The Search for Miss Direction: Chiming In with Itchy Feet

Did you see my Tigers yesterday? And how 'bout them Lions?? Woo hoo! It was an awesome night to be a sports fan in the Gatchel house. But then...

Today feels a bit backward. Or discombobulated. I mean, Noah woke up and told me he didn't want to go to school because he feet were itchy. It was that kind of morning. On top of it, I think it's going to take me a few weeks to get used to the Bean being gone on Monday, Wednesday and Friday as opposed to Tuesday and Thursday like last year. Monday is my usual grocery shopping day because she and I like to do it together. Well that's probably going to be a little more difficult now and was not possible at all yesterday. So we started our day grocery shopping and have pretty much convinced myself its Monday. Then I get home to an email to say that Beechview (Noah's school) is without power! And has been for some time, but they are going to keep on the regular day until then. Like I said, discombobulated. And yes, it did come back though I have heard from friends in the neighborhood that they are continuing to work on it (thanks super strong storm that really messed things up on Friday night) so who knows what tomorrow looks like. Though more super strong storms in the forecast. Noah talked non-stop on the way home this afternoon about his power-less school adventure, think he was feeling as mixed up as I have been!

You know who's not mixed up - my super styling four year old! My little fashionista in training finally got to wear the boots and part of the clothes that she got from Sarah on Labor Day and was so working it this morning! She got more attention at the grocery store... She so makes me smile. She had tons of fun having A over (who had her first day of pre-3 today! YAY A!!!) for lunch and hanging out this afternoon. I had a pair of super heroes on my hands who were having all kinds of adventures (they got points for doing certain tasks around the house - clearing their places at lunch was worth 8,000 points. I think I need to get in on this, can you imagine how many points I would get????) but were excited when I asked them if they wanted to work on this week's Oklahoma project -Wind Chimes. The flat expanse that is the Sooner State gives us the perfect place where "the winds come sweeping down the plains" (You KNEW I was going to do it, right?). And as I mentioned yesterday, lends itself to a high potential for very damaging tornadoes. The girls did a stellar job on these simple chimes and I can't wait to find a place for them. Between our projects here and at school I may need a bigger kitchen soon. Grant, what do you think?

When Noah got home he started working on his chimes, but something just seemed off. He's been saying since he was sick on Sunday that his throat hurts but he hasn't run a fever and he says nothing else is wrong. Except those itchy feet from this morning. But getting him to do ANYTHING this afternoon was a whiny meltdown battle. I was seriously getting to be a Mama at the end of her rope when 2 hours after he 'started' he had about 3 beads on the entire chimes. And had whined the entire time doing it. By the time dinner rolled around, I'd had about enough...

So speaking of dinner tonight I made one more part of the official state meal of Oklahoma (I think it may take me all week, but I'm going to get in as many of the pieces as I can) by trying my hand at this recipe for Country Sausage Gravy. If you follow along on a regular basis, you know breakfast for dinner is always a win here and Grant LOVES biscuits and gravy. I thought this took it an extra step with some additional spices, herbs and veggies. I served them with some plump buttermilk biscuits, o'brien potatoes and cherry applesauce, Grant was happy, Kayla was starting to show signs of fatigue and Noah, well Noah didn't join us until the last ten minutes of dinner because he decided he'd rather lay on the floor and throw a fit. Grrr,,,, I at least made Grant's night with this amazing Peach Cornmeal Cobbler for dessert. I've never made a cobbler this way before but it was so easy! And tasty! The cornmeal is a nod to the cornbread in the cornbread in the state meal - I'm trying!

I shut down dinner, had a conversation with a now remorseful Noah and sent him off to jump in the shower. The struggling Bean had crashed on the couch when Grant called me in to take a look at Noah who it was easy to see was covered in a rash. That was pretty much spreading as we watched. Well isn't that just special! I called Tess and Keith to take a look, her initial reaction (as mine had been) was Hand, Foot, Mouth, but WHERE Noah would have picked that up was beyond me. But since it was spreading so quickly it made me nervous, so as I type I have sent Grant and Noah off to the Urgent Care to get it figured out. I stayed home to bathe and get into bed the exhausted Bean who I am REALLY hoping is not showing similar characteristics as her brother has been. Never a dull moment around here I tell you! No idea now what tomorrow looks like, but no doubt it'll be interesting. Until then...

Oklahoma Fun Fact of the Day: Oklahoma has more man-made lakes than any other state, with over one million surface acres of water.