N His name is Noah

...This week was tough for Noah and me. Every morning was the same: He or I would get mad at one another for something, followed by silence in the car after dropping off Rhett, who can never be silent :), followed by big sighs from Noah while I'm trying to get him out of the car and into school, followed by the beginnings of a frown up to the classroom, followed by Noah grabbing onto my leg and not going into the classroom by himself, then pouting while I'm yelling (at this point) at him to put away his things, then pouting all the way downstairs to the gym or the playground, then and finally, full-blown crying while I'm trying to say good-bye. His teachers are so sweet and hold him while he wails about not wanting to leave me. They comfort him while I get back into my car and wonder what is going on and hoping that nothing happens to me or him between now and the time I pick him up. (You know those stories about the child not wanting to leave the parent then one tragically dies and the other (usually the parent) has survivor's guilt and the what-if I only listened to my child thoughts the rest of their lives). (I'm not being morbid, but I did just finish reading a couple of books where this happened so it is on my mind).

Anyway, today was no different. His teacher tried talking to him and asking him if something was bothering him that is making him so sad. Noah, of course, said nothing. But it almost made me cry because all I could think was, "I have a sad child. Nothing can make him happy. He will be sad no matter what I do or don't do." Yes, I realize I am being a bit dramatic (it runs in the family--see Krista's blog today to know what I mean) but I just don't understand what could make a child, who has so much (love, stuff, family, friends, ect), be so sad. So, I left him again crying in his teacher's arms.

My friend says not to worry. He'll be the strongest of the bunch when he is older. But will he be happy?

I just hope we figure out something in the mornings. We are running out of time before kindergarten in a public school where there is no time to comfort crying kids who want their mommy.

there's a battle going on

...right inside our front door. Rhett lined his army men yesterday in battle formation. He spent at least 15 minutes on it. I love that one of them (in the middle) is pointing his arm in one direction and the men behind him are going that way. Very cool, big guy.

changing our ways

...I have read 2 books recently that have changed the way I think about food. It has changed the way I want to eat my food and it has changed the way I want to fix food for my family.

The first book is In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan. Basically he says what the typical Westerner eats is not even considered food and that we should go back to eating food that our grandparents and great-grandparents ate and fixed. By the way, his manifesto is: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. I loved this book. I learned that eating healthy means not trusting what it says on the front of a package: Low-fat! Lots of vitamins! Low Sugar! But it means making thoughtful food choices that are healthy because of what they actually are, not what they say they are. I would recommend it to anyone with one small warning: don't read this if you don't want to change the way you shop or eat. You will never look at grocery store bread the same.

The second book is Raw Food Life Force Energy by Natalia Rose. Don't worry, Seth and I aren't going to become vegans and raw foodies! (Much to Seth's relief!) But I bought this book because it is going to help Seth and I make better choices and better ways to eat our food. Ironically, I am going to need a juicer. Ha! Ha! (I had wanted a smoothie maker aka high-powered blender for Christmas and told my mom to get a juicer, not a blender. A small mistake. So when I opened the box and saw a juicer, I knew that wasn't it. So I returned it and bought the blender.) I honestly never thought I would need a juicer. I mean, you can buy juice at the store, right? Well, yes, but it is not the same. I'm not going to preach to anyone so I won't say anything else except that I'm very excited about it (Seth is too, right honey? Hee!) and can't wait to start it. We are starting very slowly but I'll let you know how it goes.

And along these same lines, I fixed a kale pesto the other night and put it on some fish and also sauteed swiss chard and mixed it with pasta and can I say that I can't believe I haven't tried kale and swiss chard before now? I loved both! They were so great.

So here is to a healthier us. Have a great weekend!

a sports photog, I'm not

...Here is one of the okay pictures that I took of Rhett at his last basketball game. His Nana and Pop (aka Sandy and Sammy) got to attend and we were all very excited that he scored 2. (Ok, 3, just one didn't count because of the buzzer). He really did well for his first time at the game. He learned a lot and had fun so that is the most important.

Today and tomorrow he is going to sing in his 1st grade music program. He asked me to attend both. :) They are singing songs about nursery rhymes. Rhett is going to be dressed up as "Tommy Tittlemouse" (who lived in a little house and caught fishes in other men's ditches). I made him a cute fishing pole with tiny fish and he is going to wear plaid shorts. I think he will look adorable. He wanted to be Little Boy Blue or a soldier but I told him a lot of people will be those things since it was on the sheet of examples of costumes. He didn't see my point.

