Acceptable behavior

After much consideration I will now be submitting a list of 'acceptable behavior' to the Power's That Be who are in charge of the year-round schedule for our district...(Prepare yourself,...it's been a day).
It will go something like this:
1) Under no circumstances will a child be allowed to go off track from school if the weather forecast is such that is will be impossible for said child to play outside and burn off all the energy he builds up by sleeping a solid eight hours each night.
2)Under no circumstances will a child be allowed to go off track if there is the slightest inclination on the part of the educator that said child will be overcome with boredom and need to follow his mom from room to room for approximately 10 hours a day. Note: Said Mom has a life, which often does NOT include being part of a train of bored people.
3)Any appointments which the school must have students and parents at shall herefore only be allowed to be made during the child's regular track time. It puts unnecessary strain on the parent/child relationship to get him cleaned up in 'school' clothes while off-track. (The child, not the parent)
4)In the future, if the school curriculum includes the health teacher passing out recipes for "tasty treats all children can help make" with the admonishment to "Make sure to try them all while off track," then it is the school's responsibility to insure that a grocery list with an accompanying Personal Shopper should arrive at the house 24 hours before the child and his paper.

Friends, let us all pray for warmer weather! (At least for the next two weeks!)

Cutest Five Year Old in the House!

The Birthday Boy had to have a 'tank' cake. Aunt Jaime did a fabulous job and all was happy at the Birthday house.

He warms our hearts and fills the family with laughter, love and "squishy" hugs!

Happy Birthday Mr. Big Five Year Old!

The Saddest Thing

We love Friday! The boys love it because it is early-out from school and the start of the weekend and every other great thing about Friday. I love it because for the weekend I don't have to get boys showered, check for matching socks, and make sure the homework is signed and notes from teachers are read. All in all, we each win. Today is even better because we are going off track! Some Mommy's hate it, not me. I am ready to not be making pancakes at 7 am in the hopes that they can stay full until lunch time etc. However, the saddest thing is when the baby, (yes, I know he is almost five) has waited all day for the 'boys' to get home to play with him. Then they get home and turn around to go outside to play in the sunshine and enjoy friends. Normally they are really great about letting D tag along, however,...D is starting this very great weekend with the flu. He and I have spent the day sipping Sprite and nibbling saltines. Now, he is standing at the big picture window trying to convince me that it's not a fever and promises he 'will not throw up again' if I will just let him join his brothers in the sunshine. My Mommy heart is sad, so I must go play Candyland for the millionth time today!

Waffles!?!

Garrett is home sick, (not really but that's too long of a story) and is helping with small kids during piano lessons. The baby he is watching seems to be eating a waffle piece. Curious since that was last night's dinner and we make a habit of cleaning up the kitchen. When I question Garrett on the whereabouts of the aforementioned waffle (after mentioning that babies younger than one year should not be fed such things for snacks), he says that he found it in Dallen's box he keeps his shoes in. Side note: It doesn't even occur to me to seem surprised at that bit of information. When I asked Dallen he continued coloring a picture and said, "Oh, I put it there, I'm making a leprechan trap."
At this point everybody in the room begins to speculate at just what would be the perfect bait for a leprechan trap.
It is my opinion that we need to get out more.

Glasses

The school nurse says, "He failed but I think he is lying."
The Good Mommy says, "You're probably right."

Take the boy to the eye doctor

The Good Mommy says, "Quit lying, we know you can see we just want to find out if letters and numbers are getting turned around in your head."
The Eye Doctor says, "Mrs. James (perhaps a little sharper than necessary), he ISN'T lying. This child IS far-sighted and CAN"T see things up close, he WILL need glasses!"

It's a great day when you realize that everything you did for a child was the wrong thing to do for the child. eg moving to the front of the room, lots of reading with the child etc.

Folks, he is a new man. Loves, his glasses and Mommy has learned to love a little more and search a little harder for answers. Humble pie is a dry dessert!

Honey Do List

Last Saturday I give my Honey a 'Honey Do' list. It was a hard list of moving lots of furniture to different rooms or out of the house entirely. He was a trooper...all was going well until he tried to get the two couches out of the family room downstairs. (We had moved them in before we had finished the basement). Needless to say, there was a great deal of frustration, and elevated emotions (interpretation: grouchy) when he finally grabbed his circular saw and the couch met it's impending doom.
Do you think that he will be called to help the Elder's Quorom move anything soon!?!

Here I Go...

I did it. My nerves were shot before I even began. However, I did it! I went back to school! Many, many years ago I earned by bachelors and walked away with the resolve to not 'do that again'. (I actually remember having that thought on my graduation day.) School was fine but I was happy it was over.
Now, I'm back. This time I actually have a career in mind, (nursing) and a really great support crew at home. The boys, and Les have been great and so I bundled up my nerves, slipped on a backpack (which did not double as a diaper bag as it did many times in the past 12 years) and left for school. I feel a little dusty but it will be a great challenge.

You learn new things every day.

So, we all know that Sacrament Meeting is a wonderful hour of reflection and opportunity to gain from the truths shared. That being said,...I often learn so many OTHER things during this hour of spiritual fulfillment.
Yesterday's lesson: Turns out that after Mom does her 'going-to-church-pat-down-of-the-boys" we should never, ever decide to fill the pockets of our suit with sunflower seeds with the intent to eat them during the aformentioned meeting so to stay off impending starvation. (Of course we are talking Garrett here, and it's not even Fast Sunday...he's simply ALWAYS sure he will starve to death.) So, if we suck all the salt off the shell, bite the shell to get out the seed, Mom will not be at all happy if we spit the shell into her bag carrying her scriptures and YW stuff.
Clearly a more detailed plan was needed.
Garrett also learned that Mom can remember the offense through the entire block of church and is still willing to hand down judgement afterwards.

Hairy Ears!?!

On Sunday Dallen falls asleep on my lap during Sacrament. (OK, truthfully, half my boys including Les, fall into a coma as soon as they hear the organ and don't wake up until they are shaken by their Mommy to move along to Primary. They will have no idea what actually HAPPENS during Sacrament until this behavior changes and Garrett is STILL nodding off like a baby!) Anyways...Dallen, cries and cries and cries and eventually he comes to YW with me and is still unhappy. Very unlike him, he is usually super happy all of the time. Fast forward,...Sunday night: Dallen is sent to bed a hundred times and finally he says his ears hurt. (Of course they do, middle of the night on a weekend is the only time to be very ill!) About 2:30 in the morning he says to me, "Mom, I think the problem is my ear feels very hairy inside." then a very dramatic pause, "like Dad's". He does have a raging ear infection but if you ask him he is convinced that it is because his ears are becoming like Daddy's.
Should we all have such problems:)