Look Who I Found

We had a visit from our good friend (my 5th son) Joe. I haven't seen him since we left Turkey almost 3 years ago. He came in from DC for a quick visit. Noah and I took him to see some of the local missions on Thursday.

The Alamo:

Mission Concepcion:
Mission San Jose:

It's Rhyme Time

Jag is rhyming a lot, must be a kindergarten thing. He comes home from school and talks only in rhymes. I am "Mom Dom" and Noah is "Noah Boa" and he is ... "Jag Fag." I tell him that he is Jag Bag or Jag Hag, but he keeps going back to his favorite. We were reading a book about a duck...yep, my little boy almost got a bottle of soap in his unknowing mouth as my ears burned at his rhyming language. I finally had to tell him that he isn't allowed to rhyme with duck. Thanks kindergarten, you've turned my sweet boy into a foul-mouthed rhyming 5year old.

Davis And The French Horn

Davis had a "chair test" on Friday. He had to play this note (listen to video). He was given First Chair as a result of his fabulous playing. Please enjoy this music that I get to listen to all the time!

Land of the Lost

Since sending the boys to school I have been struggling to feel productive. School has its advantages. We are a lot nicer to each other. We love the daily homecomings. There is more peace and less yelling. I enjoy every minute I spend with my boys. I will admit that I have had times in the past when I didn't enjoy every minute, in fact I wanted to run away several times.

School has its disadvantages too. (Now this is all about me.) My self esteem has taken a hit. I feel like I haven't been very productive. I can get everything I want done by 9AM, then what. Noah and I are lost without the boys home. But more so, I don't feel like I am.... (I don't even know what the word is.) I have been so busy, too busy, for so many years, that I am at a loss with too much time on my hands. I read, I feel guilty. I am on the computer, guilt. I feel like I need a job, but don't want one.

I only have 4 hours a day with only one boy, I never want him to leave.

Out Of My Space

Kids these days (especially teens and tweens) are very huggy. They love to greet people with a hug. Say good -bye with a hug. Invade personal space with a hug. You know the usual stuff.
We were trying to leave church when a little 11 yr. old girl from Davis' class ran over, "Davis" (followed by a long hug). Davis stood there irritated and then said, "Could you please let go of me?" As he rolls his eyes, she smiles her little brace face and skips away.

I am thrilled! It has only been a year since Davis started volunteering to hug his momma...girls will just have to wait! (I wouldn't have known what to do if he had actually moved his arms from his sides.)

Genius

Noah has a runny nose and hates snot. He is constantly having me wipe it. When I found him with his fingers up his nose and told him to take them out, he told me that if he did then the boogers come out. So now he is always walking around with his fingers up his nose and I have to wipe much less. Genius.

Socks

I have sock issues. I think that they are too tight and don't allow my toes enough wiggle room. And seams in socks...oh my. But tube socks...too duck feet-ish. I have been known to have issues with nylons and tights. I often take off my shoes in the car, at church or two seconds after putting them on, just to pull on the ends so my feet can wiggle or adjust a particularly thick seam. As a result, I have always adjusted the socks of my babies so that they aren't too tight. Darin has always complained that I was passing my strange sock issues onto the boys. I debated that I was doing them a foot favor.

This morning as I was changing Jag's socks for the 3rd time and trying on his 2nd pair of shoes, I might have to agree with Darin...oh well, too late now.