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If I were to ask what would be the 5 top reasons your kids principal calls you, what would those be? If  I said the kid is a kindergartner would that list change? And if I said that kid is also of the male gender, would that impact your list as well? 

Today I got a message from my male kindergartners principal. She said, "Ms Jackson, there was an incident at school that I need to talk with you about." So I call back, but as it so happens she was in a meeting. So I wait for a return call. 10 minutes later the school calls back saying the principal had a drs appt, so she will call back later. That was a pretty mean trick in my opinion .

So I actually googled reasons why a principal would call a kindergartners parent. Unfortunately there wasnt much research on the topic.

I asked Tyler in a non threatening way what happened at school, if anyone teased him or made him upset and if he decided to seek his revenge by whacking someone on the head, or did he take something that didnt belong to him, or did he speak out of turn. He looked really worried but he couldnt think of anything. So I waited and waited and sent many a text to Daniel throwing out reasons why his principal was calling me.

This is my top 5 list:

1: He pulled the fire alarm. again

2: He stabbed a kid with his pencil. again

3: He peed on the school playground. (thankfully, we havent been called on that one yet)

4: He stole something. (thankfully we havent had this problem yet either)

5: He told his teacher he hated him. (I could see this one happening cuz he tells me he hates me when hes really mad at me)

Daniel list includes:

1: He peed on the teachers desk

2:  He took his pants off

3: He went running around the classroom uncontrollably

Well after much anxiety and 2 hours later, I talk with this principal. The "incident" as it so happens, was Tyler decided to "show his privates" to another kid. Why? I have no idea. Nor did she. All she knows is that one of the students came up to Tylers teacher and said just that. 

So heres the thing, I know this kind of thing happens. He is a kindergartner. And a boy. And boys are just weird. But geez- why does it seem like its always MY kid that is the only one that does these kinda things?

Sass

So every morning before Kylie leaves for school, I say, ""Bye honey. Make good choices!" If you recall it is from the movie Freaky Friday. It drives Kylie bonkers, which makes me laugh, so I keep doing it. I guess thats mean of me, but i already know I am a mean mommy as my kids like to tell me that anytime they dont get their way. Anyway today I picked her up from school to take her to piano lessons and asked her if she did indeed make good choices. My little sassafras told me that if I dare say "bye honey, make good choices!" to her again, she will "duct-tape (my) mouth shut!" My jaw dropped. Where did this sassy little thing come from? And where in the world did she come up with a comment like that? Geez- if she is like this now, I am really worried about her teenage years. Perhaps I should rethink my desire to have a baby girl.

In other news, we have locked up our fridge and pantry from the hyperactive Bennie-boy. Unfortunately he has broken through 4 different locks on the fridge, and we arent quite sure what to try next. The pantry however is holding up nicely. Being the mean mommy that I am, I had to take a few pictures of Bens reaction when he went to try the fridge the first time. Too bad that obstacle didnt last very long. 

Here he is pulling with all his might!

 

Someone is getting upset!

  

When the meltdown doesnt work, he turns to his daddy and says, "open!"

 

I am such a mean mom!

Rumor

Daniel and I and our "herd" of kids went to a friends house for dinner tonight. We had a great time visiting, playing games and eating. So as we are talking our friends mention that they heard a rumor. Rumor is that Daniel and I are having problems in our marriage and that we are getting divorced. WHAT THE FLIP? First off- let me say if you have heard this rumor- NO WE ARE MOST CERTAINLY NOT!!! In all honesty, I consider my marriage one of the greatest blessings in my life. Daniel is my best friend, my eternal companion, the love of my life. Of all the things that could ever be wrong in my life,  my marriage will never be on that list. EVER. I'll let you in on a little secret: Daniel and I are and have been and forever will be blissfully happy in our marriage. We may occasionally get into disagreements but they are always very minor and we work it out.
Ok- so I want to know who in their right mind would have started that rumor and why. Daniel thinks that maybe it was a fellow ward member who gave me and 2 of my kids a ride home from church like 9 months ago, but the only reason I was walking home was cuz one of the younger boys puked and Daniel took them home to clean them up and take care of them.I told him I would find a ride with someone, but then felt silly asking for a ride so we started walking- it isnt that far of a walk anyway, but why would that start that kind of rumor? That cant be it.
Just to be clear,  I'm not offended, but am really curious and shocked that this rumor is out there. so in case any of our fellow Yumians have or will hear such a thing, its simply NOT TRUE!!! ;)

