The Tape Dispenser Ran Away!

The other day I did what I only do while making dinner; that is using the TV as a babysitter. My kids watch very little TV. I needed to wrap presents in the worst way.

Mrs. Claus got all the gifts from Santa wrapped and hidden.

Then I was on to wrapping family gifts. During this time, is when the tape dispenser ran away.

Mica took it to hang up Christmas drawings in his window. It's the only spot I'll let him hang things. The tape can't peel off glass, but it can peel off paint.

Over on Mica's window sill, under the blinds was the tape dispenser. This is why Mrs Claus bought Mica tape to put in his stocking.

This Morning I Cried

I've been in a really good mood. Last night I was giddy. Maybe Christmas coming up finally hit me in the face. Daddy thought I had something to drink. I'm like, "NO!" I can't even drink alcohol right now. I'm on antibiotics from the silly sulfa reaction. Meds + Alcohol = A Bad Idea. Yep, I'm just in a good mood. Imagine that! :)

Well I was. Until I read this. Then I cried. A mom blogger went Christmas shopping with her baby. She was walking on the sidewalk around a corner. A tractor-trailer truck was also going around the same corner. It went up on the sidewalk and caught the babies stroller. Yep a mom's worst nightmare! I can't even imagine! The mom's feet got ran over by the wheels, but her feet are ok. The stroller was demolished. The babies rectum was tore. All the soft tissue: skin, muscle, tendons, ligaments of his butt had been ripped from the bone! He will be in the hospital for 2 weeks. I know it could have been worse; it is bad!

This is horrible! The thing is, is I can see how it could happen so easily. Trucks like that are so long and the sidewalk didn't have a curb. How scary.

If you have the time make a comment on her blog please. Send positive thoughts her way.

Update: Her post about the accident had to be removed. I'm assuming because of legal issues with the truck driver that hit her and her baby. Her blog is here.

Girls VS Boys

Some people have asked me if we will try having a girl? The answer is, NOPE. We're done. Two little beings is a lot to take care of. I know if we would have had more, we would have found a way and we would have loved them just the same as we do our boys. We decided that with the crazy economy, our bad luck with having sick babies, what seems like a full house, and busy lives that we were done.

There was one time I wished I had a girl. I thought for some reason, Mica was for sure a girl. I had all sister's, Grandma Spiehs had all sisters and Daddy had a sister. I just thought it was in our genes to have a girl. Our girl name was Savannah Claire. I still love the name.

I realized awhile ago that boys can at times be similar to girls. They are very different to.


Here are the similarities:

•Mica loved playing with Fisher Price The Little People. Really they are just small versions of dolls. They all have names that I remember. They have movies and books with these characters in them.

We have 3 Sarah Lynn's and 3 Eddie's with his Frog Freddie.

•Isaak carries around a small bowlful of these babies:

I collected them after my cousin's baby show in March. Isaak keeps them in a blue bowl and just walks around with them. Sometimes he lines them up on the coffee table, sometimes he transfers them to a small case he has and other times we step on them. It hurts just like stepping on Lego's. One day while at work, I found one of these babies in my coat pocket. Isaak had tried taking one out of the house. I put it on the front desk at work. A student that happens to have my name had picked it up and claimed the baby as her own. Where did it end up? In her paint water of course. :) A floating baby:

•Isaak loves stuffed animals. He likes them just as much as I liked my dolls when I was his age.

•Mica in particular loves to play dress up! Sure it's not fancy lace gloves and purses like when I was his age. Instead it's a super hero, a pirate, a doctor, Santa Claus and every week he claims Sunday as Sheriff Sunday.

•This last Saturday both Isaak and Mica sat down and watched The Sound of Music with me. No complaints. Mica just rolled his eyes when I wouldn't stop singing along. LOL

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They sat through that musical better than a football game. Sorry Daddy!

They are all boy in other ways:

• Everyday there is rough play.
• Sound effects take over most conversations. 
• Balls are thrown throughout the house. Nope, we never made a rule not to throw a ball inside. Possibly a mistake. Nothing has gotten broken yet.
• They love to camp.
• They love to jump.
• Isaak loves cars.
• Mica loves Transformers.
• They both love to build.

