Reagonomics

Today, while I was on my way to Wendy's to get a dollar menu salad and drink, I heard an interesting use of the word "Reaganomics." It turns out, there's a campaign to remove Ulysses S. Grant from the fifty dollar bill. Instead, Ronald Reagan might soon appear on the fifty instead.

However, I have no idea when I might see a fifty any time soon. Jack would love to go see Percy Jackson and the Olympians which I have promised and promised we'd go see as soon as dad got paid... hahahahaha. I guess we'll just have to go see it anyway, since payday seems to have been given up for Lent. Movies, etc. are hard to forgo when you are a kid.

There are other things that are hard to explain to the kids. For example, when I brought Asa home on Friday, he asked me several times, "Why come it's my last day at school?" (I love that he doesn't use "How come." Everything is "Why come" or "Why this" not why not? It's so very four-years-old.) Asa asked again at home, and I had explained that preschool was very expensive, and he seemed to understand expensive, but he doesn't understand money, so that part is hard. He also doesn't like being trapped at home with his tyrant of a brother, Max, who doesn't mind being home with Asa.

Of course, there's tremendous guilt on both sides from the two daycare providers. I don't dare go inside the daycare center to get Asa's stuff. The daycare girls told me to wait a week and they'd finish up Asa's portfolio. I have gotten 2 emails (both sad) from them about how much they miss Asa's cute face, and one from Max's provider about how much the kids miss Max... and it's only Wednesday!! I also had guilt from the money-lady about how cash-strapped their program is!

All change is hard, and the boys are loving being home with their dad. Yesterday, they spent the day "inventing" with their dad and uncle Sam. Sam is working on something that delivers paint evenly, and the boys were tag-alongs for a project at the Home-Despot (where they love to steal your money for all home necessities). They are spending good times together, and as long as they don't spend every spare moment fighting, it will be OK. Now... we'll just have to see if we can scrounge up some Grants to get us through. I wonder if Congress will really vote to change his face to Reagan. I doubt it. Wasn't he a Republican?

Flat Stanley Visits for Adventures with Mothering

Today, Jen posted on Facebook that she was looking for someone with extra food for dinner. I thought that was really funny because I was cooking on a game called "Cafe World" which is really, really funny because I don't cook at all "in real life" because I mess food up so much so my children won't eat it. The only thing I cook that they will eat (except Asa) is "mom" macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches, IchiBan soup, peanut butter sandwiches, rice & soup, chicken noodle soup, and flautas. Asa lives on air and water. Max, on the other hand, will eat anything.

John made my grandmother JJ's goulash (which my mother always called red macaroni.) I can cook it, and volunteered, but John overheard me and rescued *everyone* from certain culinary mayhem by doing so before leaving for scouts.

We set the table, and Max wanted to chow down. We did wait until Jen arrived.

Here's Xan post-piano lessons. She is learning 2 new songs and still practicing her Christmas pieces. Her best skill includes playing by ear, complete rote memorization, and mimicry in the finest presentation. She does play at least a half-an-hour every day, and she often practices twice a day. While she loves playing, I often wish she'd work on theory as much as her younger brother, Asa. Ace has mastered note spelling, and he's actually quite good with Mischelea, the piano teacher. For being only 4 years old, he's a good little pianist.

Jackson gets a bit frustrated with piano on some days because he'd love to play the piano perfectly on the first time through, but when he can play the song to perfection, no one is more proud. :o)

Flat Stanley also came to visit, all the way from Rochester. My niece Kahri is reading his book and sent him to visit my sister Jen, so he's come (via her diaper bag) to visit. Here he is sharing Grandma's Goulash...

Extreme CLOSE-UP

The kids declared today's adventure a GOOD one. YAY. Go me! So glad my sister suggested it. SO glad John cooked! It was MUCH better than Taco Tuesday. Now, who invented Mustache March?!

Scout Mama Minute

Last Tuesday was the Blue and Gold Banquet. Why has it taken me a week to get the pictures and the write-up, you ask? Well, it was migraine weekend, and then my computer cord broke. I did get the pictures uploaded to Facebook, so those of you who have Facebook did get to see them there. But the PRIMARY reason was: O.L.Y.M.P.I.C.!!

We have been OLYMPIC watching at our house. Of course, now that the closing ceremony has happened, let real life commence. We'll all get back to our regularly scheduled lives. However, it was great while it lasted, and during our evenings after we scooted the children off to bed, John and I did more sport watching in 2 weeks than we will do in the next 2 years. This 2 weeks was winter. Next 2 years, it will be summer. We only know anything about Olympic sports.

And now, back to the only OTHER thing we know anything about: Scouting.

Jack received his Bear award. Sorry you missed it.

