Outside Again (FINALLY!!)
We have been stuck in this house for so long, between people being sick and the true Wisconsin weather we are having I was beginning to wonder if we would ever get out again (we have already read "Where the Wild Things Are" more times than I can count!). Today we finally got to go out and play in the snow! Even though it is only 9 degrees out it felt warm because of the sun, and it isn't below zero today! Olivia was off and running as soon as we got out there, Joseph was so hesitant because even though he could walk on top of the snow it would give a bit with each step and he didn't like that. We had a blast pretending to be pirates digging up burred treasure (all of the stuff Eileen and Olivia got out the last time they were out there and didn't put away).


I have never seen Joseph so cautious, you can tell that he is very aware of his feet and if they are still under him!


I knocked a few of the very large icicles off the roof so they wouldn't fall; Olivia was so creative and made it into musical instruments. She used some of the smaller icicles to hit the larger ones and the ice mounds on the ground, it really did make some neat sounds

Olivia just being as cute as can be on one of the snow mounds

After about 40 minutes we came in for lunch and of course some hot chocolate! Their little hands were frozen, it is amazing how they won't say a word about it until we come in and take off the wet mittens though.

It was so great to get outside for a while, now let’s hope I can get a good nap out of them after lunch!

Happy Valentine's Day!!
We have had a really wonderful Valentine's day here at the Tocco house! The kids woke up to Valentine's from Bryan and I a new dress for each of the girls, new pj's for each of the kids and a new very special heart pencil! They had pink heart (and initial) pancakes, and heart poached eggs (thank you Mike and Benjamin) and pink juice for breakfast. After Eileen went off to school Olivia and I worked a bit more on her Valentines for school. After a bit of play and a brief morning nap (we are still getting over all those germs) we had a very special lunch of heart apple slices, heart sandwiches, pepper slices with pink dip and pink milk (I packed the same thing for Eileen to eat at school). After school the girls were thrilled to look through all of their valentines, they thought it was so special to have something from everyone! I am amazed at how much candy comes home from this though!!! I can not imagine how they will possibly eat all of that, even with Joseph and Daddy helping them. We had a very special dinner of Pappa Murphy's heart shaped pizza and Olivia cut our cucumbers into hearts for us and of course the every popular pink milk! After a nice warm bubble bath the kids all put on their new pj's and we had a Valentine's Day toast, the girls got to use "their" glasses, Joseph got a plastic cup. Two Valentine's Day books and then off to bed and they are all quiet up there...what a wonderful end to our Valentine's day, now if only Daddy were home!

The kids before Eileen left for school, too bad Olivia has Joseph in a choke hold-he doesn't seem to mind too much though!

The kids toasting

The girls with their bubbly

Don't you just love these pj's Bryan picked out for Joseph, they even have a cape!

"Down Goes Joseph, Down Goes Joseph, Down Goes Joseph!"

We took Joseph in to the Dr. this morning and sure enough he has a double ear infection and possible strep (they didn't bother with a culture since the Rx he was given for his ear would work on the strep if he has it.) So at the moment he is passed out on the couch, I am pushing fluids and we are still stuck inside!! I can not wait to get out and about again! Now let us see if we can keep Eileen out of this mess, at least she gets away from it during the week when she goes to school!

Olivia is continuing to improve; I think having Eileen home this weekend wore her out though she slept until after 7:30! Having Joseph sick allows for her to slow down a bit today.

Quick Update
No pictures this time, but I just wanted to update everyone on the Tocco clan. Eileen is doing well and after (yet another) snow day on Wednesday we got news that our school year will be extended until June 10th. On Thursday the Kindergarteners celebrated the 100th day of school! All of the kids brought in a display of 100 items, Eileen's was "100 Kindergarten Things" and we did 10 groups of 10. Each child also brought in 100 pieces of snack to make "100 snack mix", Eileen LOVED it because like 5 kids (out of 13) brought in M&Ms (that's a pretty high ratio!).

Olivia has been SICK!!! She began the week with a low-mid grade fever and a bad cough, on Wednesday she was looking pretty bad and developed a rash on her trunk (this day we got over 16" of snow so we were not going anywhere) so she just took it easy on the couch. That night she was bad so she and I slept downstairs, during the night she told me that her ear hurt so I decided that I would take her in to the dr. in the morning to get her ears checked. Bryan stayed home and took her to the dr. while Joseph and I went to register Olivia for K-4 for the 2008-2009 school year. When Bryan got home he told me that that yes, she does have an ear infection and a ruptured ear drum, scarlet fever (from the strep) and pneumonia!! The poor kid was in bad shape; she wouldn't eat anything and was drinking very little. After 48 hours on all of her meds and ear drops she is much better! It is hard though because now that she is feeling better she doesn't understand that her little body (still not yet 30 lbs!) is not ready to go full force yet so she gets worn out very quickly. Glad to see her on an upswing though!

Joseph is doing well and adding new words everyday. We are trying to keep him healthy, this afternoon he has been very crabby and his cold is getting "wetter", just hoping it stays a cold and not strep or an ear infection.

Bryan is doing well, working hard on the basement...he is down there now with a friend moving copper and putting in the drain for the shower. He has finished all of the framing, the copper is run, next is electrical and then we move on to dry wall, there is still a long way to go but he has put in so much work and done such an amazing job so far-can't wait for the final product! Hope all of you are doing well.