TEN on TUESDAY

1. Ian has been coming home with these in his folder almost everyday. They are "owls" that he makes during choice time. I don't know what it is about these, but he loves making them!


2. Reading Club is coming to an end already this year. I was assigned a much easier group this time around - no more behavior problems! We have been meeting every Tuesday during lunch in the library since November. So far we have read 3 books - not too far off my original goal of 4. Jeff came with me today as our "special guest" and he blew them away with his Rubik's Cube skills.


3. Alec decided that he wanted to participate in the School Talent Show this year. He ended up doing a "One Man Comedy Act", reminiscent of Charlie Chaplain. The big night was March 6th. We are so proud of him and his desire to do this on his own!


4. I have been reading a great book on how to be a better & happier wife to my husband - "The Proper Care & Feeding of Husbands" by Dr. Laura Schlessinger. I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK. It has reminded me that as we are unselfish in our relationship with our spouse, we will be happier and more fulfilled in our roles as women. Every woman should read this book!!

5. Lots of time has been spent with my dad (Mario) these past 3 weeks. He has been in & out of the hospital with complications from his diverticulitis. He had an episode last October where he lost a lot of blood and had to be hospitalized, and it happened again a few weeks ago when my mom was in SLC caring for her parents. He called me, I drove him to the hospital, we spent the whole day in the ER, and then he was admitted. That night he had an episode where he lost so much blood that he passed out, had to be transfused, and they thought they were going to lose him.

My mom caught the first plane home and, after a 3-day stay in the hospital, they decided that he would undergo surgery to remove his colon so these bleeding episodes would never happen again. He had surgery last Tuesday and came home on Saturday. Many trips have been made back & forth to St. Joseph Hospital in Ypsilanti to give support to my mom, and I spent the last 2 days keeping him company at home while my mom went back to work.

It has been hard to see my dad without that "sparkle" in his eye, but he is slowly coming out of the painkiller-haze and is more like himself each day. He has a lot of pain and the worst part for him is the fact that he has to rest all day and that he is so tired. Mario LOVES to work, be productive, and "turn a buck." We have appreciated all the love shown to us by the ward, meals that have been provided, and prayers on his behalf. His recovery will take a couple months, but I told him that by summertime we'd have him on the tube on the back of our boat! His response - a groan...and then a smile.

6. My passport arrived in the mail this week! This is my first passport (ever) because who needs a passport to Windsor and Toronto? Jeff and I are planning a 20-yr-anniversary trip to Europe. Yep, Europe! Our trip is planned for May.

7. The annual Pinewood Derby is this Saturday and our garage has turned into a Ford Assembly Plant! Even though Ian isn't a cub scout yet, Jeff has helped both the boys create masterpieces! They have been working on them for weeks, but last night they started on the paint job. I made them disrobe so they wouldn't ruin their clothes... (hee, hee).

(wondering if the fumes are playing with his head?)

8. And speaking of cub scouts....this is a picture of the cake Jeff & Alec made for the Blue & Gold Banquet back in February - an "Arrow of Light." Each father/son duo entered a cake into the "Father/Son Birthday Cake Contest". This is the only picture I shot...after the fact!


9. Saturday Flag Football has started up again, for the last session of winter. We get to cheer our boys on each Saturday. Ian almost made a touch-down last week, but his shoe fell off as he was running toward the end zone. Bummer!

10. Daylight Savings has also started up again and has thrown off our sleeping habits. I love the longer days, but it sure is hard to get out of bed in the morning. And with that....I'll say "Good Night!".