Other thing. So the twins walk home with my friend's two kids every day from school. She told me earlier this week that they wouldn't be there Friday to walk home with Charlie and Dylan. I planned on just walking up to the elementary school and walking home with them. Today happened and I forgot. It was 1:30 and I was about to put Porter down for a nap when it hit me. Oh crap! They are out of school!! So, I put Porter on the ground and told Oliver to stay with him and I'd be right back. I ran outta the house and up the street. I was nearing the school and passed a group of 3 boys from our neighborhood and Charlie and Dylan were walking a little bit behind them. I apologized and said I forgot to get up here sooner. They told me that they asked the 3 boys if they could walk home with them and the boys responded with, "No, you're not our responsibility." Excuse me? You are all walking the same direction. They told Charlie and Dylan to call their mom and Charlie told them that they don't have phones. But don't let them borrow yours, just leave them. That's how we treat our neighbors around here apparently. I am pretty mad about it. If I ever hear of my kids not helping a younger kid in the neighborhood I will flip out. It takes a village and I can't believe that those mom's wouldn't tell their kids to be nice to everyone and to help everyone. Oh well, enough of my rant. The boys were good and walked the way they were supposed to. It's tough letting them grow up and be responsible on their own. Do I want them going by themselves everyday? No. But I'm grateful that they know how to get home in case of an emergency.
Friday, November 14, 2014
Ramblings
Two things I want to go over today. First, Oliver. I took Oliver to preschool today. I dropped him off the same time a few other kids were being dropped off. Oliver was taking an especially long time getting out of the car (was in the far back, had to get his bag, needed to kiss and say goodbye to Porter, etc) so when he finally got out we went around the corner of the car and there was a mom and her son there. She said to me that her son, Luke, was wanting to walk into preschool for the first time without her but he wanted to wait and walk with Oliver. So Oliver went right over to him and stuck out his hand and held Luke's hand while they walked away. So sweet. A few weeks back I was picking up O and most the other kids were already picked up. O saw me and was running to get in the car and a mom passed me and said to me, "So-and-so (couldn't hear the name) LOVES Oliver." I love that O is making friends and having an effect on the other kids in his class. I told Brandt this and said that Oliver is like me where it takes him awhile to warm up to a situation but then he turns into Brandt. Outgoing, and sometimes outspoken. He foresees him being a bit of a class clown. Wouldn't really surprise me.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Reminders
Nothing like receiving a disc in the mail of your recent family pictures to remind you how lucky you are. Man, oh man...I sometimes struggle with being pulled in all directions and being the one responsible to keep everything in check and accounted for, but then I look at my beautiful family and remember what it is all for. I have FOUR healthy, handsome, smart, GOOD boys. I ran into Costco today.
(side story: woke up this morning to freezing temperatures. Told the boys they had to wear winter coats today. Went to pull said winter coats from closet only to find that Dylan's is missing. Looked everywhere in the house and it is not here. I assume he wore it to school last spring on a cold morning then left it at school cause it was warm in the afternoon. Anywho - no coat. 30 degrees outside. Had to go to Costco to check out their coats.)
When Porter and I were leaving Costco, I loaded our new coat into the 4Runner and put Porter in the backseat. I noticed across the way there was a mom loading up her minivan and she had a boy maybe 3 years old with her. She was taking awhile to get everything in (and I only noticed this cause there was a car waiting to take her spot). As I was returning the cart she was wrangling the flailing boy into the backseat, yelling at him that keep it up and she'll spank him again. So, obviously, she spanked the boy, then was throwing him in the car. Couple things. I have swatted my kids bums before. Not enough to hurt them and just my light swat was enough to get them to know I am serious and they never repeated the behavior again. This is like when they were two. Am I a fan of that discipline? No. I don't feel it is very effective nor does it make me feel good to hit my child that I love so much. So when this woman is doing that in a busy parking lot, it made me cringe a bit. And then it made me think of my 3 older boys. I have NEVER had to deal with them flipping out like that. We've never had big tantrums at stores. They are relatively well behaved. I can go to the store, to a restaurant, and not worry that they'll flip out. It isn't tolerated by us and they know it is not OK to behave that way. I am lucky.
