Kid Comedy, Sweetness and Sadness

Zane

While snuggling in the chair for bedtime:

"Mommy, will you get the dragon off my ear?"

Snuggling in the chair after a long crying spell:

"Mommy, will you wipe the sadness off my eyes?"

Snuggling for naptime while I had a good cry...

"Mommy, Let's wipe away your sad face."

Zane informed me one day, " Jesus got me from the library."

Max

(I overheard Max telling Zane to stop flushing the toilet.)

"Zane, stop flushing the toilet.

Zane, stop flushing the toilet!

Zane, stop or you will fall in and if you fall in I would be heartbroken."

"Hey Mom, I'm so glad you're my mother. I love your voice."

Soon after we began studying History Max wanted me to read him a certain story.

He told me I could find it in the "label of continents."

While building legos with Zane, Max became more and more upset.

When I asked him what the problem was he replied,
"He is building a bad design!"

Said to James:

"Mommy vacuumed over there so there aren't any more dead spiders."

(After a thoughtful pause.)

"I think that is why you married her.

So she could take care of me."


When James asked Max if he would read a verse in our Book of Mormon stories, Max replied,
"I can't. My mouth is dry. My throat hurts. My penis itches and my pants are falling down."

When seeing the first snow...
" When I saw the snow I BURST with surprise!"

For awhile Max was a little obsessed with the idea of death. One day he was asking question after question and despite all our reassuring answers he ended up sitting in the hall in James' lap, sobbing and saying over and over, "But, I don't want to die!" We tried telling him so many things...that he wouldn't die until he was really old, that he would be with Jesus, that we would be with him. But nothing seemed to comfort him. We just all sat in the hallway crying together until he felt better.

James

Max has discovered 'how to draw' instructions on the internet.

After finishing his drawing he began typing in other things he wanted to draw.

James said to me, "He is typing in searches. I'm not ready! I have to delete the internet!"

November 2013

Kara vs. the Pole

I was out shopping; thinking that I had been out too long and was a bit shaky because I needed food. I headed out of the Target parking lot thinking of what to make for dinner. I glanced in my rear view mirror and was momentarily blinded by the sun glare. I was thinking about what to make for dinner and then suddenly there was a horrible noise, crash, a terrible smell and I heard myself screaming. I stopped screaming, looked in the mirror, saw my nose bleeding and screamed again. Then my door opened and a man asked if I was okay. I had driven right into a pole and the air bag had deployed.. A wonderful couple stayed with me for two hours while I called James and my insurance and waited for a tow truck and then they drove me home.

I was very shaken up and my neck hurt but was so very blessed. Blessed that I was alone and the boys weren't with me, blessed that I had my seat belt on, blessed that I was mostly unhurt and blessed that people were in the right place to help me and were so willing to do so. 

(I also called Tiffany to tell her that I would not be able to teach the lesson in YW's the next day. I was looking forward to teaching and was disappointed that I didn't get to give the lesson I had prepared. But I did not feel up to it. During YW's the next day the girls wrote me cards and brought them over to me along with some fuzzy socks.)

(I was also blessed to have a great chiropractor and to have insurance that covered the cost.)

Max's ALP Aircraft Project

For his ALPS project Max chose ships as his subject. After reading several books about all types of ships, he narrowed it down to Aircraft Carriers. He constructed several models with legos, drew many different types of ships and then finally worked with James to build a cardboard model.

THE LEGO CONSTRUCTIONS

BUILDING & PAINTING

THE FINAL PROJECT

PRESENTING

He presented his project to the class; reading his report, showing his model and all the parts of the carrier and then shooting an airplane across the room using his homemade rubber band catapult. I was so proud of his successful first school project and presentation!

We celebrated with ice cream!

