Sunday, January 27, 2008

Don't Cheese Me, Mama!

Thane was watching television and was on edge . . . or should I say the back of the couch? . . . trying to decide if he wanted to watch or not. He has trouble watching new shows as they can be over-stimulating to him, and he really dislikes not knowing what is going to happen. If he watches it once, though, he is generally okay and remembers the whole thing. It can be difficult in the car with the older kids. It surprises me still, but even Larry the Cucumber seems to really scare Thane. I suppose it may not be the best way to get him to eat his veggies either!

I took his picture and he told me not to cheese him, but I couldn't resist doing it once.

Crafty

I'm sure anyone who checks here is infinitely curious about how I spend my spare time. Lately I have been beading things.

I find some humor in today's project . . . I made this clip and tacked it on to the window frame near where I sit at the kitchen table. Not shown in the photo is that I have clipped Thane's meal session chart to the bottom of it. Hopefully this will save the chart from future food wars, but you never know with Thane!


I also made a long memo holder for near the door. I guess it would look better if it wasn't on unfinished sheetrock, but honestly there are some things that bother me about it anyway and I have to resist re-stringing it.



I am going to do some work with sea glass, possibly something to donate for Braeden's school's auction in May. I don't tend to have a ton to offer for that kind of thing, so this may be worth a try. I've also imported some beads from Hong Kong and from the Czech Republic to use in some elaborate ceiling bead-art. I suppose I should take a photo of my office ceiling and my kitchen as well. My favorite in the kitchen right now is that we have three glass star lanterns. Thane likes to count them . . . una, dos, tres, waffle, cinco!

Fussin' An' A-Feudin'

The first musical theater production of the school year was delayed a bit because the new theater building on campus was completed a month later than expected. The children performed only six days after the construction was completed (after which Dave suggested to the school that they add a balcony and they are considering it!). Anyway, the pictures in the collage below are video camera stills and the lighting wasn't very good (they also don't have a light bar yet), but I figure it is still fun. Braeden is the conductor walking by on the top left.

Monday, January 21, 2008

The Hat Makes a Dave

Thane decided he wanted to go to school today – problem is that it was a holiday. Braeden did have school, further confusing the issue. So Thane then decided he wanted to at least go somewhere. Dave needed to go to the Union Farm Equipment to get back the wheel that fell off when he was plowing last week, so he figured he would just take Thane over there.

Thane told “Daddy” he needed a hat, and was showing him that there was one hanging off a lamp post in the sunroom. Dave grabbed a different one and put in on, to which Thane said, “Now Daddy turned into Dave!”

I giggled as I heard this, but then he still wanted that hat from in the sunroom. They went down in, Thane climbed on a bench and got the hat down. He put it on his head and said, “Now I’m Dave!”

Then Dave and Dave went to the tractor shop, which seemed somehow appropriate.

They came home with a tire and a red fire truck.

Monday, January 07, 2008

Thane's Thoughts

I've gotten good at stealing the computer from Mama, but usually it is so I can play computer games! This time it is because Bryce decided he wanted to know more about my whacky and wild ways. He tagged me in his post on Altering Life by Holding it Still.

These are the rules . . .

Make a list of eight random facts/habits about yourself.

At the end of the list, choose eight people to tag and list their names.

Leave them a comment on each of their websites to let them know that they have been tagged.

The people tagged will write a post on their own website about their eight things, post these rules, and tag eight others.

1) I'm adorable. I'll even tell you so.

2) My favorite videos right now are Blues Clues, Dora, Diego, Backyardigans and Wonder Pets.

3) My temper is a little out of control because I don't like my new teaching plan too much. I think Mama likes it even less. She fell asleep in her recliner after lunch and before snack. Shhhhh. I think I am too much for her some days!

4) I have mastered the big-eyed, blinking, "Pweeeeeeeeeeze" and use it often to get Mommy to play computer games with me. I like to sit on the armrest with my head on her shoulder. When she got annoyed with the computer, I rubbed her shoulder and said, "Don't worry Mama, we'll fix it. I pwomise."

5) I really like to line things up. They don't have to be the same thing like all cars or anything. On my birthday, I lined up my horses, Pat-Pat Rocket, and my cars after opening the gifts.

6) I will only sleep in bed if I have my 8-pound Wiggles blanket over my head. Hiding around the bed is Diego, Dora, and two Tiggers that I call Mommy Jaguar and Baby Jaguar. It bothers me that I can't see sister Alicia on Diego's watch.

7) There are a lot of things I can't have these days. I can't have nice. I can't have good-bye when it is time for my parents to leave me at preschool. I can't have lunch. I can't have snack. I probably say I can't more than any other four-year-old in the world. Oh, but I also thought I couldn't have four, but the calendar disagreed so here we are!

8) When I am excited, I am very, very loud. I scream and bounce up and down like my feet are springs. I laugh in a giddy-happy way. I also flap my hands. Don't worry! You will always know when I am excited!!!

I'll have to visit the blogs to tag them tomorrow, but I will post my choices . . . I tag Tucker and Pepper at Jettison Junk, Aviva at The Ups & Downs of Our Life, Kevin, Patrick and Ryan at the O-Ville, Becky and Carly at One Silly Mama.

