Sickness and texting

We spent last week in NYC and NJ having a wonderful time. We were supposed to leave Saturday morning, but weren't sure if we'd be able to since we woke up to the sounds of Lilyanna throwing up in her crib at the hotel, right around the same time we got a text from Todd's Mom saying that Nathaniel (who was sleeping at her house) had also started throwing up. Todd and Benjamin followed later that morning, but we decided to head out anyway, since I was still feeling fine and I do almost all the driving anyway. I knew I was going to get it, too, but wanted to get us as close to home as I could first.

So, we loaded up our van, took a bowl and several gallon sized ziploc bags from my in-laws and after Lilyanna puked all over me and the living room carpet and I changed into my father in law's t-shirt and mother in law's fleece, we headed out.  A nine hour long road trip may not sound like the most fun with people throwing up and needing to run to the bathroom, BUT they all slept most of the way! And then when we got home, everyone put themselves to bed and slept the rest of the night!  So, yes, we had to stop and empty a bowl here and there, but the car was blissfully quiet and I was able to listen to a book and we totally saved money on food since nobody except for Caleb and eventually Nathaniel was actually hungry!

Of course, I came down with it Monday afternoon, but I look at it as an easy way to undo the holiday pounds from Thanksgiving indulgences. ;)

And when Mom is sick, how does one entertain the toddler (who was still so wrung out from the weekend sickness SHE PUT HERSELF DOWN FOR A NAP!!!)) ?  One plays this song over and over and over and over again. It makes her happy and she has it memorized and now the rest of us are walking around singing it, too.

Enjoy!

10 Things Tuesday

1. I finished Christmas shopping for Nathaniel and Caleb. I'm waiting until December to get Warren's present and I'm still saving up for Todd's present. (My budget allows for me to buy for 2 immediate family members each month thanks to the slamming from medical bills we are getting this year. Ugh.)

2.  I'm currently listening to "White and Nerdy" by Weird Al.  Having sons has definitely expanded my knowledge of Weird Al songs.

I've been listening to a lot of Indigo Girls this week. I've neglected the "(Sometimes Angry) Women of the 90s" portion of my children's musical education. And we have a road trip coming up...

3. Todd never notices when I get my hair cut.  My Dad and brother are the same way, so it doesn't really bother me, but it's good for teasing him about. (Like when I cut 12 inches off and get highlights.  Really, how do you not see that??)  A few years ago I started texting him from the salon to remind him that I was getting my hair done and he should remember to notice when I came home.  But yesterday, he actually commented that it looked nice WITHOUT any reminder texts!  I was very impressed with him! Almost 14 years of marriage and I may get him trained yet. (Granted when I later asked him what made him notice this time, he said, "It was brushed."  I laughed heartily and then informed him that was not the right answer for future reference.)  Bless his heart.

4. Nathaniel, Benjamin and I are signed up for the Jingle Bell Run, and Nathaniel had his first training run with me today.  He did great!  Benjamin is so crazy busy, we'll just hope all the dancing he does every week is enough training for him to run a 5k in a couple of weeks.

5.  Last night at belly dancing class I learned a very cool new move. It was a move I had seen my hip-hopping sons do very often in their dance classes and figured people either could move that way or couldn't.  I put myself in the latter category.  Anyway, our fabulous teacher taught me how to move like that.  When Benjamin got home from school today, he started randomly doing the move.  The following happened:

Me: HEY! I know how to do that now!!
Him: [Unimpressed] Yeah? Me, too.
Me: Yeah, but when I do it, I'm even MORE awesome because I jingle! (Thanks to the hip scarf I wear during class.)
Him: [Doing the move again and in a total deadpan face and voice] Ding a ling a ling.

I was amused.

6. Nathaniel was cast in the rec center's play of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" as the Dad.  He's been practicing putting on fake mustaches ever since.

7.  I love the Lend/Freecycle Facebook group that we have going on in our neighborhood.  I've been able to pass things on as well as get all manner of helpful things for Lilyanna.
I also love all the many great second hand places we have in our area.  In the past couple of days I have sold things to Half Price Books, Clothes Mentor, and Once Upon a Child.  Whatever those places don't take (which is most of the clothing) I then pass on to a charity.

8. Lilyanna is soooo much more pleasant if she gets a nap on her school day.  I'm so much more pleasant, too, but as naps for her only happen in the car, I have to stay awake to drive. ;)

9. I had a REVELATION when having lunch at Northstar yesterday with some fabulous ladies.  The whole gluten free thing makes eating out a lot less fun.  Yesterday, I found a dish that had all the flavors I wanted, but it was a wrap.  When I ordered, I quickly asked if they could just put it all in a bowl instead and swap out the tortilla chips that usually come with it for my beloved sweet potato fries with garlic, sea salt and rosemary AND THEY DID! Sheer bliss, I tell you! It's the little things, people.

10. Right now they're talking about another Nor'easter hitting NJ for Thanksgiving.  Srsly, has my home state not suffered enough??

10 Things Tuesday

I know it's Wednesday, but Tuesday got away from me.

1. In an effort to not listen to so much political stuff, we've lately switched from one beloved NPR station, over to the Classical music station.  Caleb completely schooled me this weekend, by being able to identify the name of the piece and the composer BEFORE it was announced on the radio.  The couple of times, I felt confident enough to weigh in I was wrong (on the song, not the composer) and he was right.  For someone who spent years taking "drop the needle" tests in my many semesters of music history, this is just humiliating.  But, also makes me absurdly proud of Caleb's musical gifts.

2. I voted. Lilyanna stole my sticker and threw it away.  One more kid sick of all things election related.

3. Heading to NJ for the week of Thanksgiving.  I very mixed feelings about this trip.  I am super excited to see friends and family, of course, but sad that I'm going home to a weary storm ravaged NJ. I mentioned on facebook something I heard on NPR about NY/NJ "When the going gets tough, the truly tough get kind."

4. Lilyanna calls Nutella "Butella" and it makes me giggle every single time she says it.

5. I have been practicing piano more lately. Not only does that make me happy, but I find my children come into the room and sit quietly to listen to me play.  My music makes them calm!

6. Nathaniel was cast as the Prince in his school play.  He is a wily strategist. They had auditions and the music teacher mentioned that not a single boy had auditioned for the role of the Prince, so she might have to rewrite the show. Nathaniel realized that the Prince had more lines and less singing (which he prefers) and scheduled a meeting with her to magnanimously offer to take that role (so he wouldn't be stuck in the back of the chorus and would get an actual part). He is smart, that one.

7. Speaking of smart, Nathaniel was advanced up to the 6th grade math class. (He's now two grades above where he started.)  This means that next year, he and Benjamin will be in the same math class.  Benjamin is looking on the bright side of this and counting on Nathaniel for homework help with Algebra.

8. I promised Todd I would fold two loads of laundry today, because he's out of bags to put clean laundry in.

9. I love that he does laundry.

10. The life of my laptop is dwindling. Todd assured me that a nearly 3 year old laptop has lived it's full life.  That seems a little brief to me. I'll see if I can coddle it through until spring.

Lullaby?

Last week at the last minute I decided to enter a lullaby contest.  Unfortunately, due to technical difficulties, my entry was seven minutes late, so it didn't count.  I had to choose one of the 6 songs they offered (all in the public domain).  I like Stephen Foster as much as the next person, but this is a silly song for a lullaby.  It's all about waking someone up!

However, it was the one with the fewest entries and those that were there were not well done.  Not that this is any prize either, but it does actually follow the melody that Stephen Foster wrote.

It was fun to perform again, if only for the 3 people who follow this blog. ;)