Free Scoop of Ice Cream from Ben & Jerry's

Photo by Thomas

Starting off our Tuesday with preschool is just plain fun! We had a great group this morning and the boys did GREAT! After nap, we ran out to the mall. Since I forgot my purse (ARG) the boys rode the "choo choo train" and we headed for downtown. Yummy! We each got a free scoop of yummy ice cream from Ben and Jerry's this afternoon! We then rode the carousel a few times WITH DADDY and had a blast. After a quick dinner and bath, the boys are in bed and the house is quiet. Good news...dad doesn't need surgery (we think). His collar bone IS broken in three places, but it looks like the bones just have to heal themselves. YIKES! Bad news...while I have a root canal scheduled for the 16th (after Dan's next deadline so he can take the day off), I am currently well medicated after my tooth exploded in my head. No, not literally, but all the sudden it's really hurting...REALLY HURTING. So, we'll see if this helps and call the dentist in the AM. Dan's really thrilled about the idea of taking another day off (little does he know I'm less thrilled about getting a root canal).

An Incomplete Tuck and Roll

Do you know what happens when you don't complete a tuck and roll? You break your collar bone in three places. Want proof? Ask dad. While painting the steps this afternoon, he took a stumble and attempted to tuck and roll. While great in theory, poor in execution. He has an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon tomorrow as one of the broken bones is no longer connected and is sticking out of his shoulder. OUCH!

The boys, on the other hand, had a great day! We started off with breakfast at IHOP followed by playing at Manito. After playing in the back yard long enough for Thomas to cough and heave, we headed indoors for nap time. I had the privilege of leaving the boys with daddy and going with my friend Kim to see "Baby Mama." Hilarious! Especially for anyone who has struggled with infertility. The boys went with daddy to play at the park near Grandma Nancy and Grandpa Larry's house. It sounds as though they had a great time. Hopefully the rain holds out and we see sunshine for a few more days!

A Beautiful Day

Gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous. As proud parents of boys behaving well in church we rewarded them with playing at a nearby park. Little did they know that it benefited all of us with some great running off of energy. Then after feeding those bottomless pits (YEAH their appetites are back!!!!) they took a great nap. The sunshine called to us once more and we headed out for some bouncy house, baseball, golfing backyard activities. The most exciting part was watching the boys learn how to hit a ball from a pitch (done by Councle-pronounced cunkle---Corey). They are getting it! Maybe future baseball players? :) Then friends Korry and Suzy came over (bringing Ethan and Eva-twins age 4, and Spencer- 8 months). We played outside for a long time and then finished with some great games of pinochle. Well, great until the girls lost. Then it was just sad. :( WE DEMAND A REMATCH!

Happy Birthday Uncle Adam

The boys actually had some real play time today, which felt really good. The weather was beautiful, so we were able to spend some quality time outside. HOORAY! Of course, they did start coughing, so we headed inside and made loads of cookies for Uncle Adam's birthday. Daddy even got home early from work, so we all went outside and did yard work. Then, some real excitement, when our neighbor was given a sobriety test and outside were 4 police cars. The boys thought it was the best thing ever! They kept waving out the window and the cops were trying their hardest to wave inconspicuously at the boys and be serious at the same time. Our neighbor did a stellar parking job across the street, taking up most of the sidewalk at an odd angle. It made me pause for a moment to think about what could have been. I constantly allow the boys to walk or ride their bikes ahead of me. They are extremely cautious about the road and on-coming cars, but if one were to come on to the sidewalk, they wouldn't know what to do. I'll think more carefully from now on about how to keep both of them closer. All in all, a good day. Banana bread in the oven and boys are DOWN! Hooray! Tonight Dan and I are having a Mastermind and Backgammon tournament! Yeah for Saturday night!

Today We Met Curious George!

That's right. We went to Mobius and met Curious George. The boys loved it! We had a lengthy discussion on the way down and when they saw him, they immediately ran up and gave hugs and high fives. YEAH! Daddy got home early tonight (6:00 PM) so we all got to have dinner together which is nice! The boys are doing MUCH better. Lots of coughing (Thomas coughed so hard tonight he threw up), but better every day. They now have energy to run and play, but it brings on coughing fits so bad that their eyes water. I just try to keep them hydrated and rested and hope that the coughing subsides at some point. Grandpa Bob and Grandma Patti stopped by for a visit, so the boys showed off riding bikes. Then Ba and Grandma Nancy came over for dinner so the boys showed off even more! We've been so secluded it was nice to have visitors again! The boys went down super easy and I got to play Nerts for 3 hours straight! HOORAY! It was a lot of fun!

