Random Tid Bits

1. Is it just me, or do you find vans/trucks creepy that have no back windows? I just think about the show Dexter. I picture things like dead bodies, drugs, kidnappings, and/or sex slaves being hidden away from everyone in there.
   
   
   
   
   Never happy cargo thoughts. They probably have drugs people actually need medically, medical equipment, computers, tools, and other things that.


2. Mica texted all annoyed because he had more to do on his list than Isaak did. He thought he should have a break. I kept texting him meme/gifs back. I'm his only Mother, so I don't have anyone to compete with to be his favorite Mother.


You Got This GIF from Shinegifs GIFs



3. Isaak gets braces on very soon! August 5th to be exact. He's not too excited about it, but he doesn't have enough room in his mouth for all his adult teeth. Does he really want to have teeth growing out of his top gums in the where his mouth starts to turn forever?
   
   Mica has some crowding in his bottom teeth, but it's not enough to warrant braces. It would cosmetic only.
   
   Did you have any mouth appliances? I had a retainer and braces.


4. I positioned the students with their friends. It's not really a seating chart, just putting them with who they hang out with. Two came in because they saw we had things ready to go. They changed where they sitting. Never mind the girl's feelings who thinks she is their friend. Now there's no space for her in that same area.
   


5. One of my Aunt's was telling Isaak, Mica and the rest of the kids their age that my Grandpa, which is their Great Grandpa is a superhero. Isaak's had his Great Grandparent's pictures in this frame, for awhile now. He got the photos when we went to go through my Grandpa's things before he moved to an assisted living home. My Grandma has been dead since Isaak was 4, so 7 years ago she passed away. Grandpa is 93.
   
   
   

Random Tid Bits

1. I'm back to being sick with something. I'm just a snot bucket, with a sore throat. I really could use some energy to get things done. 


2. Mica's been selected for many things at school lately. That's positive.
   
   At home he just sits in his room and listens to music. He doesn't even read as much as he used to.
   
   I went to his room and said, "Can you be my water boy by filling up glasses of water for dinner?" He said, "Ok. I'll do that." 5 minutes went by...no Mica. I finally started to yell at him. When he came into the kitchen I said, "Listen! Kids and husbands say that Moms yell and nag too much. If you don't want me to yell or nag, than do what I say the first time." After that I gave him jobs to do. It usually takes him 3 times to get the dishes washed right. He's learning.
   
   
   
   
   


3. It usually takes Travis 2 times to get a load of laundry done right, so maybe Mica gets this having to do chores over and over again from his Dad. ;) Travis left 1/2 the pile of laundry on the floor, and wondered why the load was so small. Maybe I'll give him the chore of making laundry soap the next time that needs to be done. ;)


4. Isaak has in his mind that he wants to make a really cool coffee pot Valentine box. I've never made crazy cool Valentine boxes with my kids. I've done cool Valentines. I aways feel like the box is just going to go in the trash. At least with Halloween costumes they are worn more than once. Isaak says he wants to use it for a few years. Travis is helping him make a coffee pot Valentine box. What's the coolest Valentine's or Valentine Box that you've made?


5. My first year students are so with it that I've had to come up with more material for them for lectures. I don't find myself repeating as much as previous years. They just get things. :)

Whine, Whine, Whine

We stay very busy! We've had so many big projects that we've done this summer.

The remodel in the kitchen. We got the floor done; the woodwork is back up to. We still have the landing, we also bought enough to do the backslash above our counters. Then we may have enough to do the steps. I'm in no hurry for the steps.

Then it was scape, clean, prime and paint the outside of the house. It's all primed now. This week we're going to be painting it.

I got an old locker that a gym was discarding. I started sanding that down. Mica wants it Dukes of Hazard - General Lee orange.

Just for fun!

I started having Mica sand the locker with me. The problem is, is that he's not a worker with this type of thing. He expects things to get done automatically. I know he's just shy of being 8 years old. Many kids don't like to work. But this locker is for his room. I have memories of reworking on furniture with my Dad. I wanted him to just help. Let's just say that project lead to frustration.

Mica's been a whiner with other chore type things.

Whiny because he doesn't want Isaak playing in his room.

And down right annoying when it comes to food. He eats all the time. I feed him like he's an adult. It's not that he's hungry that annoys me. It's that he whines and puts out that bottom lip that I want to pull on; it bothers me so much.

Mica said right as I started making dinner, "Mom I'm HUNGRY!" I said, "Mica you just had a snack. I'm starting dinner right now." He pouted some more. I said, "Listen, you can just go outside to play if you are going to whine like that. I just can't listen to that; when I'm working on getting you food." Isaak chimes in and said, "That's a good one Mom!" 

Isaak loves to play outside. Mica, not so much.

Summer Has Officially Started

School summer that is. June 20 or 21 is the official first day of summer. I always thought it was the 21st, but someone last year told me that it depends on the position of the moon. My birthday is the on the 21st, so I was bummed to hear that it's not the official start to summer.

What to do with the kids for the summer?

