danvers
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Post by danvers on Oct 1, 2021 19:35:52 GMT -6
The happiest of Happy Birthday wishes to all the 017 babies!!!!!
Any parties? cakes? Any good presents you all found for these FOUR year olds? It’s time to celebrate! 🥳
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danvers
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Post by danvers on Oct 1, 2021 19:45:12 GMT -6
On the eve of DD2s birthday she got to stay home from school with me to go do a Covid test, a flu test, and an RSV test… all came back negative and they said it’s just a virus.
She had a very high fever with tons of congestion and a cough Thursday night but has acted almost completely normal today, though the fever came back tonight She really seems mostly fine right now but we definitely canceled the small family party and are keeping her home from soccer and everything else this weekend.
DD1 helped decorate tonight and was so excited to *finally* manage to blow a balloon up - it is the size of a softball but she can’t wait to show DD2. I was super productive staying home today and getting all the normal weekend chores already done so I can just sit and cuddle DD2.
We’re gonna try to party with family next weekend instead and will keep it to the four of us at home for now.
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Oct 2, 2021 7:00:56 GMT -6
danvers I’m so sorry that your DD2 came down with a virus right before her birthday party! Glad to hear it’s not the flu, RSV, or COVID, but still - no fun at all! Hoping that all of you have a nice mini family celebration until you can see others. Happy birthday to your DD!!
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Oct 2, 2021 7:04:54 GMT -6
DS2’s birthday is in a few weeks, and I think we’ll end up doing a small garden party with the kids/families who live on our compound. They all play together as it is, and the party would be totally outside, so I feel comfortable with that. Will probably have 8-10 kids and their parents/nannies. I was thinking of renting a bounce house, but I don’t know if that’s a good idea. There is a puppet show or a magic show I can have set up outside, so we might go that route. Let’s see. It’s the rainy season through the end of October, so that is the only thing that gives me pause about booking entertainment.
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Post by curmudgeon on Oct 2, 2021 12:41:32 GMT -6
We are having a small party for DS with mostly family and a couple of close friends. I did book a bounce house for the kids. And we got DS a little outdoor playhouse for his bday. Every time we go to target he sits in the display one and we have to crawl in to get him out. So I’m hoping he enjoys it just as much at home.
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Post by duskymonkey on Oct 2, 2021 17:03:57 GMT -6
HAPPY BIRTHDAY D2 danvers. Just logging in quick to wish her. Sorry she's caught something but glad to hear it isn't all the above you listed. Will catch up and update later. |
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danvers
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Post by danvers on Oct 2, 2021 19:11:21 GMT -6
HAPPY BIRTHDAY D2 danvers. Just logging in quick to wish her. Sorry she's caught something but glad to hear it isn't all the above you listed. Will catch up and update later. Happy Birthday to to yours too duskymonkey. Four years old does not really seem possible. 🧁 🎁 🎈 |
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Post by duskymonkey on Oct 2, 2021 22:00:17 GMT -6
danvers , right!!! hubs also pointed out that they've spent almost half their life living the pandemic life. Glad to hear she's at least feeling chipper today. Did you do presents today or waiting till next week?
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Post by duskymonkey on Oct 2, 2021 22:23:09 GMT -6
After a busy busy past few weeks with DS' cub scouts, we had a lazy day and just hung out at home opened presents after breakfast. I worked on lil fella's cake last night and today and got it finished after lunch and we FT my nephews to celebrate. I was too timid with pushing the mango flavour so the cake was not very mango tasting at all but I had heaps of mango jam puree I made so we could spoon that over at least. I'll know what to do for v2.0 lol! Threw a handful of stars on there because stars are lil fella's absolute favorite since he was a tiny baby and stars always make it look better haha!. Omigosh! we have virtually known each other for over 4 years! DS: Mom, the Big Boy needs to be bigger it's a 4-8 8-4 locomotive! lil fella: Where's the yellow snail? Tough critics I tell ya! I decided to make foxes as my "new" challenge because I like to punish myself lol!    |
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Oct 3, 2021 7:08:19 GMT -6
duskymonkey Happy birthday to your DS2!!! Omg that cake and all of the marzipan creatures on it is simply amazing. It’s professional-grade! If I could sculpt edible things like that, I’d be starting my own business! Glad that you all had a nice day and were able to see some family via FT. And yes - how the time has gone by! It’s been at least 4.5 years since we’ve all known each other, and who would have guessed so much was coming our way when we first joined this O17 BMB? So thankful that we all have each other, and that we can share updates about our crazy kids on the regular 😊😊
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Post by curmudgeon on Oct 3, 2021 17:40:39 GMT -6
duskymonkey your cakes are always amazing! You have an amazing talent. Happy birthday to your DS! My kids would freak over the snails. They have been a favorite of DS1’s for years.