Nothing is ever dull at our house. I love my boys! 

These Are a Few of My Favorite Books!

I just love books that have an extra special touch added to them! When I grew up my Mom read a story to us every night and my Dad came in to tell us a made up story.

Mica and Isaak love books to. Last night Isaak picked out 5 books for me to read and Mica 1 longer book. Mica's been wanting to read The Gingerbread Man. After we read it, they run around in circles taking turns being the Gingerbread Man. One has to chase the other. Their imaginations are truly amazing. I do have to say that sometimes for the adults it's a bit much. I'm talking about the running, laughing, high pitch squeals and sometimes one falls and than there is crying. They carry this imagination everywhere to. The grocery store cart is the Polar Express. Isaak shouts out to Mica, "Stop the train! Pull on the break!" I have a love and frustration with their imaginations.

I'm getting ready for spring classes. Illustration is one of my next courses. I can't wait! I love when we get to the Children's Book Illustration project!


These are a few of my favorite children's books:

The Very Hungry Caterpillar By Eric Carl

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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - A Pop-Up Adaptation By Lewis Carroll and Illustrated By Robert Sabuda

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Bembelman's Bakery By Melinda Green and Illustrated By Barbara Seuling (My favorite from when I was a child)

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The Stinky Cheeseman By Jon Scieszka and Illustrated By Lane Smith

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David Gets in Trouble By David Shannon

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I have many more that I like! These are just a few that came to my mind first. I can't wait to check out this new book, Can You See What I See? Toyland Express By Walter Wick!

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I love the go behind scenes in books and movies! Here's the one on this book:



 

Go Graham Go! is giving away a copy of this book along with a $50 Visa Cash Card!

Principles Award

Mica did it! He got the Principle's Award! :) At first I didn't get this award. I didn't understand why they would award kids of behavior that they should already have. Now I get it. It's kind of like how I award my top student's to put artwork in the lobby.

This award gave Mica something to work for. For the past few weeks he's said, "Mom I didn't get any checks today!" He's been a good boy. Last week on Thursday he got to eat lunch with the principle. When Daddy went to pick up Mica, he was walking as fast as he could to him. He said, "I have something under my coat!" Daddy said, "What's that?" Mica said, "I have a metal! I got the Principle's Award!"

Our boy is responsible and respectable. That is what the award stands for.

His report card was great to. Our little kindergartener is doing good.

Christmas Rap

Here's Mica's performance. He's the one on the top row with the red tie. He hardly sang, but really got into the actions.

The songs throughout the whole performance at Mica's school were pretty entertaining to watch.

Hoilday Program

Isaak had his first Christmas Program tonight. Since he's been kind of moody lately, we didn't know how he would do. He and Cousin Elijah both ask Aunt Terra and I if we would go up and sing with them? We of course said that we couldn't.

They were sheep. Daddy said, "Why couldn't they be something besides sheep?" I said, "Why? What's wrong with sheep?" He said, "Well, sheep are followers." I really don't think the boy's thought about that!

Isaak and Cousin Elijah flocked together in line.

My silly lamb! He kept sticking his tongue out at the beginning. He performed. He sang and did the actions.

I'm not sure what this was about, they both all the sudden looked sad. Right in the middle of the performance. Maybe their favorite song ended? No clue! But I caught this sad look on the camera.

Geuss Who's Been Peeing His Pants Lately?

Answer: Mr. Isaak! 

Not taken today, but I thought it fit the post well.

It's been happening at Grandma and Grandpa Spiehs' house. I take that back, it's just noticeable at their house. At our house, it's not as big of a deal. We have all wood floors.

I called to check on him at lunch time. His holiday program for preschool is tonight. They had rehearsal this morning. I was talking on the phone to my Mom (Grandma); and heard my Dad (Grandpa) scolding him in the background. Isaak had to wipe up his mess. That is how it should be. When they spill or have accidents at our house, they have to wipe it up to.

