Our Reader

Shara's having fun being able to read to us! We're super-excited as well. Here's a
little video.

Sick Day

Yesterday Shara and I had another nice day together. I was a volunteer at school for their Square One Art program. She went to school on the bus and then I went to her classroom. The program lasted about 1.5 hours and then I went back home to do a little work and Shara stayed to finish her day in Kindergarten. We didn't want her to miss letters or calendar or the other important learning activities. I picked her back up and we went out to lunch at Unos. It was actually very good. I had a salad and Shara had the mac & cheese. The portions were just right for lunch and they even gave her an apple upon request. We also got dessert - they have small dessert options which were hardly small but much less than the normal size. After that we picked up some yarn at the craft store then dropped off the clothes I had in the back from cleaning out my closet last week. The Salvation Army folks at the new location in Westgate were great. They came and took the bags out of the car and were very thankful for our donations. We then went home and I was on email while we watched "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs".

This morning things seemed normal. I had been up 1/2 the night with a horrible headache - sinuses again, but Shara seemed fine. I was thinking that if I hadn't taken yesterday off I would call in sick today. Well Shara started complaining of a stomach ache and I told her to see how she felt after breakfast. We didn't get to breakfast. She hadn't even gotten dressed yet when she got sick. She was right near the bathroom because I was getting her out a pepto tablet, so there wasn't too much of a mess. I think we were both pretty shaky after though. She's sleeping now, after eating a couple bites of toast. This is the first time she's been sick in a really long time and she's not liking it at all. I'm hoping that the way I'm feeling is just more sinus trouble because I feel lousy as well. So I see the rest of our day being rather low-key.

Overnight at Oma & Jidor's

Last night we dropped Shara off at Oma & Jidor's. At Shara's request, we are leaving her until after dinner tonight. Yesterday we enjoyed our last vacation day at home, doing pretty much nothing and loving it. Shara got a lot of Lego'ing done, but she also put away her clothes and we both played some Wii together. I did some research on where Alan & I could go do dinner. Decided on trying Bokx 109 American Prime in Newton. It was a really fun night at a hotel that looked, from the outside, that it was done in the 70's. So arriving I thought I picked a bad place to go, but turned out to be hopping and the food was really good. When we got there, the place wasn't too full. We got seated immediately and I thought we'd have our usual experience of drink, order, eat, leave, without much time in between for relaxing and talking. This was different.

The menus were already on the table, wrapping our napkin. The menus were done on butcher paper. It was really hard for me to decide because I didn't want steak or heavy meat, and that's what they had. I wanted mashed potatoes – horseradish, roasted garlic, bacon-blue, au gratin potatoes with Great Hill Blue and rosemary, mac and cheese w/ short ribs, or the fries done in duck fat. We had drinks while we were deciding and some focaccia and pistachios. There was no rush for us to make a decision.

What I ended up getting, with a little more info from the waiter, was the Wedge salad - Boston bibb, North Country bacon, apple, Great Hill Blue, creamy thyme dressing. The salad was great. Not the old school iceberg. Alan had a salad special of arugula, serrano ham, garlicy tomatoes, and machengo cheese. Once he found he needed to eat it all together, he really liked it. We then had a nice break to listen to the band playing in the bar area, which was a bit away from our table. It was so nice not to finish one plate and have the next brought right out. I'm sure had we asked for a faster meal, they would have gotten it to us quicker, but the waiter kept reassuring that we're in no rush and I'm sure I appeared pleased at that.

For our entrees, I had the crab cakes (Maryland Jumbo Lump and Maine PeekyToe, Pink Lady apple, celery root slaw), which were considered a Snakx. The waiter said I could have 4 instead of 3, but the 3 were surprisingly more than enough. Alan had the hanger steak which came with potato string/sticks. He questioned the cut because it was too tender, but it must have been cooked just right. We split a peanut butter and chocolate torte, which was disappointingly sweet. But the coffee helped and I picked at it and managed to make a pretty good dent in it. We wouldn't go back because it's too far and there are too many other places to try, but we're glad we did. It's fun seeing places on the Phantom Gourmet and then trying them out. Not sure what we're going to do today, but I'm sure food will be involved!

