Where Have We Been?

We have been busy.

We have been sick.

We have been working.

The boys started piano lessons again.  This time Cormac and Brech decided they wanted to join Blase and Rex.  Stephen had no interest in having to practice. ha ha  They are doing well, though we haven't had much time to practice.

Darren took Cormac, Rex, Brech, and Gianna for an extended weekend trip to the ranch.  They had a great time.  I made Brech promise me he'd come home. "Brech, you are so cute and Aunt Courtney loves you so much that she might ask you to stay with her forever.  Promise me you will come home 'cause I'll miss you if you don't come back to me."  "I promise, Mom."  First thing out of his mouth at 10 PM when they got home - "See, Mom, I came home."  Gianna's thrill of the weekend was getting to feed the bucket calves.  

Not that many days after Darren and the kids returned we started in on the week of frustration.  Everyone, except Rex who started it two weeks beforehand, took a turn puking and sitting on the toilet for hours.  The carpet cleaner saw a lot of action, as did the washing machine.  The worst day was probably Monday because that was the day that it decided to hit both Darren and I at the same time.  Long day.  Then that afternoon it started in Blase.  The three most capable people, out for the next two days. Thankfully the twins had already had their run-in and were recovered.  I am not sure how we would have been able to handle it if the twins were sick as well.

School has been going slow, but steady.  The kids have four scheduled weeks of school left.  I am certain that Blase and Stephen will need to work into the summer, if not through most of the summer on their math and science.  The other kids are doing great.  Brech could probably finish in 3 hours if I let him just work on his books.  I probably should find something else for him to do, but he is kind of burnt out on school right now.  I suppose the rest of the school days could just be watching school movies and doing fun things, like P.E. outside and nature studying as he runs by.

The kids are all back in swimming for the last session of this school year.  We have missed two session, one because of the SD trip and one because of the puking.  I am sure they will enjoy getting back in the water on Monday.  Cormac has been bumped up to the deep end, though he freaks out every time.  He is capable of swimming there, but he thinks he is going to sink to the bottom and freezes up.  His teacher has been working with him to get past that fear.  I have to say that watching him in the water gives me more panic feelings than he probably gets.  Nothing like fearing the water and panicking just because you hear your kid freaking out.  I've had to remind myself to breathe, relax and remember that I am not in the water.

So that is why I haven't posted lately.  I am sure you didn't want to see us while we were sick.  I'm sure a picture of the boys working on school would not be worth a blog post either.  Thus sums up our lives during the last part of March.

I do hope your Holy Week was full of blessings.  We had a quiet Holy Week and for that I am grateful.