We got SNOW yesterday! I am sooooo ready for Spring! There is hope that next week could be in the 50's (yeah!), but the rest of this week is going to be cold, dreary and rainy(hopefully not snowy). Good thing I had not done too much Spring cleaning yet. The boys snow clothes and boots were still in their closet, so it was not too much of a hassle to get them all bundled up to play in the snow. They did get use their end of the year clearance child size snow shovels that I expected to not get any use until next year. This winter when ever I tried to use the snow shovel the boys would fight over who would get to use it next and even when Patrick did get a turn he would throw a fit because it was way to big for him to control. So, now they each have their own little snow shovels. No more fighting.

Lenny is all better, except for the constant stuffy nose and cough-but that doesn't seem to bother him and I have just accepted that that is how things just are for most of winter. Both Leonard and I got a little sick, but Patrick seemed to make through fine.

Terrible thunderstorms were threantening all day long, but it was mostly dry and despite the dark clouds fairly warm outside. So, I was able to spend sometime outside this evening visiting with the neighbors and kids. It was great to see everyone outside. I can't wait for true Spring with nice weather and green grass and blooming flowers.

Lenny got sick at church yesterday. He kept complaining his tummy hurt and cuddled in my arms all during sacrament meeting. I let him stay with me the whole second hour of church and two minutes before I was suppose to start Senior primary signing time Lenny threw-up all over my arm leg and the back corner of the primary room. With some quick shuffling around and real speedy clean up-I was able to teach singing time while Leonard sat in the hall with Lenny then we all left church early. Lenny slept the rest of the day and threw-up once more, but seems to be doing better today. His fever is gone and although he still complained of some stomache pain, he ate several times today without any problems.

Above: Patrick and Lenny in Flordia, Christmas 2005

I suppose I should add another post. If I wait to long it may never happen. The little boys have been sick for a while, but the past week patrick's runny nose and Lenny's come seem to have gotten worse. I felt like I was getting sick, but took it easy yesterday and had a friend watch Lenny for the afternoon. So, I am hoping I continue to feel okay and things don't get worse.

Leonard had his yearly evaluation at work yesterday and received high marks. I am very proud of all of his hard work and glad that he is enjoying his job.

We bought Patrick his very own plastic scooter this week. It is still fairl y cold here, but the boys have occasionally had a chance to go out and play. Patrick kept trying to steal Lenny's bike and scooter, and Lenny did not want Patrick touching his stuff. So, when I saw the little scooter on sale at Walmart I thought we'd give it a try. The first day Patrick kept complaining that it did not work or that it was broken because he was having a hard time making it move. But after two days of practice he is doing much better. Getting him to wear a helmet is another thing. We live in a cul-de-sac and he is supposse to stay on the sidewalk and he moves at a turtle pace on the scooter, but I am still trying to teach him the importance of wearing a helmet and try to get him in the habit early. We need to get some more padding strip to go in the helmet because it is a little big and wobbly on his head. But I don't think they make them any smaller then what we have.

Lenny just has four more weeks of school left. He attends Tuesday school just once a week on Tuesdays, thus the name Tuesday School. He is not a big fan of going, but we thought it would be a good introduction to some structured learning atmosphere. Although, Leonarand thinks that's what primary is for. After a year of talking about it, I have finally got Leonard's support to put Lenny in a 3 day a week program next year. Lenny still has a lot to learn before he will be ready for Kindergarden, but I have seen some good progress over this oast year and hoope he will continue to grow and learn over the next year and a half. He is really starting to enjoy his role as a big brother. He now tells me when Patrick needs something that he can take care of it or "I can help him Mom. I am a big so I now how to do it." Lenny is also constantly full of questions. "Mom, what if I only had one foot?" "What if ther was no sun?" "What if I never went to school again?" "What if a car kept going when the light was red?" It used to be the classic why, but has now become what seems like a neverending list of "What if this?", "what if that?", "What if...?" Sometimes the questions are so out of the blue I just don't know what to say. One time he asked "What if I got a cut and it did not stop bleeding?". Well, of course I don't want to "THEN YOU WILL DIE!". But that was the first thought that came to my head. After many flustered conversation and feeling sometimes like I have just given my son why to much information I have resorted to the "What do you think would happen?" and "Oh, that is something you don't need to worry about." and changed the subject witht he real difficult questions.

Parenting is full of all kinds of surprises and learning experiences.