May Parade at Riverside

At the end of Ethan's school year, he got to finally march in the Parade.  He was in Band company and since he just picked up the trombone three months before, he wasn't able to march and play until  he not only learned the instrument, but could play all the songs while marching in.

Ethan not only learned the songs, he did so well that they put him in the front row.  The front row marchers can't use any music and they also have to lead the machine, which at times can get pretty tricky.  (like when the turn and march through the band to reverse directions.)  

I was so proud of him.  He looked terrific out there.

After the parade, the band played for the graduation ceremony for the seniors.

Such a handsome band geek.

Ethan even volunteer to go back the next day to help the for the 8th grade graduation.

Music is such a gift for this kid.  I'm so proud of all the hard work and determination that he has had to get where he is now.  

One sunny Friday evening, I threw the kids into the car and we went Strawberry picking.  I had grabbed our Easter baskets and let the kids loose in the field.  If I had been a little smarter, I might have checked the prices before we filled five giant easter baskets with strawberries.  It, ahem, was rather pricey at the end.  

I should say that I regretted it...but those strawberries were DELICIOUS!  We ate nothing but strawberries all week.  Strawberries on cereal, for lunch, on cake for dinner.  We ate them plain every moment in-between.  Alaina was in a fruit daze...I've never seen her so happy.

When day 5 came around, and our yummy strawberries started looking a little soft, we made yummy jam!  We might have to save up until next year to do it again...but I think I might just pull out those easter baskets next time too...

(We even got strawberry ice-cream there.  A true splurge.  On the other hand, it saved me from buying them any dinner since the farm is about 45 min. from our house.  Nobody had been fed and it was about 8 by the time we got back into the car.)

Emmett has a new favorite song.  Everybody dance now by C + C Music Factory.  That's right.  He's retro.  

The kid made me listen to it, full blast, 12 times in a row before I pulled the plug on Alexa.

The pictures aren't the best, but you can see his serious moves, right?

He told me, "I just love this part...'The music in my life!'"

It's true.  He sang it loud and proud overtime it got to that part.

This kid makes me laugh so hard.

May 2018

It's story time.  My little boys are still coming up with awesome things to say and you are still reading this blog...which means, you are in for a treat.

Before I get to the stories, we'll start with a little picture of Laina after a color-fight.  We aren't sure what inspired this activity but she sure did have fun.

Here are the little boys trying to look into each other's eyes.

I was sitting at the table with the little boys eating lunch when I saw Emmett was making a heart shape with his hand.  He'd pull his hands apart and quickly reform the heart with his fingers.  

"My heart is made out of rubber and it won't break."

I said, "Good!  I don't ever want to see it broken."

Emmett, "It will only be broken when bad guys cut it up."

"Oh no.  I'll keep you safe."

"But if bad people cut your heart, than they will come and cut my heart."

I promise, the child never watches anything scarier than Phineas and Ferb.

I smiled reassuringly,  "You don't have to be worried about bad people I'll keep yu safe from them."

Emmett is not moved.  "But most bad guys wanna kill ya.  If they kill you than they will kill me."

Jason had been listening intently to this conversation, and I could tell he was starting to feel anxious about the whole prospect of his Mama or his Emmett being hurt.  He suddenly sat straight up, puffed out his chest and jamming both thumbs repeatedly at his chest he declared, "Emmett.  If they want to kill you, they'll have to go through me first!  ME FIRST!!"

Emmett turned his head slowly and stared at him.  In a soft but steady voice he whispered.

"Oh.  They will."

It was pretty awesome.  And terrifying.

See this sleeping cutie?  Threats of bad guys isn't the only morbid place his mind goes.  Every night I tell the boys made up stories.  Stories where they are the main characters and they are kings, wizards or great explorers.  There are dragons, fairies, unicorns, elves, mermaids and trolls.  And magic.  Lots and lots of magic.  Maybe a little too much, since Jason now wants to be a wizard when he grows up. But I digress.  The stories have adventure and challenges but they are never really scary. 

Sometimes the little boys want to tell stories too.  I love it.  Sometimes I sleep through them, but I still love the process.  The one that Emmett came up with, however, was just a tad disturbing.   Here is his story.