It looks like this:

Based on the picture, you can also see he got a really great centennial patch, another beltloop, and a volleyball pin. As soon as he sees Grandma Max, he'll be yammering at her to sew him Bear patch on his shirt. Beware.

Here we are, John and I, being pinned:

The big surprise of the night was a present of PINEWOOD DERBY cars...

 

Asa was more thrilled than Jack. Of course.

Now we need to get cars for EVERYONE... and go to Grandpa Phippen's to cut them out again. Hopefully cars for everyone can be squeezed into the budget. I guess I'll have to google how expensive THAT is. When is pay day again?! April 21 is the magic race day...

Pizza was the dinner for the evening, and my favorite picture was when Max prayed. It was SO cute, I made him pose for it again:

The day wouldn't be complete without a Xandri picture, so here she is. She has a great one, and then a silly one:

 I actually like the SILLY one better. :o) That's just ME.

Jack, the Indoor Soccer Player

Recently, Jack has been playing on an indoor soccer team. He's been playing with the boys in our ward, coached by Brother Woodhouse. Here are some shots taken at his last game: (Which they WON!)

Jack, the speed demon (He really IS fast, and is campaigning to run track.)

Alyxandria (who is thrilled to be along as specator)

Action-Adventure shot (Look, I really DID play!)

Another shot... with odd focus, but more proof of playing.

Jack has also scored a goal against a real goalie, which is an accomplishment considering we're not sure everyone on the team they played for that game was actually the correctly stated age. :o) Let us just say in the interest of political correctness that the team was Hispanic, and their birth dates were not all in the American system of dating. :o) Some of them were awfully large 10 year olds.

It has been really fun for Jack, and after being away from soccer for 2 years, he's even more excited for track season to start! ;o)

Baby Soggy Toes

Some Sundays are lazy, and some Sundays are long... and some Sundays are full of fun and games. Last Sunday, I couldn't get Max out of the tub. In fact,  we might have been able to make Max punch out of the tub water, because we certainly had baby pruney-toes when he was done. The only way I could get him out of the tub was to promise I would take a picture... and this is the resultant photo shoot:

What a ham this kid is!! Do you need a slightly used, mostly tyrannical 2 year old? I'm sure John would love some help during the day. He requires Star Wars Lego, a Dora DVD, a Nuby Sippy cup with some apple juice, and for you to follow his every whim. Other than that, he's really, really easy to get along with.

Being the Grown-up

Sometimes I get tired of being a grown-up. It'd be really great to go back to being a kid, when summers seemed to last forever, sleeping in was the best thing ever, and I only had to worry that my mom would get mad if I didn't go to school, versus getting a substitute, having John rush to school to rescue my video from a locked cabinet, and who would stay with the kids while someone did the kid run...

Yesterday I was sick, so it required quite a bit of maneuvering. I have a staph infection for the second time in 8 weeks. I hate being a diabetic because an infection requires a whole lot more than just an antibiotic. I also have to get a shot, sleep more, etc. Of course, I couldn't sleep last night, still have the fever, headache, nausea, etc, but had to work today, because who else is going to be me? My students were delighted to see me back, and they also wanted to continue to read Shakespeare for the rest of the year. I thought, are you KIDDING me? I don't want to read Shakespeare for the rest of the year! That's my definition of forever!

Asa, Max and John were off today doing an "experiment" at Home Depot. I am not sure what that means... but I'm a *bit* worried. Since John is now the stay at home dad, he'll have more of these moments, and I guess... so will I. Did I mention how much I hate being a grown-up? Asa is still very much confused about the schedule. He asked me, again, "Why come I not go to school anymore?" Oh, how I hate being the grown-up! Let's just all sleep in tomorrow!

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day turned out to be MUCH more exciting than I thought it would be. John went all out! He doorbell ditched the kids, leaving small Lego cars for the boys (that he helped put together after his Sunday meeting), and Littlest Pet Shop gifts for Xandri and I. He got Xandri a Princess Peacock, and me a... FLAMINGO, of course.

Here we are with our treasures:

Xanadu opened both mine and hers, because we didn't realize that one of them was mine. She got an extra hour of play time in with both of them. Hers is darling... it has a tiny crown and everything.

Here's mine. I wish I could explain what I find so incredibly delightful about flamingos, aside from their color and their absurdity... but I can't, so I won't.

Maxwell loves Lego, and he calls EVERYTHING his "guy." Max calls all real Lego minifigures are called "Luke" because he adores Starwars. He also is constantly looking for hats for them, biting the heads off the minifigures, biting the hands off of them, losing the heads, hats, hands, guns, etc., and then endlessly complaining that they are missing any of the aforementioned heads, hats, hands, etc. It's hard to be two, but it's harder to live with someone who is two. Here's photos of Max demonstrating "Luke"--who is trying to ride in his new Valentine's car:

Here Luke is very crusty because he's also ridden inside the bun from the picture before.

