Spring Fever trumped by Winter Blues

The days are getting longer - which is great.

Unfortunately, with more light, we just realize how much winter is still left.

Spring Fever,

this year,

is setting in strong.

Which is odd, because it seems as if it is a much milder spring than last year.

Therein, probably, lies the reason we are chompin' at the bit for Spring to come.

Today,

staying indoors just did not seem like an option.

It was a beautiful sunny day.

A rarity for this part of the world.

It felt like spring was just around the corner,

although,

the temps were in the low 20's (f).



"I have the Power..."

huge icicle



After doing all that was necessary

(housework, homeschool, bills, etc.),

Lil' Monster and I decided to march outside just for a breath of fresh air.

It was late enough,

that Mr. Elskan,

who had arrived home from work,

just as we were walking out,

was able to join us.

We didn't go far,

just the end of the street - before we were to cold to continue on.

But it was enough.

20 minutes, was all it took.

But it was enough.

We ARE convinced...

it's STILL winter.

Can you see Lil' Monster's 3rd eye? He was a tri-clops for the day, and I apparently was a cone-head.

My snowball is bigger than yours - but who can throw farther?

After a fall - Pabbi to the rescue.

Deep snow

Running for safety

Trying to chuck the "snowball"



Highs and Lows

In our family, we occasionally play "Highs and Lows" at the Dinner Table.
We simply take turns telling each other what the HIGH point of our day was, and then share the LOW point of our day.
Some days it is nice to know that the "low" of one's day was merely "we had to take a nap" (wink, wink). Other times it helps to open up a conversation when our child has a "low" such as when a child was picking on him. It is also a great time for him to see how we as parents may suffer lows as well, and how we cope with them.
 Discussing our "highs," can lead to greater gratitude for all that God does. It also, teaches us that despite having lows in our life, we can still find "highs." Sometimes, the highs are as simple as "eating lunch" or as great as riding on a "four wheeler."

Today was a day of extreme high and an extreme low for Lil' Monster. 

It started out as a typical routine day. Wake up, eat breakfast head off to O.T., have a temper tantrum here and there, come home eat lunch, play, do some reading, some homeschool, and more play. Then the long wait for Pabbi to come home. His arrival brought something more than the simple joy of Pabbi, because Pabbi was carrying a big box is in his arms.

It had ARRIVED!

Lil' Monster's Package had finally come.

For Christmas, Lil' Monster received a "Where's Waldo" book from Santa. He quickly became enamored. Lil' Monster loves 'hidden pictures' and Where's Waldo fit the bill!

Since then Lil' Monster has been vying to own more of them. He pores over the one he has for hours. He has found all of the hidden objects, but he still sits and looks...never bored.

Today's was the arrival of an other Where's Waldo. One that Lil' Monster worked to earn money for, purchased online and then waited for.

He was just so enamored.

Then an hour later, Lil' Monster was running up the stairs, slipped and fell on his face, on the stair above, causing him to bite right through his tongue.

What a fright!

He has bit his tongue before, but this went almost all the way through. We rushed him to the E.R., where they helped the bleeding and swelling to go down. They talked about stitches. but didn't want to go down that path quite so soon. They sent us home, and warned if it did not start to heal in two days, they would put stitches in.

Lil' Monster was frightened between the pain and the large amount of blood. The E.R. was quite a trip. He was so happy to hear the Dr. recommend ice pops, ice cream, smoothies, and anything soft for the next several meals.

 The poor Lil' Monster was quite a trooper.

What a day of highs and lows.

Post Date: Things healed nicely, albeit it took several days. Luckily stitches were note required. He did enjoy copious amounts of cold soft treats for meals. He is going to have a scar for the rest of his life, but he still has a tongue.

Where the Wind Blows Us

Yesterday, we just had to get away.

We had to leave it all behind...

And let the wind blow us wherever.

It blew us to one of the many nearby

lakes.

It was freezing cold.

It was only 49 degrees.

But with that wind it felt

much

much

much

Colder!

It was an unplanned trip.

We didn't bring anything but ourselves...

and a camera.

