The title of this blog was the subject line of an email I received from Maria yesterday morning at work. The content of the email is below,
"he who complains about going to the grocery store, skips dinner that night!"
Maxwell started whining when she told him they had to go to the grocery store to get some things for dinner. After Maria told him the new house rule, she said she didn't hear a single complaint from him on the way to the store, while they were there, or on the way home. As our friend Larry said, "he didn't know it, but he was going to fast if he complained..." to which I replied, "yes, and whether or not he chose to pray while fasting was up to him!"
Friday, March 26, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Unwanted Audience
I've gone back and forth in my mind about whether to post this, but since it is a record of our lives with kids, I thought it blog-worthy. If you disagree, I apologize in advance.
Recently, I have been experiencing what I have come to believe is a stay-at-home mom's #1 complaint--lack of privacy--and I'm not the stay-at-home mom here! I won't bore you with details, but let's just say that Miller is entering the stage in his life where he is interested in how our bodies work. As a result, I seem to have an audience each time I have to go to the bathroom. Unfortunately, the audience has even been known to grow as the family apparently chooses to congregate wherever the head of this home is. If only I got that kind of attention when I ask Maxwell and Miller to be kind to each other and share! Needless to say, I have found myself with more than one unwanted audience in the past few days.
Recently, I have been experiencing what I have come to believe is a stay-at-home mom's #1 complaint--lack of privacy--and I'm not the stay-at-home mom here! I won't bore you with details, but let's just say that Miller is entering the stage in his life where he is interested in how our bodies work. As a result, I seem to have an audience each time I have to go to the bathroom. Unfortunately, the audience has even been known to grow as the family apparently chooses to congregate wherever the head of this home is. If only I got that kind of attention when I ask Maxwell and Miller to be kind to each other and share! Needless to say, I have found myself with more than one unwanted audience in the past few days.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Maxwell's first t-ball practice...and a special lady's birthday
Today was Maxwell's first t-ball practice and he did a fantastic job! In case you haven't figured it out by now, I'm not really the athletic type (shocker, I know) so we really weren't sure how Maxwell would do, but he quickly picked it up and so far has done a great job. Thankfully, Maria's family was athletic so she has helped fill in the large gaps in my parenting ability :) Just look at the ready stance!
Despite my lack of athletic prowess, I am determined to help the boys (and the August baby--boy or girl) do whatever the Lord has gifted them to do. I've already borrowed a "t" from a work colleague and will pick up a borrowed baseball glove tomorrow so we are ready for our home practices between our team practices. Opening ceremonies are Saturday, April 10 at Olsen Field (where the Aggies play and where we took the boys yesterday for an Aggie Baseball game). I'm sure we'll have more posts about this as the season progresses, but you can also see how Miller got in on the action today (yes, we know his helmet is on backwards, but he kept putting it on this way).
On a very different note, today is a very special day because the love of my life, the mother of my children, and my best friend celebrated a birthday today. She was a real trooper starting the day with a Bible study at 6:30 AM, followed by breakfast at home, Kindermusik this afternoon for Maxwell and t-ball practice tonight. We were able to squeeze in some chocolate sheet cake and Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream so all is good. I love you, Maria.
On a very different note, today is a very special day because the love of my life, the mother of my children, and my best friend celebrated a birthday today. She was a real trooper starting the day with a Bible study at 6:30 AM, followed by breakfast at home, Kindermusik this afternoon for Maxwell and t-ball practice tonight. We were able to squeeze in some chocolate sheet cake and Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream so all is good. I love you, Maria.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Daddy's yammune system
As with all 5-year old kids, Maxwell is full of questions. Lately, the main questions are "Daddy (or Mommy) is that good for you?" or "Does this song praise Jesus?" He has become quite health conscious and last night when we were with some friends at, big surprise, Chick-fil-A, they gave the kids vanilla milkshakes with green food coloring in them for St. Patrick's Day. When he heard that the milkshake had food coloring in it, he promptly refused to drink it saying that food coloring isn't good for you (after we told him that a little bit of food coloring wouldn't hurt him, he decided the shake was good enough to drink!). He has even threatened to throw away all Cokes we have in the house because they aren't good for you (he is a water and milk drinker almost exclusively). Talk about being challenged to make changes (yes, I know I'm going to have to give up Diet Coke...and soon!).
Here is the funny part to me...any time he drops something edible on the floor, he now brings it to me and says, "Daddy, you have a good yammune system so you can eat this." I am then given some tasty treat that he dropped on our floor--yum! I must admit that I never thought I would eat food off the floor, or half-chewed up food from my kids, but I do. I either have the best "yammune" system or I'm going to have the worst because of all the dirt I'm ingesting!
