Magic Shows for Kindergarten

Brian was doing magic shows at the kindergarten parties. He asked for volunteers and a girl comes up. He tells her to stir up the magic pot and say the magic words. She looks at him and says, "no." Kinda a show stopper.

Be Like the Van

Driving home today feom the Moellers, there were storm clouds just as we were entering Texas.

Ashlyn asked why the GPS changed to night mode. I explained the van detected it was dark outside so it said, "Time to turn on the lights."

Ashlyn responded, "The van didn't say anything, it just did it."

Angie jumped in by responding, "Thats how it should be. We should all be like the van-Don't say anything, just do what needs to be done."

Police Chase with the Bus

Lots of neighborhood cars keep ignoring the flashing red lights and protruding STOP sign on the bus. They pull out and around the school bus, passing the bus while it's actively loading and unloading kids. One day when Meggie the regular driver picked up Jacob and Ashlyn in the morning she said a cop car must be trying to catch those people because it had been following her the entire route.

Ashlyn's said this when she got off the bus in the afternoon:
The police followed us all the way around Legends Ranch today on the bus. Then we got away. We went really fast out the back gate so the police can't find us anymore.

I think she thought the bus driver escaped the police.

Talking in Church

Over lunch we were discussing the building a new LDS church building and who would have to move to it and if the ward would split again.

Madison: Isn't a small ward good? Because then you'd know everyone.
Ben: But then you have to speak a lot in church.
Madison: I already talk a lot in church. But mom shushes me.

Don't Skip Bible Study

I had a doctor appointment today that ran long making me late for Institute/Bible Study. I decided to skip it and go to Sam's Club nearby. I then bought chocolate chip muffins which I shouldn't do because then I eat them. At home I ate a chocolate muffin for my lunch instead of something healthy. I ate it in the office which is completely against the house rules but no children were home so I did it anyway. I thought I saw a chocolate chip fall but I couldn't find it. Hours later I find brown squishy stuff smeared on the chair which means it's on my bum too. I wash it off with a wet rag and now I'm wet like I peed my pants.

The moral of the story is DON'T SKIP BIBLE STUDY or you'll end up with poopy wet pants and a muffin top belly.

It's Not a Democracy

Aug 31, 2017

I'm calling it a evacu-vaction here in Nauvoo. It's been fun. The day began yesterday as we walked to the first thing with this quote from Jacob, "Next time we go on a family trip can we take a vote so more than just mom and dad want to go where we go for the trip?"

Our family is not a democracy kid.

Dreaming of Wooters

This is the random dream I had last week.

We were road tripping to see Wooters over summer and to be at Grandma Wooters for Coltons baptism. We were staying at Kathy's house a few days so the kids could play together. Grandma had cooked a feast and had it stashed in a bedroom with a second kitchen (like a movie room kitchen). The kitchen and living room were clean and ready to entertain.

It was time to go to the baptism and I got all my kids ready. Wooters left. My boys and Ashlyn went out to the car. Madison was playing and being pretty rotten. I finally had everyone ready to go but me. I just needed to slip into my skirt and a nice shirt. I couldn't find the ones I laid out. I looked everywhere but couldn't find anything. Brian was now in the car with the other kids. The house was empty except Madison and me. I looked in all 4 kid bedrooms for my things. I was frantic now.

Madison had an evil smile. I confronted her. She finally admits she hid my clothes. By this time Brian left me so he didn't miss the baptism but I know if I can get it together I can still walk over and not miss it.

I scream at Madison and she shows me where she hid my things. She scooted the four moving boxes I brought with my clothes into a small but deep air return vent near the floor in the front entry hallway Then she added a dog crate last so I wouldn't see past it to notice my suitcase/boxes.

I scream to get those out and I will put back the other rooms I have torn apart looking for my stuff before the people come back to the house for the nice lunch Kathy has prepared. She pulls out the dog crate as I go and it drags out straw that makes a huge mess everywhere right by the front door. I went back to get my clothes after cleaning a back bedroom. I can see Kathy has stored Christmas manger scene stuff in the air vent space so the hay makes sense but it's now everywhere.

