Snow tubing

We went snow tubing today and it was a BLAST! We picked the perfect day - the skies were vibrantly blue, the sun was shining, and it was in the low 30's. Absolutely perfect for outdoor winter pursuits! Wm LOVED it and had so much fun!!! I think we'll make this an annual trip! And it was especially a good thing we picked today to go...since we are supposed to get blasted with a winter storm tomorrow. 

Mimi, Wm, and me on the way in for our first trip!

Steve and Wm headed down the hill

Steve and I headed down the hill

Mimi and Wm hittin' the breaks on the sand after flying down

Steve having a grand time

Steve took a video on his phone, which actually turned out great! This was our last, and bet, tube down the hill - we were flying!

Mornings

When I sat down on the couch and woke Schroeder up from a deep sleep, I realized that whole "owners who start to look like their pets" thing is happening - because this is pretty much Steve's exact face every morning when the alarm goes off:

Wm had another snow day yesterday. I brought him in to work with me and then I didn't feel good, so we just went home an hour later. I felt better shortly after we got home, so I made Wm a temporary desk in his room (since he usually lays in the middle of the living room floor with all his electronics and it's not only annoying…but it's cold). We are getting him a nice desk and chair for his birthday and I was planning to just ignore his living room floor dwelling until then, but since I had the time and opportunity yesterday, he got this setup:

About 45 minutes later, I yelled up that it was time for him to do his reading…

Me: Reading time!

Wm: OK!

Me: [10 minutes later]

Me: Wm!! READING TIME!

Wm: I know! I'm doing it!!

Me: Come down here and read with me!

Wm: No.

Me: Why not?

Wm: I'm reading in my new spot.

Me: But…I want to read on the couch together! We can snuggle under the heated blanket!

Wm: No.

Me: Will I never see you again?

Wm: No.

Maybe the "desk" thing is a mistake...

Water Shortage

Steve installed the new toilet and it is wonderful. However, when I sat on it, my feet didn't even touch the ground. I asked Steve why it was weirdly tall and he said, "Oh - I got the 'comfort height.' Nice, huh?" I told him it was only comfortable for him! Wm and I have to climb to the summit of the thing like it's Everest and then our feet just dangle awkwardly above the ground. Meanwhile, Longshanks is in toilet heaven. Height-ist discrimination!

Wm and I made brown bag lunches for homeless kids staying at the YWCA today. Included in each lunch bag was a bottle of water - and they were very clear that the water had to go in first so it didn't crush the sandwiches (this was repeated many, many times). Wm's table ran out of water, but kids kept bagging up lunches anyway, so Wm screamed, "STOP PRODUCTION! WE HAVE A WATER SHORTAGE!" Not one child so much as paused, but all the adults thought it was hilarious. Wm can work a crowd.

Donuts and Toilets

I made donuts for The Boys to have for breakfast this morning (thank you for the recipe, Jess!) I fried them in coconut oil, so they are a health food. True fact. Wm goes, "you made these yourself?" and seemed a bit unsure about them.

Not trusting my culinary skillz

But then, when he tried them, he goes, "THESE ARE AMAZING." And he stuffed a whole donut and 2 donut holes into his face - and then, surprisingly, announced his stomach hurt and refused to eat his apple.

Lovin' life

After Steve ate an obscene amount of donut, he went to Lowe's and bought a new toilet. He spent the morning installing that (grumpily) while I purged and organized the kitchen. This place is really starting to come together! 

I have also talked Steve into getting rid of cable! Well, really, our cable company talked him into it by raising our rates intensely. So, after today, we will be cable-free! Thank god. That will save us $1200/year - and the TV hasn't been turned on to anything other than sports for months and months. It would be awesome to just get rid of it completely, but Steve likes to play video games on it and we can only ask so much of the man. 

Not Today

Overheard in the kitchen...
Wm: Where are the graham crackers?
Steve: Right here.
Wm: Oh. Your big belly was in the way.
Steve: You are going to get it one day!
Wm: But not today, man. Not. Today.

Also, I really enjoyed Steve's attempts at taking a normal picture:

MLK Day

The basement is DONE! I realize I never posted before shots, but just picture all the stuff that is now organized laying in heaps and piles around the super dirty and dank cellar. 

New organized shelves!

DONE!

