Pinewood Derby 2011

I once heard someone say that a blog is a place for mom's to brag on their kids. While I strive to bring my readers more depth than frivolous accounts of our day and self-indulgent photographs...this is going to be an exception!

Joshua competed in the Boy Scout Pack 777 Pinewood Derby last night and brought home the coveted Coolest Car Trophy.

While his police cruiser may not be able to catch the other hot rods in a high speed chase, it was voted the coolest car by his fellow boy scouts.

Look at the size of that trophy!

Way to go Joshua!

Snow Day

Top 5 Things To Do On A Snowday:

1. Sleep In. After the kids went to bed last night we received the one-call that our school was canceled today. No 5:30 alarm for the morning! We are sleeping in...well at least until 6:15am when the kids slowly started trickling in our room.

I have to wake them up every morning for school at 6:40. Steve sometimes carries them downstairs because they are so tired...yet today, with no school they wake up on their own!

2. Visit the Doctor. For our kids this means not only an exam and maybe some medicine but also spinning in daddy's desk chair, suckers, and stickers! The only downside was they had to get dressed...no PJ day.

3. Popcorn and a Movie. Yes, right in the middle of the day. They were so excited when I said we were going to watch a movie and have popcorn and root beer in the middle of the day. After lunch I told them they could even bring their blankets downstairs... about 30 seconds later this is what I found!

4. Games. Trouble, Richard Scary Busytown (which I highly recommend - it is a GREAT game), the Ladybug Game (also lots of fun), Operation (or as Katherine calls it "that don't touch the side fang (thing)), etc. Steve and I are always looking for opportunities to build character in our children. Well you don't have to look hard for this one! Learning to "lose with dignity" (in other words, not rolling around the floor crying when you lose...or are about to lose...or have the slightest perception that there is a small chance you might lose) is a commonly spoken phrase in our house these days.

5. Play In The Snow. I had to be creative with this one because there is no way you are going to get me out in 2 degree weather to play. That is insane! The kids did go out to play...and stayed almost as long as I spent getting them dressed. So for our arts and craft time today we made Instant Snow!

You can buy the powder from www.discountschoolsupply.com ,you just add water and within seconds you have a plate full of snow. No gloves! No ice! No frostbite! This is my kind of snow!

Oh, I just thought of like 4 more things...which would make this a top 9 list, which is awkard. And I have spent way too long trying to come up with number 10. It is late and my alarm is going off at 5:30 tomorrow. So I will end with a quick thank you...

Thank you God for the snow outside that has allowed me to spend a delightful day with my children.

The Things They Say...

I was replacing our family portrait hanging in the family room with our new Christmas picture, while looking at the old one, Katherine says, "are you going to sell it at the yardsale?"...Dave Ramsey would be so proud!

Steve had been having some trouble with neck pain and at breakfast one morning I was teasing and told the kids that daddy was getting real old and sometimes old people's bodies don't work like they are supposed to. Katherine looked at me in all seriousness and said, "are we going to buy a new one?"

I was talking with Lydia and teasing about what I could do to stop them from growing so fast, we came up with a few funny solutions and Lydia says "how are we going to stop you from getting older?!" oh if we could only figure that one out!

For Christmas the kids bought me PJs with feet in them. They were a little big (size 10/12 from kids department at Target) and I said I would try to shrink them. Lydia says, "not too much..you might grow into them next year!"

Joshua to Lydia in the car one day, "what are you thinking in your head?"
Lydia, after being quiet for a moment says, "nothing"
Joshua, "you can't be thinking nothing, what are you thinking?"
Lydia, "nothing"
Joshua, "if you are thinking nothing then that means you are thinking something."

Katherine has learned than when spending the night with my parents, she can get up about 6:15 or so and crawl in bed with them. I was teasing her at breakfast and said, "Katherine grandma and grandpa are not used to getting up so early, they are retired now." Katherine responds, "I'm still tired too."

While brushing her hair one day Katherine says, "what's that fang (thing)I do?"
Me, having no idea what she was talking about said, "What thing?"
Katherine, "you know that fang I do."
Me, "I don't know what you are talking about."
Katherine, "you know, when snot comes out my nose."
Me, "sneezing.:
Katherine, "yeah Ive been doing that a lot."

Joshua came downstairs early one morning and immediately noticed that I had changed the calendar to December. He says, "is it December now?" me, "yes" him, "Can you buy Oreo cookies now!" (only the Dave Ramsey fans will get that one). What a great teaching moment!

On New Years Day we were talking about all the fun things we could do this year. I suggested "daddy could take us to Hawaii!" Lydia said, "or Disney World!" Katherine exclaims, "or Chuck-e-Cheeses!"

We were having a dance party while listening to one of the Rock channels on the TV, it shows still pictures of the artists while the song is playing. We happened to be dancing to Ozzy Osborne, I was telling the kids that I had seen him in concert before and it was one of my favorite concerts of all time. I told them that back in the 80s the boy rock stars wore their hair long. Joshua says, "oh because that was before they had razors."