Above Freezing

It was finally above freezing today, and not raining, with the sun shining. I don't know when we had that combination last ... so we took advantage of it.

While I vacuumed out the car (and found 36 cents and my Burts Bees peppermint chap stick) the kids got their bikes out and rode up and down the sidewalk and through the slush today. We were joined by the Neighbor Girl shortly thereafter, literally bundled up to her eyeballs, and we were out playing for over an hour. How wonderful it was.

I suppose the weather will be horrid tomorrow - rain, sleet, snow, ice - something not pleasant. But after today, I don't think I care ... it was just so nice to be outside and in the fresh air.

Maybe I'll start planning a garden this weekend.

Naah ... maybe not. I'll just end up ready to go and unable to do anything for six more weeks. I'll start the thinking process instead.

Nice, while she lasted

I think we may have had the worlds shortest pet ownership today.

We brought the fish, which ended up being named Buddy, home from preschool at 5:00 today.
At 8:15 she was swimming around the tank we had set up. We had called The Grandparents to tell them about Buddy.

At 8:45, after Tae Kwon Do and showers, we (The Husband, Q and I) had this conversation:

Q: The fish isn't moving
Us: Oh, that's okay, is she at the top of the water or the bottom?
Q: The bottom, but it's not moving
Us: (to each other) Oh Sh!t.
Q: "C'mon ... wake up. Mom, is it sleeping?"

The Husband and I walked into the other room and sure enough, Buddy had curved over on herself and was at the bottom of the tank, looking pretty dead.

Q: Is it dead?
Us: Oh, yes, it is. It looks like Buddy died.
Q: Oh, this is so sad. Why did it die? Oh, The Bee is going to be very sad in the morning.
Us: Well, Q, sometimes fish die. We talked about how they could die, remember?
Q: But why? Did it have too much water?
Us: No, I don't think that fish can have too much water.
Q: Oh, this is not good.

Seriously ... I figured if the fish lasted four days it would be a miracle. It didn't even last four hours. I know that the handling it got between leaving school and getting put in the tank was putting it at a high risk, but I didn't think it would die the same night we brought it home. Now, I have to explain to my daughter that her fish died last night, but, knowing how life works, her brother will get to her first and I'll get blasted by a crying child at 6am. Tomorrow morning could be very interesting.

So, it looks like we're taking a trip to the pet store tomorrow to get two fish instead of just one.

Let's pray that these next two fish last more than this one did.

fresh

In the middle of winter, on the eve of another supposed Winter Storm, I got a burst of summer today when I grabbed my jar of bay leaves, to put one in the chicken and dumplings I am making for dinner tonight.

I opened the jar and WOOSH! the smell of fresh bay leaves. What a lovely memory of summer.

I grew these myself last summer and dried them in the basement, and have been able to use them as my heart desires ... and I have plenty to get me through the year. The plant got kinda big.

Now I'm really looking forward to spring!

The Library

I must say, I love the library. I probably don't take the kids as often as I should, but they are just now getting to the age where they can both appreciate it and all it has to offer. And, most importantly, they have stopped yelling across the building to each other, which is key at the library.

Two weeks ago, I came home with a stack of books for us to read, some stories on cd (my car doesn't have a tape player), which the kids love to listen to. We don't always follow along in the book, but they love to listen to the stories. We've been listening to them in the car since we checked them out, and it's very popular. It's also a nice diversion from the kid music which is usually playing.

Today, we went and we checked out so many books that they didn't fit in our tote bag. What a wonderful problem to have. I came home with five books for me to read, and the kids have three stories on cd and a computer game to keep busy if we get the snow that we're supposed to.

I think what I love most of all is the used book section. On my two week ago trip, I also managed to pick up five other books for $2, one of which is an out of print allergy cookbook that I can use to get recipes for my nephew.

I have great memories of going to the library with my Dad when I was little - we used to go every Saturday, and for some reason, one of the things I remember the most, outside of the smell, was the melted album that they had on the counter with a warning not to leave them in your car, otherwise they could melt and you would have to pay the replacement costs. So yes, this post officially dates me, but I remember that melted album.

My first job in high school was located right next to the library and during my lunch hours, I could often be found next door checking out books, or reading on my lunch hour. I wish I could say that I always returned them on time, but that would be a fib.

