts some of the interest, we’ve also been learning about Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism and other ancient religions for our CC memory work.

In addition, Jessie has been reading the boys Number the Stars (a fictional book about the Holocaust); we watched multiple times The Jim Elliot Story (an animated movie about the missionary martyr); and Houston and I finally talked about 9/11/01 (the event that ends the CC Timeline song).

“How strangely will the tools of a tyrant pervert the plain meaning of words.”

This is on top of the fact that the kids were already posing questions about war and peace, faith and atheism, God and the devil, and other light topics such as these, and we now have three intense mini-theorists running around. So, I suppose we’ve morphed from “The Zoo” into “Animal House” with philosophy majors.

In early November, Gramsey and Papa made their first visit since July. During their stay, Houston lost his second tooth. Well, actually Papa pulled it by trickery. Similar to my youth when he would promise, “This won’t hurt,” right before dumping peroxide on huge gash on my leg or forcefully digging tweezers into a splinter under my skin.

Zeke handily maneuvers an antique tractor while @ J. Razz & Tazz Farm during a CC field trip in mid-October.

Papa left Houston $2 (maybe to make up for his lacking bedside manner?!), so now the financial bar is set much higher for the tooth fairy’s next visit. Appreciate it, Papa. Seriously, thanks for the trek down, the beautiful curtains and the kids’ super-hero jackets!

On the behavior front, things have been difficult ever since the first Friday of the month. This is when Gabe and Zeke decided to chase a dog down the road and into a neighbor’s back yard, nearly falling into a large pond.

Imagine my shock when I pulled up from an errand and saw a man I didn’t recognize walking down the street (from a direction we don’t normally play) holding hands with the twins. I was freaked, to say the least.

Of course, the dudes were supposed to be playing with neighborhood kids in our backyard, while a cooking Daddy kept an eye on them from the kitchen window — a admittedly imperfect task.

Luckily, the stranger was a nice neighbor named Angelo and no one drowned in the chilly, deep water. But this incident has seemingly sparked a rash of outrageous rebellions, as well as an influx of everyday acts of disobedience.

Being quite the monkey himself, Houston expertly climbs this statue during our visit to the NC Zoo last month. (Doesn’t he look like Stephen in this photo?)

Another notable happened last week, when Houston, Asher and Gabe jumped the gate to the dairy farm (located at the bottom of our rear property), despite the fact that my boys knew this was a no-no. I found Houston stuck in a mud pit, crying and screaming his head off, with one shoe missing in the muck.

Did I mention that Houston ventured onto the farm again just a few days ago with a couple neighbor gals, despite his ardent promises not to do so? Uh, yeah.

The smaller stuff is too numerous to detail. Just imagine, Mommy says do one thing, kid does the opposite, all day long, every day for a couple weeks now, and multiplied by 3. Calgon, take me away!

“Mankind are governed more by their feelings than by reason.”

So, Stephen and I have had to get strict on the boys’ typically free outdoor play, as well as ban some other privileges, such as using the kitchen computer and playing video games, at least for a month.

My guess as to why the dudes are being so naughty — and doing some insane things I don’t think they would ever otherwise conjure up in their little minds — is that they aren’t getting enough rest. I know that’s my standby hypothesis for increased levels of insubordination, but I think it’s valid.

With acrylic-painted shirt & toilet-paper-roll funnel, Zeke’s homemade Thomas the Train costume is a smash hit.

Since the time change, Zeke has getting up very early (sometimes well before 6) and then ends up waking his bros before they’re ready to rise. And it’s always a struggle to get the crew fed, bathed, administered meds, read to and prayed with, and have them all asleep by 7:30 at the latest.

But Stephen and Miss Jessie are on board with my aim of always meeting this bedtime goal, except for very extreme or special circumstances. Even if we have to start dinner at 4 or skip a bath more often than we’d like, that’s what we’ll do.

Fortunately, I think yesterday was a turning point. Houston returned from his first sleepover ever (for Asher’s 6th birthday) and got rave reviews for behavior and manners. Bear in mind, Christie is not one to sugar coat the truth.

“Our contest is not only whether we ourselves shall be free, but whether there shall be left to mankind an asylum on earth for civil & religious liberty.”

