Magic Carpet Ride

Somewhere near Fresno there is what I think to be a Hindu Temple, that we pass everytime we travel south. Grace believes it is Princess Jasmines castle. Every time we go by it she asks if we can go there for just a minute to see Princess Jasmine. I do not want to ruin this magic for her, but I am quickly running out of reasons why we cannot stop - even for just a minute.

Remember

According to Jack.....
This is how you remember things,
You think about it. You put it in your head and when it touches your brain, your brain sucks it in
and then you remember it forever.
I am sure scientifically that is spot on.

Just A Name

The other day we all traveled into Fresno. I usually bring the kids a snack, because that can be a long trip. On our way home the kids got hungry and asked for a snack, so I gave them one. When Grace was done with hers she said -

Grace: Mom you should have brought a trash bag
Jack: She did.... Mom, here's my trash.

So APPARENTLY, to Jack I am a trash bag. I guess one of the many names of a mother.

Man In The Making

I have been trying to teach Jack that as a man he needs to hold doors open for girls. Well today as we left the library he ran out the door and didn't hold it open for me and Grace. I told him as we were leaving that he needs to be a good man and hold the door open for girls, even if it is just me and Grace. So he runs back up to the door and holds it open for a little old lady who was on her way in. I thought this was very cute especially since we were quite a ways from the front door. I hope he will always be thoughtful and a good man.

Life

Grace is in Kindergarten. Jack is in Preschool, just two half days a week. They go to different schools. Mondays Grace is in Singers Company. It is a cute little girl singing group. And Jack just started tumbling, also on Mondays. Jack gets homework, and Grace just has homework on Wednesdays other than her nightly assignment of having her read to for 15-20 minutes. And then there is Finnley, as much of a good baby as she is, she is still a baby. My life is getting a little busy. I LOVE IT! I feel like a real mom. For some reason chaos is fun. I love that I have to make lunches and pack there bags at night. Pick out clothes, wash hair, make sure I have something easy to make for breakfast. I love that I spend time some days running errands for school. Buying wash cloths so Jack can do tie-dye, buying root beer to donate to Graces school for movie night. Cutting, counting, and bagging box tops. All of this new stuff to add to my other daily activities that need to be done. Yes, I am busy. But never will you hear me complain. I am having too much fun! I was meant to be a mother.

Bad Dreams Really Are Bad Dreams

I really should write about the birth of my daughter or the kids first day of school but I am not. I am going to write about Zombies. The other day we were on our way to Tumbling class - yes Jack is taking tumbling. We passed a cemetery and Jack said - inside those buildings (mausoleum) behind those gates, that is where the zombies are.
I don't know how my child knows about zombies or relation to a cemetery - I can only guess... Clint!

Next Time

Last Saturday we decided to not stay home. It took us a while to figure out what to do but we decided on going to Sacramento. We took the kids to an animal and space kid museum, out to lunch, and then we went to walk around Old Sacramento. I love Old Sacramento, cute little shops, fun food, people dressed up in old west and acting the part (there was a gun fight - staged). They have horse carriage rides. This Grace asked to do many, many times. We told her no. Not this time. I didn't want to ride on a carriage with Finnley and  I didn't want to pay to ride in a circle. She was upset. She really wanted to ride. It was a good day. Later when we got home, I ran to the store and Grace came with me. On the way there she talked about the horse carriage - again. But she said this: I really wanted to ride on the carriage, all the princesses ride in horse carriages and I haven't been on one.
I felt so bad. If I had known why she wanted to ride so badly I would have let her. Cause yes, all princesses need to ride in a horse carriage.

Kids Do The Strangest Things

The other day I went into Graces room and I noticed on her wall right next to where she sleeps were a ton of little marks. She had picked her nose and wiped her fingers on the wall - gross. I made her clean her wall and told her not to do that again. So this morning I went into her room and what did I find on her wall - a piece of tissue taped to her wall that she had clearly used. I don't know if I should be mad or proud at how clever she can be.

Well, Well

Yesterday we were out, and it was hot. Grace said to me," I should have brought my umbrella to keep the sun off of me cause that is what proper ladies do - and I am a lady."

Vacation

Here are just a few pictures from our family vacation we spent in Palm Desert
The kids spent most of the time in the pool. I have water babies!

