Drafts

I was just in my "Manage Posts" area of my blog and saw a few draft posts that never got published.  I can't even remember why I wrote this draft or what the rest of the story was in my brain... too bad... but I thought it was fun to read.  Mac was sitting here while I read it and he read it too.  My ten year old son pursed his lips, raised his eyebrows and said, "Huh.  Pretty good, Mom.  I think you should write a book."

I'd love to, Mac.  But first, I've just got to get myself writing again.

Here is my never-published draft of something unknown.... I wrote it on June 10th, 2009.

Kate saw him on the train that day. Cold air rushed past her as the doors opened, carrying the din of the commuters as well as the scent of his cologne. Sam's cologne was, as usual, too strong and she felt an almost irresistible urge to reach out and touch him. 

He hadn't seen her. Kate's fingers twitched toward him and then fell still as her mind played out the outcome of taking action on her urge to feel that soft spot below his earlobe. Sighing and biting her lip, she attempted distraction by looking out the window at the streak of scenery that flew by the oblivious commuters.

Who's Kate?  I have no idea.  But I think I'd like to figure it out.

Bounce

My thoughts are bouncy right now.  I'm sitting at the computer at 12:27am and I'm reading various items while I listen to the washer and the dryer do their thing.  I can't type fast enough. I'm having thoughts again.  Thoughts that I want to share.  Thoughts that I want to scribble out with my swirly handwriting.  But I'll type instead.

Does anyone even read this anymore?  I feel like I've forgotten how to blog.

When I die I want to be buried in a pine box.  Like, a homemade one.  I don't want thousands of dollars spent on my coffin.  Just a simple pine box.  Or cremation.  That's ok with me.

I dislike cooking bacon.  Do you know why?  Because I can't stand my house to smell like bacon.  And I can't stand my hair to smell like bacon.  And let's not forget my clothes.  I don't like my clothes to smell like bacon.  Bacon tastes good.  But the smell clings like the dickens.   

I have a smell thing.  I can't stand my hands to smell like food, unless it's cilantro.  I love cilantro.

Today I put on my blue shirt.  I love the color of this shirt.  

 When I put it on, I smelled the most wonderful smell!  I was in heaven.  I kept sniffing myself (well, my shirt, really) all day and wondered why I smelled so darned good. 

Later I figured out that I wore this shirt last Friday.  I had gone to the mall and tried a tester of perfume at The Gap.  Guess what?  I want that perfume.  Bad.

I am not good at mailing things.  Just so you know.

Sometimes I want to die when people come to my house.  I get so self conscious about every imperfection.  If ever anyone goes into my basement, I always ask them before they go down if they will still be my friend if they see how messy and crazy my basement is.  Silly?  Yes.  And there's some sarcasm in the question... but mostly it's a valid fear. 

My aim is to have a yard sale on Saturday.  I'm excited and anxious about it.

I don't like planning birthday parties for my kids.  The hardest part for me is getting out the invitations.  I'm really not very good at this facet of parenthood.  But that's ok with me.  I'm good at the ones that are more important, I think.

I love doing laundry.  Don't let me fool you if ever I'm complaining about it.  It's very possible that it's my favorite household chore. 

I'm trying some generic diapers tonight.  Keep your fingers crossed for me and Miss B.

Speaking of Miss B, baby Brynja is precious.  She laughed last Thursday and Friday nights.  I told Mac about it when she did it the first time and he went on and on about how he just couldn't believe it.  How she's growing up so fast.  His face showed every emotion and he said, "That just makes me want to cry!" and I could see the tears just under the surface.  What a sweet, tender boy.  How many almost-ten-year-olds would be so thrilled and emotional about their baby sister laughing for the first time?

I love my life and my bouncy late-night thoughts.

Grumble

We've done one lesson.  ONE!  And already he's in his room because I'm angry at him for his stinky attitude.  Mondays suck in many worlds, but none more than homeschooling.  For me, anyway.

My method of coping with the bad attitude is to send him away from me or go away from him myself.  I tell him that I'm not going to sit here and fight his bad attitude when I have plenty of things that need doing in my world.  (laundry, dishes, showering, nesting, etc...)  So, here we are... he, in his room, and I, blogging about it all.

It's amazing the difference attitude can make.  I watch him when his attitude is good and he's amazing!  He picks up concepts quickly.  He laughs and has fun.  He answers his school-questions with quick repsonses, making it clear that the concept is absorbing right into his brain.

But.

When his attitude is poor, like it has been this morning, his brain is like oil and school is like water.  They just repel eachother.  Concepts do not penetrate.  Even concepts that he already knows that we're reviewing... they must not be able to get out through the barrier he's put up.  His only focus is on being grumpy, not on learning anything or even just speaking something he already knows.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

As his "teacher" it's infuriating.  As his mother, it's even worse.  You know that your kids don't do this to their teachers at public school.  (Maybe some kids do, but I know from reports that Mac was nice, respectful and hard working at school, if a little rambunctious.)  Because I'm his mother, he "acts up" if he doesn't feel like doing what I tell him.  And I, being his mother, deal with these flare-ups with varying degrees of self-control.  Like I said, mostly I just send him away.  Other times I yell at him a little.  Other times, A LOT.  I have refrained from yelling for the most part today. 

