And now we're sick

A couple of weeks ago Alex had a little cough/cold over about a week. It wasn't anything major and didn't seem to bother him too much except the cough sometimes woke him up at night. Then last week Bianca came down with it, then a couple of days later Danielle. Both of them still have a bit of cough although they are feeling much better.

A few days ago Mark started feeling bad and I thought he was coming down with the same thing. Today his temperature was 104.2, so I think he's managed to get the flu. Unfortunately I am now showing the same symptoms (haven't taken my temperature--I'm in denial!) so it's looking like the adults may be down for the count this week. I'm hoping since Mark got it first he will recover quickly so I can collapse. ;)

The downside of homeschooling: no substitute teachers!

Not catching up

I feel so behind in posting that it's futile to even try to catch up. So here's today. :)

We got a piano. :) :) We had a friend of ours keeping a lookout for a free piano for us. We have a (very nice) Yamaha keyboard that Mark and my family got for my graduation from grad school, but I am hesitant about letting the kids play on it, especially unsupervised! I wanted a piano that could take a bit of beating (literally) without us worrying that the kids would destroy something expensive. We don't have much in our house that qualifies for most people's definition of expensive, so I'd like to keep those few things intact.

A few weeks ago we heard of a free piano that would just require a move. Because it was in a basement, we did have to hire movers to get it from its old home to our house. It was delivered today and the kids are having a blast with it! We have been learning music notes and rests (quarter, half, eighth, and whole) this semester in the morning so I'm so excited to have the piano here so we can start working on note names. The piano is in the dining room where we do the majority of our homeschooling so it is perfect.

As an aside, anyone who doesn't know us and walks in the house immediately asks if we homeschool (like the piano movers today). I'm guessing it's the 4'x6' U.S. map and the 2.5'x4' world map on the dining room walls along with the pledge of allegiance and John 3:16 in German (we were studying Germany this week). And then there's the list of U.S. presidents and the Declaration of Independence posted on the office door. Have I mentioned that I love homeschooling? :) :)

Sign up now, girls!

Tim: "When I grow up, I'm going to buy a big sled for my wife. And we're going to sled down a big hill...a 6,000 foot hill."

All I can say is his wife will never lack for adventure. ;)