Using stuff up...

Today, I'm making chicken broth with leftover chicken bones and veggie scraps (I put the scraps of onion, celery, etc. from chopping in a freezer bag until I'm ready to make broth then throw it all in there).  I will strain it tonight and let it cool overnight so I can skim it tomorrow for soup.

Molly had a bowl of yogurt for lunch.  I have been making yogurt in my crockpot.  I set aside a half a cup for the next batch of yogurt, but there was still some left.  A little bit ago, I ran across a muffin recipe for oatmeal muffins that used yogurt (or buttermilk, but guess what I had).  It also allowed for the addition of apples.  I happened to have two apples sitting on the counter that have seen better days (one had a small bite out of it a la Reagan, and the other had a bad spot in it waiting to be cut out).  They just came out of the oven and will still be warm by the time the boys get home from school (and they are yummy!).  Next time, I'll mix the flour and oatmeal with the yogurt and let it soak overnight (this reduces enzymes in grains that make them difficult to digest).  

Library

I think maybe I have a problem.  I cannot leave the library, it seems, without an overflowing bag of books.  When I look for a book on a topic, I often have an urge to check out or request every book on said topic available.  I don't know why that is.  I tend never to think, "I'll get that one next," but instead, I check them all out at once, and sometimes they have to be returned before I can get to them all.  

Today, our library bag broke.  One end of both handles broke.  Thankfully, the breaks were on opposite sides, so I was able to carry the (overloaded) bag out of the library.  Now, these weren't all my books.  Molly picked out a ton, I had some on hold, and I picked out quite a pile to read to her and to go along with our current study of Africa--some folk tales, an atlas, and a huge stack on different African animals.  I tried to convince her that she should just get one on each animal, but apparently, she suffers from the same ailment as her mother.  

I was disappointed that I brought the wrong keychain and couldn't check out a drawing book for Liam I had placed on hold on his account.  There was also a book I had placed on hold under Ben's name.  Like I needed a couple more books....

Reagan

Reagan woke up about 3:00 AM because her ear was hurting her and didn't go back to sleep until about 7:00 after Ben forced some Tylenol into her mouth.  So far, it doesn't appear that her symptoms are returning.  She's still coughing and cranky.  She's getting a little irritated that we only have Spiderman Band-Aids left.  Apparently, the six she has pasted on various parts of her body are not enough...

~~~~whine~~~~

RSV=Respiratory Syncytial Virus .  It was what put Molly in the hospital when she was about 15 months old.  We didn't want to mess around because the girls sounded like they were drowning.  We all got a nasty flu the year Molly was born.  I remember her as a tiny little baby coughing like a little old man, poor thing.  She was, like, 2 months old.  She got pneumonia/RSV the next winter and pneumonia again about a year later.  So, we tend to get a bit nervous about this kind of thing.  She's had plenty of colds, but not like this.  

I emailed my boss to see if there is ~anything~ I can teach this term.  Of course, there is not.  And, as we are in the midst of terms, finding something immediately teaching-wise is very unlikely.  Now, mind you, we're doing OK.  Ben's paycheck hasn't suffered yet, but he is working much harder than he used to to bring it in.  There will be layoffs in his district soon.  He believes his job is secure, but the mere fact that it is happening is demoralizing.  

Reagan and Molly are miserable.  Killian is still miserable, even though he's going to school every day (or maybe because, LOL).  We haven't had a good night's sleep in over a week.  I am seriously considering taking up caffeine again...Ben is not feeling good.  I'm feeling mild cold symptoms, but nothing a good dose of sleep wouldn't help. Darn it. 

Crap.

My class for March was just cancelled.  I took the girls to the doctor today, and the doctor guesses they have RSV--Killian likely had it too, but it's harder on littles than biggers.  They are on steroids to clear their lungs (sounding a bit crackly) and an antibiotic.  My doctor(s) don't tend to just prescribe antibiotics as a matter of course.  

I guess I need to start sending out apps for other online schools.  

Yacky Doodle

OK, this was cute enough as it was, though you cannot hear that she is singing along with the TV to Hi-5 singing, "Let's all be action heros."  But, sadly she's got Killian's cold and she sounding a little froggy (or ducky, as the case may be...).

It's ALIVE!!!! It's ALIVE!!!

See those bubbles?

That means I have a living, breathing sourdough culture going here!  More to come....!