Growing Up

I try to give my boys the opportunity to learn to do some "grown-up" things for themselves: make purchases with their own money, check out their own books at the library, handle their own banking transactions, etc. At Cory's birthday dinner they each were allowed to order their own meal. [Red Robin makes it easy being that the kids menu includes pictures of each choice. I had them circle what they wanted and then tell the waitress. They did a great job and the waitress commented on how well mannered they were.]

Today, Zane learned to bargain! He found a toy at World Market that was missing a piece. He still wanted the toy and asked if I thought it would be sold for less. I told him that he could ask when we got to the sales counter. To my surprise, he quickly agreed. [I wondered as we walked around the store if the clerk would think that I put him up to it.] We got to the counter and I made my purchase and then told the clerk that Zane had a question. He showed her the toy, explained about the missing piece, and then asked if it was worth less. [At this point, I mentioned that this was truly his idea.] She offered him the $4 toy for $2. After a moment of thought, he happily made the purchase.

It really enjoy watching them learn these life skills and know that they are gaining confidence with each experience.

Busy Boys

My boys do not have trouble finding things to do. They are not the type to complain about not having anything to do. I think I have only heard the word bored used in our house once or twice. I feel blessed that I don't have to deal with that attitude that seems to plague so many children.

They like building forts or towers with nearly every cushion/pillow in our house.




They were so excited when they discovered that Cade's little beads that expand in water would also stick to the ceiling. There were about 60 up there and it was very interesting and colorful; however, I was a little concerned they would stain the ceiling or dry and then damage the paint. They thought trying to get them down was also fun.




Sometimes I'm smart enough to harness their energy and put them to work doing things that I don't find the time to do. They had a great time washing windows.

Medic Luke

Luke loves first aid kits. I think he would spend all his money on them. He has quite the collection and usually takes one with him wherever we go. He helps his friends/family, but lends the kit to me if a stranger needs assistance. Some have suggested to him that he may want to be a doctor when he grows up. He doesn't want to be a doctor, but is more interested in being a medic for the fire department.



Luke bandaging Cade after a fall during the kids fun run at the Butterfly Run in Elkton.

Luke's Goals

Luke recently started 20 weeks of vision therapy. During one of our recent sessions, Penelope, his therapist, asked him to write down goals. I love the list he came up with:

1. Learn to swim.
2. Become a spy or ninja.
3. Go ice skating ASAP, but definitely before his is 16.
4. Be a Christian.
5. Learn how to make cookies.
6. Run a 5k by the time he is 8.

Mind your manners

The other day Cade and I were in his bedroom and evidently I interrupted him. He began to scold me for it and I reminded him that I was the parent and that it was not his job to correct me. The way I remember it, he said, "Someone needs to teach you." I asked Cade today what he had said and he told me that he didn't say "someone" needs to teach me; he said that my mom needs to teach me because I interrupt too much.

What's for dinner?

The other night we had potatoes and salad from our little raised bed gardens. I love providing the family with home grown goodness.



Also from the garden, but not on the menu, about forty roly-polys gathered by Cade.

Cade's Turn

Cade lost his first tooth on the first of July. I told Cade that the root on his tooth seemed long. After finding two dollars under his pillow, Cade concluded the Tooth Fairy paid him extra for the long root.

Father's Day

On Father's Day we hiked up Spencer Butte. It was the first time the boys and I had been there. It was a beautiful day and we all enjoyed it very much. I think hiking on Father's Day may become a new tradition.

Cory's 41st Birthday

We went to dinner at Red Robin for Cory's birthday and then came home for ice cream cake. Cory loves ice cream cake!


Zane made his Snap Circuit set play Happy Birthday and had Cory "blow" out the light bulb. He also gave him a $10 Taco Bell gift card.


Cade bought Cory a petunia and also a $5 Cabela's gift card.


As a family, we also gave Cory a knife and a Cabela's hat. Luke was okay with those gifts and didn't feel like he needed to add anything to it.

