Music Man and C

We are having  a little girl time tonight.  C and I are watching Music Man.  We get a few times into the movie.  And the conversation goes like this:
C:  Mom is he really a music teacher.
A:  No,  He is a con man.  He is trying to trick the town.
C: Why?
A: He is trying to trick them out of their money.
C:  He is not being a Godly man.  I don't think I should be watching this.

The Princess, The Prince, and the Dragon

Here is our latest play date. I love how Dusty "gets" into his role. Do you see our lovely castle backdrop from Charlie's birthday last year. We have gotten a lot of use out of that sheet.

More Mud

I had a class Wednesday. When I called Dusty at lunch time to ask him a question he told me about his "mistake." "Honey, I sent the kids in the back yard." My first thought was "has the mud hole dried up." But I did not say anything but oh. There clothes are ruined but they are having a great time. I didn't realize it was muddy. My husband is very smart but not when it comes to long term planning. He just doesn't think about the future. We have an area in our back yard that is all dirt b/c the kids dig in it. I am okay with this but I have to remind myself of such hole when it rains. And it has been raining here a lot. Which is why I have not let the kids out. I don't want to clean up the mess. Doesn't this guy just look like a clay statue?




And this one here. He is taking a bath, a mud bath.


In this one you can see the mud dripping off of Charlie's skirt. And, that she is ankle deep in the mud. I don't think this mud hole will dry up anytime soon.


But this is the one that just makes me laugh. B is giving Charlie a bath. He is trying to wash her will mud. How funny is that? The best part about this story is this: My amazing husband took pictures, gave the kids a bath, mopped the floors, and cleaned the bathtub. Who cares that their clothes are still sitting on the back porch. I don't know that I could get them clean anyway.

my silly kids & walking the dog

C: "Mom"
B: "Mommy"
ME: "Yes."
C: "Can we take the dogs for a walk?"
B: "AcK"
ME: "We don't have dog."
C: "Yes, we do. Shorts and Pants."
See I have this incredibly silly little girl that has the BEST pet names ever. She named her bunny Socks, her class frog at school Bubbles, and her stuffed dog Shorts. She calls this dog Short Shorts. Brantley has spent months carrying around this silly dog. So, one day Dusty bought him a dog. Dusty and Charlie decided to name him Long Pants. So, we do have two dogs: Short Shorts and Long Pants.
This evening we went on a walk, the five of us: Charlie with Short Shorts, Brantley with Long Pants and me. These two dogs were very good dogs they only barked a few times. Once at a neighbor dog. They barked until that dog barked back and scared the snot out of Charlie and Brantley. They barked once at a squirrel. I can just imagine what that squirrel must have been thinking. :) They were the best behaved dogs. They laid down on the bench while the kids played. When it was time to go home they felt it necessary to pee on the fire hydrant down the street. I can not tell you how funny we must have looked the two kids holding their stuffed puppies up to a fire hydrant hissing between giggles. Oh, the things that I do b/c I have a creative kid. And B, that sweet boy does everything his sister does and it just melts my heart. He loves her so much. I am dreading the day when he no longer follows her around like a little lost puppy.

Bedtime Blessings & Dr. John Trent

First of all, let me say that I HATE going outside my comfort zone. Last August I taught a session at the ECAO annual conference. I did not have the money to go to the conference so I taught a session. I got free entry into the conference and they covered another session. I thought I was horrible. Someone in my class did not think so. She asked me to present at the annual Advocacy Conference in Enid in March. If the first one was outside my comfort zone the second was more so. I said yes. I went to that conference today. I again think I did a horrible job. Who knows? I again chose to present on the family nights that I (with two fellow teachers) have hosted for the last three years. And, while I was getting ready for the conference, I sent an e-mail to Dr. John Trent the author of a set of books called Bedtime Blessings asking for permission to use a few of his blessing in my presentation. Not only did he say yes, but he offered to send me the newest version of both books. I am so excited b/c I gave my copies away to a friend a few months back. Bedtime Blessings I am so excited! How incrediblly kind was that? I did not expect it at all.

secret passageway

There are some days when I feel like a good parent. Today is one of those. On Tuesday, Dusty caught Charlie writing on her wall in her closet. She was making a secret passageway. We had a long talk about not writing on the walls. On Wednesday, we painted a secret passageway. I want to encourage her creativity and imagination. It took everything in me to let her do it and not straighten it out or make her rewrite her letters correctly. Her e's are upside down and then right side up because she said she did them wrong. Her a's look like b's and her w is an m. I makes me crazy but it is hers. She took her secret passageway and it led her under her bed where she played forever yesterday. I hope this is one of those things that get's remembered instead of forgotten. I had to add new pictures. When Dusty got home they decided that it needed a doornob. So off they went to the store. $7.00 later she has a very cool secret passageway w/ doornob. When she is in her secret passageway (which takes her all over the house) she whispers "tippy toe, tippy toe" over and over until she is at her destination. And, her door creaks when she uses it. :) I love this kid!

