Lesson. Learned.

I guess I should have known I needed to be more specific. I should have said, "Never write on the walls, YOUR SELF, or YOUR SISTER ever, ever again."

No, he is not experimenting with Catholicism.

Luckily, Clara was only branded with two T's on her left arm. I caught them before he was able to finish the one under her nose.

T marks the spot.

I can not tell a lie. If you are fortunate enough to be my friend, or a family member, you already know this is true. I wish I could tell a lie, but alas, I was born with a conscience that is lethal. I have countless stories from growing up where I totally ratted myself out, just because of that stupid conscience. I guess I should be happy about it, but to tell the truth, I would be nice to be able to to lie and get away with it. Sometimes.

I am finding that Thomas has been given this same gift. Well, it's really an achilles heel, not a gift. But for a mommy, it’s the jackpot of little-boy characteristics.

Yesterday, Clara was sleeping and Thomas and I were doing “the usual.” We hang out in the sewing room, talk, play, watch Curious George together, or just sit and veg. He left the room for a few minutes. I thought he was going downstairs to get a game, but it took him longer than expected to return. When he got back into the room, he had this look on his face. I knew the look. It was the same look I had on my face when I drove my Mom’s car into the driveway and hit my Dad’s truck that was parked there. It was that “Oh, shizam! What-did -I-just-do-and-why-can’t-I-lie-about- it look!?”

M: Thomas, what were you just doing?
T: You don’t need to go out there mom (This is what us overly-honest people do instead of lie, we just talk around the question instead of answering it.)
M: Thomas, you need to show me what you did. I will not get mad, just be honest.
T: I was just making a whole bunch of T’s.
M: Show me.

He proceeded to walk around the upstairs and show me the countless number of T’s he created. On the walls, on his dresser, on the bed, on the closet door, and a few other choice places scattered about.

T: But Mom, look at this one. It’s a T, and an O. It’s my name!

WHAT DO YOU SAY? I have written about this problem before. I have such a hard time not laughing. The teacher was coming out and all I could think was, "good job!” Of course I didn’t say it.

M: Thomas, those are very nice T’s but you do not write on the walls…or anything else. You are going to need to clean all those up.
T: Okay mom, I’m sorry I made all those T’s.
M: It’s okay, just never, ever, ever write on the walls again.

Then, about 6 hours later we were getting ready for bed. Thomas brought me into his room, and got down on his hand and knees…

T: Mom, there is one more I need to show you…

He shows me a teeny-tiny T that he written on the base board. If he is anything like me, that itsy-bitsy T was driving him crazy and he had to show me to clear his conscience.

The T is turned sideways, at the very top.

Poor kid.

I think they like each other.

What?

I had two interesting conversations with Thomas today.

Conversation #1

T: Mom, do you know what I want to be for Halloween next year?
M: A Ghost?
T: No, I am going to be Ba Rock the Bama.

Conversation #2

Thomas was playing with my camera tripod pretending to take pictures. We were in my sewing room and he was having fun "clicking" away.

M: Who are you taking pictures of?
T: My little brother (when he talks about his "little brother" he always peeks my interest.)
M: Oh, really. What is his name?
T: Liberace

Now, let me clarify. I am not showing Thomas old Liberace concerts on our Beta-Max or making him listen to old eight-tracks. We have not made a trip down to the Liberace Museum (not recently, anyway. I am saving that for when I am in charge of the preschool field trip.) I did however say that part of Clara's Halloween costume made her look like Liberace to a friend of mine. I had no idea he was listening, or even in the room. It is so funny what kids pick up on!

When the cat's away...

Today was Super Saturday. For those of you not familiar with the Mormon lingo, that is a day when all the women get together and spend a Saturday making crafts, eating, and hanging out. It is a yearly tradition, and I look forward to it every year.

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Steve was looking forward to it this year because he got to have a Daddy Day with both kids. Usually he prefers to stay close to the nest when he has both kids. He doesn't like to venture out with both of them and do the whole in-and-out-of car seat thing alone. Today he decided it was time to do it and took both of the kids to lunch and then to the park.

