Snippits

• We are all still battling the cold or crud that has infested our house.  I joined the ranks of the ill last Friday and it has been terrible.  When Mom is sick not much gets done.  Coughing all night isn't conducive to productive days. 
• I felt bad that I made the kids use toilet paper for tissues when they had the worst of it, telling them they would be fine their noses were just a little red.  I made it one day with the toilet paper and ran to the store to get soft facial tissues.  I went through three boxes this week so far.
• We are still exercising and have lost 56 pounds as a family so far.  Coughing is a good abdominal workout.
• I started physical therapy a few weeks ago for migraine headaches that I have suffered from since college.  I was dubious but it really is working and I have been headache free for two weeks. 
• The kids played BINGO at the nursing home on Monday night.  It was a service project for 4-H.  Our club does this twice a year as the kids really enjoy this project, probably more than the residents.
• Spark bowled a 122 this week!  His highest game ever.
• The warmer temps have made a lot of our snow melt and we can see the majority of the yard.
• The warmer temps have meant that there is water everywhere.  There is lots talk about how much flooding the Mississippi River will have. 
• The warmer temps have meant that we can walk outside.  We have been walking down to the end the block which is two miles. 
• One day the neighbor came running out of her house and walked with us.  It is nice to see people again and catch up on how they have been.  She also has all the good gossip for the area. 
• The dog, Nikki, was able to go for a walk in the yard yesterday.  She has been inside all winter because the snow was deeper than she is tall.  She has gotten quite tubby over the winter so we need to get her running a bit.  There was so much to smell out there she was in scent heaven.
• Spark got five discoveries done in AWANA this week.  He wants to have a least half of his new book done before the end of the year.
• Our mailman "Mike the mailman" is retiring in 11 days.  It just isn't going to seem right that his car doesn't come to deliver the mail anymore.
• Spark finished another math book.
• Dancer did the next test in Greek history and got a 100 percent.  It is amazing how studying helps even though she hates to do it and doesn't want to admit that is why she does well.
• The kids cleaned out our garbage can on wheels, aka the car, after threatening to not take them anywhere in it until it was.  It makes me crazy that they can't take their junk out of there every time we get home.
• Dancer is bummed that one of her friends wants to go to school next year.  Not sure why anyone would want to go to school but whatever.  Our kids are always being told by school kids that they are so lucky to be homeschooled.
• Spark says "Put that we got a double box of Raisin Bran."  This is his favorite cereal and they don't get cereal very often so it has been a good week of breakfast for him.  Nice when you can buy Raisin Bran for your kids and they think it is a treat.
• A new beta fish is in the bowl to replace that one that died a few weeks ago.  This one is a Crown Beta, a very handsome guy.
• The goats are finally able to go outside.  They are fussy, crabby things that don't like the snow so we don't usually make them go out in the winter.  If we do put them out, one stands by the barn door as if keeping watch and the other look at the house and baa.  When they are out I always wonder if someone will stop by to see if they are alright because they sound so pathetic.