Love Tickets

I read one of my favorite blogs this summer (stacy julian) http://stacyjulian.com/blog/?p=59 and got this great idea from all three of her posts. We have a chore chart for each of the kids. B doesn't use his yet. Chuck loves her. She can earn 14 flowers/butterflies each day. For each one earned she gets a nickel. These are her "chores". For the love tickets she has to go above and beyond. She has to do something that shows her love for someone without being asked. She collects these tickets to turn them in for "things." For 3 tickets she can choose to get a sonic slush, go to the little park in our neighborhood, go to the library, get an extra bedtime story, play a board game or stay up 10 minutes later at night. For 5 tickets she can play her leapster, v-smile or watch an extra 30 minute show. (On good days she only gets 1 1/2 hours of tv. For 10 tickets she can go to the science museum, go to the zoo, go to the big park (route 66), get a snow cone or get french fries & play at McD's. So far, she loves these more than real money. She would rather cash in her tickets for extra time up. If she asks for a ticket she does not get it. She also does not get one every time she does something nice. I want to reward her for showing love but I don't want her to expect something in return when she does something nice. There are some days when I have had a really hard day at school and she is being so obedient and a good listener that I will give her a love ticket. She also gets them quite a bit for how she treats her brother. Today she got one for helping him take his shoes and jacket off and making sure that they were put away. She really is a great kid!

Excuse me, would you like to try again?

I think that is my reaction to Charlie. Tonight I tossed her cup to her in bed hitting her on the foot. She said, "excuse me, Mommy. Would you like to try again? And how about a little easier this time." I was laughing so hard that I actually said yes! I went into her room grabbed her cup went back to the door and tossed it to her in bed. This time I made sure that I did not hit her. I guess all the times that I want to ring her little neck because I don't think she is listening she really is. Why else would she ask if I would like to try again?

You are the best

The September after I had Charlie I attended the ECAO (Early Childhood Association of Oklahoma) Annual Conference at UCO (University of Central Oklahoma). At this conference the Keynote speaker was a lady by the name of Maryann Harmon. She introduced me to this wonderful book by Dr. Becky Bailey. As well as purchasing this book I also purchased many of her CD's. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book. It really helps me when I am so frustrated with Charlie. The idea is that you use or create your own rituals that show your kids that you love them. Anyway, I just love her (Mar Harmon's) Music. I had to have become an early childhood educator because I love kids music so much. On one of her Cd's she has the this song called your the best. Charlie belted out with it at dinner time:

You're the best mommy in the world.

I'm so glad your my girl

I love you so

and in case you didn't know

your the best mommy in the world.

It just made my day. I know that sometimes I feel really silly singing all this "kids" stuff but it sure made my day today. So, just in case you haven't be told today...

You are the best _______ (mommy, sister, friend, grandma, cousin, ...) in the world.

Oh, and on a side note here is Mar's website...you should check out some of her stuff. We have Music w/ Mar, More music w/ Mar, Mr. Froggy's family, songs at my fingertips, songs for a great day. Songs for a great day has the song mentioned above as well as the clean up blues (great song folks). http://musicwithmar.com/shop/index.php?cPath=21

Charlie Breeanna & the Rose colored glasses

I have always had a very precocious child. I have often wondered if I would be able to take off those rose colored glasses and see my child the way she truly is. I have always thought that she is very smart, especially when it came to verbal intelligence. She has always been very verbal. I can remember when the pediatrician asked me if she was saying 5 words. At that time she was already using 11 word sentences. We laughed and answered yes. I have never really thought anything of it. For years I have told parents to talk to their children. Don't talk at them. Don't baby talk to them. Don't label things. Just talk to them. For years I have told parents that and thought nothing of it until we had Charlie. That is what Dusty and I have done. We do not simplify things for her we just explain what we mean. All of this to say that tonight at the store I was blown away. We were in Hobby Lobby doing what we always do when we are shopping, telling stories. (On a side note, one day I will be like A.A. Milne and publish my stories.). This one happened to be about a princess who was hiking up a mountain to find special shiny stones. We were telling the story and Brantley started fussing. I thought nothing of it as I handed him his passifer. There was a Hobby Lobby employee on the isle that we were on. The story had come to the point where the princess had found her stones and was putting them in her satchel. Yes, I know who uses that word but it was what came into my mine. Charlie asked what a satchel was and laughed when I said it was like a bag or a backpack or a purse. She said the word a couple of times and then said "tell the rest of the story." About this time Brantley started fussing. Charlie says "Mom, he's being 'un-corrigible' isn't he." I laughed. This past week I had told Charlie to quite being so incorrigible when she was throwing a temper tantrum at bedtime. The lady asked me if she how old she was. I said three. She said she must be really intelligent.
Now, of course being the mom that I am I replied with a very simple "I think so but what do I know, I am just her mom." I never really think about her because she is mine. I think she is super intelligent. She blows me away on a daily basis with what she picks up and what she knows. Dusty teases her and says she is already smarter than he is. I just don't think about it when I am talking to her. I use new words because words are fun. She picks up on them and I have the smartest three year old in the world. She is so smart that she can tell you that you are being 'un-corrigible' and that she will have to ask someone's advice to find out what is her responsibility. And yes, she really does speak like that!