Steve had to go to work today, but Wm and I are off for MLK Day. It is GORGEOUS outside, so we took a walk (since Wm has declared himself 100% better). Then we watched the movie Ender's Game. And Wm, annoyingly, said the movie was better than the book. He's trying to kill me. Schroeder really enjoyed the movie as well, since he spent the entirety curled up next to me on the couch like this:

Gut-tastic

Then, I told Wm we were going to watch the I Have a Dream speech and he was actually super into the idea. But, when I started it, he goes, "Oh - we listened to this whole thing in school and talked about it. He convinced me. It's very strong." (Loved it.) But, not to be outdone, I decided to show him the speech from The Great Dictator. I figured we'd have lots to talk about with that one - I've always thought it was really moving. When it was over, I asked Wm what he thought. He goes, "I think his mustache is funny." Apparently we should re-watch it in a couple years.

Golden

Wm says he is "85% better." He has no fever, no headache, no chills, and he says his stomach only "slightly" hurts. So he's just been eating light foods and taking it easy (for Wm). However, Steve and I have a suspicion he may be dragging this ailment out because he has been allowed to just lay on the couch and play on the iPad during his convalescence.  Now that we have finished Ender's Game, I got the movie (weirdly starring Harrison Ford) and we will watch that later. I plan to reinstate the screen limits tomorrow...then we'll see if he is 100% better!  We started reading A Wrinkle in Time yesterday. MUCH better than Ender's Game so far!

And, in super double awesome news, the sewer guys came out today and camera-ed the entire line now that they can get passed the breakage. The guy said it was absolutely perfect and called it "golden." He said our line doesn't look nearly 100 years old and we shouldn't ever have to replace the whole thing (like Roto Rooter tried to say we need to do NOW). I guess he said he's never seen a "more perfect pitch" and it flows beautifully. I guess that's what you want in a sewer line? He told us he just came from a 5 year old new build and their sewer line was in waaaaay worse shape and they will probably have to run a whole new line for them. I guess they knew how to build stuff a hundred years ago! We are SO RELIEVED. Whew!!!!!

Steve and I should be able to finish the basement off today! Woot! I realized I never took any before pictures and our basement is so dank and gross that an after picture will just look like a gross basement without any appreciation for how super gross it was BEFORE. Oh well. We will know the level of grossness we overcame.

Sickly

I talked Wm into wearing his new, awesome owl glasses to school and polling his friends to see if they liked them.  Wm came home and was like, "well you were right, my friends loved them." YESSSS!!!!!

Being "mean librarian"

He said his friends told him he looked like Sherman. I was afraid that was a bad thing, but I guess it's actually a good thing and Wm was very pleased about this. So he has agreed to "occasionally" wear his owl glasses, though he still prefers his other ones. I'll take what I can get.

Sherman

Sadly, Wm also came home from school yesterday saying that his stomach hurt, his head hurt, and he had the chills. He was also sniffling around all night. I took his temp and it was normal, but it crept up to 100.3 before bed. I dosed him with Motrin and he slept like a rock. He woke up this morning and said he felt a bit better, but still not great. So we are home today. And I am insanely bored. Hopefully this is just a little virus he recovers from quickly!!

In other news, the sewer line guys came yesterday and fixed us up (and destroyed our yard). They are coming back Tuesday to camera the entire line and make sure everything is fixed.  We have our fingers crossed and re-crossed that everything else is OK!!!

I told Steve that I'm not feeling so urgent about moving anymore now and we should just stay here and enjoy our 2.8% interest rates. He was not pleased. He said, "You can't get me all excited about moving and then change your mind!" There is nothing Steve loves more than house hunting. Wm then pointed out that he wants a fireplace, "more room to play," and his own bathroom (which I REALLY want as well). So the Great Move is still on, I guess! Possibly this summer if Wm definitely decides to do ECLIPSE! Hopefully I can throw out all our stuff before then so we don't have anything to move!

Owl

Wm's new glasses came yesterday. And I love them. I love them so much. With his funny little cowlick of wispy blond hair in the front, he looks like a deranged baby owl. They are my favorite thing. As much as I love them, Wm hates them. He refuses to wear them. HEARTBROKEN.

Not pleased.

Still hope!!!

Bavarian Festivities

Next up on my minimizing agenda is The Basement of Doom. We just throw stuff down there like it's a black hole (and it kind of is - it's more of a "cellar" in our 100 year old house...cold, dank, probably haunted). I scurry down there on weekends to do laundry and try not to look around too much. But then, when we have to find something we need, it's a nightmare. So, to work we go!! Steve and I spent hours down there yesterday sorting, organizing, trashing, and piling things up to donate. Right now, it looks even worse than when we started because the "trash" and "donate" piles are just mounded up.  But, once we clear those out, heaps of progress has been made!! And we are about halfway done.  I did come across some fun stuff!! 

Example 1: super cute Wm with fat cheeks at 1 year old

Example 2: Rolly polly snow bunny baby Wm. LOVE it.

