My Little Cheerleaders

Check out my little cheerleaders! They did such a great job last night at the High school Basketball game. They kept all the girls in one area of the bleachers for the first half of the game. And what a job that was! Trying to keep little 3 and 4 year olds in one place is very hard to do! Ryan and I were sitting on the other side of the gym and every now and then I would see Morgan and another little girl crawling around the floor of the bleacher seats, going under peoples legs...yep, that's my girl. And I would glance at Haley and she would be looking bored out of her mind. But finally at half time they got to do their performance...it was pretty cute! Unfortunately, the lighting was too bad and my pictures didn't turn out...so sorry I don't have any photos to share of the actual performance.

So last night ended up being a late night...but that didn't keep Haley from waking up at 6:00 am! I just don't get that girl! She's been going full blast all morning...I have no idea where she get all that energy!

We were planning on a Birthday dinner for my brother, Jeff tonight. But unfortunately this dreaded stomach bug is now taking down other family members. Both of my brothers got sick this week. Of course they are both adamant that they caught it from my kids...but I'm just not so sure! I'm just so ready for this mystery illness to be over with!! I hope February is better to us!

Cheer 101

Haley brought home a flyer the other day advertising a Mini Cheer Clinic for girls ages 3-14. This struck my attention. First, it's something that is for kids under 8 (is just me, or is all the good stuff they offer for kids always 8 and over). Second, it's something that both Morgan and Haley can do together! So I signed them up. It's only three days and the third day they do a cheer at the high school basketball game.

It started yesterday and boy were they excited! They split the kids into different age groups and each group is learning a slightly different cheer. They cracked me up! First off, Haley and Morgan have about the same amount of rhythm as Ryan and I do...none. Hopefully they'll acquire more as they get older. But they did great following as best they could. Haley couldn't wait to come home and practice. But she only practiced the stretches they did...apparently that was her favorite part...yeah, the stretches. So she spent a good half hour doing all kinds of yoga moves in the living room.

The have another practice today, and then tomorrow is the big show! I can't wait to see how they do!

Just as a side note: I was never involved in Cheer growing up...so this is a whole new world for me.

Oh, and just in case you were wondering...Piper's diarrhea has finally come to an end. Hallelujah!! Nine days total...wow...that was a lot of poop. Glad that's over.

Sorry dogs, maybe next time.

I have been a very bad dog owner lately. To be honest, my dogs are bugging the crap out of me, and I just don't want anything to do with them right now. The backyard is a mess. The snow has melted creating a mud pit everywhere. When they are out of the kennel they just zoom around the yard so fast creating a mud track destroying the grass. Needless to say, they get covered in mud so there is NO WAY I'm letting them in the house. The only exercise they're getting is when Ryan takes them out for a run, or they're zooming around the backyard until I can't stand anymore destruction and I kennel them back up.

So, this morning I had made up my mind. I was going to drop off the girls at school, come home and take them on a walk. That's right! Now, keep in mind this is when I usually lay Piper down for her morning nap and I can sit and do what ever I want for TWO whole hours before getting Morgan.

So first thing this morning I put on some work out clothes so I'm ready to go later. Come home from taking the girls...I nurse Piper so she tanked up...and then I look out the window and low and behold, it's snowing, quite hard. So I forfeit the walk. I've since layed Piper in her crib, she's sleeping soundly and what do you know...it stopped snowing. Oh well. There's a perfect sheet of snow on the ground now, perfect for slipping on...and knowing me, with a big stroller, two dogs...yeah, I'd slip.

Maybe Thursday will be a better day to take them out.

Now I think I'm going to go enjoy a silent and peaceful house. Of course I'll leave my workout clothes on...it makes me feel sporty...plus people will think I did a workout when really I didn't. Hee hee hee.

Monday...start fresh!

I'll try to spare everyone yucky updates with illness in this house. Haley said the other day, "Why does everyone have to talk about POOP in this house?!!". You're right Haley...too much poop talk.

But...Piper...diaherra...day 6.

Okay, I'm done. That's all I'll say.

But I will say how exhausting this is!! She wakes up constantly throughout the night, it's as if I have a newborn again! And she's extremely fussy in the day. Just the other day I had to clean the bathrooms while holding her in my arms! I couldn't bare to set her down, she just crawls (well, she kinda just drags herself still) over to me and just cries at my feet holding my pant leg...it's so sad. Thank goodness for Morgan, who loves to clean toilets...she helped me quite a bit!

This has to end...Please!!!

Even Ryan came down with a wave of nausea this weekend...but, luckily it didn't amount anything but that. I bit of rest and he was good to go. But still, it made for a not-so-great weekend.

Here's to a better week.

Loving the Mountains

This is the view from our porch.

I love living close to the mountains. I love opening the blinds and seeing the sun coming up over them. I love how they glow from the evening sun too. It's beautiful.

We have a group of deer that visit the neighborhood on a regular basis. Three in particular (two females and a fawn) that we have seen the most, but occasionally their friends will join them (the most I've seen is nine grouped together). They love to visit the cul-de-sac across the street...there is an empty lot they like to meander around in, and we see them there just about daily.

I don't mind seeing them around as long as they stay away from my fruit trees and garden come Spring and Summer!

Can you spot them?

Update with the girls: Haley is perfectly healthy...her illness was very short lived. Piper, still sick...day 5. Oh please, give me strength!

Feeling drained...

Haley came home from school yesterday not feeling well...and so it began. She didn't want a snack, and she didn't want dinner...yep, not a good sign. She was complaining that her stomach hurt all evening so needless to say I was VERY hesitate to let her sleep on her bunk. All I'm thinking of is the kind of mess I may have to clean...and with the amount of poop I've been cleaning up this week, I really didn't want anything else on top of that. However, she insisted, so we let her. But after an hour or so, I still didn't feel right about it, so I decided to bring a trash can into the room...you know, just in case. Well, at the moment I walked in she sprang up in bed with that "look"...you know the look every parent has seen from their kid right before they harf. Well, let's just say I got that trash can in front of her in the nick of time! I should get some kind of mother of year award for that kind intuition!

She is feeling much better today thankfully. Piper on the other hand of course still greeted me this morning with a bed full of poop...day four...ugh.

So yeah, I'm just feeling a bit drained...I hate seeing my kids sick.

Piper...still sick.

I have a few more details of yesterday's post...if anyone was wondering.

Apparently Carla Swart was on a training ride, she dropped her bike computer and turned around to get it. She didn't look...she turned right into a truck. The driver of the truck tried to avoid hitting her, slamming on his breaks and swerving out of the way. It was too late. A tragedy for both the cyclist and driver. Why she didn't look first...we'll never know. So sad.

In other news, I have been up to my eyeballs in poop around here. The single vomit Piper had on Monday was the least of my worries, it has turned into horrid diarrhea. Every time she wakes up in the morning or from a nap I go in to find her covered from her neck to her toes in poop. I know, I know...gross, but these are the not so fun moments of mothering. Cleaning up poop. She seems to be eating and nursing fine...although the only solids I've been giving her are rice cereal, bananas and Cherrios...it doesn't seem to be helping. The nurse at the doctor's office said that if it continues for more than 10 days to bring her in (that is, as long as they are eating and drinking fine). 10 DAYS?! Are you kidding me?! It better not last 10 days...I'll go crazy!! So anyway, as you can imagine the washing machine has been going full blast for the last three days. Oh Pipes, feel better soon!

Haley brought home a little book she made at school about her family. I'll leave you with her story:

My Family
By Haley

Daddy is nice.
Mommy is pretty.
I am pretty.
Morgan is crazy.
Piper is cute.