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Post by duskymonkey on Oct 4, 2021 0:19:31 GMT -6
Taitai the magic or puppet show sounds like great fun for the kiddos and why not since as you said the kids already play together plus I know how strict they are over there so chances are everyone you know are highly likely compliant. It will be nice for everyone to have something to look forward to during this time. Eventhough it takes me into late hours at night and tiring to make their cakes, the look on their faces and the great joy it brings them is totally worth it and they're really all about those marzipan creatures and whatnot lol! curmudgeon seriously those snails are super duper easy to make! I actually was thinking of giving them marzipan this Christmas and have them sculpt whatever they wanted then they can eat it! I actually thought of making them advent marzipans which gives me an idea Taitai that maybe I could actually start selling them for the holidays huh! I've really been thinking a lot about a career change. I had a loose plan to go to pastry school in Chicago which was like a 6 months course when we were failing our IVFs and then DS happened so.... life just went on. I feel like I really need formal instruction to actually make a career. Self taught has its limitations. I dunno...if I really want to go for it, I'd rather do wedding cakes as opposed to celebration cakes, earnings are much higher. Although it's one of those jobs which brings one more joy than earning potential for the majority lol!
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Post by duskymonkey on Oct 6, 2021 17:03:11 GMT -6
We have been reading RS- What do people do all day from sunup to sundown since Saturday, during breakfast, lunch and dinner and in between. It's lil fella's most favorite birthday gift apart from a couple of trains and we are still finding all sorts of new things in the illustrations. Even DS loves it and they have fights over it. Timeless classic. Admittedly I am not even tired of it or any of his other books.
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Oct 7, 2021 7:06:52 GMT -6
We have been reading RS- What do people do all day from sunup to sundown since Saturday, during breakfast, lunch and dinner and in between. It's lil fella's most favorite birthday gift apart from a couple of trains and we are still finding all sorts of new things in the illustrations. Even DS loves it and they have fights over it. Timeless classic. Admittedly I am not even tired of it or any of his other books. My boys love Richard Scary so much! I just read RS Best Christmas Ever to DS2 tonight. I really love the illustrations and the attention to detail. What Do People Do All Day is a legit 101 economics lesson too, lol. I’m a fan. Do you have Busy Busy World? That one, along with Cars and Trucks and Things That Go are still on pretty high rotation around here too! |
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Post by curmudgeon on Oct 8, 2021 20:04:55 GMT -6
We have been reading RS- What do people do all day from sunup to sundown since Saturday, during breakfast, lunch and dinner and in between. It's lil fella's most favorite birthday gift apart from a couple of trains and we are still finding all sorts of new things in the illustrations. Even DS loves it and they have fights over it. Timeless classic. Admittedly I am not even tired of it or any of his other books. I forgot all about this book! DS1 wasn’t interested in it so it’s been boxed up. I will find it for DS2 this weekend. I bet he’ll love it. |
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danvers
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Post by danvers on Oct 16, 2021 18:01:16 GMT -6
It took me a very long time to figure out what “RS” was. We have no Richard Scary books at our house which is astonishing because we are teachers and have a lot (like a lot!!!) of books.