Even when we have days like this, I'm so glad that he's home with me.  Is it a sacrifice?  Yes.  I am rather tied down during the day and my schedule is rather dictated by his school.  I don't get so much "me" time as I used to, perhaps.  But, whenever I think of the alternative, of sending him back to school, I am so grateful that he is here with me where it is safe to have some volatile feelings now and then.  I still love him at the end of the day, no matter what.  I can't explain it well, but I know that this is an important thing in his life right now.  To have him home with me, his mother, who loves him more than anyone, who will support him through these sassy, stinky-attitude times.  Even if it means taking a few deep breaths and steeling myself for another Monday homeschooling morning. 

Thoughts and Events

So, my blogging career, which once served me such delicious bites of verbal release, has taken a nose-dive. And I'm fine with that, mostly.

I was reading through some old posts a few weeks ago and I got all teary-eyed remembering how much I always gained from my verbose self-expression on these empty white boxes we call, "New Posts". I loved to conjure a story from nothing. I loved to express my feelings. I loved to tell some event in some creative or whimsical way. I loved to make myself laugh. (I always hoped I was making other people laugh too, but I was always laughing enough at myself to be satisfied... regardless of the state of other people's chuckle-meter) I loved COMMENTS!!! (I still love comments, but let's be honest here, Clancy... you have to POST to have COMMENTS.) I loved to see another follower show up on my sidebar. I loved to see that people wanted to read what I was saying, as shocking as that was sometimes.

And now... I draw blank after blank. And I'm ok with that... mostly. I keep saying mostly because I feel like I'm missing something. I feel like I've lost a friend. But, I also have realized that there are times and places for everything in life and my blog has taken a back burner to several things in my life.

I spend much of my daily life homeschooling my son. It is going well, I think, and I think it has been so good for him. I think he is retaining some of the innocence of youth that might otherwise be taken preemptively in this fast-paced world. He is such a sweet kid, despite how some days I feel like he might be the death of me. Although, as he is maturing those days are becoming more and more rare. He is growing up and I couldn't be more proud of the young man he is turning into. His latest thing is to sit with the "grownups" while we are talking. He is happy to just listen to adults talk. I must admit that I was the same when I was a child. Sometimes it is aggravating, but how can I get frustrated with him when he is simply being me? (sometimes that's why I get frustrated with him, I think...) He says big things that often take me by surprise.

In science we have been talking about solutions: solutes and solvents. It has been fun for me to go through all this with him as I often learn something new or simply relearn a forgotten thing. In today's lesson we learned about saturation of a solvent and how temperature of the solvent can affect the solubility and therefore the saturation point.

On his lesson assessment there was a question that had a graph to the side showing solubility and temperature of the solvent. The question asked, "What can we conclude from this graph?" We read the choices together... "A." I said, "Decreasing temperature increased the solubility for all three substances."

"No," he said. "Not that one."

"B." I read. "Increasing volume increases solubility for all three substances."

In all seriousness and without missing a beat, he said, "Pantene will increase your volume!" He was so proud of himself that he knew that! I was so taken off guard by his use of the term 'volume', especially because it was verbatum from a TV ad, or more likely, straight off the Pantene bottle in our shower that I burst out laughing! Looking slightly abashed, he asked what was so funny. I schooled my face back into seriousness and told him that clever advertisers say that Pantene will make your hair look more full, or have "volume". I then explained what they meant by the term 'volume' on his science assessment. He laughed a little and I told him how smart he was and what a good memory he has and we moved on.

I had to record that one. Rohan still says adorable things all the time because he's only four. Ella still says cute things too off and on... or simply funny things that she thinks is fact. Mac now says smart things all the time (sometimes that would be brainy-smart, other times that would be sassy-smart...) and is getting old enough that he doesn't say very many "cute" things anymore. But today, he was cute, precocious and without guile. I love that child of mine and I had to record some cuteness while I still can.

So... that is one thing that my blog has taken a back burner to. Homeschooling. A very large chunk of my time each day is devoted to that awesome, frustrating, incredible, wonderful and cumbersome tservice that I am blessed to be able to offer to my son. I think some people don't approve of my choice to homeschool. I have discovered this disapproval comes across in many interesting and subtle varieties. Little looks people give me, little things they say. I honestly don't care who approves and who doesn't, but it's interesting to observe people. What they think they are keeping to themselves is really glaringly obvious to me. I just laugh to myself and think of the subtle differences I can see in my son and I know I'm doing the right thing.

Pregnancy must be another thing that blogging sits behind. Seems like it should be no big thing. Lots of people blog just fine while pregnant. But not me, apparently.

I'm 24 weeks now. I realized that my last post about being irritated by questions about my baby bump was a little harsh. I went to New Moon with some girlfriends and one of them that I didn't know super well said, "I read your blog and so I know I shouldn't ask you about your belly."

Crap!

Not true. If you see me, feel free to ask, folks. I was particularly irriatated that day and the people I spoke of just didn't seem to really care... it just seemed like they were making idle conversation. (Which may be untrue. That conclusion may simply have been the filter of my crabby, bugged mood.) Anyway, if you see me, don't be afraid of me scratching your eyes out if you ask me about my baby! I will be nice. I promise. If you see me glaze over and step out of my body, know that I'm having an wool-blanket-itchy-I-can't-stand-to-be-in-my-skin day. It's not you. It's me.

So... I had more thoughts, but they have recently checked out and this brain is now vacant. Just thought I'd update a little with a few thoughts and happenings. I am still alive and breathing... just doing so while almost completely ignoring my blog.

