the black garbage bag!

When I was a child my mother would tell me to clean my room. And I would…for probably 5 minutes…then play for another 30! So, she’d come in later and “throw away” everything I left on the floor. I can not begin to express the total and complete devastation I felt when she did this. I remember begging, “please let me keep that!!!”

Funny how what comes around…or goes around…or, well, just how we repeat our parents’ actions so many times…even when we swore that we would never do that.

After a while of cleaning house and not much progress from those under 4 and a half feet tall, I entered the bedroom with a garbage bag and dust pan and began shoveling! Now I wonder if it was more traumatic for the parent or the child. I hand no intention on throwing away any toys. At worst I would give them away. But there is something rather permanent about a black garbage bag and a dustpan!

Unbeknownst to me, Robin was standing in her bed watching as “Elastigirl” went into the bag….she LOST it ! Then there goes the baseball glove….into the bag…and Nicholas LOST it! “Now I can’t play catch with my daddy!!!”

I know I sound like a horrible mother. And I felt horrible….sort of. See, I knew I was not going to throw it all away. I had every intention on returning the items to them...but not all at once, maybe on a reward basis. As I wrap up the garbage bag, Nicholas makes out through his weeping and gasping for air…”I am beginning to not like you very much”.

*s*i*g*h *

We had a long heart to heart before bed and I think I made amends. I outlined the process for earning toys back and I think all is well. When I tucked him in and he snuggled up with his nite-nite he said “It’s a good thing this was not on the floor!”

(I’ll give “Elastigirl” back to Robin in the morning…she could not comprehend the “throw away” illustration)


[previously]

At dinner he explained how babies grow:

“There is this little bitty seed and it grows in the mommy’s tummy. And it turns in to a baby. When the baby gets big enough it pops out o f the mommy’s tummy. That’s what Luke said.”

Me: “Oh yea? “

“Yea. But he’s wrong. The baby doesn’t just pop out. It has to slide or crawl out”

Luckily out of where did not come up…nor did fertilization!!! Wheew. Just skirted around that one this time!!!

On the way home we were beside a Subaru at a light and a younger version of Sable sat in the back seat as any human passenger would. Not out the window, not jumping around…Just calmly checkin’ things out. She’d been in a car before! We had a great conversation with the lady in the car. Sure made us all miss our doggie!!!

Procrastinated enough…off to do homework!

We do not bite ow fiends...

Robin loves to be in the kitchen with me while I cook. Usually she is preoccupied with something else and sits and plays (or sings). This evening she was playing with her baby. Reading to her, feeding her…and punishing her!

“You sit wite deia. We do not bite ow fiends!...you put you hands in you lap”

She went on and on. Then told me all about how the baby bit Nicholas (who was outside riding his scooter at the time). I had to leave the living room and laugh and laugh with Rob. We whispered and giggled…”did you hear that!”

Nicholas has said a few doozies recently as well. The best is the one that someone said that his son said that he said....ya get that? Let me set the scene:

Rob plays ball with a man who has a son in Nicholas’ class. Well, one night at the ball field, the other dad tells Rob a story that his son had shared. It goes a little like this:

Dad: (knowing the boy had gym this day) “What did you do in gym today?”
Son: “ohh nothin’, Nicholas and I just sat back and drank some beers”
Dad: “Where’d you get that from?”
Son: “Nicholas said that’s what his daddy does all day”

OK! Finished my last draft of my final research proposal. I guess I’ll look at it again in the morning for one last revision before tomorrow’s class. It’s late (early am actually) and Robin is asleep on my bed. Can’t wait to join her!!!

a good use for Softball socks

We had fun playing in the bedroom with daddy as he folded laundry this morning....yeah for daddy!!!

Robin decided to put on a pair of daddy's softball socks. This was the spark that initiated this behavior...
















and, we have pig tails for the first time!!!

Tomāto and Tomäto

People speak a lot about effective communication. It’s so important that we taught both of our children to use sign language before they could speak…in an effort to decrease frustration (on everyone’s part) and to get a jump start on vocabulary.

This afternoon I revisited the basics of communication with my son…I think we’re saying the same thing but we are saying something quite different!

This card system of Nicholas’ make good sense to us…all of us. Red, yellow, green…got it! However, I discovered today that when we ask “Did you get a green card today?” Nicholas says “yes” and we’re all excited. Then we find out later that he did NOT get a green card but rather a yellow one. So we’re angry that he’s lying…a lot…until this afternoon.

Ya see, to me “getting a green card” means at the end of the day you still have your green card. To Nicholas it means I got my green card out of the pocket [so now yellow is showing].

This revelation came to me this afternoon as I became more and more irritated that he was arguing that he did not get a red card, when in fact I had a note from the teacher that he had…then he communicated effectively…”but Mom, I didn’t pull my red card today”.

AaaHaa! came with some relief that maybe he hadn’t lied all that much (although there were definitely some very false “great day’s” in there). So we sat on his bed and made a color card pocket for home. We talked about each color and came up with ways to remember what each one means.

We named all of the green things that he likes and talked about how they were all good things. (trees, grasshoppers, broccoli, bean sprouts, money, grass…).

