Dyllan has been asking to get her hair cut for all of the Christmas break, so we finally went to a salon and got her hair cut. She loves her new hair and the new length. She brushed it about 2,000 times that day, and can't keep her fingers out of it. I really like the new length as well, and her excitement rubbed off on me. I have been pestering Dan to cut my hair all week, and he finally did on Saturday.
Dane has been dazzling us all break with his astounding magic tricks. Some of them are not so great. Others, I haven't been able to figure out yet. But this one was pretty cool. He actually got Deagan to grow several feet. Other than that, he has been learning to master the Rubik's cube. We picked one up in Hungary, and he has been working on it ever since. So far, his record time is 2 minutes and 21 seconds. He was pretty motivated to learn after he heard of a flight attendant who could do it in 30 seconds with her eyes closed. He has a ways to go, but he is getting better. I have the really hard job of mixing up the Rubik's cube. I don't think he understands that it is actually me who has the hard job. He at least has patterns to look for and follow. I have to do everything just by sight and feel--with no easy math algorithms to use.The time came around that the kids had to go back to school and Dan had to go back to work. We were really starting to like our schedule of staying up really late, and then waking up at 8 or 9. That ended abruptly, and we were back into somewhat of a routine.
We had to say "good-bye" to grandma. We were all very sad--that is, all of us except grandma! Poor Danyon was asleep when grandma left, and he has been asking for her ever since she left. (Like every 10 minutes or so--not even kidding). It is nice to know that she has already booked her return flight--especially since getting home was such a fiasco for her. I don't think she would book a trip back, if we hadn't done it before she left.I started up my German tutoring again. I've had one lesson so far, and it's going really well. I've studied every day since, and been doing much better at that. It seems like I've found my motivation somewhere. It could have come from Dan telling me that I wasn't allowed to go back to the States until I learned German. I hope it goes better the second time around.
Dan and I stopped all of our normal daily business in order to participate in the exciting game of After School Activities Roulette. Sign-ups started at noon on Thursday. This is very reminiscent of signing up for college courses. Some of the activities are full within 5 minutes of start time. We both had to plan our days around this one event. Dyllan and Deagan were interested in a couple of activities that they offer. So, after much deliberation and planning, Dan and I were successful in getting Dyllan into gymnastics and choir, and Deagan into ballsports and Tae Kwon Do. They go on the same days, so I will only have to pick them up from school on Wednesdays and Thursdays and they have both promised to be happy as clams every day!
We met up with one of Deagan's friend's family this weekend and went bowling. We had a great time snacking, bowling and enjoying the company. Everyone bowled a strike (including Danyon)! But I must mention that some of us were playing with gutter guards. Dan was not, however, and he bowled quite well, considering that we haven't been bowling in a year or more. I bowled 2 or 3 strikes and a spare or two--even with my tennis elbow (but my highest score was 132, so not as great as it sounds). Dan got a 158! He felt a little pressure from the other mom, who started off with a turkey. The kids (and Dan) found the claw machine at the bowling alley. Deagan begged to try (and Dan is a total sucker for the claw machine--many of you might remember the piles of stuffed animals I had to donate before moving here) so, Deagan tried to get a watch out of the machine. He got it right on the first try! He is now the proud owner of a new red (dollar store) watch. Of course, Dyllan had to try and then Dane. On Dyllan's turn, she got so excited that she pushed the button before she even moved the claw. She had to try again. She was elated when the claw landed perfectly around the pink watch. Then, it lifted it up, started to move towards the dispenser, and then dropped the watch. Dyllan was in a bad mood, and didn't think that it was fair that it would drop her watch after she had already gotten it. Thus, she had to try again. Same thing happened. She was bound and determined that the machine was cheating. When all was said and done, Dan spent 12 Euros on 3 really cheap watches, good life lessons (claw machines are the providers of wonderful gifts), and priceless memories.
But, the most exciting news of all for the week, is that Danyon has graduated from his crib to a real big boy bed. He is so excited! He also moved from the boys room into Dyllan's room. Everyone feels better about the whole thing. I fear that he is now done napping though, because despite the fact that he was very tired, he spent time in his new bed, in his new room, but never slept. Dyllan reported that during his first night, he went to bed easily, stayed in bed, except for the one time he fell out (Dyllan did help him back in), and seemed to do well. I found him sitting next to his bed playing with a dragon this morning. However, all the lights in the room were on, all the lights in the hallway were on, and all the lights down to the main floor were on. I don't think anyone could have slept through that. Dyllan says that she did not turn on the lights, and when she woke up, Danyon was in her bed with her. It is Sunday at 2:49pm. Danyon has yet to go up for a nap. We'll see . . .
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