art gallery

Chloe drew a bunch of pictures and then had an art show in her bedroom, in which Don and I both were to pick our favorite pictures and "buy" them.  We have created an art gallery in our hallway.  I was pretty impressed with her display, she titled each piece and placed it in the hallway very professionally.  I think she was inspired by my recent endeavor as  volunteer art masterpiece teacher at her school.  (Basically I go in and talk about a piece of art once every two weeks.  Last week was my first time.  I was reminded that 1. I forgot everything I learned in college about art.  and 2. I forgot how a room full of children still intimidates me) I hope I get better at it.  I like visiting Chloe's classroom.  For some reason I have been feeling so sappy and sentimental lately, like more than usual. Perhaps it is because Chloe turns 8 in May.  Perhaps it is because our 10 year wedding anniversary is in April, and I cannot fathom that we have been married that long, and that 10 years used to seem like so much time, but now seems like just a little blip. 4 years of High School and College was a distinct time in my life that seemed to last forever, now when I think about 4 years ago, it feels like last week. I don't like it.  Also, my kids just keep getting bigger, and there is nothing I can do about it.  I feel like clock keeps speeding up, and I am constantly trying to slow it down.  See. I told you I was sentimental and sappy lately.  

I brought in Chloe's picture of "Anna" to illustrate a concept to her class. She turned bright red, but I know she secretly loved it.

Macie also contributed to the Gallery.  she said this says, "Mom, Come to my party."  She has the letter "M" perfected.  That's good. The letter "M" is a popular letter around this house.

 Throwback from Don's birthday, Chloe made Don a map to find his special note she created for him.

"You have been seacrt birthday! that means you have to flowow the map! look on the back!"

I was gone on Saturday for a couple hours, and the girls didn't know where I was.  So they came up with this plan to find me.
It involved calling me.  Emmell(ing) me. And Phoe messes me.
It looks like they never figured out where I was, because "She is at ____ Place" remains blank.
And I will never tell where I was ; )
I was at the church.
I lead a very mysterious life.

 The girls have been having a hard time keeping their room clean. Since basically they were born.  So we decided to make things easier on them by removing the toys in their room.  Somehow their room still manages to look just as messy.  I am not sure how messes just keep finding their way in there.  Perhaps I should go with a Prison theme decorating style for their room.  Then they would have next to nothing to messify a room.  Chloe asked me if they kept their room clean for a week, if they could get their toys back. I said, "sure!" So she made this sign: "Plan...if we ceep our room cleaned for a week we can get our toys back!"
You will notice this sign was made on Saturday and today is Tuesday, and no boxes have been checked.
So the plan is going well.

For Don's birthday Chloe made Don a sign and a treasure map.  The X marks the spot, was a birthday note she made for Don.
"You have been seacrt  (secret) birthday! That means you have to flowow the map! look on the back!"

I love all of the papers these girls make.  They are all classic works of art.

Yesterday I found myself in the Pediatrician's Office.  We were a pathetic sight.  Chloe came home from school Thursday afternoon and told me she felt like her bones were made of broken wood.  True story.  Having just gotten over a nasty bugger of a cold, I braced myself for a new round of nursing.  Friday morning she woke up and seemed to be feeling a bit better, but I kept her home from school anyway.  During the day she seemed okay, but each night around 2:00 AM she would come in our room complaining of considerable ear pain.  Sunday, I thought she was over the worst of it.  But by evening time, she was a mess.  Her eye was half shut, puffy and pink.  Her ear was hurting.  She could hardly speak out of hoarseness.  She was quite a sight.  She handed me a pile of handwritten notes, both pathetic and hilarious.  

"I am sad! read this note. 

I can't talk to well.

I am sad.

I am lonly.

I am sick.

Stay away from me!

I don't (want) you to get sick too.

I want to be good now!

I don't want to wait!

I want people to sit by me!

I wish I could touch people!

people don't want to sit by me! I'm sick!

I am sad.

it is the sicknesses falt!

I wish I was good!

I wish I was not SICK!"

Well the next morning, we ended up in the Doctor's office.  Like I said, we were a pathetic sight.  Chloe managed to accidentally give Macie a rope burn on her neck during the car ride over there, by pulling off some stupid lanyard Macie was wearing around her neck. So Macie was icing her injury and red faced from 15 minutes of crying and bemoaning the tragedies of her life, and Chloe sat dejectedly on the exam table when the Doctor entered the room.  So it turns out Chloe has an ear infection and pink eye, no surprise there, and she checked for strep throat just for good measure.  Now Chloe has never had the privilege of experiencing a strep throat test, and was taken quite by surprise by the discomfort of having a 10 inch cotton swab forced down her throat.  I on the other hand, remember very well the discomfort ( having a Doctor for a Dad and thus a recipient of frequent strep tests).  And that is when it hit me.  Delirium from 4 nights (and if we are counting Oscar, 6 months) of less than ideal sleep, sympathy for my suffering kids, and also the hilarity of the sight of them, I burst into a very strange fit of both laughing and crying.

The rest of the day turned out better. That is, after the broken jar of pickle relish was cleaned up off the floor and after I found my cell phone, which I was convinced for 3 hours was lost at the Doctors office, but actually was lost in my car.

More christmas party

Oh, also, we got a new sliding door which is so exciting to us because, well trust me, it just is.

Christmas Party

This year's Christmas party highlights:

-Steff made a Leg Lamp pinata. Unfortunately we never got to the pinata, but fortunately, we hung it in our front living room window for 2 weeks.

- I made French Dip Sandwiches. Unfortunately I didn't figure out until the next day, that the buns are infinitely better when toasted WITH butter.  Fortunately, we had the most amazing side dishes, so I don't think people noticed.  Katie made the most amazing macaroni and cheese on the planet, and Steff's salad with the candied pecans and bleu cheese, also incredible.  (EVERYTHING was delicious though.)

-Don's white elephant gift took him 10 minutes to open because there were 6 or more boxes inside.  He finally made it down to the horse head mask.  Unfortunately the horse head was stolen, but fortunately we ended up with a gift card (the gift card we submitted to the gift exchange.)

-Catch Phrase tournament, Martz's won.  And Don and I actually made a decent showing, unlike our usual 1 point disasters.

-Rachelle drove all the way down from Prescott, and stayed the night, so I wasn't as sad when the party was over.

 HeMan! Live action DVD.

 I tried to steal the horse head back.

 Someone actually brought a machete.

More Christmas Pictures

 Oscar must have been asleep during the first unwrapping session.  (We love you oscar! )

Oh, and here's one afternoon when we went and visited Don's Uncle Rudy. Uncle Rudy performed our marriage and it is a treat to see him.  He like me to play the piano for him when we come, his wife passed away a few years ago and he misses hearing her play.