As far as scolding him goes, he's old enough and trained enough to know better. I've been putting the little punk a monk on the potty since he was 1 1/2. He A) Is my lazy child. I do have to give him credit for picking up good {when he wants to}. Aunt Terra used to give him a choice of walking or riding in a stroller, he'd pick the stroller almost every time. He would sit in the stroller, instead of play on the playground. We don't give him an option at all now. He also refused to participate in the stretching at the YMCA. B) His is after all three years old. I found this to be much more challenging than the terrible two's; with both Mica and Isaak. C) Has been acting emotional and stubborn lately. He gets pouty lipped and won't tell you what is wrong sometimes. Maybe he has the holiday blues.

I kind of wonder what goes through their minds sometimes.

Sulfa I Hate You!

College Days:

Once upon a time when I was in college I needed antibiotics for a sinus infection. I had been taking them for a few days and all the sudden started to break out. I never had hives like that ever! At first I really thought I had zits all over my face! Then it moved to my arms, legs and before too long I was covered! My oval face turned round. I truly looked like a freak! I itched like CRAZY!

My Mom (Grandma Spiehs) told me to call the doctor's office. I did. They said, "Just take another pill. If it gets worse call us in the morning." My Mom (Grandma Spiehs) told me, "Don't you dare take another pill! I can't believe an allergy clinic told you to take another pill!" I'm so glad my Mom told me not to take another pill! If I had, I probably would have ended up in the emergency room. She instructed me to have a Baking Soda bath. That night she laid in the living room with me. She was worried my throat would close up with hives.

The next day I went back to the allergy clinic, so they would help me with my hive mess! The nurse looked down at her chart and said, "It says here you have hives on your body. Where do you have them at?" She looked up from her chart and said, "Oh I see!" Then she went to go get a few other nurses to stare at me like I was some kind of freak show.

I was given a shot of steroids and a different kind of antibiotic.

On the way home from the clinic, I went to Goodrich because my good friend had just gotten her wisdom teeth out. I wanted to get us a few shakes. I'm sure the man that checked me out thought I was a junkie. I was shaking when I handed him the money and I looked like a freak with a blown up face and blotches all over!

I laid on the couch for a few days. My younger sister (Aunt Terra) was going to set me up on a blind date prior to my reaction of Sulfa. She just looked at me and laughed. She felt sorry for me, but I truly was odd looking!

Since that time I've told every doctor that I'm allergic to Sulfa in the worst way!

Fast Forward to Today:

I have this leg that has the bad bruise that's healing. I was told to lather on lotion. I did. What I didn't do is look at the lotion's ingredients. I never would have thought that Sulfa would find it's way into lotions, hair products and make-up! What was in one of our lotion bottles, methosulphate gave me hives all over my already damaged leg. I only knew that I couldn't have it in the drug form, inside an antibiotic. I never would have thought that ingredient being in anything else. At first I didn't know why my leg was itching so bad! I washed all my bedding. I'm pretty good about that, but washed everything anyhow. Have you ever seen the movie Bug? Ya, I felt like I was loosing my mind! Than my husband looked at the ingredients in the lotion. That's when he spotted the methosulphate that was oh so small. Even Eucerin Cream has Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate in it. I looked it up on the internet and it's in all kinds of products. I've had problems in the past of my face being beat red when I get out of the shower. Now I'm wondering if sulfa in some form was in one of my shampoos. I've been taking Benadryl every 4 to 6 hours. It feels better and than itches like CRAZY when the Benadryl has wore off! Tomorrow I may have to go in to get another shot of steroids if that's what they decide I need. For now I'm limiting myself to only the Tropical Traditions Peppermint Lotion that is all natural. There are times where I want to itch off my leg!

"He's My Daddy!"

Last night we went to the YMCA. There was a family of 4 children there with no parents to be seen. One of the little girls clung to our Daddy. She kept saying, "He's my Daddy." Our Daddy said, "No I'm not!" She persisted. Finally Isaak got mad! He said, "That is not your Daddy! It's my Daddy!"