Earlier this

week, we were running late for school. The school has a system of dropping off your kids. If I'm lucky there are enough cars in front of mine that we end up at the spot closest to Toki's route to class. It works out great when we're running late or we're having wet weather. On occasion, I'm at the front of the line and have to pull all the way around the driveway, dropping off Toki at the farthest spot from his class and adding a few extra minutes to his walk/run to class. He DISLIKES being late for anything. So stopping at the right spot along the sidewalk can be really important sometimes.

Anyhow, during this particular morning we were running late.....no one was behind me when I pulled up to the school.......so I stopped at that perfect spot. If Toki hops out quickly, he can make it to class on time, and I can leave before any other latecomers pile up behind me.

During this whole time, the morning traffic lady is waving me to pull forward. I telepathically send her a message "there's no one behind me and we're running behind."

Another thing Toki DISLIKES.......when mommy doesn't pay attention to those traffic people and embarrasses him to no end.

Before he left he said something that hit to the core....

"Mom, I wish you would follow the rules."

And so I do what I always do when something like this happens. I play what happened over and over again in my mind. I wonder what has happened in my past to make me think it's o.k. to take short cuts sometimes. I analyze what else in my life I've been short cutting or how else I've been breaking the rules. How is my mediocre example affecting my family and I?

I told Toki he was right and that from now on I'll follow the rules. I'm so glad he spoke up.

an April update

Spring soccer. Lolo is now playing. He's underage so Chris is coaching his team. They're actually doing really well in spite of having two very young players.

Vy entertaining himself in between quarters.

Chris is coaching his team as well. A couple players are the same from last Fall.

Lolo had a birthday. We opened presents and had donuts that morning. We had soccer games and things to do. In the evening we had root beer floats.

Toki's new thing is to be cross eyed in all his pictures. I totally remembered going through that stage.

He's such a great kid. And so much fun.


A short hike

Easter dinner

Love turkey dinner because I get to make turkey dumpling soup the next day. And very often turkey tamales. yummy.

Toki's first science project (and mine too).

My new thing. I've always struggled with the whole allowance thing. They don't deserve it after all they've done and not done. However, I want them to learn about the value of money and it seems that the people who do well with money in the future, learned to earn it, had the opportunity to spend it as they please and learned to save some, early on. So my new thing is what you see above. If they get enough stickers to fill half of a sheet of construction paper, they get their age in allowance. The stickers here are what they've earned in just over 3 weeks. They could have easily filled half the sheet in a month. So they probably won't be getting their allowance next week. However, as soon as that half page is filled, they get paid. No stickers may be taken away. Once they've earned it, it stays for good. That way I'm not tempted to not pay up after all is said and done. Oh, and I get tempted really easily when they throw fits or piddle around when it's time to go to bed or refuse to pick up the toys.

Stickers are earned by doing things that are important to us and by working on things that they are struggling with. They can earn a sticker by brushing and flossing, not whining when it's time to clean up, and behaving during scripture reading time. Each kid has individual ways they can earn stickers. For example, Lolo struggles with getting dressed on his own. So he gets a sticker if he does, if he practices writing, or unbuckles himself from his carseat. Vy gets stickers for reading, not hitting that day, and taking his vitamins. Toki gets a sticker when he does his homework, practices his piano, practices soccer, takes a calcium chew, doesn't smack his lips during dinner, etc. They can get spot stickers for doing something great or doing something nice. I can use stickers as a bribe. Instead of paying them for making goals during their games, they get awarded lots of stickers.

I'm feel better about giving allowances now.

Lolo's party is scheduled for this upcoming Friday. I have so much fun making their invitations.

Chris and I ran a half marathon yesterday. We both ran slow and steady and were able to finish the race without walking. I had a really good run and felt strong. I think Chris wanted to run with me but early on I said I didn't want to hold him back and he should do it at his own pace. He came in 13 minutes before me, a whole minute/mile faster than I can do. Uncle Quin snapped this picture of us before we left. (You can see our unfinished project: The trim and walls.)

