We have arrived safely in California.

Although, about 13 hours later than we thought. Apparently they cancelled the flight in early October and just sent an email which I never got.... we found out last night in the airport. Jockey bawled that he didn't get to go to California to see "another grammy". I convinced him we'd really get to go. Lynda drove back and picked us up and we returned to have a bite to eat with Mike and Peter.
Then it was home to bed and early to rise. Had to make the most of "Black Friday". We were at Fred Meyer just after 5AM (with the other insane people). We got some really good deals and were out of the store in 20 minutes. The boys were kept busy and didn't see anything either. We struck out at Walmart... in fact, we didn't even get in the door since it was too early, too dark and too cold to wait in the line that stretched around the outside of the building. Target, we got in the door, but none of the prices were better save on two items, but even those weren't worth waiting in the hour long line just to pay. On the bright side, we browsed Petsmart and had just a fun time looking at animals. (Jockey's idea.)
We were to the airport with plenty of time, rode the "train" for a few loops and the rest was smooth. We are here now and the boys are already settled in and at home using the hallway as a running track, using the special computer Papa Bishop set up, and playing with their belated birthday gifts. Plans for the trip... the railroad museum, Chuck E. Cheese and McDonalds with Papa.
So that's the first update from California.

What would Jesus do????

A harmless question until tonight at dinner.

An incident occurred, regarding farting into the oven. The boys, being boys, thinks this is hilarious. Mommy, being mommy, does not think this is appropriate behavior and thinks we should discuss rudeness. I tried to introduce the guideline "What would Jesus do" as a standard for appropriate action. Did you ever think that you would have to say: "Do you think Jesus would fart into the oven?" Somethings you just can't say with a straight face, even when trying to teach a serious lesson.

It's getting to be that time of year.
"Season of prohibition" on buying things for yourself (or others, if it isn't going to keep until Christmas.) It was a rule growing up, buy nothing between Thanksgiving and Christmas; one year we even waited until after Christmas clearance sales to get our Christmas gifts.
However, today I was at a crossroads. Jockey and I were in the store finishing grocery shopping. He requested to visit the toys, and I said we were just looking... in fact, only looking for brother. So he looked and looked and pointed and "I want this" and "Buy me that please". He was turned away with "I'll think about it", I'll talk to Dad about it, "I don't think so", you won't use that, too many small pieces. etc. EXCEPT for one toy. Of all the games, action figures, hot wheels etc, it was a stuff (beanie babie-esque) cat. A little gray and white striped off-brand cat. I told him it was not on sale, too much, wouldn't be fair if brother didn't get one, way way too much if brother was to get one too. 10 minutes to get him out of the department after "price scanning" it twice to show him the cost. He bawled from one side of the store to the other as if I had cut off his arm. That's all he wants, nothing for Christmas. I'm hurting his heart he says. None of his other toys at home are cute now. He doesn't want to live near me when he grows up now. By now I'm feeling like the worst mother, but a decent budget hold-out. ($7 each, too much for stuffed cats!) I call Mike to be reaffirmed that I'm not cruel and unusual.
In the end, after brilliant parallel parking and a visit to St. Vincent de Paul, and negotiation there.... two stuffed cats (one IS a beanie baby), 2 mini-beanie baby bears, 1 mini-beanie baby dino, and a stashed away beanie baby (WITH TAGS) for Christmas.... $1.63 with tax. 1 christmas gift, 2 happy boys, totally affordable, and a relieved mommy in a pear tree. Jockey said in the car, "Mommy, you made my heart happy". I did have to explain to him that waiting and seeing if Mommy can find a way sometime gets better/more than the thing he cries over right NOW NOW NOW about. He understood. Lesson hopefully learned, even if I was manipulated for $1.63.
A rough but successful mom-ing day.
After last week's MOPS speaker, I'm trying to be more "intentional" in my parenting. Finding what works/lights up my child in their minds and hearts and develope that; working on first time obedience (starting to see minor improvement already, although the frequency of "consequences" has increased). We were encouraged to ask "What did you want from your Mother?" (and I've tried to include father, and want Mike to ask both questions of himself to work from that perspective.) I decided that I would ask the boys that question. Caleb understood a little better (or maybe Jockey does understand, and I don't want to understand his answer.) Caleb said he wants me to take him to the park more and sit with him more, and got to the Children's museum more. OK, Can do. JOCKEY, on the other hand... When I said what do you want out of mommy more, what more do you want from Mommy? Answer: A baby, a baby brother. I'm just closing my eyes and shaking my head. This from the boy who said he wanted to hold his baby brother by the foot/leg upside down so that it won't bite him like the rabbits!

