Just Another Week in February

I'm doing an 'all in one' entry. I'm just not feeling the patience for organization! We are currently in mid-February. The winter actually hasn't been too bad. We keep having these spurts of warmish weather in between the cold days that seem to keep us going. And every time we hit our limit and the winter blues, one of those warm clusters comes around at just the right time.

Weekends have been annoying. I'm sure I've complained about them before, but it's tough. In the winter, your activity options outside of the house are limited to shopping. Booorrrriiinnnggg. Unfortunately, this leads to lots of 'disagreements' between Michael and I about what to do with the kids, and by the time we figure it out, it's lunch time. Can't wait for the warm days where we can go for walks, hit a play ground or take the dog and kids to a field to run without the chance of frost bite.

So, updates. Skyler has come out of whatever stage he happened to be in the past month. I remember it was extremely frustrating and challenging and made me want to lose my mind. But what I don't remember is exactly what he was doing that made me feel that way. How does that happen?? Is it a coping mechanism? It must be. And I'm grateful for it. He's back to being the easy, docile, sweet, fun, loving, boy whose laugh is infectious and enthusiasm for everything makes us smile.

Now, Sadie? I guess it's her turn to go through a 'phase'. All I have to say is that I am very proud of myself and the restraint that I have somehow been given through divine intervention. Hmm, not even sure that statement makes sense, but it sounds right! She has decided that she can do whatever she wants, no matter what harm it may do to the person she happens to have chosen at that moment. Poor Skyler has endured things being thrown at him, hit, pushed, yelled at, etc. Yes, you can feel bad for him...but the adults have also experienced our little stinker in the same manner. When she's done with a toy? She'll chuck it...not toss it, but throw it as hard as she can, and if your face is in the way? Oh well. She decides what she wants and demands it at the top of her lungs over and over. Throws in a little foot stomping and couch hitting. And when I lose it myself and raise my voice at her, she'll pout and tell me that I'm not 'speaking very nicely but using a loud voice'. Wow. The other day in dance class? A little terror. She was screaming at me that she didn't like the class (while the teacher was having them do ballet and all of the other little girls were tap tap tapping their toes in a line), when the teacher asked her to do something, she said no, you get the picture. If she was my first child, I would have been mortified. Instead, I just let her run around the room shimmying her hips to the music and twirling around until she fell because I just didn't have the energy to fight with her to stay on the darn green dot. Can't wait for next week and I can't wait for this phase to pass.

What I'm thankful for? That my childrens' phases don't seem to coincide:)

My cure for the cold Saturday? Art projects! Although I'm running out of ideas. But they seem to make both children very happy for about 20 minutes. But, that's 20 minutes of no fighting, smiles, and all around happiness:)

Here they are finger painting. It was Sadie's first official finger painting experience and it didn't take her long to get into it.

He's a pro and he loved it...mixed colors together and was a mess. Perfect!

Skyler and I saw this project in a magazine a while ago. You use q-tips or toothpicks and glue them together into designs using glitter glue. Beautiful snowflakes that I hung up between the kitchen and morning room. They make us smile:)

Skyler's recent baking was making chocolate covered pretzels using the chocolate we had from Valentine's day. Sadie joined in...it looks messy but they are very very yummy.

Trying to scout out some room in the fridge to chill the pretzels.

This past weekend was a 3 day weekend...the first two days we were stuck at home. Sunday night, I declared Monday a field trip day! I didn't care that it was 30 degrees. We were going and we were going to have fun. We chose to visit the military ship museums where they have restored a ship from the civil war and a submarine from the 40's. Awesome trip. We all enjoyed it, and NOT ONE CHILD WHINED THE WHOLE TIME! Monumental.

Here they are getting started! Skyler finds it difficult not to make a silly face for pictures:)

The family in front of the USS constellation.

They are saluting.

Running on deck!

I forced him to stand in front of the cannon. He was convinced that it would spontaneously shoot a cannon ball out while he was standing there.

Sadie insisted on her picture too.

I was personally fascinated with the sleeping area for the enlisted way back then.

A picture with the kids! Rare:)

'Arg maties' I have no idea where she learned about pirates, but she thinks she is one here.

The kiddos in the submarine.