FYI- From my Mom

In regard to my "Random Things" #22, my mom had something to say about it. I need to just view my clumsiness like my mom...

I'M NOT CLUMSY!! I think I just have a very fast mind, I picture myself already there and so I run into corners and curbs and door frames and a few others. I can however do very tricky and athletic moves i.e. racquetball, volleyball, golf, minor gymnastics, and other tricky things. Just setting the record straight. It's actually libel when you print mean and untrue stuff about old people.

I think that my mom was super tricky when she bounced the chicken off of her face! I love my tricky mom.

Hooked on Phonics

Well it is official, Jag has created a language of his own. He officially speaks "Phonics." I know, you may be thinking that he reads phonics...no, no, no...speaks phonics. He has been learning to read and is actually quite good for his age. He can read most of the regular phonetic 3 letter words. He can sound out with the best of them. Jag has taken phonics one step further...to a language all its own. This is how conversations with Jag go now days: (Read the italics phonetically to get the full effect.)

Jag: Mom, can I have the "bu and ter" please?
Me: Yes, Jag, here is the butter.
Jag: I'd like some "mi and lk" in my "c and up" too.

It goes on and on. This was just a small sampling of our dinner conversation. He is always speaking phonics.

Gotta lo and ve him!

25 Random Things

My friend, Brooke, posted 25 Random Things about herself on her blog. I was pleased to find that I already knew a lot of them.

So here is my list. You can see how many of them you did/didn't know about me:

1. I love to dance. Clogging in the kitchen with the boys is great fun.

2. I am a fan of KLOVE radio--Christian Rock, Rocks!

3. I got my teaching degree and taught for 5 years before the boys, now I teach everyday for less pay.

4. I hate being cold. I also dislike being hot. I prefer Hawaii's temperature.

5. I am not a very good speller, but I use a dictionary and spell check.

6. I don't like my hazel eyes. I've always wanted a color that could be found in a crayon box.

7. I've had the song "Turkey In the Straw" stuck in my head for a week now! I taught Davis a State/Capital song to that tune. Really annoying when you are up at 3AM and can't stop thinking about it.

8. I hate quiet when I am alone at home (alone means without Darin, and the boys are asleep). I will turn on the TV just to have background noise.

9. I love quiet during the daily "rest time."

10. I bake 3 loaves of bread each week.

11. I eat toast for breakfast almost every day.

12. I am crazy about the little things. Lightswitches all going in the same direction, fringe on rugs, vacuum lines in carpet, TP rolls rolling the right way, etc. Acutally, I could go on and on.

13. I am only crazy about the above things in my own home, other people can do as they wish. I will however, switch a TP roll for someone.

14. I love to find good deals. I have 3 turkeys in my fridge right now...$4 a piece can't beat that.

15. I don't like to shop.

16. I like to get up early and get things done. I also like to stay up late. I don't do so well in the afternoon.

17. I love making finger puppets or little "scenes" like Noah's Ark with felt (this is often done late at night).

18. I am a low tech kind of gal. I have had to ask my sister to explain ipods, my digital camera, computer "burning" to me.

19. I make soup about once a week, even in the Tucson summer.

20. Frosted Flakes are my favorite late night snack.

21. I love wearing crazy/wild tights to church (other places too, if I ever went other places).

22. I am kind of clumsy, got it from my mom.

23. I have a lot of hair and it is usually long because if it is short--Hello Triangle Head-- also, too lazy to upkeep much.

24. I love to cook, especially treats.

25. I like to sit, with my chair, in a sunny window and read.

Never Underestimate A Mother's Influence

Saturday was our Family Movie Night and we were talking about the possible movie choices. I got 2 new movies for Christmas from Darin, West Side Story and Fiddler on the Roof. We decided that it was a West Side Story night. Boys will like the gang "fighting" and I will enjoy the rest. Davis pointed out that he loves Action/War movies and Musicals Best! That's my boy. I have worked hard to balance all the regular "boy" movies with my favorites. The boys have enjoyed Annie, Parent Trap (Haley Mills ROCKS), Sound of Music, Pollyanna, and Mary Poppins. Nothing brings me more joy than Noah singing "Maria..." and the boys dancing like the Jets (or Sharks), of course they are carrying light sabers and swords while doing it.

They Don't Deal With This In Books!

*Warning: The following post is gross...read at own risk.

I do have other boys. The other boys do get in trouble, but it is JAG that seems to stump my parenting wisdom. He is a gross boy right now, and I am hoping that it is a short lived phase that hits at 4 1/2. Everything about Jag is usually punctuated with a burp or a fart. Then to make it even better, he laughs hysterically (along with his brothers). He spends countless hours (exaggerated, possibly) in time-out but never learns. The pay-off of his worshiping brothers is too great. Lately, his grossest yet, has him putting boogers on Davis's picture frame every time he passes it. Why? "Naughty Nose's Go to Corners!" Yes, I punish that behavior by putting his nose in a corner, it was from the nose that came the naughty. Well, he has stood in the corner more than once. I still can't figure out the trigger to rid myself of this gross behavior.

* In his behalf, Jag is one of the most loving kids, and I find him very funny most of the time (probably part of the problem). He wants to be nice, but he is preparing himself to be the Kindergarten Comedian. Bless his teacher.

Christian's Inaugural Recap

Sweet Christian. Sometimes he just doesn't get things quite right. His dad was asking him what he did today, did he do anything different or was there anything historical (trying to get him to talk about the inauguration) only to have him remember that the best thing was making a marble track with his brother. After some more coaxing he finally said, "Oh, Obama is the 44th President."

This is Christian's summation of the inaugural events for his dad.
"Obama wants America to be free."

"Yo yo Ma played the best guitar."

"The Secret Service wore black coats. Then they sang the National Anthem. "
(The Secret Service Singers? How about the Navy Singers. Can't fault the poor kid, both wore black coats; must be the same people.)

When I asked Christian and Davis why this was an important inauguration and why so many people showed up to watch, Davis answered,
"Because Obama is the first black President."
Christian said, "Black? What does that mean?"
I said, "He is the first black American man to become President."
He replied, "Black? What does that mean?"
I said, "Black skin"
Christian then said again, "Black skin?"

I can't blame his education on the public school system now can I? Maybe it is time that I let them have a go with him. I should tell you that we had a similar (kind of) conversation about Pearl Harbor recently. It ended up with him telling me that the Japanese really gave it to the British. Why did the British go to Hawaii anyway? What about the German airplanes? He gets the facts, just sees them in a different way.

We love Christian, our History Buff! :)

Why Mom's need kids

Jag informed me that he knows why mom have to have kids..."To be their servants." Jag is right. I remember my mom explaining to me that she was tired of doing the dishes, so she and my dad decided to have me. Tired of taking out the trash...here comes Dustin. You don't have to be older than 4 to know the real reason as to why parents have kids.