Houston was Asher’s sole guest and the two were treated to a trip to a bounce house, s’mores on a fire pit, late-night Legos without any interruption from siblings, and then cupcakes for breakfast.

In addition to Houston’s favorable report, Gabriel was jealous of Houston’s position and prestige regarding Big Ashy’s birthday, but has handled it quite well — an impressive feat, considering his penchant for nonstop whining these last few weeks.

The only thing purchased for Houston’s awesome Hawkeye costume is the bow & arrow set; you can thank Sharpies & duct tape for the rest.

Yesterday was also a watershed moment for the twins. We went to see the kid-friendly opera, Amahl & the Night Visitors. (A CC mom who is a harpist for the symphony organized the group outing.)

There was so much room for error, misbehavior and frustration, from the trek across campus to the bathroom breaks in the large facility to the performance itself. Yet, Gabe and Zeke handled all the challenges like such big boys.

Houston, who was already making a recovery, did superb throughout. And the twins — despite some mid-performance fidgeting and complaining — overcame their naughty urges and pulled through with flying colors. Our opera outing was a success!

On the health front, Zeke had a debilitating neck crick last week, so much so, that Christie had to Gabe and Houston to CC that day. Then a couple days later, Zeke had a high fever at night and then slightly into the next day, but recovered from the minor bug quickly.

Gabriel’s simple, but effective “wobb-oh” costume consists of acrylic-painted shirt, & pillowcase mask & money (candy) sack. Stick ’em up!

I also had a mystery sickness, which began last Saturday during day 2 of my volunteer training at the local pregnancy care center (more on that later) and stretched well into Sunday. Also, Houston’s nosebleeds have been occurring randomly as of late, but luckily, none have been severe.

Fun end note: I treated Christie to a girls-night out last week as thanks for taking some quality family pics for us. (See, she’s a budding photographer ’cause she’s got a good eye and she’s married to a hugely talented professional photographer.)

We dined like queens at the Melting Pot — which I just discovered is the best restaurant in the world! — and celebrated friendship, motherhood, homeschooling and killer family photos. You rock, Christie!

Sad end notes: Grandma Bobby died on 11/6. She had been pretty ill and incapacitated for a while now, so it wasn’t really a shock. Plus, she was 92. But, losing a loved one is never easy. Please pray especially for her children: my mom, Uncle Bubba and Aunt Nancy.

Learning curves

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Defined as “a graphic representation of progress in learning measured against the time required to achieve mastery,” our lives have been marked by an uncommon number of learning curves lately.

The blog & gallery upgrades

Since Stephen made the necessary tweaks to our sites, blogging has become more difficult as we get familiar with the new software, and determine what subsequent plugins are necessary and how to use them appropriately.

Unfortunately, we don’t yet know how to export iPhoto pics into gallery. Therefore, these photos aren’t linked to albums where you can view all the images. Luckily, I at least figured out how to include single images so that my post isn’t totally void of fun visual content.

I’m sure we’ll figure it out … eventually. But with three kids and loaded schedules, piecemeal progress is as good as Stephen and I can do these days.

The dudes check out cattails alongside the Bodie Island Lighthouse boardwalk.

Classical Conversations & homeschooling rock!

Although these education methodologies get my ringing endorsement, each and every day includes innumerable learning curves and subsequent lessons. But then again, that’s part of the fun of schooling at home: it’s never dull and it’s full of surprises.

I have been officially homeschooling Houston for two weeks now. The CC grammar curriculum for Foundations (the program name for elementary-age kids) includes: history, geography, English, Latin, math and science. Students are also required to give a three-to-five-minute presentation in front of their CC class every week.

Additionally, we’re doing a more in-depth math curriculum, as well as phonics. For math, I chose the tried-and-true Saxon. A favorite of homeschoolers for decades, the program produces great results. In fact, my neighbor, Shawn, has used Saxon Math for all three of her kids, ranging in ages from 6 to 16.

For phonics, I chose Teach Your Child To Read In 100 Easy Lessons, a popular book I picked up for $5 at a homeschool book sale in the spring. We’re also supplementing with having Houston “read” lots of Dick & Jane — classic and effective.

