Who was that masked mom?

So I was being a dork and playing around with my boys. They are into superheros big time lately. So we had capes, and pretend webs and all kinds of pretend weapons being flung around the living room at pretend bad guys, with all the showoff stances and everything that comes along with it.

I was obviously too into the moment because I declared, "I'm batman! So just give up!"

To which my 7 year old instantly froze, gave me the "you're such a dork look", and slowly and carefully said...."You mean the Mrs. Batman? I don't think there is one. I know there is Wonder Woman but you wear too many clothes (!?!) to be her. Hmm...maybe you will have to pretend to be a boy first before you pick a superhero!"

When I burst into laughter he was quite concerned and added, "Why don't we watch one of the shows so you can learn how to play a bit better, okay?"

So now I need lessons in playing superheroes.......what next?

A little while later I asked him, "So if I can't be batman who can I be?" and he looked at me with his sweet face (the one he uses when he is being patient with his little brothers and doesn't want to make them cry but knows that what he has to say will probably hurt anyway) and says, "Mom just be yourself, leave the superhero stuff to us experts"

What the World Needs Now is

just ONE stable version of Windows
(cough! cough!)
(Yeah Right!)

and more hungry CORN-IVORES

Both older boys are learning about plant eaters (herbivores), meat eaters (carnivores), and those who eat both plants and other animals, (omnivores); plus Dinosaur Train was also discussing the differences in animal diets this week. So at dinner the other night my little Comedian announced as he was biting into an ear of corn that they were going to be CORN-IVORES!!!!

What do you think will the biologists buy the new classification?

Civic Duty? Who is making decisions for you?

Today was the day for our Municipal Primary Elections. So amidst the multitude of questions from my inquisitive Comedian (who found nothing funny about putting his shoes back on and heading out the door without watching Dinosaur Train) we headed off to the polls for our precinct.

When we arrived and followed the bright pink arrows to the doors where the polls were set up, we found the room startlingly barren. Inside were two local ladies (the election judges, I think they are called officially), the boys, and myself. I was quite startled to learn that I was only the 17th person who had voted from our precinct so far, upon further conversation I learned that the election judges had set a goal for themselves to have 20 people vote. I was quite stunned! So I did some research and in the process learned there are 1,303 registered voters in my polling district.

So if every registered voter in my polling district were to vote in this election, my vote would make up roughly .08 % of the final outcome. However when my husband stopped by the same polling site thirty minutes before the polls closed he was the 54th person to vote from our precinct. Thus my one vote now makes up 2% of the final outcome.

My vote now has much more weight and will have a greater influence upon the outcome of the election. My question to you is....Who are you letting make your decisions in government?

I am very passionate about having a voice in government. Our constitution uniquely provides each one of us the opportunity to have a say in the direction our cities, counties, states and country goes forward in through our right to vote. Many people think that primary elections are not important or worth wasting their time on. Today's vote will shape who is available to vote for in a few months and that can have a huge impact! Please, if you did not vote in the Primary's begin educating yourself now! Make a commitment to vote in November's elections. Your voice counts for so much more than you think!

Wonder if anyone has ever tested them?

As wonderful and exciting as it is for the boys to head back to school, it brings with it shorter days for playing and of course the stress of homework and being a bit diligent about practicing reading, writing and arithmetic. So one day we coerced Papa into taking a break from all his work cheerfully headed off to an advertised Elders Quorum ice cream social for a much needed change from our new back to school pace. However once we arrived nobody else (including the organizers) were there.

So we decided to head to a local ice cream parlor because now that we were all in the car, we all were convinced that a change of pace was a great idea. When we arrived at Caspers I fell in love with their Customer Only Parking Sign all over again!



Just in case you can't read that they claim that non-customers parking in their lot will be. . . .


I think I want to try it one day!

The Tiny Tyrant was carefully guarding both the banana flavored with mini M&M's coated ice cream bar and the little paper box it was given to him in. He was displaying some concern that someone was going to take all this yummy, sticky, drippy goodness away from him with no warning (and I admit that I did sneak a bite or two!)