Here is the funny part to me...any time he drops something edible on the floor, he now brings it to me and says, "Daddy, you have a good yammune system so you can eat this." I am then given some tasty treat that he dropped on our floor--yum! I must admit that I never thought I would eat food off the floor, or half-chewed up food from my kids, but I do. I either have the best "yammune" system or I'm going to have the worst because of all the dirt I'm ingesting!
Monday, March 15, 2010
His brother's keeper
A couple of weeks ago we went to a fundraiser dinner and the boys favorite babysitter, Rachel ("Rae Rae" to the boys) came over to stay with them. Now Miller has been known to suffer from a bit of separation anxiety (we mention the word church and he starts saying, "no church...mommy stay" because he doesn't want to go to the nursery), but Rae Rae can usually overcome that pretty quickly.
Apparently this night was a little different though. After a while of fussing, Rae Rae was getting Miller ready for bed and Maxwell asked him, "Miller, do you want bubba to put you down?" to which Miller quickly replied, "uh-huh". So Maxwell went into Miller's room, sat in the rocking chair, held him on his shoulder, prayed with him and sang a song or two--no doubt, one of the same songs we sing at night when we go through this routine. Rae Rae then only had to help Maxwell put Miller in the crib because it was too tall for him to reach on his own. Talk about brotherly love!
Apparently this night was a little different though. After a while of fussing, Rae Rae was getting Miller ready for bed and Maxwell asked him, "Miller, do you want bubba to put you down?" to which Miller quickly replied, "uh-huh". So Maxwell went into Miller's room, sat in the rocking chair, held him on his shoulder, prayed with him and sang a song or two--no doubt, one of the same songs we sing at night when we go through this routine. Rae Rae then only had to help Maxwell put Miller in the crib because it was too tall for him to reach on his own. Talk about brotherly love!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Hotels and Ouch!
In December 2007 we took a trip with Nanny and Papa (Maria's parents) to Atlanta to have Christmas with Uncle Skip, Lauren and McKinley. We made the trip there in two days and stayed overnight in Jackson, Mississippi. That was the first time Maxwell really remembers staying in a hotel--possibly because he threw up in the middle of the night, and possibly because it was the first time he remembers it. Since that time he loves the idea of staying in a hotel and gets excited every time he gets the chance to stay in one.
Many of you know that we are in the middle of a house hunt so finding a place to live is on all of our minds regularly. As they were driving by a hotel here in town the other day, Maxwell told Maria, "Mommy, I think we should move to California and Great Grandma and Great Grandad (my 95 and 94-year old grandparents who live in California) should move here. Then when we come to see them, we can stay in that hotel." Now that sounds like a problem solved...or maybe not!
______________________________
On a separate note, Maxwell was helping me in the yard yesterday and I let him use my handheld rose bush shears to cut down some weeds in our neighbor's yard. At one point, I noticed that he had dropped them on his toe and he was hopping around saying how heavy they were and how they hurt his toe. I thought he was being dramatic...until he took off his shoe and his sock was soaked with blood right over his big toe. Apparently when he dropped them they were open and they went straight into his big toe, right on the knuckle. He has been a trooper about it (after a bit of a meltdown last night) and when I put the butterfly bandage on it tonight he said that made it feel much better.
In case you didn't know, anytime you get a decent cut on a knuckle you should go have stitches and that if you don't do so within 8 hours of the injury, they won't give stitches because the chance of infection goes up dramatically (information courtesy of Dr. Paul and Nurse Marianne Goen :)
Many of you know that we are in the middle of a house hunt so finding a place to live is on all of our minds regularly. As they were driving by a hotel here in town the other day, Maxwell told Maria, "Mommy, I think we should move to California and Great Grandma and Great Grandad (my 95 and 94-year old grandparents who live in California) should move here. Then when we come to see them, we can stay in that hotel." Now that sounds like a problem solved...or maybe not!
______________________________
On a separate note, Maxwell was helping me in the yard yesterday and I let him use my handheld rose bush shears to cut down some weeds in our neighbor's yard. At one point, I noticed that he had dropped them on his toe and he was hopping around saying how heavy they were and how they hurt his toe. I thought he was being dramatic...until he took off his shoe and his sock was soaked with blood right over his big toe. Apparently when he dropped them they were open and they went straight into his big toe, right on the knuckle. He has been a trooper about it (after a bit of a meltdown last night) and when I put the butterfly bandage on it tonight he said that made it feel much better.