Ok, so that's todays points of interest. Hope it was worth a chuckle.

We made it through last week. All the homework got completed, craft projects were don, school attended, MOPS attended, etc etc.

Now on to this week. Just 2 full days of "normal" until Thanksgiving craziness of packing, flying, driving, eating, Mike' working and whatever else. The boys and I fly out at 7:55 pm from Seatac. They might snag a swim at the club before we head to the airport, but other than that... I think we are going to chill at the house, pack the clothes, and eat McDonalds. I might even slurge for something that is NOT on the dollar menu to make it a "Big" meal that Thanksgiving is expected to be. And maybe a toy for the plane ride will be extra distracting from the 2 hours sitting in one plane seat without moving and (please, God) quiet! We will return Wednesday of next week, just in time to got to work and school the next day! Then MOPS and school on Friday. Christmas Bazaar on Saturday, Christmas Tree cutting on Sunday... whew, anyone exhausted yet.

Jockey is trying to learn to write his name. He's trying hard. He has J-O and E-Y. So he is a JOEY. He is suffering from an identity crisis. Joshua, Josh, Jockey, JOEY. How is he ever going to learn to write his name when he has so many! Something that he already needed to work on based on the conference with his teacher. He also has a small class party on Wednesday celebrating Thanksgiving.

Caleb had a "Celebration of Learning" today. (Does that seem Hyper (as in over the top) PC to anyone else?) I made it back from work in time to see him mumble words in front of all the parents. He really doesn't like singing in front of people. I'm wondering if I should even bother with the "around the world" (another PC terminology) December concert. He mumbled last year, and will probably do so again. I don't know whether we should go... I guess that decision is still to come. But Caleb was very happy to have someone come on his behalf.

So that's the update for now. Have a good Thanksgiving.

And a new week begins....

We've started off strong this week.
Caleb's looking over a new-to-him LEGO magazine, and my hope is that he finds he really wants to know what is being written about the LEGOs. One of his chief complaints about school is that they teach boring things... "Who cares about the rat with a pack?!" He seemed to prize the magazine and so my hope is high right now. Unfortunately, that means this afternoon I will be having to read a LEGO magazine. But that's what moms do I suppose.

Jockey is doing well at school. A little girl named Carlee really likes him, and he's indulgent. He lets her chase him. In a dog pack it's the leader who is always chased, a leader never chases. I wonder if the same is true in children?

We toured another house last week. Mike's in love. I'm reserving emotion so that I don't feel the crash of disappointment if it doesn't work out. It would have to be a series of miracles and fulfilled "Ifs" to get it... fortunately, we know and talk with the Master of Miracles, God. It would be a dream because of the size of land and square footage, and neighborhood atmosphere, and schools (basically our choice) and bus service right at the corner of the lot I think. The boys LOVE the big trees, and it comes with a tinker toys style hardy swing set. It's decorated in 1990's... mauves, purples, a poster -style picture in a set of 3 metal tubed frames (found at any value village) would fit in PERFECTLY with this house. But nothing is broken or unsafe! It's all just comes down to personal preference, which means we change it when we can afford it, use it until then. It has 4 big bedrooms, plus a large bonus upstairs, plus an "alcove/library" with built in shelves and a cushionless window set that look out over the entire backyard. It has a goat/loafing shed plumbed with water, perfect to house the rabbits or any future animals we need to breed to eat. The lot is 2.65 acres, house is 3078 sqft, with a 3 car garage. Plenty of room to plant the fruit I want, and already comes with a producing apple tree and 4 plum trees. Two downsides. 1) the taxes on 2.65 acres is obviously higher than our .12 lot; meaning we'd have to look into negotiating with the county (based on the sale price) a lower assessed value. and 2) on the back half of the lot is powerlines; not great for resale...however, at the price we are looking at, we would NEVER lose money, in fact, we'd do very well for ourselves, so that is a moot point for us. Especially since we are thinking we'll be in this house until retirement (barring disasters). So right now we are praying that we will have clear guidance for or against this house. And we are waiting on getting more information from the listing agent.
By the way, the last house I mentioned, the "treehouse", we prayed about and it was a clear no.... and I'm grateful in the end because it really was a lot to bite off and try to fix. Would have been worth it in value, but probably more headache than we should take on. The answer to prayers sometimes is no, and still is a good thing.