And now, this sleepy, blog-ignoring girl is going to bed. Goodnight.

First Week

This is completely a "for my own records" post, just so I can have it recorded. Therefore, it is, potentially, rather boring. Sorry.


I mentioned that we are keeping Mac at home this year for school. The Idaho Virtual Academy "powered by K12" is our method of choice. In my ideal world, I would be choosing all his curriculum and planning it all myself. But, alas, I know my own limits and that is way more than I feel capable of at this point in my life. And that's o.k. K-12 it is!

We got all our "materials" a week ago today. (At the end of the day, so we didn't use them, we just got them out and looked at them.) We officially "started" on Monday. Monday didn't go so well. If you don't recall, look at my post that day and it will give you an idea of my Monday. That post wasn't entirely about my son or homeschooling, but those two things were the catalyst for a lot of dormant emotions and, to put it nicely, I lost it.

Tuesday wasn't easy, but I was in a better place.

Wednesday was quite good with a few, minor rough spots.

Thursday was good too... I think. I'm starting to blur a little on the details...

Today was long, but should have been short. We didn't have that much to do, but Mac likes to drag his feet and dilly-dally. It makes me crazy-insane, but somehow I've managed (aside from Monday) to keep my head and stay cool. (Go me!) This day had a lot of potential for being totally awful... maybe like Monday... but I chose to be chill and not react (...much. Does slamming my fist on the table and raising my voice count as a reaction? Probably, but I apologized right after and we carried on.)

Thus far he hates Math the most (not so shocking) and he likes Art the best. (not so shocking)

So far, I am pleased with the program. I am pleased that I can just go online and see what we're doing for the day and I don't have to plan. If you recall, planning is not one of my greatest strengths. I think it's good for Mac to be home. Truly. I am happy to see him interact with his little brother.

At this point, I'm happy that Ella has chosen to go to school as well. She loves school (although she loves it a little less since she's the only one who has to get up in the mornings at 7:00 a.m.) and I love watching her do her cute homework. I think I would be totally overwhelmed if they were both home this year. Mac and Ella are often the best of friends, but more often it seems, they antagonize each other and therefore harry their mother endlessly. This transition, I believe, has been infinitely smoother because Mac and Ella are not battling each other or vying for my attention all day. Rohan, in his easy-going manner, is happy to play Legos or sit on my lap while I do things with Mac. Bless that child. And bless Ella for choosing to go to school this year. And bless Mac for his strong will and his consistent, if begrudged efforts. And, if I may be so bold... bless me, too. For something.

So, there's the log for my first week in our new adventure. Pretzel dipping continues as does apartment management (or not... PLEASE let us get a new renter!!!). Also continues the mantaining of a household (to some degree anyway), and continues what would seem the easiest part of my life right now despite the limits it's putting on my wardrobe: baby-growing.

Friday's Fabulous Five

It's been a while since I've done a FFF post. Life is so fabulous, I better do ten.

1- My dad is pink-skinned and breathing on a daily basis. I pray I never take that for granted again.

2- My mom is a total rock. I've known it all along, but she kept things so calm the night that my dad was in peril. I've since realized how freaked out she really was that night, but she kept it together so well for her children. She's amazing. She wrote a note to many friends and family explaining what happened to my dad. Here's the tail end of that note and I want to preserve it in my someday-blog-book:

We are both extremely grateful for the gift of his health & "new lease on life". There's nothing quite like an extreme wake up call to sharpen the senses & bring perspective to things.

To those of you who knew about this already; thank you for your love, support, kind words & prayers. To all; including those who are just finding out in this message, it's been a wild ride, one that I don't wish on anyone. My children have noticed that they want to be sure to speak the words of love that they may not utter often enough. I feel the same way. It's so easy in our workaday lives to lose the focus of the importance of speaking words of love, support & caring. To add a touch, a pat on the back, a caress or a hug and to look someone in the eye & commune soul to soul and convey all the feeling in our heart, soul & mind that is the love we feel. It needs to happen every day. Whether big or small, everyday. (If we focus on the love & sharing it it's easier to avoid the other stuff too) That's what's been going on in my mind a lot the last 1 1/2 days.

Love to you all AND go hug your loved ones & tell them how you feel. Right Now!!

Like I said... my mom is a rock.

3- We haven't gotten much school done at home because we still don't have Mac's books, computer, etc, but having my two little sons home with me has been more of a joy than I would've ever imagined. Mac has been nicer, more helpful, more cooperative and just generally more light and easy than he has in... well, years. This alone is making this endeavor worthwhile. I hope it continues until he's in, at least, his twenties. ;-)

4- My brother, who lives in Salt Lake, came up the day following my dad's heart attack. (He and his wife Nicky) Nicky stayed until Wednesday and then went back to Salt Lake. Zandy stayed to be my dad's muscles for a few days. You see... my dad's heart is fantastic. He looks and feels great, but he can't lift anything over five pounds for about a week while his femoral artery incision heals from his surgery. My dad does construction for a living. Bless my brother for lifting 200 lb doors and swinging sledge hammers for a few days so my dad can still earn a living and keep his commitments to the job he's on. I love my family.

5- I love a freshly vaccumed floor.

6- You know the miracle of the loaves and the fishes? I've had a miracle of the caramel.

