October 4, 2010

Happy Birthday, Danielle!

Up at 8:00 a.m. today, although I'd been waking up and going back to sleep all morning - it's got to be the liquid Vicodin I've been taking for my back.  Gives me weird dreams and not quite consistent sleep.  Harry came to the side of the bed telling me, "Daddy go to wok."  I got up to find both Harry and Olivia up - Olivia outside with the cats, her usual place in the morning.  Reminded her to feed them.  Started breakfast, listening for Eve.  No sound from her room, so I went about making toast and oatmeal for the kids.  Joe called during his morning break/walk and we talked awhile.  Still no Evie.  At almost 10:00 a.m. I hear Eve stirring.  Her room is really dark since Joe hung up the blackout curtains.  They may be bright pink, but they definitely keep the light out.  It's also overcast today - starting to cool down finally and rain is predicted this week.  Thank goodness - this 90+ degree heat at the end of September was atrocious.  Eve is up but whimpering and very hot.  Take her temp to find it is about 102.  Harry was feverish yesterday but seems fine today.  Carissa said there was scarlet fever going around and to check for a rash.  I don't see anything - but Eve is definitely not feeling well.  She cries a bit when I pick her up, which means she must be achy and sore.  Got Olivia ready and to school at 11:30.  Back home and getting invitations addressed for Eve's party on the 30th.  Decided not to invite everyone we know - we want to keep it relatively small and intimate, which is nearly impossible given the size of our families.

Eve down for nap again at 1:00 and still sleeping when I started dinner at 4:45.  She is obviously not feeling well...poor baby.  I hate for my kids to be sick.  Harry engrossed in his Nick Jr. computer games - he is spending way too much time on the computer.  He needs preschool badly!  Olivia working on her usual daily artwork.  Today she painted, cut, stamped and glued hearts.  She has made quite a gallery over the desk in their bedroom.  Seriously thinking about buying her an art center to keep all her supplies and also have a place to work.  Today she chose to work outside at the little table.  She really is an amazing artist and the fact that she spends several hours a day painting, coloring, drawing, markering...it's obviously something she got from her dad.  She loves art and she has a gift.  I need to find a way to save her work - i need to buy some big binders and sheet protecters to put her favorites.  Right now she is working on flowers, people, houses, suns with eyebrows, and lots of color! 

We are planning a trip to Sacramento this weekend to see Danielle and Danny for their birthdays.  Think we're going to squeeze Mom and Steve's birthdays in there as well...should be fun.  Haven't gone up there since Danielle's wedding in March.  It's a bit of a trek to get all the kids up there.  I always stress about where we'll all sleep and eat and dress and all of that.  But this time Julie and Jeff are getting a hotel room so we can stay with Danny and Stacy.

Dinner of tacos - made these with leftover steak - yummy.  Showers and storytime - Harry won't let me leave the room without reading at least two, usually three, books.  Everyone in bed by 8:15 except Eve.  Dad went out to get her chewable Tylenol and that did the trick!  She thinks it's yummy and won't spit it out - woo hoo!  Finally got her down around 9:00 p.m.  Watched a little TV and worked on paperwork.  Getting late now...to bed.  Looking forward to tomorrow's predicted rain!

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August: Back to School and Birthday Boys!

Kindergarten!

 On Thursday, August 19, 2010, Olivia started kindergarten at Conyer Elementary School.  It was a big day.  She had a new outfit she had chosen herself at Target, and a new purply-blue backpack featuring Tiana from Princess and the Frog.  She was excited - couldn't wait to go - and kept asking when we were leaving.  She is in afternoon preschool, so she doesn't actually start until 11:30.  Joe took an early lunch and we all went to see her off - Harry and Eve too.  We met her teacher, Mrs. Franz, who seemed very bright and animated like most kindergarten teachers I've met.  Olivia found her name tag, put it on, and rushed out to the playground to say hello.  No fear, no worry - just ready to be there.  She is an old pro though - with almost 3 years of preschool under her belt, this was really not a different world for her.  I saw other kids looking a little worried at the idea of staying there without mom and dad, but Olivia just waved us off.  It's always surreal for me there at Conyer, and Olivia is in the very same room where Lily went to kindergarten and where I did some work-experience student teaching back at COS.  We managed to get a few pictures before we left.  All in all, I'd have to say it was satisfying but fairly anti-climactic.

Our Kindergarten STAR!

 Olivia at 5

Olivia is just an amazing kid - very smart, very independent.  I love that she is artistic - just like her dad - and can't seem to get enough painting, coloring, and drawing.  She paints or draws a new picture everyday, sometimes several.  There have been nights when she begged to stay up just long enough to paint one more picture.  And she's good!  Of course I am a bit biased, but her artwork is the sweetest, most colorful, well thought out stuff I've seen a five year old do.  She took art classes through Arts Visalia over the summer and really enjoyed it.  They had an art show early in August featuring the kids' work.  That was a fun night.  After the art show, we all went out to eat - my mom and Steve, Julie and Jeff, Joe and I and all our kids.  It was crazy and noisy, but nice too.  We just don't get to do that much anymore....  But back to the artwork - there is just so much of it, I don't know what to do with it all! I can't seem to bear throwing any of it out.  I have started a folder and it just keeps piling up in there, but that is not a permanent solution.  Gotta think of something else...

Yet another art project...

Funny Girl

 Olivia is funny too.  Her sense of humor is way beyond her physical age.  She laughs at things other kids don't and loves to make jokes.  She cracks herself up and laughs hysterically at her own little jokes or at other people's crude humor.  Bodily humor jokes, which usually appeal to boys, send her through the roof.  She understands a lot of adult humor too - or appears too.  Joe and I often get to laughing out loud at her antics.  I read her some jokes the other day - Laffy Taffy style - and she was literally slapping her knee.  She is just our silly girl (which is what we like to call her) and she makes us laugh all the time.  She is also a bit sneaky.  She likes to "sneak" things into her room - the cat, forbidden food, my jewelry, Lily's makeup - she just can't seem to keep her hands off things.  It gets her into trouble because she's not quite as good as it as she thinks.  We catch her a lot with her hands behind her back.  Not sure why she feels the need to snag and stash other people's stuff, but I hope it's just a phase!

I think kindergarten will agree with Olivia; if anything, she might be bored.  She came home this week telling me how they were talking about colors (she's known colors for years now) and the letter A (seriously?).  I realize some kids have had no preschool or parent-teaching, but Olivia is ready to read.  She can already read simple words, so it's just a matter of putting things together and she'll be reading sentences and then paragraphs - probably by Christmas.  I've heard VUSD has charter schools that offer a more challenging, fun and enriching curriculum - but I would have to be sure that it isn't part-time home schooling.  Not that I couldn't do that, but it would be hard with Harry and Eve at home, not to mention my online teaching job that starts in October.  Besides, Olivia needs and wants to be with other kids and in a new environment.  It's her chance to get away for awhile and see new faces - it's a good thing.

Lily is a PIONEER!