Just Try to Picture This

Now that we have two+ feet of snow on the ground, it is time for the annual January thaw. Bleh. It was really, really foggy when we left the house this morning at 7:30 for our first day back to school. Braeden and I were in the car waiting for Dave to bring Thane. He usually carries him out as he is reluctant to go anywhere at that hour. This morning I was trying to point out to Dave that he seemed to forget the short one, but then he steps aside and I see my bed-headed boy for the first time since he woke up. He was dressed in a brown shirt that is one of the 2-in-1 with a brown t-shirt and brown and white striped arms. Then he is wearing orange camo fleece pants that L.L. Bean put on sale the day after Christmas. Then, in his hands, Blue, the bright blue puppy, and her baby brother, Sprinkles (white puppy with a rainbow of stripes). I have to say the monsterous combination of color on a totally foggy morning was just too cute. Both Braeden and I looked at him and announced he was cute! I wish I could have taken a picture as it really was adorable!

Friday, January 04, 2008

Can’t Have Nice

Thane woke up earlier this morning earlier than he had been – which is a good thing considering he should have been at school and I am just taking off until Monday because Braeden is off until then. He gave me fits about getting dressed. He threw something at me, which made me jump funny, and made my lower back hurt on the left side. Gee, thanks! I really needed that.

He got mad and started to do the whole “I mad! I stomp!” routine, which is at least very funny if not useful. But it was going to include a door slam, so I reminded him he needed to be nice to the door. “I CAN’T HAVE NICE!!!!!!!” SLAM! So, I wait it out. He stomps around for a good 10 minutes repeating that “I can’t have nice!” and “No way!” I tackle him and get his shirt on, walk off, and start making breakfast for everyone.

It’s time for our lovely morning behavioral therapy session – otherwise known as eating in most households, but this is totally unnatural so the therapist calls it sessions. As I get things on the table, the oil truck shows up. Just what I needed was to be undressed, serving breakfast at 10 a.m., and to have the oil guy show. I said to Braeden that we’d just hide and let him leave the bill – another $500 down the drain (then it was “only” $298, but I think he came a week early just to get my goat).

”I can’t have breakfast!” Nope, sorry, you will eat, I lift him with my aching back and put him in his chair. I guard against food tossing and drink spilling until we reach our goal, though with an X for lack of compliance. I failed too as I realized as I was doing it that I didn’t fully “prompt” right or “prompt fade” correctly. Luckily there is no score sheet for mommy, but she still knows she blew it.

I took a shower and did some chores and then went to have snack a little early since I need to condense meals a bit because breakfast was supposed to happen before 9. That goes OK . . . he didn’t finish, but what he had chosen wasn’t something he typically finishes (which is a whole other issue, I mean the child eats half a grape, just the puffy part of the popcorn, no crust but won’t touch it if it is crustless, etc., etc.)

Lightning McQueen was missing – he was thrown into the ravine behind the couch (a sectional that is bolted together). We use a “magic stick” to retrieve it. Then he gets mean and tosses it at Braeden who is reading a book in the kitchen. Braeden takes it and says he will return it when Thane apologizes. “I NO HAVE SORRY!” After he extracts an adequate apology from Thane, Braeden tells him he needs to be nice. Oy, not again . . . apparently the wrong choice of words . . . “I CAN’T HAVE NICE!!!!!!” and he wings Lightning as hard as he can at the glass-top range that is still pretty new. I haven’t really had the nerve yet to check for damage. Lightning just missed the fairly new stainless dishwasher after hitting the stove. Thane ran around to the other side of the kitchen island to grab the car and was looking like he was going to try again, I grabbed his hands, took Lightning and put him in an activity time out. Thane started screaming so hard that Braeden and I just watched him turn red and then purple. He screamed a good 10 minutes (length of timeout for throwing a toy).

I think Braeden is trying to make sure Mommy doesn’t get too stressed as he is old enough to know she doesn’t always recover well from morning terrors, so he is playing with little bro upstairs – they are making a fort, reading books, and have been up there for a half hour.

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Traditional New Year's Sledding

We have a bit of a family tradition of sledding on the New Year . . . as long as there is snow. Yesterday was a slightly different issue as there was actually too much snow, even before another eight inches or so fell on last night. Thane also got to start the new year with a snow day today. Braeden doesn't start again until Monday, January 7.




Braeden first tackled his little brother and tried to cover him in snow. After being redirected from that endeavor, he launched a snowball at Mist. She doesn't tend to mind!


I always think it is funny to watch her hang out collecting snow all over her head and back.


I have to say I like the big snowflake in the middle of Thane's nose. He looks so cute all bundled up. It's amazing that a child who used to hesitate before walking from carpet to wood now plays in the snow!


Braeden, being Braeden, was looking to make the largest possible snowball to get Daddy with. Poor Dave is such a target to these children! Yet it doesn't stop him from packing down a sled run for the kids.


Mist likes to run circles around him and leave holes in the run. What a helpful dog! She also howls at him and tries to get Dave to play.


I joke we need a snowmobile just for making the sled run down the front lawn. Dave turned to snow shoes and my mind's voice was singing "Stomp, stomp, stomp, we're stomping that Yeti stomp" like Pablo from the "Backyardigans."

Thane decided to wander off toward the driveway as he didn't want to wait any longer.


Sometimes it is best not to try to go over the embankment, as sometimes you end up inside it. When you're now much taller than the snow, it can be very hard to get yourself out again . . .


Which means you have to wait for Daddy the Yeti to stomp over in his snow shoes and rescue you.


Braeden, again being so totally Braeden, decides to go over to the same area and try to encase himself in snow.


Finally! The boys get to start sledding. Unfortunately they left at least one sled out there, so who knows when that will be seen again.