Spiderman

Have I told you my nephew Noah is a spiderman nut? When he gets into trouble with his mommy and she scolds him, he will turn on her and shoot webs at her - just like Toby Maquire. This makes me giggle.

The Secret of the Sandal and the Sneaker

Jack registered for Kindergarten on Sunday. Having never been though this process as a parent, I thought it was going to be more involved. As it was, we just walked around the cafeteria from table to table and either picked up a paper or dropped one off. Then I paid his registration fee and we were done. It wasn't nearly as involved as I thought it was going to be.

Jack's kindergarten teacher is offering a 'jumpstart' class where the kids meet for an hour each evening one week. Jack has been very excited about starting Kindergarten but on Monday (his first day of Jumpstart) he turned very somber. I asked him if he felt OK. He didn't say anything. I asked him if he was sick. He didn't say anything. I asked him if he was nervous about jumpstart class and he looked away from me. Then he took a shaky breath and said "I'm just sad cuz I don't want to leave home." It was so hard not to laugh. He said it as if he were heading off for boot camp or college. I told him it was OK to be nervous but he gets to come home EVERY day. Then of course he had a great day at class that night.

Jack decided it was silly shoe day yesterday and wore a sneaker and a sandal all day. He wanted to wear them to school that way. Since he thought it was so funny, I let him do it. I tried to wear 2 different shoes. I couldn't do it. It felt too weird.

I was watching that!

I managed to convince John to sit with all 6 of the kids at the Friday night show of Lucky Duck. Just before I sent the group into the house I was trying to explain the RULES to the kids when John noticed Wy was missing. After a few frantic moments, one of us looked inside the theatre to find that he had just let himself in, walked all the way around the stage and took a seat in the front row. I think he and Jack sort of feel like this place is home. Anyway, Wy had a great time and watched most of the show but he just couldn't be still - he spent a good portion of the show standing behind John either standing on one of John's hands or unknowingly putting John in a headlock.

The boys and Jess rode home with John after the show. John decided to treat them all to a little french fry treat from the McDonalds. At some point John realized that Wy was asleep for a good while. He reached over and took a french fry from Wy's little sack of fries at which point Wy became hysterical yelling and crying "Daddy! You stole my friench fries!" This reminds me of when I was growing up and Dad would be asleep on the couch "watching" something like M*A*S*H. One of us girls would change the channel and Dad would pop up with "I was watching that!"

Mel sent me a shot of Noah asleep in the car.

Jess stuck her tongue to the shelf in the freezer just to see what would happen. No one accused her of being very bright when this situation was discussed at the dinner table.

John and I came home from running errands. Wy was right there at the door to greet us with "Happy Birfday, Mommy! Happy Birfday, Daddy!" and a plate of cookies he had made with Jack and Gammy while we were out.

John and I had gone out to pick up pull ups. (I know, we were supposed to be in big boy pants but this is an area that Wy isn't letting me be the boss of.) Anyway, the K-mart was out of Wy's standard Dragon Tale pull ups so I grabbed a box of Diego pull ups. I thought for sure Wy would like them. Oh, silly mommy. Gammy was helping Wy get dressed this morning and he blatantly refused to wear the Diego pants. Every time she told him we didn't have any other pants he pathetically cried "Gammy, you are teasing meeeee!"

John and I had also picked up some inexpensive Thomas shirt/pants combos for the boys. They were THRILLED. Wy kept yelling "Mommy! Daddy! Fank you for borrowing vese cwose for me!" He couldn't quite understand that we bought the clothes. Both Jack and Wy insisted on keeping the oversized tags that we pulled off the outfits. The boys insist the tags are Thomas Tickets - like we are going to go somewhere, present the ticket and get something. Jack slept with his Thomas Ticket last night. Who sleeps with the tags they pull off their clothes? MY CHILDREN - that's who.

Leo Marks

Yeah, yeah - I know I'm just one more person to talk about this poem after Chelsea and Mark brought it out into the light again, but it truly is beautiful.

The Life That I Have by Leo Marks
The life that I have is all that I have
And the life that I have is yours
The love that I have of the life that I have
Is yours and yours and yours.
A sleep I shall have, a rest I shall have
Yet death will be but a pause
For the peace of my years in the long green grass
Will be yours and yours and yours.


If you would like to learn more about Leo Marks (a really interesting fella) you will have to cut and paste this link as I have tried and tried and can't get the link to post...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Marks

I'm gonna get you!

I was getting dressed this morning when Wy came in and asked if he could sleep with me. I told him I was getting dressed but he could lay down in my bed. He said "Oh." and his little head dropped. He looked so sad that I scooped him up and said we could spend a few minutes cuddling. He gave me such a ferocious little hug - wow, it really made my day. We laid down and pulled up the covers, then John laid down to give us a hug, then Jack came in and asked if he could lay down with us too. So there we were having a big family cuddle when Jack kneeled up, said "Wyatt, I'm gonna get you." He leaned over and gave Wy a big long lick across the face. I'm telling you, it was like throwing the gauntlet. Wy was desperate to get Jack. Jack wanted to get me. Wy wanted to get John. The boys were calling "I'm gonna get you!" "I gotted you!" "No! Don't get me!" "Jack gotted me!!!"