On the same day, Lily began her high school journey at Mt. Whitney - my (and Joe's) Alma Mater.  Joe took her in on the first day but didn't stay long.  She got her schedule and a map and was on her way.  I couldn't wait for her to get home to find out what classes she had.  Of course, she didn't seem as excited as I was - already had complaints about some of her teachers.  She isn't in Women's Glee, which was a bummer, but she is taking French.  She has two math classes - they now have math "intervention" for students who struggle.  She tried out for the volleyball team late - apparently they have tryouts over the summer, which we didn't know about.  She didn't make the team and came home quite dejected.  The coach (also her Health teacher - isn't that always the case?) told her she wasn't ready.  I told her to audition for Bye, Bye Birdie - the first musical Mt. Whitney has EVER done.  It took some convincing.  I know how much she loves musicals and would love to be in it, but she has developed this "fear bug" suddenly.  Lily was never afraid of anything as a child, but as a teenager, she is worried she will look stupid or uncool and people will make fun of her.  Typical teenage stuff.  But after coming home very late from the Boys and Girls Club twice last week, we had a long sit-down chat with her on Back to School night about getting involved in school and making good choices.  I think (pray) we are on the right track.  Parenting a teenager is a new, crazy, stressful, and sometimes horrendous world for both Joe and me. But once Lily found out there is a Poetry Club on campus and a possibility of taking pictures for the newspaper, she perked up.  Musical auditions are next week and I'm hoping she will be in it and love every minute of it.  Can musical theater change your life?  I believe it can.  Last night was the Icebreaker Dance and I couldn't help remembering my first Icebreaker all those years ago - I met a boy named Ron and kissed him in a dark corner of the gym - and for more than just a minute.  I didn't tell Lily that of course, but it didn't matter.  She went with her girlfriends and they danced so long and so hard that she crashed out less than a hour after coming home.  Deep breath...sigh of relief.  I'm praying we have a smooth freshman year.

My freshman and my kindergartener

Harry and Levi's Birthday 

We celebrated Harry's 4th and Levi's 1st birthdays on Saturday, August 28.  Had a big party in the backyard with a bounce house.  It was supposed to be a waterslide, but when we found out the weather was going to be so cool (only 72 degrees at noon) we opted for a dry slide/bounce house combo.  The kids loved it.  They bounced most of the day away.  A few injuries occurred - bumps, bruises, pokes - but none of the kids really minded.  Overall, a great day.  We had a HUGE turnout - lots of friends and family and a TON of kids!  We have never had that many little kids in our backyard before - I think we counted 20 of the little boogers.  Carissa and I just barely had enough food for everyone - Colleen had to run out for more hot dog buns at one point. But everyone seemed to have a great time and the weather was beautiful.  After most of the guests had gone, Carissa, Mike, Joe, and I sat down to open the boys' gifts.  Lots of boy toys - trucks, hot wheels, Lego's, dinosaurs, books, and some cool new shoes and jackets for the fall.  The remaining kids - mostly ours - bounced out their last hour before the truck came to haul the massive thing away.  Harry was distraught and cried when they started packing it up.  It was sad.  I distracted him by taking a bunch of photos with his balloons - Harry loves having his picture taken.  He had been a bit under the weather earlier in the week, but as usual, pulled out of it without much trouble.  He gets fevers but never really gets sick.  Unfortunately, Eve picked up the bug and she woke up in the afternoon feeling hot to the touch. Slept a lot and then, of course, puked twice in the evening.  Once on me and once on Dad (and the recliner), so we both got to experience it!  Thank God we bought that carpet cleaner with the upholstery attachment!  Eve finally settled down to sleep for the night around 7:00 p.m. still feeling feverish.  It's awful to see my sweet little girl feeling so bad and shivering with fever.  Nothing worse than stomach sick either.  The other kids passed out early - they were completely worn out from the busy day and all that bouncing.  It was fun and, despite the chaos, the planning, and the worry, I loved having everyone here.  I really think I stress too much about these parties and really, they always turn out fine.  I'm getting better at letting little things go - the house doesn't have to be perfect - and just enjoying the day.  Honestly, I am loving spending time with the kids more and more.  I hope my new online teaching job will allow me luxury of even more time with them.  Can you say a day trip to the zoo??

The GIANT Bounce House/Slide Combo

Big Boy

Cabin Trip 2010

The Rachal Hikers

Hikes and Dirt

We spent the last two weekends in July at the cabin in Wilsonia.  Beautiful weather - especially this last weekend.  Cool enough to walk without sweating.  This was Eve's first trip to the cabin, and she seemed to love being in the great outdoors.  The first weekend we took the kids on a hike down to Big Stump via South Boundary trail.  Harry and Olivia hoofed it and Evie rode in the carrier on Dad.  Would've been fine if we hadn't chosen to do the loop.  Kids got pretty tired at the end, although Olivia is quite a trooper and didn't complain much.  Harry, on the other hand, had to be piggy-backed most of the way up.  He drags his feet, shuffles along, and whines a lot.  Not quite the hiker yet.  Lily was spending the weekend with a friend, but she joined us this last weekend and we took a hike from the cabin through the campground and to the picnic area for lunch.  Came back up through headquarters and got ice cream - always fun.  Lots of people there - everyone trying to get in one more weekend before school starts.

 

Bathroom Blues

We've had bathroom issues at the cabin - a new shower was supposed to go in almost two years ago now.  The guy we had hired was less than efficient.  Took way too long and put in a shower way too big.  When we arrived, he was still working in the bathroom and there were large holes in the wall between the kitchen and the bathroom - never a good sign.  The old shower and the scrap metal and sheet rock was thrown out on the back deck, which I knew Gramma would not like.  To top it off, the new shower was so large, there was hardly any room between it and the toilet.  One side was exposed fiberglass, so I knew this was not the right shower - it was meant for a "pocket," which we don't have in that little bathroom.  After sharing the information with my uncle and grandparents, the work was stopped and we now have Mitch (the guy who built the back deck) working on the bathroom.  Hopefully it will be finished by Labor Day.  A new corner shower has been custom ordered for the space.

Mom & Eve practicing the wave

 Critters

A masked visitor

 On our first weekend up, we saw deer in the meadow behind the cabin.  Not unusual, but always lovely to see.  The second weekend, we had a visitor of the masked variety - a raccoon.  He came up on the back porch to eat the birdseed Olivia had put out for the birds and chipmunks.  He was scooping it up in his little hands and didn't seem the least bit worried we were watching him through the back door.  We shooed him away only to have him come right back up to the door and peer in as if to say, "Hey - anybody home?"  Very brave indeed.  Kind of cute too, but I know what pests raccoons can be.  Realized the original handyman hadn't bothered to put the boards back in place where he had crawled under the cabin, so the raccoon was hiding out there.

Magical

 We are so blessed to have the cabin and that beautiful spot in the mountains.  The kids are so excited to go up - just like I was as a kid.  Olivia loves to put out birdseed and wait for "chickmunks."  She and Harry spent a lot of time exploring out back and collecting pine cones with Dad.  They also love sleeping up in the loft - a special little room for kids.  Harry had one small tumble down the stairs, but he was okay.  Besides, he has so many bruises skinned up knees from our walks, we can't tell which are old and which are new.  He plays hard, just like all little boys in the mountains.  We had fun playing the "matching" game on the back deck or watching Olivia color yet another picture. It's funny, but the kids seem to get along better up there too.  There was less fighting and bickering, and more playing and laughing.  I think it truly is a magical place.

