DAY 6 STRIKE/LAST DAY OF STRIKE

Last day of our strike... what a yucky day this morning! I walked in the rain for my two hours and then came over to the Y to take the kiddos swimming. One good thing about the strike, got to see Morgan swim two weeks in a row and take RJ in the late morning versus after supper making it a late night returning home!

Morgan now jumps in all by herself and goes under!!
Then she swims back to the side!
Go Morgan!!

After swimming we came home and that is when I found out that today was our last day of striking. The kitchen was a disaster, literally looked like a tornado went through! The kiddos went down for naps and so did I! After I took a short nap I was mentally able to clean up the kitchen!

Clean kitchen to start back to work. Need to organize the rest of the house and then I am set for the week!

Baseball!

(Picture from last year, no new updated Phillies pictures... YET)

So excited that Baseball season is here! Morgan still cheers running around the house shouting at the top of her lungs, "Go Phillies! Score Phillies! Go Phillies!" She is also pounding her arms up in the air!

Morgan is talking about really wanting to go see a Phillies game with Momma and Daddy. I can't wait to take her for her first live Phillies game! Seeing the big green field, all the seats and spectators, the players out on the field, and most important the excitement of cheering and chanting to cheer the best baseball team in the world! (No prejudice here!) I even have a glove for her to take with her to catch her first fly ball!!

Question is: Should we take RJ (and his new mitt) with us or not? Leave a comment, RJ or NO RJ... that is the question!

GO PHILLIES!

Day 5

Unfortunately still striking, day 5...

Here were my young picketers with me!

After picketing for two hours we headed to the bank, to the vet to pick up some meds for Nickel, then finally home and again the kiddos played outside for several hours, including eating lunch outside at their picnic table! After several hours of playing with EVERYTHING in the garage it was nap time for the kiddos and down time for me!

Still Striking

Day 4. We are still striking. Personally I want closure. I hope that both sides are able to compromise. I know our side is trying hard to cooperate without throwing in the towel. I can not speak for their side except to say that we are still striking. Yes, I DO want a little bit more money... but I don't think I am a greedy person. I know that I work hard, am always doing work at home (IEPs, calling parents, lesson plans, etc), and buy lots of things for my classroom with my own money. I know I should not do things at home or buy things with my own money, but I love my job and want to make my kiddos happy when they see me, and if I don't do work at home I would fall behind and that is not a good thing... Let's just pray for this issue to get resolved sooner rather than later!

I took Morgan and RJ with me in the stroller today while I picketed. I had no other choice. They did a great job! I forgot to take a picture! IF (hope we are not), but IF we are still striking tomorrow I will have the kiddos with me again and will remember to take a picture! It was cute... Morgan had a little sign hanging around her neck!

On Strike...

Check out the ABC Link... (you will have to copy and paste it to a new browser)

With a good eye you can see me walking at two different times! My13 seconds of fame!

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/video?id=7393330

Garden

We have officially decided to create a garden this year! First we had to decide where to put the garden. How big should the garden be? What should be plant? We have been talking about what seeds we are going to buy versus what plants we are going to buy. As we have been talking about creating a garden Morgan has been getting excited to help us!

Morgan said she wanted to plant watermelon and strawberries.

Then she asked me what I wanted to plant.

I responded tomatoes.

Morgan said, "Ok, Momma. Daddy, what do you want to plant?"

Daddy answered corn.

Morgan said, "Daddy you can't plant corn, corn doesn't have seeds."

Daddy, "Oh, I want to plant eggplant and cucumbers.

Morgan asked, "Momma, does eggplant have seeds?"

Yes Morgan.

"Ok Daddy, you can plant cucumber and eggplant because they both have seeds."

I am getting excited to start our garden! I am hoping some of the veggies/fruits we plant will grow and overall save us some money!

Daddy is doing the hard part this weekend. He is going to start rototilling and adding organic 'stuff' to the soil. I can't wait to see it when I get home from class!

Literally!

I love the literal interpretation stage of kids! It makes me realize how much we learn as we grow! Our English language is amazing and I love hearing Morgan and her friends 'correct' me or question me when I make a 'mistake'. Two recent situations made me smile when hearing the literal response!

