Wow, last week flew by so fast! The most exciting happening for my boys was the snow dusting that we got on Thursday, which caused a two-hour delay for school. They were sad that school didn’t get canceled though. I had the best of intentions to get some photos of the snow surrounding my pansies and primroses which just started blooming, but I was so busy getting the boys ready for school and getting myself ready for volunteering at the library that we rushed out the door without the camera, and the snow had melted by the time I got home later that day.
In general it was just one of those weeks that is relentless with things that need to get done. Early in the week I went shopping for birthday presents for my sisters and my husband, and couldn’t resist trying on just about every item on the clearance racks at K-Mart (that was an entire morning lost). I did end up saving $30 on a neat house sweater and got some warm weather clothes for my trip to Tucson later this week.
My trip to K-Mart was also a reminder of how much I love that my boys are out of the tantrum stage. There was a frazzled mother in the dressing rooms with twin toddler boys in the cart, both screaming their heads off, as she was trying to make her little girl (who could only have been about a year older) try on a shirt. I felt sorry for her because I remember those days vividly, but I also wanted so badly to step in and say, “Really, yelling back at your kids is not going to make them stop crying.”
In what would be the mother of all pointless and endless stories, my younger son ended up staying at home with me on Thursday night instead of going to cub scouts. (It was one of those where I told his leader he’s staying home and will rest, okay – his cough is better, no – he’s going with his older brother on his field trip, no – he’s staying home, etc. The kind of situation that I’m sure made me look like the most indecisive mom ever.) We ended up starting a new puzzle.
During the sorting of the thousand pieces he told me that the puzzles at school are boring because they only have fifty pieces. I told him that it’s probably because not many seven-year-old kids like to work on thousand piece puzzles. Granted, his idea of working on our big puzzles is to sort out the side pieces from the rest and then hand the project over to me. He does manage to put a few of the pieces together now and then though.
Our last puzzle bit the dust. You know that big one that my husband bought from Amsterdam? This is as far as we got:
Our kiddo had been staying home from school a couple of weeks ago and accidentally knocked over his water onto the puzzle – and didn’t tell us about it for several minutes. By the time I cleaned it up layers of cardboard were separating and peeling off of the pieces. And thus we were saved from having to complete the most difficult puzzle I’ve ever attempted. I think it was fate. It was sad to lose such a pretty puzzle though, I have to say.
So, Friday was my husband’s birthday, and I decided to make him a strawberry shortcake dessert instead of a traditional cake (or the ice cream cakes we sometimes buy). Then yesterday was the sixteenth anniversary of the day we started dating. The first thing I saw as I walked around the house in the morning was blown up photos of us taped to the walls, with a sweet quote, a card on my desk, and a music video (from when we were dating) on my computer. He’s definitely the king of romantic surprises!
Yesterday was also swimming lessons for my son, then visiting my brother-in-law and his wife. We went out to dinner with them and they told the servers about our birthdays (my husband is two days older than me) so we had to wear sombreros and be sung to. At least we got free ice cream. Later that evening we had another family birthday celebration at my sister’s house.
I guess I should say something about the books this week, since this is supposed to be a reading progress post too. Last week I read Wonder by R. J. Palacio, and it was fantastic! I’m going to encourage my fifth grade son to read it next. It’s a wonderful book for all ages, and one of the few unsolicited books that I’ve received to make it on my “best reads” list.
Today I will be reading Prague Winter by Madeleine Albright. I am a huge fan of Madeleine Albright (her memoir is one of the best ever), and couldn’t pass on a chance to read her newest book.
What will you be reading today?
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That does sound like a busy week! I used to really enjoy jigsaws too when I was your son’s age, and my favourite part was also separating the edge pieces from the middle pieces!
Prague Winter looks very good, looking forward to your thoughts on it.
Happy birthday, Alyce! It’s a week of celebrations at your house! I adored Wonder as well – it has such important lessons without being preachy.
Wow, great puzzle and, of course, happy birthday.
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Happy birthday to you, Alyce, and a belated birthday to your husband. Two days? Now that’s kismet if I ever heard of such a thing.
Wow, very romantic surprise about the anniversary of your dating! My husband and I also have our birthdays and anniversary all in a row, and it is a very cake-intense time of year! :–)
Happy Belated Birthday! What a shame about the puzzle, I have had one on my dining room table, under the tablecloth for years cause I like it so much and can’t bear to break it up. If I glued it I’d have no place to put it, so not an option.
I am hoping to read Mudbound today, it’s for my book group. Everyone says it’s a great book, but so far I am not in that camp.
My eldest son loved puzzles as a child. We were amazed at his persistence and ability to put them together. Later, when he was visiting from Europe (almost five years ago now!), he shared his love of puzzles with my youngest grandson Noah, who was four then.
Noah still talks about it.
What a romantic birthday surprise! That’s so amazing…it sounds like your husband is a “keeper.”
Now I’m drooling for strawberry shortcake. Can’t remember the last time I had any!
Enjoy your week, and hopefully everyone will feel better.
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That was a busy week for you! Everyone loved Wonder, I should really get to it soon.
Yay for puzzles! I was also bored quickly with those kidy sets. Now my 4yo is doing the same, anything less than 50 pieces is unacceptable, he learns it by heart after we do it once.
Have a great week
I think Madeline Albright would be an interesting woman to read about. I hope everyone is happy and healthy up with you
My husband’s birthday is next weekend. He is expecting a week long celebration. HAHA! Like that is going to happen.
How sweet about his romantic gestures! : )
I work in the children’s department of the library and I see how people discipline their kids and even though I don’t have children I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t.
I’m reading Deep Sky by Patrick Lee and a memoir entitled and I shall have some peace there: trading in the fast lane for my own dirt road by Margaret Roach.
Hope you had a great birthday.
Happy Birthday to the both of you, plus Happy Dating Anniversary! That husband of yours is such a keeper. I love his sense of romance. I’ve got WONDER on my list ever since I heard about it from Kathy, plus EW raved about it too.
Wow! I’m gobsmacked by how romantic your husband is! I’m lucky if my hubby remembers the anniversary of our wedding – I’m sure he has no idea what date we actually started dating on. To be fair to him, he did a really good job at Valentine’s Day this year. So cool that your hubby did the pictures; he really put a lot of time and effort into it!
Happy birthday to both your husband and to you! I hear you on those horribly busy weeks where you don’t get a break. It seems that all of them are that way these days. I hope next week is more relaxing for you!
Happy Birthday to both of you. Your husband sounds like a sweetie. Have a great week.
Busy week you had! Happy Birthday to you and your husband!
Your husband is so romantic, how wonderful! I don’t think most husbands remember the day they started dating their wives…I’m going to ask mine! It’s so sweet that he had pictures and a music video for you!
Puzzles are a lot of fun! It’s too bad you lost (to spilled water) that pretty one your husband bought! Have fun with the one you’re doing now!
Happy birthday, Alyce! It sounds like you had a busy week.
I can’t wait to hear about the Albright book. She was the speaker at my college graduation and was wonderful. She’s such an amazing woman!
I used to make puzzles with my grandfather when I was probably your sons age. It was a big deal because not many people were allowed near his puzzles. I still make puzzles to this day. People do not get it, but it is normal for me.
I am really looking forward to your thoughts on Albright’s book. I am going to look her up in general.
I hope you had a nice birthday. I love these posts where you give us your week in a nutshell. So much goes on during the week, that I would have to take notes to share it with you. I can’t seem to even remember what day it is these days.