Paul Harvey 2

So, I am back on Paul Harvey. I was working in my scraproom (aka my living room, dining room, bedroom, and Brantley's room) going through some old layouts looking for some stamped one together for a friend to look at and I came across this in hard copy. It is one of my favorite things from Paul Harvey. I only hope that I can be this kind of a mother.

Life Lessons

We tried so hard to make things better for our children that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better.

I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches. I really would.

I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated. I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car. And I really hope nobody give you a brand new car when you are sixteen.

It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.

I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.

I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.

When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him/her.

I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.

On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.

If you want a slingshot, i hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one. I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.

When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in our head.

I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boy/girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.

May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.

I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it. And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend.

I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma/Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.

May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.

I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbors window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.

These things I wish for you--tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me it's the only way to appreciate life.

My brother needs to die

Now if you are like me you kind of freaked out at that comment. I did when it came out of Charlie's mouth on Wednesday. "No, your brother doesn't need to die."

"Oh, but Mommy he misses God too much." With Charlie you just never really know what she is going to say, how it connects, or if it even makes sense. So the discussion goes...

"What do you mean?"

"Mommy, you remember when Brantley was in your tummy?"

"Yes, I remember. What does that have to do with him having to die or missing God?"

"Mommy (she giggles) when brother was in your tummy he was with God. Now he misses God so he has to die."

Now I get the connections that she is making. But before I explain I need to tell you that we never talked about Brantley being with God while he was in my tummy. We just said that he was in my tummy. I am blown away by her figuring out that before he was with us he was with God. Okay, back to the connections:

1--Brantley was once with God.

2--He now misses God.

3--When you die (Socks and Oh' Grandma Rosetta) you go to heaven to be with God.

4--If Brantley dies he will go to heaven to be with God.

I get her connections but we talked long and hard about how God gave us Brantley as a gift to live here on earth until God is ready for him. (And that is NO TIME SOON.)

I just keep going back to that verse that talks about God not giving us more than we can handle with him. I am so glad he is here b/c if I was doing this parenting thing on my own I would have been scared out of my mind that my three year old wanted her brother dead.

Thank you God for your wonderful guidance of finding out what she was talking about instead of getting on to her for talking about killing her brother.

Old tales I don't want to forget

I was looking for a post over at one of my favorite sites Just 4 keeps and found this post.

It was so funny at the time that I just wanted to remember it here too. It was from last year's class. I just love Dillon.

"Wed sept 05 2007

I am at school today. I go into the bathroom to check on two of my boys and I notice that one of them has something in his hand. Like any parent, I hold out my hand and tell him to give it to me. I then ask "what is it?" That was a very important question and for once I am so glad this kid did not obey. It was a frog. When I asked him to repeat himself b/c surly I had misheard him. I was very glad that he had kept the frog in his hand. He assured me that it was "not dead or anything." We let the squished up little green tree frog go. I did not point out to this little guy that his frog was indeed dead. He had been squishing him in his hand for 20 minutes prior to me finding him as we were washing up for lunch. I like frogs, don't get me wrong but I would have screamed if one had landed in my hand when I wasn't expecting it. "

That was so funny then and finding it today when Charlie is again having a hard time obeying (She cut her hair again so that everyone would think she was so cute.) I just needed to know that sometimes I really don't want them to obey.

This parenting thing

Sometimes I am just worn thin. Last night was one of "those" nights. Dusty said Charlie had to clean her room. We cleaned her room. I refuse to clean her room b/c I did not play with her toys and blankets but because she is 3 she still needs a LOT of guidance. So, we cleaned her room. After two hours of fighting.