That little occurrence today reminded me that I have it pretty good. I was able to go get a coat for my son so that he isn't cold at recess because I have a husband who works so hard everyday to provide money for me to do that. Our needs are met. A lot of our wants are met. We have children. That in itself is a blessing held very dear to my heart. And to boot, they're children that are amazing. Is there anything else that I need? No. I have so, so much.
(side story: woke up this morning to freezing temperatures. Told the boys they had to wear winter coats today. Went to pull said winter coats from closet only to find that Dylan's is missing. Looked everywhere in the house and it is not here. I assume he wore it to school last spring on a cold morning then left it at school cause it was warm in the afternoon. Anywho - no coat. 30 degrees outside. Had to go to Costco to check out their coats.)
When Porter and I were leaving Costco, I loaded our new coat into the 4Runner and put Porter in the backseat. I noticed across the way there was a mom loading up her minivan and she had a boy maybe 3 years old with her. She was taking awhile to get everything in (and I only noticed this cause there was a car waiting to take her spot). As I was returning the cart she was wrangling the flailing boy into the backseat, yelling at him that keep it up and she'll spank him again. So, obviously, she spanked the boy, then was throwing him in the car. Couple things. I have swatted my kids bums before. Not enough to hurt them and just my light swat was enough to get them to know I am serious and they never repeated the behavior again. This is like when they were two. Am I a fan of that discipline? No. I don't feel it is very effective nor does it make me feel good to hit my child that I love so much. So when this woman is doing that in a busy parking lot, it made me cringe a bit. And then it made me think of my 3 older boys. I have NEVER had to deal with them flipping out like that. We've never had big tantrums at stores. They are relatively well behaved. I can go to the store, to a restaurant, and not worry that they'll flip out. It isn't tolerated by us and they know it is not OK to behave that way. I am lucky.
That little occurrence today reminded me that I have it pretty good. I was able to go get a coat for my son so that he isn't cold at recess because I have a husband who works so hard everyday to provide money for me to do that. Our needs are met. A lot of our wants are met. We have children. That in itself is a blessing held very dear to my heart. And to boot, they're children that are amazing. Is there anything else that I need? No. I have so, so much.
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Update
In addition to Oliver's "traditional" preschool that he goes to 3 days per week, I have him signed up with the State of Utah's online preschool program as well. That entails that he is on the computer at least 20 minutes 5 days a week, no exceptions. I was thinking the other day, he is required to do his "homework" (that's what we call it) and we find the time. I need to find the time to sit and write a little ditty 5 days a week. Shouldn't be too hard, right? I'm always thinking of things that I should record but I never sit down to the computer to do it. So lame that we can always come up with an excuse. ALWAYS something to clean up or do so this is just 17th on the list. That being said, here's a brief update on the Jensen clan.
We had Halloween. Charlie was Darth Vader. Dylan was a Storm Trooper. Oliver was Venom (the black/bad spiderman apparently). And what was I??? SICK! I missed Oliver's preschool program. I missed the Halloween parade. I did go over to a friends on Halloween night to share our pumpkin stew for a little party before trick or treating, but that's as far as it went. I wasn't going to go and last minute B convinced me to go so off I went with no make-up, no cute-ish clothes, no shower. Oi, what was I thinking??? Oh well. I guess you gotta love me how you get me.
Dylan started the sickness. He was sick the week before me, missed 3 days of school. Had a headache, fever, sorethroat, no voice. Next week, BAM, I got it. This week Brandt has had the pleasure minus the fever. Oliver has also been a little snotty but no sore throat or fever or anything, thank goodness.
Daylight Savings has just about killed me. I have VERY emotional boys this week and I assume it is because they are up at the crack of dawn. The other day I woke up to hearing a party going on in Porter and Oliver's room. Before 7. I have a strict, stay in your room until 8 rule. Yeah, I was not amused to say the least. I'm hoping we're nearing the end of the out of control time switcheroo. In fact, it's 3pm on Saturday and I have the boys (minus P) in their rooms hopefully taking a little snooze.
