Growing Up and Out

Busy bee Wednesday is now behind us! YEA!

Not only do we have a full schedule on Wednesdays- Jack woke up a wild man with a mission to have a great day.

He literally was asleep 5 minutes prior to taking this picture.

I'll take 3 bottles of "a kid's energy" please. 

He quickly decided to turn his attention to some music that was way too fast paced for me at 7 in the morning.

He just woke up. 

I kind of hate him. 

Lucy still had a fever so she had to stay home with dad who was thankfully working from home today. 

This was traumatic.

"You cannot go to MOPS without me!"

Honey, I have to. Mama has things she needs to do there.

"Mom, please, just cancel it."

Luc, you get to stay here and watch shows all morning.

"I thought we were a family!! Families stay together" 

She had officially entered a very special and dramatic place.

Our speaker at MOPS was super awesome today. If you don't know what MOPS is it stands for Mother's Of PreSchoolers and is basically where I have found my sanity for at least two hours twice a month. Here's their website- I highly suggest joining a group near you! http://www.mops.org/

Today's topic was on raising kids with character- uhhh- yes please! 

The talk was great and I took notes like a crazy person. Sometimes information that isn't necessarily new is still so good to hear in a refreshed way! 

As the mama to some quirky kiddos; one of whom is particularly challenging, I love hearing these practical tools and getting the encouragement I need to hear that my kids are normal! 

Recently we were invited to the party of a boy who you may consider the "naughty kid" in class. Dan's initial response was, "aw no, don't encourage friendship with him!" Which- I think all parents would say if they responded quickly, and I'm not saying there aren't times in which we need to monitor our children's friendships- there certainly are. 

BUT- we have a kiddo who can come across "the naughty kid" and we work really hard at teaching her, and parenting her and loving her. Sometimes she has a bad day, or even a bad phase, and we just need to get through it. 

I happen to have noticed this boy from school's mama staying after class talking with the teacher, and have overheard her asking for resources. This kiddo is not going to fail, he is from a home that cares about his weaknesses and wants to love him for who and how he comes- teaching him how to be the best him. 

All that to say- don't write the kid who has an attitude off. Sometimes they are the ones who need the most lovins, and maybe your solid kiddo is the exact type of friend those parents are hoping for their child to find. Realize that your kids not only need friends, but need to be friends and learn to grow not only up but out. 

On the way out to our car we found worm central in the parking lot. Jack has a love/hate relationship with worms. Finds them (and most bugs) fascinating and also terrifying. 

It took him literally 15 minutes to actually get the bravery to pick the dang thing up. 

He's named it "Jay". 

Told him to go get some dirt so we could give Jay some food and he could relax a little bit.

Nailed it.

This afternoon Lucy had recovered enough to be allowed to go sell cookies with her fellow scouts at the local grocery store.

I have no idea what those shirts are supposed to be. They were told to wear them- Lucy refused.

Good girl.

While she was gone I faced my nightly duty

Tackling the kitchen. 

Bleh.

Got it done and picked up Lucy- who hopped in the car and randomly asked me what a butler was. I gave the best definition I could. She then said "only fancy people have those, and we're not fancy." Why aren't we fancy, Lucy?? "Cause fancy people are clean"

Well then. Guess we are definitely not fancy. 

She then quickly moved to shock and amazement at a rain drop on her window that "looks just like a fat bird with only one wing" 

Otherwise known as what your standard issue rain drop looks like. 

Off to bed early in hopes of rest and health for the kiddos. Danny is gone late and I get to purge on my shows. Kind of love these nights every once in a while ;).