Wise Children

Conversation in the car today: Ben: "Mom, what are those big numbers for?" pointing to a sign advertising something. Mom: "It tells us how much something in that store costs." Ben: "Oh. I guess we don't need that thing though, right Mom?" Mom: "No. We probably don't really need whatever they are trying to sell us. All we really need in our family is food, a house and love. Right guys?" Maddie (yelling): "AND WE NEED CHEESE!" Ben (in a sweet and humble voice): "I think we need Jesus too." Mom: "Thanks Ben. I think you're right, we do need Jesus. We need food, a house, love and Jesus." Maddie: "And we need CHEESE!" Mom: "Yes, Maddie. We definately need cheese."

You Were Right

Tonight as Brian headed out with the older two kids to help a friend move a couch (the curse or blessing afforded every individual that purchases a truck) he handed me Jacob. He told me he was hungry but needed a diaper change first. I shrugged. Seems like I just changed him, so I fed him first. Now I sit nursing with very soggy pants (mine and his). Should have listened to Brian. He was right.

Out of the Mouth of Babes

This is a cute idea. Ask your child the questions and write them down exactly how they respond. Answered by Ben, 4 1/2 years old 1. What is something mom always says to you? don't jump on the couch 2. What makes mom happy? if we don't jump on the couch (I asked the next day again to see when he would say then and got this: "when we obey her, is that what you were wanting to get said?" how sad he is just trying to please me.) 3. What makes mom sad? jumping on the couch (as he bangs his hand on the couch to illustrate) 4. How does your mom make you laugh? be silly 5. What was your mom like as a child? like me 6. How old is your mom? 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 5....up to 12, so many numbers you were! 7. How tall is your mom? a long ways 8. What is her favorite thing to do? spend time with me 9. What does your mom do when you're not around? sometimes projects that I don't get to do 10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? that she's nice 11. What is your mom really good at? being nice 12. What is your mom not very good at? cooking all the time for us but we don't really make food if we're not going to eat it 13. What does your mom do for her job? she used to do make gas, now she stays home and watches me and Maddie 14. What is your mom's favorite food? i don't know 15. What makes you proud of your mom? cause I like you 16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? 17. What do you and your mom do together? sometimes go to the store 18. How are you and your mom the same? you have the same kind of skin like me 19. How are you and your mom different? we don't have the same voices 20. How do you know your mom loves you? she uh cooks dinner and lunch and breakfast 21. Where is your mom's favorite place to go? i don't know

Legos and Letters - Fun with Ben

The other day Ben had a great idea. He made letters out of legos and I would guess them. He would excitedly finish a letter and come with a smile from ear to ear. Holding the board backward and giving no clues, he would ask me what letter he made. No surprise, I didn't do well...unless Brian happened to be standing behind Ben. I had so much fun with this game I think it lasted an hour! I really liked having fun with him too.

Legitimate Snow Day

The Snow Day this time seemed a bit more legitimate than the last one. We got a ton of snow. It was all powder though. Powdery snow and wind. The kids and I had a hard time keeping our eyes open on our hill because he wind would whip through the field and blow the snow like a blizzard. The snow was so dry that despite a valiant effort, we couldn't really make a snowman and the sledding hill wasn't slippery in the least. I had to pull the sleds up the hill, hold hands to get the kids to the top, then PULL them the entire way down to keep the sleds moving. What a joke. So, sledding didn't last long.

We ended up in the backyard having a blast. My favorite part was when Ben asked Maddie, "Would you like to come to my class?" Maddie, "Yeah Ben." Ben, "Good, it's a snow angel class. Mom, I'm going to be teaching Maddie how to make snow angels, okay?" We slid down the slides on the playground contraption in our backyard into piles of fluffy snow and used the beach bucket to make little snow castles for a while. It was hard to get the snow castles to stay together, but Maddie and I managed to get a row of them built. Then the kids searched for sticks to make flags on every one.

When I went to the front yard to grab a shovel to clear off the deck, Ben destroyed all the snow castles Maddie and I had made. Every one was completely gone when I returned 90 seconds later. I asked what happened and he said he didn't know for a few times. I'm not stupid. Then it was an accident that he destroyed every last one. Yeah right!! Liar, liar, pants on fire. I asked again, reminding him to tell the truth. Still, it was an accident. I reminded him another time that when we choose to lie, we choose to lose a privilege. He lied again that he didn't know how they all "got gone". Eventually, he came clean that he had wanted to destroy all the castles. He wasn't allowed to watch is favorite show as his punishment for lying (not for destroying the castles). Why does my child insist on lying about things that don't really matter? I hate taking privileges away, but the kid's gotta learn he can't feed me bold faced lies.

We ended the day with a playdate at the Hyatt's house. The kids had a wild and fun time doing all sorts of silly indoor things like having a band with kitchen spoons and empty #10 cans and other fun things. We had dinner and then FHE. Emma (7 yrs old) taught us about prayer then we played animal charades. It was fun. Then we took our tired, cranky kiddos home and threw Maddie right into bed. Ben decided he was still hungry when we got home at 8:00 and asked if he could have some bread. He got a bag of hamburger buns for his snack and we went upstairs. After 20 minutes he hadn't come upstairs yet so we went to check on him. He must have been starving. He had eaten three whole buns and was working on another one, which he abandoned half way through. Glad he got a snack because he slept like a log until late the next morning.

Fun day.

Potty Story Time

As we've been trying to work with Maddie on potty training, she has decided the very best part of the whole deal is that she gets our undivided attention in the bathroom. We often sit on the stool and will read her books to keep her sitting long enough to have a "productive visit" to the bathroom. Apparently, it is such a great idea to read in the bathroom that she has decided she would like to extend the same courtesy to me. The last three days she has watched me closely. Every time I head to the bathroom she rushes after me and follows me into the bathroom. She climbs up on the stool, carefully selects a book, turns back around and settles herself onto the stool to read me a book while I potty. About the time she sits down, I'm done and heading out. She just doesn't understand why it doesn't take me 15 minutes to potty and why I can't stick around for a book. Sometimes I wash my hands and have a seat again so she can read to me and she adores this time to be in charge. And I love to see her smile.

Counting the Minutes

No Buy Month ends in just under six hours, but who's counting? We can hardly wait to buy... new equipment to convert to internet phone thomas train stuff on ebay for Ben's birthday piano book so I can return the one I borrowed to our friends before they move to Thailand three bottles of craft paint to finish decorating Jacob's room