15 Years!!

Chris and I had our 15 year anniversary this week! It was a very subdued event with the lack of theater.  We were supposed to see Hamilton and it got cancelled in time for us to find nothing else really to do.  

Summer is rapidly approaching and we've had an interesting one so far.  We have managed to make it to the lake a couple of times for swimming which is nice since pools aren't really open yet.  I've been running/walking and biking a fair amount.  

Working from home has been an experience this year.  We've done a fair amount of it and the kids aren't quite sure what to think of my going back into the office.  I currently go a few times a week and it is fairly straight forward.  The new measures in place are hopefully to be short lived so we will see.  

Extra Time

Since there is a bit of extra time these days, here's a quick update. 

Nothing really is going on with us.  We are using this "shelter-in-place" as a way to trial run homeschooling.  We've thought about it off and on for years now and currently have no choice.  It is quite taxing to have to do both "school" stuff, especially as the kids would rather do the homeschool stuff.  They apparently like having multiple recesses during the day and getting to do things that interest them.  It is taxing though because we get little else done.  I'm working remotely and helping to "watch" the kids when they are in the office on the computers, but that's the extent to what help I can give during the day.  We occasionally have school after dinner even and it is a bit of fun.  Hopefully we will decide which way we actually want to go soon.  Hopefully we get to go back to school, but we very well may not looking at the other countries currently in some form of lock down like we are.  

We've had some fun with the mud and other adventures outside in our backyard.  Currently very grateful to not have to be shut in a small apartment but where we do have a yard to play in for the kids.  Also very grateful for having four children as they can do a lot more as a unit of children.  They get into a lot, but that's okay, they are kids. 

Annual Southern State Tour

We just got back from a trip through the southern states.  It was a 10 day trip and we had 2 2 year olds telling us "I go to ours house" for the drive home.  We saw a LOT of family and had a LOT of fun.  These are just a few of the pictures that we took the last few weeks of December.

We find ourselves looking at a new year with new hopes.  We hope/pray that Carolyn can walk easily and pain free.  We hope/pray that A can get by without medication and control herself enough to stay in the gifted program.  We hope/pray that GMan stops telling his teacher how she is wrong every time she turns around even if he knows he is right with the information he is giving her.  The twins we just hope/pray continue to grow like they have been.  We hope/pray that Chris gets the basement done as it will make finding childcare significantly easier with an extra bedroom as it looks like we need an au pair.

We also have a van that decidedly does not like to take the Southern State Tour.  Last Christmas we drove to Florida (well Carolyn did with Alexis and twins) and half way down the transmission started acting up.  We got back to STL by the grace of God.  It ended up being a blessing as the warranty we bought for the van paid for it since it hadn't even met mileage for needing service to the transmission and the warranty company couldn't argue with us on that.  This year during some massive rain in Dallas it started making a weird grinding noise when turning left.  Then as we drove home we noticed that the front drivers panel was dented pretty good.  We believe that it got hit sometime overnight while it was parked on the street the last night we were in Dallas.  We've got a cool red scar on it now and Chris managed to get the dents out enough that it runs and won't destroy the driver side door or the tire.  :) 

That basically sums up our new resolutions/prayers for 2020.  Well I need to go to bed to go back to work tomorrow for the first half day of 2020. 

Wait what?

I didn't realize it had been a bit since I posted anything here.  Since I have nothing better to do atm I'll say a bit.

Currently Big E has a Toddler Tibia Fracture.  He got it going down the slide during spring break.  He's slowly getting back on it but he says his leg hurts and he looks great in his cast. A took to drawing on the bright red canvas as soon as he came home with his new accessory.  It is supposed to last 4 weeks with no water...  But we are finding he's already destroying the cotton padding by insisting on playing in the dirt and trying to walk.  We will see if he lasts the 4 weeks.

A is almost out of 2nd grade.  It has been a whirlwind.  We've had a difficult teacher who didn't want to work with us really.  We've also been doing OT for her this year since October.  She goes once a week and it has helped with some of her issues.  It is just nice knowing that she does in fact have a medical condition that we aren't entirely crazy about her needing help.  Now to get the school on board.

GMan has decided he's going to give A and Big E a run for their money on trying to get attention from mom and dad.  His favorite way is through is five finger discount he seems to attempt at friends houses and by climbing our pantry and storage shelves. 

M is a Lightning McQueen addict.  He can spot Cars from a mile away and then become ADAMANT that he gets said Car.  It doesn't even have to be "queen" it can be "mater" or "cruz".  He also is fixated on "eyes" (sunglasses) and will wear them regardless.  And yes they must be upside down.  His hands also MUST be clean.  He can have mud from head to toe and not able to put anything but mud in his face but will need clean hands.

Neither of the twins are talking well and they continue to fail at getting help because they understand so much.  For example they are supposed to be saying three and four word sentences and we randomly get a word here and there that is distinguishable.  The best sentence we've gotten though was at twin gymnastics when M said "Me help E". 

Other than that there hasn't been anything new.  We went to FL for Christmas and had a blast.  Picture below of all of us on Christmas day (I think) and we were at the pool.  I got to run on the beach.

Running season is coming up for me.  I've got a race next weekend.  I'm doing my first marathon!  It will be as part of a relay but I'll cross the marathon finish line and get a medal that has "marathon" in it.  Maybe that means I'm prepping myself to run an actual marathon. 

TaeKwonDo is going well for both GMan and A. GMan is a green first and A is a red first.  She has black in her belt and is soooo close.  GMan is getting there. 

Photo Dump

As always May has been busy.  We've done a lot and here are the pictures to prove it.

Observant Girl

We have read "A Wrinkle in Time" to the kids and started the second book in the series. Last night the teacher was telling Meg to "not be afraid." Naturally, A pipes up and says, "That must be an angel. In the Bible angels are always telling people to "not be afraid."" Go A on reading her Bible and getting some cross references.

Sweet Boy

Gman desperately needed a nap today. He is way too big for naps though at 4. We told him that Mommy wanted a nap and could he please go be a heater for her? Okay sure. At the end of the nap he wakes up and says, "Mommy I don't have any more heat to share. Can I get up now?"