The woman who sold me the phonics book said it worked wonderfully for her first two kids, but not her third, proving again that all children and their learning styles are unique. So, I’ll give it a whirl.

If I find it doesn’t work with the boys — yes, I’m attempting to teach all three to read — I’ll use The Writing Road To Reading, which is what Christie’s using for Asher. That gal is a research fanatic so I know anything she approves of is a winner. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge and ideas with me, Christie!

Gabriel rocks his sunglasses while everyone checks out the marsh (yep, that’s the lighthouse covered in scaffolding in the background ).

See, one of the cool things about homeschooling is that if something doesn’t pan out, you stop using it and try something new. No big deal ’cause you’re not locked into any curriculum.

And that’s how CC operates, as well. Does the program have expectations? Yes. But it is ultimately up to mom and dad, not the weekly tutor, to determine how much or little the student delves into the subject matter. CC is totally parent-driven.

Soaking in the knowledge

Another cool thing is that Houston and I are learning together. Obviously, for this old atrophied brain, some of the rote material is even challenging for me to memorize. Yet because I often struggle right alongside him, Houston sees that learning is sometimes difficult, but is also so rewarding once you attain the knowledge.

Moreover, he sees that we can get creative when we’re in a bind, coming up with our own silly tricks or mnemonic devices to help us learn the material. It’s fun and it works. Whatever it takes to “train the brain to retain,” as CC founder Leigh Bortins describes it.

Sure, there has been some sighing and eye-rolling over the course of our short school year. But so far, Houston is loving the structured learning process, especially all the CC timeline stuff, which includes history recitation through song and hand motions.

Time management

The night before each school day, I try to create a loose lesson plan. This is when I hop on the Mac to find any appropriate printables, videos, maps or ideas that would compliment the materials. I also look for neat worksheets and/or easy crafts for Gabriel and Zeke to do to occupy their time in a constructive way.

Old pals (literally): Ashley & I strike a pose on the beach in south Nags Head.

They’re always invited to do the phonics and even sometimes the math (especially when we’re using the teddy-bear counters or the pattern blocks) if they show an interest. But if they’re disruptive or don’t follow directions, one or both has to leave the lesson with no reentry allowed.

Houston and I spend extra time on the drills that are more demanding and less time on the easier ones. If we happen to run out of time, we try pick up with the left-out material the following day. So far, this organic approach is working well.

I’m also trying to take it easy as far as the academic extras go. See, homeschoolers are some of the most creative and motivated people around, and they’re always coming up with additional ways to flush out the studies or even tacking on new curriculum to the already-existing subjects.

More power to ’em, if they can handle it. But I want to avoid the “activity addiction” that so often consumes our culture and stay focused on the task at hand: to know God and make Him known through understanding His truth, beauty and goodness.

“Properly speaking, there is no such thing as education. Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another.” — G.K. Chesteron

Hence, I want schooling to be a joyous things for the entire family. And if making the effort to avoid over-scheduling the calendar or jam-packing the curriculum is what helps meet this end, I know I won’t be errant in providing a good education for the kids.

As our friend, Max explains, if I’m doing “one percent above zero,” I’m still beating the efforts of most government-run schools. As the dad of three homeschooled kids, he’s biased, but his sentiment is instructive in keeping me focused.

The sandiness of the sand perturbs grumpy-boy Zeke.

Moreover, I’m spending WAY more than two hours a day — the purported amount of time kindergarten takes, according to some veteran homeschoolers in my CC community — on all curriculum combined. Sure, much of that is due to late starts, interruptions, disciplining, food prep, mealtimes, cleanup, etc.

But I’m hoping this will take care of itself as we get more into the groove and become more streamlined and efficient with our homeschooling style, structure and daily rituals. My practicing better prioritization of to dos will also aid in this hopefully natural evolution.

The proverbial curve ball

And then again, some days just don’t go as planned. Like last Thursday …

I woke up with a migraine. As I struggled to even read words on a page, Gabriel puked all over the living room. I sequestered him to the tub so I could clean up, when all of a sudden, Houston went diarrhea in his undies.