Big Brother

Harry bringing up the rear

Recap of 2009: Quite possibly the worst year EVER

It's now 2010 and I realize it's been a year since I've blogged. Never mind that 2009 has been an atrocious year save for the birth of our beautiful little Eve.  Here's a a quick recap:


And baby makes 4:
Found out we were pregnant in February 2009 - a big shock, Joe lost his job in May, then in August, we were told we had 60 days to move because our landlady was going into foreclosure.  The budget crisis temporarily took away our Healthy Families insurance for the kids, so for awhile, we had no insurance for them and ran up quite a bill at the medical clinic.  I began teaching as many hours as possible to keep up with bills and fill in for Joe's lack of income.  Being hugely pregnant made it a challenge, but I got through it okay - in fact, I kept begging to go full-time, but knew my boss wouldn't have it while I was pregnant.  Complete discrimination, of course, but par for the course there.  My income doesn't come close to Joe's anyway.

Moving:
Then we moved - another horrible experience.  We found an older 4-bedroom home close to my mom's - not the greatest place in terms of upkeep - the landlady is sentimental but broke - but it was available and we were desperate.  We moved less than one month before Eve was born.  A difficult experience moving at 9 months pregnant.  But we did it.  Lost our entire deposit to the management company at the old house who decided to use our money to recarpet that crappy house so the desperate owner could sell it.  Not fair, pretty sure it's not legal either, and completely despicable behavior from people we go to church with.  Add it to the pile of crap we were handed.


All Hallow's "Eve":
After Eve arrived on Halloween morning, I just sort of withdrew into that special mom-baby place where I could cuddle and sleep and nurse and feel like everything else in the world was just unimportant for awhile.  It was wonderful.  Stayed in our comfy chair for days on end, or so it seemed, while friends brought us food and family came to visit.  Eve is beautiful (I mean, really beautiful) and sweet and easy.  Thank you, Lord.  We couldn't have survived cranky.  Our nerves are shot and our stress level the highest it could be.  Our hopes of buying our own home were dashed with Joe's layoff, and renting a house in which we found more troubles than we bargained (toilet and shower overflowed in the first two weeks of living here) has been depressing to say the least.  The holidays were lean but the kids never noticed.  We put up the tree and decorated around our mess of moving boxes.  It was lovely.


Back to work (well, one of us anyway):
Went back to work in late January to find that I still could not get on full-time.  Had an angry meeting with my boss (and his boss) to argue my point and was told there was nothing available right now.  Lies.  They had already hired someone while I was on maternity leave and now couldn't justify hiring me.  I went back to work and Joe stayed home with the kids - settling into his house husband role very well.  The kids love having him home and he manages to keep them occupied and get dinner ready everyday.  I spend most of my time taking care of Eve and resting between classes.  We are almost out of savings now and the unemployment has also been affected by the economic downturn.  So many people on unemployment, Joe's checks keep getting screwed up.  Sometimes they come, sometimes they don't, sometimes he has to fill out more paperwork, sometimes he has to go down to the EDD office.  My grandparents helped us out, which was a blessing, but it is all going into savings for the "just in case" times.  Just in case Joe doesn't get a job, just in case we can't pay the rent, just in case one of the kids ends up in the hospital with a 104 fever or a broken bone or worse.  Joe has applied for everything under the sun - no one is hiring, and those who are, aren't willing to pay him.  He has too much school, too much experience, and the only job he's been offered is less money than his unemployment.  Combine that with the  cost of childcare and wow...we'll never make it.  Eventually I will get a full time job at school because I won't give up until I do.  I will drive my boss crazy if I have to.


April showers bring a New Job!
Joe finds a job - ohmigosh, praise the Lord - after almost a year of unemployment!  An industrial company that makes window screens and security doors just happens to be based in Visalia and also happens to need a graphic designer in-house.  They have always outsourced their design work.  Now they are looking to expand to the public and need a face.  Enter Joe: the new face of marketing and design.  He is a one man art department now and he loves it.  Much more relaxed than advertising.  Pay is good - a little more than he was making at Lockwood, and the hours are nice 8-4:30.  I gotta go back to working part-time nights now - and after all that pleading - oh, well.  Joe and I switch roles again - I am home with kids and teaching at night, he works days and will teach at COS in the fall.  His new job offers flexibility - wonderful.  We were able to take a day off to go to Lily's 8th grade promotion, and another day to take the kids on a long weekend to the cabin. Life is feeling better.

Still...

We want to buy a house, we want the kids to have their own place to grow up - not someone else's place.  I realize they don't care, but we do.  Eve is now crawling, Olivia will start kindergarten soon, and Lily enters high school.  It's going too fast... can't slow it down.... and always feel like there is never enough time to enjoy it all.

Harry and the Cat

Home today with my little man and a bad case of strep throat. I'd been feeling good and then this hit me on Monday morning. Harry decided to sleep a little later today, which was nice, and I rested. I'm watching him play in the backyard now with the newest addition to the family - a black and white "tuxedo" kitty who has taken up residence here. He's a sweet cat - might have once been someone's pet because he's very friendly. He lets Harry and Olivia pick him up, chase him around, and even allows Harry to "pet" him - which means Harry smacking him on the back. Now the cat is lying in the grass and Harry is sitting next to him - almost on top of him - and petting his tail. It's kinda sweet. Maybe this cat will help Harry learn to be more gentle - if that's possible. I'm learning quickly that boys don't really understand that word - especially when they're two and a half. the cat doesn't run - just hangs with Harry, which is more than I can say for Priss. She's not crazy about the kids, but then again, she's a mama kitty who rules the roost. She's also not too keen on this new cat, but he doesn't seem to care. Her hissing hasn't deterred him. He's younger than she is and not fixed - something we'll have to do very soon if he's going to stay.

The sun is shining today after a few much needed days of rain. I like the rain and I'm always sorry to see it go. But it's nice that Harry can play outside this morning. I am waiting for my antibiotics to kick in and make me feel better - or at least make me feel like doing something. I'm sitting here typing because I can't bring myself to get up and do the dishes. I'm too tired. But I have to teach tonight, so I need to at least get myself psyched up for that. Luckily it's just one class. We are supposed to go to the coast this weekend too - spend some time in Cambria with the kids. The weather doesn't look very nice though - clouds on Saturday and rain on Sunday. Not exactly beach weather.

Harry has just come in and he's filthy. Looks like he sat in some mud. His new haircut makes him look like a little boy now rather than a baby. He looked up at me and said "Hi!" when he walked in. He can be so darn cute. Then he turns back into the wild animals and starts chasing Priss with one of the dryer balls. She's desperately looking for a place to hide. Time to step in.