Asa was thrilled with his car.

And Jack...

...helped set the table, make the special clam chowder, and put his own car together. I also helped put his stickers on his car. That's what happens when you're the oldest. Note how carefully the table is red & white and Valentiney.

John got special gifts at his friend Ben Behunin's, who is a potter (and author). These two bowls were purchased near Christmas (and cleverly with cash so I wouldn't know what they cost, which is good because I'm starting to freak about not having any money). Here they are in all their glory.
Front and backs:

Sunday at the Phippen's...

You'd think Sunday was contagious at the Phippens by how often someone is sick. I guess with six people, someone is bound to be ill, but still. On Sunday morning, John was off on a service project where he and the young men and women went to work at the training center, so when Asa and Max woke up ill, Xandri and Jack were on their own for sacrament meeting. Jackson was so sweet: he volunteered first to go to the Carvers, and then his solution was to walk the "safe" way to the church.

When John came home, I joined Jack and Xan at church. They had found 2 seats at the back of the chapel were quiet. They are so great when it comes to going to church and have practice when I've been sick.

Max definitely didn't feel good on Saturday, Sunday or Monday. Take a look for yourself:

This was as I was trying to convince him to come to the dinner table.

I got his attention...

He's a total ham. He HAD to look at the camera:

Isn't he so cute? Even when he's weeping?

Here's what we coerced Max to the table for... lovely chicken, carrots, baked potatoes, peas, broccoli, and cheese sauce. It was so yummy!

Sunday at our house is pretty great. Come any time.

Bloody week!

Xandri experienced slamming her finger int he door for the first time this week. On Wednesday, only one day after her  piano lesson, Xan managed to catch her THUMB in the door of her dad's car after school. I came home to a blotchy-faced lady, curled on the couch, ice-packed, Dora-watching, and quite exhausted from prolonged crying.

Having slammed my own fingers in my share of doors, I am well aware of the pain of catching a finger in the door. I grew up in the time of steel cars that outweigh small whales. The car we owned when I was a kid was a green station wagon instead of a white Toyota. 

Asa, on the other hand, has had a bloody nose and woken up several times with a bloody nose several times this week. His dad often takes photos and leaves them on the camera to make me laugh... here's this week's offering:

You would be correct to assume that's a band-aid under his nose... which was removed (I was assured) under his photo-shoot. Rolling my eyes here (after a quick giggle). 

Being a Mom

There are times when it's easier to be a mom than when it's not. The easy times are for playing FishVille, movie nights, watching episodes of Phineas and Ferb, and giving baths. The hard times are piano practicing, dinner times when you can't convince Asa to eat anything, endless repetition of the same episode of "Boots," Xandri telling you that she didn't do her math, or that she needs to read a book, or that she has lost her home reading book, all after the magic number of 8 pm when she's in her jammies and supposed to be in bed...

Of course these always happen on my Adventures in Mothering nights. These rarely happen on the nights when John is home. Magically, when John is home, the children behave like angels. Jack and Max retire to their room (where Jack seems to magically confine Max to his bed, I think). There isn't sound proofing in the floor, so I know he doesn't hog-tie him, and there's no seat belt... Max does seem to quickly drop off to sleep. Now, in Asa and Xandri's room, it takes much, much longer for sleep to happen, which means it never happens anywhere near 8pm.

All in all, I must say that if there were awards for mothering, I won't be getting any. However, I think I should be going to rewards for piano playing, room cleaning, dinner-eating, and homework-performing. I think I'd get somewhere. I was investigating what was in the bottom of my closet this morning looking for my shoes (to  match my clothes, you know), and I found a red cowboy hat that I thought would look ideal on Asa's head, and some Tinker Bell  stickers that I thought Xandri might like... Bribery I think might work. I might go looking for what else I have stashed in the closet. I think there's another book in there for Xan and I remember buying Cars stickers for Asa. 7 days of piano lessons for both of them a week...

Alyxandria Pyper

Once Upon A Time... there was a princess who turned 7 and had 7 little girls over for a party and that's all she asked for as a present. They watched Barbie's Thumbelina, made bracelets (where there weren't enough letters to spell everyone's name properly), and put frosting on cupcakes. They got frosting all over themselves, wiped it off with baby wipes, and used lots of cup cake sprinkles.