7- Marci's Napolean Dynamite dance on her blog. Awesome. (sorry, ya'll... she's got herself a private blog so I have to enjoy that one alone... or with a few people whom I know who read her blog.)

8- I don't feel sick from being pregnant anymore. Not that I ever felt super sick, but even feeling a little sick sucks, don't you think? But now it's all gone.

9- For these few days, I get to watch my brother enjoy my children. Rohan especially. Rohan has a way of worming himself into people's hearts. Zandy is loving it and I am loving it too.

10- Dustin.


Happy Friday!

Bless-ed

The week since I last posted has been one of those weeks that make you say, "Holy Crap-a-Moly!"
(That would be a young Macism phrase...)

We went camping for Labor Day weekend and I spent several days running around, preparing food, making lists and generally freaking out trying to prepare for our excursion. On Thursday, I drove up to where we planned on camping and reserved our spot early thinking it would be packed for the holiday weekend. (which, to my great surprise, it wasn't) That took the majority of the day. My in-laws came into town and we went to dinner with them on Thursday night.

Friday I ran around like a maniac trying to prepare food ahead of time and gather the multitude of things required to camp. We still left later than we hoped... as usual.

In the midst of all of this, I was trying to figure stuff out for Mac's schooling. You see, we've decided to keep Mac home this year and we are using the K-12 program for his school. We still don't have his books and so I've been trying to figure out what we can do and trying to learn all about the program. Holy-crap-a-moly, I'm nuts.

And speaking of nuts... it's pretzel-dipping season again. The seasonal shop where I sell my stuff opened today and I wanted to be all prepared way ahead of time, but somehow that doesn't seem to be how I roll.

Back to camping... we had a great time, leaving Friday night and returning Monday around noon. Upon our return, we unpacked everything, cleaned up, showered and got "the dipping room" ready for chocolate and messes. Then, we went out to eat again with Dustin's parents who were coming back through town from their own camping trip. After we ate, I went home with the intention of dipping the night away, but I was so exhausted that I fell asleep on the couch at about 8:30 and ended up just going to bed about 9:00.

As if that weren't enough to make me say, 'Holy-Crap-a-Moly!'...

After my 9:00 crash, I woke up to the tail end of the phone ringing. I missed the call. It was just after midnight. I looked at the caller ID and saw that it was my mom calling from her cell phone. When I called her back she let me know that my dad had just been taken to the hospital in an ambulance. She was on her way over behind him and could Dustin come over to the hospital and give him a priesthood blessing. Something was wrong with his heart, she thought, but she kept saying "I think he's going to be ok."

"Of course Dustin would come over", I assured her.

I got off the phone and relayed her message to Dustin who had also been asleep. He got up out of bed and came straight over and hugged me. Hard. At the time I just wondered why he was wasting time hugging me when he needed to be getting to the hospital. He threw clothes on and left.

After he left, I knew why he was hugging me so hard. I was alone in the dark of my room. I didn't know what was going on and I started imagining all the worst things. What would I do without my dad? He is such a rock, such a foundation for our family. He is so knowledgeable and wise and he is such a comfort to me personally. Those thoughts went on and on and in short order I was an emotional wreck. I wanted to be at the hospital with my mom. I prayed. Hard.

After 45 minutes, Dustin called and asked if I would like his parents to come over and sleep at my house so I could go to the hospital. Yes, I wanted that. More than anything. So, they came over and I left.

By the time I got there (about 1:30 am) my dad was already out of surgery. He had a heart attack and the surgeon had put two stints in his artery. He will have to have one more within the next month or so. We listened to the doctor tell us things and we hugged and cried. My dad was ok.

In just a few minutes we got to go in and see him. He had been awake through the surgery so he was bright-eyed and alert when we walked in. We talked to the doctor some more and he showed us a video of the surgery. Modern medicine can be truly amazing.

I left the hospital at about 4:00 am with a profound sense of relief and gratitude. I cried as I hugged him, feeling so grateful that all my imaginations were unfounded. He is still here. I have an amazing father whom I love more than I can express.

The next day I had to dip pretzels, but all I really wanted to do was go to the hospital and watch my dad breathe.

I am so blessed.

Friday's Fabulous Five

1- My flower beds/backyard are looking so darned cute! They make me happy! (I know, I know... you want to see pictures! I suck at pictures.)

2- We are going camping for a bit today and tomorrow! FUN!

3- It was Mac's birthday on Wednesday. My baby is NINE! I have a post I've been working on about him, but it's not done yet.

4- I've had an organizing bug. Ella and Rohan's closet is SO organized, I almost don't know what to think of myself! I'll choose to think I'm all sorts of awesome!

5- Laser tag rules. But I didn't rule at laser tag. In fact, I fairly sucked, but I sure had fun! (Mac's birthday "party"- sort of. We just went and played laser tag with some good friends of ours. I'm thinkin' we're going to have to go have a big laser tag date with some couples! Maybe for my birthday next month!!! hmmmm....)

THE END

Friday's Fabulous Five

I have been on a serious non-blogging jag... but, life is still fabulous!

1- Friends. They are the best. I've been well taken care of while my hubby, Mom and Dad are out of town.

