Counting

I'm listening to M count the piano keys: first she counted all the white keys, then all the black keys, and finally she counted them all. She ended up with 91 total; actually there are 88, but she did a pretty good job for how old she is!

W is downstairs sleeping, which is how he spent all of today. Sick? Yes, what was your first clue?! I always know, because he stops moving. And H just colored all over the piano keyboard. Oh child of mine...

I have a list for Barnes and Noble- going there tomorrow- and I cannot wait. I love the scent of new books, and the faint smell of coffee and chocolate from the cafe. I would be happy just to page through the books there all day. Lovely atmosphere!

<3 j

changes

Okay, one picture from our trip to CO. Driving through Wyoming, these signs are up every 5 miles. And every time we drive through the state I have to wonder, wouldn't it be cheaper if they included this with the "Welcome to Wyoming sign?" and changed it to say "High wind area- entire state"?

So there's a dare on the effers blog about scrapbooking an "I will NEVER..." page. And I was thinking how many things I said I would never do (or be) have changed. Like, "I will NEVER be like my mother," who happens to top the list of women I most want to emulate now. LOL! Or "I will NEVER make my kids take piano lessons," and I've signed them up (W was less than willing) for a year because I think it is a necessary part of their life education. "I will NEVER live in the suburbs," done that several times. "I will NEVER live in a small town," and they're so much more appealing to me now that I've tried them. "I will NEVER live outside the city," (went along w/avoiding small towns) and we're thinking- very far in advance- about purchasing 20 acres or so out in the middle of nowhere. In junior high, it was "I will NEVER wear bell-bottoms," and now it is "I will NEVER wear pegged jeans again!" "I will NEVER use the tv to babysit," obviously before I had any children. I like having my journal from jr high, not because I enjoy reading about the horrible experiences I had, but because I can contrast how much I have changed- for the better, I hope. Most of what I wanted to avoid then was surface and shallow. And many of the things I said I'd never do, I ended up doing at least once. I guess I'm more flexible, and more firm at the same time- more flexible about what I'm willing to try, and more firm once I decide not to do it.

On another subject, I made some cookies today. Chocolate chip, in fact, and the recipe yields 100+. I have to laugh at myself- I should know by now that it takes a few hours to make them- at 12 per cookie sheet for 10 minutes each it takes over 90 minutes just to cook them! I'm letting the last batch cool and it is midnight here. I did have a nap today, however. Which is mostly my way of justifying staying up late since it really won't help me at all LOL!

And Jared took W to spend some of his bday money today. We made him save half of it, and he still had $17 to play with. I was impressed he didn't spend it all! He bought a bunch of candy, and a few toys to play with. He came home and got M and H, and 2 of his friends who live on our street, and shared his candy with them! Without anybody telling him to. Stuck in the details of our days, I sometimes overlook the bright moments when my kids actually get what I'm trying to teach them. And I remember the bad things they do much more easily than the good.

<3 j

PCR

So Jared's in MD right now (saw Norby's- hi guys!), updating his knowledge about PCRs. I had to ask, and it means Polymerous Chain Reactions having to do with DNA testing, etc. And now you have a rather useless piece of information shared by me! He'll be home tomorrow *happiness* !
The piano lessons went well. Not looking forward to the practice stuff, but it's part of the deal. M was cute- wanted to practice her pieces as soon as she got up! And I went through one with her once, but needed to get to the gym so had to stop her. We'll be working on that after the Library visit today.
Beautiful spring day again- not too warm, but sunny and crisp. And quiet right now- W and M at school, and H taking his nap. *sigh!* Bliss!