"Pick up your blankets."

"I don't want to pick up my blankets."

" I know that you do not want to pick up your blankets but you need to pick up your blankets."

And it went on and on and on.

We took a break for dinner.

Then ten more minutes to finish and an early bed time since she had been screaming and telling mommy and daddy no all day. Dusty took over brushing teeth tonight. The following conversation happened.

"No, Daddy I don't want to."

"I don't care what you want. Brush your teeth."

"No, I'm not going to."

"Young lady. You will obey and not be disrespectful. Brush your teeth."

"Why don't you just spank me and get it over with."

YES, my three year old just told her father to just spank her and get it over with. I am in the other room fuming, knowing that my husband is in her room fuming. Fast forward a few spankings and she is still brushing her teeth, saying no, and going to bed early.

And then today she tells me no and I have the presence of mind to calmly say,

"Excuse me, remember what God says about obeying your mommy and daddy." And she said, "Okay mommy," and went right to doing what I asked her to do.

My question is this, did last night make a difference or was today just a different day?

Here is my little add. I love Gymboree bubbles. They are a little price-y but well worth the $6.

Imagination

I just love imagination conversations. We had several this evening.

"The Monster in the backyard."

"Momma, the monster is scaring me."

"How is he scaring you?"

"He is roaring."

"Ask him not to roar."

"Can I ask God?"

"Sure."

(Charlie to herself as she walks out on the back porch in the dark with her flash light to get her toys out of her new play house.) "God help me to be brave. Amen. Mr. Monster, may you please stop roaring. You are scaring me."

"ROAR (loud), roar (softer), roar (squeaked). " (Charlie was talking for the monster.)

"Thank you."

So I did what any parent would. "So, what did the monster say."

"Oh, he just said he was sorry for scaring me and he would wait till I went inside to roar anymore."

And the second conversation, Charlie was in bed. I opened her book to begin her story.

"Did you hear that?" She had a huge smile on her face.

"Let me listen closer." I pretended to listen. She said very quietly splash. Her head moved like she was watching someone jump from my right shoulder to my left shoulder over my head.

"I did hear that."

"It's Ariel mommy."

"Well, of course it is."

"She is jumping out of the water. Do you see her?" splash, splash, splash.

"Yes, she is."

"She wants to play. I told her that I can't because it is my rest time but I can watch her. Isn't she a great jumper mommy."

"Yes."

I just have to walk away chuckling. Thank you God for giving this little girl such an amazing imagination. It will probably get her into some serious trouble when she gets to school and is suppose to be learning about fractions or something equally as difficult at first.

Sunday, One crazy week

So my crazy week began with Dusty saying to Charlie at 9 o'clock at night. Ask mommy if you can go for a hot swim. Are you kidding? It is 9 o'clock and it is 27 degrees outside and falling. Mommy( you know the one who thinks about coats, and socks, the one that thinks about feeding the kids and bedtime) really wants to say no but got talked into saying yes. She went out for 10 minutes. She had the BEST time and in that 10 minutes it dropped 5 degrees. Dusty, why can't you suggest the hot swim on a day that is not freezing?

Single Moms

I just don't get how my mom did it! I am in awe of her. She was such a great single mom. She took us everywhere. I just don't remember days like these. I tried taking the kids shopping today. I should have just stayed home. The first store we went to...Charlie threw herself on the floor and threw the biggest tantrum. She hasn't done that in a while. I should have gone home. Nope, I had to get my shopping finished. So, we went to the scrapbook store (Just 4 Keeps). Great store! Great friends. They even had a play room. Charlie was fablous until she pooped her pants. We went to the bathroom when we got there. I asked if she needed to go before we left and she said no. I forgot to ask if she was dry? I realized it as she was wiping poop on the back of my seat. She still won't keep her hands out of her pants. So I stopped wiped off her hands and the car. We drove to Wal-mart where I knew they had a private bathroom with a changing table and Charlie wouldn't you know that the family bathroom was closed for repairs.

We use the regular bathrooms. I should have gone home. It took me 45 minutes to clean her up, have her go potty and change Brantley (who slept through the cleaning of Chalrie and would have slept longer if I hadn't have woken him up to change his diaper. I keep telling myself I should have gone home. We then went to OG (Olive Garden) and had dinner and got to visit with Dad. We had a great time.

I should have gone home! Instead we went to a living nativity. ... The Journey to Bethelehm put on by Harvest Hills Christian Church (Very Cool). We get there. We go to the bathroom. Charlie insists that she doesn't need to go. I insist that she tries. We get into the auditorium. We sing some Christmas Carols. We go to the bathroom. They called our row. I didn't know this we go back and sit in our seat. We sit in the autiorum singing Chrismat carols for an hour and 15 minutes b/c we missed our first turn. We go on the journey. As I said earlier it was very cool except that my fearless child is terrified of the soliders. Yes, I said terrified. She is screaming and shaking and does not want to go through the nativity.