Yellow reminds us of the sun. And thought the sun is very important to us and is nice to play in the sun, sometime we get sunburns and they hurt. We don’t like sunburns.

Red reminds him of blood so we talked about the most prominent “blood” event in his life form when he was in the car wreck with Rob, and Rob was bleeding. Nicholas was very scared and he agreed that it was a very bad thing!

Where is the line of truly understanding one another and only thinking you do?

Close the "limes"

Sometimes I have to write them on receipts and sometimes on napkins...but here are a few more words from Robin's Dictionary:

"kisken" (kitchen)
"moosket" (music)
"Please close the limes up" (blinds)

Keeping up with these Gulf sotrms? NASA has really neat hurricane coverage. Can you believe this storm season? Crazy!

A couple photos of enjoying dinner time!

Just enough room...

I have to constantly remind myself what I was like as a child. And although I had (have) a good, kind heart…I did a lot of mean, hurtful, stupid, destructive, and very wrong things!!! Most of the time it was simply for the sake of doing them. To see what it’s like. My dad always spoke of “giving me just enough room to hang myself”. I can say, I hung myself off many different places!

So as we do our darndest to deal with behavior issues of our adorable, loving, kind, funny, and generous 5 year-old…I am reminded of

• how I hated it when dad would say “life is not fair”
• how time-out seemed like weeeeeeeeks long!
• how everyone else was aloud to do whatever it was that I couldn’t do
• how often I tied the noose around my neck
• when I finally cut the stupid thing off
• how hard it was to come to the conclusion that I could be different
• how relieved I was to learn that my parents loved me through it all
• how everyone else may not had the loving-corrective father that I had
• how successful I could be if I used the tenacity of misbehavior and put it toward something more constructive (6th grade, Mr. Young’s science class)
• how dad was right…life's not fair… it’s hard!
  ….but Dad, it’s the hard that makes it worth doing!

Old Friends

A few months ago when I was ironing, Robin kept getting too close to what I was doing. I tried to tell her it was hot…but she didn’t grasp the concept. So I ironed on a towel and had her feel the towel. “Hot” she says. So the other day when I was ironing, I put my shirt to the side and she said “I wanna pet it!”

Today is the first home football game. The children are napping now so we can go the last quarter of the game. We just can’t take too much more than that. Plus…the band goes on the field afterward and has a mini concert. It’s perfect for what our family can handle. Nicholas hasn’t seen cheerleaders for almost a year now…I know he’ll be happy to see them again! I wonder if we can convince Robin not to take her Barbie purse and contents (sunglasses, phone, keys and compact!).

This was the week for getting in touch with people. My friend Angela from high school contacted me through Classmates.com. I was excited to talk to her on our planned “phone date”. Bt I got an email last night saying that she was on her way to the hospital with an aneurism in her brain. She had gotten her MRI results back Friday afternoon and the results were not good. So she’s there until Monday when she can get to the specialist in Tampa! Love you Teddy Bear and I know you will pull through this one too!!!

Dreg…I found your twin! This new Graduate student in the Tech department reminds me of you. So much so that I went to Google images to find a picture of you. (My yearbooks are all in storage). It appears that my buddy Greg is currently in the remake of the Tony award winning Where’s Charlie! I wish so badly that we could come see it. The last show we saw of you was when you had the lead in Miss Saigoon in Dayton Beach (FL), the year after it left Broadway! I am so proud of you!

Then, had lunch with Adam and Jess on Friday. Ahhhhh, the Ruben, my ultimate favorite sandwich. If I go somewhere and it’s on the menu I have to order it. It’s like some kind of magnetic field….Anyway, I had GREAT company and so good to catch up (with Jess too, don’t see you much anymore either…even though we’re in the same program!!)

Recent artwork from Nicholas…

FALLing leaves...

Look what I found on the way home today...

leaving comments

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Every morning Nicholas yells from the bus window "I LOVE YOU!" So sweet. Of course I yell back. I know he won't always want to do that so I enjoy his public displays of affection while they last!

bean sprouts...yummm!

I figured out that yesterday, Robin hit her head at lunchtime because she was leaning sideways in her chair at the table (not having “four-on-the-floor). So, over she went and she hit her ear on the table. It’s rather swollen, purple and sore. Poor thing…looks like a boxer!

Nicholas got another green card (per his report)!!! Way to go buddy. They’re studying “Letter Land” and this week is Annie Apple. Next week is his fist official field trip! They’re going to an apple orchard. (Hope he brings home some goodies)

Nicholas and I went to Mellow Mushroom the Friday afternoon after school to meet some of the Southface/Energy Center staff for a late-day lunch/snack (in celebration of Laura’s Saturday due date and the assumption that she would not be returning Monday. (Welcome baby Johnston once more!) Anyway, Jeff got a mushroom, cheese and sprouts sandwich and shared it with all (thanks Jeff, yumm!). Nicholas picked off all of the sprouts….and ate every last one! He love them. I told him that Momma El used to grow them in the kitchen window and now he wants to grow sprouts!

We are so blessed. Some children kick and scream for candy and sweets and Nicholas would MUCH prefer veggies (broccoli and sprouts) and fresh fruit!

