It certainly seems like we have been busy lately. I finally sat down to update the blog and pulled up the available pictures to try to remember it all. I think this was last Saturday. The Girl Scouts of Iwakuni gathered at our food court to sing Christmas carols. It was a nice time but was also right in the middle of Zach's nap time. Trying to be flexible, I put him in the stroller and took him along. The girls did a really nice job with singing. Clara and a couple of her buddies.
Somehow I missed uploading Zach asleep in his stroller. It worked out well for me. Since he was sleeping nicely and Clara left the event to spend the night with the girl on the left above, I walked Zach over to the library so he could finish his nap. It was some nice downtime. I remembered that our library has ipads you can use in the library so I thought I would see what that is all about. As it turns out, I am not very good on an ipad. Although I was able to open up Safari, I couldn't close it to check out the other apps. Luckily I encountered a friend on my way to the circulation desk to get help and she showed me what I needed to do. By then I was done with it. Zach finally woke up and we began enjoying the library. He was absolutely thrilled they had a Cat in the Hat.
Later that evening Zach and I walked over to a colleagues home that was hosting a Christmas gathering. We both had a nice time. The next day we spent working on the home and getting Clara's Christmas Around the World project complete for the presentation on Monday. She was doing China. It was a family project, but Clara made her own PowerPoint (although I assisted with saving/inserting pictures and formatting the YouTube video. I worked it out with her teacher to let her do her presentation during my planning period so I could watch. Here Clara is presenting. Can you see how excited her classmates are? Nah, they did a good job of listening but I did get tickled when looking at the pictures.
There was a glitch with the youtube video so we just had to do a hyperlink. If you would like to watch this short video, click here. It is cute but will get in your head for several days.

This is Clara's investiture ceremony on Tuesday. It was directly after their meeting and was yet another busy day. I had a meeting after school, took CG to her meeting, ran back to school to finish sub plans for Wednesday since I was supposed to have remedial driver training. Then pick up Zach to make it to her ceremony. It was cutting it really close, but we made it.

I promise I ordered all the badges needed, but for some reason they didn't send them all. I wasn't the only one. They were reordered so hopefully her sash will look right very soon. She has earned a couple of badges too, that I have yet to sew/iron on.
After the ceremony, which was very nice and short, we enjoyed a few treats. I forgot to mention I was making cupcakes at 4am. Clara was very nice to her little brother during this time.
Charlie came home late Wednesday night! We were very glad to have him home and it was yet another crazy day at work for me. Thursday, right after school we went to Zach's daycare for a family cookie decorating experience. Zach wasn't into it so after cleaning up we headed out in town so I could shop for my students.
We survived the last week of school before Christmas break. Zach ended up being sent home sick on Friday and thankfully Charlie was able to take care of him as it was just nuts at work. Christmas celebrations, two students moving, etc. Fun, but busy and hectic. Zach was still running a fever on Saturday so we stayed in. The kids and I made dough ornaments. Ignore Zach's crazy hair. He had not been up from his nap for long. We have yet to paint the ornaments but will do that soon.


Clara, Zach and I all had dentist appointments on Monday morning (today). I scheduled Zach's at 7am and Clara and I both for 9am. Charlie had to go with us since the base dental has rules about that. Anyway, Zach refused to open his mouth although it was a pleasant enough trip. The dentist suggested I bring him back in a few months since she didn't want to traumatize him. I appreciate that. We dropped Zach off at daycare so we could go back to the dentist. The plan was also that I would return home to finish a paper due today. Luckily Clara and I both got a no cavity report, although would like to know just how much blood I spilled due to the tender cleaning I received (yes, that is sarcasm). Anyway, as soon as I returned to the apartment I saw a message from the daycare and it just said it was not an emergency but please call. I decided to just go see what was wrong. Zach fell and busted his lip. The picture below looks much better than it did when I arrived and he still had blood around his chin (it is pizza sauce you see below). His teacher said she would take him to the doctor if he were her child. I didn't want to overreact, but decided to take him to be seen. Luckily the pediatrition was able to fit me in immediately and said he is fine. I'm glad she told me how it would heal because she painted a pretty ugly picture that I might have worried about. He was so cooperative at the doctor and hasn't been bothered by it once. Oh, and she checked his ears without me mentioning anything (I wondered if his ears could have been the cause for the fever over the weekend). Luckily they looked great. I brought him on home and was able to finish my paper. All this before nap time.
I'm hoping tomorrow is a bit more relaxing!