Sick Kids

Well, we have had our share of germs around here this week. First it was Liv, then Alex, and now Mary. The younger two had strep. Poor Alex - he had to have the throat stick but I am so glad I took him in to the doctor. He got his meds and was better within a day. So I went back to work and wasn't there but thirty minutes before I got another call from the school. This time it was May May. Poor little angel (like my dad would say). She was so sick. And pretty unreasonable too. She could not understand why she couldn't play with Ashlyn even though she was sick. Ugh. But after 24 hours she, too, was better. In fact, she kept me super busy all day painting, crafting, and playing. When she went to bed she said, "whew, it was a long day!". Can you imagine?

Tomorrow we will have a great day - we will all be healthy and we will laugh a lot. I guarantee it!

Mama's Birthday

Well, it's been another year since we all got together and celebrated Mama's birthday. Is it just me or is time really flying by? I wish we could have done it up bigger but I guess the important thing is that we did it. We met my brother and his family at Red Lobster and had a family dinner in Mama's honor. She loved to order the Ultimate Feast - she wouldn't eat half of it but she'd order it every time. Mama loved her seafood! It was bittersweet to not have her there but like I always tell my kids...absent from the body means she is present with the Lord. And what could be better?

Olivia enjoyed her crab legs. My girl likes her crab legs! And she cracked them all by herself this time. I was impressed!

Guess what Alex had?

Chicken fingers and french fries. What else?

And Mary enjoyed a fabulous dish of Macaroni and Cheese - the same kind we have at home that is made from a box. But this plate cost $5. I hope it tasted good!

Here are the Wrights.

Fred and Alex. And NO! They don't look a bit alike!!!!!

Happy Birthday Mama. We love you and miss you more than ever. We never thought we'd be okay without you but somehow, we are good. We are living and we are thriving. One look at those little faces proves that "One smile shatters a thousand griefs". And we are smiling!

Happy New Year

So far the new year has crawled in very quietly. We spent the big night at some friends' house w/ our other close friends. The kids were all playing and running about - very kid friendly atmosphere. There was lots of food! It has been cloudy and rainy ever since. In fact, I think it has been this way for the entire break, except for two days when the sun came out. Kind of depressing.

Alex has been enjoying the heck out of his Wii. Jay likes it too - the girls have played but are not nuts about it. Mary has been doing a lot of drawing and coloring. Liv has a fascination w/ gmail right now so she has been IMing w/ her friends. Why not pick up the phone if you have so much to say? Although I can't complain too much. I love FB and the freedom it allows to just drop a note here and there w/out committing to an entire conversation. Who has time for that?

I am learning to play the guitar. It is a very painful process. No one ever talks about your fingers hurting so much you think they are going to fall off! They are on fire. But, I have been assured that it is only temporary and that as soon as I develop some nice attractive callouses, the pain will be gone. We will see. So far I have learned three chords that I have memorized and am now working on switching between these chords w/ ease. Not that easy! But I am sure it will come.

I have also already failed at my other New Year's goal - to take at least one picture a day. Since I haven't gone out of the house in two days, it really limits my options of what to take a picture of. It will get better. I have to get a camera bag, then I can take the camera out and about w/ out worrying about damaging it.

So, today is Saturday. We are enjoying the last remnants of our vacation - just lounging and relaxing. The kids go back to school on Monday and I go back to work on Tuesday. I think THAT is what I am most dreading. I think my excitement about being a Spanish teacher has ebbed and now I wish I could just stay at home and do my thing around here. Laundry, cooking, cleaning, going to the gym...all in English. Alas, no es posible.

So, I'm off to enjoy some time w/ Jay. A Bientot! Wait .... that's French.