We barely finished Phase 1 of the basement before we had to emerge and race to Hofbrauhaus to meet up with friends in Grandview. As you may have guessed from the name of the restaurant, it's a Bavarian paradise. All the wait staff wear lederhosen, they have GIANT beers they craft in house, and amazing German food. However,  it was also suuuuuper crowded. So we had to wait and wait. And when we finally sat down, we were in the middle of a medieval looking great hall with the LOUDEST polka music (played live) you could possibly imagine - they even played the Buckeye Battle Cry on the accordion! And, of course, a ton of drunk people dancing on their tables, singing loudly, and having the time of their lives. And then, we proceeded to eat SO. MUCH. FOOD.  Giant pretzel, pork shank, schnitzel,  sausages, sauerkraut, potato pancakes, fried cabbage. Wm then goes, "My belly really, really, REALLY hurts. I overate! Ahhhh...I need fizzy drink! I OVERATE!" Word. We were all so stuffed (and half of it is sitting in the fridge for lunch today!) Wm had the time of his life and rattled on the whole way home about how he's never been to a real BAR before and how he loved it and it was so fun and it was so loud and it was so crazy. (Note: it's a restaurant that also serves craft beer, not "a bar," but the live music, drunk daddy/other patrons, and overall chaos of the place on a Saturday evening was as close as Wm has ever been to being in "a bar.") Wm also said, "It was so fun with friends - it wouldn't have been as fun with just you guys." Ouch.

Wm overeating

The friends who made it more fun!  Obviously.

Frigid

As expected, school was canceled yesterday. In fact, they canceled it before Wm even got home from school the day before! It was horribly cold. I asked Wm if he wanted to go to work with me or Steve or to Clubhouse and he picked my office (mostly because he calls my waiting room "his office" and sits in there and plays on the computer all day). I bundled him up like the kid from A Christmas Story (including the only thick scarf I could find, which was pink, much to Wm's dismay) and off we went. Just getting from the car to my building was awful. I turned space heaters blasting on both of us and I didn't see or hear from Wm again until I dragged him away for lunch. He was cozy and happy next door!  He is back at school today. And it's Friday. What a first week back!!

Wm drew me a picture of an anatomically correct heart for Christmas. I put it in my office (where it has garnered much acclaim from all the biomedical engineers!) I took a picture of Wm with it when he was here yesterday!

Heart drawing behind Wm!

At breakfast this morning…

Wm: I HATE this iPad stand!!!! It's broken and it won't stay up. ARRRRG!!!

Me: Hashtag First World Problems

Wm: What does that even mean?

Me: [explains "first world" vs. "third world" and why getting so upset over a faulty iPad stand is a "first world problem"]

Wm: [staring at iPad screen] Hmmmm.

Me: Are you even listening to me?

Wm: Yep.

Me: You are not! Hashtag First World Kid.

Wm: [deep breathe] MOMMY. 

Takes after his father, that one.

I'm not liking Ender's Game very much. However, it is Wm's favorite book we have read so far. It's pretty long (nearly 500 pages) and we are about halfway through. Sadly. Wm has picked it to do a project in school. He has to write a persuasive letter to the author, arguing about some aspect of the story or a character he would like to change, and why. It's due next Friday and we have to finish this thing first. Blah.

Wm Can See!!

Wm's glasses came in already!! He had a snow day yesterday and my department chair sent out a text blast telling us all to work from home because the roads were not good, so Wm and I were home yesterday. About 4pm, the eye doctor called and said Wm's glasses were there already, so we went immediately. Wm didn't want to go out in the cold and snow, but once he got his glasses…I don't know if I've ever seen him that excited! He was downright giddy! He kept popping them up and down and off and on and going, "I CAN SEE! I CAN SEE!" He would point out all the things he could suddenly see. The clock on the cable box, the individual leaves on the trees, the signs as we drove home - everything! He said his world is in HD now!  He could barely sit down to eat dinner! He insisted on a glasses fashion show:

Excitement Level Magenta

Excitement Level Turquoise

Close up!

Crazy Close up

Despite the freezing temps and snow, it was so sunny and gorgeous yesterday. Wm and I decided to walk up to the playground and try to soak up as much sun as we could. So we put on a ton of layers and our boots and walked on up. We had a very intense snowball fight that left my sides hurting from all the laughing and my hands completely numb.  I tried to get a picture of Wm without taking off my gloves and it didn't go super well….

Wm and my glove

This morning, we woke up to 7 degree temps and "it feels like -11" says the news. Tomorrow is supposed to be even colder. Wm is back at school today, but everyone is saying they think it will be canceled due to extreme temps tomorrow. Sigh.