Nicholas’ foot has healed very nicely!

Dad and Pat leave for Europe Friday. Have a wonderful trip! Can’t wait to see pictures. And Happy Anniversary early as you’ll be in France for that celebration.

Speaking of weddings.....

An oldie but a goodie!
(@ Terri & Jamie's wedding, 2000)

I have no idea what color card Nicholas got at school today!

I put him on the bus at 7:10 am and was off to the gym. I was at work from 9-4, then a meeting then class at 5:30 …then I was in the press room printing a job for the Energy Center for Laurel tomorrow (love you Laurel!). I finally got home at 9 pm…thanks to Jeff Tiller for the ride!! The children were in bed and Rob was headed out the door for a little softball under the lights. The guy needs a stress reliever being a single daddy 4 night a week….I love you so much!!

Sometimes days like this make school so hard…what did Robin wear today? Did she say anything funny? Is Nicholas’ foot feeling better? What did he have for snack at school?

So I sit here in my little corner of my bedroom, the cicadas are singing and the bathroom fan is on and I don’t want to write my paper that is due tomorrow!!

Tomorrow class is supposed to run the whole time … ‘till 9 pm (if not longer). I may skip my workout in the morning and take it easy getting to work at 9. Lord knows I got enough of a workout haulin’ my thesis book, class books and lap top all over campus today! (Thanks again for the ride home Jeff!!!)

Congratualtions Laura and Mitch...can't wait to meet "Baby Boy Johnston".

Nicholas tied both shoes!

a green card!

Apparently Nicholas teachers assume that all families are not normal like ours and that most have only two sets of grandparents. So, in lieu of trying to determine which GREAT and GRANDparents get these two sets of Grandparents’ Day pictures….here’s the scan so everyone can enjoy them both!


Nicholas has a card system in his classroom to track behavior and consequence. It mocks the traffic light in that green is good and symbolizes no behavior problems for the day (at least none worthy of discipline). A yellow card is issued when the child has pushed the limits and usually results in a time-out. Too much of that behavior, continued misbehavior of any kind, or a downright unacceptable behavior warrants a red card and a note to the parents and probably a parent conference. Since the start of this system (two full weeks now) we have had 2 notes home…but no red card!!! YIPEEE!!! Needless to say we have been having lots of parental discussions about behavior modification. I am proud to report that today (and a Monday at that) was a green card day!!! Way to go Nicholas!!!

What they say…

Nicholas got to wear a hat to school as a fundraiser for the hurricane relief. The children had to pay a dollar if they wore a hat. He wore…dum-da-da-dummm…a Cowboy hat (imagine that!). Anyway, the strap broke somewhere throughout the day and when he got home he says to me…”Mom, this is so hateful. Look what happened to my hat!”

Robin was playing with Daddy on the bed. She said to me “Mommy watch, this is cool fun!” as she proceeded to climb over dad! “Cool fun…???”

Academics

Things are moving along very quickly and abundantly! In addition to 3 classes (M,T,W,TH nights each week) I am working as a Graphic Designer for ASU's Energy Center as well as ASU Department of Technology Graduate Assistant. It's amazing how much I have learned about design over the past year...what will I learn this year!!!

I have taken classes in Web design, 3-D Animation and Modeling, and Electronic Imaging; in addition to all of the required graduate level Technology Department courses. Right now I am enrolled in a Prepress class which I really enjoy. The professor is a designer at Samaritan's Purse (here in Boone).

My course of study has led me down the road of a Master's Thesis! I’ll be working on National Association for Industrial Technology (NAIT) accreditation for the Graphic Arts and Imaging Technology Program at ASU.

In the Spring I had my first experience as a workshop presenter. I spoke about the “Technology Curtain” at ASU’s Women’s Leadership Conference. Turned out to be a rather motivational presentation on women in the technology industry. I plan to submit a proposal again this year to speak once more!

The cover from a publication I designed this summer for ASU’s Energy Center.

- Walker

Grandprents Day

Happy Grandparents' Day one more time to…

Meme and Papa
Grandpa
Momma El and Papa Ray
Nana and Poppa
Grandma and Grandpa

WE LOVE YOU!!!

We hope you had a wonderful day. We went to the park and played in the nice warm sunshine under a crisp blue sky!

I love Fall...

My turn

So, I have been scribbling in my journal these wonderful things my children say and do. Sometimes they make me laugh, sometimes I cry, sometimes I am amazed at how their little minds work, but always I am honored to be a part of their lives and hope pray that I do my best every day. So, in an effort to share their (actually all of our) lives with you...here's our family blog!

The most recent thing that Robin said to really prompt me to blog was this:

R: "I want some of you Cheerios"
me: "Robin, please ask nicely"
R: "pa-leeeze!"
me: "Robin, say 'please may I have some?'"
R: "Please may you have some"

Nicholas stepped on a rusty screw yesterday in is hobbling around the house (when not laying down watching TV). I called the nurse and she said to just clean and bandage it...his 5 year old shots are recent enough to cover tetanus. May have to go to the doctor tomorrow if it's not showing improvement.

Newest picture...