Exciting things afoot......um....in the air, actually.

We are finally building the roof to cover our patio. We extended the patio last summer. It's the perfect size now for table and chairs and hanging out.

We've been planning this for three years. I can't wait to hang some uber cool candle lanterns and pick out patio furniture. I also have plans for a giant urn water feature .
Secondborn and his best friend have been a great help.

Mr. Wonderful even got me on the ladder a few times. I kept my eyes shut.

I told Mr. Wonderful that he looks sexy wearing a tool belt. Very Handy Manny. He rolled his eyes at me.

I think Secondborn just likes hanging out above my head. As long as he looks busy outside, I can't put him to work inside.

Self doctoring

The Love Magnet asked if she could ride in the back of the car on the way home from school. Since we just live one street over in a residential area, I didn't think it was a problem.

Oops. (Mom-guilt! Mom-guilt!)

She didn't put her seat belt on and bumped her lip when we made a right turn. She started bleeding and crying, but told me she was strong as we drove the last 60 seconds to our home.

I asked The Love Magnet to go in the bathroom and wash her lip so I could check it. She was gone a long time (for her) and finally came down the stairs.

The Love Magnet: "Mommmmm, mmm-mf mmmmm-mf."

Me: "What did you say, Sweetie?"

The Love Magnet: "Mommmm, mmm-mf mmm-mf!"

I still didn't understand so I turned around.

Oh.

She fixed her fat lip.

Way to go, Love Magnet. Good problem solving and self doctoring.

It kept her quiet for a good hour. She read books and played with her dolls until dinnertime.

Nine Years Ago -

Mr. Wonderful called me downstairs to see what was happening on the television. We sat in shock on the couch, hip-to-hip, holding hands. I was pregnant with Thirdborn, who was due to come in 2 1/2 months.

Our two older kids were at school and preschool. We debated on whether we should get them from school. We finally decided to let them finish out the school day since school was just one street over.

I mentally calculated our food storage, 72 hour kits, and stored water. We would be fine if supplies became scarce.

I worried about Mr. Wonderful. Being an elevator man, if there was an emergency he would have to head to hospitals or nursing homes to make sure the elevators ran as long as they could. he would not be able to stay home. We didn't think it would get to that point, but it was constantly in our minds.

Then I noticed on the television screen that one building looked as if it were leaning. I told Mr. Wonderful I feared it would fall...right before it did fall. My pregnant body couldn't take it any more. We turned the TV off and knelt down to pray. We prayed for the comfort of those families who lost or would lose loved ones that day. We prayed for the fire and police crews who were helping. We prayed for the leaders of our country that they would have wisdom. We prayed for ourselves and our loved ones that we would also have wisdom.

When it came time to pick up the kids, I held them extra tight. We spent the evening with the television off. We asked all questions from our kids as best as we could. We put together a puzzle after dinner and homework.

Now we look for a way to give service this day. The rest of the day remains low-key with a family oriented quiet activity and comfort food.

Do you have traditions that stem from 9/11?

It's slowly coming together....

My school has been back in session for two weeks. I am starting to see that the knowledge of the past year has starting sticking. I understand more. That is incredibly exciting to me.

I've narrowed down all of my interests in order to focus on two: Language development in Down syndrome, and Voice Disorders. I am still interested in geriatric issues but that can wait until after grad school and PRAXIS, when I am required to do CEU's. I still would like to do a grad research project on DS, music, and language development.

I still have not figured out how to balance laundry and house chores when everyone else is running every which way. I have the cooking down (love my slow cooker thankyouverymuch!) and I can juggle chauffeuring when there is time left during kids tutoring sessions and sports for me to open a textbook. I need to come up with some kind of chore chart and teach these kids how to clean up messes as they make them (apparently the past 17 years of doing this doesn't count because it hasn't stuck in their heads.....)

Date night is still sacred in this house. It's not always on our usual date night and it is not always "out" but I still get my datenight with my honey.

This is the semester of applying for grad school. I'll take the GRE in October. I have two groups lined up to write rec letters for me. I am still trying to figure out tuition costs, housing costs and all requirements needed to apply to the out-of-state schools. When I ask Mr. Wonderful how on earth we'll pay out-of-state tuition he tells me to not worry about it.

I had the lovely experience of doing hearing screenings on some elementary kids this past week. The SLP and I sat side-by-side with two screening machines and between the two of us finished the kids in half the time. It was a great learning experience for me.

I have an exam for genetics this week. I have a project to interview a 90 year old woman about hearing and balance issues that I am really looking forward to. Tons of reading.

I wonder if the laundry will ever be completely done this school year. Probably not.

Perfect Day

We went back to the state park today where Mr. Wonderful and the boys dropped off the turtle.
Labor Day weekend, the nicest day the weatherman predicted all weekend, and yet the park was not crowded. Oh perfect day.

Secondborn and The Love Magnet went swimming in the cold, cold water.

I scoped out the area for our family reunion to be held next summer. This place looks perfect.

Doggie girl had a great time swimming and catching balls.

I laid under the oak tree.

Secondborn took good care of The Love Magnet.

Thirdborn was determined to catch a few of the tiny fish swimming near the shore.

I wondered at the monolith with no name. What on earth is it for?

The Love Magnet decided she was cold and bundled up in swim towels.

We ended the day with a few runs on the water slide before heading home.

Perfect, quiet, sunny, summer day.

Turtle Rescue

Mr. Wonderful rescued a turtle trying to cross one of the busiest streets in our town. He brought it home for Thirdborn to see (Thirdborn loves animals).
Doggie Girl didn't know what to think of it. She sniffed it, tried to bat it with her paw (and didn't like being told "no") and then tried to chase the poor turtle. We held her tight.

Mr. Wonderful said it was called a painted turtle

After admiring it for a while we decided it needed to be released back into the wild. A safe part of the wild. Where to go?

Thirdborn named the turtle Surfboard. Mr. Wonderful drove the kids to a local state park. The park rangers thought it was cool that they rescued a turtle so the family was let in for free. (Thanks ranger dudes!) Secondborn swam with the turtle to an island in the middle of the lake and let the turtle loose in the reeds. He reported that the turtle was quite happy to be there.

Good deeds were done today.