The Puddles

As a side note to my previous post . . . if you are ever in Geneva there is a hilarious, although terrifying, story about Ben, a gun, and three men at the local funeral home.  Trust me that the story is funny.  and will probably make you question our parenting skills that we would even allow Ben to have a gun today.   But . . . boys will be boys!

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Steady. Steady. . .

Ben has a fascination with guns.  Chris and I vowed (when the children were babies and we could dream big) that our children would not have play guns in our home. (Since Chris doesn’t come from a hunting family and eventhough I had, it was just easier to say no guns at all.)  Then Ben got to about the age of three and everything he touched turned into a gun. Sticks, legos, broom handles, his fingers.  There was no avoiding it.  So Chris found a double barrel shotgun and we told Ben he could only shoot at vermin (a word that we had to constantly explain in Nebraska) and if he ever pointed the gun at somebody, even in play, we would take the gun away.

So now several years later, we have been through at least five guns because he has “loved” on them so much that they have all been destroyed.  It has taken me awhile to find another gun (we try to find one that is a double barrel like Daddy uses for trap shooting).  This Christmas I happen to have found another one.  Ben has played with this $8 toy more than all of the other toys put together.

Part Two . . . Papa Grace gave Ben a hunting shirt for Christmas.  This totally thrilled Ben.  He wore it the rest of Christmas Day.  The next morning I  wake up to the sound of the backdoor closing.  I go downstairs and Ben is standing there in his underwear, hunting shirt, and gun.  I asked Ben what he was doing.  He said, “Mom! I needed my gun to go hunting.  And the gun was in the truck. And I needed to get it.  It was important!  I needed to go hunting.”  But you went outside in your underwear?!  I sent Ben upstairs to finish getting dressed.  He comes downstairs with his camo pants, camo shirt, future deer hunter tshirt, and gun in hand.  He says, “I’m goin’ huntin’ mom.”

He comes inside later and says, “Mom, Uncle Will says that you have to eat whatever you shoot.  I shot a bear. So guess what we are havin’ for lunch?”

“What?”

“Bear!”

So we ate bear for lunch that day.  Uncle Will gave Ben some great lessons on hunting.  To stay still and to be quiet.  And to aim carefully.  I only heard about all of this later, but I love this photo of them together.  And by the way . . . Ben wore the shirt again today to church!  So Ben has worn the shirt for three days straight now!  Luckily I pried it off his body tonight before bed and was able to throw it in the wash.  My mother pointed out tonight that it wouldn’t be a hunting shirt if he didn’t wear it for a week without washing it.  Still . . .  Ewww!

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The kids are asleep.  The presents are under the tree.  The world is quiet at 3 in the morning.  But we had the best time ever tonight and I don’t know how we can top it tomorrow.

After coming home from church tonight, we ate dinner and made cookies for Santa.  Madie and I decided to check out the Santa Tracker from NORAD.  Totally awesome.  Ben kept coming and telling me where Santa was.   He and Ainsley were really starting to get worried that we would be awake when Santa come.  But there were cookies to put out, notes to write to Santa, and reindeer food to place outside.  So we worked quickly.  Madie already had the tray set up and her note written before we even cleaned up from dinner.

They placed the reindeer food outside and Madie decided that the reindeer would also like to have a bowl of  water.  So she put water outside while keeping an eye on the sky for Rudolph’s nose.  Meanwhile, Ainsley is crying because she is worried that Santa will skip our house because she is still up.  Ben counted out the carrots for all of reindeer and then we said our prayers and went to bed.

NORAD was so cool.  The kids kept watch all night to make that Santa wasn’t near Texas.  So after the kids were all tucked in, I decided we needed some motivation to fall asleep.  So I called NORAD’s hotline for tracking Santa.  I put the phone call on speaker phone and when they phone was finally answered the kids went wild.  The operator asked if the kids knew where Brazil was because that was where Santa was at the moment.  Then the operator said, “Oh my gosh! Santa just took a turn.  He’s heading towards Texas right now!!!!”  The kids dove for their beds.  I was sitting near Ainsley’s bed and she kept telling the operator, “We left you milk and cookies!  I love you, Santa. I love you!!!” Kisses. Kisses.  It was so sweet.  The best phone call we have ever made.

Of course, two hours later I hear footsteps upstairs.  Ainsley needs to be tucked back into bed.  As we are tucking her in, she says, “It takes sooooo long to wait for my Barbie truck from Santa!!!”  Poor sweet baby.  Morning will come soon enough.

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And what did we do with our freedom . . . We went to the grocery store!!! Weeeeeee!!!!! We had an awesome time. Ben truly was excited. It had a festive atmosphere. Free goodies. Kind people. Joyous music. All of that together make for happy puddles!