I must admit I am the one who started the whole licking thing. I sometimes randomly lean in for a kiss and give a lick upside the head. It has become, I think, one of our family 'things'.

When I was a kid - I don't even remember how it started - we (Mom, Dad, my sisters)would hold hands and give 3 squeezes. The squeezes mean "I love you." We would do this in church or just whenever we wanted to send a silent message. I have passed this on to my menfolk but for our family it has grown to be 3 of anything means I love you; wink three times, blink three times, tap three times, the options are endless. It always makes me quietly happy when John or my sisters or my folks give my hand those three little squeezes, but when the boys do it, it really sends me over the edge of the happy hill.

K - done being mushy.
Love and blessigns!

Random stuff

I asked Connie and Devlyn to set the table last night and within 30 seconds they were fighting like cats. I made them stand facing each other and hold hands. Then I had them say to each other "Thank you for letting me help you. And thank you for helping me." Then I asked them to finish setting the table. Before I made it into the kitchen they were at it again. Instead of sending them to seperate corners, I made them sit down together with their arms around each other and holding hands. Connie did not like this option at all. Wow she looked like a p.o.'ed teenager. After a few minutes they were at it again and Connie was tattling that Devlyn wouldn't hold her hand. At first I told them they could have another minute added on to their time. Then I had them do 2 person volcanoes (Connie's right hand met Devlyn's left hand - they would raise their hands together and then 'explode' back down to hands together.) Then I told them that a hug is supposed to make you happy not mad. I also let them know that they could sit together hugging each other until they could feel love for each other. I looked in on them a minute later and sure enough they were having their own quiet lovey hug fest. Yay everyone!!!

John brought home a few cardboard tubes that are the delight of the children. The boys use them as tunnels for the trains. All the kids want to wear the tubes on their arms and pretend to be robots. Wy is the only one who can fit his legs into the tubes. I can't believe he actually put the tubes on long enough for me to get a picture of my little Wy-bot.

OK - I know this is a small picture - it was taken with my phone. Anyway, I took Wy to the theatre with me last Friday. He was a great help; he helped me check lights, sound, props, tell the actors what time it was...He even helped the drummer check his drums! He asked Wy if he wanted to drum. Wy didn't quite understand what to do until he was given a little demo. It took him a minute to warm up to the drums. At first I thought he didn't like the drums, but he loved them! He was simply taking his time checking out what sound each one made. He had a great time!

The boys and I stopped by the bank at the grocery store last week and they have this little pony - can you belive this ride is free? All the other little ponies, cars etc. want your money. This one just has a little button the kids can push and get a free ride!

Jack thought it was hysterical to keep pushing the button while Wy was on his ride. Of course Wy didn't want to get off until his ride was over - and thanks to Jack it started to seem like the ride that would never end...It just went on and on my friends. I finally had to put Jack in a bear hug to keep his hands off the button...

Peasant, do not bother me.

This is another one of those Rhinestone Cowgirl hats from our Lucky Duck gala a few weeks ago. I had a serious case of "spring fever need my day off in a real bad way" on Sunday. The only thing that eased the itch so to speak was to traipse around the theatre in this flambouyant hat. I have decided to keep it at my desk for those days when I need a little pick me up/tide me over - whatever. I think when I am wearing that hat and someone brings me a problem I will simply say "Peasant, do not bother me. I am busy with tea and crumpets."

This is John's Uncle Caleb. For the longest time I truly thought John's family just had some random bust and they had dubbed him Uncle Caleb. He is in all reality one of John's ancestors. Why is one of John's ancestors resting on a piece of tin foil on my kitchen counter when he usually resides on an end table in my living room? WELL - what had happened was... Seriously, the kids were playing downstairs and Connie decided to hide behind Uncle Caleb and his end table thus knocking him over. She somehow managed to catch him around the neck and save his upper portions but the base was broken into a bunch of pieces. John being the Master of All Things Needing Repair has pieced Uncle Caleb back together. We think Uncle Caleb will be relegated to a new location until the living room is a safe place to rest...

Sue & Steve sent this shell to Wy for his birthday. I honestly can't remember what it is called but it is a Sweedish toy I believe. You can nestle inside it and pretend to be a turtle - Wy's favorite method of playing with this thing. Or you can turn it over and sit inside it and rock or spin around. This option is of course everyone else's favorite method of play as it wreaks havoc on anyone within the reach of the players' legs (the kids will sit and spin, kicking anyone in their path...)

Jack is fond of playing baseball. He likes to toss or drop the ball and see 1. can he actually hit the ball and 2. how hard he can hit it if he can manage to make contact. I have had a few balls WHIZ past the side of my head which causes Jack no end of amusement. I on the other hand and nearly too terrified to step foot in the back yard.

OK - look how big and strong little Wy is getting. At first I started to freak out and tell him to sit down, but he was very much in control of the swing and himself and kids are kids afterall.