Big things are afoot...

...not really big things, but some big things in the online Specter Family Universe. It is a slow process however, so be patient.

No, I'm not starting to use facebook.

But, in the meantime, you can view all the 'real' photos (not taken on a kiddie camera) from our Tennessee trip on our travelpod page.

There are the skeletons of other entries there too but I haven't had time to flesh them out. This is a temporary solution - but all I know is, it took me about the same amount of time and effort to upload all those pics as it normally does to upload about 5 to this site.

Forgive the fact that I never really weeded out the silly photos - there are some really goofy and bad ones, but wade through and you'll find some good ones too.

In the meantime, hang tight - big things are afoot. Stay tuned.

Might as well do it now

I have decided that as much as I love blogger, it is a very inconvenient way to share photos. I am exploring other options.

So sorry

I know there are a handful of people who really do follow this thing but sometimes I just can't keep up. I'm trying, really.

After the last post, the last couple of days of the trip were much improved. Hannah was still a bit of a handful but things did get better.

After we got back we had a decent couple of days hanging out at the house, and then Faith came down with another case of what sounded like croup. Well, she started having trouble breathing, so Easter evening we took her to the ER just to make sure nothing extra was wrong. The tech at our local hospital read the x-rays and found something he was worried about - and sent Faith straight over to Children's Hospital where we spent most of the night, before finding out the xrays were normal and it was just croup as we expected. Made for a fun day of work on Monday too.

Everyone is fine now.

I will try my darndest to post pictures soon from the trip, including a few really good ones that the kids took with their camera.

Matt

A trip to forget?

Okay, so.

Hannah has an ear infection and possibly a sinus infection. Mom has a stomach/flu bug. The bakery up the street is literally closed the whole time we're here. You can't buy tequila without a trip to Gatlinburg which is messing with my chicken marinade recipe. Today was cold and rainy. All in all, this has the makings of a major disaster. We've been here for 2 whole days and basically have done nothing but sit in the trailer, drive to meals (which in all fairness have been amazing) and drive to get groceries or take Hannah to the medical clinic. Mom doesn't look to be getting any better.

Maintaining a positive attitude out of sheer stubbornness. Still nice to be with the family...even if the big girls are whining, Hannah is screaming, and Bud has turned into a little devil. Still better than the last couple weeks at home.

Keep us in your prayers.

Matt

Greetings from Tennessee

We are at "Up the Creek RV Park" outside of Pigeon Forge. Very nice. Small, secluded, much more 'natural' than a lot of the RV parks in this area. A good find.

We are all very tired, but wanted to post a couple of pics from the day. More in the next few days. We'll be down here till Wednesday or Thursday.




Matt

The Ringer

Almost there.

But the fates are giving us all we can handle.

I just got done with the worst case of strep I think I may have ever had. Kept me out of 2 of the 3 musical performances I practiced for. Forced Steph to take over the family for a few days.

But that's okay, because now she's had the flu for a couple days, and I'm running things. Trouble is we're also in the middle of trying to get ready for this trip.

I'm in constant motion here, going from one activity to the next. A lot to do. We all just hope Steph gets better soon.

You know it's bad when I actually need my alarm. Gotta go.

Matt

8 days to go...

8 days of work that is before spring break and an escape to the Smokies.

We're making it. In the midst of all the craziness, I am continuing to find the desire (or perhaps stubbornness) to get up around 5 every morning and work out. Steph is also doing the best job she's done in a long time in terms of doing treadmill work. I'm proud of her. We both are feeling good.

This is musical week here at Batavia - so I'm in the pit for long rehearsals. Actually it's turning out to be not as bad as we thought - we couldn't arrange babysitting on Tuesday so I had to come home right away which made things a lot easier. If not for that, I literally would have put the twins down for bed on Sunday and not seen them until at least Thursday. That would have been tough. The show is going great - good job directors and students.

In some ways, next week is shaping up to be one of those real drags. All the craziness and busyness culminates this week, and then it's just one more week of work before break...and those weeks can be the toughest sometimes...mentally, anyway.

I do still feel like I have barely seen Steph for a few weeks. Hopefully we can get more time in soon.

Later, all.
Matt

March - an update

Well, we're off to the races. Things are hectic so far but we're in the midst of it so it's all about maintaining the momentum now. Reservations have been made for a spring break rv/trailer trip down to the Smokies, so there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Of course, there's another longer tunnel after that light, but that's how life is. Have to find the right balance of thinking ahead and working on the moment. We're trying.

All in all, we're managing pretty well. Next week is the real trial by fire - I'll be spending most of my week playing in the pit for the musical. Again, not how I had imagined my birthday week, but I'm a team player and the team needs a trumpet player. So be it.

Kids are okay - rotating through dramas and trying to focus on the positives. Got a lot I could say, but I really ought to be getting to sleep now. Keep the positive thoughts coming.

Matt

March - a lament

March, oh March, you may be the death of us...

Okay, so here is a typical week for us right now.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Steph is tutoring. It's nice that she's earning some extra cash, but it's tough that she's gone that time. We made the choice together and we're hanging in there - it was a bit of a lucky break to land an easy job that pays so well.