Madison is smiling smugly sitting on the floor in the straw mess. My boxes are there but flat as can be. She emptied them of all my things and had only hid the cardboard box in the vent space.

After some yelling she opens yet another closet to reveal all the contents of my four boxes of cloths stuffed and hidden UNDER Kathy's holiday decor boxes. This closet is on the other side of the entry way. I make her get it all out and she grabs handful after handful of my clothes, piling them by the door.

Brian returns at this point happy and wondering where I was. I can't even talk. He tries to hug me and I push him away. I have missed the baptism and am mortified that the party guests are now coming in droves into the house stepping over my clothes and raising their eyebrows at the straw disaster that greets them upon arrival.

Kathy and Vanessa are so happy with the baptism that they literally don't notice the complete disaster Madison has made of their house while they were gone. They just keep serving and entertaining everyone as they eat. Madison continues to clean slowly with her smug smile of victory. I am
mortified. Colton of course is all smiles and Brian still can't figure out why I'm so mad.

Then I wake up feeling agitated at Madison and amused at the ridiculousness of my feelings all at same time.

God's Unlimited Crown Supply

Today I'm thankful God isn't going to run out of crowns, you know, like Burger King. We were working on our memory verse at breakfast today for sports camp at Faith UMC.

2 Timothy 4:7-8

Mom: I want a crown.
Ashlyn (5): You can't have one, you're not a princess.
Mom: I am a princess to God and he will give me one. He won't ever run out of crowns.
Madison (10): Yeah, God won't ever run out so we can all have a crown. Kind of like Burger King always has enough for everyone.

Ashie-isms

Filling out doctor forms in the lobby of the office I ask Ashlyn the questions to keep her engaged so she doesn't get bored. What's your name? When is your birthday? Etc. Coming to the end of the form I have to tell the doc who is giving them this info so I ask Ashlyn these questions.
Who am I? Angie Zufelt
How are we related? Well we both have an A at the start of our name and we both have Zufelt at the end so we are related!

A few days later she has to get blood drawn. We are waiting at the lab but they can only take half the blood we need because she's a tiny little lady. Which is incidentally the reason for the blood work in the first place - she's incredibly small for her age. So we do 5 vials on Monday and come back for 4 more on Wednesday.

Wednesday was hard because she knew what was going to happen this time. She honestly did pretty well considering. Ben had to have his own fasting blood work so she explained all the steps to him. I think it helped relieve some of her tension to be the lady in charge for a minute. Then the ladies stuck the needle in her vein after Ben finished but she clotted too fast. She wasn't at all happy to discover we were going to do the other arm too.

Breaking News - Madison Switches Names. Again.

I was in first grade when I discovered that my name was actually Angela not Angie. It happened when Ms Zagarella was calling role at the beginning of the school year. I confronted my mom after talking with my teacher. I was livid. I demanded to be called Angela from grade one through about sixth grade.

Madison did the same thing in Singapore, probably in kindergarten. She hated that I always called her Maddie Mae and she demanded we call her Madison. It's been a constant effort to change but I really am about there and use Madison fluently now.

Well guess what. Madison wrote on the calendar for next weekend "Madie and mom date". Not only did she switch back from Madison to Madie, she spelled it wrong. Or did she? Maybe I'll have to relent and let her choose that too!!!

Ashlyn's Motivation for International Travel

Ashlyn gem of the day said in a dreamy voice from the back seat as I drove:
"Mom, I wish we could go to every country in the whole world."

I smile and my mind begins to meander and imagine all the amazing places we could go and the rich culture and all the things we could see. Then she follows it up with this.

"Then we could see all the dancing guys all over the world and see if every county has one of them." (The term "dancing guys" meaning those neon fabric tube things outside stores with a fan blowing them full and making them dance around in the air.)

Apparently we don't share the exact same dream about international travel after all.

Back In Time

Just overheard from upstairs: "Whoa!! We have, like, a PAPER dictionary up here!" Ben is totally amazed. I can't stop giggling.