Father's Blessings

For FHE James gave the boys blessings. It was the first time he had done it and he admitted he wasn't sure how to go about it. I printed out some basic instructions from lds.org and jotted down some ideas of things he might focus on in the blessing. He said it might just be him repeating those things but we both felt it was important to let the boys know that their Dad has the priesthood and can use it for them.

We started with a simple lesson talking about types of blessings, how you should act during a blessing and then Father's blessings. I read a little story about a girl who was nervous going to school and received a blessing from her Dad. Then asked Max if he would like a blessing from James. He said yes.

I cried. Of course I cried. Seeing James give Max a blessing was so sweet. I was worried that Max would be restless or Zane would interrupt but they both sat so quietly and listened. James did follow very closely what I had written but also brought his own spirit to it.

The blessing...

"As Max starts school he will be excited to learn, he will listen to instructions and understand what he learns. That his brain will be smart and his body will be strong and he will have energy. And that he will enjoy learning."

I was a little ashamed that I hadn't thought about Zane getting a blessing as well and was humbled as I watched him walk to the chair, climb up and look up at his Dad. He was ready for his blessing! More tears as I watched him sit so still and quiet while James put his hands on his head and gave him a blessing. James did great with the unexpected and blessed him with similar things such as "that his brain and body would grow strong" as well as, "that he would be friends with his big brother."

I am so grateful that James was willing to do something that is so far out of his comfort zone; something he did not grow up experiencing. He wants his boys to have the gift of the priesthood as they grow up.

It was a sweet touching experience. I hope there are many more moments like this one in our home.

Max Goes To Kindergarten

Max was so excited when all of his school supplies came in the mail.

He had fun playing games at the UTVA school orientation.

 At the "Back To School" pizza party Max was introduced to Aislynn.

They looked at each other, finally said hello and then took each others hands and ran off to play.

They were instant best friends that would be together the rest of the year at every event.

Pantry Makeover

BEFORE

"PROFESSIONAL" PAINTING

AFTER

I have hated the nasty wooden pantry for years and finally just did it. I tore out all the nasty boards (and they were even nastier than I thought) and then had lots of help from the boys painting the walls a soft blue. The final touch was the new white wire shelves. 

A Sanity Trip to Kimber's

July 18th-21st

During a phone call with Kimber, she spontaneously invited me to bring the boys for a visit and I spontaneously decided to go. For sisters with the same plan-ahead-and-over-organize-everything paranoia this came as a wonderful surprise to both of us.

I have been feeling so worn-down, exhausted, snappy, emotional, overwhelmed and impatient. Part of the appeal of going to Kimber's was getting away from home and the routine, knowing she would take care of me a bit and knowing I could get in to see Relda. I was so grateful that Kimber mentioned her and suddenly things fell into place and it felt so right. My visit with Relda was so theraputic! I cried and laughed and unloaded as she read my eyes and told me several things affecting my health and emotions and gave me several herbs to take home. I felt so much better just leaving her house as I had a plan for getting better and knew that there was an end in sight for this feeling.

Of course, Kimber and I had a great time together but having our boys have fun together is an additional bonus.
And, have fun they did!

Max and Zane are all about "vehicles".  They know the names of nearly every construction truck and train car and when we pulled out the car mats they led the way.  The car mats haven't been out for over a year but once they got started their imaginations took over and they zoomed around together on those mats. The ping pong table added even more driving space and a perfect runway for the planes.

In the garage they were entertained by the basketball game, both for shooting balls and for monkey climbing.

During the hottest hours of the day Max, Nathan and Hyrum relaxed in the house with games, videos and Netflix . . .

and Zane was entertained by the sink.

On Sunday morning they looked like mini-missionaries and since we had them all suited up early we put the 

Book of Mormon video on for them.   It gave the mom's just enough time to finish getting ready.

After church they had a picnic on the porch and then waited patiently, catching every last

minute together, while the truck was loaded.



We tried to get a few age/height pictures of our adorable little men but that just led to silliness

So, to the sound of their laughter, having had a great few days together, we were off.