We are home now. Making puppy chow as a family and getting ready for worship services tonight. Chris is currently fixing our computer by doing a slow install (the definition of slow is that it takes five days and we are still working on it). So we have internet and some email services but no pictures or prior data yet, so I haven’t been able to post pictures yet. And we have taken plenty. (I especially can’t wait to post a picture of the outdoor thermometer that reads 75 degrees on Dec. 23.  It will be awesome to torture my dear Nebraskans.  Especially since I heard a lot about the joys of 70 degree weather this Sept./Oct. when it was still 100 degrees here.  And no . . . I am not bitter.) He is a little busy right now at work, so my hope is that he gets around to it on the 26th. The man only works once a week and most people think he only works twice a year, so he should have plenty of time after Christmas!
We have so much to be thankful for tonight. The list is even too long to mention here. But it can be summed up with three words . . . Ben.  Madie.  Ainsley. Amen!

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We have two days left of house arrest until Ben is officially released.  Our first official outing will be attending Christmas Eve services at church.  Ben is so excited to get to go somewhere without a mask.  Today also marks the second day of our school vacation.  So far there is not too much insanity in the house.  It helped that I was gone all day yesterday shopping for Christmas.  I made it home officially by 2:30am in the morning today.  But I am done.  Yea!  Maybe it is due to the fact that I am exhausted but my kids were pretty hilarious today (within the confines of also being rotten).

*Ainsley – Kept giving me weird kisses.  She kept trying to give me kisses with her mouth open. I finally asked her tonight what she was trying to do.  She said, “I’m giving you married kisses!” Whoa! The good news is that she thinks that only married people kiss like that.  Bad news is that I don’t think she knows what married means or she wouldn’t try to kiss her mother like that.  Saddness ensued as I told her we can’t kiss like that.  So Ainsley and I made up our own kiss.  Three quick pecks on the lips.  Problem solved!

*Ben – Normally comes up with interesting choices for outfits each day. But today . . . he insisted on wearing these craftsman safety googles all day!  Not sure what his motivation was.  But there was no changing his mind.

*Madie – Had a “virtual” adventure in our old town in Nebraska.  We figured out today that our former town in Nebraska now has street views on Google Maps.  Way cool!  So Madie and I went around town and went shopping at S-per Foods and -iltys (the letters are missing on the signs).  Ate at Jill’s Sweet Shop for lunch after our morning of shopping (which oddly enough she picked only grocery stores to go shopping at). And then we took a “walk” to the pool to go swimming.  At the end of our adventure Madie said, “Nothing’s changed there.  Will it ever?”  Probably not, Madie. Probably not.

*Chris – isn’t technically a child but he too had a hilarious moment . . . While unloading the dishwasher today, I found my case of eggs where the pots and pans go.  Yes. There were almost 3 dozen eggs sitting in the cabinet since yesterday.  Here is the good news . . . 1.  He fed the kids yesterday.  2.  He cleaned up after himself.  So the cabinet isn’t the fridge.  At least he tried!

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No, global warming hasn’t been stopped. No, peace in Israel is far from fixed. No, I haven’t figured out how to inject caffeine directly into my veins. But . . . Ben cleaned his room.  Hallelujah! (Insert chorus to Handel’s Messiah here.) After three days of prodding and threatening, he finally finished.  Mind you, his room wasn’t that bad.  Ben just thought, “Why bother?” He is already not allowed to go anywhere or see anyone because of his medical condition.  I have threatened to not feed him his meals, but I never followed through on that threat.  (Somehow not feeding a boy who is recovering from heart surgery seemed really cruel.) I made him stay in his room all day yesterday except for meals and he still didn’t finish.  He has about six toys on his floor.  That’s it.  But those six toys have been there forever.  He just refuses.  He has hit a brick wall and won’t climb over!

So what did I do to fix this dilemma . . . I asked a room full of seasoned mothers what to do. (I saw them at church while I was dropping off the girls for Sunday school.) I had run out of ideas, and this was fight that I wasn’t willing to back down on.  So, one mother suggested that I tell him that if he doesn’t clean his room by (insert time deadline here) that I would throw away everything left on the floor.  I thought that it was a great idea that didn’t involve starving my child, so I tried it.  I took a garbage bag to his room and hung it on the doorknob.  Talk about motivation!  Let’s just say I can see the floor again.

Alas, I fought the good fight and won.  In 10 years I may look back on this battle and laugh. But today and in this week it seems very important to me.  Maybe I’ve been in this house and with these children a little too long without adult conversation.  I think I might need a sanity break.  But don’t get me wrong . . . in the end I don’t mind the insanity.  I love being a mom to my puddles, even if they are being disagreeable.

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Groovin' to the music

Oh, happy day!