Okay, I have to say that I understand people being kind and asking to hold Charlie so that she can see. Or taking her hand and moving her to the front of the group but I have some serious issues with this people. (Please know that I am a very tired mommy who is getting on her soap box for a minute.) I know that you are being kind and "Christian." I know that I was at a "church" function but I don't care...You are STRANGERS. Yes, I said it STRANGERS. I have a 3 year old that does not know the differnece and would walk off with anyone, like the kind lady with the flashlight that made the soilders walk away. I understand that she was being nice but Charlie doens't know the difference in safe and unsafe. I know that that lady was probably nothing to be afraid of but who is to say that she is not some big-bad-wolf in a grandma (or bible time) costume. (Okay I will get off my soap box). I

I realize that I am probably that extrememly over protective parent and that I should probably stop watching all those cop shows like CSI, NCIS, and Law & Order that I like but I just can't help it.

Do all three year olds...

Do all three year olds get into stuff?

Do all three year olds dump stuff out just because?

Do all three year olds explore and experiment?

Do all three year olds go on wild adventures and make their parents crazy in the mean time?

Do all three year olds get into stuff just to get into stuff?

And if so, when does it end?

Charlie has had one of those weeks.

1-She has shaved her chin with Dusty's razor. She learned that she didn't like after shave.

2-She used color stay lipstick as eye shadow (a week later it is still a slight pink after 6 showers and many scrubs).

3-She used body powder and water to make "pancake mix" and proceeded to bake them on the carpet in my bedroom at her picnic.

4-She planted apple seeds (small bits of eaten apple) all over her room b/c she wanted to see if they would grow.

5-She unrolled 3 rolls of toilet paper into a pile on the floor in front of the "dragon" toilet.

6-She flavored her popcorn with lotion.

7-She colored with red marker on my coffee table to give it a sun burn and then covered it with green goo (that's what we call the green goop of Aleo vera gel for sunburns).

8-She hit her brother on the head with a pampered chef pastry tool b/c she wanted to turn him into a frog.

9-She covered the kitchen floor with ice to make a winter wonderland for the penguin. We didn't find it until 25 pieces of ice had halfway melted.

10-She dumped a bag of magnet letters on the floor in the laundry room, climbed in a laundry basket and used 4 fly swatters as oars to try and rescue her letters that has gotten lost in the ocean.

11-She screamed for any where from two to three hours at bedtime that she wasn't tired and therefore didn't need to go to bed right now.

At what point does she grow out of this tiring behavior? Just lie to me if she doesn't. I know that she is a very creative child and that is so wonderful but really at the moment I am just really TIRED.

One of those days

We get up on time..Yeah! I take a shower. Charlie takes a shower. I go to make Brantley's bath water and realize that I forgot to turn on the hot water. Sorry for that cold shower Charlie. I get the hot water on and Brantley gets his bath. We are all dressed and ready to go to church and it is only 10:00. Sunday School starts at 11:00. Hey, I'll get there early. I get Brantley buckled into his car seat take him to the door and realize that the car seat for the Broncho is not put together. It is the one that I have never been able to figure out. I've got an hour before church starts. I've got time. So thirty minutes later I have the car seat together and realize that I forgot to put the top strap in. I go to take it apart to put in the strap and can't get the bottom to release. Charlie is 35 lbs. She can just use it as a booster seat. 10:45. Fifteen minutes to get the kids loaded and to get to church. No problem.

Oh, Brantley! He has spit up all over him and his car seat. Okay, No problem. I get him out of his seat. I get him changed and go to buckle him back in his car seat and OH BRANTLEY! He has just pooped. Okay mom's you know the poop that I am talking about. The one that leaks up the back and all over the clothes. So, bath number two, third set of clothes this morning but hey, we're ready to go. I look at the clock. It is now 11:05. If we leave now we can be at church at 11:25. Church is over at 12. We'll just stay home. "But mommy, I'm dressed and now I won't get to see my real friends."

So we watched Veggie Tales instead of going to church. Now here is the kicker. I made frozen pizza's for lunch. When I took them out and went to cut them I realized they they weren't quite finished. I put them back into the oven for a little bit longer. No problem right? I guess I didn't get the stone pushed all the way back into the oven b/c when I opened the oven door half my pizza slid off the stone and onto the oven door.

Alexander, Can I join you in Australia?