Also DD2 passed on whatever virus she had at the beginning of the month to me and it developed into a sinus infection. I tested negative for all things serious, just a good ol sinus infection, but the last week has passed in a haze of drugs and sleep 😂
I still can’t believe our babies our 4 this month. I blinked and here we are….
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Post by curmudgeon on Oct 18, 2021 7:02:29 GMT -6
Today is DS2’s 4th birthday! I feel like an awful mom because I’ve been telling people his actual bday was yesterday 🤦🏻♀️ My mom corrected me. And I feel guilty because he’s spending it at daycare. He loves it there and H is taking a cookie cake to celebrate, but still. Kicking myself for not taking off. Anyway, we had a nice party with family this weekend. The weather could not have been better. A nice cool front came through and dropped it from 90 to 70 degrees. Here’s a couple pics of DS enjoying his party-   |
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Post by curmudgeon on Oct 23, 2021 16:04:17 GMT -6
Where’s everyone been? I kept checking back for posts this week. Lol
H is now traveling just about every weekend (Th-M usually) and I need to find a weekend routine bc right now I am scattered and flustered wrangling these kids. I also miss being able to go to Target alone at 8am on a Saturday.
Several members of my extended family tested positive for Covid this week. They all have health issues and are over 65 and they are all vaccinated. So I hope the vaccine will prevent severe symptoms. I’m hoping my elderly aunt and uncle avoid catching it. They are who I’m most concerned health wise.
On a positive note- a piece of furniture that was delivered broken in June finally got replaced by the company today.
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Oct 25, 2021 7:13:19 GMT -6
curmudgeon Happy birthday to your DS2! He is looking so big, and I love the mummy monster cake! How cool! Congrats on finally getting some of your furniture too - was it the dining room table that took forever to arrive? danvers Oh man, what a bummer about your sinus infection! My sister just got one too - those are the worst. I hope you’ve made a full recovery, and glad to hear it wasn’t COVID or the flu!
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Oct 25, 2021 7:17:04 GMT -6
Sorry I’ve been MIA - we ended up taking a beach vaycay to an island last week, and I hardly touched my phone, didn’t bring my computer. It was fantastic. Things are finally opening up here, which is so exciting! Our kids go back to in person school tomorrow, and I’m seriously going to throw a parade for myself after I drop them off in the morning, lol.
There are a lot of protocols, some of which I think are over the top, associated with the school re-opening (like making us test our kids for COVID 2 times a week and the school not letting the kids play on the main playground equipment), but at this point, I’m just glad they will finally be back on campus. Hoping for a great first day tomorrow!
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danvers
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Post by danvers on Oct 25, 2021 11:09:39 GMT -6
Taitai the beach vacay sounds fantastic but schools reopening is probably more exciting for you this far into the pandemic! I will keep all things crossed the reopening goes well and you stay open! curmudgeon I feel like your 4 year old looks so much older than my 4 year old. So awesome you had nice weather to enjoy the birthday too!
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danvers
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Post by danvers on Oct 25, 2021 11:16:28 GMT -6
It’s Fall Break for us here and we are so ready for it this year.
We took the girls to a pumpkin patch Saturday and apparently H has never been?!?! He was very “I grew up on a farm and could drive my own tractor and grow my own pumpkins so….” 😂 Sunday our local Kroger had spots open for the Moderna booster so we both got one. No side effects except for an extremely sore arm.
The girls and I went to the aquarium today and will probably head to the children’s museum tomorrow. We have all these memberships we finally get to use and it’s great because everyone else is still in school!
I hope everyone else is keeping healthy and busy!
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Oct 28, 2021 7:07:04 GMT -6
The kids have had 3 days at school, and it’s been wonderful! I forgot how nice it was to have them busy and occupied during the day. I am just hoping that nobody comes down with COVID, because that sends the entire class back to online schooling again. Fingers crossed that we can avoid that….although another school down the street just had to send all of its 8th grade back to online school after only 2 days in person, because one of the students tested positive. Ugh.
