The Weekend Random Report:

Our Top Story today: We've Almost Survived February (speaking of which, is it just me, or did this month feel like it positively FLEW by, after the icy cold, neverending January? Chalk it up to Groundhog Effect? As in: the little rodent showed up, so now we expect Spring. Any minute now...we're waiting....Or the fact that February comes up 3 days short--which to our warmth-and-sunshine-starved psyches seems like, oh, I don't know, weeks less of Winter?

Which leads us to a Weather-Related Item, namely: you know Winter's almost over when...the Warm-Blooded Boys finally win the recurring, fiercely contested Battle of the Pants (okay, not a battle, really...maybe more of a minor skirmish... but still quite vehement!). They've been asking every day since around Christmas if they can wear shorts (and how do you answer such a ridiculous inquiry--um, NO, an ER visit for frostbite just doesn't fit into my plans right now...) But today, with the Springlike temperature topping out at 62 degrees, I gave them permission to exercise their Constitutional Rights (to bear arms...and legs. Sorry!)

That brings us to our Activities Recap. On Saturday, Husband had to make a rare trek into the office to prepare for a Major Monday Meeting. Derek and Riley planned a jam-packed day of soccer training, shooting hoops, Wii Football...and quite possibly some other stuff, but I wouldn't know, since I only glimpsed them in passing, every once in a while, mostly when they blew into the house (slamming the door, naturally) and requested some more food (in their best "yelling across the back yard" voices, naturally). And me? I tackled various mundane household chores. (My Motto should really be "Laundry: It's my life"! I know, so pathetic! But trust me, that stuff'll eat you alive if you let it get the upper hand--best to beat it into submission and escape. Too dramatic? YOU try keeping the Mud Brothers in clean clothes!) Then I had my own Conference with my Student Editors to draft this month's edition of the Elementary School Newspaper. It was after that, sometime in the late afternoon, when I realized we'd all been doing "our own thing" and hadn't crossed paths in a while. I suddenly wondered if this was a peek into our future...the Parents immersed in Adult Work, the kids busy entertaining themselves...but before I had time to get lonely at all (or, who am I kidding, enjoy the solitude), Derek wandered into the room looking for me. With a little smile, he said, "Can I have a hug, Mom, I don't think I've had one all day!" (Guess he's not quite ready to go it alone after all. WHEW!)

Finally, we end with our very popular segment, Gooberheads at Large. Today's entry was suggested by Derek, who shared the following tale: the boys sat at the kitchen counter, not really conversing about anything in particular, but companionably drinking a refreshing glass of chocolate milk together. Out of nowhere, Riley thoughtfully turned to Derek and said..."I guess Winnie the Pooh's really famous by now, huh?" To which Derek promptly and forcefully spit out the mouthful of milk he had just attempted to drink. (Moments like these are why Husband insisted we needed to try to have at least 2 kids--you see, he grew up an Only Child, and missed out on such touching Sibling Bonding Experiences. Moments like these are also why I firmly believe that for me, two is quite sufficient! And incidentally, we never did figure out why Winnie the Pooh--who has been absent from our house for several years now, since the kids outgrew toddlerhood--just popped into Riley's head...I'd love to know how his brain works, sometimes.)

And there you have it, all the news that...I can think of right now. Coming up next: March Madness!