Ok, well a lot has happened since the last post! Last Tuesday (still on easter break) the boys and I went to the conservation department. First we went to my classroom so I could work on report cards, the boys were wonderful and they have fun in my class because there is so much for them to do in my centers. Then we went to Penney's for Easter pictures. They did a wonderful job I must say! Then we finally got to go to the conservation department. It was very windy; yet we went for a nature hike anyway and it actually wasn't that bad (the wind that is) in the woods. We enjoyed the hike and then headed home to get Austin ready for soccer practice. He is doing wonderful this year, he absolutely loves it. He has come along way over the last year in half! The rest of the week went by super fast, trying to get so much done in only a few days always makes the time fly. Friday night we took it easy, I had took Preston to the dr. because the cough he got with the flu never went away and Thursday night he had a 99.5 fever and i was worried it could be pneumonia. Luckily, it wasn't... just a sinus infection.

Saturday was Austin's first soccer game and he did fabulous! It was frigid cold out though. So, Jeff stayed home with Preston and my sister and her boyfriend and Jeff parents came to cheer Austin on.

Sunday we went to church and to Cracker Barrel for lunch! Preston was quite tired that afternoon, he didn't even want to go on a walk with Austin and I. When we got home Preston had decided to take a nap at about four in the afternoon. Jeff said he asked for his lovey (this is what he calls his blankie still) and he crawled up on the couch and fell asleep. We went to my moms for dinner and the boys got haircuts and just like that the weekend was over and it was time to get ready for another Monday!

Here we are.. I survived this Monday after being up for over two hours in the middle of the night. I woke up around 2 am and just tossed and turned until about 4:30 last night. Now, I know how Jeff feels when he can't sleep. You see, I don't ever have that problem, I love sleep! Hopefully, tonight will be better.

I just remembered something Preston said last night.... He had his hand over his heart and he said, "Mom! I found my heart and it keeps beepin'! It was so cute. The boys built a rocket in the living room using all of our chairs, so they were working pretty hard and I guess Preston felt his heart beating and realized it! Too adorable!

Happy Easter!

Easter was spent by waking up and the boys hunting easter eggs and opening their Easter baskets! We got ready and went to church and even made it there early. Service was wonderful! We came home and the easter bunny had came while we were at church and left eggs outside. So, Jeff hunted those eggs with the boys while I finished cooking. The house smelled so good when we got home because I put the ham in before we left and it was so delicious, too! We ate with Jeff's parents and his sister as well as, my mom and Tim, and Alex. It was great fun with lots of wonderful food and a variety of dessert to follow! The evening was spent watching some movies on t.v and just relaxing from all the busyness! When I asked Austin before church why we celebrate easter he was able to tell me the whole story. We've talked about it before and I know he really listens at his class in church! I'm so glad he loves going to his church and learning about God. He said his thankful prayer before bed last night and did a wonderful job. He's really growing up!

Bike ride to the park Good Friday!

Austin loves to have his picture taken! He kept posing and telling me to take his picture.

Fun with cousins!

Coloring Easter Eggs

We colored eggs early this year and I'm glad we did because we didn't have time to do it again. We may actually do some today since I just can't take them to daycare when I don't have to work. I would like to be able to so I would get some things done. Yet, we won't have another day off until
summer. So, they are just going to have to help me out around the house this morning and then go with me to school so I can catch up on some odds and ends in my classroom.

Catching up

Well, it's been quite sometime since i last longed in. I guess things have been really busy. After Jeff's family (his sister and her kids) left, I had to leave that weekend to go to Tan-Tar-a for my conference. It was the first time I left the boys and Jeff since ....well ever! All in all- it wasn't too bad. I learned some new information and got to shop at an awesome outlet mall. Since I was going to be gone for St. Pat's day I had to make the Leprechaun come early. Saturday night the boys had won two green glow sticks at the mall, I made shamrock cookies for my class, so they would have them Monday, and the boys went to bed as normal. When they woke on St.Patrick's eve as I called it, they made the Leprechaun come early because they were playing with those green lights and because I made those yummy cookies which they think the leprechaun ate all of because I took them to my class before the boys woke up. Also, on the letter the leprechaun left it said " I ate all of your cookies and tasted your milk" I put green food coloring in the milk, the boys loved it. The letter led them on a hunt to to find a few treats from the leprechaun. It was cute and I was glad I could make it seem real for them. I was so happy to be home Tuesday evening and the boys were grinning ear to ear when they picked me up. Hopefully, I will not have to go out of town for quite some time again. The next day I got to spend the day with the boys because of the 13 inches of rain that fell. So, that was nice.

Craziness

Jeff's older sister, her husband and their 5 children arrived here late Friday night. Right before midnight actually and our boys were still awake, they just couldn't sleep- too excited to see their cousins. Needless to say that was a very late night and morning came too quick. But we haven't seen them in almost three years and we have a lot to catch up on. Yesterday the kids played all day and we visited. We all went to church, picked up pizza, and came home for dinner and birthday cake for Abbie, Julie's oldest. Jeff's mom and dad and Jeff's other sister Jessica and her daughter were here too. So, it was a full house. We played Are you Smarter than a Fifth Grader and the littles ones got every toy out in the house I think. But we got it all cleaned up before bed and everyone had a great time! Today we will be going bowling and I will have to get ready to go back to work. Between Preston being sick last week and the snow days, I have a lot to catch up on! Thankfully Preston's fever has finally broke; however, he is still very tired at times. He told me yesterday that his ears were hurting. I hope it's just drainage and that we don't have to make another trip to the doctors office if you know what I mean.
One week from today I will be going out of town for a conference for 3 days and 2 night. This will be the first time I have ever been away from my family so I'm very nervous and scared that I won't be able to handle it. I will miss them so much. Jeff and I have never left the boys for more than one night.

