Monday: cats

Oh, the cats are still cute.

They like to lie upside down on the runner by the garage.  Well, there are several places that they like to lie on their backs and it seems like such it silly pose.

Sunday: surprise!

Remember those random fevers I used to get a few times a year several years ago?  It came back last night.  Achy back, too cold to get the medicine that I knew would help...it was mostly the same.  I was a bit out of it today too.  I did some things, but I sat around more than normal too.  Hopefully it'll be gone soon.

We finished our ginger bread houses today.  It was almost serious business.

My houses:

Isaac's house - the bear laying down in front is baby Jesus:

 Ben's area...a little house with a fenced in tree:

Joshua's house.  He mainly put things next to his house, but he did it himself!

Saturday: graham cracker houses

Today we started our graham cracker houses.  Joshua did most of his by himself, with just a touch of help from Ben and me.  It was wonderful.

We put them in cages to dry and protect them from wandering kitties.  Unfortunately, they're also hidden from the camera.

As part of a Lego group I'm part of we were challenged to make a small scene that showed something that is better together.  I chose doing laundry, I think because the day the challenge came out Joshua helped me put away extra clothes and it was so nice.  I think it turned out ok...I really wasn't feeling it until I put the floor in, which was the last step.  But that gave it a much more polished look.  (Isaac was slightly upset that I took all the hands out of the shirts, but I told him that I couldn't wash hands.)

Friday: twins, errands, books

Guess who were twins today??

After they left for the day, Joshua and I did a few chores and some Legos and then started our errands.  We had 10 places to go!  Usually I spread them out and go to two places at the most, but with Christmas coming several of these needed to be done.

1. We went to the pet store.  (Joshua looked at all the animals.  We got cat food (the real reason) and some kitty presents.)
2. We went to Joann's...I needed a bunch of thread.  Joshua didn't enjoying helping me find just the right color as much as I thought he would.
3. We went to the south side Meijer and stocked up on Lego bins.  We also found a new carpet runner because we happened to be going through the aisle.  And donuts, because 10 places!
4. Gas station
5. Hope college - Dad's office.  He wasn't there.  Joshua got his treat from the office.
6. Hope college - library.  I had been planning to find the things I needed yesterday, but then suddenly the day was packed.  There were some shapes made out of chalk board material that Joshua wrote on while I found what I needed. 

7. Present store - closed
8. Present store - got presents and a few things for us too
9. Back to the first present store: open
10. Herrick Library - Joshua elected to stay in the car.

Fast forward to this evening, around 9pm.  Ben and I hear a child coming down the stairs.  We were expecting Joshua.  Instead it was Isaac, crying.  Whatever could be the matter??  It turns out he finished his book series and was so sad that they were done.  I understand...it actually seemed like a good reason to be crying.

Thursday: reindeer reigns

Today was a fun day at karate.  We started by warming up to The 12 Days of Karate, which involved doing assorted kicks, blocks, push-ups, sit-ups, etc. way too many times.  Also, I don't know what the kids are doing because it takes me X amount of time to do eight sit-ups.  (Say a thirty seconds because I've never timed myself.)  I do them pretty quickly, although I know I'm not always the fastest.  The kids were done when I was on four!  I think they cheated a lot. :)

Then we pretended to be reindeer.  I got to partner with Isaac, which was super fun.  He took off his belt, put it around his waist, and I took the ends as reigns.  He had to pull me across the floor while I tried to not let him get away.  Then we would switch.  Needless to say, I'm still quite a bit stronger but Isaac put up a valiant effort.

Wednesday: moodle

Oh, it's that time of year again.  I have to get moodle, the on-line class resource, ready for next semester. 

They changed moodle again for next semester.  They took away several of the good things, made one bad thing worse, and, as far as I can tell, didn't improve the things I didn't like much.

One thing that baffles me is the due date calculator.  I've copied the same starting info from this semester, but moodle tries to guess when things should be due based on the semester start date.  It works ok until you hit a school break, when it gets all messed up.  That's fine, it is still better than years ago.  What baffles me is that toward the end of the semester it also adds two hours to the time the assignments are due.  It used to add one hour and I think it was because of daylight savings time (although why that feature would even be in there, I have no idea.)  But why two hours now?  Probably to make me do more clicking.

**********************************
Here's the Thankful Turkey that Joshua made at school.  I'm surprised he put Mom instead of Dad since he likes Ben better.  (He actually did that on two different thankful things this year.)  The frogs also surprised me, but then he told me very matter-of-factly that frogs eat mosquitos.

Tuesday: conversations

Isaac:... Live for 500 years
A: I don't want to live for 500 yrs
Isaac: because you'd be decaying?
A: sure

J: I can't wait until mom and dad are dead so Isaac and I can do whatever we want!
A: how about when you're an adult you can do whatever you want.  Then I don't have to die.  What do you want to do when you're an adult?
J: break stuff!
A: uh, sure
J: and get expensive glofish tank!

****************************
In unrelated news, I had first at Hope today.  Students can turn in late homework for a penalty.  I had two students do so poorly that they ended up with negative points on an assignment.  Every semester there is something new.

****************************
In more unrelated news, I had sent a comic strip to Isaac's teacher about snow days.  She sent back an appropriate response, along with this..."Also, I just adore Isaac and his creativity and great sense of humor.  I am SO GLAD he is in my class."  Aww. :D