Mid winter break

What a wonderful few days we've had only to end my mini vacation (mid-winter break) sick as a dog. I am just miserable and I have body aches almost like the flu but without the high fever. I've had the flu shot so hope this isn't a new virus. It started with a little sore throat and now the worst part is the muscle sores. I felt the first sign after Zumba. I wonder if I got sick from kind of overworking myself.

So I've been watching Downton Abbey to keep me company in bed. I am catching up so I just saw 1st episode of Season 2 tonight.

I was just contemplating life today (sickness makes one slow down enough to do that, you know) and I was filled with so much love for my kids and husband that I felt I could've burst. I just love them so very much.
Sadly with all the love I lost it today with my son and then felt totally sad that I acted the way I did. I apologized and he was so sweet to me. Nothing like a kid who doesn't hold a grudge. All I could think for scolding him is that what I scolded him for was mostly for something that if I were a better mom wouldn't happen at all. I took the darn Love and Logic class so full of good ideas but keep failing at remembering the good stuff when it's needed. I get their weekly emails with great tips and thankfully even the program teacher says he has days when he messes up and doesn't apply his techniques. I LOVED hearing that. It also reminds us that we have to keep rereading, maybe even writing notes with pre solutions to problems that we know will come up again. I guess this parenting style is not second nature so we need practice and we all know we get plenty practice with kids.
Tomorrow will be a new day though and I hope to feel better and give it a try again.

Possibly I lost it because I am sick but don't worry I lose it even when not sick. Such is life...

Fun things we've done these past few days:

I took the kids to Pump it up and jumped and went down the slides like crazy. It was a work out.

The next day we went to the Aquarium. It was awesome. Lavinia's never been. It's always fun to go downtown Seattle. We had some yummy gyros right after and walked around Pike market trying out great samples of foods. It was a very wet day but that didn't stop us from having fun. I am glad our friend Taylor could come too. He's just the one of the best friend we could ask for.

Also Friday I pulled out pop up house (the think that folds down into a circle) I decorated it with Christmas lights and the kids had a blast moving in there. Toys, pillows, blankets. I let D sleep there at night.

Dacian is such a good brother. He's such a good, kind boy. Not one mean bone in him. It's fun to see him growing and seeing that some of his early traits are sticking. Today he told me that he wants 80 more babies in the house. I asked him why and he said it's because babies are so cute. I have high hopes that he'll bring me lots of grand babies some day.
Also today while I was convalescing in bed he begged for me to come down and see something funny on his Pingu show. I tried to get out of it. He told me that he'll give me 10 kisses. How could I refuse such a sweetie?

Lavinia is a firecracker. She is the boss of the house. So much more drama with a girl. She's cute though and her eyes always sparkle. So boss or not we all adore her. She has so much spunk and can definitely hold her own.

Today the kids both took naps with me. A miracle of sorts. Hooray for a quiet afternoon when mommy isn't feeling so good. Except that they are still up now. Thank goodness we also have tomorrow off.

So that's it for my rambles. I am a sick but happy girl.

Fun Saturday

To celebrate a wonderful first report card for Dacian we went out to Seattle yesterday. It was a splendid day. I forgot my camera and at times I was missing it but mostly I liked not having to miss out on living the moments only to be sure they get captured on camera.

We ate at a Bolivian restaurant. The kids and we like to try new foods all the time. The food was delicious and we had a beautiful view of the Puget Sound, mountains, and the bright sky from where we ate. It was right at Pike Market downtown Seattle. Then we went down to the Pier and walked around, let the kids run, went on the carousel and then finished the day by going to Gameworks and playing all the games and eating once again. We took the bus into the city so we got home pretty late.

Also in the morning (Sat) I had my first exercise class, Zumba. Wow, that was a full hour of interrupted movement/dancing. I loved it and can't wait to go back. I got this pass for 3 months at a community center and they offer every day am and pm classes. I think I definitely overdid it with not having had a good work out in a long time and now I can barely move and I'm sore in my back muscles but the fact that it's like a dance class surely helps. The fact that I will go with a few friends from work and get out of the house as opposed to going to the gym by myself or paying the big fees they ask for surely helps.

I am going to try all their classes and see which ones I like best. No spinning class and I really could care less about that one. I did a similar thing a while back when I went to a spinning class all out of shape and felt so out of place being so slow and just plain awful that I swore I would never return. The people there were big into it and you could tell they probably go on biking tours/contest all the time. Well, not so much with this class. People of all ages and abilities were there. And even though this was hard for a person out of shape like me I was able to keep up the whole time. I hope I can stick with this. I keep trying to find ways to incorporate exercise in my life only to fail again and again. I need something to mask the exercise and dance or swimming are my favorite things, oh and playing a sports in general.

I hope that with time by going to these classes I will gain strength and excitement for something that to be honest is not my favorite thing to do. But health is important and losing some weight along with being healthier would be great.

All in all it was a fantastic weekend. Lots of sun, warmth and a change of routine. It was as though spring was pushing winter out of the way. There were so many people out. I loved seeing people happy, out and about with their families doing about the same thing we did, enjoying life. A part of photography that I love is that I seem to be more attentive to details in general, I tend to see more than I used to and now even on days when I forget the camera I can take in the beautify of life, drink up and store happiness in my mind instead on just paper.

And now I must head to bed. Last week was so full and pretty stressful and I hope this coming one will be somewhat easier. I can't wait for mid-winter break.