While we were away, Uncle Quin took the boys to buy bees.

And yes, the boys want bees. My way of resolving that......."Uncle Quin's bees are OUR bees. We're family."

Another unfinished project. But these will help in getting the other projects done. Can't wait. But, it'll be a while. Chris barely has time. And I don't have the abilities he has to do these things.

Another funny Lolo conversation

Distraught little Lolo, flashing his thumb at me, says "mom my thumbs falling off!!" Years and years of Chris scaring him with the "your thumb will fall off if you don't stop sucking it" line. Oh we are so sick sometimes. He woke up to a funny looking thumb. His skin was splitting and it sort of did look like the process was beginning. Having dry skin and an already chaffed thumb didn't help.

Lolo: Mom my thumbs falling off!
Me: oh, o.k.
Lolo: Mom, what will happen if I don't have a thumb?
Me: You won't be able to write you ABCs.
Lolo: Or brush my teeth?
Me: Yeah, I guess that would be hard to do too.
Lolo: Mom, will you help me?
Me: Sure, I'll help you stop sucking your thumb.
Lolo: Noooo. Will you help me write my ABCs and brush my teeth?

*sigh* I guess it's just not worth it. Sucking your thumb must be really awesome.

A Silly Game that

I've played with the boys, that my mom use to play with me, is to ask me who I love the most, "mommy or daddy" to which I would always reply "mommy" of course.

Early on, the answer is always "mommy." But as the boys learn how conniving this game is the answer becomes "mommy and daddy" because it's the truth. They always tell the truth.

So the latest game with Lolo went like this...

me: who do you love the most?
lolo: mommy and daddy
me: who's the funnest?
lolo: mommy and daddy
me: who do you like cuddling with the most?
lolo: daddy and mommy
me: who's the cutest?
lolo: mommy
me: who sleeps the best?
lolo: daddy
me: who works the hardest?
lolo: daddy
me: who's the boss?
lolo: mommy

Chris and I both chuckled at this. In reality we're both the boss. However, with him being gone so much, the dynamics of the family change and there's only one boss instead of two for weeks at a time.

Books, books, and more books plus a video

Toki is reading theCharlie Bones and the 39 Clues series. He was getting tired of reading Roald Dahl books. He was reading one after another and it got to the point where he couldn't get past the first few pages of them. I know how that goes. So I asked the librarian for a suggestion and she led me to the Charlie Bones series. He's back in the game. He's also collecting the cards/clues and books of the other series. It always fun to own your own books.

I've read quite a few books lately. This one was noteworthy.


Currently reading the Inheritance series now. They're such long books and it's hard for me to get through them because reading time for me can never go uninterrupted. It's the way of life around here.

On two different occasions I checked the following book out but just couldn't get past the first couple chapters. On the third try, I got through it. And I'm so glad I finally did. I HAD to read it to the boys. They loved it. They're always taken aback when I cry but it makes the story all the more touching.

I give it two thumbs up.

We also read an abridged version of Peter Pan together. It took us a few weeks to get through it. And then we watched the movie Hook with Robin Williams. It was a great "little boy" flick. They loved it and especially took to the fat boy called Pockets, who rolled up into a ball to knock down the bad pirates during the last fight. He was the talk of the town. Besides the house being torn up by "Rufio, Peter Pan, and Hook" for several days after the fact, they came up with a way to be that fat boy. See for yourself.


In the video you can also get a glimpse of some of the work Chris is doing on the house.... new baseboards and trim around the windows and doors. I'm having a hard time deciding on paint for the walls. why oh why does it have to be so hard. It must match those wonderful, green couches....seeing that it's taking forever to replace them. I guess I'd much rather go to Hawaii sometime this year. keeping my fingers crossed.

Oh gosh, I'm so silly

I really think this guy is on to something.......laughing yoga to relieve stress....check it out yourself.



Whatever he just did gets me chuckling every time, even if for just a few seconds, it works.

3D.....

movies of late have been so cool. Just checked out "How to Train your dragon" and we were very impressed.