2- Exercise. I've done it twice this week and I feel like a million (extremely sore) bucks! You didn't know bucks could get sore, did you? I have this little problem where I don't know how to ease into stuff. I just hit it hard like I've been exercising everyday for my entire life... but I haven't actually been doing that and that's why I'm so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, sososossosooooosoosoososososoosoooooosSSSSOOOOOOOOOssssoosoososoOSsoooooosososo, so sore! But I don't mind. In fact, I love it. I've been doing aerobics at my friend's (see Fabulous #1 above) ward where she teaches and it's been very fun and very free. Plus I'm going to start running again on Monday. I'm so excited to RUN! I can hardly believe it, but I actually LOVE running and am SO looking forward to it!

3- Pretend dinner dates with friends are fun!

4- Cadbury Mini Eggs. I love these little babies. I could eat five-hundred and forty-two in one sitting. I also like to exaggerate... but I do love these Easter treats! Despite my desperate love affair, I've only bought one bag this year. Go me.

5- My little Mac man is such a good boy. We had a few extremely rocky spots today and we (both he and I) pulled through like champions! Hooray for learning/teaching opportunities! I have high hopes for and tons of faith in this child of mine.

Proverbs a la MacElla

I once got an email that said this:

"An elementary school teacher gave each child in her class the first half of a well-known proverb and asked them to come up with the remainder of the proverb."

They were funny, but I wondered if they were real. I think the email I got said they were six year olds. I thought I'd try it out on my 8 year old Mac and my 6 year old Ella and see what they finished off these proverbs with. Enjoy...


M- Better safe than... sorry.
E- Better safe than... than you get better than sick.
The original proverb: Better to be safe than sorry!

M-Strike while the... lion pounces.
E- Strike while the... tiger runs.
The original proverb: Strike while the iron is hot!

M- It's always darkest before the... light.
E- It's always darkest before the... night falls.
The original proverb: It is always darkest before the dawn.

M- A rolling stone... falls down.
E- A rolling stone... goes falling into the river.
The original proverb: A rolling stone gathers no moss.

M- A bird in the hand is... nesting.
E- A bird in the hand is... pecking you.
The original proverb: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

M- There's nothing to fear but... spiders.
E- There's nothing to fear but... lions.
The original proverb: There's nothing to fear but fear itself.

M- If you can't stand the heat then... get out of the sun.
E- If you can't stand the heat then... go in a pool.
The original proverb: If you can't stand the heat, then get out of the kitchen.

M- The squeaky wheel gets... repaired.
E- The squeaky wheel gets... a very flat tire.
The original proverb: The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

M- To err is human... but to never make a mistake is mortal.
E- To err is human... floats up.
The original proverb: To err is human, to forgive is divine.

M- I think therefore... I die.
E- I think therefore... bats around.
The original proverb: I think, therefore, I am.

M- Early to bed and early to rise makes... sunset and sunrise.
E- Early to bed and early to rise makes... something very sleepy.
The original proverb: Early to bed and early to rise makes and man healthy, wealthy and wise.

M- A journey of a thousand miles begins with... one mile.
E- A journey of a thousand miles begins with... after you like something.
The original proverb: A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

M- There is nothing new... but you.
E- There is nothing new... instead of a new monkey in a cage.
The original proverb: There is nothing new under the sun.

M- The grass is always greener... on the other side.
E- The grass is always greener... because of the sun and water.
The original proverb: The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

M- Don't count your chickens...in numbers but in groups.
E- Don't count your chickens... because they might not like you.
The original proverb: Don't count your chickens before they are hatched.

M- You can lead a horse to water, but... not land.
E- You can lead a horse to water, but... don't let it fly.
The original proverb: You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.

M- Don't bite the hand that... feeds you.
E- Don't bite the hand that... is a very skinny one.
The original proverb: Don't bite the hand that feeds you

M- No news is... nothing.
E- No news is... something of good people.
The original proverb: No news is good news.

M- A miss is as good as... a catch.
E- A miss is as good as... possible.
The original proverb: A miss is as good as a mile.

M- You can't teach an old dog new... tricks.
E-You can't teach an old dog new...dances.
The original proverb: You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

M- If you lie down with dogs, you'll... get slobbery.
E- If you lie down with dogs, you'll... like them because they lick you and give you kisses.
The original proverb: If you lie down with dogs, you'll rise with fleas

M- The pen is mightier than... the pencil.
E- The pen is mightier than... ink.
The original proverb: The pen is mightier than the sword.

M- Where there's smoke there's... fire.
E- Where there's smoke there's... gas.
The original proverb: Where there's smoke there's fire.

M- Happy the bride who... dances with you.
E- Happy the bride who... dances with a prince.
The original proverb: Happy the bride who the sun shines on.


M- A penny saved is... mighty.
E- A penny saved is... a lot of money.
The original proverb: A penny saved is a penny earned.

M- Two's company, three's... a gang.
E- Two's company, three's... having fun.
The original proverb: Two's company, three's a crowd.

M- Don't putt off til tomorrow what you... get.
E- Don't putt off til tomorrow what... want til you don't get it.
The original proverb: Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

M- Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and... the universe cries with you.
E- Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and... the world cries with you and the universe spins.
The original proverb: Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone.

M- Children should be seen and not... heard.
E- Children should be seen and not... hidden.
The original proverb: Children should be seen and not heard.

M- If at first you don't succeed... keep going.
E- If at first you don't succeed... you may have to sleep.
The original proverb: If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

M- you get out of something what you... get in.
E- You get out of something what you... notice that you're still in the same spot.
The original proverb: You get out of something what you put into it.

Happy Birthday Mac!