An update

We went to the clinic early on Friday and Harry has a bad ear infection - as I suspected. I also have an ear infection on top of a sinus infection and a bronchial thing that has caused me partial laryngitis. That sounds bad, but honestly, the worst part is my plugged ears. My hearing is actually decreased by about 50% because of all the fluid build-up in my ears. The doc says it won't go away for at least 3-4 days. In the meantime, Harry and I are suffering through together, and last night was particularly bad. He was up at 3:30 crying in pain and it took an hour (and Ibuprofen) to calm him down. I'm just waiting for those antibiotics to kick in and heal us! Harry is not in the best mood - crying a lot and not eating much - typical sick kid behavior. I'm just trying to deal with the hearing loss. It sounds as if I am underwater and everything is just muffled. I can't hear the phone, the timer on the oven, or a lot of what Joe says to me. He thinks that's funny, of course. I felt like one of my ears was clearing up last night, but then it was completely plugged when I woke up today. Joe took the girls to Nana's this morning to make gingerbread houses and I stayed with Harry while he slept. I have so much to do around the house and not much energy. I want to get the tree decorated, the laundry done, and get the house somewhat in order. I had planned on Joe helping me while the kids napped today, but he is gone to Mike Yates' house to teach him how to play Axis and Allies - another geek recruit.

The Big Thanksgiving Feast at Gramma's

What a day. Our crazy Thanksgiving dinner was a lot of fun and a bit odd at the same time. It was a mixture of old and new - nostalgic and forging new ground. It was just funky enough that it would have made a great holiday movie. Both my parents were there: Dad and Karin, Mom and Steve (who did the cooking), and all the kids and their significant others including Danielle and Alan, Sarah and Rocky, and even CK and Ryan, who made a late appearance. The most interesting addition to the group was Taylor - our poor displaced cousin. He had nowhere to go this Thanksgiving with his dad and mom both miles away, so he came and stayed with Mom. It was great to see him and hear all about UCLA dental school. He's all grown up now, but still the same old Taylor - making friends wherever he goes and never at a loss for words. The adults ate at Gramma's big dining room table where we used to sit years ago when I was a kid. I can barely remember the last time we ate in there, but it was probably just after my parents split up when I was 11 or 12. After the feast, everyone had a chance to say what they were thankful for this year. Most of us teared up, and Nonnie was mentioned several times. By the end, there wasn't a dry eye in the room. I think only Karin was a bit confused about the purpose of the toast, and said some odd things about my dad's libido - I'm still trying to work that one out. Grandad also seemed confused, but in a much different way. He was fine early on, but then didn't seem to know what was going on later in the evening. The little kids especially seemed to befuddle him. I watched him following them around, picking up after them, and asking who they were. Mom thinks the whole event might have been too much for him. It just makes me sad. I hope we can do it again next year, but I won't hold my breath. Even with the sometimes strange moments, our Thanksgiving was definitely one to remember. With everyone together at the same time, it was truly a wonderful sight and an amazing accomplishment.

Happy Thanksgiving?

Well, today was officially Thanksgiving although not really. Our family celebration is not until tomorrow afternoon out at Gramma and Grandad's, which is something we are definitely looking forward to. The day started out okay. I was still feeling bad, so I slept in. Joe was up with Olivia just after 7:00 and then went out to get donuts for everyone. I woke up and realized Harry was still asleep too - a bit late for him. That should have been the first sign. I did my usual hacking and coughing until I could breathe normally, but now I had a new symptom: my ears were plugged. No matter what I did, I couldn't unplug them. We had breakfast and I started cleaning up while Joe and Lily went to the Rescue Mission to serve food during one of the many Thanksgiving shifts. I managed to get some laundry done, clean up the kitchen, and get the kids some lunch by the time Joe got back from dropping Lily off at her grandparents. I felt all right, just still completely plugged. Everything sounded strange - like I was inside a barrel - and I could hear myself chewing inside my head, which sounds particularly unpleasant. The kids went down for naps and Joe and I started cleaning the living room in preparation for Christmas decorating. We specifically tried to clean the rug - which is a color far too light for any sane person with children to choose for their home. It's supposed to be an off-white with brown flecks, but in places where it's walked on, it just looks dark and gray. It will have to be professionally cleaned to ever look decent again. Just about the time Joe brought in the tree, Olivia woke up. She was so excited to see the tree - "It's Christmas?" she asked excitedly, her eyes lighting up. "It's Christmas!" she cheered, jumping around the living room. Harry was a bit groggy when he woke up but seemed okay. My ears continued to stay plugged and my hearing was decreasing quite a bit. At one point, Joe told me the phone was ringing but I swear I could NOT hear it. I made dinner while Joe worked on a string of lights on the tree that was burned out, but my ears were bothering me more and more. We ate dinner and I began to feel lethargic. "I'm not feeling good," I told Joe. I looked over at Harry, who hadn't touched his food, and realized he was pulling at his ear. That was the second sign. Joe's brother Jeff called shortly after dinner and that's when Harry started crying. I went to get him out of the high chair and realized he was burning up. I took him into the cool shower with me and he just laid his head against me and whimpered. Joe took his temperature afterward and it was 104 degrees - sign number threel! There's no doubt he has an ear infection, which strangely enough, is probably my problem too. We gave him a dose of Ibuprofen and dressed him lightly. Olivia, sensing what was going on, told us: "I need to give Harry a hug," and she did, whether he wanted it or not. "Poor Harry," she lamented.

So now we have to decide whether to go to the ER or wait it out until morning and go to Urgent Care. I can only imagine how many people wind up in the ER on Thanksgiving. I don't think I can subject Harry, or myself, to a crowd right now. Harry seems to have calmed down since his Ibuprofen and is getting sleepy. We will be heading to Urgent Care as soon as it opens tomorrow morning and hopefully still make it for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow afternoon. To be continued...

Daily blogging is good for the soul

It's so easy to forget the day to day little things that make life with kids such a joy. Especially for me - someone who forgets EVERYTHING! What did I eat for breakfast today? Ummm...not sure, maybe a muffin? Forget what I did a month ago - or even a week ago! It just escapes me like the metaphorical sand through my fingers. So in an effort to remember more clearly, I'm going to trying to start daily blogging (fingers crossed). That means my blog posts will probably be full of mundane, routine stuff that goes from day to day in the Rachal household. But better a little dull than nothing at all, right? I watch my kids grow and suddenly can't remember them being younger than they are today. Where did the time go? I ask myself. I see pictures of Olivia and Harry as babies and can't remember the way they felt in my arms when they were so small. And forget trying to remember Lily as a baby...that's ancient history! I think Nonnie's passing has also made me want to remember more. It's made me realize how precious the moments are - as cliche as that sounds. But when I think of Nonnie, I remember moments..small things that left an impression on my mind and in my heart. I don't know if writing down the daily events of our lives will help, but it certainly can't hurt. I am a teacher of writing who encourages her students to keep journals to write down their thoughts and spread their feelings thickly across the page - like peanut butter on a blank piece of bread. I remind them how important it is to think on paper - to let go of things by writing them down, hash things out, celebrate life. So if nothing else, I need to practice what I preach.

Sick Day

Today is Monday...a good day to start. Unfortunately, on this particular Monday, I am sick. I have contracted some viral thing that started out as a sore throat and ended up in my chest. Now my head and lungs are congested and I feel like a dull, throbbing version of myself. I took Joe's prescription cough syrup an hour ago and it's beginning to kick in. The edges of things are getting fuzzy and I won't be able to type much longer.