On The Mend

We're on the mend. Still having breathing issues and runny noses, but the boys are trying to be more active, so that's a good sign. We played outside for maybe 5 minutes before they were coughing up a storm, but they had a great time and cried when I made them come in. After a long appointment this afternoon (and super good behavior) I rewarded them with riding the carousel with Ba (Aunt Kim). It's been forever since we've been down, and we all had a blast! I can't wait for healthy kids and outside time again!

How Much Whining Can One Person Hear In 24 Hours?

Did I tell you Dan was sick too? No, he wasn't the majority of the whining. You can tell the boys are feeling better by the fact that they have enough energy to whine, but not enough energy to do anything else. I did force them outside for a walk today, which they loved. And then we played outside until they coughed so bad they couldn't stop. Maybe not a good move, but they were definitely worn out from doing something as opposed to just being sick. Fevers are down. Coughing is up. I think we're starting the journey to recuperation. We'll lay low for another week and really get ourselves back in tip-top shape and then WORLD HERE WE COME!

A Diagnosis: Both Boys Have Pneumonia

Well, our household is certainly a lot of fun right now. I took the boys into the doctor this morning, just to make sure I wasn't under-treating them. It turns out they both have pneumonia. Now they are both on some antibiotics and have breathing treatments every 4 hours. Not a lot of fun. Hopefully we can get through this round and have a great Spring and finally enjoy getting outside. The boys were both miserable today, taking short intermittent naps, clinging to mommy, and just walking around crying and coughing. Hopefully the drugs kick in and we have a better day tomorrow.

Take Temp, Dose, Nap, Take Temp, Dose Nap

This is my new cycle in life with the boys. We are all still sick although it appears my fever has broken (I've been fever free for 8 hours!). The boys are still running high and we spent today inside in pajamas watching hours and hours of tv. Unheard of in this house. :( They aren't really eating anything (they drink milk and I got them to suck down an orange/strawberry smoothie for dinner). My goal is to keep them hydrated and pray that the cough stays out of their chest. If not better by tomorrow, we'll head to the doctor. UGH! Luckily, Dan was nice enough to let me out of the house and I just returned from a fabulous dessert with my friend Jenn. AWESOME! Nothing better than Molten Lava Chocolate Cake from Chili's and good conversation to end the evening! BTW---Day 3 of no binkies...we're hanging in there!!! Even though Joshua asked today if I'd go get them back from Baby Rar-ra (Kierra).

Day 2 of Binky Withdrawal

I guess now is the time to admit it. The binky withdrawal, it's not the kids, it's us. Man...they never shut up!!! It's 9:23 PM, they were put to bed 1 1/2 hours ago, sick, with fevers, well-dosed, and they are in their room just chatting away. One swift binky in the mouth and they'd be out in just moments. It's not like they cry for it, or ask for it. That sound you hear is me! We tried it before and they just didn't understand. This time, it's really been no big deal. Except that they sit in there and chat for hours.

As for the family update. We're sick. The boys are both running temps between 101-102 degrees. Mine has been consistently at 101 for the last 5 days. The doctor on Saturday did find blood in the urine, but not enough to signify a kidney infection, so I'm drinking my water and hoping it all passes easily. It's been REALLY nice having Dan around now that tax season is over. This is perfect time for the binky weaning as there are two of us to listen to the non-stop talk that occurs! Tomorrow on the docket...getting the van fixed. Somewhere in the power steering there is an issue. I cannot tell you how difficult it is to turn a van at low speed without power steering, man I'm a wuss!!!

I Thought I'd Blog Everyday, And Then I Got A Kidney Stone

So I thought I'd blog everyday and then I got a kidney stone. Let me say, that I'd have the boys over again in a heart beat instead of doing that again. I've never NEVER puked so much in my life. And I've never puked from pain, so that was a first. I'm extremely grateful for my brother, who picked me up at 4:00 AM and took me to the ER, got me very medicated, and took great care of me. The stone passed, and now it appears I have some sort of infection still brewing so it's off to the doctor again tomorrow. Seriously...birth is easier.