(Just pretend I published this on Tuesday, July 15th! I actually started it that day, but didn't have time to finish it ON his actual birthday!)

McKinley Eirik was born eight years ago yesterday (July 15th)! Do you know how old that makes me feel? In some ways it seems like he was just a little boy last week and in other ways it feels like he's been here my whole life. I love him so much!

So, here's a little tribute in pictures to the kid with the sweetest, biggest, most intense heart on the planet.

Newborn Mac. He was intense even as a newborn.

He has always had such stunning eyes! He was about three months old here.

The Cutie Pie at about 5 months old.

This is mom and Mac when he was about 13 months old. He used to be quite blond!

Two years old wearing grandpa's hat!

Two and a half years old. He fixed the dinosaurs so the little ones overpowered the big one. Mac knew the principle of strength in numbers at a young age!

Mac, at three years old, found my mascara and thought it was war paint or something... I tried to be mad, but he was just so darned cute! (this kid's gonna break hearts with those beautiful eyes!!!)

Three years old.

Four years old with Daddy's motorcycle goggles on his head!

Coppin' a little attitude at five years old.

Six years old.

One of MANY self-portraits Mac took! (seven years old)

Last week at his early birthday celebration! What a goofball!


I love you, Mac. I am so glad you chose to be in our family! You are so strong and so tender all at the same time. I love the inquisitive mind you have. I love your sweetness and I love your tenacity. You are amazing and you will do incredible things in this world. I am so proud to be your mother and I pray that I can do the job to the level that you deserve. You're awesome, buddy!
Love, Mom

Bye Bye Crazy Hair!

So, Mac was thinking he wanted to grow his hair out... I was not so thrilled with this notion as I like his hair short (it shows off his incredible eyes)... but you know, pick your battles!!! Then the other night just before bedtime I was playing with his hair and asked if he wanted a hair cut. He said yes! So, I seized the moment and we went and did it right then!


I took this as a before shot....














Then Dust had the camera while I was buzzing... (hence the blurriness - I love you, honey!!!)





Fresh out of the shower... look at those beautiful eyes! I realized I am biased, being the child's mother, but he really has gorgeous blue eyes.

Crazy Hair Day!!

Wow! So, I'm trying to load my first video ever! How exciting! The kids had "Crazy Hair Day" at school. I did Mac's in a mowhawk of ponytails! He wanted to wear it that way the next day too. I told him, um, no. This was pretty fun though. Sadly, I only got the "leftover hair" after the rubber bands came out. You get the idea though....
I've got a video of Ella and Roh, but I'm going to try to load it in another post. It doesn't seem to want to load in this one!

Tag Kids!

So... I've been working on this blog for days and days. I wanted to get the kids to answer for themselves (with the exception of Rohan) and I succeed with Mac. Ella told me some things and then freaked out when I told her that people were going to read it! She's so cute...
Anyway here it is...

Mac, Ella, and Rohan got tagged by their friends Ellie and Dayton with "10 Things You May or May Not Know About Me".
Whew! Here goes....

Rohan:
1- There is, at this point in my young life, not one vegetable my mom found that I will eat - at least on a regular basis! I will have one pea occasionally or one bite of a crunchy carrot... and when I say occasionally this is MAYBE a once every two or three months kind of occasion! I mostly will not eat fruit either. Perhaps a nibble of a orange or strawberry occasionally, but that's it, baby!
2- I love to build Legos with my mom! (see previous post)
3- All my mom's kids have one comfort thing that hangs on from babyhood. Mine is hair. I love to play with hair, especially when I am tired. When I was a baby and my mom was trying (in vain, mostly) to get me to sleep in my crib, she would stick a lock of her hair (which was long at that point) through the bars of the crib and I would play with that until I went to sleep. Since my mom cut her hair very short, I tend to play with my own hair more. It makes mom kinda sad that I don't play with her hair much now.
4- I have perfectionist tendencies. I have to do things in just the right order or way. If I don't, I do them over again and again until they are just right. For example: We have a van. When I was a little younger, I had to get out of the van in just the right way. I would climb out of my chair by myself, (no, MOM, Roh Roh do it!!!!) and then I would hold out my hand til mom gave me her finger... not her whole hand and not just any finger.... her pointer finger. Then, with my other hand I would hold on to this bolt that sticks out of the sliding door of the van. THEN, I would STEP down out of the van. Not jump... not climb... but STEP! This was a LARGE step for my little body. It would be like an adult trying to "step" off of a four foot high wall. If the step didn't feel just right, I would climb back in and do it all over again. Most days my mom tries to humor me in my antics, but when she's in a hurry and she makes me do things her way (fast), I get very upset and throw a huge fit... to which mom says, "Sorry, dude! We're in a hurry today and you gotta do it Mom's way!"
5- When I was a mere 16 months old, I would watch THE WHOLE movie of The Karate Kid. Not just once, but over and over for months at a time.
6- I am SOOOO cute! My brother, sister, Mom and Dad always want to eat me up cuz I'm so cute!!!
7- I am a concerned little guy. If someone even says the word "Ouch", I immediately ask, "You okay?"
8- I don't yet know how to fall asleep without my mom or my dad laying by me. I used to... until the day I refused to sleep in a crib (15 months old). To get me to STAY in my bed, mom and dad started to lay by me and they haven't had the gumption to figure out how to stop!
9- I talk in my sleep and my mom thinks it's so cute.
10- I learned to walk at 8.75 months! And I learned to pedal and steer a bike just before my second birthday!