I slept in because I was feeling cruddy, but got up and fed Harry breakfast before falling asleep on the couch again. He was watching PBS and eating his muffin and drinking his milk, so he was happy. I shudder to think how many episodes of Curious George and Clifford he's watched this past year. The muffin, by the way, is a low-fat version of a banana chocolate chip muffin. I found a great cookbook called "Mom's Makeovers" that takes yummy, high-fat, high calorie, recipes we all love and makes them healthier. These muffins have no butter, only a little canola oil, and are made with whole wheat flour. The chocolate chips, I tell those who look at me skeptically, are there for the antioxidants!

When I woke up, I took Harry into the shower with me and tried to wake up a little. I kept coughing up the most disgusting stuff - Good, I thought, get out of there! The worst part is my voice - once the cold goes to my chest, I start to sound like a chain-smoking Demi Moore. Usually I pick up Olivia from ChristKids around 1:00, but Joe was sweet and picked her up for me and we had some soup for lunch. Olivia is so sweet and concerned when anyone is sick. She's already a nurturer. Daddy told her I was sick on their way home, so she came up to me and looked at me sympathetically with those big brown eyes and said, "You not feeling good, mommy?" I shook my head and she began touching my face and feeling my ears, the way I do when I check her for a fever. "You feel hot." she tells me seriously. The kids took naps and I laid down again for a little while, but my coughing kept waking me up. Lily came home at 4:30 - late again. I was getting ready for work and the kids were awake, so it was crunch time. I was out the door to teach at 5:00.

Talk,Talk

Watching Harry play on the floor today, I listened carefully to his babbling. He is now 2 years and 3 months old, and although he babbles a lot, he says very few decipherable words. "Tra" is truck - one of his favorite things, "Choo-choo" for train, "Kee" is kitty, "Joo" is juice. Basic everyday words with the endings left off. He also leaves the beginning sounds of some words off like "No," which comes out as "Oh" while he's shaking his head. But then he also says some phrases like "Where'd he go?" and "Gonna get you!" which sound very clear to me. I have been worried for awhile that he is speech delayed even though Dr. Nagatani says he's fine. I read more child-related articles than I should, and most of them state that Harry should have a much larger vocabulary by now. But I try not to worry about it. We read to him, talk to him all the time - I'm not sure what else we could be doing to further his speech development. Olivia was talking up a storm at this same age, but of course, she's a girl and I know that girls are different. There's also the fact that Harry is techinically the "baby" of the family and the older kids can talk for him. I'm just going to keep working with him and see if he can continue to expand his vocabulary. I know he understands what I'm saying, which is a good thing. If I tell him to go get his cup, he does it. If I say we're going bye-bye, he runs to the front door.

The Little Gym

Harry is even beginning to follow some simple instructions, which is something that just happened at our new Monday morning class at The Little Gym. The first week we were there, Harry just ran around screaming and laughing like a lunatic - he was so excited to be in there with all that cool STUFF! He was so keyed up, I couldn't grab his attention. But we're supposed to encourage them to join the circle and clap, sing, walk together - things he just doesn't have time for. I'm always happily relieved when I see some other mom chasing her kid around the gym because he's not the least bit interested in structured "circle time." But last week, during our third class, Harry joined in the circle for awhile and clapped, ran with the other kids, and then stopped - putting his hand out wide - when the teacher shouted "Freeze!" I was shocked - he actually knew what he was supposed to do! And the teacher, Miss Audrey, was impressed - "Great job, Harry, wow!" she praised him. I found out that Miss Audrey has two girls and a boy too, so she gets it. "They're like wild animals," I told her, and she nodded in agreement. "Absolutely! My son seems so aggressive." Hearing that again reassured me that Harry is indeed a normal little boy - fearless and full of testosterone. As far as the speech thing goes, I'm sure it's just a matter of time before he's quoting lines from Cars and singing "Jingle Bells" at the top of his lungs and we wish he'd just be quiet.

Goodbye Nonnie

September 29: I started to write the following entry the day after we lost Nonnie. I needed to write it all down - maybe to remember or just simply to do something - the shock that follows an unexpected death can make you feel helpless and lost. I couldn't finish it, but I went back later - a few days after Nonnie's service - and filled in the details. I didn't want to remember, but I couldn't forget. It's too early to tell if it has helped because I still feel the loss every single day. The crying has subsided to occasionally, but the hole seems as if it is growing bigger. My dad says that hole will always be there. 

