The days

Moments after I put Reuben down for a nap yesterday, Silas's school called to tell me he had a tummy ache and needs to come home.  Poor guy threw up as soon as we got home, then curled up on the couch and fell asleep for 3 hours, no easy feat with Reuben trying to tickle him and climb on him. He woke up to go to the bathroom, then went up to our bed and slept for another 2 hours. He woke up after dinner saying he was all better and he ate about half a cantaloupe. He was feverish in the middle of the night though and stayed home from school today.  I hope he is not the same elementary school sickee that I was.

We made bagels to have for breakfast tomorrow morning. The boys were really good at rolling and shaping them. Their little fingers were very dexterous, I guess. The dough is pretty stiff which makes it easy to handle. They wanted to make complicated shapes, but only got to oval, triangle, boomerang/heart, 8 and 9. They didn't think of the number and letter angle until the last two pieces of dough. But we'll make them again now that I know I have such capable assistants.


Last night I went to healthy desserts cooking class in Niles, at the 7th Day Adventist Church, with Linda and her friend Jean. They had an interesting and tasty idea of making a sweet chocolate chip cookie dip with pureed chick peas, peanut butter, and, flax meal and brown sugar. It sounds weird but tasted really good on a graham cracker.

Tomorrow, I'm running a half marathon here in town. The route actually goes right by our house. Though I'm not sure anyone will be awake when we run by at 7:15 tomorrow morning.

Silas is also going to a birthday party at the Football Hall of Fame in South Bend. Not sure how much he knows about football, but should be fun for him anyway. He wanted me to snuggle with him the other night and got to talking about the kids in his class, and how there's a bossy kid who doesn't think Silas is good at sports, and he doesn't get to be on a team with the kids he likes, and the don't like to pass him the ball, and everyone should get a chance. Oh, it breaks my heart that he can already feel that way. I'm trying to have an encouraging heart to heart to Silas in the top bunk, meanwhile in the bottom bunk Emmet is enumerating all the reasons he doesn't like girls in his class.

Reuben is "in monster phase" as the older boys say. He's still fairly good for putting himself to sleep, pouncing on his lumpy pastel velour pillow, and sucking his thumb. He is still sweet and adorable while he's the center of attention. But clearly he has his own will now and is prepared to do what is necessary to have his desires fulfilled. He's getting some teeth, and dripping with snot from a spring cold, and very generous with sharing kisses. He's saying a few words, tickle, toes, belly, banana, car, hello, go, shoe- some more recognizable than others. But his most common form of communication is the scream and dive.

I bought some fabric for some curtains and am slowly chipping away at getting closets organized. We unpacked and stuffed and piled, and now we have to figure out where things SHOULD go not just where they CAN go. Orrin's framing out the shower and we're ordering tile for the bathroom. We've had a few roofers and builders out to bid for re-roofing and an addition and new garage. And now I have to go finish up the taxes.