I Don't Think Clint Has Been To Egypt

The other day Jack wore a new outfit that I bought him. I told him his outfit looked expensive, then he proceeded to tell this story: It is! An old lady gave it to me a long time ago. But just the shirt. The shorts came from Egypt. Daddy got them off of a guard. They are very special. I love his imagination. I love that it takes no effort for him to create a story.

Note to self and everyone else - some might say he has a great imagination, he is a good storyteller, or a really good liar - just be careful what you believe.

A Little Attitude

For some reason our kids have changed roles. Jack has been the difficult one and Grace has always been so good. Not any more! Grace my 5 year old has serious attitude. She is defiant. And Jack is just being so sweet - still being a boy, but is being better. That or I am tolerating it better. Tonight Grace acted up, and Clint went to 'deal' with her, and I asked Jack why he is being so good and Grace is so rotten? This was his reply - 'It's cause we switched brains in my laboratory.' He is beginning to be quite the story teller.

Thank Heaven For Little Girls

Last night we were all riding in the car when this conversation took place;

Grace: Jack can you teach me how to be a boy?
Jack: First, you need to make your room a mess
Grace: It already is.
Jack: Good job Grace. Next, you need to break the cap on the sprinkles when we make sugar cookies. but then you have to fix it.
Grace: Okay
Jack: You have to cut your hair really short. Then when dad gets home you have to clean up all of your toys, but don't put them where they go. And you have to have cool tricks.

I love that Jack is such a boy, but if this is what it means to be a boy, I am glad that I am having a girl.

Ambition

Grace talks a lot about what she wants to be when she grows up, as I am sure most kids do. I remember when Garrett was little he wanted to be a an icecream man and a garbage truck driver - that is what I expect little kids to want to be. Grace on the other hand has big dreams. She wants to be a pastry chef. She loves to be in the kitchen and asks to help with everything. She wants to learn to cook, but she wants to be a pastry chef because they only do desserts. She wants to be a veterinarian. This is her newest one, I think because she just discovered a new cartoon about a little girl who fixes her stuffed animals. And she wants to own a salon. OWN, not work in one, own one. She does my nails and my makeup everyday and talks about how she will do the nails, I can do the hair, and Jack can be the register guy - I guess it will be a family business. I am proud of her dreams, and hope that she will always have ambitions.

Mirage

The other day we were driving down the road and Grace and Jack were looking out the front window talking about the puddle that was up ahead, as we got closer it went away. It kept coming back and going away. Finally Grace said, Mom is that a real puddle or just a garage? Of course I did not correct her, she may have said the wrong word, but she knew what it was.

Graces Check-up

Grace had to have her 5 year old check-up for school. She had to have her eyes checked, her hearing checked, a physical and 4 shots (worst experience). When she had her hearing checked, she got to wear headphones, and hold a little button. The nurse told her to push the button when she heard a noise. The nurse then pushed a few buttons and asked Grace if she heard anything - she said no. This went on for about 4 times. I was getting really nervous - my daughter can't hear. Then the nurse said again, can you hear anything and Grace said, I just hear a beeping. Oh good - Grace that is what you are supposed to hear - and then the button pushing began. I am happy to report her hearing is great, her eyes are great, and her mother is traumatized from the shots.

Sweet Man

Sometimes Jack says the sweetest things in a way only Jack can.

Tonight I was busy making dinner and Jack asked me to 'hold you me', he wanted me to hold him. I told him I couldn't cause I was making dinner. Then he said, I wish you had 8 arms, so you could hold you me, and make dinner. How can you not love that?

February 12, 2012

Yesterday Jack said his very first prayer in Primary. He got to stand on a chair and talk into a microphone. The primary president helped him, he did a good job. After he was finished, all the kids in primary clapped. Someone had said that was his first prayer in primary, so I guess that called for an applause. One of the counselors came up to me as I was leaving and told me that was the first time there was clapping in primary. I guess Jack is pretty special.

His Hair Wasn't The Only Thing Red

Jack came into Clint and I, and said that his bottom hurt, it really hurt. So I thought maybe his bottom wasn't wiped good and I told him to go into my bathroom and get a wipe and wipe his butt. He came out much later with no pants on saying his bottom still hurt, while carrying a tub of clorox disinfecting wipes. I told him those were the wrong ones, he needed to use the baby wipes, and he told us those weren't strong enough. He then started to kind of scream in pain. His pore little butt was so red. Clint put him in the bath and that seemed to help. Jack does some pretty funny things, but burning his bottom with disinfecting wipes is probably one of the funniest.