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He got them up, fed them breakfast and got them ready for the day - including hair.

Daddy and Thomas decided to go with the ever so popular, mohawk.

I am not sure what this is, but I give it an A for effort. He couldn't quite get his big fingers to manipulate the tiny rubber bands, so he went with the bow clip (good choice). I think Clara had more hairspray in her hair today than I have had in my hair all week long. I wish the first picture was more clear, but you get the idea.

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When I got home, I received what I thought was the best compliment from him. He said...

"How do you do this everyday? I Love you so much."

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What a guy! I'm one lucky girl.

For the Grandparents

We wanted to give the grandparents a preview of the kids Halloween costumes. We had the Fall Festival at my Dad's school tonight, so the kids got to FINALLY dress up in their costumes.

Luckily, Thomas changed him mind and decided he wanted to be Superman instead of Kid Fitness. We ordered the costume off the Internet because we couldn't find a "muscle suit" in his size anywhere.

Clara was Tinkerbell for this party. She will be a duckling for every other party we go to. Wait until you see that costume!

I can't be live they sat still for this shot.

This is my favorite. I wish it wasn't so blury.

Thomas was able to pull off this classic pose after only one posing lesson from Dad. I should have taken a picture of that.

She is getting way too big! She wasn't too thrilled about dressing up, but once she forgot about everything, she was fine.

Thomas said he HAD to do a sitting pose. "Because that is what Superman would do."

No, my son does not have pre-mature wrinkles. This is what happens when you try and hairspray a curl to a 3-year-old's forehead.

Can it get any better than this?

Tonight I told the boys to clear off the carpet in the family room because I had to clean the rug. As soon as I pulled out the vacuum, Thomas asked if he could do it for me. I'm telling you, this kid is a dream! He did a great job and earned a whole quarter.

Notice the outstanding form. I taught him my best trick, holding the cord with the same hand as the vacuum.

Daddy did what he does best, supervise.

Tagged - picture search.

Robyn tagged me, so here it goes.

first name

last name

birthplace

place I would like to visit

favorite place I have visited

favorite object

favorite color

favorite animal

I tag Janna.

It's a honor just being nominated.

I received my first Blog Award today. Unfortunately, I missed the Red Carpet event. Sarah, over at Sarah's corner awarded me with the BFF blog award. How cool is that! She was one of my swap partners way back when and has followed our crazy family ever since.

Just like at the academy awards, after you win, the following year you get to present. In this case it is the following day. Instead of picturing me presenting the awards in a fancy-schmancy dress, you need to picture me in my its-been-a long-day-bacon-and-egg pants and oversize T-shirt. (Isn't that the uniform of mommy bloggers?)

Rules:
1. Only five people allowed.
2. Four of them have to be followers of your blog and one has to be new and live in another part of the world.
3. You have to link back to who gave you the award.

1. Sarah over at anyone can quilt. This is my award for the person I don't know. She is not in a different part of the world, but different part of the country. I found her blog while surfing the web on machine quilting and I lover her blog. She is witty, has great photographs, and inspiring ideas.

2. Lisa at Our Growing Family. Lisa is a friend of our family. She is always good for a update on her growing family. Not only do you need to check her family out, you need to bookmark every recipe of hers. Every single recipe I have tried has been amazing. She has some recipes posted on her blog, but you will need to check out her new blog Family Recipes.

3. Julie at Morris Moments. Julie and I went to college together and reunited with one another through the blog-o-spher. She is so REAL! I loved her in college, and I love her now! She has been a little slow with the whole blogging thing lately because she just birthed a bouncing baby boy. Check her out for a good laugh!

4. Robyn at Robyn's Adventurelog. Robyn and I traveled near and far together back in the good old college days. She is a blast to be around and I miss traveling with her. She still gets to do things like travel anywhere she wants and has been just about everywhere. I love her and I am pretty sure you will to if you read her blog.

5. Amy at It's A Wonderful Life. Amy is my BFF and she is a follower of my blog (she better be!). We have been best friends for more than half our life, she is like my sister. You should check out her blog. Her son Ridge will keep you laughing!

