Lately...

I don't have anything very exciting to blog about at the moment, but in an effort to keep up with my "post at least once a week" blogging goal, I'm just going to chronicle a little of what's been happening around here lately.

After a nice two week holiday vacation, the kids went back to school on Monday.  While I didn't relish the idea of getting back to our school routine (up early, make lunches, iron clothes, gather homework and books, get snow pants/boots/gloves/hats/coats ready to take to school, drop off and pick up, homework, never ending snacking, bed on time, etc.), I could tell the kids were ready to get back.  They were going a little stir crazy, and they can only spend so much time outside before they're absolutely frozen and have to come inside and get on each others' nerves some more. 

Unfortunately, going back to school also means exposure to tons of germs, and this year the germs and illnesses are just running rampant around here!  We all went to the doctor on Friday last week to get flu shots.  I've been putting it off, but decided we'd better just get it over with.  Luckily Aaron was able to go in to work a little late and came with us.  Finnley had a MAJOR freak-out when it was his turn and it took both of us to hold him still enough to get his shot.  Rowan didn't make a sound.  He barely even flinched!  That almost made up for the scene that Finn made. 

Anyway, I've been terrified of having one of these nasty bugs make its way through our family.  There are so many people sick right now, and some families just seem to stay sick as things cycle then re-cycle through their house.  It's awful!  I've lived in fear that one of the kids will pick something up and then one by one it will take us all down.  I was sure that it would happen just as the kids were getting back to school and Aaron went back to work. 

And sure enough, as I was waiting in the parking lot at Hakan's school to pick him up yesterday, I got a call from Pyper's school telling me that she'd just gotten sick.  She usually walks home so I told the receptionist to keep her in the office and that I'd come by and pick her up as soon as I got Hakan.  Bless her heart, she was so upset and embarrassed.  Apparently she tried to make it to the bathroom but didn't get there in time.  That's the worst.  She got sick several more times last night but seems to be feeling better this morning.  She stayed home from school anyway, even though I think she's really over whatever it was she had.  I'm hopeful that by the time Monday rolls around the kids at school will have forgotten her little episode. 

I hope hope HOPE that's the end of it.  I tried to keep her away from the other kids, and made sure we were all careful about washing hands.  I guess only time will tell.

Moving on.

Aaron took 2 weeks off for Christmas and New Years, but had to go back to work last Wednesday.  It was so nice having him home.  We got a few things done around the house, but mostly just spent time together as a family.  Now he's back to work and travelling and the kids and I are back to being on our own some of the time.  Hopefully this year will mean less travel than last year.  *fingers crossed*  We're also looking forward to going along with him on a couple of business trips this summer and making them mini vacations.  I've never been to Cananda, so we're going to get everyone passports and spend a couple of weeks in Toronto in June.  Then maybe we'll head down to Atlanta to see the Towns and our friends the Tophams again.

Now that Christmas is over I've had time to start working on some projects.  In the past few days I've painted an end table, started refinishing an antique piece that I found on the side of the road a few months ago, and am in the process of reupholstering our sofa and love seat in the TV room.  The couches are a HUGE project, but one that I think will pay off in the end.  They're big and comfy and are in decent shape.  But the kids have stood on the arms so much that they caved in, and the fabric was looking tired and dingey and some of the seams in the cushion covers were starting to split.  We've had them for about 7 years but just aren't ready to replace them yet.

Sooooo, Aaron convinced me to reupholster them.  He even bought me an air compressor and pneumatic upholstery staple gun!  During the break I ripped them apart and repaired the arms.  I ordered fabric online (which FINALLY came on Wednesday) and have started remaking the cushion covers.  I hate sewing the cushion covers, so I'm getting that out of the way first.  I'm really excited about how these are going to turn out.  My hope is that we'll at least get a few more years out of them after I'm done.

Well, I guess that's about it.  Like I said, not much exciting going on.  And I'm afraid I don't have many photos to share, so I'll leave you with some, I mean a bunch, I mean A TON of Instagram photos.  Enjoy!