Updates...

For the first time since starting this blog, I really can’t think of anything new to write about today. I overslept this morning. I am feeling rather groggy and sluggish. Work has already made me crabby this morning...that didn't take long at all. Since I am experiencing writer’s block and I am not feeling particularly creative today, I have decided to simply update you on some of the items I have written about in this blog to date.

Ruanita and I made a deal to not eat out at all for one month. Ok…this lasted all of 24 hours. We couldn’t agree on what we wanted to purchase as a “reward” for not eating out. We decided that we needed to contemplate it over pizza, so we ordered Papa John’s. Oops!

I ordered a new cherry red Dell laptop. I still have YET to receive my laptop. 5-7 day shipping my ass! I ordered it on the 15th of February. Finally, at 9:00 last night, Dell’s website had updated my order from “in production” to “preparing to ship.” I guess that’s progress. Perhaps I will receive it before Easter? Apparently, I am giving up my laptop for Lent.

Lucas’ only perfect grade on his report card came in singing. For the last couple of days, Lucas has been walking around constantly singing “We Shall Overcome.” He learned the song at school when they studied Martin Luther King, Jr. For some reason, it amuses me to no end hearing “We Shall Overcome” coming out of the mouth of this translucently white boy who really has nothing at all to “overcome” in his life right now at all. His biggest challenge at the moment is whether he will put yellow or blue armor on his Bionicle. However, I must admit that he does have a nice voice.

I managed to somehow lose 5 pounds in three days. As expected…that didn’t last. This morning, I was up four pounds on the scale. So….I lost five pounds in three days and gained 4 pounds in one day. Typical.

Three children simply do not play well together. This hasn’t changed. Just last night, poor little Nicky was crying because he was forced to be the bad guy (yet again) in the kids’ interpretation of Beowulf. Yes, Lucas is probably the only 7-year-old on this planet who plays “Beowulf and the Dragon.” Lucas was the dashing hero, Beowulf, of course….complete with shining silver knight outfit, duct taped helmet, and bent and battered plastic word. Sophie was the beautiful nameless princess, complete with attitude to spare. Nicholas was forced to be the terrible, ugly dragon…again...much to his displeasure. I never thought I would have to yell at my children, “Let your brother have a turn at being Beowulf too!” My children are just odd.

Sophie and I are butting heads. Nothing has changed here. She and I are still duking it out. I don’t imagine this will be changing for at least the next 15-18 years. Wow…that is a disheartening thing to see in print. I have a feeling that we will be the best of friends when she is all grown…we just have to survive until that point.

I took a group of Earth Scouts to the University of MN Raptor Center. This was awesome! If you haven’t been to the Raptor Center, I highly recommend it. The kids loved it. We learned a ton of really great information about eagles, hawks, owls, and falcons. The kids thought it was “cool” that all three of the birds we saw up close pooped while the guide was holding them. And we learned that turkey vultures often ward off predators by throwing up. As you can imagine with a group of 5-8 year olds obsessed with bodily functions, the Raptor Center was a hit!

I am on a budget and can no longer frequent Starbucks on a daily basis. The sugary concoction I created at the convenient store made me sick to my stomach. I poured it out. I miss my Starbucks. Oh, the inhumanity of it all!

Sophie would not cooperate with letting her bangs grow out. I went and got Sophie’s hair cut in a cute little bob. I love her hair short, but I am wondering if her personality is somehow tied to her hair. Remember in the bible when Sampson cut his hair and lost all of his strength? When Sophie’s hair was cut, she lost all of her sweetness. She suddenly turned into a whining, complaining beast. Don't get me wrong...I love Sophie's sassiness. But man, is it exhausting! I am considering a little experiment…if I let her hair grow long and she suddenly becomes a pleasant little girl again, I am going to donate her locks to the US government. Perhaps they can bring about world peace?

I was looking forward to Lucas getting excited about the winter Olympic Games. While I am loving the games, Lucas doesn’t seem to be as caught up in them this time around. Perhaps ice dancing and curling are not as exciting for a 7-year-old boy as swimming, diving, and track? Maybe if we got him involved in some winter sports…we DO live in Minnesota, after all….he would be more excited about the winter Olympics. Of course, we have the whole complete-and-utter-lack-of-athletic-skills to deal with when it comes to Lucas. Hmmm…perhaps we’ll just let him be.

Well, that’s it. My updates in a nutshell. Perhaps later I will be feeling more creative and can write about something new and exciting. I wouldn’t hold my breath though, if I were you.