Snow!

It snowed today!!! Unfortunately for Chet, it didn't snow until midday so he still had to go to school! Ethan was lucky enough (?) to be sick with a fever today. So, he and I cuddled on the couch most of the day and watched the snow fall and movies on TV. (After hearing the movie "Cars" literally a hundred times in the car, I actually got to SEE it today! Amazing what Pixar can do with their animation!)

Anyway, when Chet got home from school, the boys went out to play! It was the first time this season they got to play in the snow. Our big storm in December was all ice and while there has been flakes here and there, this is the first time there has been enough to play in. Lots of snowballs, some shoveling and a few snow angels later, they came in for the best part-Hot Chocolate!

So, it's a lot prettier here now with all the white covering all the dead and dormant trees and grass. We're all hoping for icy roads in the morning and an early start to our weekend! Enjoy the pics! We'll keep you posted!

The Medical Oddities of Little Ethan

My poor little guy! Check out that lip! He had a cavity filled at the dentist, which went surprisingly well, I must say! Well, his lip was numb, of course, and he started playing with it and chewing on it! I warned him. The dental tech warned him. But apparently he chose to learn this lesson the hard way! We hadn't been home more than hour and his lip was swollen to five times the size and bloody. Yuck! Poor thing's had a fat and nasty looking lip for several days now! The swelling is mostly gone today and it just needs to finish healing. His dad and I are going to add this picture to his other oddities, like the big fat ear from a spider bite a few months ago. (The top picture) So, add that to the broken arm at age 1 and the scarlet fever at age 3, Ethan is going to have a nice big scrapbook of all his medical oddities! So, while most parents will be showing their kids' dates naked baby pictures, we'll be showing Ethan's all his crazy medical anomalies! (Don't worry, I'll throw in a couple naked baby pictures, too!)

Green Eggs & Ham, the best book ever written?

Okay, that maybe going a bit far, but really "Green Eggs and Ham" has so much to it! I've been reading this to Ethan each day for the last couple weeks and we keep finding new little treasures in this classic book. Being in Pre-K rhymes are a big deal. So at the end (or middle) of each page he tells me the rhymes that he hears and even makes up some of his own ("house and wouse, Mommy, it rhymes!") Then there's all the different letters to name and all the different animals to recognize. And, if that's not enough, it's about some guy refusing (pretty close to having a tantrum, if you ask me) to try something new. After turning his nose up at green eggs and ham a million times, he FINALLY tries it and, lo behold, HE LIKES IT! It gives me hope for my children! Perhaps one day I can make dinner without hearing "but I don't like that". Or may be not, one can always hope...

One more little Ethan story: This picture is Ethan with his little best friend Karsyn. They do like each very much. Now, Karsyn sometimes likes Ethan more than he likes her. Some weeks he wants to play her as much as we mothers will allow and other weeks he doesn't want to play with anybody, at all, ever. One day I asked him why he didn't want to play with Karsyn. He responded, "Because I am not her true love." Oh my! Well, this week he's wanted to play with her every day after school. Yesterday, I told him I didn't know if she wanted to play today. He said, "Or she could be begging to play with me!" Apparently, he won't be needing any help with his self-esteem any time soon!

It's a start anyway!

Hi all!

I've decided this would be a fun way to keep in touch with our friends and family out there. You know, let you know what's going out here in the country! (Only if you really want to know!) Also, I find I'm getting forgetful in my old age and I hope that by writing down the silly little things my boys say and do that I will remember them! Of course, that helps with my scrapbooking, so I guess this blog has almost purely selfish intentions! Hopefully, none of you will be offended by that and will enjoy a little with me here and there. And if no one ever reads this, then that will be okay too!

Chet is, as I write, on a flight from Paris to Dubai (United Arab Emirates). We really had a great visit and the last week felt so normal. Such a feeling I'm not used to. We are truly homebodies and spent much of the time hanging out, playing games and cooking. Chet is a fabulous cook and thankfully for me, it's how he likes to relax when he is home! Mom & Dad sent us wonderful Allen Brothers steaks for Christmas. (Thanks, Mom & Dad) Chet seasoned them with his own concoction and then smoked them in the smoker. I am not kidding you, it was the BEST steak I've ever had, and he has made some pretty good ones over the years! Wow! Melt in your mouth!

So, now we are back to being one down in the Panique house and I have to go back cooking for myself! Bummer! Well, that's the way it is right now and we are looking forward. Mom, Melissa and Andy already have plane tickets to come out for Spring Break! So, now I can start planning my projects to be done for their arrival, but not today, I don't think I will even get out of my pajamas today. It is a day of decompessing and readjusting (and catching up on my Tivo!).

Okay, so I don't think I'll make all my entries this long (or maybe I will), but just so you know this blog is set up so only people with permission can access it. So, you should all feel special! Have a great day!