Potatoes

I pulled up one of our potato plants primarily to find out if the ants were eating the potatoes. Being that this is the first time we have grown potatoes, it was really exciting to dig them up. Cade lined up the five potatoes we found and said that they were Cade, Luke, Zane, Mom and Dad.



Cade holding our first potatoes.

Luke's Teeth

Luke just lost his first tooth on May 14th.

He is 7 1/2.

His new teeth got tired of waiting.

We say he has shark teeth.

He likes that.

This means war!

I am at war with sugar ants! They started nibbling on my radishes and I was okay with that. I planted more than I needed and was willing to share. I should have known better. They must have thought, given my previous kindness, that I was also willing to provide them with a new home. Those greedy little suckers have made my potato hill into an ant hill. They have nearly killed one potato plant and a cauliflower plant too. They have gone too far and now we are engaged in battle. Or, at very least, a major food fight.

Battle #1 - Cornmeal.

Once ingested this is suppose to expand and end their little lives.

Victor- Ants. The cornmeal didn't seem to have any effect of them.

Battle #2 - Bacon Bomb

Jerry Baker's Ant Control #1. I like to refer to this as the Bacon Bomb. It is a mixture of cornmeal, bacon grease, baking powder, and yeast. It is the amped up version of cornmeal alone.

After I made this mixture, the boys and I headed out-of-town for the day. Knowing that the bacon smell would call to Cory, I left a note right under the bowl of Bacon Bomb telling Cory not to eat it. I should have left the note on top. Thinking it was brown sugar [and it does look like brown sugar] he had it in his mouth before reading the note. He didn't know the ingredients of my "ant bait" and quickly washed his mouth out at the sink. Funny, huh?

Victor- Ants. I'm pretty sure they love it. Maybe Cory did too.

Battle #3 - Vinegar.

Supposedly vinegar messes with their sense of smell.

Victor- Ants. No effect noticed.

Battle #4 - Terro?

I called a local nursery asking about diatomaceous earth and boric acid. The lady who I spoke to recommended Terro Ant Killer and said it is made from Borax. Unfortunately, being that the store was about to close and I'm desperate, I bought it and then read the ingredients: 5% Borax and 95% Other Ingredients. Uh Oh. Here comes the warning: DO NOT USE in edible product areas of food handling establishments, restaurants or other areas where food is commercially prepared or processed. Do not use in serving areas while food is exposed. Avoid contamination of feed and foodstuffs. Place bait in areas inaccessible to children and pets.

Feed and foodstuffs!? Is foodstuffs even a word? Regardless, I get the message and decide to try something else.

Victor- Ants, by default.

Battle #5 - Cinnamon.

I guess they hate it and I happen to have a Costco-size supply of it. I have now sprinkled it generously around the garden. The garden smells great and maybe my veggies will taste cinnamon infused. Yum.

Victor- To be determined.

Battle #6 - Molasses.

Apparently this is another thing they don't like; neither do I. I have a nearly full bottle and I'm happy to share [get rid of it]. I poured the whole bottle all over the perimeter of the garden. My garden is starting to smell like Cinnabon. I like that.

Victor- To be determined.

Battle # 7, 8, etc. - Bay leaves, Mint leaves and anything else I read about. Perhaps cayenne pepper and orange oil will soon be added to the mix.

This war is getting weird!

I must win. I must win!

Please let me win.


Cinnamon covered ground. Molasses drips. Bay leaves spiked into the ground. Mint leaves around the stalk. Bacon Bomb Hotel in the background.

Smart like Ben

A few weeks ago Zane was learning about Benjamin Franklin. Here is an excerpt from Zane's history book:

It did not take his father long to realize how bright his youngest son was.

'That boy will make a fine minister. With seventeen children, I cannot afford to send them all to school. But I will try to send Ben.'

At the time, I wondered out loud what it would be like to choose one of your children, based on how smart they are, to go to school because you couldn't afford to send them all. Zane said, "I'd probably have to go." He's pretty sure he is the smartest of all three boys. I told him that I don't know which boys is the smartest, but I might not send him to school because he says he doesn't like it. I told him that I would rather send a boy who wants to learn.

