Good advice

I don't remember where I read this, but I remember 2 pieces of motherly advice that I have heeded to many times. 1 - never buy the largest picture package (my mom always bought the smaller ones, and she still has tons of wallets, and 3x5's that have never even been cut apart, still in the picture envelopes from school days past). and 2 - when a kid wants a bandaid, just give it to them, whether they need it or not. I usually buy our bandaids with coupons, so it doesn't even waste that much of our money, either, and it makes the kids SO happy.  Olivia came out of the bathroom one day (after the Easter Bunny brought her Barbie Bandaids) looking like a pink and purple collage.  She'd even put a bandaid on a line of marker ink on her leg! HA! But I just kissed all the bandaids and told her I was proud of here for being a big girl and taking care of herself :).

Well, after a slight oversight of leaving a razor in the bathtub when Tyler went in for a bath, he plays, gets out, dries off, then finds 2 little slices in his finger.  They're just in the skin, there was no blood involved, but he was certain a bandaid was necessary.  A little later, he and Junior were playing with cars in the livingroom floor, and I don't know how it happened, but he smashed a finger on his other hand too... poor baby.  But I'm telling you, that bandaid sure did help!

Here's the healed up, and happy patient showing off his Toy Story 3 Bandaid, and Spongebob Bandaid all tucked into bed.

Junior told him to get the towel and dry his hair a little before bed.... I think he missed the "get a towel" part, though, because he asked for my assistance with the blowdryer, and ended up with this wacky and wonderful do :)... it fell down by the time we got up the next morning, though.

Swing Batta Batta

I am SO LOVING watching Olivia and her sweet little team play tee ball this year.  She's actually pretty good.  Junior overheard one of Olivia's coaches talking about what an arm she has, then a little later, heard an opposing team's coach telling the kids to back up when she came up to bat. I LOVE IT!

Look at 'er go :)

Mothers' Day +7 other days

My mom was out of town on Mothers' day, and my children were with their other mother, so we rescheduled Mothers' day for the following Sunday.  My sister prepared a DELICIOUS cookout and had us, my parents' and her boyfriend's mom and sister over. We had a great meal, and a great time, then as we were digesting, relaxing, and chit chatting, I find this:

My Dad, reading a Motorcycle Book with Tyler :). LOVE!!

A little planning goes a long way... and a little spontaneity never hurt either...

I think I look forward to lake afternoons more than the kids do.  So I get packed up, complete with peanut butter, bread, snacks, capri suns, sand toys, and swim suits!

The spontaneous part, was when I decided to pick up our cousin, Anthony, on the way to get the kids... too bad Ant's allergic to peanutbutter!!! So his mom packed him up some ham and cheese to make his sammy with :). We Mommys are magical like that :).
The kids were excited to see Anthony, excited to play.... but Miss Olivia didn't do her homework like she was supposed to, so the boys got to play while she finished her work, and I made the sandwiches.  Then a little quick-change for the girls, and dinnertime.... picnic in the sand!!! *sigh*

Good times!!!!!!!!!!

Sweet Saturday Squeeze

Its not secret that Junior, Olivia, and Tyler are my main squeezes, but Junior had to take Olivia to the Doctor last Saturday morning, so he was my main man!!!  We heard through the grapevine that Lindsey and Matt had a big bonfire in the back yard to burn some brush they cleaned out, so we got our skewers and some marshmallows and headed that way.  Tyler wanted to walk, but we were leaving from there to go to the store, so I drove the car and watched.  He's such a big boy! He likes to walk down there and back by himself, but we always watch him.  He even walked home in the dark one night while Junior waited on the front steps for him, and I watched from behind a bush. Matt's house is the fourth house while ours is the first.  Its a pretty good walk for a 4 year old.

Yes, he's wearing baseball pants and cleats that Junior had to get for him since Olivia got some for Tee Ball this year.  He loves them :).

After the store, we came home to get our plants we bought at Home Depot the day before ready to plant. Of course, we couldn't do the planting without Olivia, but we did need to water them so they wouldn't die before we put them in the ground :). I got them those baby watering cans last year because the 2 gallon one is just a little too heavy for them.  Its perfect for the herbs we planted in pots, though.  And they love them :)

Its so cool watching him grow up.  He's getting pretty good at it :).

The Egg Baby Diaries

For the first time ever, I assigned my students a project.  For 3 days, each students was the proud mother/father of a hard boiled egg.  The assignment was to care for the egg and make sure that it was unharmed for those days, and take it everywhere with them.

Some students came prepared on the day they were to recieve the eggs with baskets and pouches to keep the eggs in.  Some carried the eggs around gingerly for the entire time, making sure not to crack it.  Some even went so far as to "bathe" the egg with hand sanitizer. And then there was this:

Mrs. Sacamano: Mrs. Lance, (holding up a ziploc bag with a smashed egg) I took up Cameron's egg. Do you need it back to have proof of what kind of parent he is?
Me: No.  Thank you for taking it from him.  Sorry for the interruption.  What in the world did he do to it?
Mrs. Sacamano: Oh, he was eating it!!!!!!!
*** Then I called his mom to warn her that me might be sick for the next couple of days, and to explain to her what had happened.

Madison: (with a very sad, face) Look at my egg babies (she had twins).
Me: (looking into a brown paper bag filled with crushed eggshells) Oh my goodness, Madison, What happened?
Madison: I set their bag on my desk and they rolled out and hit the floor and cracked.
Me: Where's the rest of them?
Madison: I had to throw the insides away when I creammated them.
***BWAhahahaha

Ms. Walton: Mrs. Lance, I don't think some of your students are going to be very good parents.  I had to tell 2 girls that they could not lock their babies up in their lockers.

Mrs. Rivera: I was watching those egg babies.  I told all my students that I'm with the Department of Family and Egg services, and I WILL place their babies in foster care if they don't take better care of them.

Mrs. Bell: One of your girls in my class gave her egg to a babysitter first thing this morning.  I asked her why she needed a babysitter, and she said she just didn't want to take care of it.   Then I had to have a little talk with her.

Overall, this assignment was a blast.  It was great to have other teachers so willing to help, and nice to see the students who took it seriously really put forth a sincere effort. I don't know if I'll do it again, but it was fun :)

Creation

On the way to Church Sunday, we had a little talk about where people come from, and how God Created all of us.  Tyler and Olivia have a slightly different concept of how people came about.  I still don't think they quite understand, but at least Tyler's misconception has been corrected.

We were talking about our friends, and how God made all of us, then Tyler comes up with, "Mexicans are made out of Monkeys" (I think this has something to do with Dora and that little Monkey on her show, but I'm not quite sure how he knows Dora is Mexican, I don't actually know her nationality).  We quickly set him straight, then Olivia informs us that "Mo is made out of Jesus." Mo (Moriah) is one of her friends at church.  She is one of the sweetest, and most patient with children, 13 year olds that I've ever known.  Olivia thinks she is the best thing since sliced bread.... and of course she is since she's made out of Jesus!!!

SO SWEET :)