Lil' Monster stayed entertained with his toy of choice:

sticks!

Here, he is showing off his horns.

(Remember this post?)

Then the idea of fishing came:
He throws a stick,

the waves bring it in,

and with other sticks,

 he fishes the first stick out.

Clever.

Lil' Monster's catch.

It was great to just go and be blown around.

A day of the simple joys to be found in life.

Superhero Sting

Mamma's Wee Little Superhero was attacked today by a real stinger.

Not sure if it was wasp or bee,

but something stung the little guy when he stepped out to wait for his Mamma to get ready.

The following is a brief look at the event of our fallen hero:

There was an appointment.

There was the sun.

There was a porch.

There was a child ready before his mother.

There was desire to soak in some sun while waiting.

There was a leaf on the porch.

There was a swooping of a superhero picking up a leaf.

There was a stinger who swooped in and stung the superhero right behind the ear lobe.

There were TEARS.

LOTS and LOTS of TEARS.

Mingled with screams...

and confusion.

There were phone calls made to cancel appointments so Mamma could take care of the fallen hero.

There was baking soda paste to ease the sting.

There were frozen chocolate chips in a bag used to numb the pain (as there were NO ice cubes).

There was a red cup of water to calm the superhero.

There were TEARS

and then smiles.

There was playing with the baking soda paste and pasting it all over the superhero's face, and fingers, and Mamma's face.

There was lots of cuddling and kisses.

There was close monitoring as was this the first time our Superhero was stung in his life.

There were more hugs and kisses and cuddles when the hero's father came home from work.

There was a superhero who then had a ticket to sleep in his parents bed due to the day's tragedy.

Hopefully tomorrow there will be smiles and laughter and forgotten memories of the tragedy that had taken place the previous day.

The End

...

of this particular superhero's chapter.

Bald Baby



July 2009

Haircutting Day is usually spontaneous (when Mamma is feeling creative) and we try out lots of new styles. We haven't done "Bald" in a while. The last time was back in 2009. It was a first time. The boy had the cutest afro and then we had some fun carving it out. But the bald look was the final result. This Lil' Munchkin was impressed for all of but a day. He would rub his head all the way around and say, "Where's my hair?" Then once he reached his eyebrows he would say, "There it is!!"

BUT  WE HAVE SOME NEWS!!!!!!

BALD is BACK,

BABY!

He loved using the shaving cream.

Not only all over his head,

but squishing it on his fingers and

wiping it this way and that

(shaving cream is good like that).

July 2011

Look at this beautiful bald boy!

He thinks he looks just like Uncle M. our military soldier,

and a friend of ours, Brother W: (an incredible man from our church)
who happens to be bald.

We got some beautiful shots of this beautiful baby.

Dancing in the Sun with Joy!

Things are Cookin' Now

Lil' Monster has long watched (in his short life) his Pabbi  and Mamma cook breakfast. He has hit the stage for wanting to do things "by myself." Breakfast is one of those things he has wanted to do on his own.

So we gave it a try:

Getting everything pulled together.

Measuring out the Cream of Wheat, and added water and stirred.

Excitedly (despite the look) pressing buttons to cook the bowl of hot cereal.

  Waiting for a few minutes.

Stirring in a little brown sugar

(a rare treat and given for such an accomplishment).

            Wanting to enjoy it with some milk.

And enjoy it he did.

Isn't growing up so fun.

The simple things, that many adults take for granted,
can be so exciting and full of novelty for young ones.

As a mother,

I love my son for helping me to see the world anew and with such excitement and accomplishment.

Peace amidst the storms

Have you ever been walking along and fallen down so hard?

Most of us haven't since toddler-hood.

 Mr Elskan's first steps.

(circa mid 1970's)

Today we recieved a blow and we have certainly fallen down.

Pabbi has lost his job.

Economic cutbacks by his workplace have created a loss of job for several employees. We happened to be in that cut.

Despite this blow, we are at peace.

We thank God for this.

And we will soon be up and walking as if we had never fallen.

In this we are confident.

A Moment in Time