Odds and Ends

B taking out the trike for a test spin -- can you say "blackmail"?

T with one our our marble towers

On New Year's Day, the boys went outside to try their new bikes. B still has to grow into his a little bit, but he's determined to ride it. They rode around our block a few times. I had to distract T while they took off so he wouldn't follow. He told me that he wants Christmas tomorrow so that he can get a new bike, too! He's riding B's old bike, which J rode as well, and it fits him perfectly. No need for a new bike there ... yet. Later, Dad took the 3 older boys out to the wetlands on their bikes. I took T around a few blocks for our own CLOSER adventure. As soon as I walked in the door, the phone rang. I needed to go pick up J. He had a wipe out. Apparently, his pedal was loose, and when he stepped down on it as he was riding, it came off, tumbling J to the ground. His hands were pretty scraped up.

With the weather so cold and threatening rain, we've kind of been homebodies. Once it started to rain today, the boys asked for hot chocolate. We were warm and cozy inside, sipping hot chocolate, as we watched the rain outside.

I think we may just wear out our Wii. The boys LOVE it, and I like how it gets them moving, for the most part. They do like their new Lego Star Wars game, which doesn't require them to move around like tennis or boxing does. But, that's okay. We're on vacation. It's keeping them busy and they are getting a long pretty well (yes, I know ... miracles DO happen!)

I think I've built and rebuilt a dozen marble towers with T. There is something mesmerizing about watching marbles slide down many ramps and spin through things. We've had many discussions about colors and shapes, so I guess it's been educational, too. (I'm patting myself on the back right now! Ha) . He likes to put all 12 marbles down the chute, so when I ask for a marble, he'll reluctantly give me 1, maybe 2 if I'm lucky.

What is it about the New Year that makes me want to clean out cupboards and organize closets? I guess it's trying to find a place for things like Christmas gifts. Our house definitely needs a good purge. I guess I'll tackle 1 thing at a time. Sometimes, when my boys are all asking me to do something at the same time, I'll joke back and say, "Guys, I can only do 5,000 things at once, not 5,001! C'mon!" Yes, this usually gets a funny look on their face. So worth it.