Ainsley’s party started the day off for us.  We spent a good portion of the week preparing for the last day of school  (and Madie’s birthday of course).  Baking goodies, wrapping presents, coordinating schedules, etc.  Chris ended up working that morning so at the last minute I scrambled to find someone for Ben to hang out with so that I could make it to the class party.  Chris’ day off is usually Monday but he ended up working all of that day, so he elected to take off Friday instead.  That didn’t work out so well either.  Luckily a nice person down the street said yes to my late night plea for help.  She let Ben hang with her while I went to Ainsley’s party.

Dad was able to meet us at the elementary school at 1:30 for the afternoon parties. I went with Ben to his and Dad went with Madie for hers.  Madie loved having Daddy with her.  She has felt a little trumped by Ben lately, so it was good for her to have her daddy with her.  Apparently those other mommies didn’t know what to do with Chris.  He was playing the part of the French waiter and serving all of the guests at Madie’s table.  Then there was some deep discussion about the proper way to eat a cupcake.  Do you lick the icing off first or do you take the wrapper off and eat the cupcake that way?  To be a fly on that wall!  I don’t have any pictures of that party, but I am sure that it is seared in the mind of Madie forever.

Then there was Ben’s party . . . the boy had been waiting all week for this.  We knew that we were breaking all of the rules taking him. So we made him wear a mask and he put his hands in his pockets the whole time so that he wouldn’t be tempted to touch anything.  We had told the school to tell the kids to not hug on him or touch him.  I just want to say that the biggest culprits for breaking this rule was . . . the teachers.  But it was all out of love!  Of course, Ben wanted hugs too.  We didn’t stay long. Maybe 20 minutes. But it was great! Ben got to see his friends again.  He wanted to say something before he left so we asked his teacher if he could say something before he left.  There they are eating their snacks and Ben starts off by showing them his scar.  Great table conversation.  Luckily it is pretty healed and didn’t look bad.  But jeeze!

I took Ben home and scrubbed him down in the bathtub as soon as we walked in the door.  It was a good end to a good day.  Busy and tiring, but good.  We had visitors that evening stop by and Chris was so deadpaned in expression.  He at least came to say hello but he was exhausted with all humanity by the evening.   Today was a day to reclaim the house from a week of neglect.  I think we are near the end of that process.  Now on to the next adventure!

Ben and his teacher, Mrs. Sellars

Ben's class party

Ben's class job chart. I love his job!

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It can happen.  I am sure of it.  I think that I have been repeating myself all day.  But my children are telling me that I am not.  I swear I’ve told Ben to clean his room at least 3 times.  He swears he didn’t know he was suppose to clean his room.  Ainsley and I have just finished a conversation about why she needs to wear something other than a bathing suit.  I told her to put real clothes on, but I keep seeing her in a bathing suit.  I asked her, “Didn’t I just tell you to change you clothes?”  She replies, ”  I didn’t hear that.”

Is this a collective effort on the part of my children to make me think that I’ve gone insane or is there something really wrong with me?  I am beginning to wonder.

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Madie and Mommy's first moments

First Birthday - Daddy starts training them young.

Happy Second Birthday!

Third Birthday and she throws a snowball at me!

Fourth Birthday (We are visiting Texas. Hence the good weather in December!)

Fifth Birthday

Sixth Birthday - Get real, Mom!

Seventh Birthday and still my angel

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In case you missed the memo, ad in the paper, numerous phone messages and texts, or the skywriting on Wednesday, TODAY  is Madie’s birthday.  My precious sweet daughter woke me up at 6:18am.  Did I mention that it was 6:18am?!!! She woke us up by announcing, “It is 6:18am and today is my birthday.”  No kidding.  This child went to bed early last night so that her birthday would come sooner!

So luckily  I had one present wrapped and sitting by my bed when she came in.  A new outfit for the day.  (Aunt Debra has informed me that my taste in clothes in not Madie’s taste in clothes. So I went to the store and looked for all of the clothes that I would never buy.  Easy enough. No . . .  not really.) Then Madie sat at the foot of the bed while Chris and I desperately tried to wake up.  A very difficult process.  I think that we have had 20 hours of sleep total this week.  So only sheer will power is getting us up.  That and me poking Chris in the back until he moves.

Not to worry, Mom (cause I know your are!), we got up and made it to school on time.  And we gave Madie her big birthday present.  A new bike.  She was so excited.  Then after she gave the new bike a twirl around the block at 7am, she looked really sad.  I asked if she was disappointed in the present and she said, “No. I am just sad to leave my old bike. We have so many memories together.”   That is just like my Madie.  Sweet Madie.

Taking a spin on the new bike

It is purple with tassles. Exactly what was ordered!

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