However, Dan got to take a nice day off...of course it happened to be April 15th, the day before tax/audit deadline, so that must have been stressful. I don't remember too much as I was really drugged in an effort to alleviate pain and nausea. It seems the boys loved having Dan home. The next day (I passed the stone that night), I was pretty sick, but took the boys to the jumping place to give them some running time. Since then, it's been stay at home and play in the backyard while mommy recovers in the chair. The boys don't seem to mind too much as long as they get outside.

Today, even though I'm still running a temp and feeling crappy, we went to Raptor Reef. Dan got the day off, so we went as a family and met our friend Harry (and his mom Jenn) there. We had a blast. Got home and CRASHED!!! I have to admit this has been a pretty hard week on Thomas. He's gotten hurt and has scratches and scrapes everywhere. The worst was when a section of the back fence fell on him trapping him underneath. It took me a second to get to him and since he didn't cry, it took me even longer to realize that he was really scratched up. OUCH!

Hopefully a weekend of rest will do us good. I'll just try and keep on bloggin'! Have a great weekend!

Josh using my "puke sack" as a hat! He thought it was really neat. Thankfully it was a spare!

Rain Rain Go Away, Domrese Family Wants To Play

I guess it's better than snow, right? We'll take rain any day...well not any day, but for now, I guess it'll do. Busy busy Monday! Breakfast at IHOP with grandpa Bob (greatma is gone this week, sad). Straight off to swimming with Mommy 'N Me, and Uncle Adam and cousins Macey and Abby. The boys LOVE seeing their cousins and they LOVE swimming, so they had a great time. While I went to a fabulous endodontist appointment (HOORAY I get to have another root canal...STUPID TEETH), the boys played with our friend Greg at McDonald's and appeared to have a blast. I guess it doesn't help that Greg hasn't had to change a diaper in many years, but it cracks me up that both boys decided to give Greg a run for his money and poo while at McDonald's on a day when the light is still out in the restroom with a changing table. AWESOME! I laugh. After a great nap, we took a walk to the library for some fresh air and got some new pig books for preschool tomorrow. By the time we got home and got dinner cooked, daddy was home. We all ate dinner, made cookies, and it was bedtime for the boys! HOORAY! A great start to a fabulous week!

Warm Weather Galore

The weather this Sunday----glorious! The boys had a great time antagonizing their parents at church this morning. This included running toward Father Bob in the middle of his sermon while we ran behind in horror...twice. The little twitters throughout the congregation tell us they find humor in it, but our embarrassment was evident. After church, Dan went down to work for the day. We headed home to play in an enclosed area and run off some energy. It was BEAUTIFUL out! The boys crashed for a nice nap and when they woke up we went back outside for a long walk and played at a nearby elementary school. Dan got home in time for dinner and took the boys for a bike ride in the bike trailer while I cleaned up. Now, they are asleep and we are not far behind. The warm weather is so great, but exhausting! I can do so much outside with the snow gone! Hopefully the rain tomorrow is short-lived and we are back to sun and warmth soon!

Come out of hibernation, spring is finally here!

Hooray! As I type this I hear crickets and birds chirping. Sure signs of spring. About time!!! Today helped me remember how great it is to be a stay-at-home mom. Now that Spring is here, it's so easy to be a great mom and spend days outside and where learning experiences naturally occur! Today we started with a walk to the post office, usually a 10 minute walk. Unfortunately the post office wasn't open, so we walked on, met some friends and ended up with a 2-mile walk. The boys walked about 3/4 of a mile by themselves! WOW! You'd think they were tired after that, but noooooooooooooo. We returned from our walk and loaded into the van to watch Maliya play soccer. Since the field next to Maliya's game was empty, the boys decided to play a game themselves using the real nets. They had a blast and ran up and down the field kicking the soccer balls that we had brought. THEN, they took a good 3 hour nap, I'm sure out of pure exhaustion! Once awake, we immediately ran back outside for some baseball, ant searching, and worm-digging. Thomas even found a caterpillar! It was so much fun to see him realize that the caterpillar he was holding would turn into a butterfly, just like the one in the book ("The Very Hungry Caterpillar"). How fun! We then went to the 50% portion of the consignment sale taking place in Spokane this week and then stopped at Auntie Angie's to drop off some clothes and play. Talk about fun! We made it home just before daddy and managed to snag another 30 minutes of play time before heading inside. Seriously, it's just fun. Winter=blah, Spring/Summer/Fall= FUN!

