An interesting week

So, I sprained my knee about a week and a half ago. I sprained it doing something really exciting--walking through my apartment. I think I was trying to avoid stepping on one of the million things the kids had left on the floor, but I can't say for sure. It was all very sudden and unexpected. So, I've been having to use the car to take Ruby to and from school. No school today, though. Or tomorrow. I'm hopeful that I'll be up to making the walk again by Wednesday. Of course, it's supposed to rain on Wednesday.

There are some definite perks to living in this area, even if the price of housing is not one of them. It's been in the 70's for the past week. Yes, in the 70's for over a week. In the middle of January. Ha ha!

Charles lucked out and got a pair of free tickets to two Sharks games last week. One set he had gotten for Christmas and it was for the game against Calgary so he decided to take our friend Ryan, who is from Canada and is a big Calgary fan. I generally encourage him to take friends along when he gets the ticket because it's more fun for him to go with someone who is really into the game and have a guys' night out. And we don't have to find a baby-sitter. Anyhow, Tuesday he happened to have some tickets given to him that day by a former co-worker who is a season ticket holder and couldn't attend. We called everyone we could think of who might want to go with him (though I did think of one other person afterward) and everyone was busy. So, my friend Sara offered to watch the kids and Charles and I had a date. It was my first time attending an NHL game, though I had previously attended a game of the Las Vegas Thunder (remember that, Lisa?) and seen the Provo Ice Cats play. I do like Hockey and actually know a little bit about it, so it was fun. Thanks, Sara!

Last Monday our apartment complex began ripping up sidewalks and replacing them. They gave us no warning that they were doing this, except for a note placed on our doors as the jackhammers started. I was pretty mad about this, especially considering my sprained knee and the fact that they started with the part of the walkway at the base of my stairs. Yet another reason why I hate the management at this complex. Russell and I spent the morning trapped in our apartment with the windows closed even though the weather was screaming for us to open the windows. We had to leave very carefully to get Ruby and come back in just as carefully over the rubble. The next day I left for the morning to take Ruby to school and then did some shopping and hung out at my visiting teacher's apartment until it was time to get Ruby. Then Ruby had a play date with a friend, so Russell and I went and picked up Charles and went out to lunch. We picked Ruby up from her playdate at three and then ventured home. We learned then that they would be pouring cement the next day. Well, they were already placing the rebar and everything really early the next morning (like around 7) so we packed for the day before taking Charles to work in the morning. We took Ruby to school and then Russell and I spent the day hanging out at my dad's house. Since I have to pick up Ruby at 12:45, I didn't want to risk being trapped in our apartment. Well, as we were leaving the school from picking Ruby up, Russell puked. Luckily it shot out of him and none actually got on him. He didn't puke any more, but he was running a fever. We went back to my dad's for a while and then arrived home around 4:00, just as the work crew was packing up. It was perfect timing. (They put plywood down so we could get to our stairway as long as we didn't mind climbing through bushes, too). Super fun with a sprain. Russell napped for a while and I gave him some Tylenol and then he was fine after that. It was a less-than-24-hour bug.

Well, Saturday night Ruby was griping and moaning that she wasn't feeling well and thought she was going to throw up. Stomach bugs usually hit her hard, so I was all prepared to stay home from church with her on Sunday. But, I was very surprised to find in the morning that she hadn't thrown up and was feeling fine--was even full of energy. So I thought we lucked out and the bug was past. No such luck. She started puking during the night last night. I had made arrangements to baby-sit one of Ruby's friends today. Her daycare is closed for the holiday but her parents don't get the day off. Neither does Charles. We were planning to go to the Children's Discovery Museum. Of course our plans changed. I'm still baby-sitting Jane, but we're at home. Ruby alternates between swearing she's fine and begging to go outside to play and being completely miserable. She's laying in bed now.

I gave Charles and Russell haircuts Saturday night. I always cut Charles' hair. It's an easy style and saves $$$. I cut Russell's, too, but he gets his cut less often. Well, I took advantage of his desire to be like Daddy and cut his hair right after I finished with Charles. They got identical haircuts. A two on top and a one on the sides. Russell looks much better without the poofy hair. He wore his suit to church on Sunday and looked very handsome. People were commenting on how cute he looked in his suit with his hair cut. I intended to take a picture of it, but didn't get a chance before he got chocolate on his suit.

Russell's been growing a lot lately. He's getting very tall and lean and looks very much like a little boy instead of a toddler. People always think he's at least a year older than he is. He's only about 2 1/2 inches shorter than Ruby now and they wear the same size shoe. I think he's definitely going to take after his "Heepaw" Pogue and be very tall. Now, if we could just get him potty trained. He did surprise us and stay dry overnight Saturday night.

I got a couple of gift certificates for Christmas and decided to spend them on pampering myself. I got a Homedics Shiatsu massaging seat cushion with heat. (It's a seat cushion, but it massages your back, not your "seat.") I've been using it on the couch. It's great. Now I just need to put some really relaxing music on my mp3 player and lock up the kids when I use it and it'll be a perfect little break for me.