Nicholas is always looking out for his littlest brother. He covered Charlie up and tucked in his favorite buddies.

Charlie can sleep anywhere if he is tired enough!

This is what happens when Charlie doesn't take a nap. Tom was making dinner and Charlie was dozing on his penguin on the kitchen floor.

SPRING BREAK! Yea! This past week has been so busy, we really need a break. At work, I think I did about 3 weeks worth of work in a week. We have been busy at home with pinewood derby cars for cub scouts (pictures to come soon), school projects and then the every day "stuff" that never seems to get 100% done. And Emma's 2-3 appts a week to get her roller coaster of a mind under control... Of course, during my work day, so I go in really early to work, run to pick Emma up, race to get her to the appt on time, then race to get her back to school and me back to work. Last Friday I was at the kids' school SIX times, two for work, two for Emma's appt pick up/drop off, and one more time when Luke called saying, "***SNIFF SNIFF***Mom... I thought you were picking me up at school" ARRRGGGG! He didn't take the bus home. So, I had to get back in the car and drive BACK to the school. He was teary-eyed, sitting in the office when I arrived. Finally, it was parent/teacher conferences at school that evening. Great reports by teachers for the kids, by the way! Phew, even Emma got raving reviews! These are the days/weeks that I just turn my brain off and go on auto pilot. Anyway, it is spring break and we don't have to get up early for 9 days! No packing lunches for 9 days. No bus/trips to school for 9 days. I guess this day's blog turned into a "mom's time to complain" entry. Enough of that.
It is officially movie night at our house. "Space Chimps" is playing now. Luke is giggling, it is more fun watching HIM watch a funny movie than it is to just watch the funny movie. (Ask Aunt Jen, he laughed so hard when he saw "Home Alone" for the first (and tenth) time that his face was an odd shade of red/purple!) Later, "Lars and the Real Girl" for Tom and me. It has been a while since we have sat down to watch a movie. I think we all deserve it!

I am taking the kids to the farm on Tuesday, with a quick stop at Aunt Jen's in Iowa. The kids are so excited. I am sure Daddy will be lonely (yea, right), but he will get over it! Maybe someday I will get to be "lonely" too, when he takes the kids on a road trip somewhere, anywhere...

Camp Lakamaga Girl Scout overnight trip

Emma's girl scout troup experienced their first overnight camping trip as a group this weekend, and it was fun, fun fun. The theme was "eco-explorers" and they learned all about animal habitats and got to create their own. I am guessing the girls would say the best part of the trip was the bonfire and s'mores and all the giggling and running they did when they should have been sleeping. The counselors were great, so enthusiastic. They really knew how to get the kids involved and participating. Moms even danced a little...

The girls are already talking about summer camp (sans moms). Moms are ready for that too!

The three Ems, Emma K, Emma W and Emi. This was Emma's first overnight camping experience. Five moms went along as well, and everyone had a great time.

Eating breakfast after a LOONNNGGGG night of giggling, running and scaring themselves silly. The girls thought the food was great, the moms may disagree...

Emma and her best friend Emi are showing off their habitats that they made at camp. Notice their neck-kerchiefs, Emi brought them so they could wear them and look alike.

Here is Charlie and Applesauce Bear, his favorite thing. Charlie is thrilled to be able to go outside again, and he told me Applesauce wanted to go outside too. He talks to him like a real friend.

We love the Minnesota Zoo. Notice neighbor Len trying to get out of view before I snapped the picture. Landon and Emma were ready for a fun pose.

The main reason for going to the zoo was to get a good picture of the porcupine for Emma's project on porcupines. Well, he was not cooperating! This is the best pic we got...

The Wallisch kids, our neighbor friend Landon, our friendly neighbor Len and mom when to the Minnesota Zoo for the first time this Spring. I am wore out, the kids are still running and playing.