How could this be? These things weren’t  on my schedule!

Luckily, Zeke was not sick and not as much of a troublemaker as he had been in recent weeks. Once my migraine morphed into a tolerable headache, Zeke and I did laundry, and Houston and I were able to complete the math and phonics.

“Okay, we can pull this day together after all,” I said confidently. Then I heard the bathroom sink running and thought, “Who the heck left that on?” Turns out, I did.

Fortunately, Zeke likes the OBX surf more than he does the sand, as does Houston.

When I was filling up the sink to hand-wash a shirt, I stepped away for what I thought would be a moment. Of course, mommies constantly get side-tracked, so I was gone for a good five minutes before I realized my error and discovered the flooded bathroom.

Fortunately, I had a ton of dirty clothes right there in a hamper and was able to quickly sop it up. Plus, our bathroom is apparently a bit uneven, so the brunt of the water was up against and around the toilet, the tub and one wall, never making its way to the laminate in the bedroom or down the air-duct register.

I checked the crawlspace and the water doesn’t seem to have leaked under the house, so I think we’re okay on the possible major-water-damage front. Thank God for stinky laundry and shoddy homebuilders!

Speaking of stinky, sickness stinks!

Gabriel and Houston’s illness lasted a few days, but the puking and diarrhea have subsided, and both boys finally ate some food today. Not quite sure what it was that they had, but I think they’ll be in tip top shape by tomorrow. And we’re blessed that Zeke, Daddy and I were spared the ravages of the sickness.

A steep learning curve down the toilet

In other words, what we finally accomplished for the clan: two more potty-trained boys!

In fact, Zeke has been wearing undies to bed ever since 9/5 and has yet to have a nighttime accident, and Gabriel is wearing undies to bed for the first time tonight.

Gabriel thinks the ocean (i.e. the “rough beach”) isn’t much fun at all; luckily, he is entertained by the giant sand hole Cousin Kara dug.

Gabriel was slower in his big-boy maturation, having to do naked training and pull-ups on outings and at night for a bit longer than Zeke, but I do believe both twins have surpassed the major milestone once and for all. Hallelujah!

To reward the twins, Daddy and I ordered new Spider-Man bikes for them yesterday. Since he was potty trained first, Zeke got to pick his color; he chose the comic-book-looking white bike and Gabe will get the more movie-esque black bike. Yay!

The mastery of enjoyment

Luckily, there is no learning curve for fun and we’ve been having a great deal of it lately.

  • Houston has had two t-ball games. He loves going to practices with Daddy and putting on a good show when the family comes to see him play. Houston is quite good and quite ready to move on to pitch ball in the spring.
  • Last weekend, we hosted a “Welcome Home, Rorie” baby shower for Uncle Greg, Auntie Merdy and their sweet girl. The outdoor party got rained out half way through, but it did give us an opportunity to see some friendly faces of yore.
  • Every week after CC class concludes, there is a park gathering with all the other Foundations families. It’s a good post-studying release for the young ones and a good occasion for all the moms to relax and socialize.
  • Christie and I hope to do a bi-monthly park outing, where one of us will do CC memory work with Houston and Asher — Big Hashy, as the twins lovingly refer to them — while the other tends to siblings. We has such an outing this week and it was a nice diversion from schooling at-home.
  • Stephen and I attended a fundraiser banquet for my favorite local charity, the life-affirming Greensboro Pregnancy Care Center. I hope to one day soon volunteer at GPCC. I’ve already turned in my application and done the in-person interview to be a peer advocate, so I pray that God will enable me to carve out the time to do something I truly believe is a calling.
  • I forgot to mention in the last blog that Stephen and I also started a new Sunday school class on Promotion Day at church. We’re now attending Grace Under Fire (GUF). It’s a good fit for us, with mostly older parents who aren’t planning on growing their families. And it just so happens to include tons of homeschoolers and charter school parents to boot.
  • I just finished another storybook with the boys: Shiloh, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. It is an incredible read and the first in a trilogy. We’re now getting deep into the second of the series, Shiloh Season. Thanks, Aunt Lisa, for sharing your sizable children’s book collection with our family … we’re putting it to good use!