Cookies and Candy

I don't know where all of you are, but it is cold and snowy here. Nothing better to do than make cookies and candy. So far I have made toffee, caramels, three batches of cookies and two batches of fudge! I have professional test tasters on hand, so I know that everything is good. I have to admit to sneaking a bite or two, but Owen should go into sugar shock pretty soon. His newest (and most prominent) word is 'cookie.' Sayla brought her mom and little brother over today to make some more cookies and they turned out awesome. Owen had a fit to find out that there was another little kid in the house and demanded that Anders (Sayla's little brother) be put back down in the pack-n-play. 

Somehow this morning I found the time to put together a Christmas letter, and it should be in the mail tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow, I am looking forward to all the snow that I am supposed to find outside our window. I am thinking of all of you in southeast Iowa--hoping everyone survives the ice. Here's praying for NO power outages. We went through a week of that in 2007, and don't intend on signing on for one of those any time soon. Anyway, tomorrow I intend on spending my day on finishing the homemade Christmas projects that I always get myself into. So, here's hoping that your warm, that you have electricity and that you have a snowblower!

Cabin Fever: December version

It's COLD!!! This is especially unfortuneate for two little boys who just need to run. It is even too cold to set up a playdate...so, what to do? Well, I have mounds of Christmas projects going--as usual, Wade is into finals--very much typical for this time of year, and the boys are running out of things to do. Too often I hear this particular conversation, Aidan: "Here Owen, take/do this." Only to be followed by a screaming Aidan proclaiming, "Owen's in trouble. Owen's in trouble." I am trying to explain to Aidan that it doesn't really count if he sets Owen up. We are getting into our tattling stage. Awesome! Anyway, here is what we did today: books, cleaning, face paint, more cleaning, a train show (thanks to Gpa Bob's RFD-Tv,) even MORE cleaning and running a few laps around the house. Tomorrow, thanks to all the cleaning, we are ready for candy/cookie making. I'll post pictures of that as I imagine they will be interesting. Stay warm everybody!!!

He Made a Way in a Manger!

So, I have gone a couple days without my computer. My hard-drive unexpectedly crashed, but it was still under warranty. A couple of days at the Apple store, and we're back on track. This past weekend was Aidan's first Christmas program at church. Now, keep in mind that being only three, his role in the program was small, but he did it in true "Aidan style." 

He 'performed' once on Saturday and twice on Sunday, with a practice on Saturday afternoon. All the preschool were to sit on the stairs in front, rock their baby Jesus and sing "Away in a Manger." Aidan of course got bored with that so he decided to slide baby Jesus down the banister, look around, wave--pretty much anything but sing. It was awesome. He made it all the way through the three performances, and even gave us an encore after church. 

Long, LONG weekend!

Well, it has been a long weekend and not in the good way either! After finally gaining some ground as a family over this tummy-bug, we got a minor set-back. Owen was refusing to drink anything, and wasn't having wet diapers. This all started last Wednesday and didn't get much better. In fact he started to really lose his balance Friday, and by Saturday morning he had lost all color all the while having the scoobies (which didn't help at all.) I spent the last part of the week trying to come up with any idea I could to get Owen to drink SOMETHING. I went through pedialyte, juice, gatorade, 7 up, jello, popsicles, straws, special cups, you name it; all the way down to holding his arms down and making him sip pedialyte for hours. Nothing seemed to help, so finally Saturday morning I called the doctor and was told to bring him into the ER. Now, I hated that idea--I HATE taking the boys into the doctors office. I bit the bullet and did it. Wade had to stay at home with Aidan as we only had one carseat (the other was still wet from being cleaned of vomit.) It was a horrible day, very busy in the ER. Owen was a trooper...six hours later, twelve sticks missing veins, one IV for five minutes and two rounds of blood work we got to go home. I could rant about the whole process for hours! The outcome was that Owen got to come home (otherwise dehydration requires a hospital stay--no idea how we were going to swing that.) I still have him under a watchful eye, but he seems to feel quite a bit better as he and Aidan have gotten into plenty of fights since we returned home. All those needle pokes did scare him into taking sips of pedialyte, so that is a great step in the right direction.
The boys did want to say goodnight to everyone. Aidan has a bedtime story for you (you have to listen pretty closely.) So, enjoy them while they're healthy and here's hoping that we're done for the year!

Christmas 2008 Preview

With all the craziness this week, I haven't gotten all of the Christmas stuff out. The stuff that I did get up, has been either taken down (and then rehung,) or just put away. The train that goes under the tree made it out for a grand total of five mintues this year before the boys had it taken away. Owen is so much more....well, just more this year! He just loves all the lights and the glitter. It took me about ten seconds before I realized that all breakable ornaments have to wait this year, but I did miss the mark a little bit when I decided to put up a john deere tree. I keep finding little tractors all over the house. It was a great sign to see Owen running away with little tractors. It meant that he was feeling better. Here are some pictures from decorating, many many more to follow.

All Out Surrender

So, this bug has finally got the entire house. Owen jumped onto the flu wagon late last night. He is doing ok now. It is funny though, trying to figure out when a one year old is going to get sick. Aidan at least tells you that his tummy hurts, but Owen can be laughing with you one minute and be sick the next (and still be laughing the whole time.) Wade ended up having to stay home Tuesday and today (as I didn't make it through Monday night.) The timing worked out okay as Wade had a HUGE presentation Monday morning. He has been able to work from home today and yesterday. Aidan helped him with some conference calls this morning. Wade did start to show signs of defeat early this morning. He bought Denver's grocery store out of Gatorade (orange and green only,) chic noodle soup and nyquil. He also bought a large stock of plastic/paper cups, bowls and plates. Finally, this afternoon I was feeling better so we swapped. He got the nyquil and I got the dishes (the real ones--not the disposable ones.) Aidan has very much recovered, and is horribly annoyed to be trapped in a house of sick people. He is driving us CRAZY!!! We finally broke down and put all of this trains in his room. We are hoping that will contain him for a little while. So, while everyone (well, except for poor Wade,) is getting better we will still be lying low for a couple of days. Maybe by Saturday we will be able to leave the house! Here's hoping!!!
Also, Dad, thanks for sending my glasses and the charger. I am impressed that is all we left behind when we left. And, Mom thanks for sending the boys the Xmas Tappers--very cute, but a little annoying in the flu-ick-state. The boys love them.