AAH-CHOO!

My sweet girl has been suffering from some terrible allergies this spring - a lot of sneezing, runny nose and worst of all - her eyes are itching horribly. We've been doing Benedryl and allery eye drops but I think we're going to have to go to something stronger. Poor babe.

This looks like one of those celebrity DUI mug shots...

Spring

If I keep slacking on the blog, it's just going to be one update per season soon.  There has just been no time or energy to get to it.  I realize that I haven't even done an update on March YOSP so I guess I'll just combine March and April here soon!
There is a lot going on - by the end of this week we will have a housemate.  Aunt Amanda is going to come to Columbus to hang out with us for awhile.  We are excited to have her and spend more time with her (and possibly use her to run kids around here and there ;)

We celebrated Easter this past weekend - the weather wasn't very nice but spending time with all the family was great.  The kids colored eggs on Saturday night.  3 dozen this year.  We're eating a LOT of egg salad sandwiches this week!

Silas did a great job of writing his name on one with a wax crayon and then coloring it. He's not much of a colorer (which he readily admits) so anytime we can get him to do something "crafty" is a big step. Of course, he always loves making a mess so egg coloring is right up his alley.

We have had a VERY soggy soccer season so far this spring.  Seems like constant rain. Both Ella and Silas are really enjoying it though.  They are both on the same teams as last fall and Justin is coaching both again.

Ella has been quite the little superstar this season.  She's really going after the ball and last game, she scored 4 or 5 goals.  We read a Mia Hamm book a few months ago and I think that got her all excited. She's really aggressive (and has to watch her elbow throwing) and pretty quick.

I think I might have a little dweeb on my hands.  On one of our trips to New York last fall, Silas ran out of underwear, so we ran to the Dollar Store and all they had was white undies - a size or two too big for him.  I thought he would throw a fit because there weren't characters on them like his usual undies.  Nope, he loved them.  Proudly pulled them up to about his armpits and pranced around in his "whitie tighties" as he called them. And just to verify the dweebie-ness...he tucks his jacket into his pants.

He asked me yesterday if he could wear "short sleeved pants" to school since it was warm out :)  He's such a cute little goober!

Written Word

Sometimes the written word just can't do justice for what is in your heart.  The enormity of love or loss doesn't always roll right off of the fingertips. I've been feeling that way lately.  I just can't connect the heart, the brain and the fingers in a coherent way.

Jen's and her family's babies didn't make it in this world. On April 10th she had 2 baby girls that just weren't ready to be here, though the rest of us were very ready for them to be here with us. All I can say is that our hearts ache for them as they deal with this loss.

That same written word can fail to do justice to the feelings of blessing and gratitude that you can have after something like this happens.  Friends become family and family becomes a lifeline of prayer and support because they love your friends too.

Ella art - 2007

Odds and Ends and This and That

Nothing major (well maybe a few things major) and yet so much on my mind.  In no particular order...

1. This week I FINALLY booked the beach house for the summer Outer Banks vacation. Back to Nags Head this year. Loved last year's trip to Emerald Isle and it will be fun to switch it up again and go to our spots in Nags Head.  I hate to wish my life away, but I am ready for the beach...and it's not until August so I have a long wait!!

2. Justin and I had a rockin' Friday night with our annual CF Wine Opener AND The Black Joe Lewis concert. We only stayed at the wine event for about an hour and then took off to the Newport to see Black Joe. We met up with Donna, Lee, Sarah and Brian.  Such a great band!!

3. Speaking of Sarah and Brian...looks like we'll have a little one (hopefully for Sarah, smaller than 10 lbs. at birth!) due to arrive in October :)  Our family is due for another (no pun intended...). Congrats to them and I'm ready to payback my babysitting dues! (How any times can YOU use "due" in one little couple sentence update?) - by the way - I (really) went to the library today and returned 8 overDUE books. seriously.

4. Speaking of babies and heart attacks, dear friend and neighbor Jen about gave us both this week. At 21 weeks pregnant with twins she had some preterm labor issues. After a lovely week in Riverside - she's resting comfortably at home on STRICT (the emphasis for her in case she checks the blog) bed rest. I think with all the conversations about her cervix in the last few days..she may not be as private as she once was...
(Seriously, it got very scary last week and it's been amazing to see her friends and family rally to help her, her husband and preschooler with dinners, playdates, hospital visits and a showering of love). Prayers, love and lots of positive vibes have and continue to be sent their way.

5. Speaking of cervices (I just had to pause and look up what the plural of cervix was- cervixes? cervi?  cervix+  Now I know).  Really, there is no way for me to lead that into soccer or track...in any appropriate way.

6. This week started the kick-off of soccer for both Ella and Silas (both coached again by my darling husband).  Si played on Saturday and it was about 35 degrees outside and raining. Sucked but the boys played great and most importantly - got their snack after the game.
Ella played on Sunday and scored 2 goals! Last month we read a Mia Hamm book and she also played indoor soccer over the winter - she is wired for soccer sound now!


7. Mason had his first home track meet today.  I was bundled in 2 pair of running pants, a turtle neck, my down winter coat and was still freezing.
Poor kid!

8. Stuff like this continues to be the downfall of my (already messy) house.  Silas made this Jack be Nimble, Jack be Quick candle stick in school in January.  Can't get rid of it because Silas likes to jump over it and (really) it's just too cute to toss so soon. So there it sits. being jumped over. and stepped on. and moved around from place to place.

I won't know what to do when all the school art stops coming home.  I love it :)

9. I know that I need to update the picture at the top of my blog...I just love it -the kids all look like they aren't growing up as fast as they are in real life. Soon...

10.  Ella's favorite band right now is Vampire Weekend.

11. I went 12 days without running - I hurt my knee and couldn't put any weight on it running or going up/down stairs.  It's better now and I ran on Sunday and it did pretty well.  I missed it terribly!