For Our Own Good?

In our faith, the LDS church, we have standards that we live by . . . and time and time again, I have seen the benefits of living those standards.  Many people think that they are too restrictive.  I've had some people tell me that I must enjoy being told what to do in order to abide by a set of standards.  In all, I know that living by these standards are for my own good.  I am happier, healthier, and more productive by following these guidelines.

On my mind right now:  I've been witness to how destructive a tool technology can be.  Technology in itself isn't the issue; it is the way it used and by what person, for what purpose.  I've seen how harmful it is for those who never "turn off" the technology.  They get no peace, they are up at night answering text messages when they should be sleeping.  And, the need to be careful with technology goes the same for adults and children.

I often think of how I will respond to technology when my kids are older--what are the right guidelines, how to best enforce limits and encourage appropriate use.  A long time ago, the raging battle in my mind was "Video games vs No video games."  Things are different now; the blessing of technology is in many, many more forms.  The lines of what the world and sometimes even the neighbors view as appropriate vs inappropriate are blurry at best.  I admire parents who are already navigating the waters and teaching their children how to reasonably use technology and safeguard themselves from the problems that can arise with thoughtless use.

Right now, the most my kids know is that mom checks her email on the computer and that there are "shows" (movies, tv shows).   Ah, to be 3 and 1.  I love those little boys.

Big Dreams

Erik and I really don't have the same taste in movies.  TV shows we've found middle ground on, but movies, not so much.

Erik loves natural disaster shows.

At dinner, he mostly talked about "Hunt for the Supertwister"----Rated it a cool 5 stars

He really would like to be a tornado chaser, and he can go be that, after the children are all grown up.  In his spare time, for now, he tries to be content by being a meteorologist.

Tonight, he mowed the lawn in under an hour and a half.  That is a new record.

Chills and Thrills

I am totally pooped.  The week was busy and Merritt was up all Saturday night (like ALL night) and I had meetings all Sunday.  You should have seen my inarticulateness during my YW lesson.  You would have either laughed or cried at my misery.  I was able to get to bed early last night, and then I woke up at 5:30 . . . on the only morning that my boys slept past 7:00.  I did get some quiet time and a distraction free shower this morning, though.

The Career Events were splendid!  We are so grateful on the part of the expert presenters who gave up an evening to come and talk to our youth about their jobs!

The week was really busy but little by little we are shifting the house back to normal mode.  At least I think so.

It was party weekend for Everett.  It was sicko weekend for Merritt.  On Saturday morning Evy went to the Dallas science museum with his dad and had a terrific time with dinosasurs and other cool stuff (I'm sure).  They then had a great time playing with his cousins and seeing the Hot Air Balloon stuff in Plano on Saturday night.  He and Erik always have a good time hanging out with family.  (I stayed home with my high fever Merritt and ransacked the kitchen for sugar.  As we didn't have anything really sugary to eat, it further added to the depressing situation of NOT seeing my sisters and their kids.  I know, boo-hoo, poor me.  I'll see them in a couple weeks, for sure.)

Today I was trying to tell Everett about what we were doing and he didn't quite get what I was saying (flashback from my interactions with everyone yesterday).  Finally, he said,"So, do I know Aaron?  Are we going to his house?"

"Aaron?  No, I didn't say anything about Aaron, we don't know an Aaron."

"But Mom, you said we were going to see Aaron at the store."

"oh.  We are going to do some ERRANDS like little jobs like going to the store."

He still didn't understand what the heck I was saying and I don't blame him.

Merritt is better--no fever now, still a Crankerpants, but better.

It is time to once again tackle the 72 hr emergency kits.  Evy is ready to put Halloween stuff out now.  (I'm kind of tired of the month of September so I am seriously considering putting it out this week.)  Flu shots are scheduled and I have to decide how few or many of the like bajillion sweaters I acquired from living in cold places so often.  Texas doesn't warrant my sweater wardrobe.

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so I won't forget:
Merritt LOVES popcorn and french fries.  Like totally loves them.  If we go out, we have to make sure he doesn't see ANY french fries before he eats, uh, something more nutritional because once he sees those grease sticks, there is no coming back.