The girls take what we call 'gym' class - an active class at dad's fitness club where they can work on basic gymnastics and basic sports skills - the guy who runs the class is wonderful and amazing and it's good for the girls to be getting SOME experience in that kind of thing so that they're not living in dread of real gym class in school. All the kids also are in Kindermusik.

I am playing in 3 groups right now - our church brass quintet which meets on Thursday nights, a Renaissance Brass group which has ad-hoc rehearsals and then performs at whatever church will have us throughout the city, and the Brass Fellowship, a brass choir which meets alternate Sunday nights.

So, let's look at Monday for example. (And it should be noted that I am simply giving a narrative from my point of view - Steph's schedule is in many ways CRAZIER than mine even though she works fewer hours.) I will get home around 4:15 or so. Usually at that point I have to frantically bustle around the kitchen trying to find something to make that SOME of our kids will eat. But we're lucky that tonight is gym class. So instead, Steph will take the girls to the gym class while I hang out with the twins - but at some point I will need to attempt to put dinner together while the twins are walking around the upstairs getting into trouble of various kinds. Try to make dinner ready for 6:30 or so when the girls and Steph get back, so Steph can inhale some food before running out the door to tutor. Then, by the time dinner is over, it's time to hang out for a little while, put the twins down, put the girls down (because they're exhausted by then) and get stuff ready for tomorrow before Steph comes home. At this point, we are both already exhausted. It's only Monday.

Tomorrow is Tuesday. Almost the same except no gym class and Steph's tutoring is earlier. So I will get home around 4:15, and then scramble to cook up dinner, so that again, Steph can cram food into her mouth before running out the door to tutor. The good news is that usually Steph is home then in time to help with bed time. But this week, Steph is adding a Spanish class for adults at our church. So she won't be back for bedtimes. No big deal - bed time is actually not that hard any more. But again, by the time she gets back, I'm drained and exhausted.

Wednesday is exactly the same as Tuesday. Only no Spanish class at church, so she could come home, but she's meeting her friend for coffee after tutoring.

Thursday starts the same. Only this time it's Faith stuffing her face so we can get her to the children's choir at church. Then Steph (or me) will bring her home and someone will go right back to the lenten prayer service at church, and then I have quintet rehearsal at 8:30.

Friday - amazingly no one has anything. Of course, by this time we are both too tired to do much with our time together and everyone is usually pretty grumpy.

Saturday morning the twins have Kindermusik. Then we have a birthday party, and then I have a pit read-through at the HS, because I wasn't involved in enough so I need to play in the pit orchestra for the musical - which will keep me pretty much away from home the entire week of my birthday, but that's another story.

Sunday night I have brass rehearsal again.

Ready for another week?

A couple of disclaimers after my vent:

1) I know a lot of people have it worse. We're grateful for what we have and even though it's insane at times, we chose it and don't regret it.

2) Neither of us harbors any ill will towards the other for the things we are involved in. I am not bitter at Steph for her extra activities and she's not angry at me for mine - we discuss things together and make decisions as a group - we're open and honest with each other so no resentment there.

3) We are always very aware of not overscheduling our kids - Faith seems like she's in a lot, and she is, but so far she seems to be handling it pretty well. It's always a tough choice and we sometimes have kept her out of things because we thought it was overkill.

But still, this is going to be a tough month. Keep us in your prayers.

Matt

Verbal explosion

Buddy may be okay after all.

We were pretty worried about his vocal development. As of a couple weeks ago he still had very few words. His receptive language is great, but he wouldn't say much. But it seems like in the last couple of weeks, he's really blossomed. Now he's still not all that easy to understand on a lot of words, and it definitely seems to be an effort to form some words, but he's improved a lot.

It's tough for us to know, because both Faith and Mari were so abnormally advanced verbally at their age, AND twins are prone to verbal development delays as well. So all that added up (plus the fact that Hannah can spout off a veritable Gettysburg Address in her own babbling 'Hannish') had started us worrying. But I feel a lot better about it now, and I think that Bud seems happier too.

In other news...

We're into the grind at school - no more off days till spring break, and then no more off days through the end of the year. Right now it's nice, we've had too many snow days so a little routine actually feels good at this point. Check back with me in a few weeks and we'll see how I feel.

Steph is making a renewed commitment to consistently working out on the treadmill. Any of you who talk to her may feel free to give her extra encouragement and support. I am toying with the idea of training to run a 5k. I'm certainly not ready yet, but if the weather gets warmer and I can start running outside, I'm pretty sure that I could do it...Right now I can consistently 'jog' for a full half-hour each morning which gives me just over 2 miles on the treadmill. I am able to go longer than that but am limited on time. I know that treadmill running is not the same as outdoor running so I'm working to increase that a little each day, and then start ramping up the incline as well. Hopefully by Spring Break I will be close to 3 miles at about 2% incline...and then I can start running outside. Scary to think about. Anyway, I'm not worried about speed right now. One thing at a time. Anyone with running experience who'd like to comment or advise, your input is welcome.

That's all for now - maybe post some snow pics soon.

Matt