Poor Joshabooey

Even though I've been knocking on wood when I comment how Joshua hasn't been sick yet, he got sick. Usually it happens by November so we did good this year. Unfortunately he happened to get sick during the AllStar Basketball Weekend. The poor kid gets it so violently. For him the worse part is the incesant dry heaving and not being able to drink for hours upon hours since he throws up and sucks off ice cubes, and for me it is the hallucinating.

He says crazy things when he is sick, mostly when he is sleeping or just waking up. It frightens me because I think he is going psychotic. He doesn't even have a super high temp when it happens.

Quotes heard during this illness.

Daddy- "Joshua, do you want me to turn up the TV?
Joshua- "No, I don't want to break the screen."

Daddy- "Joshua, do you want some sips of water?"
Joshua- "No, it's chunky. I like it when it is smooth so it tastes better on the other side."

The second night he was sick, he woke up several times talking about how he could get one more car in the parking lot and using his hand to demonstrate where to moves the cars on my comforter. I always wake right up when he starts because I am afraid he is going to get up and walk. There have been times when we are still up and he has walked down and sat on the couch without saying anything, at like 11 o'clock at night.

Today he is back to normal and I am grateful :)

Flashback Friday

I think Flashback Friday has run its course. I have used many of my older pictures and would have to start digging through picture boxes for ammo. Does anyone have another idea for a weekly post to look forward to? Facebook me if you want since no one really comments on here.

Girls Night

How fitting that we should spend girls night at an event for Breast Cancer! Good idea Chris. The Manchester Monarchs had a "Pink" night to raise money for the cause and Chris hooked us up. A hockey game, a pink T-shirt and a donation to the cause.

We started the night at this restaurant. It is a pizza bistro, per se, in Manchester. It has the kind of food I don't really get to have when I go out with Jim. He is a steak and rib guy. I loved the high beamed ceilings.

I guess this is proof that Auntie is officially old. She wore her granny glasses to read the menu, not for fashion.

Pardon my slightly food obsessed photos. Maybe I have a calling for menu photos.

Schelley's choice for an app.

Auntie's choice (would have been mine too had I not started Weight Watchers)

And my pick. I can really say choice because I really went with what I 'should' have and not what I wanted. (it's hummus)

And the pizza we ALL agreed on. That's not an easy feat for four people to agree. I'm in heaven all over again seeing the picture.

Here we all are in our pink shirts. Thank you to the guy in front of us I bugged to get a picture.

And here is the pink ice and pink uniforms. I can just imagine the ribbing the other team was giving the players.

Even Max wore pink for the cause. I think I want to get me one of those jerseys! Thanks for a great night ladies! Up next, the Melting Pot!

Flashback Friday

I don't know what is cuter...the teenie frog or Jacob's face. Votes anyone?

PS-This was post #301!

Winter Wonderwalk

Yesterday we had our first real snow blast of 15+ inches. Jim took us all on a walk through the woods out our back yard.
How pretty is that?

Our boys know no seasons. Rope swings aren't just for summer! Didn't you know that?
These little legs didn't have any problem trudging through the snow. Though there were some requests at the end for someone to carry him. Those days are long gone my friend.

No need to bring snacks. Joshua has snow. A couple of weeks ago in school he was learning about the water cycle and figured out how when they pee outside it is evaporate into the sky and clouds and comes back down as rain and snow which they eat. He thought it was so gross. As you can see, that was a fleeting thought.

Don't worry. I didn't bury him. Though I wanted to if he kept going. He still needs to learn when a good thing has been long enough. As you can tell from the picture quality, it was getting a little dark. It was a beautiful walk though.

Basketball

Last year Jacob played basketball. It was instructional first grade and it was painful at times to watch. Mostly because of their attention span. Practices are an hour and a half....with a group of 10 6 year olds....trying to learn skills....when they just want to shoot. Joshua wanted no part of something new...he wanted to stick with his tried and true and played indoor soccer. I wasn't going to complain too much since they were both active, but I really thought he would enjoy basketball since he loves to play at home.

This year a new kid moved into his class and he was going to try out. That was all it took for Joshua to decide to give it a try. I have been so proud of him. I can feel his discomfort from the sidelines as he is learning something new (his fingers are frequently in his mouth). Each time I think he's not enjoying it he beams after about how great it was. He is even warming up to his coach who was the one guy that he swore he would never play for if he got him as a coach. Personally I think he likes his structure.It is so good to see this smile on his face. He is doing so well and was just picked to participate on the All Star tournament. He is a tall one so he is a rebounder. I'm just not allow to cheer for him though because it distracts him. I'm not even that loud...Auntie can vouch for me! I think he just hears his name and it takes him out of the game. They are doing great so far. I'm pretty sure 3W, 1L.

I love that both boys have different strengths. Jacob's team has only been practicing.Their first game is this Saturday, but I can already tell that he is going to be a good point guard. Joshua is not comfortable handling the ball, especially with pressure. Jacob is confident and speedy. He is a great quick dribbler.

Not to mention shooter. He got three layups in a row on alternating baskets on the court.

I can't wait to see him next year when they really get into playing for real!

Flashback Friday

Today is Jan. 7th. It is also Grampa Paul and Baby Jenna's birthday. Grampa is no longer with us and Jenna is no longer a baby. Today she turns 8! Happy Birthday to Jenna Girl! How perfect that this picture came to mind ♥

Chore Chart

The number one way parents fall apart in my opinion is in follow through. I am totally guilty of this on many accounts. There is no excuse for it (though we can come up with many). It just comes down to being lazy.

Joshua has been bugging me to do a chore chart. We have done one in the past. But with me not doing anything easy, I had to have a fancy chore pad that I had to write on every week. Let's just say that that went out the window after several weeks, especially since each kid had their own chart to fill in. The 'how much' question is another dilemma. After researching a little I had decided on half of their age.

The stumbling block right now is thinking of what types of things would make appropriate chores. I do not believe in 'paying' kids for the everyday normal things they should be doing as part of a family. I also do not want to have them complete chores that end up making more work for me after they have done it. One day Joshua decided to surprise me by helping out and doing the cat box. Let's just say he tried to clean up the litter he spilled by putting it in the toilet. We have the clumping litter...the worse thing you could put in the toilet!!! And that really was just a tip of the iceberg of what the bathroom looked like when he was done.

I have mixed emotions about chores because as a teenager I felt like the family slave. I did dishes, vaccuumed, did the cat box, cleaned the bathroom and felt like my parents did not do any chores. I resented it. I feel it is different when they want to help out to earn money.

The one thing that I don't have mixed emotions about is the fact that I refuse to pay $100. for kid shoes. Forget about the fact that is wears a mens 8 1/2...but I don't even pay close to that for my own shoes. The most I have paid is $60 and that pair has lasted me a year and gets worn most days of the work week. The is a picture of Joshua's motivation.