I've Been Thinking

In my personal studies, I came across this and I've been pondering the extent of the truthfulness in it all week:

“It is no easy task to be good. For in everything it is no easy task to find the middle. … Anyone can get angry—that is easy—or give or spend money; but to do this to the right person, to the right extent, at the right time, with the right motive, and in the right way, that is not for everyone, nor is it easy; wherefore goodness is both rare and laudable and noble. (“Man and Man: The Social Philosophers,” The World’s Great Thinkers, vol. II, ed. Saxe Cummins and Robert N. Linscott, New York: Random House, 1947, p. 352a.)

A Wish

Mom is in the front passenger seat, Evy is right behind her.

Evy:  (wistfully)  I wish I could fly
Mom:  That would be cool.  Where would you go if you could fly?
Evy:  I'd go visit Jesus.

big tease

storytime at the library included Merritt showing off to the group how efficient, and speedy, he can take of his clothes.

the only thing that slowed him down was when he paused to dance to the music.

did I mention he can run really fast?

Chills and Thrills

I've got some catching up to do.  Today, though, I am trying to revel in the "completeness" of Day One of our Career Quest.

It went well.  Day Two is Tuesday Night.

Should be amazing.

I'm pooped.

Boys are well.  Aunt Debbie and Uncle Apple played with them last night while we were at the Fireside.

Erik is tired, but he is doing well.

Later.

Things They Say

Evy talks nonstop.  Always has a question and always keeps us in line.  "That is not a nice word."  (currently, "but" is not a nice word)

Yesterday it went like this:
Evy:  Mom, can I ask you a quesshhtion?
Mom:  Yes.
Evy: You know a long time ago, a long, long, long time ago . . . were there dinosaurs?
Mom:  Yes.
Evy:  Where was I?

One of his favorite lines of conversation centers on Jesus.
Where does Jesus live?
Can Jesus see me?  Can Jesus hear me?
When can I see Jesus?


Today at dinner we had the usual conversation about how the food we eat helps us.  "Mom, is this (points to yucky corn) good for me?"  Erik later during dinner made some comment about how eating something will help you "bulk up" your muscles and then it became hysterical.

Evy:  (excitedly)  LOOK!  (pointing to his arm)
Dad:  What?
Evy:  I'm bucking up!  (pumping his bicep muscle)  SEE!  (moves his thumb)  It is helping me move my THUMB!

And, right before our very eyes we saw his muscles transform into a size that even Hercules would have admired.  Better than steroids.
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Merritt currently has four uses of the syllable "baa"--book, bottle, ball, and bite

And, yes, only Mom can tell the difference.

mo=more
MA=Mom
DA=Dad
pfffsh=fish
roff=dog
eese=please/cheese
da=yes
no=no and yes
ookies=cookies (priorities, people)
ick=chicken
od-od=hot dog
wawa=water
ooo=moo
ROAR=ROAR

These days, we lovingly refer to him as "Our Perpetual Motion" and we always follow Mad-Eye Moody's advice of Constance Vigilance.  Today, he scaled the babygate.

Another First Conquered

Today was Everett's first day of preschool.  He now goes once a week for two hours at a local natural history and nature preserve.

Since last week, I've been explaining to him that he has to make sure ALL his clothes are on before he leaves the bathroom at school. We talked about staying with the group when they go hiking on the trails.  We talked about how it was only going to be Evy going to school.  Mom, Merritt, and Dad were going to be other places.  We talked about sharing and what to do if you wanted to play some more with a toy and someone else wants to play with it. 

Once, Everett suggested that Merritt go with him.  Then, he said that,"Merritt would just mess stuff up."  So, it was probably best it was only him.

It was RAINING today.  We put on the "easy" to pull-up long pants, sprayed him with bug spray (per teacher's orders), grabbed his water bottle, put a "treat" in his bag for afterschool, and were off.

When we walked into the Opossum Room, the teacher checked something with me . . . to which Everett very calmly explained to her that, "Mom has to leave.  This School isn't for Mom."  And, that was it.  He didn't look back.  He was off to explore the tarantula exoskeleton and turtle carapace.

He gave me huge hug and squeal when we picked him up.  Then he promptly requested his cookie.  The first day was pretty okay by his standards (though some kids "have problems sharing" he reported).  This kid cracks me up!

"We played playdough, read books, learned about animals--you know ones that climb trees and eat bugs, and there was a spider in the school.  I don't like that.  Can we tell the teacher I don't like that?  Why is there a spider in there?  We saw turtles and they eat bugs.  We had a snack.  I don't know what it was."

(Merritt, though, had a hard time being separated from his buddy.  Mostly we ran around in the rain outside the library.)