The Puddles

Ainsley comes up to me at church and she is upset.  One of her friends has upset her.

“She just wants to talk. I don’t want to talk. We just need to work together.  If we would just work together, our hearts will come together. And we could be happy.”

This is some wonderful wisdom coming from a six year old.  You can tell she is Daddy’s girl.  Now take what she said and apply it to the church or the congress or the world.

Thank you Ainsley for the reminder of how we all should behave.

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while the two nine year olds struggle to go to sleep?  Madie’s friend is spending the night.  Her friend can’t sleep without the tv on. Madie can’t sleep WITH the tv on.  So both are struggling.  But it is almost 1am and I am tired. They need to sleep.  They know it and are currently working on a compromise in the playroom.  In my sleep deprived delirium, I am actually envisioning them going to Congress and making a deal better than all of those old politician in Washington.  It is 12:50am and they are behaving better while compromising than the President, Congressman Boehner, and especially Senator Reid. They could all learn a thing or two from those girls.

But needless to say, I need to go to bed.  So it may make me a bad mother for going to bed before all of the children were asleep, but I must do it. Or I will be an even worse mother tomorrow.  A mother for whom an entire pot of coffee can’t save her from being grouchy!

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to kill bugs.  The bugs in Texas are numerous and huge.  I hate bugs.  Really, really hate them. They weren’t really so bad in Nebraska or Ohio.  But oh my goodness . . . they are terrible.  The snakes in the house were bad in Nebraska, but these huge bugs here are driving me nuts.  I grew up in this part of Texas. You would think that I would be ok with it all.  Wrong.  So wrong.

Ben calls from the kitchen, “Mom! You do NOT want to come in here.  There is a huge roach in the kitchen.  Don’t worry.  I’ll get ‘im.”

Thank you Ben. Thank you Ben. Thank you Ben.  Not only does he go after the bug with a vengeance but he picks it up and gets rid of the remains too!  You are truly a gift from heaven!

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getting the kids to clean and do their chores efficiently. It is still a struggle. When I tell them that everything on the floor must be gone and clean, why do they think the neat pile in the middle is ok?  Ugh!!! I’m starting to feel frantic.  But deep breathe, I saw an episode of “The Waltons” the other day and Mrs. Walton had the same problem with her seven children.  I guess I’m pretty normal if I’m in the same company as her.  Four weeks to go before the start of school.  So little time to train!

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Part 1

“Mommy, if you clean my room, you can take me on a mommy/daughter date.”

“Ainsley, shouldn’t you clean your own room so that you can earn the right to go on a mommy/daughter date? And not the other way around.”

“No, I said it right. You should consider cleaning my room so that you can go on a date with me.”

We had this conversation in Walmart and the sweet lady next to us in the aisle was laughing so hard and trying to hide it behind her hand.

Part 2

“Ainsley, is your room clean?”

“Yes. Ben and Madie cleaned it.”

“What!  Why did they clean your room and not you?”

“We were playing hospital and they had to clean my room while I was sick in the hospital with cancer,” Ainsley states simply.

“Mom.  We wanted to clean her room!” says Ben.

I don’t know how she did it.  I don’t know how she convinced them to clean her room, but yet again, she managed to have someone else clean her room.

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Ainsley, Ben, and I are playing “good and bad” in the playroom and Ben says . . . 

“Mom, I just videotaped you on my iphone.  Now I’m uploading it to YouTube . . . You already have ten thousand hits.  Everyone loves an angry mom video!”

Five minutes later . . . 

“Mom, the police are at the door.  They saw the video and they are coming to arrest you for craziness!”

Seriously.  This was never part of my play routine growing up . . . videoing with phones, uploading, YouTube, instant access, “hits”, etc. . . .  We played cops and robbers, boats and sharks, orphanage, rescue, house, doctor’s office.  Now the kids play the same thing, but they have their own twist on the game.  It is amazing our world is changing.  I can’t wait to hear the stories about what my grandchildren will say when they are playing.

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The kids are all home. Everyone is tucked in. Dinner was interesting because we all had to take turns telling about our week.  I am so glad that everyone had a good time, but I am glad that the week is over and we can get back to the boring part of our lives!  Then it will finally feel normal again.

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Chris and I heard Peter Mayer sing at the UCC in the Woodlands.  It was a wonderful concert. After listening to him sing his “Jama Day” song, we have been inspired ever since to enjoy our own Jama Day.  The song is great!

Ainsley and I were singing it around the house this morning!

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Ben is all set!

2011 TOL campers

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There was a tent (Ainsley said it was her “house”) in my office.  Fully stocked with food and entertainment.   Then she decided to put on her cowboy outfit and play.

Then we decided to have an adventure.  She and I, while dressed in our pajamas, went through the drive through and got dinner.  She thought it was the best thing ever! And I am not allowed to tell Ben or Madie.  I let it slip to Daddy and she made him swear not to tell too. 

My diversion techniques are doing some good. Ainsley thinks these few days are the best ever and I’ve only thought about the rest of the family a few times!

Tomorrow Ainsley and I have our official “date” for her birthday!

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