In case you didn't know, anytime you get a decent cut on a knuckle you should go have stitches and that if you don't do so within 8 hours of the injury, they won't give stitches because the chance of infection goes up dramatically (information courtesy of Dr. Paul and Nurse Marianne Goen :)
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Chip-e-chay!
I just love the excitement that kids approach most things with. We had an early morning doctor appointment today (at 8 AM and we made it there early with both kids!) and after that went to Chick-fil-A for breakfast before I had to go to work. As soon as we drove into the parking lot Miller exclaimed, with a huge smile on his face,
It is no secret to people that we frequent Chick-fil-A and, as a matter of fact, we will be going again tonight because we are having our house inspection late this afternoon and need to be out of the house during dinner time (the trip this morning wasn't planned--it was just the easiest place to go after the doctor appointment). If you are in town and want to join us, we'll be there right at about 5 PM. May you find the joy and excitement in even the small things today.
"Chip-e-chay!"
It is no secret to people that we frequent Chick-fil-A and, as a matter of fact, we will be going again tonight because we are having our house inspection late this afternoon and need to be out of the house during dinner time (the trip this morning wasn't planned--it was just the easiest place to go after the doctor appointment). If you are in town and want to join us, we'll be there right at about 5 PM. May you find the joy and excitement in even the small things today.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Oh
Two days ago we celebrated Miller's 2nd birthday with just the four of us and then last night we had Nana and Grandad and our friends the Gills (their little boy Andrew is Miller's friend and their daughter Hannah is Maxwell's friend) over for birthday cake. I'm not going to do the obligatory "Miller you are so special" birthday blog though...instead, I'm going to share two funny stories about him. Now granted, one of them loses some of the translation in text, but I want to preserve it here for our memories as well.
On Wednesday morning, I had a meeting at 7 AM so I wasn't there to get Miller out of bed as usual. When Maria went in to get him, she told him that they had to get dressed to meet daddy for breakfast. She then said, "we are going to have a special breakfast--we'll go have a cinammon roll!" He looked at her, started crying and said, "no cinammon roll...birthday cake!" I can't say I blame him--he was ready for the cake! That evening when we got home from our trip to Temple (for our big ultrasound--everything looked great, didn't find out whether the baby is a boy or a girl so you have to wait until August to find out!), he asked for cake again and to appease him I had to give him birthday ice cream with 2 candles in it.
The other funny story involves something that Miller has started doing lately. Again, some of the humor may be lost in translation here, but if you could just hear him saying this, you would crack up, too. On our way home from Temple, we let the boys watch Finding Nemo it got to the part where the whale swallows Dori and Marlin. Here is the conversation between Miller and Maxwell:
Miller: "Dolphin! Dolphin!"
Maxwell: "No Miller, that isn't a dolphin, it's a whale."
Miller: "Oh."
On a fairly regular basis Miller will be saying something and we'll tell him something different and his response is simply, "Oh." No exclamation, no excitement, just a simply, "Oh."
By the way, we did have give Miller birthday cake at his "official" party on Thursday--complete with dolphins on it.
On Wednesday morning, I had a meeting at 7 AM so I wasn't there to get Miller out of bed as usual. When Maria went in to get him, she told him that they had to get dressed to meet daddy for breakfast. She then said, "we are going to have a special breakfast--we'll go have a cinammon roll!" He looked at her, started crying and said, "no cinammon roll...birthday cake!" I can't say I blame him--he was ready for the cake! That evening when we got home from our trip to Temple (for our big ultrasound--everything looked great, didn't find out whether the baby is a boy or a girl so you have to wait until August to find out!), he asked for cake again and to appease him I had to give him birthday ice cream with 2 candles in it.
The other funny story involves something that Miller has started doing lately. Again, some of the humor may be lost in translation here, but if you could just hear him saying this, you would crack up, too. On our way home from Temple, we let the boys watch Finding Nemo it got to the part where the whale swallows Dori and Marlin. Here is the conversation between Miller and Maxwell:
Miller: "Dolphin! Dolphin!"
Maxwell: "No Miller, that isn't a dolphin, it's a whale."
Miller: "Oh."
On a fairly regular basis Miller will be saying something and we'll tell him something different and his response is simply, "Oh." No exclamation, no excitement, just a simply, "Oh."
By the way, we did have give Miller birthday cake at his "official" party on Thursday--complete with dolphins on it.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Renaming the iPod
In my last post, I relayed the conversation Maria had with Maxwell about his iPod shuffle and when it was okay for him to listen to it. A few days later Maxwell had a sudden realization and ran to Maria to tell her. He said, "Mommy, I do have a wePod...look, I can take one of the ear things and give it to Miller so he can listen to it at the same time!" If only I could come up with such good compromises.
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