Mica's already saying, "I'm bored!" on the weekends. It's annoying because he has a room full of stuff to do. I want to say, "Seriously?" 

I wanted to keep Mica busy with camps, but he's not old enough for some of them just yet. One more year!

We have Mica signed up for a week day camp later on in the summer. Both boys are signed up for a week of acting classes. They start very soon. Isaak is doing a summer preschool with a community center. They're in swimming lessons again.

Today I decided on a new rule for the summer: If they whine about a task I give them (Mica's more of a problem with this) then they get more to do. If they do not complain at all about the task at hand, then they will be give no more tasks. Does that sound fair?

I've thought about starting up the chore jar once again. I never really followed through with it before. I just put a lot of tasks in a mason jar, and the kids pull one out to do. For some reason when I tried it before it never stuck. They are older and more capable now. I told Mica that his tasks are going to get harder, and Isaak's going to get some of Mica's tasks.

I've been trying to give Isaak tasks that help prepare him for Kindergarten today. It was cloudy this morning, so Isaak helped me make banana bread and no excuse bread. Isaak peeled all the bananas. I know he'll have to do this task at lunch time. He'll also have to make his own PBJ sandwich. I'm surprised the school even offers PBJ sandwiches with all the nut allergies. They do. They give the kids their own little container of jelly and peanut butter. The bread comes separate. Here's Isaak making his own and Mica's sandwiches:

Trust me it's not all work. This morning we played the game Trouble. Isaak had a little problem with the trouble part of it. He kept going back to start. I'll be excited when the water pads open up. It's too cold for that yet. Soon we'll be going to South Dakota. Shhhh...the boys don't know about that one yet. We rented a cabin in the middle of no where, we're going to see a lot of sites as well. I won't announce when we're leaving, but I'll certainly tell you all about it when we get back.

Shadow

Mica's hit a new stage in his childhood. It's the help stage. I'm not sure if all kids go through this or not? Mica is. He's my shadow all the time. Most of the time I love it.

I only find it hard when there is not too much for him to help with, or Isaak and him are fighting over who is going to help me. Isaak's generally liked to help in the kitchen and with laundry as soon as he could. Mica was pretty neutral to it until recently.

Along with this stage comes more responsibility.

What Mica does now:

• He's taken care of putting away his socks, underwear, pjs and pants for a long time. Now he has to hang his shirts up. He doesn't really like doing this, but I know he knows how. Therefore I make him do this task.
• He has to collect all the trash and takes it out, while we watch. The rule is, is that he can not go out without letting us know. Someone from my sister's high school went to take out the trash and never came back. I'm paranoid about our kids going in the front of the house alone. 
• Mica packs his own school lunch with me talking him through it. This is a pretty big step. Before Kindergarten he had trouble spreading peanut butter on a piece of bread. He doesn't have peanut butter sandwiches all the time. Sometimes he does.
• This is a task I'm still shaky on, he started peeling his own carrot. Daddy helped him the first time. I did the second. He tried telling me he knew how to do it. I watched and he was peeling towards himself. YIKES I stopped him right away. This is a task that has to be overseen. 
• He helps unload the dishwasher. Basically he stacks dishes, while I put them away.
• He also dumps ingredients in a bowl when I'm making things.
• He takes the plates to the table.

Were you ever weary to let your kids start certain tasks? If so, what were they?

We Need to Work Together As a Family

Daddy doesn't always agree with the title. When Daddy cooks, it's Daddy in the kitchen. He doesn't even like to have the boys in the kitchen at all.

All the sudden Daddy read a book about discipline and realized that our boys do need to help. It teaches them about responsibility, how to work together and makes us closer as a family.

Daddy had Mica take out the trash for the first time this week. I've been having them help with laundry. They like to put the clothes in the washer and dryer. Then they have to put their own socks, underwear and Mica puts his own pants away. They hand me clean dishes to put away from the dishwasher.

I like the boy's help when cooking and baking. My only problem with that lately is that they fight over who is going to help me. Mica has some major issues with sibling rivalry right now. The problem just popped up last week. Both boys want to help me in the kitchen.

Today they argued over who was going to help me at dinner time. I said, "Hey you both can help. You'll just take turns." Mica kind of huffed and puffed. I said, "Mica can you start by getting Mom an onion?" Mica said, "I don't want to do that." I said, "Ok Isaak can you get Mommy an onion?" Isaak started to go get one and Mica made a mad dash to the refrigerator. Then Isaak started crying. I took the onion Mica got out and put it back and said, "Mica you said that you didn't want to get an onion out for me. Isaak can you please get this onion out?" After that things sort of went smoothly. Each one took turns putting chopped onion, garlic into the soup I made.

Above is just one situation of how Mica's been acting. I would think it would have to do with me spending less time with him, but it's not true. We've been going to the YMCA and spending more quality time with one another then before.

I'm thinking what Mica is going through is just a stage in childhood. I don't want him to feel like I don't care, but he can't act like a pain in the rear to Isaak. Mica will learn that Isaak and him have to take turns.

Today is a struggle of a day.