Things a mama learns at a party:
1. All 7 year old girls are not alike.
2. Some little girls like parrots. That is a universal mystery to all mothers.
3. Some little girls like to make necklaces instead of bracelets.
4. Some little girls want to make necklaces and bracelets.
5. Some little girls want to make neither bracelets nor necklaces.
6. Little girls scream. A lot.
7. Little girls ask you if you think they are the teacher if you call them "Miss Cambri." They also think you are silly.
8. Little girls like to chase each other and play tag at least as much as little boys.
9. Little girls are just as mean as little boys, perhaps more so.
10. My little girl is easily embarrassed, and very silly. She reminds me a lot of me.

Her favorite gift was the MAKE UP that the mom from up the street gave her. Remind me to tell the mom she's a gem. ;o)

It was a lovely party, and Xandri was thrilled that we actually bought her a present, too. Max tried to poke his fingers into her cinnamon rolls and he tried to touch the flames on her candles and blow them out before she got a chance at that. He's so much fun at two that I've decided he should stop being two now and move along to three. I'm done with the terribles, now.

Happy Birthday, Xanadu! She's no longer Xandria-Popper-Thippen!! She's all grown up! She's taking her favorite Little Debbie pink Valentine snack-cakes to school for her sharing treat. Having a birthday during the school year means you get to celebrate it for several days in a row. We're having the family over for Family Home Evening cake and ice cream. Let them all eat cake!

It's Green!

Yesterday, I had a hard time sleeping and as I was driving to school, the roads were slick and the snow was dry, powdery, and teeny, tiny shards of snow at 6:59am. As I pulled into the parking lot, I realized that my car still had its full-sized spare-tire on it (I thought John had switched it out when he'd registered the car). So, after school, Max and I went over to Discount Tire to had them rotate the tires.

Imagine my surprise when he told me that the tire I wanted them to fix had been purchased in 2003! WOW! That's an OLD tire! So, we bought a new one... but there was another bald tire that had been bought in 2004, so we bought a set. Talk about bargain me. I like to get the most out of a set of tires. Not only that, but I got MILEAGE back on them! I hadn't driven all the miles on them I'd been alloted. Wow. So, while Max and I waited (and I worried that there were 3 Discount Tire employees and 2 of us -- and I hoped they wouldn't go out of business), they rotated our tires, and Max and I touched the "wheels." They were pokey. Max was astounded and wandered around pretending/posing to be surprised.

Now, you should know, Max only "knows" one color. In Max's world, everything is green. It's not because he knows the color green. He has no idea what color green is. He loves to say the word green. Everything is green. Everything we looked at was green. For a half an hour, we wandered around, and we discussed tires. We discussed the BLACK tires. We discussed that they smelled of RUB-ber. BLACK. Rubber. What color are tiress, Max? Green? What do tires smell like, Max? Green. SIGH.

By the time we got home, I had given up. When his dad asked him what we had done, he said, "We looked a WHEELS.
I thought, "Hey! We did!"
His dad asked him, "How was it?"
He said, "They were BLACK."
I thought, "Yeah! They WERE!"
His dad said, "Wow! That's great!"
I said, "What did they smell like?"
Max said, "Rubber!"
I said, "What do you want to do next?"
He said, "Watch Chewbacca!"
I said, "OK! What color is he?"
He said, "Green."

Adventures at Pack Meeting

Tonight's Adventures in Motherhood took place at Pack Meeting, which was full of adventure because Jack earned his last red bead (and belt loops and his Bear patch!) He also made a fantastic dinosaur... which got smashed by another boy during a hugely exciting cheer.

So... we got a before the cheer picture as he was getting his awards:

And an after the event photo in bits and pieces...
And then some photos so you can get the true flavor of the event

Silly Xandri.
Asa walking like a penguin

Max complaining that we were leaving without his dad (who still was at scouts).

Xandri's Birthday

Xandri will turn seven on Saturday. It seems virtually impossible to believe that she'll be seven...  As Jean Val-Jean's song says, "How soon they fly/on and on. And I am old!" And so is she.

Her birthday invitations are so very chic (and very adult looking). Purpley-blue (and they sort of have X's on them in the foil--if you squint). She's having a party with seven friends, where they come and watch a movie, make a bracelet, have cake, and then go home. It will be like her friend Maddy's Christmas party (but they made gingerbread houses).

I'm having trouble sleeping tonight. My students are preparing for the biggest state test of the year which happens next week. It's a high stakes test because if they don't pass it, they get a diploma that says they are incompetent. We have another test at the end of the year that also measures annual yearly progress, too. While they are both bubble tests, only this one next week is required for graduation. They've been preparing for it for 7 years. They do get five chances to pass it (and it is only on an eighth grade competency level).

Well, it's almost time to go to school. It snowed last night. The roads are covered, "These woods are lovely dark and deep/and I have promises to keep/and miles to go before I sleep" So I must be off. It's Tuesday, so I'll be having adventures in mothering tonight while John is off to scouts. More on that later. :o)