And here is a picture of my valentine boys and me:

Have a great day!

a friend in Africa

...Technology is really amazing. I still think that many times, even though I get used to it and yell at it when it is too slow, not working, ect. But really, it is amazing.

Seth and I have this friend whom we've lost touch with a few years back. But because of myspace and blogs, we found out where she is and what she has been doing for the last few years.

Andrea is now in Botswana, Africa, teaching and ministering to boys and girls there. I am amazed at this. She has sold off most of her belongings and moved across the world because she knew it was God's plan for her. Here is a link to her blog: Andrea's Journey to Botswana. She has wonderful pictures of animals, people and the land!

Andrea, you are in our prayers and thoughts. Thanks for sharing your journey!

Happy Valentine's Day

...Press "play" and enjoy. Have a great day!

sick at home

...Yesterday I kept Rhett home from school because he has this cough that has been keeping him up at night. For 2 nights in a row, he'd been up until 10 and then waking up sometime around 1 am. I knew it was going to hit him soon that he was exhausted so I decided it would be better if he rested. Of course, for him, staying home did not mean resting. He did everything but. And he was so bored. After going to the doctor, he wanted to eat in McDonald's. I told him no. After lunch, he wanted to play with his friends. I told him no. After that he wanted to go outside. I told him no. He couldn't understand it. I told him being home from school when you are "sick" doesn't mean you can do whatever. He totally did not do the lay around and watch tv and drink o.j. all day, which I expected. Instead, he drove me nuts. Today he is back at school.

Today, Noah went to school and the second we got there he started yawning and his eyes were watering. He did not look good. The teacher talked us into letting him stay and seeing how things went (today is his valentine's party). So I left him. 30 minutes later I returned to get him. Now he is snuggled up in the chair, drinking o.j. and watching a movie. He knows how to be sick. :)

Don't get me wrong--I totally felt sorry for Rhett when he was up at night, coughing and couldn't go to sleep. Seth and I snuggled with him and made him ginger tea. I really thought I would be doing that yesterday too. But I don't think he was sick enough. The virus is making him cough, but not feel bad. Which is good. Unless you keep an active boy home from school and tell him he can't do anything. :)

Noah, I think, has the beginnings of a cold. I hope that is all it is. But no cough. Instead he feels yucky.

I just hope everyone feels better soon. This cold virus has been in our house long enough.

Happy Birthday to Nana!

...Laughter sure is contagious. Even fake laughter. Last night the boys were talking about something and Rhett said something like "buffos." I asked, "What is a buffo?" Rhett said, "No, a buffalo!" Then Noah burst out laughing. A big, deep laugh that sounded a little forced. But that fake laugh got Rhett going and then I joined in. We couldn't stop!

So I got the camera and then they tried to laugh again. Rhett said, "It just isn't funny anymore." Then Noah started again. Which made Rhett laugh again. I think they did this for about 5 minutes. All because of the word "buffo."

We all want to wish Nana a big "Happy Birthday!" We are very excited you and Pop are coming this weekend (Noah keeps asking if it is the weekend yet.) Have a wonderful day and big hugs from all of us! We love you!

31!

...It was Seth's birthday yesterday and I think he had a great day. Actually how could he have not?

-He received a book on baseball trivia from the boys and bought some Western movies for himself the day before yesterday. His gift from me was also bought by him earlier in January (a new HDTV dvd or something like that.)

-I made his poppyseed cake that he likes so well with ice cream. It is hard to get candles in the cake but it is easy to make. And I showed Noah how to mix the ice cream and cake together to make a yummy concoction (that Seth showed me years ago) and Noah couldn't get enough!

-A dinner of steak and cheesy scalloped potatoes that are oh so bad for you but oh so good to eat.

-We went to a trade show fair and everyone who didn't have a birthday came away with something. I found a neat shirt, Rhett a rubberband gun (it is in the picture above). Yes, Pop and Nana, it is almost the same gun that you bought him last year but it is longer. He was so happy that he now had 2 rubberband guns. :) Noah found something interesting:

It is a springy turtle. Which means the air around him makes his head swing from side to side. It is quite funny to watch and Noah just loved it. It is really small (about the diameter of a quarter) so I am sure it will get lost before we know it but it was only $3.00 so it will be okay.