What would you do?

I have a problem. Clara needs a haircut and I just can't bring myself to have it done. If I saw her on the street with any other mom I would think, 'Cut the poor girl's hair, she can't see!' Instead of cutting it, I just try to pull it back in a Bam Bam Flinstone quick do.

BTW...The top left picture is Clara's new trick. If I ask her "What's in your mouth?" She opens it up and shows me. She will even pull out the object if I put my hand out out in front of her.

Freezing our Nana

Friday afternoon we took a quick drive up to Mt. Charleston with our Nana. It was a fun trip, but it was FREEZING! The only picture we were able to get of Nana was in the parking lot because she said she was too old to be out in the cold (only 91, that's not too old). She sat in the car while we took a very quick walk up a trail. We would have all gotten in the car to leave, but we didn't want to disappoint Thomas. We were happy he was satisfied with a quick 15 minute hike.

I love this picture. Like Father, Like Son!

Just so you know.

It is really hard to…

Keep track of your 91 year old grandmother-in-law in a discount store,
while
trying to get your baby who is overly-tired to stop crying,
while
pushing your 3 ½ year old in a stroller he is too big for,
while
trying to keep your jeans from falling down because they are too big and each step sends them falling further to the floor exposing your flat butt that has been handed down from generation to generation.

Guess who's dead...

I went to check the bowl of water and plate of cricket legs this evening in Brodge's jar and found our little insect all stiff and rigamortis-y. Poor little guy never had a chance all cooped up in that old pickle jar.

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He was a good bug. He (I assume) was always up for a good staring contest or would just sit on his branch and listen to our fascinating human stories (even though he didn't have any ears). Brodge will soon be forgotten once the next roach, beetle, worm, or grasshopper is found out in our dead grass.

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As a family, we have decided to not hold services due to the declining economy. We made the difficult decision to just chuck him over the banister on our porch and allow the pigeons do what they may.

Our First Pet

Thomas really wants a pet. He knows he can't have a dog or cat because Dad is allergic to animals, and mom is allergic to high maintenance. He is pretty understanding about being denied this childhood rite of passage, so he has improvised.

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I would like to introduce Brodge (Thomas named him, therefore your guess is as good as mine as to where the name came from), our praying mantis. Daddy and Thomas caught him a week and a half ago outside of church and he has been gracing our counter top ever since. I keep asking him if he wants to let Brodge go and see his family. He keeps answering "No, Mom. Brodge is our pet!" I have been secretly plotting as to when I am going to accidentally open the jar outside and set him free, but just haven't done it yet.

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This morning, we went out to the orchard to pick tomatoes and zucchini. While we were walking through all the tomato plants, a bunny scurried out from under the brush. Thomas was so excited and wanted to know how we could catch it. He told me, "when we catch it, we can put it in a jar and keep it on the counter top next to Brodge!"

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I decided that maybe a praying mantis isn't so bad. I don't think I would do too well with a bunny trapped in a jar on our counter top. Plus, I don't want PETA to come after us.

Wouldn't you want to come home to this?

Today has been one of those days. I was standing in the kitchen getting dinner ready when I looked up and realized what a pig-pen we were living in. Do you ever have those moments when you think...Holy Mess, Batman! What happened in here?

I try to have things picked up before Steve gets home from work, but today it didn't happen. So what do I do instead of clean it up? Blog it, the modern woman's form of procrastination.

1. The vacuum is out, but never got used because as you can see, it would have just sucked up a bunch of mega-blocks. Then I would have had to deal with a crying 3 year old and had to explain to Steve why we need a new vacuum.

2. Laundry. This is how I spent most of the day. This is one load that hasn't made it to the baskets to spend the next 3 days sitting at the top of the stairs, waiting to be put away.

3. Clara's clothes. Usually you can find either kids' clothes on the family room floor in our house. For some reason my kids like to run around in a diaper / underwear. They get dressed everyday, but usually end up partly naked before 3:00 pm.

4. Toys on the floor. Not my fault, I didn't play with them.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who has days like this!