This week

Well, Thanksgiving is over and life just moves on!  Surprisingly, no one wanted to go to school Monday morning, so I resorted to a paper chain to count down our school days until Christmas break.  Monday morning was 14 and a half days if anyone is counting and I guarantee every.single.person in this house is counting.  Please note the beautifully printed script at the top.  I really pulled out all the stops.

Parenting fail #4,379.  Andrew has been asking me to teach him to tie his shoes.  Ain't nobody got time for that when you the third boy.  I just buy him slip on shoes.  Apparently, this is not good enough to get a sticker at school.  Stupid reward stickers.  Bright and early Monday morning, in a bit of dramatic flair, Andrew proclaimed that I have NEVER taught him how to tie his shoes and he has been asking and asking and asking.  All of this is true.  In my defense, he talks A LOT.  Before he went to school Monday morning we had a lesson.

After having my vacuum cleaner for 15 years I decided to upgrade my Oreck.  Welcome to the family, new vacuum cleaner.  You will be loved.  Did I mention this thing is self propelled?!?  

Just to change things up and keep things spicy, Jack decided to save his illness for after the holiday.  If you have read this blog for long you know that we have a long history with holidays and sickness.  No one was sick here over Thanksgiving, but Jack started complaining of a sore throat.  I took him to the doctor and he tested negative for flu and strep...we'll see. 

Dash ran with Fred Monday morning.  Since he had already run once he could not run with me again.  I think he really wanted to go though.



Tuesday morning Jack woke up without a fever, so I sent him to school.  He said he felt fine all day until the end.  By the time we got home he was running a fever.  Boo.  No need to worry.  Dash the dog was keeping a close eye on him.

He has chills, feels achy, and gets a headache, but only when his fever goes up.  Guess how I know this?  Yep, I have it too.  It stinks to run a fever as an adult.  You know what's awesome?  Ibuprofen.

Jack stayed home with me on Wednesday.  He went outside to get some fresh air and quickly came running back in to tell me that Dash was outside and he was eating a baby bird.  Awesome.  I went outside to find that it was not a bird, but a mole.  Gross.  He was batting it around and tossing it in the air like it was a toy.

I trapped it in a box , much to Dash's dismay, and left it outside until Fred got home and was able to "take care" of the situation.

Clayton had Algebra homework one night and he did not believe that I could help.  I did.  We had to photograph it for proof.  There may have been smack talk from me to him that went like this, "Boom.  You just got schooled by your mom!  I just showed you who was boss."  There might have been.

This came in my email this week.  I don't know if it's a Christmas miracle or a dream.  Either way, I'll take it.  I'll be marching myself to Target to cash this big boy in.  20% off your entire purchase at Target...now that's not for the faint of heart.

Clayton's school had homecoming week this week.  They had dress up days each today.  Friday was 90's day.  I think we nailed it.  

My family is coming in this weekend for Merry Thanksgiving.  I just hope we have enough cups.  Ha!

One night this week the big boys and Fred were at play practice.  It was just me and Andrew.  I promise that kid talked from the moment they left until he went to sleep that night.  It was one long sentence.  I wrote down two of our/his converstations.  Please note that I did not get one word in.  This was just him talking.

Did you hear that noise?  Dash will get whatever it is.  Actually, we are all safe because of the veterans.  They killed all the bad guys or maybe they just put them in jail.  I don't know.  That's why it's safe to live in Bartlett and Memphis.  I play cops and robbers at school sometimes, but no one can catch me.  When are we gonna go?

Did you know I have to lip sing in my Christmas program?  My teacher calls it magic lips.  When we are lip singing we are supposed to stand and smile.  It's very awkward.  There's a lady named Pam that's in the room.  She acts like she's the audience, but we all know she's not.  She will actually clap when we're done.

I even gave him a giant snow cone as we drove around looking at Christmas lights.  I'm aware that he does not need that much sugar.  My ears just needed a break.  It didn't work. Sweet boy.