Time once again...

Here we are again...the glorious months of May and June where we spend all our time doing this:

Here's to a season of big time improvements and perfecting that pesky dive.
AND,  for the rest of us...surviving the heat!!!

Ransom

I just started a new thing with the kids. We're having issues with picking up after ourselves and putting things in their place.  Never mind that I was getting tired of always picking up after everyone!!!  So I started a ransom box.  If I had to pick up their things that they had left out, the items are put into a box and they would have to earn them back.  There is a stack of chores/funny things they have to do all written out and in a special envelope for them to pick from if and when they want to earn their stuff back.  Every Saturday, whatever is left in the box will be donated to charity.

Pretty simple and hopefully will teach the kiddos to clean as they go and put things in their place.  :)  At least I'm hopeful!  Truthfully, I tried something like this forever ago...but it didn't fly too well.  I struggled with the consistency of it...plus add in the fact that I had to come up with chores for them to do at any given moment...not that convenient sometimes!  So, I'm hoping that this system will go more smoothly!!!  I actually got the idea from here (plus a lot of my chore ideas) in case anyone is interested.

Ethan's been on fire today...super excited to get back all his stuff.  He had to write 3 times "I will not leave my things out.  How cute is that?

His next assignment was to draw a picture of him picking something up and his mom and dad smiling really, really big.  So funny!!!

His third chore was 'to choose 2 things to give to charity'.  I had explained the chore with this advice "go find something in your room that will bless someone else's life if we gave it to them".  What were his two choices you ask???  A bright, shiny penny...which is funny but kinda thoughtful in the world of Ethan.   Money, in this kid's mind, is HUGE and a penny is just as good as a dollar to him!  :)  His second item though was a bit less selfless, a broken silly band.  In his mind though, I can see his thought process.  Silly bands are still big here in our house.  (We're always a little behind the times when it comes to any new fad!)  When they break, Ethan doesn't think twice.  He then calls them his spaghetti bands and moves them from his silly band collection to his container where he keeps the "spaghetti bands".  These spaghetti bands get just as much playing time as the unbroken bands...so it's kinda funny.  One kids trash is another kids treasure, right?!?!  I just think that my kid is possibly living the opposite...his treasures would probably be trash to anyone else!

So, my hopes of possibly decluttering larger items will have to wait.  I'm determined not to get to involved in dictating his choices.  So, though not what I expected, his choices were completely relevant to him, so in my mind, that is good enough for now!  :)

Thoughtful

Today I was showered with love that only 3 crazy children could bestow upon their frazzled mommy. I know it sounds lame, but I actually prayed to enjoy today.  With Steve out of town for Mother's Day, I prayed that I would find moments with each child to truly remember what this day is all about and not feel sorry for myself.  And my simple prayer was answered.  I wasn't sad at all about being a single-mom for the day (though we did miss Steve terribly!) and I cherished each funny/sweet gesture my kids thought to show me!  From the hug before he sat down from singing in church from Garrett...who is usually very aware of any emotion showed in public, to the Star Wars lollipop that Ethan brought downstairs first thing this morning for me and the 400 kisses that he managed to press to my legs and arms and back multiple times during the day, to the extra hours I got to spend talking to Olivia this morning about anything that happened to pop into her cute little head as she and I both woke up earlier than usual!!!  I was loved in true child-like fashion and I am so grateful for these kiddos who have made me a mom!  As hard as the job is, I wouldn't trade it for anything!

May your Mother's Day be as wonderful as mine!

Bustin' a Move!

Yesterday, I had E and Olivia with me as I ran really quickly into the grocery store (meaning, I had intended to make it quick...but got easily distracted and ended up with a full cart!).  Oops!  

While walking through the produce section, I noticed the music was especially upbeat and turned up pretty loud...as far as grocery store tunes are concerned.  Then I noticed, my very self-conscience Ethan breaking it down and busting a move for everyone to see!  I'm talking full body-dancing...hands up, hips shaking and feet flying to the beat!  This happened every few steps...every time I stopped the cart to put something new in!  Usually, this somewhat timid child would absolutely die of embarrassment, but today for some crazy reason, he was loving the fact that he had an audience!  

When we were back in the car, driving home, I told him how much I LOVED his dancing and how happy it made me during our whole shopping trip.  I told him that I knew it made other people happy too because I had noticed lots of people smiling happily at him while he danced.  

Ethan's oh-so-humble reply: "Hmmm???  Well, do you think they'll be sad tomorrow?  They're going to go shopping tomorrow and I won't be there to dance for them." 

Yes, my dear Ethan!  They will be devastated!  :)  

Apparently Terrifying

I don't know what I did to scare my children...but each and every one of them is absolutely TERRIFIED of the Easter Bunny.  I know!!!  Cute, cuddly, long ears, fluffy-tailed easter bunny!  Who in their right mind is afraid of that?!?!?

It took Garrett until about age 6 to walk up to any costume-wearing holiday figure.  Ethan will maybe do it now...but only if Garrett is able to man up and do it with him.  Olivia though, while still in the 'Smith-Family-Absolute-Terror-Age' is enthralled by the characters from a distance.  But, get her up close and she goes insane...arched back, high-pitched screams, instantaneous tears, you name it!  It's actually quite funny!  At Sea World a few months ago, they had all the Sesame Street Characters out and about mingling with the crowds.  Olivia was delighted and so excited to see them...but the one time that I walked past Zoe and Zoe reached out to shake Olivia's hand...you would have thought that Zoe had tried to murder my poor child!  

This Easter proved no different.  All my kids made no attempt to approach the Easter Bunny who had come to officiate at our neighborhood egg hunt!  I always just laugh, and shake my head...but really, I don't mind too much!  The Easter Bunny is actually quite low on my ranking of important things to impress upon the minds of my children about Easter!  But this year, Olivia took it to a whole new level!  

She was so excited to do the egg hunt.  At home, she had her basket and was receiving instruction from her two older brothers of the ins-and-outs of proper egg gathering.  But as soon as we get there and she spies the Easter Bunny from afar, this girl is clinging to me with all her might.  :)  She would not let me put her down...even to gather an egg or two.  Through my laughter, I managed to find an egg that I could get close enough to for her to grab...while still clinging tightly to my neck, but that was about the extent of her egg gathering!  Silly girl!

Poor Kid

Well, it's evident now, this kid will surely be one of the lovely thugs who's pants are always riding a bit too low when he is a teenager. Not for the usual reasons that such a fashion statement usually suggests, but for the fact that his harried mother cannot find a pair of pants that fits his skinny build!  

But, the poor kid, even at the age of 4, which is still included in the lovely age of the adjustable waistband amazingness, mind you, cannot keep his pants up to save his life.  Poor guy!

It's the curse of being slender, I tell you!  But isn't he cute?!?!?

Handsome

This kiddo is growing up...right before my eyes!  He comes down the stairs some mornings, and it seems that he has grown a couple inches...all in the course of one night!  It makes me happy and sad all at the same time!  :)  I love the funny, bright, responsible young man he is be coming!!!