Last week I made a dinner that two kids weren't thrilled with. Vince and I ended up being away for dinner and so that meant less than half the family had eaten said dinner and so the next night I served it again! Immediately the boys were protesting!! (It was ravioli) I thought I could put some Parmesan on it and pass it off as something they hadn't tasted yet but that made things worse. Nathan in particular was making excessive noise and driving me crazy: "Moooom, Eeeeeew, Why did you put that on it? Yuuuck! Nooooooot leeeeftooooveeeeeeers!" I started to get aggravated and then decided to try using my mommy talent: lying.

I said: "Nathan, don't you know what this white stuff is?"

He said, "NOOOO!" He clearly didn't want to know!

I said: "It's fairy dust."

He immediately stopped whining and crying and said, "What does it do?"

I told him: "Whatever food it touches tastes very yummy."

He said, "OH!" and immediately shut up and ate all his dinner and told me how wonderful it was!


In other miscellaneous news:

Ethan has grown up sooo much these last few months. He opens the door for me, wears his scout shirt to school on scout days, always has his books and things he needs ready, remembers to take his lunch to school, does his homework and practicing without being asked/reminded, ..... His scout leader talked to me last week about how well-behaved he is. Merry Christmas to me!

Ivy is Ivy. Today I went to pay money on her lunch account (she always forgets to make her lunch, runs out of time, etc.) The lunch lady asked what the name of the child was that I was paying money for and I told her Ivy Olcott. I just want to know: What does it mean that the lunch lady said, "I know Ivy! What a fun girl!" and then started giggling! I never know what the appropriate response as a mother is to this situation--this is definitely new territory to me. Do I ask "Why she remembers Ivy? What about Ivy makes her want to giggle?" Do I worry about Ivy doing inappropriate things that I don't know about? Or do I just giggle with the lunch lady and decide to be grateful that Ivy can make people giggle and smile any time of the year when they just remember her? That's actually what I did. Ivy's a good kid, but she does know how to have a good time. Her 1st and 2nd grade teachers describe her as "delightful". I finally asked a teacher what exactly that meant. She said "Fun!" It's true--Ivy knows how to have a good time!

Nathan is doing better--he is enjoying school a little more. Although this morning he went around the house proclaiming he couldn't go to school because he had the hiccups. He didn't have hiccups--he was walking around grunting at various intervals. First time a child of mine has tried to get out of school by faking hiccups!! He has started working with a private speech therapist! I am very excited about this, I think it will really make a difference for him. Hopefully the insurance will pay so we can continue to take him!!

Eva has been busy this holiday season! I scaled back my holiday obligations this year so it has been easier to get Eva to her things. She got paid this holiday season to play her violin with the community choir for a song--this is exciting because it is the first time she has been paid for performing!! She still teaches two piano students. One set of parents was so happy with what she has been able to teach their daughter that they gave her a Christmas bonus!!

But the biggest news this week

Drumroll please





Is that Vince will get paid for 40 hours a week now!!!!! We just found out yesterday and that will be quite a blessing! For the last three months we have had a 25% cut in salary which meant much bread baking, canning, sewing, cooking from scratch, etc. We feel fortunate that a loving Heavenly Father gave us this time with Dad at home because it really helped Nathan at school. We also know that we were watched over and provided for through family, friends, and anonymous benefactors! At one point the phone company called and said that they had discovered a mistake in their billing and that we had overpaid--they said they would extend us a credit and charge us correctly afterwards. The credit ended up being $160--not something that happens every day!!! We have been touched in the last three months by several selfless people who supported us and we are grateful!

A Good Report

I received the following email this week:

I need to praise you two for the great boys you are raising! Yesterday I was at the school hoop shoot to watch A. Both Ethan and his friend M were sitting by her waiting their turn. When A was called, they both wished her luck. As she was shooting they were cheering their hearts out for her. Groaning each time she hit the rim, yelling out words of encouragement, telling her she could do it. Then when A came back to sit down, hanging her head because she'd only made one basket. They both were right there to tell her she did great, and they both knew she tried her hardest, and that next year she'd do better, and they'd all practice together at recess the rest of the year so they'd all get better for the next try out.

I want to thank you both for teaching your boys how to be good friends, how to encourage and root for each other, and how to be good sports! It made A's struggle yesterday a lot easier for her to take, especially when she knew a couple of her friends still believed in her. So give your boys some extra praise from me. They sure deserve it!