Situation 1: Marlaina, the 4 year old neighbor was over playing in the sand box with Morgan and RJ. RJ couldn't have a shovel so he started complaining by whining and screaming. I said to RJ, "That stinks Bubba! I know you can't have the shovel. Sand play stinks sometimes when you need to share!" Marlaina commented, "The sand stinks? Really?" and as she commented she took a shovel full of sand and smelled it!

Situation 2: RJ spilled his cereal on the kitchen floor and I commented, "Oh brother." Morgan who was standing next to me said, "What did you say Momma?" I said, "Oh brother, RJ spilled his cereal." Morgan answered, "I'm not brother, I'm Morgan and I'm RJ's sister."

Sleeping Beauty

Characteristics that must be followed to be Aurora-Briar Rose-Sleeping Beauty-Morgan!

1. Wear flow-y dresses
2. Spin in circles to let dress flow out
3. No pants allowed
4. Only use princess cup for water
5. RJ is your prince
6. Hair down, princesses never pull their hair up!
7. Only use purple for or spoon while eating
8. Wear red sparkly shoes whenever possible
9. Wear tiara and necklaces while dancing
10. Always putting on more princess shiny lip gloss

Spur of the moment...

Spur of the moment we met up with Uncle Cameron, Deklan, and AJ at the park for a fun-filled windy visit! The wind didn't seem to bother the kiddos at all! Morgan and Deklan ran around together, went on the swings together, and went up and down the jungle gyms and slides a million times! RJ tried to tag along with the 'big kids' (Morgan and Deklan big kids? Oh my!) and AJ was content to be pushed on a swing for the entire two hours we were there! It was so nice! For the majority of the time we were the only ones there! It was so nice!

After the park we headed to Wendy's for lunch (Deklan choose it so he could get a frosty!). As we were walking in a 40-something woman asked me you have a two sets of twins so close together? God bless you! Wow... what to say to that? I reassured her, no, they are two separate families! After lunch if I had two sets of twins that close in age I think I may have a full head of gray hair, if I had any hair left!!

RJ fell asleep on the 15 minute ride home and Morgan couldn't stop chatting about what she had done with "her friend" Deklan! RJ transitioned right to his bed without even an eye opening! Morgan said she would take a nap but instead read books in her crib and played for over two hours before I got her up.

We went to the local fire house's annual steak and potato supper. It was good as always. Daddy dropped us off at home and went to work. We played outside for a little while then came in and went to bed!

Long, but fun day!

A couple videos of the kiddos!

RJ investigating and climbing...

Deklan and Morgan

AJ swinging!

EASTER

Happy Easter to all...hope your day was wonderful and joyous with family or friends!

We woke up to RJ's room smelling of throw up... wonderful... I literally put a clothes pin on my nose and barely held him to get him into the tub. After three baths and four different shampoos/body wash I thought I was done and he would smell better (after a fourth bath two hours later, he started to smell less gross). Thank goodness Daddy was around so he could clean whatever was in RJ's room. I couldn't look or help... thank you Daddy I owe you!

RJ did not get sick anymore throughout the day, however he was clingy and not himself.

Morgan and I went to church and Daddy stayed home with RJ. Church was nice and Morgan was pretty well behaved. She loved her Easter Dress that MeMom had bought her!!

Morgan and I headed over to MeMom and Pop Pop's house to visit with them, Aunt Megan and Uncle Andy. We visited for a couple hours and hoped that we weren't going to spread germs. Morgan and RJ got some amazing toys and clothes from everyone. Morgan was spoiled with lots of princess garb... lucky her! Her Momma (ME) is learning to deal with the fact that she wants to be a beautiful SLEEPING BEAUTY princess all the time! I really don't know where she picked it up because we never did watch those types of shows on TV, I never called her a princess, and no one at the sitter really likes princesses?! I am learning to embrace this phase!

Today was a nice day with family after getting over the early am. Let's pray no one else gets sick!!