Today, as I'm writing this, Luke said to Zane, "You think you're the smartest boy in the country." Zane, with a pondering look, said, "Maybe."

Church Clothes

Yesterday, after Zane got dressed for church, I noticed that he was wearing faded blue jeans and asked him to change. He said,

"Mom, church isn't about looking good, right? It's about Jesus."

Who can argue with that?

Charpie Spice

Cade said the other day, "I don't like babies, except William [his cousin] and Charpie Spice." Our friends, Ken and Charissa Charpie, make a special seasoning that they've dubbed Charpie Spice. The boys love that spice. It's the only way I can get them to eat some foods. On the day that Cade made the statement above, he couldn't remember the name Linus, Ken and Charissa's son, so he called him Charpie Spice. I officially recommend that Ken and Charissa begin using this new nickname for Linus. Just keep him away from British pop-music bands...

Whoa, Martha, back up!

A few years ago I was given Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook. Although the book has useful information, I wouldn't have bought it for myself. I didn't want Martha's expectations swirling around in my head. Ignorance is bliss.

My bliss lasted until page 24 of the 744 page book.

First the good news. I actually do pretty well at Martha's Six Things To Do Every Day: (1) make the bed, (2) manage clutter, (3) sort the mail, (4) clean as you cook, (5) wipe up spills while they're fresh, and (6) sweep the kitchen floor. If only she stopped there I could, on occasion, pat myself on the back. I really wished she had stopped there.

Now the bad news. Next comes her Weekly Homekeeping list. [To be fair, the lists are meant to be a general guideline and the reader is encouraged to tailor them, but I think it's more fun to mock them.] The weekly list is where my grade starts to plummet. Actually, I failed before I even made it out of the kitchen. Here it is; Martha's Weekly Homekeeping list for the kitchen:

~Wipe surfaces, including sink, countertops, the outside of the ventilation hood, refrigerator and cupboard doors, top of refrigerator, appliance exteriors, shelves, and furniture

~Wipe the inside of the oven, microwave, and toaster oven

~Flush drain with boiling water

~Discard foods and beverages past their prime

~Dust light fixtures

~Wipe the inside and outside of trash and recycling bins

~Vacuum and mop floor

Whoa, Martha, back up. Wipe down the cupboard doors! Honestly, even if I had a staff of people working for me, I still wouldn't think it necessary to do that each week. Not to mention the top of the refrigerator and inside/outside of the trash bin. And the light fixtures? Weekly. Really?

I'm glad that Martha will not be visiting me.

Today, I decided that it was time to dust the master bedroom. Why? Because it is my weekly routine, like Martha recommends. Nope. Because the dust was thick. I could have easily written "wash me" in the layer of dust on top of the chest of drawers [and then made a plaster cast of the words].

I think that it is more gratifying to wait until something is a little dirty [or, in the case of dusting, a lot dirty]. Then, after you clean it, you feel like you've really accomplished something. Plus, in my opinion, if your house is immaculate people begin to feel uncomfortable. Even the people who live in the house. And, if you get the reputation of being an OCD type of cleaner, people become less comfortable inviting you to their home. I know a few people who cause me panic at the thought of them dropping by.

There seems to be a fine line between keeping a house comfortably clean and becoming a slave to your home. Another Martha quote:

Manage clutter: Whenever you leave a room, take a quick look around for anything that isn't where is should be. Pick it up and put it where it belongs. Insist that everyone in the household do the same.

This is, for the most part, a habit for me; however, I get tired of looking around to see what needs to be done. Sometimes it feels like each room of the house is wrangling for my attention and I just want it to be quiet. I certainly do no want my kids to feel that way. I want them to enjoy this house. I'm okay with finding Lego's in every room. I'm okay with the couch cushions becoming forts/motorcycles/islands. I do teach them to pick up after themselves. At least once a day I have them put things back where they belong. But I don't want to "insist" that they are always on the lookout for anything that is out-of-place. How sad.

That said, I must confess that I have a hard time allowing anyone else to see my house messy. Funny, huh? It contradicts what I believe; that a house should look like people live in it. That it is more welcoming that way. Unfortunately, those Martha-like expectations pop into my brain and persuade me that less-than-perfect isn't good enough. I'm working on finding the balance; enjoying more company and caring less about the condition of my house.