Ella:
1- I am a sunshine kinda girl! I am sweet and loving and sprinkle joy wherever I go!
2- I was an angelic baby. (and still am angelic...) I slept through the night at six weeks old. Not just any old six hour or eight hour kind of sleeping through the night... My mom would put me to bed at 7 o'clock p.m. and I wouldn't STIR until 7 o'clock a.m.!!! Mom thought she had died and gone to heaven... oh wait... she was still waking up with MAC a few times a night. (he didn't sleep through the night until he was three years old!)
3- I, like both my brothers, have my little "vice" that has hung on from babyhood. Mine is my DiDi. DiDi is a special blanket that I love to "suck". I actually put my thumb in my mouth (but strangely, do not suck my thumb... it just sits in my mouth) while I pull the satin edge of my now tattered blanket through my fingers and rub it on my cheek.
4- I love to play Legos with my mom.
5- I am a really good little singer. I have great pitch for a 5 year old!
6- I am extremely tall for my age. I always have been! When Mac went to first grade, the teacher was trying to find a seat for me cuz she thought I was in her class!! My mom told her that I was only 4 years old and the teacher couldn't believe it! I was taller than half the kids in the class!!
7- I walked at 8.5 months! I crawled for only two weeks before that (at 8 months!). I learned to ride a bike with no training wheels last summer!! YAY!!!!
8- I love to listen to most all music, and almost anytime music is on I run and put on a dress so I can dance properly!! I mostly love to listen to "girl songs" (anything sung by a girl) but I also really like Journey. My favorite Journey songs are "Any Way You Want It" and "Separate Ways"!
9- My favorite colors are pink and purple. I am definitely a girl... I love to play with Barbies and baby dolls and My Little Ponies. I also love to read Little House on the Prairie books with my mom.
10- My mom and dad picked my name before mom was even pregnant with me. When they found out they were having a baby, they told both of my grandmas that if I was a girl they were going to name me Ella. They found out then that Ella is the name of my Grandma Nene's Grandma, and my Grandpa Roger's Grandma too! So I'm named after a great-great grandma on both mom's and dad's sides!


Mac:
1- My real name is McKinley. My name has quite a heritage. It was my great-great grandfather's name, as well as my great-great uncle, and my uncle, and now me! My great-great Grandpa McKinley (he went by Mac too!) was born on the day President William McKinley was shot. My Grandpa Mac's parents were friends with the President and his wife, and so they named their baby William McKinley after their friend and President. Cool, huh!?
2- I REALLY, REALLY love video games. All kinds... little computer games, Wii games, PS2 games, Game Cube... I think they're all great and sometimes that's all I think about!
3- I love to build Legos with my mom. And I love cameras and playing soccer!
4- I learned to walk at 9.5 months and learned to ride a bike with no training wheels when I was still 3 years old! (a few months from 4)
5- When I was a baby, my big vice was my binkie! I LOVED my binkie, and I still tell my mom that I miss it even though I'm almost 8 years old!!!
6- I'm curious about everything! I like to get books at the library that tell me about different things! I don't like school, but I do like to learn new things.
7- I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE horses! I have loved horses since I was a tiny boy. They are my "thing". I have LOTS of toy horses, but not a real one. I want one though.
8- When I was about 2 years old, my mom and I were mad at each other. I got my face all scrunched up and as angry as a two year old can say something, I said, "You want piece of ME?!!!" I was only two!!! My mom couldn't believe that her little two year old would ask that, and it made her laugh to herself! This has pretty much been my motto for my life. I a feisty kind of guy... but equally sweet!
9- I am a very hard worker. I love to work with my dad or grandpa or grandma outside. I also love to help my Grandpa Brayt with projects. One time they had to replace the floor in their bathroom and I carried every piece of board to the garbage pile! Grandpa cut them into small enough pieces for me to carry by my two-year-old self!
10- I love the outdoors, I love to Rollerblade (and I'm really good at it... I can even take jumps!), I love my family, I love to go camping, I am a picky eater, and I have a huge heart that is so sweet and big!!!

And all three of them say, "My mom can hardly believe she is so lucky to have me!!!" ;)


Wow!!! I think I'm finally done with this!!! I think we will tag our friends Keller, Emma and Angela, as well as Hazel, Lilie, and Elsie! Oh... and Mac requested that we tag Gramma Nene!! :) (She's a kid at heart...heck, we gave her a giant teeter-totter for Christmas!)

And the Floodgates Have Opened!

Okay... (deep breath)... I know I should expect this. I knew it would come someday. But now that it is nearly upon me I am panicking!

Mac was sitting on the floor of the living room. I can't remember what we were talking about, but all conversation was casual and comfortable. Out of the blue, I heard Mac quietly say, "I think that Mom is Santa Claus too." His little sister was sitting right there in the same room with us, and I couldn't help but shoot him a look that said 'Put a lid on it!!!'. I didn't outright acknowledge what he said, but I'm thinking my look said it all. "Don't tell your sister what you're sharp little brain has figured out correctly!" was, in essence, what I said with that one brief look.

The tooth fairy revelation has now made him question everything. The floodgates are open in the mind of my seven and a half year old. He's no dummy, and I thought this would happen after I told him who the stinkin' tooth fairy was. I am trying to decide if I should tell him, 'No, I'm not Santa Claus.' (It's Dustin who makes the money to buy all the presents Santa brings!) It feels more magical for me to have them believe.