Once upon a time there was a wizard, named Emmett.  And there was a dragon, named Jason.  (note: Emmett always makes himself the most powerful wizard and Jason is always turned into animals by the wizard.)  Wizard Emmett decided to poof Jason into a sippy cup.  (still pretty normal story.) Of Blood.  (That got our attention.  Both Jason and I whip our heads over to our storyteller.  Emmett doesn't notice.  He's looking at the sippy cup he is holding.)  Then, Wizard Emmett drinks the blood.  (Now both Jason and I are looking completely appalled.  Emmett is slowly bringing the sippy cup to his mouth when he looks up and sees our horrified expressions. Something dawns on him.  He slowly starts to put the sippy cup back down.)  But he doesn't drink the blood...because that would be gross.  The end.

There may be a few years of therapy in our future.

Emmett always has such a way to describe things to me.  He once said, "Sometimes I have bad dreams, even if I don't play Harry Potter.  (The Wii game.  I've told him before that it looks a little scary to me and I don't want him to get nightmares.)  Even if I don't watch a show.  I still have bad dreams.  My hippocampus just pops them in my mind."

Another time we were listening to a song on the radio.  Emmett wanted to to replay the song and I told him that I couldn't.  He needed to know why.  So, I found myself talking about sound waves with a 4 year old.  I told him that some guy was playing a bunch of songs in a building somewhere far away and then he was sending that music up in the air through waves of sound.  Our car was catching the music with the radio and then we could hear the song through the speakers.  It was't the best lesson because for one thing, sound waves always confuse me a bit as well.  But Emmett liked the analogy.  He finished it off with, "And then our eardrums catch the music!  It is just like walkie talkies!  Only they have to be the same walkie talkies."  I love that it looks like I'm an awesome teacher when I'm pretty sure he just has a really sharp mind. 

Jason!

Jason loves to teach Emmett songs and games.  I thought this was a strange game to hear being chanted throughout the house.  "Dead man, dead man come alive.  Come alive on the count of five.  1, 2, 3, 4, 5.  Come alive you stinky beehive!"  Has anyone heard that one before, or did they make it up?  Weirdos. 

I often try to wake up my kids as nicely as possible.  Usually I'll pick a couple of songs to sing as I walk them up, but I have to admit, lately, it hasn't been such a common occurrence since I prefer to let Emmett sleep a little bit longer.  The other day, Emmett was already awake, so I went in and sang the song, "Good Mornin', good Mornin'.  It's fun to stay up late." (from singing in the rain) and Jason jumped straight up from a dead sleep, and threw his arms around me, saying, "Yes!  Just like the old days!"

Emmett refuses to wear this shirt.  The one time I convinced him to put it on, he said, "No you are not.  Dad is cooler than you.  He can fix the toilet.  The Toilet!"  I tried to convince him that I was cool in my own way and that it was just a shirt, but Emmett would not be swayed.

Emmett loves the body book so much.  The one with a giant skeleton head showing muscle and big freaky eyeballs.  He loves to read in it and look at the pictures.  Once while I was reading about the heart, I talked about how we need oxygen to live.  In fact, I told him we use up the good oxygen  and we are left with the carbon dioxide, which we can't breathe in or we will die.  Now he loves to wake up people and blow in their face saying, "I'm carbon dioxiding you"   Future doctor or psychopath. Time will tell.

I told the boys that it was polite to thank people by saying 'I appreciate,' so when we were at the grocery store, the boys kept saying,"I appreciate it so much if you let me have the chips.  I appreciate it if you let me have the crackers.  I appreciate it if you let me have the donuts.  Guess they mixed up thanking me with asking me.

Emmett's night-time prayer tonight: "Please bless that food will keep teleporting into our fridge.  Even when we keep taking it out and eating it." 

Jason, "I found some dead bugs!  Wanna see them?

Jason came up with this little beauty when I had forgotten about an appointment.  "Mom.  You are a little bit not smart.  You forget things.  A lot.  Remember when you said we could have ice cream...and you forgot that?"

He also gave me this fun response when I thanked him for doing a little project with me.  He smiled and put his hand on his heart and said,  "No pleasure, mom."

In a casual conversation with Austin, I found out what he wanted to do with his future.  Apparently he  wants to solve all the world problems.  War, famine, sickness.  And if he has time...he wants to be an astronaut.  Baby steps, right?

The young-women at church decided to do a sock-hop, bake auction for their camp fundraiser.  

  

This sweet girl made orange rolls and zucchini bread to be auctioned off.  The orange rolls were a giant hit.  I actually hated letting her get rid of them.  

It's a good way to start May.