Charlie is beginning to look like Luke, don't you think! Kind of scary

FIRST PARK DAY! Charlie and I decided it was time to take a trip to the park. It was 45 degrees, windy and quite brisk, but we had fun running, climbing and sliding. The sun was bright and it felt like Spring was finally on its way! Charlie was reminiscing about all the structures that he liked "when he was a baby". (aka, last fall, when he was only two!) Then, he ran around the playground asking me, "Could I climb THIS when I was a baby?" "Did I go this fast when I was a baby?", "Could I beat you up here when I was a baby?" Apparently, he is incredibly proud of his accomplishments, and so am I! I realized when we were at the park that the last time we were there was in mid-August, a few days after I had the stroke. I didn't even know that was what it was at the time. I just remember knowing something was wrong, I had a hard time focusing, even hard to stand up straight. Over the past six months, I guess I have come a long way too! Charlie and I are both proud of our accomplishments! I am even thinking of starting to train to do a 10K at the end of April, a few months ago, I had come to the conclusion that running was definitely in my past. I was scared to even go for a brisk walk. No way I was going to get my heart rate up by running! Those fears are resolving as well, thank goodness! I have a lot of work to do to get back in shape....
I should have brought my camera to the park, I was hoping to get a new picture up each day, that will be my goal for the next few weeks!

Like many mornings, we were running late. I had to take Charlie to day care, the big three to school and get to work by 8 to get paper work ready for a meeting with a family at 9:00. I dropped off Charlie and jumped in the car and took off quickly to get the kids to school. Nicholas first asked, "Are we late?" "Yes, Nicholas." Next he said, "Are you driving over the speed limit?" "YES, Nicholas." "How fast?" "40" Very bravely, he finally said, "Ya know, Mom, you will SURELY be late for work if you get stopped by a policeman." I couldn't help but laugh. I slowed down to the speed limit to satisfy my over protective 10 year old and smiled each time I thought about this interaction for the rest of the day!

Well, I can't believe I forgot to mention the latest funny Emma story. We were at the Midtown Exchange for dinner on Saturday and I looked over at her and about choked on my food. Her eyebrows were BLACK, very very black. I was shocked, then asked what in the world she had on her eyebrows, then I let the laughter spill out! I couldn't help it. She said, "Lizzie (her partner in the mud below) and I did it, she used flamin' sunrise red!" I guess I will be calling her mom to apologize... Anyway, the next thing she said was, "It is just a crayola marker, washable!" Well, I can testify that as of today, March 16th, Monday, her eyebrows are still very black. I really need to get a picture for the scrapbook!

Today Charlie asked, "Why do I have two eyes and only one tongue?" I LOVE three year old kid questions!

So sweet, the big kids love having Charlie close to them, and once in a while, Charlie is willing! I don't believe that Nicholas and Emma would get this close for all the m & m's in Minnesota!

Well, I should have wondered when Emma and her friend asked me for some plastic bags and four rubber bands. Why I didn't question her, I'll never know! I couldn't resist snapping a few pictures before asking them to please get out of the mud, take the newspaper plastic bags off their bare feet and come back inside. It was only 45 degrees, but I suppose it feels like summer to 8 year old girls that have been hibernating all winter! Easy clean up too!

Yesterday Charlie and I were in the bathroom brushing teeth. He looked up at me and said, "Mommy, you are my girl." Talk about melting a heart! Awww.

Today is playdate day, which was not my idea, but fun none the less. I was at church this morning meeting with a group and I came home and the kids said, "Friends are coming over!" Oh, yea, I thought. So we will see if I make it through the afternoon....

Here is Nicholas in his first orchestra concert this year. There are kids in 4th through 8th grade from his school, playing with kids from high school as well.

And here is Emma in a slightly more intimate setting:

Notice how Charlie is putting the broccoli in his mouth with his right hand and holding the sticks with the left.

Eating with chopsticks, I told you the pictures were random...

Nicholas loves my new laptop. It looks natural sitting on his lap, scary enough. He is doing research on Ben Franklin for a project in school.