September 15: My whole world has just stopped. I feel numb, sick, heartbroken. Yesterday afternoon at 3:15, my grandmother, my Nonnie, passed away. She had suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke on the morning of September 13 while talking on the phone to her daughter, my Aunt Cindy, at her home in Canada. "I've got to go," she told Cindy, "I've got a pain behind my eye and it's pretty bad." She hung up the phone and when Cindy tried to call back, no one answered. Nonnie told my grandfather, Hal, to go and get her best friend Gerry who lived a few doors down. When Gerry arrived, Nonnie was vomiting and confused. Cindy called again and Gerry answered just as the ambulance arrived. Nonnie was taken to Kaweah Delta hospital. When she arrived, she was confused but still talking to the doctors. She knew her name and could respond to simple questions, but she couldn't remember exactly where she lived, her phone number, or her children's last names. They sedated her in order to get a CT scan, and that's how she was when I arrived - sedated and unresponsive. My mother was out of town and so was my sister, Julie. I was alone when the doctor came in to show me the CT scan. "This is very serious," he told me. Nonnie's brain showed a massive amount of blood collecting on one side - the same side where she'd suffered her first stroke. Her brain was being compressed. I felt my heart drop to my stomach. I called my brother Danny in Sacramento, where my sister Julie was also visiting, and told him the news. I tried to hold back my tears as I told him. I wished I had a cigarette even though I don't smoke. I knew how serious it was and I said the words that I had been thinking for the past 15 minutes. "I think this is it." I told Danny. A few hours later, after my mother had arrived, Nonnie was flown to Modesto Memorial Hospital in the hopes that she would see a neurosurgeon and he would provide more answers on her condition. I didn't drive up but waited for my mom to call with news. Later that evening, I was going crazy. I couldn't wait any longer and called the hospital. My mom said the neurosurgeon told them there was nothing he could do, which we had already figured. Nonnie was on a respirator and had never regained consciousness. My mother's only sibling, her sister Cindy, was in the air, making the trip from Eastern Canada to California. It was a lonely decision. My mother took Nonnie off the respirator. She was told it would possibly be an hour or so before Nonnie stopped breathing, if she breathed on her own at all. I didn't know what to do. I wanted to be with them, but mom said that Nonnie would be gone before I could get up to Modesto. I paced, I cried, I bit my fingernails, and finally went to bed that night only after taking Benadryl - knowing that the next morning, Nonnie would be gone. On Sunday morning, I tried to call my mom and my sister Julie, but there was no answer. I called Danny's number and my sister-in-law, Stacy, answered. "They're at the hospital," she told me, "and I'm getting ready to go too. There's no change." Amazingly, Nonnie was still breathing on her own 12 hours later. I had to go - I couldn't stand it one second longer. Joe and I scrambled to get people to watch the kids while we threw things in a bag. We didn't talk much the whole way up, not knowing what to expect. But when we arrived, Nonnie was still breathing. We greeted Mom, Steve, Danny and Stacy in the room, but I could hardly stand to look at Nonnie. She was so pale and still, her head to one side and her mouth open, her breathing somewhat labored. I kissed her cheek. Mom filled us in on the details, which weren't many. Nonnie was holding her own, but they assured her, it was just a matter of time. They decided to move Nonnie out of the ICU and into a private room to wait it out. Nonnie's friend Gerry came in and looked at Nonnie and said to my mom, "She looks different, Jana. She's paler." I looked at Gerry and she whispered to me, "She's not long for this world now." I didn't want to hear it - it even made me a little angry. But she was right. We began to clear out of the room so that they could move her. I was following my mom down the hall when I heard Steve say, "They're not moving her! She's stopped breathing." I grabbed my sister Julie out of the waiting area and we ran back to Nonnie's room. Her breathing had stopped. I grabbed Nonnie's hand and held it and we all began to cry. We couldn't stop the tears or the sobs - such immense sorrow washed over that little room. The nurse came in and told us that we would have to wait until her heart stopped. I held Nonnie's hand and squeezed her wrist until I could feel her pulse. It slowed steadily and after a minute or two, it stopped. "Oh, Nonnie..." I cried. Almost at that very moment, the hospital chaplain came silently into the room and put his hand on my mother. "Is she gone?" he asked. My mother nodded, "Just now." Then he held my mother's hand and put his other hand on Nonnie and said, "Let's pray her into heaven." I squeezed my eyes shut, knowing that this was exactly what Nonnie would have wanted - all of us praying. I looked at the clock and realized that it was 3:15 when she died - just an hour or so after I arrived. She waited for me, I thought. She waited until we were all here. Soon after, Julie and I rushed around trying to find Danny who had left the hospital to get something to eat. We met him as he and Stacy were coming back toward the ICU. I shook my head and Julie said, "She's gone." Danny covered his face with his hands and we all hugged each other. The four of us went back to the room so that he could say goodbye, and Danny began to sob. He hugged Nonnie and we all stayed with her awhile. By the time the paperwork was finished and they were ready to take her away, I knew in my heart that she was already gone. I looked back at her body there in the hospital bed and told my mom, "She's not here anymore." We cried a lot that day - sitting around a table outside the hospital - trying to decide what to do next. My mom was fairly calm, keeping it together for the rest of us like she always does. She and Steve still had to travel to San Francisco to pick up her sister. I was glad she was coming so soon - they were going to need each other. Joe and I drove back to Visalia, and I called other family members on the way to give them the news, including my Gramma Mary - my father's mother. "You're the only grandma I have now." I told her. She laughed and cried at the same time, "Oh, honey, I'm no substitute for Nonnie." That statement sums it up, I think. There is no substitute for Nonnie. There will always be this giant missing piece - this vital presence - gone from our lives. I still can't fathom that she's gone. I had just talked to her on the phone the night before, inviting her to a fashion-show party I was having at mom's the following Friday. Nonnie loved clothes, and I knew she would enjoy the party. "You're so stylish, Non." I told her that night. She laughed, "Oh, I don't know about that.." Which of course, she did - all of us girls in the family benefited from Nonnie's love of shopping and nice clothes. She often bought things in a size just a bit too large for her tiny frame and would say, "This just doesn't fit me, sweetheart, I want you to try it on." I wore lots of Nonnie clothes and was proud of it. I used to tell people I had just gone shopping in Nonnie's closet. "Go look at those old ladies living around you." I said to her that night. "Do any of them look like you?" She just laughed. "I am proud of the fact that my grandmother is so stylish." I told her. Nonnie was making beans and cornbread for dinner that night, getting the cornbread out of the oven as we talked. I never thought that would be the last time we would speak. I called her all the time, just like everyone else in our family. And she called us - just to check in on us, or to tell us how much she enjoyed our lunch together, or to find out how Harry's first day of preschool went, or how I was feeling after I'd been sick, or just to say "I'm thinking about you and I love you." Nonnie always called. She was always there. You could count on her and you never doubted that she loved you unconditionally. When you felt bad or down or worried, you could call Nonnie and be reassured. That kind of peace is so precious. No family party or special occasion was without Nonnie. She had been to my house earlier that week to visit with me. She had just come from getting her nails done and was on her way to Costco. She was always busy - always doing. She played with Harry and let him drink her iced tea, laughing at him. She loved the kids and they loved her. Joe cried at the restaurant on our way home that night saying, "It just makes me so sad that our kids won't get to know her...or how wonderful she was." That is up to us, I suppose. We have to tell our kids about our wonderful Nonnie. We are her legacy. I feel privileged to have had her in my life for so long. It just wasn't long enough. That is selfish, I know. I would never have wanted Nonnie to suffer through some horrendous illness or disease. But I wish we'd had her longer. Our family needed Nonnie - I needed her. I continue to see her in my mind and I often hear her voice. Nothing profound - just little moments - things she said, what she was wearing on a certain day. I see her giving Harry a drink of tea, walking through my front door, sitting at my mom's kitchen table. It's strange, but everytime I picture her, I see her laughing. Maybe it's because she laughed so much at Harry on that last day I was with her. Or maybe it's because that's how I choose to remember her - smiling and laughing. I miss her...

Green Mama site coming soon!

Hi all...

I've been working hard on my Green Mama site and it will be up and running very soon. As you can see, my "green" column here on the family blog keeps growing and growing (much like my out of control squash plants in the garden) and needs a home of its own. The Rachal Family Blog will be strictly for family news and photos and all that fun stuff, but I will add a link here to my green site. I hope to add new info each week about going green family-style and practical ways to change the way we live for our children's tomorrow. Thanks to all of you who have encouraged me to continue writing "green" - I hope it makes a small difference in our world.

Lotsa love,
Jen (Green Mama)

Lily's Appendectomy

Our poor Lily...

At about 9:00 on Tuesday night, Lily had her appendix removed at Kaweah Delta Hospital. She had been complaining of pain in her side for awhile, but no one - not even the ER staff - thought it was appendicitis. Luckily, the pediatrician thought otherwise and scheduled Lily for a CT scan on Tuesday evening, and within an hour and a half, Lily was in surgery. She has been recovering well - already up and walking a little bit - and seems to be managing the pain like a champ. She's been a real trooper with all the poking she's had to endure. The surgeon says Lily had a rare type of appendicitis which makes a "band" that wraps around her appendix - much like having a rubber band around your finger. It would have burst eventually, so she's very fortunate. We're hoping that Lily will be able to come home on Friday, but it means she will miss her class trip to Scicon next week. She's not very upset about it... actually, she's looking at it as another week of vacation! She's a tough kid and always has been - this isn't her first time under the knife...she had a head injury when she was only 35 months old that ended up in a subdural hematoma and a week's stay at Children's Hospital in Fresno. Even then, we were amazed at how quickly she was up and around and back to her old self. She really doesn't complain, and she's very inquisitive about everything the nurses are doing. She's learned all the lingo and lets them know when she needs more pain medication by saying - "I'm at about a five right now, so I'll need some medicine for my incision." So grown up! We're very proud of her. Thanks to everyone who sent flowers and balloons - Lily's hospital room looks amazingly cheery!