But for now, I'm off to wash the cupboard doors...

The Cake for Cade

For two years Cade has wanted this rainbow cake from Costco for his birthday.



What Cade didn't know is that I am not much for store bought cakes; I prefer to make the boys' birthday cakes. The first year Cade asked for the Costco rainbow cake, I made each cupcake [that fit together into the shape of an alligator] a rainbow-ish color. Sounds a little strange, huh? It was. I didn't say that my cakes look better than the store bought ones. [Did I mention that the cupcakes were zucchini cake?] Unfortunately, I don't seem to have a picture.

Joy offered to make Cade's next birthday cake. [No, not because of the rainbow alligator zucchini cupcakes.] She said that she doesn't get to make many birthday cakes and wanted to help out. [Okay, that does kinda sound like a nice way of saying that my cakes need help. But, it wasn't. Was it?] She stayed up all night creating a masterpiece rainbow cake. It was amazing; the picture doesn't do it justice.



Cade really liked Joy's cake, but later told me [when I inadvertently took him by the cake section during a Costco grocery trip] that he really wants THAT rainbow cake. I will, and you're my witness, buy it for him this year! No homemade cake for him. If I don't buy him that cake ... may a shark bite MY nose.

Special People

About 1 1/2 years ago our church assigned each of my boys a "special person" to pray for them and send them a letter once a month. What a blessing each of these ladies have been to my boys [and me].

Luke and Louise. Louise doesn't go to our church anymore, but we still go see her. Our trips haven't been as frequent as I would like, but I'm planning to do better. She lives on the 18th floor of her building. We really enjoy seeing the city from her apartment windows. Louise is a sweet little lady.



Zane and Bessie. Bessie fell in love with Zane the first time he smiled at her. He was ten months old and we had just moved to Eugene. Bessie has treated us like family every since and blesses us so much. Everybody needs a Bessie.



Pearl and Cade. Cade loves Pearl; he has said that he would like to marry her. He looks for her every Sunday and goes to give her a huge hug. The kind of hug that leaves everyone who sees it smiling. "Pearl" is actually a nickname that her father gave her when she was little; he knew she was a treasure. We agree with him wholeheartedly.

Sweet William

My nephew, William, is staying with us this weekend while his parents are at a marriage retreat. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to take all four boys to the studio for pictures and scheduled the photos for today. Everything leading up to the appointment was going very well; I had outfits picked out for the all the boys, they had lunch, dinner was ready for when we got back, and William had a two hour nap right before we left and woke up in a great mood! I was hopeful that things would go well. Once we got to the studio William became very serious and reserved. I had the photographer take picture of my boys first so that William could see what was happening and get used to the idea. Nope. I tried showing him the pictures of the boys on the monitor and told him he could see himself too. Nope. I told him I wanted to surprise his Mommy. Nope. I told him that his blankie wanted to be in the picture. Nope. Just the mention of pictures brought him to tears. Poor little guy; he was a puddle on the floor. Fortunately he perked right back up as soon as we left the studio. I guess I didn't traumatize him too much.



Here are some happier times during his visit:

Mohawks and more...

After filling my tank at the gas station today, I asked the boys to guess how much they thought it cost. Zane first guessed $100 and then changed to $50. Luke guessed $4 and Cade guessed $5. Zane won; he was closest. How much you say? $83.19! Eighty three dollars and nineteen cents! Yikes.
_____

Cade called me in to the bathroom today to help him finish up on the toilet ["Wipe" sounds so crass, but I guess I have to say it for the sake of clarity.] After a few minutes, and more than one summon, I went to help. I took the opportunity to try and gently encourage him to learn to do this by himself and mentioned that one nice thing about learning to wipe oneself is that you do not have to wait for help. He countered with, "How did you feel when you were little and had to wait for someone to help?" I told him that I didn't remember how I felt about that when I was little. I then asked him if he thought I should "drop what I'm doing and come running" when he calls me. He said, " No, put it down and come walking."

