Bits and Pieces

Here's that puzzle picture I was telling you about earlier . . . ha, how the posts get out of order behind the scenes :) 

Hey, guest blogger Brennen here!

I am supposed to blog a about our most recent trip to a museum. The week after Mom’s birthday we went to see the giant tree and a couple exhibits that were new. The tree was massive! There’s a picture of us in front of it below. We went into the hall that leads down to the main exhibits, there were small trees decorated how they would decorate them in different countries. Next, we went down stairs to check out the main exhibits. The first one was about the World Wars; the second (which I liked better) was a collection of amazing pictures of animals. They were awesome! That’s all! Bye!

Making use of that home educator membership :) Brennen forgot to mention that they operated an antique player piano in the WWI exhibit, pushing the foot pedals to make the song roll spin. It was a super fancy, technologically-advanced player piano (from the turn of the last century) complete with a record player in one of the side cabinets. Pretty sweet!

Speaking of sweet, Buck got a sweet new rocking chair for Christmas . . . yes, I am pretty sweet for getting it for him :) It swivels, it rocks, it reclines. We've needed a surgery recovery chair, well, since I started having babies. A rocker would have been incredibly helpful after Buck's recent back surgery! And according to my cognitive behavioral therapist friend, rocking is incredibly relaxing and stress relieving. I'd been looking online, scouring every website I could think of that offered big furniture and free delivery by Christmas. Then, after our museum adventure, the bookends went with me to Costco to get groceries and Buck's prescriptions. We wandered down the furniture aisle, and there it was! Comfy, cozy, rocky, spinny, and it fit in the back of the van. It is also Buck's birthday present, his Father's Day present, and probably a couple of others :) 

I thought we'd move the bookcase into Chauncey's bed area and put the chair where the bookcase was . . . but Buck thought that would mean he would sit too far away from me, so we split the couches down the middle and set him in between. This arrangement isn't the most conducive to group television watching, but we don't do that much anyway. Buck is happy. Chauncey is next to me and the printer by the stairs, and I think he's happy. The kids are happy when Buck isn't sitting in his new chair and they get a chance to try out the squishy comfort of it :) Oh, and as you can tell, he didn't want to wait for Christmas to open his gift. He might have guessed what it was before I got home. Maybe (always :).

For his birthday, Graysen received a gift card to Target. He thought he'd use it to buy Christmas gifts for his siblings, but after two months of borrowing his sisters' c.d. player to listen to Adventures in Odyssey, I suggested maybe he use the card for himself after all, to get a new stereo. Online, the price was significantly lower than in store, but thankfully they were willing to price match. He also did some Christmas shopping with me, sure to be surprised when he finds the candy he picked out for stocking stuffers in his stocking on Christmas morning :)

In other news, the girls have been diligently baking treats, cookies, fudge, more cookies . . . and the boys have been helping. We've sent several care packages in the mail, but still need to pass out more cookie plates and Christmas Eve service invites to the neighbors. I believe that is taking place tomorrow. One of these days, they'll get to the gingerbread. I bought molasses so I know they have what they need! :) Maybe if I get the blog caught up, I can even help them. Cookies here we come!






Just in case you're interested . . . since this is a bits and pieces post . . . here's Buck's neck post surgery. He also had a pretty decent bruise on his hand from the IV. Today, he showed me his hands again--he decided to try using the punching bag in the garage for the first time. His knuckles are bruised and swollen. Sheesh! Who hits a punching bag that hard? I offered to let him use my gloves, but he said, "No, they are pink." Like that matters :) I said, "Who is going to see you in the garage?" I guess I could see how bruised knuckles looks tougher than pink boxing gloves, but still! Ha!




I did some quick figuring on the calendar, and we have collectively made and attended twelve doctor appointments in the past week! From orthodontist (a break from bands for Gabby!) to chiropractor to pain doctor to pediatrician to Buck's new doctors, we are making our insurance work hard! I also set up six dental cleanings and Buck's crown prep for January. I need to mix in half a dozen eye appointments, too. Whew!

As we were leaving, Gabby echoed her sister's earlier comment that I looked cosmic in my Kmart clearance jogging suit. It is navy with white speckles. I said, "Thanks, that seems to be what everyone thinks today." 

Brennen piped up, "I don't think you look cosmic, mom."

"Well, thank you, Brennen."

Caelan exclaimed, "He always says whatever you want to hear!" Yes, yes he does. And that is why he gets today's *favorite child of the day* award. You would think she would learn by now ;)