Shara's also been having fun play acting. She pretended to be a hunter the other day, creating an animal trap. At first she wanted to use her hoola hoop and a stick, and had a bit of a fit when I told her it wouldn't work, but then I gave her a shoe box and she got it working. I was in the office and she brought in the box and in a rather deep southern voice told me what she caught. It was one of the cat's fake mice. We discussed that it wouldn't be enough to feed the family and with lots of yucks, she got some more.

Winter Vacation Weekly Wrap-up

Well it's already Friday and we've had a wonderful vacation week. Here's the rundown:
Monday - Shara and I had a playdate with Kacy and Tenley. We went bowling at Kings in Dedham, had lunch at B. Goods, then went and looked around Whole Foods. All the girls, little and big, had a fun time. Then we went back to Kacy's and continued the day with cookies and coffee and talk for the "grownups" and cookies and hide & seek/games for the kids. At night, mommy left Shara & daddy to have dinner and an evening together while she took some time to go clothes shopping.

Tuesday - Fun continued even though it was a snowy day. The morning was spent in the kitchen - mommy fixed a pork roast for dinner with Uncle Andy & Aunt Jill while Shara cleaned off her table and got rid of the millions of valentines. Mommy also took most of the morning to clean out her closet. Then we headed to the library and got some great books and read a couple while we were there. Got home in time to meet Jill & Andy and had a much needed visit - Lego building, good dinner and conversation, followed by Shara going to sleep and the grownups drinking coffee martinis, eating salty chocolate and other snacks, watching FoodNetwork, and continuing the nice conversation.

Wednesday - Another playdate day! This time with our neighbors Julie, Kira & Jack. After Jill & Andy left, our neighbors came over for play and lunch and kept busy the whole time doing what little princesses do, while the moms got to know each other. Very nice afternoon. The morning was spent continuing the cleaning of mommy's closet and fretting about getting rid of so many nice clothes.

Thursday - Shara and I had a lazy morning and then got dressed and went to the outlets to get shoes. She really wasn't in the mood to shop at all, but I got a pair. We had a snack, went to Carter's and got a few things for spring/summer, then headed out to have lunch & Franklin Flatbreads. We ended the lunch with some frozen yogurt, and continued our shopping trip at TJ Max, to look for a carry-on. Couldn't find a carry-on that "we" liked, but did find a dress for Shara with a matching one for Baby Bella! Also found a recorder for Shara. She's been wanting to play an instrument and was super-excited when I asked her if she'd be interested in this. Between the Lego City set that she got with her holiday money from Grandpa and Nonnie, and the recorder, she has plenty of edumacational things to keep her busy!

Friday - already finished putting together a Lego tow truck and will probably go out and get the luggage I saw at Macy's the other night, for $20 more now. Then tonight Shara will have an overnight at Oma & Jidor's while mommy and daddy celebrate our valentine's day, part 2.

What cube?

we were at a birthday party today and Shara had fun playing with an aerobics cube. I also just went into her room, and saw that under her pillow, which is now being used as a door to the fort in my room, is her collection of plastic princess dolls. Apparently, and this is a big secret, so don't say anything, she's been sleeping with them under her pillow for some time now.

Poor Pig

The other morning I was telling Shara that we're going to get another pig next spring. She basically replied (and unfortunately I can't remember her exact words), "this time I want to watch them kill it, what the butcher does". I said that she doesn't want to watch that, and she came back telling me that the pig had a happy life, it's a happy pig. I still had to say that we don't want to watch that, it's still a little sad.

Are you acting like a 5 year old or almost 6 year old?

This is the new question i've been asking Shara. There are times for both and she knows it. Last night when she was helping with dinner she was being such a big girl! I'm really working on giving her space to learn on her own a bit more. She was cleaning the scallions for me and kept asking if this is ok? Is that ok? I told her that it's all ok and she's doing great. She really worries so much. I'm noticing this in her reading. If she's going to make mistakes, she won't do it at all.

So basically we've been busy with regular life and not much extra stuff. Last weekend we pretty much stayed at home, but had fun with the Wii - Shara's getting really good at bowling, sword fighting & golf. We have to put small chairs in front of the tv so she doesn't bang into it. She really gets into the fighting. She also spent a morning playing in her beach cabana. Pretended she was at camp and got her sleeping bag, pillow and stuffed aminals and made up this game where she was in a kind of fair / park ride. She had everything, including herself, in the tent and would roll it over and then try to find the entrance to get out. It ended up breaking a bit, but that's the price for a fun morning! It's still usable, but not as a cabana, just a ride, which is more fun now, isn't it!