Here is Emma with her two favorite things, Sophie the cat and Big Bear the stuffed bear. (Hey, Great Aunt Carol, do you recognize the bear? He looks like he has had almost 9 years of love, doesn't he?) She went to her friend, Ellie's house today and had a great time. She also went to occupational therapy which is SO MUCH FUN! The rest of the kids had a good time there too. Great therapist, she really understands Emma and her little "quirks". One of her assignments for homework is to play baseball on the Wii. She thought that was pretty cool.

Charlie just likes getting his picture taken. He is going potty all by himself now, very rarely do we have accidents! Yea!

Things are looking up at the Wallisch house. No kids with stomach flu at the moment. I am trying to figure out how to upload pictures on the blog, not successful yet, stay tuned for some fabulous footage.

In the meantime, more random pictures of our Monday. Here is Luke, looking like a bookworm. I probably shouldn't mention that he was required to read for an hour if he wanted Wii time... He read much longer than an hour, and commented that the book is "really good!"

Well, we have the stomach flu at our house. Just the adults at the moment! Ugh. Tom got sick yesterday and stayed in bed until this afternoon, when I kicked him out and asked him to take over. I was hoping to blog about taking our first trip to the Connies (ice cream shop opened for the season yesterday, and we always like to be there on opening day!), a trip to Walker Art Museum, where I wanted to go today... Instead, I spent the day on the couch watching kid videos to keep Charlie happy. The Wiggles are bad enough when you don't have an upset stomach! Better blogging to come...

Emma, Luke and I just got home from the first - third grade "dance party". Oh, my, I don't think we will be doing that again next year. It was loud, crowded and, well, 150 7-9 year olds in one space, need I say more?

Anyway, I am home now, kids are sleeping and I am trying to figure out how to post a video on my blog. Unfortunately, I may have to call in the computer expert to help me, and if Nicholas isn't available, I will ask Tom! So no pictures tonight, but I have a few good Charlie stories.

Charlie used the words "amazing" and "actually" today. I love the three year old language explosion. He also said to me, "I hate oranges!" He is close to obsessed with the letters of the alphabet these days. He will sit for long periods of time (maybe up to 5 minutes) asking me to write letters on his aquadoodle, then he will copy them. Being a preschool teacher at heart, I LOVE to see this learning happening so naturally! Very cool. He likes to race Nicholas up the stairs, but if Nicholas gets ahead of him, he will shout, "Nicholas, get BEHIND me!" Of course, because Nicholas is the best big brother Charlie could ever ask for, he slows down and Charlie wins every time.

Nicholas, serious, thoughtful, witty and a HUGE sports fan. He is ten years old and amazes us every day with his wisdom and energy. He LOVES baseball and hockey; he even created a very small ice rink in our backyard this winter. (If you have ever seen our backyard, you are probably wondering how this is possible!)

Then there is eight year old Emma, the one and only girl. I always say that she is a powerful as the three boys put together! She is spirited and just a bundle of energy. She is a challenge for her parents, but one they enjoy so much!

Here is Luke, our seven year old Star Wars fan. He is creative, imaginative and loves to play games. He is never in a hurry and enjoys life!

Here is my sweet Charlie, always smiling and being silly. He is three years old, and tries hard to keep up with his big brothers and sister.

Hello! I am not even sure how to start... Welcome to the Wallisch blog. As I type, I am listening to small feet walking down the hall, a toilet flushing, sneezing and squeaking coming from upstairs. It is SUPPOSED to be bed time for those under the age of 11, MY very important and necessary quiet time, the very best time of the day! Oh, well. As I always remind myself, in 17 years, I will have all the quiet I need, and I will think it is TOO quiet.

My goal with this blog is to update interested family and friends on the day to day excitement that we call our lives in the Wallisch home. I love to read other friends' blogs, so I finally decided to try my own. Enjoy!