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!

Yesterday was one of those really long days. You know--it's 8:00 at night and I'm still helping one practice spelling, cleaning up dinner, baking bread, making a pie for Eva's YW the next day, practicing, ..... In the middle of everything...

Ivy calls out, "MOOOOOOMMM, Nathan wrote on his dresser with a maaaaaaarrrrrrrrkerrrr!"

I just sighed and said to Ethan, "Please go get the marker." I didn't have the energy to do that much more at the time and I was really busy. He cheerfully went to collect it saying, "Don't worry Mom. I'll just paint that dresser for you!"

Right. I feel better now. Because that sounds like a great idea--the 10 year old painting the furniture!

On second thought, maybe it would be a good Saturday OUTSIDE project for him!!

I also love this morning's conversation. I had run almost 6 miles at the gym and came home with just an hour to get all four kids dressed, fed, lunches packed, etc and be at the school for choir practice. Everything was going great and I really needed a shower so I gave everyone an assignment. Eva's was to tell Ivy that she could get dressed in the next 5 minutes and come upstairs that her lunch would be packed for her. (Eva was upset about that until I told her it was already packed anyway.) She was then to direct Ivy to her breakfast and finish her own lunch. Ethan was supposed to help Nathan get his wet bedding into the washer and help him pack his bag. Eva immediately complains, "Why do IIII have to do that?" I just looked at her and then got in the shower. 30 seconds later I hear Ethan call down to Ivy and Eva yell at him, "That's MY JOB!"

The Law of the Vomit

IF the child downstairs with no toilet makes it all the way upstairs to the toilet--twice--then the child next door to the toilet cannot.

The child who initially cannot get to the toilet must stop immediately and finish wherever he/she is standing, particularly if he/she is standing on carpet.

If the child's room was JUST cleaned and all laundry picked up, garbage thrown away, etc. then that would be the perfect time for a vomit accident. The ideal target is the carpet.

Wait for it.... Wait for it........ The perfect time is when the stomach is full because a dinner was served that was appreciated by everyone (i.e. pizza and cookies). Remember--patience is a virtue!

If there is a clear and present target and the belly is full you can have the perfect storm!

If there are targets on the floor protecting the carpet (i.e. rug that could be put in an AUTOMATIC washer, towel, etc.) these must always be avoided.

In the event all targets cannot be avoided aim for the smallest one. (Thank you elementary school handbook for protecting your little square!)

When possible, splatter is nice.

Splatter is particularly effective in the little crevices on baseboards. Also nice on the furniture. This would be perfect if dresser drawers are left open a bit (thankfully ours were closed!)

Uncertainty is desirable. It is best to always leave the individual cleaning up the vomit wondering if all splatter spots have been found and cleaned up.

All action should take place between 11:00 PM and 3:30 AM. This is for two reasons: (1) All the toilet "cheerleaders" are MIA. You know--the people who yell, "RUN to the bathroom! DON'T stop! GO GO GO GO!!" (2) Vomit incidents must cause disruption--getting people out of bed is perfect!

Greatness means the need for more cleaning tools, chemicals, etc. To be superior a carpet cleaner or rental of some sort will be required in addition to the obligatory air freshener, rags, towels, soap, water, etc.

Persistence pays. Regarding the downstairs child, the third time is the charm!! (Vince woke up and I read him this post and he informed me that I slept through the one he cleaned up)

Always remember: "Any job worth doing is worth doing well!"

Congratulations Eva!!

Once a month our school district gives a school an opportunity to recognize one student, parent, and teacher at the board meeting. Our elementary school's opportunity was this Tuesday and Eva was recognized as the outstanding student. The principal and superintendent read great things about her (some quotes from her teachers) and presented her with a great certificate, bookmark, and a $20 gift certificate to the local bookstore. We were very proud of her!!! It was a little embarrassing for me because the principal chose to recognize me as the parent volunteer and I prefer being the proud parent. Go Eva!!

Reason #334 Why I Love Adult Conversation

We're driving to school and Nathan is putting his shoes and socks on in the car (because after I located a match of socks out of the basket of clean stuff I haven't folded we had no time to put them on) and says "I dropped my sock!"

I stop the car, pull over, reach back and hand him his sock.
Nathan: "Why did we stop?"
Me: "So I could get your sock."
Nathan: "But WHY did we stop?"
Me: "Because I couldn't get your sock without stopping the car--it wouldn't be safe."
Nathan: "Mom. Why did WE stop?"
Me: "We stopped so you would have a sock."
Nathan: "OK so why did we stop the CAR?"
Me (voice raised a bit): "Nathan. Why did we stop the car? So I could hand you your sock that fell on the floor!!!"
Nathan: "Oh."

Halloween

Halloween is fun and I'm glad it's over!

Eva wore her poodle skirt, Ethan was a pirate one night and a vampire the next, Nathan was batman and Ivy was a witch. We recycled old costumes this year and that was nice. Between last Tuesday and Saturday Eva had 6 parties! Crazy! We all had a family party at the school on Wednesday--it was a great time! All four kids were invited to a party on Thursday at the neighbor's and Eva had 3 others (One was with the Utah Symphony which she got to see for free!). Poor Ethan didn't get to go trick-or-treating because he had a fever (Vince was sick too) but Nathan and Ivy came through for him. Eva took them trick-or-treating for a while and then I took them a few places. I cannot believe how much candy is in our house! My favorite stop that night was when a man answered the door and while looking over his shoulder the whole time, dumped handfuls of candy in their buckets, saying "I don't want to do this all night. Just take this. And this. GO! Quick, Run! Go!" The door then shut quickly. He hardly looked at them he was so distracted by someone seeing/noticing what he was doing. Hilarious!

I had a good time taking Ivy and Nathan trick-or-treating. I drove them around town to a few places I knew. They went to a haunted house by their aunt's house and I was a little nervous because I could hear them screaming and I was afraid they would be freaked out. Nathan got to the car looking pensive, and said to me, "That was fun! I want to go again!" Ivy looked nervous until he said that and then said she had fun too. After a while they got in the car and said they were ready to go home and asked if they were sure. They looked at me and said, "Can we go again?" I said, "Sure!" A few minutes later they got in the car and Nathan said, "My legs hurt. I'm done." Ivy agreed so I said I would take them home. A minute later I said, "What about that house?" and they became very excited "YES! We want to go there! Thanks mom!" This went on for quite a while. I got a kick out of it. It reminded me of when I once took just Eva and Ethan trick-or-treating when Ivy was little. It was really fun to spend time with just Ivy and Nathan.

I was pondering the other day about how excited I was to have a couple of pumpkins the kids brought home from school to decorate our house with. It seemed so homey and festive to put them out. I was thinking about it because I was so GLAD to throw them out finally! How odd that something so sweet so quickly becomes annoying clutter! This is probably why I have no Thanksgiving decorations. Then I will be ready to think Christmas decorations will be fun!