Monday, December 22, 2008

Tidbits


How are you all doing? It’s been a rough month, as far as illnesses go, as you all know. Things, however, are looking up. Here’s what’s going on:
  • DH doesn't have a lot of vacation time this year. However, we booked a room on the Navy base in Rota, Spain for this weekend. We'll hit the NEX and Commissary (American Stores). I need to see if I can find some Levis and am hoping to stock up on a few different types of flour that I can't find around here and that the NEX here doesn't keep in stock.

  • After Rota, we'll head to Gibraltar. Gibraltar is a British overseas territory. We're looking forward to eating at some English pubs, shopping (okay, only I am interesting shopping) and exploring the area. Hopefully, we'll do some hiking. Matt has a great hiking/walking guide of the area.

  • Liv has taken to whining ALL. THE. TIME. DH thinks she gets it from school. I'm not so sure. She cries when she wakes up in the morning and after nap. She cries if her chapstick and sippy cup are not aligned properly (her way) on her nightstand. She cries if I give her a red plate instead of a pink one, she cries if her backpack isn't snapped shut. She's becoming a bit OCD (compared to me who is not OCD about anything) about having certain things in a particular order and cries (read: freaks out) when things are not the way they are "supposed" to be.

  • Liv has decided she does not like ballet, school or swimming lessons. As soon as she gets to school, ballet or swimming, she has fun. Getting her there, however, is a problem. I'm trouble-shooting, and hoping to figure out the root cause of this, soon!

  • Liv has had a sudden change of heart in regards to nap and bedtime. She now proclaims she's sleepy and ASKS to go to bed. At first, we thought it was just because she was sick. However, she is mostly recovered now, aside from a cough, and she still goes to bed nicely. Some sort of mental illness going on there.

  • Lila is starting to toilet train. We make it to the toilet at least once a day and have had success up to three times daily in both "departments." Slow but steady progress...

  • Lila is becoming more and more perceptive. Today, she noticed that the flags were not up at daddy's work like they usually are. She took us both by surprise when she said, "Daddy, the flags are gone today."

  • I am completely sucked into reading, "Twilight" (see sidebar for link). I cannot put it down. I am NOT a sci-fi or fantasy fan. However, I bought the book because so many people were raving about it. It's definitely, in my opinion, written for the young adult audience, but, I'm captivated nonetheless!

  • I finished, "The Pillars of the Earth" last week and highly recommend it, despite it being a long read (see sidebar for link) and, often times, graphic.

  • DH has been brewing beer like mad. He'll be moving onto all-grain brewing soon and experimenting with different recipes. There isn't much for great tasting beer here in Portugal (in our opinion) and everyone at work, who he shares his homebrews with, is quite impressed.

That's it on our end for now (above pictures are from our walk on the nearby boardwalk last night).

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

That new picture is beautiful. Lila seems to really look up to Olivia. She looks at her in awe in a few pics!!!

The Dunns said...

I love the sisters picture on your blog header! So beautiful.

I think a desire for order is normal at that age. They want some control over their world but mommy & daddy have it all. Both my boys have things they like a certain way: animals lined up on their beds, certain light, fans, stickers at bed time, favorite cups... I do draw the line as some things. I hate it when they fight over who gets the green bowl or whatever. I say "You take what you get and you don't throw a fit" way too often. ;)

Daniel has started doing the same thing as Liv -- doesn't want to go to Tae Kwon Do or church but has fun when he gets there. Do know what to say about that one. Just hoping it will change soon.

I really liked Pillars of the Earth, too. I enjoy the genre and Follett is a good storyteller. However, the violence was just to graphic for me. I did finish it, but I don't think I'll read the prequel. I can handle implied violence but I don't think it needs to be described in such detail. Of course, it's a hit. So, obviously lots of people feel differently. I'll have to check out Twilight.

Katie said...

I think Liv and Becca may be twins separated at birth, or something. Getting Becca out the door to whatever (FUN!) activity I have planned is pretty much the worst part of my day. Lots of "I WANT TO STAY HOME! I don't WANT to go to my friend's house." O.M.G. Then, when it is time to leave the friend's house, it starts in reverse. " I don't WANT to go home." HOLY. MOLY. Shoot me now.

Pillars of the Earth was one of my alltime fave books ever. So good....I am going to read the Twilight series eventually....

Amie said...

Is that whale tail pic from Portugal? It reminds me of the one home in VT off I-89.

I agree that Twilight was written for adolescents! It was so sappy and reminded me of how I probably thought about boys back then - so mysterious!! :)

I LOVE the picture on your header. You can see how much they really love each other and Olivia reminds me of how proud I was (and still am) of my little sisters.

Anonymous said...

Grammy and Grampa Arsenault love this picture of the girls. It is so awesome. I was just saying the other day, We need a new picture of the girls...and voila...I just love the way Lila looks up to Olivia. Precious...

Unknown said...

Yeah, Amie. It's the whale's tale here down the road from our house. Cool, huh!

Anonymous said...

On the days we go to school, Wesley will say that he doesn't want to go there but to church. On the weekends he says he wants to go to school and not church. On the days we don't have Awanas, his Bible club, he'll say he wants to go there. On Wednesdays, the day he does have it, he'll say he doesn't want to. And, yes, he enjoys whatever it is whenever we manage to get him there. Urgh.

House Dad said...

Enjoy Gibraltar. I have always wanted to go there.

Tell your hubby to visit the cigars stores.