I am so blessed with two amazing boys....and a wonderful husband, too -of course (but this is really about the boys)

Well, they are calling for more winter weather again! So, I guess we will see in the morning. I just had to journal a few things about the boys before I go to bed! The other night when Preston's fever was 104.2 and we were on our way to my moms to drop Austin off, I looked in the back seat and Austin was praying, he told me he was praying for Preston's fever to get better. The Lord heard his prayer because as I stated in the earlier post, his fever did go down by the time we got to my mom's house. I thought that was so grown up of Austin, he really is becoming such a big boy! What made me think of this is tonight when the boys were in the bath, Preston got soap in Austin's eyes and Austin was upset and trying to get the burning to go away. When Austin opened his eyes he saw Preston with his hands folded and his head bowed against his knees, so Austin asked him what are you praying for and Preston said for your eyes to quit hurting. How great is that!!!!!!! When Preston was really sick and he didn't' want his medicine, he told me that his belly was sleeping and it didn't want the medicine right now. TOO funny! I stayed home with him today because just can't get rid of this flu. His fever has gone down below a 100 now but it still comes and goes all day. I'm praying that tomorrow will be better for his sake because he get so easily exhausted he can hardly play, only for short periods at a time.

No, I'm really not crazy! OK- maybe sometimes!

No, there isn't anything wrong with his foot. I just thought this was funny. Austin started taking pictures on my camera when i wasn't paying attention and as I was deleting pictures this morning of toys and other silly things, I stopped right before I hit the delete button on this one and got a chuckle out of it! He is sitting at the bar with his leg hiked up there so he could a picture of his foot! Now, I will always remember what his foot looked like when he was 6 1/2. No, I'm really not crazy I just want to remember every aspect of my children's childhood! Especially silly things like this!

Jeff's new truck!

He so deserved this truck after driving the same old green truck for almost ten years.

A few pics from last week!

The second or third round of snow last week!










... the sleep over last weekend!

Ice! Sleet! Snow! OH MY! How could this be AGAIN?

Yes, I am at home again for another ice/snow day! This is getting ridiculous! However, for Preston he can use the extra day home to recover from the flu. He still had a fever when he went to bed last night but it was very low. Yesterday at the doctor (they wanted to see him to make sure it was the flu and not something else since he had a green yucky nose) doc wanted to test him for the flu because everything looked good in his ears and chest. So, he sticks the huge q-tip thing up his nose which Preston screams and tries to squirm away, the dr. was not very gentle and he made Preston's nose bleed. That really freaked Preston out, I mean blood went everywhere all over his shirt, down his face. And the doctor handed me a Kleenex and said that happens sometimes as he walked out to get the results. Why are there not any good pediatricians around here? I have three and have not been satisfied with one! I guess I am asking too much when I want a doctor who actually cares for my child and his well being! Anyhow, his test was slightly positive because he is almost over the flu now! I felt horrible after he did that to Preston mainly because on the way over Preston was asking what's the doctor going to do to me. I told him he is just going to look at your ears, mouth, and listen to your chest. I specifically told him, "He won't hurt you. Mommy won't let him do anything to you to hurt you. If you you open your mouth real big, I bet he won't even use the stick!" I didn't let him use the stick and Preston opened his mouth real big. However, when Preston was crying after the flu test, he said that hurt mommy! Needless to say after much crying over the nose bleed, a trip to toys-r-us was in order! He picked out a new game which will come in handy today when we are stuck inside!

Yes, we are still here! It's been over a week since I checked in! It was kind of a long week after not working a full week since I can't tell you when! On top of that I had conferences Tuesday until after 7:00 and Thursday Jeff and I had a meeting at church. Therefore, it was a busy week. Last weekend we were surrounded by good friends and good meals. Friday we went out to eat with the Fisher's at Buchner's and they came over for a little while afterwards. Parker stayed the night; so, the boys stayed up late watching movies. Saturday we slept in, made breakfast, did the Wal-mart thing, and then went to church. After church we went to Paglai's pizza with the evans and harris'. That was delicious pizza! The boys were wonderful while we waited for dinner and let Jeff and I visit with our friends. We treated them to rent movies afterwards. We baked a cake and watched movies. Our usual winter weekend fun. This weekend however was spent inside for Preston and I despite the warm temperature outside. Preston started running fever Friday evening and I was convinced that he had the flu because a couple of kids in his class had it. Saturday night we almost took him to the hospital because his fever was 104.2 with motrin and tylenol. Fortunately, on the way to drop Austin off at my moms because we thought we might be spending the night in the hospital his fever dropped to 103.7 so we came home and he slept right next to me all night. I'm not sure I slept much though- too worried about him. I'm at home with him today and he seems to be doing much better. Saturday and Sunday when Preston napped Austin and I went on a bike ride to the Apple Orchard to get an apple and then to feed the goats. Saturday we also rode to the park which was too much for little man, he was exhausted when we got home. Sunday we rode up to my school and Austin showed me all of his tricks on the play ground equipment and we had a couple of races that Austin made up. Both days we had a great time together -getting to spend one-on-one time with both of the boys is always nice. Jeff took Austin to his parents Saturday evening (this was before Preston's fever sky rocketed) while Preston and I watched t.v- that's all he wanted to do and he wanted me right there with him so that's what we did!