A.W.O.L.

Our computer has been A.W.O.L. this week.  It was only supposed to be gone for about a day.  Next to the computer shop was a bridal store.  So Chloe came home doing this the rest of the day.  

Anyway, plenty has happened so here's the update:  Last week Chad had Spring Break.  It was nice to have him around and NOT go on a road trip; though the kids and I are gearing up to go see my sister, but that's a short trip, only 5 hours : )  Anyway, everyone but me is overcoming a cold.  Everett seemed to have gotten another one, but now it looks more like allergies and teething.  He woke up this morning with a swollen eye - such is the season I guess, but it was nice to not deal with that and eczema out west.  We've also moved Everett out of the pack and play and onto a pallet on the floor.  Poor kid doesn't even have a bed... He's done so well.  I rarely find him far from his bed.  And when he's tired, he gathers his bears and sits on it.  It's such a refreshing change from the stubborn insomnia that Chloe insists on.  

Friday Chad and I went to the temple in Louisville.  It was SO nice!  We got to drop the kids off with a friend that moved down there last year, go through for the first time in about 6 months, pick up some Red Robin for lunch and then visit with my friend.  What a great day!  Saturday, another friend held a "tutu party."  It was fun!  The "princesses" watched a movie with popcorn while we moms made them tutus.  So here's the finished product.  

Chloe thinks it's "silly" and only wears it if I ask her to, but it's still way fun.  

And some other fun pics of the kids:  that is eczema on Everett's face, not jelly.  I CANNOT get rid of it!

Here's what else has kept me busy.  It's the only project idea I could come up with and got way too excited about it way too fast.  I designed it to be very detailed, but still didn't last long enough.  I found the white fabric first.  It was just so perfect with silver glitter in the pattern (exactly what I wanted), that I had to do this with it.  The silver ribbon, pleats, and faux tufting is all hand done with little rhinestones at the center of each tuft.  Chad said it's too pretty for a 3 year old.  I agree, but it wasn't for her.  I did it for me.  Yes she is spoiled.  It was fun, and now I'll make a bed skirt and curtains.  Fun fun.

Oh, I was called to be a Relief Society teacher.  I teach for the first time Sunday; wish me luck.

So our "schedules and programs" ideas have worked beautifully!  I'd been in a rut of always just saying "Go play! Leave me alone!"  And of course, they always did just the opposite.  One day, we had a large block of time and did kind of a pre-school structure.  It was great!  Everett practiced his vowel sounds while Chloe learned to recognize them.  We did lots of fun stuff and we all felt a lot better.  The kids actually played together during play time instead of just fussing to come down.  It's exhausting, but Chloe desperately needs something to keep her mind stimulated.  It's been on hold since Spring Break and the turn of the weather, but I really think it'll be great.  Since that day we've just done an activity here or there as we have time, and that's worked great too.  Another "program" I instituted was chores.  Chloe's been doing chores for a while now, but she needed a new bike.  And since she's spoiled rotten I decided to have her do extra stuff to "earn" it.  It went great.  She worked hard, listened, has earned her bike, and is doing great learning to ride it.  I worked hard to save up and buy it for her out of regular grocery money too, which I also feel really good about.