Wisdom

The other day Colin said something that blew me away with his wisdom. Joel was complaining about something and Colin said "Joel don't pursue your own contentment at the sake of others"  I asked if that was in his fortune cookie the other day and he said " no I just made it up" 

So much wisdom in that statement 

But then today in between basketball games I get this from his teacher 

Let's hope he chooses wisdom over folly as he grows up

Things kids say

Norah lately almost always calls me "your highness" or "your majesty" I guess it makes sense. If you are a princess then your mom is clearly the queen

At night we've been playing minute to win it games before family devotions. Somehow this helps speed up bedtime and they've been going to bed quicker.  One game was where you have to blow a stack of cards so that the joker is the only one left. Brent did it in 4 seconds and Colin happily declared Brent an airhead! And then Colin belly laughed at his own joke. 

We tried to see a movie with some tickets the boys had gotten from school. The one we wanted to see was sold out so Brent went back in to get tickets for a later showing. After waiting in the car for 10 minutes Norah very seriously tells us "guys lets get out of here. He's not coming back" 

I was putting Joel to bed the other night and I thought he had gone to sleep but he rolled over and told me "I once ate something that tasted like dads hair" and then rolled back over and went to sleep. 

We've had trouble with both Joel and Norah sleeping in their beds all night. Joel was doing great until some kid on the bus told him about Freddy Kruger. Joel would wake up and stand in his doorway screaming at the top of his lungs. Apparently Freddy kills you in your dreams and he would be half asleep dreaming and realize he was dreaming and woke up. He is doing better now but the sleeping thing is still rough. We've resorted to bribing Joel with baseball and football cards. He has yet to get one. We've bribed Norah with shopkins and she also has yet to get hers. Colin wants to be bribed with something! Ha! 

Joel still comes in our bed each night but one morning he was so angry at us because he was so sure he had slept in his bed all night and that WE had lifted him out of his bed and put him in our bed. I looked at him and said "Yes Joel. I woke up and walked to your room, lifted you up so you wouldn't wake up and carried you back to my bed so that you can kick me all night long." He doesn't get sarcasm and replied "why did you!!!" 

Homework

Doctors

Two boys 

Different doctors appointments

Same day

Same time 

Thankful Brent has a flexible schedule

Joels was planned. Another skin check for his birthmark. He's been complaining lately about it being sensitive so another thing for me to worry about. I always get really anxious for these appointments. Joel was too - he didn't want them to cut him again (take another biopsy) and I'm always hoping they do so we can continue to see what's going on. 

That same morning Colin came down with huge painful lumps on his neck. Called the Peditrician and they wanted to see him right away. 

Colin tested positive for strep. Apparently if you let the infection get so bad your lymph nodes will get really really  swollen. He mentioned weeks ago his throat hurt but besides being a little red didn't seem to bother him too much and he didn't mention it again. Colin is really such an easy going kid. I had strep back in December and I was miserable. 

Joels appointment was great. His birthmark has changed a ton in a few month. The doctor was surprised how fast it's changed this time but she felt good about it and also told me what to google since I told her it freaks me out when I google his birthmark. We have more things to look for in between visits but Joel is all clear until the next visit in a few months.

These two pictures made me laugh. Joel had asked if I was going to take him to school afterwards and I had been vague about it because I was going to keep him home if they scraped or took a biopsy. He tried to figure out how to get a free day at home. I took him to school. 

Colin on the other hand got a few free days at home until he stopped being contagious. He mostly felt fine and by the middle of the week was ready to get back to school. He did like to point out that he won't go a full week of school in February with all the days off and being sick. Not too bad and then we have spring break in March! 

Colin made it back to school in time for his school dance. It was after school and when Brent went to pick him up he sent me this picture 

Colin was sitting and doing his homework. Ha! He did make a new friend - a boy in his class who also stayed for the dance. Apparently the boy told Brent that he was only there because his mother wanted him to experience a dance. Both boys ate candy and drank soda and sat together and did their homework.  So it wasn't a total loss. And now we don't have to sign up Colin for the 5th grade dance. 

 

Young entrepreneurs

The kids had this past Monday and Tuesday off from school. It was nice to sleep in and have lazy mornings. I always struggle with days off and wonder if

 the kids would rather it be packed with lots of activities or if they would rather just be home. Norah is always up for going places but the boys like staying home. And since it's their day off we didn't go anywhere and it ended up the best decision. 

On Monday while we were eating lunch the next door neighbors rang the doorbell and the kids quickly shoved food down and ran out the door. The weather was beautiful - 70s for the first of February and the kids started playing kickball. For three hours. Some of the other moms and I joined in which was a lot of fun. It was a lot of explaining the rules while we played to a lot of the girls and Joel who never played baseball. But from Norah up to the 8th grader - everyone joined in. Joel refused to get tagged out and after a while the kids just let him do his thing. "This game has too many rules!" He kept repeating.  I got Norah out once and she then spent hours giving me a side eye glance whenever she was up to kick. 

Tuesday the kids were out the door and ready to continue kickball. Joel was a totally different person and happily got tagged out and played by the rules. 

After awhile some of the younger kids got bored with kickball and went into our garage and set up an arts and crafts business.

The spent hours coloring and creating 

Joel loved it. Colin and the older kids kept playing kickball. 

They then turned a plastic storage box over, taped a box on top and used bungee cords to attach it to our stroller. They called it their truck and put all their creations inside the box on top. 

Then they went door to door selling their pictures. And came back with $10 cash! We couldn't believe it but these kids are all pretty convincing. They reluctantly stopped when it got dark with the promise that they could do it another day. 

Since then Norah and Joel have spent a lot of time coloring and making more pictures and at the bus stop the kids report the pictures they've drawn at night. Norah came down with an ear infection so we weren't out yesterday and it's been raining since so they haven't been able to take their truck around. But the first nice day they are all ready.  I'd better find more change in the house to buy more pictures from them. 

The problem will come when they try to figure out what to do with the money. 8 kids were apart from the beginning. 

I'm so thankful for this small community we've moved to. It makes ordinary days at home special playing outside in the culdesac.  We did find out one of our favorite neighbors are moving this summer with the navy which makes us really sad. So anyone want to come rent the house across from us for a few years?