Swings

 

Last night Daniel got home BEFORE it was time to get the kids ready for bed, (a completely shocking event!!!) so we went to our favorite park to let the crazies run wild for our FHE activity. At one point we were all on the swings together, pretending we were flying. That moment brought back many fond memories. (Cue for a slightly blurry black and white image of a younger version of Daniel and myself at a park)

When Daniel and I were "dating," we went to the park one night and had some fun on the swings. As we swung higher and higher we seemed to fly into our own world together. The stars were twinkling, the crickets chirping, and the palm trees swayed from the refreshing breeze. As we gazed into each others eyes we talked about us, and the future, and just everything.(The night got even more memorable when we got kicked out by some cops who thought we were some trouble makers from a park graffiti-ing gang, but thats a story for another time)  

So back to last night. We swung with the kids until we all felt motion sick, and then we headed home. On the way back I reminisced with Daniel of how romantic that night of swinging was. Daniel comments, " now it's just  nauseating!" At which point we look at each other and bust up with laughter. 

Daniels no pun intended comment has me thinking though. Back when we were young "lovers"-(for some reason I cant seem to say or think the word "lovers" without cracking up..) any and all of our PDA was, in my strange little mind, so romantic. And now, looking back.... ewwww- gross! I mean, even seeing young lovers today make out in public just makes me kinda shudder and recoil. But yet when I see an old couple hold hands or laugh together, or see a husband get the door for his wife and see them share a genuine smile- i cant help but think, "awwwwww, now thats sweet!"

CHEESE!!!

I came downstairs this morning after taking a lightning speed fast shower cuz I know that my little Ben will literally get into anything and everything and I will  be cleaning up for hours. Today he got out a block of cheese and was happily nibbling away in a corner, and he happily said "cheese" for me when I grabbed the camera. 

Meet Ben the mouse.

So a few nights ago Daniel asked me why I hadnt written a new blog post lately. I had to laugh cuz last week I spent almost every waking hour cleaning up after Ben. He is a maniac. At many various times I had  to clean up yogurt and go-gurts and yogurt smoothies that had been dumped on the couches, the carpet, the floor, the tables, the walls, the cupboards- you name it. Four jars of pasta sauce were thrown out of the pantry and all over the kitchen. all at different times. I HATE cleaning up broken shards of glass! The ketchup from the fridge was used as paint one day. A bottle of V8 was dumped all over the couch and the carpet. A new box of Fruit Loops was opened and throw all over the kitchen and family room and then stomped on to make quite the colorful explosion of sticky sugary crumbs. Chocolate milk was spilled several times, a full bag of frozen peas was scattered all over, several containers of jello puddings were smeared on the table and chairs and floor and of course all over Bens hair and face and clothing.. Fishes, animal crackers, ritz- all had a turn being dumped out and thrown about. And just so you know, I am NOT exaggerating. Once I got one mess cleaned up, there was another one already made. Suffice it to say, the few nights Daniel made it home before the kids went to bed, I immediately turned them over to him before collapsing from exhaustion on the couch. Several times over I told Daniel I was ready to send the kids back where they came from. Kylie heard me say that on Sunday after church when I was contemplating what the point of dragging them there is, just to have them run and yell and throw things the entire time. In her beautiful little mind she thought about that before asking me if I would have to eat them up in order to get them back in my tummy. Yeah. Cannibalism, why didnt I think of that before? Then she thinks about it some  more and says, "but then you'd just poop us out again."  Then she looks really puzzled for a minute and says-"did you poop us out when we were babies? Is that how we are born?" ......yup my daughter, it's something like that....