Conversations with Harry & Olivia

Kids are amazing.

We have been worried for awhile about Harry's lack of "talking," and over the past few days, he seems to be trying to form more words. We showed him a sign language video that my friend Sarah had let us borrow, and he liked it, although I think Olivia got more out of it than he did. Then last night, he signed and said, "Da-da," putting his little chubby fingers up to his forehead. Joe and I were so proud. He also tried to say "tree" while we were at the park - only after I'd said it to him about a million times first. He was probably trying to shut me up. It came out as more of a "tr" sound than an actual word, but it was close. I was thinking maybe his speech was delayed, but that's probably overreaching a bit. He babbles, makes consonant sounds, and can say "Ma-ma-ma" and "Bye-bye" just fine. More importantly, I think he understands just about everything we say to him. I think his yelps and screeches are more for himself than anyone else - he loves to hear himself shout. He will get right up to Olivia's face and yell at her and then laugh and smile at his accomplishment. She hates it of course. "Stop it, Harry!" is a common phrase in our house. Olivia will try to get away from him and he'll run after her. laughing and yelling. I guess the sibling stuff has begun. He loves to antagonize her. Unfortunately, some of the antagonizing includes hitting or pulling hair, which we are trying to curb.

But what Harry doesn't say, he makes up for in affection. He really loves his mama. Whenever I come home from being out somewhere, he'll come toddling over to me and bury his head in my legs and hug me. He loves to kiss me too by grabbing my face and giving me sloppy, open-mouthed kisses. He gives Daddy kisses too, but Mommy seems to be his favorite. I wonder how long this love affair will last...I'm trying to soak it up while I can.

Miss Chatterbox
Olivia, on the other hand, talks more and more like a little adult. She cracks us up with her funny and very intelligent commentary on the world. What's particularly endearing is the fact that she is so polite. She says please and thank you for just about everything, including hugs and kisses. If you give her a hug and kiss, she'll say, "Oh, thank you, Mommy," just like she does when I give her breakfast in the morning. She also says "yes" rather than "yeah," as in, "Yes, Mommy," and "Oh, yes." It's so cute, although it sounds like we've been sending her to finishing school rather than preschool. She's very sensitive to other's feelings too. If I can't find Harry's shoes or my car keys, she'll say, "Don't worry, Mommy, we'll find it." If you hurt yourself, she wants to kiss it. And when we tell her to be nice to her little brother, she'll pat his head and say, "Pet him nice," which is something we taught her a long time ago with the cat. She also likes to tell everyone how cute they are, something her dad and I have obviously told her many times. Right now she'll tell me, "You're so cute!" and I'll say, "No, you're so cute!" and pretty soon it's a shouting match about who's cuter. She's hilarious - we look forward to hearing what new things she'll come up with each day.

I do it!
Of course, it's not all fun and laughs - Olivia is also at the stage where she wants to do everything for herself. She doesn't want help when she goes to the potty although sometimes she needs it - she'll scream, "I do it!" as soon as you reach for the toilet paper. She'll fight tooth and nail to get her own clothes on even if it takes half an hour. Whenever she goes too far and ends up in time-out, she'll sit and hang her head. After it's over, we'll talk to her briefly about what she did, and she'll tell us in the sweetest, softest little voice, "I'm so sorry..." She's quite remorseful for a two year old. If we catch her hitting Harry, which seems to be happening more and more lately, we'll tell her to apologize and she says, "I'm so sorry, Harry, I kiss it." On the upside, she can help me by getting diapers for Harry or putting things in the trash or getting her own cup before naptime. She loves to watch Little Einsteins, so we DVR the episodes for her. She loves singing along and going through all the movements - sometimes even following the script of the ones she's seen several times. She tries in vain to teach us how to do the "dances" she learns, but somehow we're never doing it right. She'll say, "No, Daddy, like this!" and demonstrate proper Little Einstein technique for her hopelessly clueless parents.

Family Schedules
It's a fun time right now - busy of course, but having a good schedule helps. I sat down with Joe early this week and hammered out a new family schedule to help organize our busy and constantly changing lives. It's worked well - I feel more in control of what we're doing on a day to day basis and I can remember things we need to do or places we need to be more easily. I've never been much for regimentation - and I'm definitely not a clockwatcher - we're typically late everywhere we go. But there's something to be said for having a schedule, albeit a flexible one, to help keep track of things. I'm not ready to buy a Blackberry or anything, but my little family schedule made in Excel, helps. I guess I should give credit to Supernanny, who always makes schedules for the horribly disorganized families she helps on her show. We don't have it written in bold marker and posted on the wall, but it works just the same.

Love and Elephants

It was all love and stinky animals over this long Valentine / President's Day weekend...and it was so lovely. It began on Thursday with our family Valentine's Day dinner. We ate pizza and gave the kids little Valentine gifts after dinner. Olivia had her first Valentine exchange at the preschool and came home with a huge goodie bag decorated with little foam hearts and lace doilies. I'm not sure she entirely understood the Valentines, but she got the candy part. My gift from Joe was so kind and thoughtful - a spa gift certificate for a massage and facial (and some beautiful daffodils to plant in the yard). Now I just have to figure out when I can get away for my "spa day..."

VD isn't so bad
February 14, 2008
I really love Valentine's Day and I hate all the negative press it gets. Some of our friends were complaining about the commercialization of the holiday and how it really means nothing to them. I see it another way. To me, Valentine's Day is a reminder to pause in the busyness of our lives to pay tribute to our sweethearts. It's not that we don't mean well...and we mean to acknowledge all their wonderfulness on a daily basis, but that's not reality. Reality is getting up early, rushing to work and school, changing diapers, feeding kids, cleaning up messes, doing laundry, paying bills, grocery shopping...shall I go on? At the end of the day, we might watch a little TV, give our sweeties a kiss and just collapse. So Valentine's Day is that little nudge some of us need to say the things we mean to say everyday. Besides, I like all the red hearts and goopy sentiments...I'm a sucker for the idea of romance. Honestly, I hope I stay that way. I sometimes think all that whining about Valentine's Day is just a way to hide a lack of comfort with all things romantic...or a way to get around having to actually make an effort. Incidentally, I got Joe the Amy Winehouse CD (yes, we're a bit behind...but well worth the wait) and a big box of Ghiradelli chocolates (of which I've already eaten more than my share).

Zoo Trip
February 16, 2008
On Saturday, we took the kids to the Chaffee Zoo (minus Lily who went to Chloe Clark's all-day and all-night birthday event...I swear that kid has more social engagements at 11 than I had at 21). We had taken Olivia to the zoo before and knew she would love it, but it was Harry's first experience. The weather was beautiful - sunny but cool, very coastal. We took the big double stroller and prayed the kids would be content to stay in it during our trek around the zoo. Harry surprised us and really enjoyed it - oohing and ahhing and leaning as far forward as possible in the stroller to see everything. It was fun to watch him. Olivia was even more excited - every other word was "Wow..." and "Look, Mommy!" They especially loved the elephant observation deck where the kids literally have a birds-eye view of the elephants. They loved the orangutans, the flamingos, the sea lions...but Olivia kept asking us to go see the snakes. I don't know how she knew there were snakes because we didn't take her to the reptile exhibit the last time. So this time we made sure to take them through the reptile house (yuck). There's a step for the kids to walk on so that they are about a foot above the floor and high enough to see inside all of the cages. Olivia has no fear of snakes or lizards or frogs - all of the things that make my skin crawl. Before heading home, we took the kids to the playground there at Roeding Park to let them stretch their legs. Harry was asleep almost before we got onto the freeway and Olivia sort-of faded in and out. With the kids so tired, we were amazed that there were no melt-downs or whining...it was just a great afternoon.

