Thankful Tuesday

Thursday is Ian's birthday, so I am writing my weekly gratitude post today.

1. The kids had fun making tic-tac-toe boards at Home Depot on Saturday. Paul said Ian's fine motor skills are really not advanced enough for these workshops. He has a lot of trouble hammering, for example. Paul will probably just take Nadia until Ian is a bit older. They are registered to make a train at Lowe's this Saturday, but Paul now has a basketball coach meeting. If Cheri can babysit Oliver, I'll take Nadia and Ian to Lowe's.

2. Paul is scheduled to interview and present a teaching demonstration for a community college in Ohio on Thursday afternoon! He had a phone interview with a school in FL on Friday. He won't find out for a month whether or not they picked him to interview in person.

3. Last night I took the kids to our local library (not the one we usually go to) for their Christmas party. The librarian read the kids two books, and the kids did three crafts. Ian's favorite craft was putting read and white beads on a pipe cleaner to make a "candy cane." The highlight for both of them were the cookies and chocolate milk at the end.

4. For several days I had been trying to buy a 5 lb box of clementines at the grocery story because they were on sale for $3.99. The first two times they were out of them, but today I was able to get a box. I should have gotten two boxes because Nadia ate three of them at lunch. Way to go, Nadia! Oliver and I shared one, and of course Ian didn't want to try one. Maybe next year he'll give one a try.

5. We tried a new cookie recipe today, and Oliver, Nadia, and I think they are very yummy! Ian didn't eat his dinner so he wasn't allowed to have one, but I am certain he'll love them also.

6. It's snowed a few times over the past four days. We haven't gotten a large quantity by any means, but it's been enough that Nadia and Ian have had fun playing outside in the snow a little each day.

7. Today is my dad's 70th birthday. I am very thankful for him!

8. Ian came into our bedroom at 4am this morning. The good news is that this is the exception. Most of the time the earliest any of the kids get up is 6:50am. YAHOO!

9. I am so thankful that Oliver gained 2 pounds over the past month!

10. I showed Ian several cards today with words I had never shown him before, and he sounded them out and read several of them (no pictures involved). WOOHOO! I am very proud of him!

11. Oliver keeps saying new words. One of his newest ones is "book." He really does enjoy books!