So  after that week of pure insanity, Monday night came and we had a little FHE and then got some diary queen for dessert. I was still pretty high-strung and feeling overwhelmed, but as my little kiddies were coming back into the house, I had one of those very small and over much too quickly moments when I was overcome with how much I love my kids. I held my Ben so tight as my eyes just kinda stung for a second while I offered a silent prayer of gratitude that I am a mother, and that I have been entrusted with these crazy, hyper, wild, fun, creative, hilarious, loving, smart, beautiful kids.  How blessed I am! I just need to remember that in the chaos of their childhoods.

My little albino

Why is it that anytime I am upstairs putting laundry away I get some kind of version of this:

Toast: "Mommy- the boys are making a mess!"

Me:"Then tell them to clean it up."

Toast:"But its a really REALLY BIG mess!"

Me:"So be a good sport and help them clean it up."

Toast:"Dude, this is one you're gonna wanna see!"

And so I decide that the laundry can wait. And we head downstairs to the kitchen where my 2 little SPAZZ-manian devils have ripped open a box of pancake mix and rolled around in it. 

Meet albino Ben.

 

 

Bare

Have you heard the song "I cry the day that I take the tree down" from the Forgotten Carols?
I do not like it. But whenever I take all my Christmas decor down and put it away that song plays over and over in my head until I want to pull all my hair out cuz I cant stand it. I mean really, it just not that great of a song melodically and second of all- does anyone really cry the day they take their tree down? I must say my house looks so bare and naked without all the festivous clutter, and thats kinda sad, yet I am not crying into my cheerios over it. Some songs are better left unsung.
So Christmas was wonderful. Santa came a little early for the boys. He couldnt fit a bunk bed in his sleigh, so he had his friend from the trucking company drop it on by before we left town. Toast and James are LOVING it! And Kylie has been helping them break it in. We tried moving Ben into James's old room as opposed to my closet, but he still prefers the closet. Daniel is kinda embarrassed that our baby sleeps in a closet, but I'm thinking- if he's happy there why shake things up?
We traveled up to Utah to spend the traditional Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my family, and boy do we just love going up there. We missed Uncle Johnny and Lala, but by some festivious miracle they got back into town the night before we headed home, so Toast and Kylie were very pleased indeed. Uncle Johnny showed Toast some cool secrets on Mario brothers, and Ty was very happy to have some insider info on the game.
We had a very calm Christmas morning. The kids slept in and didnt wake up until I couldnt take it any longer and started making enough noise to rouse them all from their sleeping quarters. After the presents were opened, Daniel made his breakfast burritoes, which were delicious, and then we headed over to the movies to see the Princess and the Frog. Not a favorite Disney, but it was alright. Christmas night everyone (minus the Travsters) came over to grandma and grandpas for a tasty Christmas dinner and then the grandkiddies opened up their gifts from said grandparents. What fun.
We then headed up further north to visit the Jacksons. Good times. Daniels mom picked up some inner-tubes, so the boys had a blast "tooooobing." Kylie had lots of fun with her cousins and in all honesty I didnt see much of her the whole time we were there.
We got back into town and Daniel was back to the office to try to finish the year off with a Bang.
New Years Eve we put the younguns down and let the big kids stay up a little later to play games with us. We played on the Wii, and then switched to guesttures. Tyler was HILARIOUS. Daniel and I kept glancing at each other almost in tears cuz he was just so animated and intense. We then had an ice-cream sundae making bar for dessert, and then sent them off to bed. Daniel and I turned on a movie but I think we both feel asleep before the new year came. We woke up several hours later with cricks in our necks cursing ourselves for not just going up to bed. Old age is so fun.
Now we are trying to figure out what to do with the new year..............