We decorated for Halloween today, and it’s nice and festive in our home. The kids are excited for trick or treat within the building (no outside friends or visitors allowed this year), and we need to find time to watch Hocus Pocus and Ghostbusters. I also heard that the Muppets Haunted House special on Disney + is good - has anyone checked it out?
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Oct 28, 2021 7:11:14 GMT -6
danvers I’m so jealous of your pumpkin patch fun! That used to be one of the highlights of my year when I was a kid. I just love my memories of picking out my own pumpkin, doing a corn maze, apple cider, and often a petting zoo. The aquarium and museum sound like so much fun too! Glad you are able to enjoy those things again. We don’t get the orange pumpkins that you all have out here - only green Japanese pumpkins, which are hard to decorate and they are so thick you can’t carve them. The western grocery stores do sell imported orange pumpkins from America, and guess how much a regular-sized one costs? $90!! Someone must buy them though….because they import them and sell them for these prices each year 🤷♀️
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danvers
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Post by danvers on Oct 28, 2021 13:17:49 GMT -6
Taitai $90?!?!!??! I don’t think the memories of carving an orange pumpkin are worth quite that much. 😳 I’m so glad the boys have gotten to experience in-person schooling. Fingers crossed every stays Covid free so you can continue this way!!!!!! We’re up at my mom’s to finish our Fall Break week. We will be trick or treating up here this weekend but the girls both picked “Superhero” costumes so it’s easy to layer coats and hats and gloves under everything. Midwest Halloween at its finest. What is everyone else’s littles and not-so-little doing for Halloween? 👻
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Post by curmudgeon on Oct 28, 2021 21:02:32 GMT -6
It’s our first time trick or treating in the new neighborhood. My parents are coming over to hand out candy while we take the boys around. I hope we get a lot of kids! According to our neighborhood FB page only certain streets get a lot of visitors and others remain quiet. Our whole street was dirt last year so I have no idea what to expect.
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Oct 30, 2021 8:33:14 GMT -6
We had our Halloween trick-or-treating/celebration today, and it was so much fun! Most of the residents in our compound participated, and many go all out with spooky theatrics and little skits when the kids ring their doorbells. Our boys got So.Much.Candy. My gosh, it’s going to last us all year. DS1 was a spooky skeleton, and DS2 was a surgeon in scrubs.
Even though we couldn’t have visitors this year, we still did a little open house party with our neighbors, where we had some treats, punch/drinks, pizza, and chicken wings. Somehow by the end of the night we ended up having had like 20 people pass through our place, but it was spread out and we’re all in the same germ bubble anyways - these are the families our kids play with every day. So, I feel like we still had a lot of fun and it was nice for the kids to host yet another Halloween party this year. The place is all cleaned up and I’m off to bed - so much action today!!
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Post by curmudgeon on Oct 31, 2021 19:27:43 GMT -6
So. Many. Kids. Wow, I was not expecting that but I’m beyond thrilled. My mom came to hand out candy and said she had the best time. Kept thanking me over and over. 😂 and MIL said she’s coming next year whether she’s invited or not. DS2 lasted about 15 min trick or treating then handed out candy like a pro. It was such a fun evening.
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Post by duskymonkey on Oct 31, 2021 23:40:27 GMT -6
Happy Halloween! We decided to go ToT with our "germ pod" in the neighbourhood tonight and DS counted a total of 182 pieces of candy which weighted 5lbs!! Sounds like everyone had a good Halloween too. Sorry been MIA...lots going on..will update later this week, one of it was costume making and another set of Covid costumes again...I really DNW to make another one next year!! DS wanted to be Snoopy and we convinced lil fella to be Woodstock then it backfired and he wanted to be a Chameleon for his class party Oy! PDQ Anyways here's a pic from DS' school harvest party earlier in the week and our pumpkins!   |
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Post by curmudgeon on Nov 1, 2021 9:55:36 GMT -6
duskymonkey that is a lot of candy! 5 lbs!! And over here DS2 changed his mind about 100 times on what he wanted to be for actual trick or treating. He finally agreed to wear his original costume we bought this year.
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