I'm hoping that my kids can get as much enjoyment from the library as I do. Books are such a wonderful world ... I cannot imagine not going where books take me or the things they teach me ... I hope that they enjoy books and reading as much as my husband and I do. I'd say we're off to a good start now.

Off to read for a few ...

Woot!

Okay, so this is quick because we're headed out the door .... to deliver two sets of completed curtains! Hot dog! Finally, after who knows how many months, I have finally finished Kris' laundry room curtains, although not the way I had originally planned, so I scrapped the first idea and did a traditional hem on them instead.

Second, Katelyn's bedroom curtains are hanging on the back of the laundry room door, ready to be loaded into the car.

It feels so good to finally get these projects finished and out the door.

Next - baby blankets for Quinn and Beckett.

Funny

This was at the corner of Rte. 31 & Indian Trail Road in Aurora.


And, I called the number, and it gets you to Corporate White Castle. I pressed "0" for operator, and nobody ever answered, and I gave up after two minutes.

Also, note the Bimbo truck in the background ... I just think that is a funny name for a company, and every time I see it, I laugh.

Goings On

Oh, it's been busy around here ... I've got a mental list that feels like it's a mile long of things I want to blog about, and I barely find the time to make it over here, much less check in on friends and people that I could only aspire to be like.

We have been shoveling, painting, Play-Doh'ing, making lots of jam and jelly, jumping on the trampoline, building forts out of couch cushions, reading our library books, making suckers and candy, decorating our Valentines ... all while trying to stay warm. It looks like we're supposed to get more snow this weekend, so I'm off to the store tomorrow morning, instead of my usual every other Sunday afternoon excursion. If I didn't shop only every two weeks, it wouldn't be a big deal, but we're pretty much out of everything here, so this weekend, shopping is a must.

Let's see ... what else ...

Today, Q said to The Bee, "Don't bother me, I need a piece of quiet!"

I finished a hat for my niece last week, and for The Bee and Q today. Nothing fancy, just having some fun with fleece. I'm hoping to get a baby blanket finished for my newest cousin tonight, so I can visit on Monday, weather permitting.

I have an actual list floating around here somewhere ... and it's odd, now that I've actually cleaned my desk, I can't find it. That's what you get for trying to be organized and proactive. Give me chaos and a slack ass attitude any day.

Maybe I'll get to some more of it tonight ... I've got to set up the iron and get cracking on that blanket ... more on that baby later too. He doesn't even have a name yet, so I refer to him as Gavin. I like it.

Hmm ...

Perhaps I underestimate things, but they just cancelled afternoon kindergarten for today.

Snow day #2 for us.

Evidently there are going to be dangerous white out conditions once the storm hits.

This should be fun.

Oh the weather outside is frightful ...

And something else is so delightful ... something about a place to go ...

Let it snow
Let it snow
Let it snow

Well, Chicago has been singing that song for weeks now ... it's like we're stuck in some weird Groundhog Day type of loop ... cold, snow, warm up a bit, open the windows (I did, anyway), melt some, make some slush, freeze so everything is a sheet of ice, warm up again, snow again, rain, get really windy, snow some more. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

And to top it off, people are acting like we need to bring out the chains for our tires.

It's Chicago, people. This should not be anything new to anybody that has been living here for more than a couple of years.

You don't need to drive 12 mph, but you also don't need to drive 80 mph (you, in the supersize SUV, I'm talking about you!).

Driving in the tire tracks is a good idea. However, you cannot take the right most tire track from the left lane and the left most tire track from the right lane and drive down the center of two lanes. Nope. Choose one. Stay there.

Granted, I say this, and I will likely be the one to slide into someone or a ditch. It happened a couple of years ago when I was pregnant with The Bee and had Q in the car ... somehow I managed to miss the metal road signs indicating a curve and I missed sixteen trees. I was 150 feet off the road in somebody's very large front yard. I consider myself a very lucky gal.

So, off to bundle up again, get out the shovels and head back outside.

I will say that after all of this, I am really starting to look forward to spring. I'm not completely tired of winter, but the thought of playing in the dirt is much more fun than playing in the snow.