A little update at the end of a full Sunday, and the beginning of another week.
I am so, so happy to be able to report that I am finally beginning to feel better. I’m about halfway through a second round of antibiotics, my energy is finally improving and I’m barely coughing anymore. Thank you Lord, thank you Urgent Care Doctor who chose the right meds, it is such a relief to see the light at the end of this long tunnel!
This month promises many more posts and pictures, starting with a few pics from around the house over the weekend. I loved seeing the kids outside, enjoying activity and fresh air on our rickety and decrepit looking trampoline in our monstrously overgrown back yard.
I am eagerly anticipating seeing much more of that sort of fun in the next couple of weeks. We have been monitoring the effects of screen time on our kids since they each received a Kindle tablet for Christmas. Obviously we are not anti technology, but as this last month has unfolded, it has become increasingly clear that even with strict limitations, screen time has become a serious detriment to our kids physical, spiritual, emotional and mental well being, most seriously for our littlest one.
I captured some footage over the last week or so that really drives the point home as to what goes on with screen time vs. free time.
So we will be conducting an experiment over the next two weeks, removing all screens completely, cold turkey, and evaluate how attitudes, activity, and creativity can improve. If today was any indication, it’s going to be a great two weeks. There was little to no fighting, all day long; lots of outside play time on scooters and trampoline, several of them cooperated in making some cookies, lots of interaction and game playing inside (I would have taken pics but I got to nap during some of it, which I really needed). I’m so excited for them – they are going to grow so much!
On Friday, I suddenly was reminded that the deadline for sibling preference registration at Maryvale was upon me, and I had not yet turned in the forms to register Ellie for Kindergarten in the fall. This meant a dreaded trip to the doctor’s office to retrieve immunization records – something I have failed to remember in advance on several previous registrations, entailing extra trips far afield and delaying registration as well. So score one for me, I was at least thinking ahead enough to take care of that first thing in the morning. And it’s a good thing I started early, since the new pediatrician had never yet received requested records from Ellie’s old doc, which meant I had to drive all the way to the west valley to get them in person. And while I was there it occurred to me that the reason they hadn’t been sent was they never got the court ordered name change after the adoption, so I took care of that while I was there. Upshot was, by noon-thirty I had another fully registered Maryvale Matador!! She is unbelievably excited!!
And finally, after mass today we bopped down to Sun Lakes for some fresh-baked pizzas, and a little visit with Grandma and Paul’s Uncle Roland and Aunt Joyce. Roland is Grandpa Fred’s oldest brother, and it was simply a delight to spend time with him and Joyce and for the kids to meet them and vice-versa. I adore all the Heidmann brothers because they all have such a winsome way with children, just like Grandpa Fred. It was so sweet to see how Ellie immediately took to Uncle Roland, and spent time giggling and climbing over and under his legs as he rested them on the coffee table. Our visit was truly a blessing!!
