Dinnertime Convos

A snippet from Monday night's dinner conversation:

Mom: What do you like to do outside now that it's a little warmer?
Avery: Go outside and read a book.
Mom: What else, Kate?
Kate: Help plant a garden!
Mom: Yeah.  Reese, what do you like to do outside?
Reese: Mush mud.
Mom: You like to smoosh the mud?
Kate: And ride my scooter outside! And ride in the wheel barrow!
Avery: One thing that I really enjoyed today was... you know how I told you about those dangly things at recess?  ...Me and my friends try to get up there, so...they try to grab one of my foots and push me up to the tallest thing and then they help me push my legs up.
Mom: Sounds fun!  Did you do it?  Were you successful?
Avery: Yeah
Reese: And build snakes!  With playdoh!
Mom: Hey, you know what I like about the good weather, Aves?  I like that we can come get you on the bikes and not have to sit in the car.  What about you, Reese?  What else did you do today that you  like?
Reese:  I not 'member.
Mom:  Did you go outside in the backyard?
Reese: Uh-huh!
Mom: Did you tell Daddy "swing me! swing me!"?
Reese: Uh huh!
Kate: Hey Reese, I have something to tell you.  When Daddy pushes me one time, then I can swing by myself!  When Daddy pushes me one time.  I don't go high.  I go medium.
(Daddy finally gets to sit down after making all of the plates.)
Reese: Hey, Daddy.  This new.  Almond milk... I want Sprite!  My tummy say that!  My tummy says want Sprite.
Kate: Mine does too!
Avery: Mine too!
...

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Love Is...

Love is... Reese crying on facetime with Daddy while he's traveling because it's just too hard to be away that long.
Love is... your pre-school teacher knowing Daddy is gone and giving lots of extra hugs.
Love is... all three girls, two dogs, and a Mama cuddling in one bed each night.
Love is... having Daddy back home and doing a week's worth of hugging before school.
Love is... falling asleep while sitting on Daddy's lap while he plays piano.

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10 on the 10's

The objective:  Starting at 10:10, the goal is to take a photo of whatever we're doing for 10 hours straight at 10 after the hour on the tenth of the month...

Our 10 on the 10's:

10:10 am: At the dentist.  Seems appropriate: most of our last two months has been spent in some sort of doctor's office

11:10 am: Saying goodbye to Daddy as he leaves for a business trip.  Kate told him, "I'm going to miss your cuddles so much!"

12:10 pm: Grocery shopping and spending hard-earned chore money at the Dollar Bin.  Such a proud mini-shopper!

1:10 pm: Jungle Princess and Rock Star are happily playing upstairs, so Mama works on dishes downstairs

2:10 pm: Quiet time for the girls.  Studying for school with a little help

3:10 pm: It's cold out there and we have to go get Avery.  Coffee is a must!

4:10 pm: At 4:08, Reese was sleeping.  Which led to the crying at 4:10 and then happiness at 4:20 at "mah-nastics".  Avery and Kate happily wait for dance while cheering Reese on

5:10 pm: "Mah-nastics" is finished for Reese so we get to peek in on Avery and Kate's dance classes while we wait for them

6:10 pm: Dinner prep. 

7:10 pm: One sleepy toddler is ready for an early bedtime and her usual favorite book

Ice Day, Sickness, and a Lot of Together Time

This week we had another ice day, another case of strep for Kate, and a dental procedure for Avery (to strengthen her enamel) which included laughing gas and a sedative and kept her home the rest of the day.  So, that meant lots more time at home, and together.

No worries, though.  We made the most of it:

The night before ice day #2, slept with our pjs on inside out and put spoons under our pillows
.  A friend from Avery's class told her that would make it snow.  We DID get snow - but only long enough for Kate to run outside, put both hands on her heart, twirl in a circle, and sigh, "snow!"  Reese, who was fully naked, ran upstairs to get dressed and then came down to discover the snow was already gone.  But a few marshmallow incentives allowed me to snap a pic of her all bundled up in front of the fire anyways.

Less than 48 hours after Kate finished her meds for strep, she came down with another case of it.  Probably a different strain and probably from a different location.  She's a trooper and handled the loooong doctor's wait and the pain with patience.

Avery's dental procedure left her a bit loopy but cozy on the couch.  By day 4 of 7 'inside' days, we're old pros (not to mention week 3 out of the last 4 of illness).  Cue the arts and crafts, the massive amount of time in front of a screen, the couch-bed, and the milkshakes galore.

Of course, we had a handful of healthy, good-ish weather days in between and we made the most of them, too.

Here's hoping that February bodes better for McClinton health and wellness than January 2014 did!

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