Odds & Ends

Lillian loves Arial. Little Mermaid is one of her favorite movies but she watches other Princess movies with Ankica. She changes clothes about five times a day but is finally keeping clothes on. She loves dress up shoes and can run in heels that are too big for her. She is learning her colors, shakes her head faster than seems possible when she bites into a popsicle and is too cute for words some days.

Ankica is now talking about what happens when the wicked witch captures her. She has a wonderful imagination, a photographic memory for movie lines like her daddy, and is apparently watching too many princess movies. She is officially potty-trained as she now sleeps through the night (knock on wood) with no accidents. She can dress herself most days. She can write her name and Julia's name although she has regressed into the usual backward J that seems to plague many kids. She is getting into Barbies and it is a real insight into what she is learning when I hear the Barbies talk to each other.

The girls love to sword fight with Loran, chase the dogs, color with markers, and take turns praying at meal times. They play well together, especially when they are pretending to clean something. Last night it was sweeping the deck before we sat outside and enjoyed some warmer weather and the yard free of snow.

I bought the girls a wagon so that we could walk to the park. The double stroller still works but just isn't right for them anymore. Yesterday we took a walk and I tied the dogs to the handle. It worked good going up the hill but after that they pulled so hard I thought the girls would fall out of the wagon!

I have off this week for Spring Break but it hasn't been much of a break yet. There is grading to catch up on and articles to write. I am doing weight watchers again (first 5% gone) and I am amazed at the foods that I have been willing to try this time around. As long as I don't get sick I should do fine. That is what tripped me up the last two times I started to lose weight. Well, that and Lillian. I am also trying REALLY hard to make time for walking on the treadmill every day. If I can do other activity besides the treadmill that is just bonus. I really want to work on my elephant latch-hook that I have had since Oklahoma and worked on after Ankica was born for a little while. Of course, I have a zillion projects that just want doing. Lots of good intentions but a constant realignment of priorities and suddenly those projects just aren't important any longer.

I am hoping to have a nice vegetable garden this year. My office neighbor is an ornamental horticulturist and I am hoping to have her over to give me some pointers. We shall see :-)

We are shopping for a grill and a new patio table. I don't miss being able to grill and eat outside for Easter but I do miss the greater opportunity to grill and eat outdoors in general. Of course, there were plenty of days that we grilled and then came inside because it was too hot :-) That won't happen much here, I don't think.

The only TV show we manage to watch is Lost and that isn't until after it actually airs. I want to watch the Big Bang Theory because the clips Jawan posts look hilarious. Our pastor recommends Fringe but we just don't have the time. I even missed most of this season of Heroes which just isn't like me! Let's not even talk about NCAA basketball. That used to be one of the ONLY things I did during the winter/early spring. Now all I know is that Wisconsin was ranked in the top 25 a few weeks ago.

I think about where another baby would fit into this chaos and wonder if the smart thing to do would be to make sure we don't have another. But then again, I don't feel like we are complete as a family yet. We are leaving that to chance (and God) for now.

The house is rented but the rent money hasn't exactly been flowing in yet. There are some issues.

We are still paying for 100% of Julia's travel expenses but have set things in motion that will very likely change that. I fear it could get ugly.

Loran's dad has been in the hospital for the past couple of days. A problem with his ability to process potassium. He seems to be doing well, but he is almost 78 and diabetic. Any time in the hospital is worrisome. We have planned a trip to Virginia at the end of May but I know it is hard on Loran to not be there for his parents and we wonder about the inevitable "when"...

The girls are down for a nap (one of the best things to come from the move...they both nap very well now!) and I am off in search of my shoes for the treadmill.