Spring, Spring, Here We Come!

I can't tell you enough how ready we are for Spring! This morning we attempted Mobius, but because of a field trip, we ended up hitting Riverfront Park instead. It was nice to hook up with some friends and family, and we had a great time! The afternoon was a little rough with Benjamin (the little guy I watch) as he hates being outside. As soon as he was picked up, we headed down to Manito Park and I let the boys run free in the open grass. They had a blast. We took a bunch of golf clubs and we golfed our way down to the lower playground and then walked back up. The boys were exhausted (although maybe not since Josh just fell asleep just inside his bedroom door yelling at me, "Mommy...need milk!"). Dan is on his way home, bringing me a Sonic drink with that yummy ice! HOORAY! We can't wait for the weather to be in the 60's this weekend.

Nothing like a good sale to end the day

A day that started with grandpa Bob nearly ended with grandpa Bob as well! We started off with breakfast at IHOP. Tagged items for the JBF Consignment sale and dropped it all off. Stopped at a park on the way home. Of course it snowed while playing at the park, so we departed early. On the way home Thomas says, "Mommy, I seepy (sleepy)?" I said, "You tired buddy, ready to take a nap?" He says, "Yes, but I hungry too." Lunch, nap, and everyone is rested. Grandma Patti comes over, dad (grandpa Bob) and I depart for the JBF Sale. Lots of finds! I got some puzzles, some pajamas, and the boys favorite new toy, a Fisher Price Little People Garage. It's super neat! Daddy got home a little early, and EVERYONE ELSE is out. If you can't tell by the brevity of the entry. I'm done too. Goodnight all!

Polyp, an abnormal growth of tissue

Wednesday is our down day, but it doesn't always seem like it. We had a great morning playing with Abby, Macey, and seeing baby Natalie! During nap time I had a doctor appointment. Without going into too much detail they found a polyp inside my uterus that covered 1/3 of the whole uterus. I saw it with my own eyes since they were investigating with a camera. Luckily they were able to remove the polyp, so for now, everything is good. It's been sent in for diagnostics, so send some prayers that everything is ok. To answer questions, no, we are not trying to get pregnant. Just to get me back to a normal state so that in the far future we CAN get pregnant again. For us, it takes constant vigilance (and some really crappy painful procedures). :( Once home, I stayed down for quite some time. The boys are so great! I sat on the porch steps and watched them play. "Ba" (Aunt Kim) brought up dinner and played with the boys. Thanks Ba! Now, the house is quiet and I can go get some much needed rest.

Weird....it snowed today

I know, weird, more snow. :-( Our day started off great. Preschool is always fun. Picture #1 shows what happens when the sensory table has "mud" and what happens when you leave Thomas unsupervised. We had a great time playing outside with friend Natalie and digging for worms. After a short nap, Benjamin (the little boy I watch) was here. We decided to go outside when it started hailing because the boys love catching the hail or just plain getting soaked. We were outside for over an hour and the boys had a blast, except for the sad picture of Thomas. He got upset because I wouldn't clean off his shovel for him...mean mama. The highlight of the evening was listening to the boys "read" their "What Lives On A Farm" book to daddy when he got home. It's a predictable book that says, "A pink pig lives on a farm," and changes the animal on each page. I got lots of warm fuzzies watching their excited faces as they read to daddy for a change! I'm so proud!

Snow is exhausting!

Could we get any more snow? The answer apparently is YES!!! Our morning was fabulous. A quick visit to Adam, Mere, and baby Natalie in the hospital. Thomas enjoyed taking some photos (shown here). I believe he and Joshua are future photographers. They are really getting the hang of it and love taking pictures. Then it was off to swimming on base. The boys always love swimming and come home exhausted. After nap time, we decided to go for a walk to the library and then the park. All was good until we walked the mile to the park and it started HAILING!!! Arg!!!! It was a nice RUN home for us and took some time to get warm again after that! (The pictures are 1- Photo by Thomas of grandma Patti and Joshua, and 2- Naomi (friend) putting an arm around Joshua after the pool).

