What Is He Trying to Say?

So, it's snowing, again. I thought I would take some time this morning, with no major plans, to catch up on the blogs I read. Brian is reading homework in his room, and Michael and Dustin outside moving snow around and looking industrious. Zachary saw an opportunity to play with the shovel we clean ashes from the woodstove with, and came to show me his dirty hand. I told him to go wash, and he apparently took that as a sign that he should play in the bathroom.

He decided he didn't like grownup toothpaste. Blech, and Mommy please help me rinse my toothbrush. I plunked him back in the living room, and a few minutes later I hear, "M-o-m, I stuck."

"Where are you?"

"In ze bafroom."

Mom literally rolls her eyes and wonders where the nearest nail is to unlock the bathroom door.

"What were you doing?"

"I STUCK, I need help."

But as I approach, I literally burst out laughing:

So, what is he trying to say here?

a) "Mom, I need clean socks."

b) "Mom, you need to keep up on the laundry."

c) "Mom, you need to keep a closer eye on me."

d) "Mom, I am stinkin' CUTE!"

"What I Did Over Christmas Vacation"...

Nicki wanted me to blog before photos, but I/we didn't think to take them. But on Thursday, we managed to do this:

The room formerly known as Dustin and Zachary's room is now called Michael and Zachary's room.

And the room formerly known as Brian and Michael's room shall heretofore be known as Dustin and Brian's room. OK, really we call it the boys' room, and it will probably continue to be the boys' room, which makes no sense cuz they both have boys, but that's another story.

And this is what I have to deal with today, the rest of the "stuff" we moved out of the way to be able to move the furniture!

Oh yeah, and THANK YOU NICKI!!!!! She salvaged my weekend, and arguably my marriage, by preventing Bill and I from having to tackle this today! She even sacrificed one of her toes in the process (I'm SOOO SORRY!!). What a good friend!

Christmas with a Happy Ending...

Doesn't he look content?

Last night was a doozy...

My kids are convinced of Santa now. After yesterday, nay, this WEEKEND'S atrocious behavior, the whining, the needling, the gnashing of teeth that has occurred within the walls of our home (and even at CHURCH one had another in tears), they still got happy surprises under the tree. Come last night at supper time, they knew that there was no WAY Mom was going to put anything else under there! So Santa must be real, and must be able to see the good in their hearts, even when they try to push it WAY DEEP DOWN.

We had a family talk last night. I have prayers in that the rest of this week will be better. It has to if we are all going to survive it!

And I know they are kids, they are boys, the whole boys will be boys load of manure people want to dole out to excuse children from developing responsibility for their actions. But if I had a nickel for every time I had to say, "Were you TRYING to make him angry? Then think about these things BEFORE you do them." yesterday, I'd be a wealthy woman. I won't share in this venue what all took place, but let's just say rearranging portions of the nativity to assault a school made decoration was my last straw!

I ask a lot from my boys, and I know that. Mostly because of the genuine, sweet, loving and thoughtful things I have seen them produce without being asked. But also I have a knowledge of the divinity of their souls, of each of our souls, we have a potential most of us don't know about, or want to see.

My favorite quote is prominent on my fridge: "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear, is that we are powerful beyond measure." I really believe that, I believe we are that powerful, and not as the world sees power. But that with this kind of power comes responsibility, and we (including myself) shy away from taking that responsibility on. My biggest expectation for my children is to love each other. And love is a verb in our home.