Operation

We are still chugging along over here in our germ-infested home. There are several "Operations" that will be put into play soon due to a stressful winter and 6+ weeks of constant illness.



1)"Operation Kill-The-Germs"


*Effective at 8:15am tomorrow as soon as I get back from dropping off the boys.


*Doesn't matter how cruddy I feel....all germs must go!!



2) "Operation Sunshine" (otherwise known as "Operation De-Stress")


*We are on a prayerful mission to somehow find the money to go on a little
family vacation, as we find ourselves reaching the stress limits of 5 1/2 years of
graduate school and big-city living and are desperate for a little time away!


*The boys and I pulled out our coin jars (the large jars we toss loose change in) and began the tedious process of counting. So far we tallied enough for 1 whole tank of gas:) woohoo.



3)"Operation Spring"


*Not much we can do to hurry this one along but we plan to take full advantage of any fresh air/warmer temperatures that come our way in hopes that outdoor exercise and a little Vitamin D (not to mention happier spirits) can chase the icky sickness away!


E having tummy time on our wonderful couch-bed:) She loves watching her crazy big brothers!

Fun in the Sun

A Glimpse of Spring:

(Samuel was FAR too busy to stop for a picture!)

Down, Down, Down

(Cue heroic civil war battle music)

It began with Zakkai. And passed quickly to Samuel and back to Zakkai. And then Zakkai again. On to Eliana and just when she began to show signs of recovery, back to Zakkai (again). And then on to Ben, most recently.

I have fought a valiant fight, amidst kissing and loving little sick ones, caressing fevered brows, administering medicines and hugs; changing bedding and tossing snotty rags in the laundry. I stood firm through 4 drs visits in 1 1/2 weeks, through being sneezed and coughed on with alarming regularity. My hands were cleaned thoroughly after wiping noses, disinfecting toilets, door knobs and light switches daily. I plowed on with the enduring strength that only a mother, who has no time to consider anything else but keeping on with the daily schedule despite the attack of germs on every side, can have.

Yet tonight I find myself sinking into the mucky mire faster than a torpedoed battleship. I'm going down, down, down with the best of them. But even as I feel the claws of sickness grasping at me, trying its hardest to lure me in, I will still fight.

Because when the mama goes down.....we all go down.

Dear...

Hi, I'm Eliana and I love my world SO much that I don't want to eat or sleep ever again! Now that I'm feeling much better, I am smiling and kicking again. I am always wet with drool because I love to chew on anything I can get my hands on! Including my hands...




My name is Eliana and I'm cute.



P.S. I am just 1 lb bigger than Daddy was when he was born. Crazy, huh?!


(pic taken while sick:( But still cute!)

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Hi, my name is Samuel and I'm really brave. Sometimes going to school is really hard for me, especially when I have a substitute teacher or things are uncomfortable for me. But I try really hard when mommy and daddy ask me to and they are really proud of me!



I adore PB&J sandwiches, any kind of bread, fruit snacks and t.v. I also love hugs, kisses and time with my family.



My name is Samuel and I am super special.



P.S. I don't suck my fingers ANY more! I worked hard to stop and I'm proud of it!




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Hi, my name is Zakkai Nathaniel Thomas, as I like to tell everyone lately:) I am proud to be 4 and am getting pretty tall and skinny! Today I got into the freezer while mommy was busy and I turned it off. I guess she and daddy didn't realize it until an hour ago when they noticed the ice cream was all melted. I love to do stuff like that!

I also like to hide things in my room. Let's see....I hid the car keys in my bed during my nap yesterday so Daddy was late picking up Samuel from school because they couldn't find them anywhere. I just wanted to see what they looked like! I also hid some Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs under my bed and some boxes of tissues (my newest obsession) behind the window curtain.

My name is Zakkai and I'm stinkin' cute! (or mommy thinks so anyways...)

P.S. I really like to wear my shirts backwards and wear mismatched socks. It's my own style!

~Love,
Samuel, Zakkai and Eliana

Boys in the Kitchen and Bumbos!

For the first time in a week, we finally had a decent day without major illness or mishap! And that doesn't count Z and his current 3rd (or 4th?) cold in the past 5 1/2 weeks or the diarrhea battle the boys have both been fighting. Eliana is well on her way to recover (finally!), except for leftover congestion and a cough she can't shake.

It's hard to feel down with 47 degree weather and sun, though!

E would like to thank her special friend Miss Jennifer, for the gracious gift of a Bumbo seat! She likes to sit in it for a few minutes while I prep for dinner:)
It's the cutest thing ever to turn around and spot this little dainty butterball sitting in her little "couch" on the table!

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And speaking of dinner: The boys (with a little help from Daddy) made dinner on Saturday night! We are instituting a new weekly dinner where the boys get to plan it out and help prepare it. This is in addition to weekly homemade pizza (Fri nights) and Breakfast for dinner (Sunday nights).

They were SO excited to help! They got busy washing and chopping fruit for the fruit salsa, using their Ikea plastic knives. They did a pretty good job!

They also helped to make Sweet N' Sour Meatballs (they looked and tasted much better in person, promise!) and Rice. They measured ingredients and even dug in their (clean) hands to mix the meat and other ingredients and help form the meatballs.


The fruit salsa was accompanied by cinnamon tortilla chips, which everyone loved!
Proud Chef #1 thoroughly enjoyed his meal! Makes everything taste a little better when you put a little work into it:)

And Picky Chef #2, who would have happily dined only on Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips if I would've let him.

They are already happily planning the next edition of "Boys in the Kitchen." :)

Recipes adapted from: www.jrcuisine.com