We got hit with the first cold of the season this weekend. Leina brought it home on Friday but mustered enough strength to manage some trick or treating. She’s like her dad with an incredible immune system so she’s pretty much up and running again. Baby, however, isn’t doing so well. She is of a much more delicate constitution and colds really knock her for a loop. She was up all night coughing and spitting up phlegm and is just hot and miserable today. Thank goodness for the TV. There is nothing harder than having one kid bouncing off the walls while the other is feverish and lethargic. I’m sure I’m next in line for this bug but I think it’s pretty good that we made it all the way through October without a single illness. Count your blessings, right? So please forgive me for the delay in Halloween pics. Right now my mind revolves around Kleenex, baby Tylenol, and momma snuggles. The perfect trifecta for beating a nasty fall cold.
Category Archives: Family Matters
Pumpkin Fun
Kevin took the girls out to the pumpkin patch this weekend. It was sunny and mobbed but the girls didn’t mind. There were hay mazes to run through, a corn maze to navigate, caramel popcorn to eat, and a pumpkin patch to search. Kulia loved the animal cut-outs.
The hay maze is always a hit. Hay to run in, climb on and throw. It’s enough to make any kid happy.
Kevin also got the annual growth shot. Here we are our first year, 2005, when Leina was only a 2 years old. Kulia was lugged around in the backpack and didn’t make it into the shot.
In 2006, Kulia joined in the fun. She was a wee thing but totally game. Can you believe how much Leina grew in just one year?!?!?
In the 2007 entry to our montage, it’s Kulia’s turn to amaze me with her growth spurt.
This year? They both look huge to me. How did this happen?
The girls had a blast and Kevin appeared to survive it reasonably well. We haven’t carved the pumpkins yet but there’s still time. Halloween’s a-coming!
WTB
WTB – Airling ticket to Hawaii. Departure date immediate. No reasonable offer refused.
Balance
The sense of balance has been restored to the McLaughlin household. It was a bit rocky there but we have managed to right the ship. Kevin and I are both happy now which is a very good thing. It all started, you see, with the Wii.
Yes, the Wii. Kevin got this bonus from work. He could log onto this prize site and pick a prize as a thank you for all the crazy hours he worked this summer. He took one look at the list and jumped for joy when he saw the Wii system. I looked at the same list and my heart was all a-flutter when I saw the Dyson. There ensured a rough hour of cajoling and bartering and pleading of cases. In the end, the Wii arrived and Kevin was ecstatic. He loved playing and playing and playing. Me? I mopped about bewailing my dirty carpet situation. The boat was threatening to capsize. It wasn’t pretty.
Then my dad gave me a gift card out of the blue and Kevin galantly added a gift card he had as well to my stash. Suddenly the Dyson of my dreams was within reach! Add to it a random clearance sale and voila! My Dyson arrived and I was esctatic! I vaccumed. I cleaned. I was happy.
So if you were walking you dog past our house yesterday and decided to peek into our front window, you would have seen a touching domestic scene. Husband playing Lego Star Wars on the Wii while wife was vacuuming every square inch of carpet she could find.
The kids? Huh. Good question. I’m not sure what they were doing. They were probably escatic to have a few hours of unsupervised time to themselves. Although, that would explain why Artie had pink marker all over his head. Poor thing. Yes, it was good all around.
Ready, Steady….
Go!
Oh how I love fall! Perhaps my most favorite season here in the NW. For years, living in SoCal, I was deprived of fall. Maybe a bit more sea mist in the morning but that was all. Here, in Oregon, fall is major. You know all our tress? From all that rain? Man are they beautiful in fall. And the sky is this deep light blue and the sun seems to slant in instead of beaming right down on you like it does in summer. I adore fall.
My increased happy level translates into an increased energy level. I have the urge to start projects, tidy up, organize, tackle things left far too long on the back burner. It’s awesome. The hard part is figuring out where to start and sticking to one project at a time. I’m apt to bite off more than I can chew so I’m trying to breath deeply and stay the course. Here’s hoping.
Even more exciting, this school year I’m going to get 30 minutes each week to myself! Yes! Let the party begin! Every Wed, Leina will be in preschool and Kulia will be in her very own 30 minute music class. This means I’m free baby! Free for 30 whole minutes all to myself! What will I do with all that time?!?!? The mere thought makes me giddy.
Tomorrow I will be without any child for half and hour. I can hardly wait.