Just a thought for this rainy day...

A mother is the most important person on earth. She cannot claim the honor of having built Notre Dame Cathedral. She need not. She has built something more magnificent than any Cathedral -- a dwelling for an immortal soul, the tiny perfection of her baby's body. -- Joseph Cardinal Mindszenty

Busy Busy

I am beat! The kids had dance and swimming today, and we also hit up the commissary. Matt spent the first half of the week down in Georgia, flew in late last night, and then went right back to work - he even had duty! I am very glad it is Friday night, and I'm looking forward to a few low key family days. I am also looking forward to payday - which isn't until next Thursday! After February March just seems hopelessly LONG. The kids had their last session of winter swimming today, and they both did very well. Matt has done much better than Beth this whole time, but she really pulled it together today and they both did about the same on their final evaluations. They have one more session of dance next week, and then we have a few weeks off. The last week of April they will pick back up with both swimming, dance, and gymnastics which will be new for them! I hope three classes aren't too crazy...but they both begged to try gymnastics, and we didn't want to drop either of the other two.

In other news I am now 24 weeks pregnant! My first goal is to make it to 28 weeks, and then I can have the baby at our local hospital instead of the dreaded Yale. I don't think she'll be here anytime soon in any case. I feel as big as a house, and even have a huge stretch mark. My first ever out of four pregnancies - how unfair, lol. I'm still very comfortable though, and am not yet having any trouble getting the kids in and out of car seats and such all day.



Matt and Carrie at the bowling ally. The shorts btw are GONE. It is cold and rainy again - last week was such a tease with the beautiful spring weather. Soon!

Cat in the Hat Party

March 2nd was Dr. Seuss's birthday - also known as Read Across America day. What better way to celebrate than with a party? They held one here in housing, and all the kids had a blast. They had books, games, face painting, junk food, even a bounce house.



In other news it is feeling more and more like spring here - finally! Daddy took each of the kids for a bike ride today - here's Carrie having her turn. Beth and Matt weigh like 40 pounds a piece and I'm not sure if they will be getting anymore rides, lol. Beth can ride her own bike quite well anyway...she just didn't want to be left out.


My pregnancy is going well - I'm 22 weeks already! I did have to stay overnight in the hospital this past week with a kidney stone. Take my advice - you do NOT want a kidney stone. Worst pain ever! In any case little girl looks fine, and we are calling her Baby Katy. I feel like we have spent a lot of time at the doctor's office between Carrie and I lately (and even made two ER trips!)....it's wearing me out! Hopefully the next few weeks at least will be uneventful.

Back to our Routine!

Too bad it is already Thursday, lol. Carrie finally seems mostly back to normal though and I am SOO glad. We did a full morning of school and the kids did fantastic. Beth and Matt learned about cubes, cylinders, cones, and spheres in math. We drew them, made them out of playdough, and found examples around the house. In reading Beth reached Day 5 of her McRuffy workbook and took a little quiz/review. She got all the answers right - on to week #2! I can also tell that her handwriting is really improving.

Beth and Matt both started their journals today. They each chose a few pictures that they took yesterday at the zoo, and then dictated a little about the animals in the picture. It was cute to see what they remembered and liked about each animal.

Here they are working...Carrie's okay, she just wants more cheerios.


Beth's favorite pages


Matt's favorite

Zoo Trip

We are still enjoying this nice early taste of spring...it's been in the 50's which is warm for New England in March! Carrie has been very sick, and was finally diagnosed with fifth's disease. Her fever is gone and she seemed a little better, so we decided to venture out to the zoo today. She did okay...I think she enjoyed riding in the stroller and getting some sun really. When we're at home she just cries, and cries, and cries. Hopefully tomorrow will be better, she has been like this for six days already.

Matt at the zoo....checking out what he wants to see first.


The pictures were taken by Beth...her daddy gave her our old digital camera. Tomorrow during school we're going to print some of her pictures out and then write up little journal entries to go with them.

These eagles are Beth's favorite animals at the zoo. They were injured in the wild and can no longer fly.


Two of the giraffes....the smaller one was born there last summer. We saw him at just a few weeks old!


On the way home - they were exhausted!

It's a girl!

We found out our newest little one is a girl today! That puts us at three girls and one boy. Poor little Matthew, lol.