Whine Not.

We've got a whining/crying problem.
It's no bueno.
It happens daily, usually around chore/homework/reading/piano time.

He's such a sweet boy with big hazel eyes.  However, his emotions get the best of him day after day.  It's a good thing he's more of the silent-pity-me crier and not a howler monkey like some of his brothers.  It seems nearly daily I'm reminding him to use words to express himself. "It's okay to tell me your frustrated or unsure how to do this chore correctly. It's not okay to whine or cry relentlessly while lying on the floor." I remind him that he must learn to work hard, because he'll work all his life and his attitude will make it or break it.  I ask him to pray for help and to think what he could do to help tomorrow be better.

He's generally such an easy going, quiet, happy kid.
He's at his best when he has the day to just explore and imagine.  Definitely one of his strengths.





Is it just me or does Grace look like she's a child of the Village People?

Deja Vu

I have a faint memory from years ago when I was a little thing with long red hair.

My older sister, Wendy, took me to the High School to one of her classes.

I was there so she could show the class how to french braid. 

I remember thinking how neat it was. That's really the extent of my memory. 

(me on the left. best friend Shannon on the right)

So the other day Chloe came home from a busy day in 7th grade and asked if she could take Grace to school with her. For her CTE (Career, Technology, Education?) class they needed to bring a preschooler.  They need to show they had skills with preschool age children. They'd be doing all kinds of crafts and such.  Kind of made me giggle to think Chloe was taking a class on how to handle little ones. She's a pro. 

Grace was so excited.  I snapped a few shots through the classroom window. 

So glad they have each other.  

Monday, Monday

The day started with fire in my belly. I'd accomplished a short list by 8 am and headed into town.  However, the fire was snuffed out.  I spent the next couple of hours contemplating human interaction and all its intricacies. I was in a funk.

 So I slid into the comfortable 80 degree weather and let the kids run amuck.

I painted Coley's nails because I had denied him the opportunity at the school carnival. He picked a glaring orange and sat mesmerized by the ants covering a piece of candy on the driveway.

 Grace had noticed my "pretty toes" and wanted some for herself.

 Aidan was home recovering from strep throat.  He found that old plastic he's been creating knives from and made a bubble want from it.  Then he found an empty ibuprofen bottle and made up a bubble concoction and tinted it yellow with food coloring. It worked quite well, except for the part where you turned yellow when the bubbles popped on you.

 I came home from a day trip to find this lovely basketball hoop in my driveway. Asher and a couple friends had "rescued" it from the field.  The plan was to fix it up a bit and sell it for money.  He been busy scraping of skull stickers, painting it and bending it back into shape. I gave him a time restriction on getting it sold.

 Aidan decided to make some banana crumb muffins.  I decided to let him manage it all.  I only stepped in when he was using salt rather than baking powder.  They turned out pretty darn good.

 This littlest one ran around with self-applied sunscreen on her face, a runny nose, and the neighbor's bike helmet.  She'd come in and out of the house checking in and having me unfasten or refasten that helmet.

 I didn't catch a picture of Chloe (blast!) but she was busy babying her strawberry plant and sewing a mustache pillow inspired by cousin Livy.

Gap in your Grin

 The two teeth, one on bottom and one on top, were hanging on by a thread.
I noticed when he eats he avoids the front of his mouth altogether.
So today before we headed out for Spring Break adventures I talked him into letting me take a closer look. The replacement for the tooth on bottom had already shown up! It was time.
My stomach revolted. I really  hate pulling teeth. It makes me weak in the hands and my stomach feels morning sickish.  I grabbed some tissue and talked to him about tooth fairy money that would spend well in Disneyland.

 The top tooth came out with a slight pull. No blood. However, before I could move on to that bottom tooth he was in full revolt! Crying and hiding his face with his hands.
What's wrong Cole?
I don't want you to pull it!
Why? The other one was easy!
I think I'll talk funny.


I coaxed him back onto the counter and talked to him about that poor tooth that was growing in the wrong spot because this tooth hadn't come out yet. Finally he relented. It also came out fairly easily, but there was blood.

 The fairy left money for Disneyland.
I'd say if you're going to start losing all your teeth, THIS is the face that could pull that off!