The engineer used a delicate bite with surgical precision to carefully (and neatly) consume every last bite. (He even licked the box and yet not a speck got on his face or his white school shirt.)

And the Comedian, well he was determined to enjoy the unexpected treat with every one of his senses. (That's what spot wash and wet wipes are for after all....right?)

All in all it was a great time relaxing and having a little family time.

Back to School

Well my engineer and comedian have headed back to school. Here they are as they head out the door on the first day. My engineer was pretty stoked and thought it was more awesome and cool that he was in second grade this year. The comedian was a little bit nervous and really glad that mom got to go with him for the first day!


The second day brought its own trauma when it came to light that the comedian hadn't understood that mom didn't get to go to class with him everyday. It is a good thing that he has such a great teacher and a good sense of humor. He got to tell his teacher a joke and then most things seemed right with the world, although there were still tear tracks down his cheeks as he walked away.


Some of the playtime of summer and spending all day long, everyday of the week with mom seems to have affected the engineer's recollection of the names of the days of the week. Check out his answer to problem #3 on the homework assignment below.


I'm afraid that I made him quite self-conscious when I started laughing and grabbed the camera while I was looking over his homework. But later after he had fixed it he told me "Mom, it is just because I missed you so much when I was at school!" Talk about turning my heart into mush!

My boys are growing up, but they still love and need me. What more could a mom ask for?

Random Rewards....

We've started something new lately, it involves remembering to be good without being asked and candy. (I know, I swore I'd never bribe with candy...but this isn't exactly a bribe....is it?)

So what happens is at random times throughout the day I pick something like remembering to clear your dishes from the table, make your bed, put away clean clothes, take PJ's back upstairs, etc. and give a small treat to everyone who had it already done at that moment in time. The boys seem to really like it and even though they are a little disappointed if they don't get a treat but they don't fuss about it and it seems to be a good motivation to help them be in charge of themselves without me feeling like a naggy hag.

Even the Tiny Tyrant (more about the shift from Terrific Toddler to Tiny Tyrant in a later post) seems to be catching on. He HATES taking care of his dishes. Like screaming ranting, sobbing, take him by the hand and drag him and his dishes to the sink HATES taking care of his dishes. However after our Sunday Sundae's tonight he took care of his bowl without even being asked and then he came looking for "nandy". Since I do try to keep the treats and the checks random ( and won't do one if someone asks me about it (see how mean I am) because I don't want candy to be the reward) he didn't walk away with any treats. But he was fairly stoked at getting a High 5 and a "Way to go".

So for as long as they work the way I want them to.....we have a new game at our home.

Happy Birthday Little Engineer!

Once there was a little boy who was born to a mama and a papa who loved him very much! In fact everyone in his world loved him very much!



Every day he grew bigger and bigger until one day he could walk across the room with a little help. It must have been because he had just turned one year old that day!



Soon he had a little brother and even though he was a little jealous he tried his best to be a good big brother. Luckily for him his cousin Bradley had some tips for him.

By his next birthday he was helping his Papa out with chores around the yard. It must have been because he was turning two!

Soon after his third birthday he decided to take on bigger things and exercise his inner Picasso. Luckily we were already planning on painting the kitchen walls blue.


On his fourth birthday he walked up a tree as he pursued the hidden treasure hunt for his birthday present. AND he learned how to ride a bike with training wheels for the first time.





It was pretty cool being four!







A year or so later he discovered that chocolate could absorbed through his skin! It must have been because he was five!

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When the engineer turned six all kinds of new worlds opened up for him. He played Tee-Ball for the first time. He was on the White Sox team. He also took swimming lessons for the first time and discovered that he really did love the water! That year for his birthday he got a scooter! He could ride it so well because now he was six!


.

But this year he had the most remarkable experience of all! He got to have all of his closest friends over for a birthday party. While we were waiting for parents to come everyone went outside to ride on bikes and play!


That is when the MOST AMAZING THING HAPPENED! The Engineer could ride his bike all by himself with no training wheels and no help getting started.


When I asked him how he did it he told me, "Because now I'm SEVEN mom, yesterday I was still six!"

Like duh!