Or should I tell him and hope he won't tell my sweet Ella? Should I just hope he'll give her a few more years of Santa Magic? I don't know what to do! Input would be appreciated!!!

You wanna know the weirdest part? When I first gave birth to this precious boy, I didn't want to have Santa visit our house. I planned to tell the story of Nicholas and tell what Santa represents, and then let them know that we would be acting the part of Nicholas on Christmas Eve. I didn't want to lie to my kids. Well, I tried that when Mac was young. He believed anyway. He believed in Santa without my telling him a bit of a lie. I told him what would be happening and he still thought it was someone else coming and bringing gifts. It was a crazy thing, and so I went with it. Now that it's all coming full circle, I'm the one upset that I might have to have him NOT believe!

Ahh... the mess we get ourselves in to when we don't tell the truth!

Holy Missing Teeth, Batman!

So, the tooth fairy strikes again... or doesn't. It's pretty sad that Mac knows about the tooth fairy now.

It wasn't but a few days after front tooth #1 came out that front tooth #2 was torn from my son's smile! His tooth was kinda dangley, definitely snaggley where just days before it was barely loose. Weird.

Anyway, I offered to pull it for him that night. (I was trying to be brave. It somehow bothered me that his teacher was tough enough to pull his tooth, but I was squeamish.) He must sense fear because he would have none of it from Mom. He just said, "Naa, I'll just have my teacher pull it out tomorrow."

Needless to say, he came home from school with no front teeth, and a gappy smile from ear to ear! He said this one took the teacher 3 tries to pull, and he cried a little. The root was tougher I guess...

Anyway... later he brought his tooth to me in a bag and, in a sing-song voice, said, "Oh TOOOOOTH FAIRRRRRYYYYYYY!!!! Can I have my dollar?"

The little stinker now makes demands of his tooth fairy! :)

The Tooth Fairy is an Idiot!

So... We all enjoyed the exciting news that Mac lost one of his front teeth. As he was going to bed that night, he asked me (as he has several times before) who the tooth fairy is. I always respond with, "Who do you think the tooth fairy is?" That night was no exception, and he promptly said, "You."
To which I just hmmmmmmmed. He kept saying all of this in the presence of his little sister, who doesn't question such things yet. I was trying to pass him the hint to ask me when she wasn't around but it wasn't getting through.
I finally knelt down next to his bed and, whispering, asked him if he really wanted to know who the tooth fairy was. He said yes and I whispered, "It is me." His sweet face was a mixture of triumph and let down. Strangely, he sort of giggled and said, "I thought you were going to say it was Aunt Bronwyn!" (who is MY aunt.... weird, no?)

I was up dipping until VERY late that night. Off and on I kept remembering that I needed to go get his tooth and exchange it for a dollar. I finally thought, "I'd better do it now so that I don't forget!" and I went and got the tooth. I didn't have a dollar on me and didn't want to go upstairs just yet, so I set it on the stairs to remind me when I went to bed. (It was in a bag... not just a lone tooth!) I know that YOU know where this is going... I FORGOT!!! I went to bed without putting the dollar under his little pillow!

I woke up in the morning to Mac telling me that the tooth fairy (who he now knows is his MOTHER) forgot to come! He said this with a dollar bill in his hand. I asked him where the dollar came from and he said, "Ella felt bad, so she gave me her dollar that she got from her last tooth that she lost."

Say it with me now.... I-D-I-O-T! I felt so dumb! I guess I was glad that he knew it was me so that his dreams weren't crushed... I could just say how sorry I was and tell him to reach into the pocket of my pants (that were on the floor) and pull out his own tooth-fairy-payoff!

And it comes as no surprise that he told his little sister all about who the tooth fairy is who forgot to do her job!!! But, just between you and I.... I don't think she believes him! ;)

Chiclets Descending!

There was a little girl I taught in Sunday School who referred to her brand-new-oversized-for-her-seven-year-old-face two front teeth as "Chiclets". You know how kids' front teeth look all big and square and white... and too big for their mouth until they grow into them? I thought it was a hilarious description, and it stuck in my mind...

Anyway, Mac's big "chiclets" are on their way! He came home from school today thrilled with a new hole in his smile! He lost the first of his two front teeth! And he informed me that his "expert tooth-pulling teacher, who is a girl" pulled his tooth! He said, "She washed her hands, got a paper towel, grabbed my tooth and YANKED! Then it bled everywhere!" All this was said with his extra huge grin, and trademark smiling eyes! He's so cute!

So, the tooth fairy will, likely, be visiting our house tonight!

Seven Year Old Bible Stories...

Today in Mac and Ella's primary, the gal doing the sharing time lesson was describing different stories from the scriptures. She was giving hints, and the kids were supposed guess what the story was. This particular story she was saying things like: "There were 10 men who were really sick. No one wanted to be around them. Jesus healed them and they all left. Only ONE came back to say 'Thank you'.

Mac was excitedly raising his hand. The teacher called on him and asked if he knew what the story was.

He, enthusiastically, said, "Yes! It's the story of the ten leprechauns!"

Everybody in the room burst into laughter as he was torn between laughing himself silly and utter embarrassment!

I am a proud Mamma of a precious little boy who really knows his Bible stories, but suffered from a moment of cuteness!!! I love my kids! :)