The rest of the week we'll just plug along on laundry, work, homework, Awana, finding something to do on Veteran's day, and I'm probably going to go help a MOPS mom with some things at her house. No big plans otherwise.

More later as it occurs.

November Already!



Fall is flying by. The boys and I experimented with dipping the beautifully colored leaves in wax to preserve them. Jockey was way more interested than Caleb. And it turned out well, the ones that were dipped in barely melted wax rather than really hot wax. I think they has just as much fun choosing leaves as doing something with them.



They are all still healthy. Me, my chest still feels like I've run a mile and hurts, and I have a deep cough. But I'm getting better.



We went to the Fall carnival at our church on Friday night for a little fun. We were there almost 2 hours. Caleb ran into his buddy Blake and they ran around with each other a bit. They both had a really good time and found success in the games that were available to play. It was fortunate that they were both in similar skill levels because then I could keep them together in each room rather than have to split them up or take turns on who gets to do things they like. The bouncy houses were of course huge fun. We ran into Emily and Brittany and Brian. Emily was just a bit too small for the bouncy houses, so I guess we'll have to make a point of inviting her over next summer for a bit of fun in our bouncy house.



Saturday we avoided the doorbell ringers by going to Maltby Assembly's Trunk-or-treat (aka, games in the back of trunks outside fun carnival). It was alot of fun. Trunks were set up as Nerf shooting galleries, fishing, hockey, shuffle board, ring toss, pin drop. The hit was a horse trailer converted to a hay maze. The boys spent over 30 minutes going in again and again. They also had a fire truck to go in and a cake walk. It was alot of fun, if a bit wet at times and cold. (not great for my cough, but they had so much fun). We ran into the boys "idol" of Wyatt and they followed him around a bit. It was a good evening and we got home late enough to only have one person to turn away from the door.

Last Thursday, Caleb had a Farm party. Everyone dressed as people or animals found on the farm. Caleb decided that he would be a cowboy. (ok.) He was very insistent that a cowboy had a brown vest with a star on it and of course a hat. So not owning this sort of outfit, he and I headed to the St. Vincents thrift store. I felt like a good mom that day when I turned a $2 girls brown shirt into a boy's cowboy vest through a little turning inside out, snipping of the arms and front, adding buttons and a star from my scrapbook stash. He was happy to be involved in the decision process and the fitting and star position deciding. He wore the outfit for 3 days!

We had conferences last week.
Caleb: Really settling in well. The first part of the year was an adjustment, but now he's in a groove. (I'm wondering if that coincided with the restriction on milk and sodium benzoate?) He's got a couple buddies he plays with, there are a lot of girls in the class though. He is "on grade" with everything, every cateogory. He is a mid to almost higher level in the reading. (WOW, great.) He is decent on number identification, but could use a little work. He is doing ok on drawing, but needs to be able to TRY to write what the pictures show. And Caleb show interest in math. That's Caleb's conference in a nutshell.

Jockey: Surprisingly good at cutting. Can identify 75% of his letters. 50% of his shapes. Plays well, talks well. Still a bit wiggly, but has certainly calmed down from last year. I suppose a class size of 5 (over last years 17) helps. He needs to get some crayon time and draw himself, maybe with hair or something more than sticks. Also, his first response is "I don't know how" or "I don't know/can't, I never learned that". He does it at home, it's a confidence thing because most of the time he can suceed in some degree if he tries. So getting him to try without doubting is a goal for us. And he is learning some sight words which is awesome and above grade for his preschool.

Now it's back into the routine of the week. Work, school etc. No parties, no "no school" days, no long school days, no conferences... Nice. I like a clean calendar. So back at it.

p.s. Mike is back from hunting. No Elk, just a wild hare which was apparently good eating especially since it loaned a break from the chili in the morning, noon and evening pattern. A nice elk-less guys camping weekend.