We finished up Brandt's side job. It turned out beautiful. I was so done with it. It dragged on all summer so we were in upheaval mode for months. I finally get to park in my garage again and it is glorious. It has been so fun to have Brandt come home from work and either go to swimming lessons with me and the boys or just sit and watch a show. Wow, to have a daddy that isn't rushing out to work on something. What a change!
Soccer season has ended, hallelujah! It was fun but it is nice not having 2 nights of practice and games all day. It wasn't near as bad when Charlie and Dylan both played cause they played on the same team. Oliver joined the mix this year so everything was opposite. Two practices and the game were rarely at the same time or back-to-back. I'd have a game at 10 and a game at 1 or something like that. And they're on Saturday mornings so it was just me runnin the herd. Exhausting.
But, alas, we don't know how to survive unless we're C.R.A.Z.Y. so I signed the kiddos up for swimming lessons. I try and cram as much in during the winter months cause i don't like to have them do lessons in the summer (too busy). So we're in our first session of that, and I'll probably sign them up again before Christmas. I gotta get the boys swimming well before summer as their little floaties are a little too snug for my growing boys.
I guess that's about it. I have to (I mean get to) go to the Utah game tonight. Playing Oregon. Gonna get killed I think. Kickoff isn't until 8pm. Whhhaaaaa?? Yuck. My couch seems lovely at that time of night when it is like 40 degrees outside. Oh well. Date night I suppose. Gotta take what you can get. Until next time.....
We had Halloween. Charlie was Darth Vader. Dylan was a Storm Trooper. Oliver was Venom (the black/bad spiderman apparently). And what was I??? SICK! I missed Oliver's preschool program. I missed the Halloween parade. I did go over to a friends on Halloween night to share our pumpkin stew for a little party before trick or treating, but that's as far as it went. I wasn't going to go and last minute B convinced me to go so off I went with no make-up, no cute-ish clothes, no shower. Oi, what was I thinking??? Oh well. I guess you gotta love me how you get me.
Dylan started the sickness. He was sick the week before me, missed 3 days of school. Had a headache, fever, sorethroat, no voice. Next week, BAM, I got it. This week Brandt has had the pleasure minus the fever. Oliver has also been a little snotty but no sore throat or fever or anything, thank goodness.
Daylight Savings has just about killed me. I have VERY emotional boys this week and I assume it is because they are up at the crack of dawn. The other day I woke up to hearing a party going on in Porter and Oliver's room. Before 7. I have a strict, stay in your room until 8 rule. Yeah, I was not amused to say the least. I'm hoping we're nearing the end of the out of control time switcheroo. In fact, it's 3pm on Saturday and I have the boys (minus P) in their rooms hopefully taking a little snooze.
We finished up Brandt's side job. It turned out beautiful. I was so done with it. It dragged on all summer so we were in upheaval mode for months. I finally get to park in my garage again and it is glorious. It has been so fun to have Brandt come home from work and either go to swimming lessons with me and the boys or just sit and watch a show. Wow, to have a daddy that isn't rushing out to work on something. What a change!
Soccer season has ended, hallelujah! It was fun but it is nice not having 2 nights of practice and games all day. It wasn't near as bad when Charlie and Dylan both played cause they played on the same team. Oliver joined the mix this year so everything was opposite. Two practices and the game were rarely at the same time or back-to-back. I'd have a game at 10 and a game at 1 or something like that. And they're on Saturday mornings so it was just me runnin the herd. Exhausting.
But, alas, we don't know how to survive unless we're C.R.A.Z.Y. so I signed the kiddos up for swimming lessons. I try and cram as much in during the winter months cause i don't like to have them do lessons in the summer (too busy). So we're in our first session of that, and I'll probably sign them up again before Christmas. I gotta get the boys swimming well before summer as their little floaties are a little too snug for my growing boys.
I guess that's about it. I have to (I mean get to) go to the Utah game tonight. Playing Oregon. Gonna get killed I think. Kickoff isn't until 8pm. Whhhaaaaa?? Yuck. My couch seems lovely at that time of night when it is like 40 degrees outside. Oh well. Date night I suppose. Gotta take what you can get. Until next time.....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)