adventures of a real housewife

Day 1:

• Hayes departs before dawn for a guys "work" trip to Montana.  Yep - that's why he's been searching for his ski goggles and snow gear for a week.


• The photos he sends of snow-capped mountains only go so far, so the kids and I began a puzzle marathon, which culminated in a fight over the puzzle box, thereby spilling a large drink all over the clean carpet.  Really - whoever CHOSE beige carpet for a household full of children needs to be evaluated.  
 

...but we finished the puzzle!



• Google carpet options


• Bedtime?  Nope.  More like that "whack-a-mole" game at the arcade.


• Collapse. 

Day 2:

•  Swimming lessons cancelled as we drive into the parking lot.  Chemical glitch.  Noshville pancakes it is!


• Trainspotting - three diesels with hoppers, tankers, and boxcars.  Lucky day.


• Peter finally earned the last of the money for his coveted Lego firetruck.  We have been hearing about the features and product specifications for weeks now, as have his teachers, friends, and friends' parents.  Finally, he can buy it and build it.  Oh wait.  What?  It's discontinued and not in stock?  Of coooooourse.  Meltdown.


• Trip to the Lego store for garbage truck and fire plane.  It's a rebound purchase, but he's proud.




• Whack-a-mole

• I fell asleep watching a movie - what a deliciously early bedtime.

Day 3:

• No school for President's Day.  Up at 4:40 am, presumably to build a fire plane. Is it just me, or would Misters Washington and Lincoln prefer that kids go to school and learn about our fearless leaders instead of staying at home, complaining and fighting over Legos and empty snack wrappers?  Yes, they even fight over trash. 


• Peter's friend Owen came over to play and we all went to the bowling alley for a change of scenery. The boys had had enough bowling after frame 4, but the arcade held their attention for an hour.  AndOhMyGodThosePlacesAreABlackHoleForMyMoney.  That's okay - they were happy until Owen won twice as many tickets as mine combined.

Clearly we need to work on our form.

Legos and movies for the afternoon.  Mama's beat.

Day 4:

• Hallelujah, school is back in session.  Granted, we were 15 minutes late because someone refused to wear a pair of socks that had a seam at the toe.  Then he couldn't find his coat and it was 34 degrees.  Then he forgot to get his lunch.  Responsibility sucks, doesn't it, little man?!


• Grocery with the littles


•  

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I began typing this entry exactly 9 days ago and I have since forgotten how we managed to survive Days 4 and 5, but suffice it to say that we did. It undoubtedly involved way more TV than recommended by experts and perhaps a (much anticipated) TV dinner a la 1985. But we did it.  Boy, were we all happy to see Hayes that Thursday morning. Returning to the real world after a stay in a posh resort was most definitely a culture shock, but he was a great sport. In addition to honing his snowboarding skills, he took up snowshoeing and cross country skiing. I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound like a relaxing vacation to me after all.

 
And yes, he did provide photographic evidence that there was work accomplished for a few hours one day. Seriously, it was a well-deserved break from monotony and I hope he got the most of it, because his homecoming was the last normal day we have had around here. 9 days ago.

One way to pass the time.  Some of my cousins will especially appreciate this throwback.

 
The day Hayes returned and I abandoned this original post, Matthew was fussy and clingy and not at all flirtatious. I took him in to find out that he had a "horrible" double ear infection. Our doctor doesn't typically use words like that, so it must've been bad. Antibiotics again. As usual, Matty fought the medicine but we've figured out how to get it in him now. He finally started feeling better over this past weekend. Then Tuesday he started coughing through crackly, raspy breaths. Wednesday, Peter started coughing. Thursday, Peter was sent home from school with a fever.
 

The bottom line: The doctor has diagnosed Matty with a second infection: bronchiolitis via RSV, which has to run its miserable course, and a consequential worsening of the original ear infection.  Peter has the flu, which has to run its miserable course.  Davis (the one who always gets sick) had his annual checkup in the midst of all these pediatrician visits and he is just fine. 

Mama needs a vacation.

Lucky for me, I get one! Next week we are all headed to South Carolina for Pop Kennedy's 90th birthday. We are so looking forward to introducing Matthew to the Kennedy clan and enjoying some time together. Tamiflu, here I come!!!