That night we had dinner with Joe's folks. Louis, Joe's oldest brother, was in town for the holiday weekend, so went to Grandma's and visited with him awhile over some spicy tacos. As always, the kids had lots of fun playing at Grandma and Papa's - and I think Louis thoroughly enjoyed playing on the floor with Harry. Big boys and little boys never seem to tire of that.

Cheap Therapy
February 17, 2008
Sunday morning I met with the girls for our book study at Borders. We spent a good couple of hours talking - and not always about the book. I am grateful to have such good friends to share things with - it's like a big group therapy session without the cost. It's also very enlightening and somewhat humbling because you realize that while some people go through exactly the same trials you do, some have it even worse. The talking didn't stop there because afterward I went to Costco and ran into my old friend and hairdresser, Brian. Then I saw an another friend from my county days, Patricia, and her very pregnant daughter. Who don't you see at Costco?? We spent some time catching up and needless to say, my shopping trip took an hour longer than I had planned. When I got home, Joe was feeling a bit under the weather and said his sinuses were bothering him. He now has a full blown head cold. Harry woke up early Monday morning with a slight fever, so I think he may have what Olivia is just getting over. It never ends.

O & E
February 18, 2008
Olivia had a playdate with Evan today, which is also a date for Carissa and me. The kids had a great time and wore each other out. It's amazing to see how much they've grown up and how much they still enjoy being together. I have a photo of the two of them as babies - Evan was a year and a half and Olivia wasn't even walking - sitting on the floor in our old house, just looking at each other...sort-of sizing each other up. It's a great picture. Today I watched them run all over the park, eat lunch together, and then kiss each other goodbye as we left. Carissa and I are thinking of having their birthdays together this year as they are just a week apart. It would be great fun and a lot less stress for us moms. Evan's into princesses right now - specifically Ariel (she's his girlfriend, you know...).


All in all, a nice weekend even though my poor hubby got sick. We had planned to see Atonement, but maybe we can do that one night this week. I'm in the middle of processing applications for my school's honor society now - it has grown tremendously since I first took it on, and for our school, that's a really good thing. We're looking forward to the Oscar party this Sunday, and I must try and get my house in order and wrangle Kathy Clark into helping me with the menu (she's already on board for making drinks!) Cheers!

Welcome February!

I have never been so happy to see a month go. January was hectic, frantic, and just plain nuts. At one point, I had three classes simultaneously - and anyone who knows me knows I'm not much of a multi-tasker. I can't carry on a conversation and watch TV or work on the computer at the same time (Joe's pet peeve). Now my three classes are down to one - at least until the second week of March when I'll go back to two. Now I have more time at home and significantly less time grading papers. I might even finish unpacking a box or two, who knows?? One thing is for sure - Joe and I are definitely hosting an Oscar party this year now that there will actually be an Oscars. We're looking forward to that - adult time is so precious. The kids have had their own version of the January blues in the form of colds. We pray the kids will stay well now - there's been too much sickness this winter.

Happy MLK Day!

"Freedom is never given freely by the oppressor - it must demanded by the oppressed." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today was a holiday for me and the kids. Unfortunately, Joe had to work (one of the sacrifices of not working a state job). After breakfast, I decided to take Harry and Olivia to the park to get them out of the house. Lily had spent the night at a friend's house and wasn't in a hurry to come home, so we had some time. I should have known it was going to be one of those more difficult days when I caught Olivia pouring Kix cereal onto my laptop (luckily it was dry). Trying to get both kids dressed has become increasingly difficult as Harry doesn't like to sit still, and Olivia thinks it's great fun to run from me. Nearly everyday I watch her bare behind running down the hallway, laughing with great glee. Somehow we managed to all get dressed and ready to leave when Olivia grabbed my leg and said, "Uh-oh, Mommy." I knew before I checked that she had had an accident. She's going through a potty training regression lately - something I keep reminding myself is completely normal. Luckily it was only pee, so I got her changed and and we headed out the door for the second time. We went through the car wash first - the kids are always in awe of the drive-through car wash - and then stopped at the park. We hadn't been there five minutes when I caught Olivia hiding underneath the slide. I was afraid of what she might be doing, so I set Harry down to check it out. Sure enough, she was in the process of pooping, and just before I could grab her, I heard Harry crying. I turned around and found him face down in the gravel walkway. That was officially the end of our trip to the park. I scooped up Harry first and then took Olivia by the hand and walked as fast as possible back to the car. After a quick check, I found that Harry had scraped his forehead on the gravel, not too badly, but enough to make a mark. When we got home, I gave Olivia an early bath, fed them lunch, and put them both down for a nap. It was one of those days I realized we'd been better off to just stay at home! On a good day, I've got taking two kids to the park or the store or wherever, down pretty well. When they were smaller, I used to get sweaty palms just thinking about taking them both to the grocery store - let alone an open space like the park where they couldn't be strapped into something like a grocery cart! But after some practice, I figured out how to watch two kids at once without panicking. Now I don't even give it a second thought, and I often feel quite confident about my child multi-tasking skills. It's days like today that bring me crashing back down to reality. It is also these days that make me quite thrilled about my choice of husbands. Joe is such a huge help - when we do things together with the kids, we move like a well-oiled machine. If I didn't have him, I might lose my mind. No, I would definitely lose my mind. God bless him.

Welcome to the Rachal Family Blog!

"Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans." ~ John Lennon

It's January 2008, and Joe and I have been meaning to do this since before Harry was born. Somehow time got away from us. Or maybe it's that we just don't have any extra time anymore. Having two kids in two years threw us into a spin - and it hasn't really slowed down. It's been a wonderful adventure, but there are times when I really can't remember exactly what has happened in the last year (or month..or day). When the kids are napping in the afternoon and the house is quiet, I sometimes make plans in my head for things I'll do when we have more time - like finish that book on my nightstand, rearrange the closets, have a garage sale, plant some flowers in the yard, organize all our photos, finally finish unpacking the garage...the list is endless. Life in its many forms, specifically kids and jobs, tends to get in the way of the things you plan to do, and sadly, they become the things you should have done. I've been pondering that John Lennon quote lately and it troubles me. I hate to think I'm wasting this time in my life planning for another. After reading a friend's blog this week and enjoying every moment of her normal little life, I thought - okay, it's time. Time to start recording those amazing (and not so amazing) moments of our family life before we forget them. Time to talk about things that matter to us now so that we can look back and see who we were and how we've changed (or how we haven't). Oh...and maybe add some cute pics of the kids along the way.

So here we go...the Rachal Family life story. Please visit us as often as you like and send us your comments now and then - we'd appreciate that. This crazy ride keeps moving whether we get on or not. I guess it's time to have some fun.