Thirteen for this fine Thursday.

1.  My kids had to see a child psychologist.  He said they were crazy.  Just kidding.  They did see a child psychologist, but only because that’s protocol if you want your kids to skip a grade.  Not that they’re really skipping grades, but according to the Swiss age cut-offs it’s a skip.  As for American grades, they’re on track.  So, after meeting with them, he gave his go-ahead that Jethro can go to third grade and Hazel can go to first. 

2.  When we moved from Canada to the States Kami had to go to kindergarten over again.  And she had to go to a remedial reading class in first grade.  It’s funny because now she’s almost the most well-read person I know.  FYI.

3.  Today I said to Brett, “What if we suddenly had to leave each other.  After almost ten years, what if we just had to shake hands, say goodbye, and never see each other again?”  And he said, “Why do you think these things?  Weirdo masochist.”

4.  We’re going on a trip this weekend!!!  I’m so excited!!!

5.  I still haven’t finished blogging about our trip around Europe.  Must do that.

6.  Which is worse to clean up, throw-up or diarrhea?  It doesn’t really matter because I had to clean up both on Tuesday.  Actually Monday night Hazel threw up in her bed, so I got that cleaned up and the next morning Talmage had yucky poo that had run all over his crib (actually it’s a pack ‘n play) so I got to clean that up.  Jethro threw up later that day and so did Talmage, although luckily when Talmage threw up, he was sitting on my lap and I caught pretty much all of it.  Strangely, Ethne didn’t ever throw up (though she does have the runs).

7.  One thing I really liked about this apartment when we moved here was the shower head on a moveable hose.  I don’t really use it, but I think it’s neat.  That is, until I had sheets with throw-up on them to clean up.  Then it came in AMAZINGLY useful.  Just put the sheet over the side of the tub and pressure-wash it with the shower.  Slick as a whistle.

7.  Luckily it was a sunny day so all the laundry could dry quickly on the line.  Luckily it only lasted the one day.  Luckily I did not throw up or feel sick.  Although, I suppose it would have maybe been good to throw up since a day of cleaning up sickness = chocolate is my only friend.  You know how that goes.

8.  After Hazel talked to the child psychologist and Jethro went in, I asked her what she had done.  She said he had told her a story in two kinds of German (high German and Swiss German), then asked her what she understood.  So I asked her how much she had understood and she said “All of it.”  When I went in to talk with the nice psychologist afterwards, I asked him about the stories and how much she understood (since we’re never quite sure how much she gets), and he told me that out of 10 content items, she got 2.  I’m glad she’s confident.  :)

9.  While we were waiting at the psychologist’s office, Ethne and I were looking at a Where’s Waldo book.  Except that every time she referred to Waldo, she said Walburger.  Which is my mom’s maiden name.  It was so funny and random.

10.  So, someone I “met” through the world wide web lives on a military base in Germany was coming to Switzerland to camp, and she very kindly asked if there was any American food she could pick up from the military commissary for me.  (See, online friendships are useful and awesome!)  We have had suuuuuuuch a great time with all the cheddar cheese!!!!  I love it.  Mmmmm mmm.  We have had cheddar ham soup and other yummy dishes with it.  She brought a lot of other things too, including enough brown sugar that I haven’t felt the need to use it sparingly, so in the last week or so I’ve made hot fudge pudding, caramel rolls (to which Brett said, “I would not be sad if you made these every day.”), and more yummy treats that I can’t think of right now.  (There are a lot of things not pictured.  The mac and cheese and graham crackers are just for fun.)

11.  I started a tumblr.  Sure, it may make me look more like a computer addict, but to me it’s like a scrapbook, like when my mom would give us scissors, a JCPenney catalog, glue, and paper, and we would cut out neat things and glue them to our papers to save.  Anywho, there’s a lot of new stuff on there right now (obviously), but I’m sure it will be added to only slowly from now on.  (Unless it’s a rainy day and I feel like cutting out neat things.)  kayli.tumblr.com

12.  The other day I got an email from Brett that said, “Kayli,  I got bored and decided to compare the size of die Schweiz with Utah.  Its tiny!!”  It really is, isn’t it.

13.  Jethro is addicted to reading.  Grandma Bell got him the first Harry Potter and a book called The Candy Shop War for his birthday, and though he read them both in the first two days, he’s continued reading them, over and over and over, since then.  I like reading, but I draw the line at reading a book and then starting it over again immediately.