Baby Natalie is here

Wow! What a day! We started off going to church and having a pancake breakfast with Grandma Nancy and Grandpa Larry. After a short nap, the boys awoke to find presents. Who were the presents from? Our favorite firefighters next door! The boys were SOOOO happy! How nice of the firefighters to think of us! We just can't say enough nice things about them. We cooked them dinner and took over our thank you note. AND, they let the boys get on the ambulance! A highlight for sure! They were so happy! Thanks firefighters! After that we went to Riverfront Park for some golfing (Thomas's current favorite) and a ride on the carousel (Joshua's current favorite). We got home and I got the call that baby Natalie was on her way. Baby Natalie arrived only minutes after getting to the hospital and I just got back. She's SO cute. 6#4, 19 1/2 inches long and adorable. Her big sisters love her lots!

Up and Down, Up and Down...WHEE!!!!

You'll never believe what happened today. It snowed! Amazing right? It's really becoming something predictable. The boys definitely enjoy though and it makes me happy that it is continually melting so fast. On a fun note, we got a teeter totter! I found one on Craigslist and the boys are loving it! Thomas enjoys bailing off and sending Joshua flying to the ground, where they both break out in hysterics. Tonight we watched Harry and Emma while friends went out for date night! The boys had so much fun with Harry (as always) and Emma is such a cutie! It's fun to watch the boys learn how to become friends and watch that relationship evolve with someone else besides each other. Prediction for tomorrow....snow...just kidding...I hope.

Is it bad to eat all the blackberries from the carton before you get to checkout?

We had a fun and busy day! We headed out to Costco this morning (a place the boys love) and had a blast looking at everything. Is it bad that they ate nearly the whole carton of blackberries before we got to checkout? It happens every time. Luckily, they sell it by the carton, not by weight, so it's never been a big deal. :-) We then rode the carousel...again. And I have to say, that I did the most spectacular job parallel parking the van. How I can park the van with no problem, but couldn't parallel park my old little car is beyond me! Benjamin (the little boy I watch) came over in the afternoon, and along with a visit from Uncle Adam and cousins Abby, Macey, Auntie Angie and cousin Kierra...it was a full house! We are hoping to hear that Aunt Mere has gone into labor soon as we're anxious for new cousin Natalie to arrive!!! Ring phone, ring.....

Only Three In The World And Josh Rode ONE!

A busy day for the Domrese boys as always. It started with the "jumping place." This is the boys favorite place EVER! We go once a month and they talk about it for the rest of the month. Today was packed because of Spring Break, so we didn't stay nearly as long. After a long 4-hour nap (HOORAY!) we had dinner and went down to Riverfront Park for a ride on the "horsies" and to feed the ducks. Joshua took a turn on the tiger too! The tiger at the Riverfront Park carousel is one of only three created, so it's pretty neat that he gets to ride it when he goes down! Of course, it doesn't move up and down, so the boys rarely choose to ride it! My favorite part of today is that Thomas learned how to write a "T." We've talked about it, and he's tried, but today he diligently worked on it and got it! HOW EXCITING! He was so proud of himself. We called daddy at work to share the good news and took lots of pictures. SO MUCH FUN! On another bragging note, when doing letters with "Ba" (Aunt Kim) tonight, Joshua identified more letters than I've ever heard him do, so it's getting better!!

The difference between outside play at 8:00 AM and 12:00 PM

The difference between playing outside at 8:00 AM and 12:00 PM is tremendous right now! We went out at 8:00 and played for a bit because we were all feeling a bit restless. While I raked leaves, Thomas golfed in the snow and Joshua played on the swingset. After we got back from playing with cousins Abby and Macey at McDonald's for lunch, we spent more time outside. By noon the snow had melted, the temperature was 51 degrees and we EVEN FOUND A LADYBUG! Thomas was SOOOOO excited. We talked about the life cycle of a ladybug (that we had read in a book) and both boys really made some great connections. We played outside A LOT today! It was really fun!

Busy Busy

Tuesdays are always busy with preschool here at home. The boys were in fine form, as were many of the two-year olds. We did however work on our letters, plant a cantaloupe seed, and work on drawing circles.
After nap we went to Riverfront Park (forgot my camera of course) and went mini-golfing and rode the carousel. The boys were famished and exhausted afterwards, so it was a quick evening.
The most enjoyable part was going through the books we got from the book orders. There is one on the life cycle of a ladybug and the boys LOVE it! The boys also enjoyed "shaving" in the bath just like daddy. He teaches them the fine art of how to apply shaving cream and the techniques in shaving with their fake razors. They feel so grown up and glow under the instruction! CUTE!!!