Ramblings of the sleep-deprived

Last Sunday, as soon as Tom got home from San Antonio, I went to the Minute Clinic where I was diagnosed with bronchitis and a sinus infection. Happy Valentines Day to me. The cough kept me up at nights for a week straight.  I only say this to justify what happened earlier this week.  The other morning, as I was packing Jack's lunch, he said, "Remember when you packed me all desserts for lunch?" I was like, uh, no, I DON'T remember that. And he was like, "Yeah, yesterday, and I asked Mrs. Dennison if I could eat it so she showed it to another teacher who said I guess."
So, I am the mom who packs my kindergartner all desserts for lunch and has no memory of it. In my defense, this is how sick I was...on Wednesday, I coughed so hard that I had to leave my class and run for the bathroom where I vomited everywhere. The next day, teachers kept coming up to me saying, "I heard you were throwing up all over the place yesterday." Nice.
But, I am finally better and I got two nights of sleep in a row.  Although, it is 2a.m. right now and I am lying here on my couch typing up this random post on my phone when I should be asleep because tomorrow (today) looks like this:

Weekend recap: Valentine's edition

Yesterday was rough, really rough.  I was up at 2 a.m. because of my cough and then couldn't fall back asleep. I felt achy and miserable, but both kids had practice so I couldn't declare it a jammy day. Ellie's practice was first. I was standing outside the van while the boys were playing inside.  My keys, phone, and wallet were in the console. At one point, Sam was playing with the door locks.  Anything to keep him entertained and off the field. So, when Jack decided to get out of the van, I turned to him and said, "Don't close the door." He grabbed the van's handle so I said it more forcefully.  He just looked at me and closed it anyway.  And, of course, locked my keys, phone, and wallet in the van.  I have a spare key to the van, but it was locked in my house.  The only person (besides Tom) who had a spare key to my house was camping in Huntsville.  Luckily, I remembered that my car came with free roadside assistance so I went and borrowed a phone from a stranger (that was fun) and called for help.  By the time we got back in my car and went home, I made the executive decision that naps were more important than Jack's afternoon practice.

I swear, I am such a baby when I am sick. I just want Tom to be home so I can sleep and not have to parent.  But, today is Valentine's and I love me a holiday (I like to spell it holly-day, cuz I'm childish like that). Ellie and Jack were in my room at 6am asking to go downstairs. I was like, "You know this isn't like Christmas, right? It's just a box of chocolates." They didn't care. A day they get to eat chocolates for breakfast is a win in their books.

Missing my Valentine

Tom is away for the weekend at his best friend's bachelor party.  I am so happy to see Tom getting away with his close, childhood friends because he never does. But I sure will miss him this weekend.  Since he was going to be gone Valentine's morning, he bought Ellie and I some flowering plants.  I asked him, "What about the boys?" He said, "They're dudes." It's a good thing I already bought the kids their Valentine's gifts...even the dudes. I love that Tom thought of his girls, though.

I stayed home from work today because I have been fighting a chest cold all week and feel like I have bronchitis. My sweet friend, Stephanie, brought me chicken noodle soup, pineapple, and fresh squeezed orange juice.  Now, all the kids are in bed and I am binge-watching Netflix and trying not to miss my guy too much.

State of the Kids

Sam - Still fiercely independent and still has a fiery temper, but now that he can communicate better, he is happier.  He likes to refer to himself in 3rd person. This morning I sat down next to him at the table and he said glumly," Leave me alone. Sam dropped his waffle on the floor."  I looked down and, sure enough, there was his waffle.  He has a little motorized truck that he drives in circles around the downstairs. Anyone that dares touch it will hear him yell, "That's Sam's truck!"  He has a funny sense of humor and he really cracks me up.  He is strong-willed, but can be persuaded to do almost anything with the bribe of an M&M...just one.

Jack - Jack started this school year not knowing how to read a single word and now he is reading short children's books to Sam!  He loves to read and he is so proud of his new-found abilities.  He is doing well in school academically, but, much like Ellie at his age, he is getting in a lot of trouble due to his inability to be quiet in class. We are working on it.  I have an incentive chart on the fridge. He has yet to make it all the way to the end to claim his prize, but the hope is there.  He is still my little cuddle-bug.

Ellie - Last Sunday, my nursery-partner was sick, so I had Ellie stay and help me in nursery.  She is amazing with little ones.  She can act so mature for her age and her sense of humor is dry and funny.  But when she is tired?  Watch out.  She is actually really busy.  On Mondays and Fridays she has Destination Imagination right after school.  On Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays she has softball practice.  And every day she has homework and chores.  The kid is busy.  She still loves to read.  Harry Potter has been replaced with the Hunger Games series and she has re-read them multiple times.  I need to find a new series to get her hooked on.

Weekend recap

This weekend was exhausting and over with too soon.  Friday night, I was so tired that I fell asleep in the recliner at 8 (like an old lady).  I eventually made it up to my bed, but then I woke up at 3:30 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep.  I gave up at 4 and went downstairs to clean out some of my cabinets that were driving me insane.  Here are the before and after pics:

Before & After: Kids' cupboard

Before & After: Containers cupboard

Before & After: Craft cupboard

Crazy, right?  I finished all of that with plenty of time to do some laundry and dishes before my friend dropped her 3 kids off at 7:45 a.m.  I kept her kids all day and they played well with mine.  At one point, I opened the closet under the stairs to put something away only to hear a ,"Hi, Mom!"  I nearly had a heart attack.  They were watching "Goosebumps" on Ellie's iPad.  I asked them why they didn't watch it on the TV and they said it wasn't dark enough!

My friend has a little girl a year older than Jack and they had fun playing dress-up together.  Maybe a little too much fun.

Midway through the day, Tom and Jack went to College Station for the A&M basketball game.  I have no pictures because Tom doesn't have my compulsion to document every second of our children's lives.

Ellie had softball tryouts right during Sam's nap-time, so Ms. Donika took her along with her own daughter.  She actually sent me a picture without me even asking.  She gets it.  Ellie was placed on the team named Aggies.  How perfect is that.  She will have the best uniform!

Once Ellie was done with tryouts, I took the kids to the 10-acre park to meet up with my family and play kickball and bocci ball.  The weather couldn't have been more perfect.

 My charges were picked up by their parents at 5:30 and at the point, I was pretty much done for the day.  Tom and Jack got home shortly after so I passed off all kid-duties to him because I was exhausted after getting up at 3:30 and cleaning like a fiend.  Not to mention doubling my number of kids.

Sunday was church as usual.  After church, Ellie and I watched Catching Fire together while the boys napped (well, Tom and Sam...Jack just had quiet time in his room because he is grounded).  I wish Sunday afternoons lasted longer.

I cleaned out the boys' closet.  Think they have enough white dress shirts?

Sunday Best