-Western Movie Night. Okay, my boys love one more thing besides Star Wars. Westerns! Saturday morning, they began watching Rio Bravo with John Wayne with Seth and ended up watching the whole thing with him. (Seth had to stop it in the middle of it because we had to go to Rhett's bb game, but they finished it Sunday morning and were almost late to church because of it!) So last night we High Noon with Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly. Gary Cooper won an Oscar and it is one of the 100 greatest films ever made (at least according to AMC) so I was interested in watching it. (Seth and I have wanted to start watching films on that list. So far we have watched The Graduate and now High Noon.) And I have to say that I really enjoyed it. The boys loved the shootout and I loved the end. Actually, the ending was awesome. The music was hilarious though.

So a good day.

Seth, I love you and I hope this year brings happiness and exciting things to you. You deserve the best. We love, love, love you forever!

ETA: I just put a list of the 100 Greatest Films Checklist of films Seth and I have watched. We have watched a few more than I thought. Maybe not together but some we will never watch again (The Grapes of Wrath, West Side Story) and some I will never get Seth to watch (Annie Hall) so I went ahead and put them on the list. If you click on them, it will bring you to a review of the film. This is actually a fun thing we have started. Usually Seth and I can't agree on new movies to watch and this way we can at least watch them together and see what the fuss was about the film. It is like we are broadening our horizons. Ha! Ha!

uh oh

...At this very moment, my boys are watching John Wayne in Rio Bravo and loving it. A commercial came on about some weight loss program and Seth and I, both of us in the kitchen, heard Rhett say, "She's one hot mama!"

What?!?

"One hot mama!...She is! Look at her, dad! One hot mama!"

Seth: (trying so hard not to laugh out loud): I can't son. I'll get in trouble."

Rhett: Okay. But she is.

I think we are all in trouble. :)

have some whine with your day

...Bye now I should be used to the whiny cries of my child. Especially since I was somewhat whiny myself as a child. Here Seth will argue that I still am whiny. Ha. Ha.

Anyway, I should be used to it, but that doesn't mean it is not annoying. This morning, one of my boys was hanging on my like he was 2 when I was trying to leave him at school. "Please, I don't want to go to school. I want to be with you." Then he actually broke down and cried. And all the while I was thinking "Shouldn't we be passed this stage?"

Then when I went to pick him up, I saw all smiles. He was hugging his classmates, he was laughing. The teacher looked at me and said, "He had a great day. He just really loves his mama."

In my head I was whining, "But if he loved me, he wouldn't act like that in front of all my friends. Please, act like a big boy. Please will you stop whining and crying?

Sigh. I guess once a whiner, always a whiner.

ol' man winter, make up your mind

...Yesterday was the most beautiful day. It was 80 degrees and little wind. Today there is a chance of snow. Huh?

happy

...Happy Monday to everyone! It is beautiful outside, a little windy, but I've come to expect that now. Noah is leader at school so he is happy today. Rhett is always happy to go to school. And my house is clean because we had a few people over for the Super Bowl yesterday, so I'm happy.

Here are some more things that make my happiness list:

1. This song that is playing on my blog. Elizabeth Mitchell has a wonderful way of singing this song. "You are My Sunshine" has always been a favorite song of mine and it is Noah's special song that I sang to him when he was little. Every once in awhile he asks me to sing the "Sunshine Song." It is going to be much harder to find Rhett's song. The tune is a familar one but I made up the words. Hmm...

2. I re-organized the boys rooms this weekend (without spending too much money too!) and it is a big relief. They have all their toys in one place and it just looks better.

3. Lost is back on tv. And it was so good on Thursday! I just got sucked back into the story. I am glad I watched (I was thinking I might not).

4. Playing the Wii with the boys. I am not a huge gamer, but I love playing with Rhett and Noah. It is fun to watch them and it is fun to join in.

5. Seth. It is his birthday soon and I love making a big deal about it, even though it doesn't matter to him.

***
Super Tuesday is tomorrow and I wish I could vote but I can't. Oklahoma is a closed primary (only those registered with the parties are allowed.) But it will be interesting to see who comes up front runner. I think my dad would be proud. I am actually interested in this. Ha!

***

Have a great day!!