Our double blessings: "Rainy Day" fun

I think every one can relate that this has been a strange weather winter. We usually have very cold temperatures and a blanket of white for most of the winter in our part of the woods. This winter however has been unusual.

There's only been a handful of days we've gotten snow and even then with the wacky temperatures, its pretty much melted by the next day or two. I'm not complaining about the lack of snow mind you but I think the kids are.

This is one of the rare days Nicholas got outside (Alex was sick and napping at the time). Even so it was barely enough to go "sledding" and you couldn't go in the same spot twice because it was already starting to melt and honestly its just not the same "sledding" on grass/mud.

At least Nicholas didn't seem to mind.

So besides the weather or maybe it is influenced by, our winter has been unusual for another reason. We are sick ALL the time. I'm talking every two weeks and then it takes a week to get through it. Its madness. I know from talking to many of my family and friends that many people are suffering similarly. We have never battled so many respiratory issues as we have this year.

Luckily we have gotten through with only one hospitalization needed (knock wood). Both boys have had Pneumonia several times, with one bout landing Alex in the hospital for four days.

He needed extra oxygen to get through this and after several days of struggling to come off of it, we feared he'd have to come home on it as well

But he's a super star and overcame that obstacle like he seems to do everything else.

with "froggy" as his constant sidekick ofcourse :)

Nicholas was spared the hospitalization but needed nebulizers/steroids and antibiotics to get through his pneumonia too. The two of them are now "pros" at their "nebs" which they now use daily to try to prevent any further pesky episodes of pneumonia through the rest of the winter.

Its actually strangely cute when either one of them even has so much as a tickle of a cough,

Nicholas will say "neb" and run to find the mask.

Don't let this pic fool you though, he's only interested in sitting quietly for about 30 seconds

and he seems to think that should be enough. (Its not).

Alex is usually a little bit more patient with sitting with it.

Wow, if looks could kill.....

Alex: "Don't even think about trying to swipe this, its MY turn."

So with Wacky winter weather where its rained more than snowed

we'd have to occupy ourselves inside more than usual.

Here's how they have been spending some of their days:

Can never get messy enough.

and paint is a favorite!!!

I thought I was being the creative mom. I've gotten out all the different sizes of

paint and foam brushes, sponges cut into different shapes

cookies cutters for something new.......

But no matter what it is, its usually dropped within two minutes

and they just prefer using their hands.....

and yes, this is STILL the boy who will show you that he has an itty bitty sized ketchup

stain on his hand and CAN NOT precede to eat his dinner until it is thoroughly cleaned up

but somehow, he is fine with paint. ha,ha

Alex enjoys it just as much.

He takes it to the next level and enjoys painting on himself with the brush

oops or his hands

this cracks his brother right up

I'm not naturally creative so since having the boys, I've looked to others for ideas.

There are it seems a million of things I would never come up with on my own.

One of them I've borrowed from our occupational therapist here.

Its called a "sensory bin."

The kids just think its plain fun.

and with an old plastic tablecloth down, its a lot less messy

than the paint :)

I just bought a couple of different bags of beans

(less mess than rice which can also be used)

Absolutely nothing fancy here.

We had the tupperware container already

as well as the things to scoop and toy trucks to haul with.

I was surprised how much they liked it

and how long it entertained them!

And then there is our trusty borrowed slide.

The first and I think the boys would say BEST present from our good friends/neighbors
(and we've received many great things from their awesome "loan closet").

Their boys had outgrown this slide awhile ago so they had let us borrow it shortly after we moved in.

It is still one of the boys favorite things to do

Now all sorts of things take a slide: even our favorite "baby".

Ofcourse nothing is as magical as a box:

We put things in it, play hide and seek using it

Heck we even ride IN it....

Ofcourse there is nothing like getting lost in a good book.
We have our regular habit of reading books before AND after nap and before bedtime. There is usually some sprinkled throughout the day too. And when its clear that we are done, the boys hold up their finger and ask for "just one more".