Scouts

I really love the scouting program!

I love that it teaches "man skills."

I love that it encourages goal setting, and pushes boys to reach higher.

I love the great scout leaders we have had who are mentors and influences for good in the lives of the  young men they lead.

Caleb is raising money so he can attend the national Boy Scout Jamboree in 2017.  He spent many hours going door to door, selling flag subscriptions.  Sometimes Jonah helped him.  Is that the cutest little helper you've ever seen???

So now every national holiday, Jeff or I get to drive him around in the morning to set up flags, and then again in the evening to take them down.

Every time I go with Caleb, I watch him do his job and think about how much I love scouts.  Caleb is a really, really good kid.  He is growing up to be confident, trustworthy and capable.  We owe a lot of that to scouts.

I hope that his little brothers will follow in his footsteps, and let the skills and values taught in the scouting program influence their lives as well.  Jonah is off to a good start! ;)

Simon's first (lost) tooth

This happened this month:

And Simon couldn't be happier!  He didn't want anyone to yank it out prematurely, so it dangled by a thread for the longest time.  When it finally came out he was pleased as punch.  He was super excited to put it under his pillow that night for the tooth fairy to bring him "a prize."

So I was surprised and confused when he came out about a half hour after being tucked into bed.  His eyes were red, and he had obviously been crying.  I put him on my lap and asked what was the matter.  He whispered his answer in my ear:

"What happens if you want to keep your tooth, but you really want the prize too?"

It melted my heart.  Simon is usually such a tough guy, with some serious bargaining skills!  I told him I thought the tooth fairy would totally understand.  We composed a note for her, signed by Simon.

It all turned out just as he hoped.  The next morning he found a dollar under his pillow, right next to that beautiful tooth.

Feeling good

I just told Eli "I don't feel very good today buddy." He said "let me see," and started rubbing his hands all over my skin. "You DO feel pretty good mom! It's nice and soft!"

How Do I Ignore Thee?

Let me count the ways, dear Mother...

1.  Say "Sure Mom!"  Then proceed to forget the assigned task, with the most pleasant attitude possible.

2.  Roll my eyes, and go to sleep.  Never to mention the task again.

3. Argue until someone bigger and stronger steps in and puts his foot firmly down.

4. Accomplish one small part of the task, then tell thee it is completed.  Repeat ad nauseum.

5.  Giggle and play cheerfully, never having any idea that a task was assigned.

6. Try to negotiate a contract which results in payment for said task.

7. Yell "NO!" and wait to be put in time out.

I'll let you decide which behavior belongs with which child.  They all result in a whole lot of extra work for Mother Dear!

A high and a low

This morning was a super productive one.  I cleaned and organized the pantry/ laundry room, which was a fairly major undertaking.  For a brief moment as I stood back and surveyed my work, I felt "on top of things."  That HARDLY EVER happens in my life, I tell ya!

It was short lived though.  I gathered up the last pile of folded laundry, and headed to the hall closet to put away the clean smelling, freshly folded pillowcases.  When I opened the closet, a wadded up blanket came tumbling out at my feet.  I noticed another wadded up blanket that had dried grass still on it.  The place where the pillowcases belong was occupied by a tablecloth. (Tablecloths don't belong in that closet at all.)

I knew I should dive in and organize the closet, but I just wasn't up to it.   As I shoved everything haphazardly back in the closet and closed the door, I may or may not have said out loud

"If you can't beat 'em, join 'em."

Dad's unusual ability

Eli had another nightmare a few nights ago.

He came out early in the morning, full of animation, telling me all about the spiders in his room last night.  Luckily, his dad saved the day!  Dad was trapping all the spiders.

The funny part was that Eli says his "T" sound as a hard "C" sound.  So all day, he was excitedly telling everyone "My dad was CRAPPING SPIDERS!!"

He got pretty good reactions from everyone he told the story to.

Quote of the day

From Caleb - age 14

"Girls are just weird. I'd much rather eat food."


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