Beautiful Saturday

Hopscotch Anyone? We had a great day today! We played outside and had a great time!

THEN....

We had just ordered in Boston Market and were sitting down to eat when RJ decided to PUKE all over me!! Thank goodness he got me from the pants down... but YUCK!!!! I really can't do puke! I really can't do throw up! I really can't do vomit! I really can't do upchuck! I really can't do barf! I can't do anything that comes out of the mouth after being digested! YUCK!!! I can't stand EVERYTHING about it! Needless to say I ran upstairs and showered in a steaming hot shower with tears running down my face! Everyone said it would be better if it was my child... so far that doesn't seem to be the case!! The smell, the look, the everything... sorry RJ I love you to death, but I just can't do throw up!!

Thank goodness for my husband and my MIL! They cleaned up the mess and took care of RJ. Try to think positive... maybe something didn't agree with him!

P.S. I will NEVER eat Boston Market EVER again! This is the second time vomit has happened in association with Boston Market. I will never eat it again!

Gardiner fun!

We had such a wonderful day with our friends today! From 10am-ish until 8pm-ish! Who could ask for anything more?

We played outside and dyed eggs inside. We ate lunch and supper together! What a fun (but tiring day)!! God blessed our family with wonderful friends!!

Pictures will tell it all!

RJ's egg dying

Got the PHD taken care of!

Ha! PHD! Sounds great! April fools?! Below is what PHD with kids involves really stands for!

P=PICTURES

Pictures... 18 month pictures for RJ this morning. He cooperated for the first 3.5 minutes and then gave up and threw a temper tantrum and the photo shoot was over! We got a few adorable shots before he lost it! Thank goodness! We also grabbed a few pictures of Morgan in her Easter outfit before leaving. She actually wanted her picture taken!?


H = HAIRCUT

Haircuts... for both Morgan and RJ! It was heart breaking! I wasn't really ready to get either of their hair cuts... but I was told it was time... especially for RJ... so I figured what day was better than April 1st? April Fools Day! As you can see the kids did great! I was a bit sad as the whole thing occurred, but it was definitely more painful for me then either RJ or Morgan. We actually went down into Feasterville (which I found out after the fact is close to Bensalem... sorry Aunt Melanie, we would have stopped by if I knew we were so close... but I thought Feasterville was near Doylestown, not Bensalem... my bad sense of direction!!). There is a salon designed for kids in Feasterville! On Bustleton Pike almost exactly at the intersection of Bustleton and Street Roads. It is called Shortcuts. We had two great stylists! They were patient and did a great job! RJ sat in a race car and Morgan sat in a princess car! Perfect for both of them! RJ sucked on a lollipop the entire time and even when the clippers came close he didn't cry or scream! Wow!! It all went well and now Morgan has a long layer in her hair to help with her curls, and RJ has a little boy haircut! Oh my... my kids are grown up!

RJ

MORGAN

D = DOCTOR

After the haircut off to the doctor for RJ's 18 month well check-up. We got there and then had to wait a while b/c the doctor was on an emergency call. (It turned out his wife and daughter were in a minor car accident). But I understood...we just *patiently* waited (using that word loosely). RJ weighs 23 pounds and is 32 inches tall. His height is still in the 5-10 percentile and his height is in the 40th percentile. His head is now 18 inches and is in the 5-10 percentile... I do raise kids with small heads! That is OK with me... rather small than big! Good news... his overall check up went well. Bad news... he is still not talking much and that is of concern. His ears also look cloudy = fluid = ENT visit! Dr. wants me to call him in three months if RJ doesn't have at least 10-15 words! My fears are coming true... I'm telling you... God is definitely testing me!!! (Aunt Melanie... I might need your friend Layne's opinion on speech for little ones!!) Nothing to worry about YET... or so I keep telling myself! Good news... Morgan's ears look great, no wax build up and both blue tubes are still in her ears!

After finishing the PHD we headed to Target to pick up some Easter things and then headed home. After being cooped up for so long the kiddos played outside from like 5pm until 7pm. We ate supper outside and then came in for baths and bed!

What a busy, yet productive day!