And I just had to take a picture of this. It's Steve very intensely listening to Boyz II Men's "It's So Hard to Say Good-Bye to Yesterday." He is FEELING IT, man.

All the feels.

Project 333

In the Clutterfree Kids book, I read about Project 333. It says, basically, that you pick 33 pieces of clothing/accessories and wear them for the next 3 months (it DOES include jewelry, other than your wedding ring, and shoes, but does NOT include pajamas or work out clothes). Then, at the end of the 3 months, you can work back in things you actually missed - but anything you didn't even think about gets donated. I coerced Steve into joining me, and so, to keep us honest, here are our lists!

My 33 things!

5 button up shirts, a soft fleece hoodie, and a scarf = 7

5 pants, 2 earrings, 1 necklace, 5 cardis, 3 sweaters,
2 long sleeve T's, 5 short sleeve T's = 23

1 pair of mocs, 1 pair of ankle boots, and every day sneaks = 3 

Steve's 33 items!

7 tshirts, 6 pants, 6 button up shirts = 19

4 sweaters, 5 sweatshirts, 3 long sleeve T's = 12

Every day sneaks and mocs = 2

Wm is not participating. Mostly because he wears the exact same things constantly and it would probably be a stretch to get to even 30 things for him! Clothes are not Wm's issue!

The Legos are gone! And Wm has already spent nearly all his haul on electronic Minecraft wares - but he is able to donate $40 to charity! 

Decluttering Wm

We woke up to POURING rain today and decided to make the most out of a housebound day by tackling the insanity of Wm's room. I have been reading a book called Clutterfree Kids and it talks about ways you can keep your kids and their stuff contained (and send the message to kids that life isn't about STUFF!) So Wm and I had a big talk over breakfast about why it's important not to let your stuff take over your life and I asked him if he'd be willing to go through all this toys and donate the ones he doesn't use anymore to kids that don't have toys. He was more than willing. In fact, he goes, "Just donate it all. As long as I can keep my computer." Sooooo, obviously he was a bit OVER zealous! I told him he should just look through his stuff and anything he hasn't played with in a year, he should donate. If he's actively playing with it, he should keep it!! He said that sounded very reasonable and the fun began...

In the thick of things.

It took HOURS 

The Big Decision came when Wm stood back and looked at all his Legos. Years and years of accumulated Legos. He said, "You know, I never really play with most of my Legos anymore. I just like to play with the guys and make them battle. I'm going to donate ALL my old Legos and just keep the Minecraft Legos and all my Lego guys." Steve was very, very sad. He actually got a bit misty because he said the two of them had so many hours of good times building with those Legos and now Wm is getting too big to want to do that much anymore.

BUT, then he realized that they could likely be sold online and perked up. So he set out all the old instructions (of which there were A LOT) and posted an ad. It's been up for 30 minutes and he's already had multiple emails about them. Wm goes, "I GET TO KEEP THE MONEY!" I suggested that since Daddy did all the hard work work, he should get a cut, and Wm was fine with that. So then I added maybe they could divide it into thirds: one third to Wm, one third to Daddy, and one third to the charity of Wm's choice. Wm...making a difference one Lego at a time. ;-)

Steve laying out the instructions - not even done yet!

AFTER: organized toy/book shelf!

AFTER!

And STILL a mountain of crap to donate.

It has been raining so hard that we thought we'd have to build at ark! Wm and I walked over to Mimi's to feed Winston while she and Guy are out of town, and on the way back we were shocked to see the creek in the ravine had overflowed and was pouring down the street!

We were going to tackle the basement tomorrow, but it's full of water!! Maybe next weekend...

In other news, Wm and I finished Call of the Wild and we were both relieved that things turned out OK in the end!! Next up: Ender's Game. We take turns picking the book and this is a Wm pick so I'm not too excited about it. Hopefully I'm pleasantly surprised! 

Four Eyes

Wm has been up after midnight 2 nights in a row. He made it until the ball drop on New Year's Eve (I didn't!) and then we went over to a friend's house to watch the OSU game last night.  I had to drag him out of bed at 8:45 this morning to go to the eye doctor. Poor little guy's eyes were worse than the school even said (he's 20/80). No wonder he's been getting headaches! So he is soon to be the proud new owner of a pair of spectacles!  They said they are very backed up because of the holidays, so it will be 7-10 days before Wm's glasses come in.

These are the glasses Wm liked and that we ordered for him.

These are the glasses I liked. Can you tell how Wm feels about them?

I'm guessing it won't be long before Wm loses or destroys them, so as soon as we got home, I ordered him a backup pair from the Interwebz. And, of course, I got him cute little round Harry Potter glasses because the internet has all things and I wasn't limited to the inventory at the eye doctor. Wheee!