_____

"Mom, you know those zebra kids? The ones with lines on their heads [while using his thumb and finger to trace two lines from his forehead to the nape of his neck]. I like those kids. They look like zebras." Cade, age 5, describing a mohawk hairstyle

Valentine's Day

Cory and I usually try to schedule a date on or around Valentine's Day each year, but this year I thought of a new plan that would be special for us and involve the boys.

The plan: Cory and I would go on a date ... in our vintage trailer ... parked in the driveway. The boys would be our servers and entertainment.

First, I set the table in the trailer: tablecloth, cloth napkins, candles, music, wine glasses for sparkling cider, etc.

Then I fixed dinner: salad, chicken, baked potatoes, corn and rolls. Cheesecake for dessert.

I went over the idea with the boys. I made them a list and gave them a timer. We had two-way radios in case they needed me or I needed them. Plus, two-way radios make everything more fun.

After they met Cory at the door and directed him to the trailer, their list of jobs looked something like this:

1) BRING ROLLS AND ASK ABOUT DRINKS. Henry Weinhard's Root Beer or individual-sized Martinelli's Sparkling Apple Cider.

2) BRING DRINKS.

3) Wait 8 minutes. During this time Cory and I ate our salad that was already on the table and the rolls the boys brought.

4) MAIN COURSE. Zane would bring the prepared plates from the oven, one at a time (with oven mitts, of course). The little boys were in charge of opening doors for him and carrying the umbrella (yep, raining).

5) Wait 8 minutes.

6) ENTERTAINMENT, round one: Zane came to preform magic tricks. He wore a cape. He came up with some clever ideas. He was cute.

7) Wait 8 minutes.

8) ENTERTAINMENT, round two: Cade and Luke came to play music. Luke played the ukulele and Cade played a cardboard wrapping-paper tube. The sound of giggles accompanied the instruments. They were cute.

9) Wait 8 minutes.

10) DESSERT. They brought cheesecake that was sliced and on dessert plates in the refrigerator.

During their breaks they ate the meal and dessert that was waiting for them at the dining room table.

Cory and I have celebrated Valentine's Day together nineteen times. As time marches on, I have forgotten the details of most of them. This is one Valentine's Day that I will never forget.

Luke

Of the three boys, Luke is definitely the most creative with his nighttime attire. I laughed out loud when I found him like this; he reminds me of Ronald McDonald.

Cookie Dough

Remember when mom used to make cookies and you and your sibling would each get a beater from the mixer to lick clean? Those were the days. Now, thanks to Kitchenaid, brothers are forced to share one beater and things can get...complicated.

Zane

Recently I made a pasta dish for dinner that has peas in it. Zane is not fond of peas, but did a pretty good job of eating them without complaining. I complimented him and he responded that he didn't let the "pus" out while he ate them. Apparently he swallowed them whole.

Our friend, Breanne, came and spent the weekend with us. At bedtime Cade prayed that she wouldn't find anyone else to marry [he has proposed to her several times]. Zane then prayed that Cade would understand that that probably wasn't going happen.

Zane was working on a spelling test and asked me if he spelled two of the words that he had been struggling with correctly if I would be, "super, duper, exclamatory happy." I think it is funny that a third-grader uses the word exclamatory.

Zane often reads himself to sleep at night. I am glad that he enjoys reading and I try to encourage him by getting books that I know he enjoys. For an early birthday present I gave him a book from the Flat Stanly series by Jeff Brown. He read the entire book tonight -- all one hundred pages! 2/6/11

Zane is not looking forward to being nine on Thursday (2/10). He would rather that his age not be mentioned. He has come to me a few times blinking back tears and swallowing a lump in his throat because he is "growing up too fast." I know this is a result of hearing my mom and me talking about how fast time is going. I guess we better have those conversations in private from now on. 2/6/11

Blogging

I mentioned to my mom tonight that I hadn't officially blogged anything since August. She was surprised and concerned that I wouldn't have a record of the boys' saying/doings for the past six months. Her comments urged me to finish many that I started and jot down a few more, like this moment with Cade:


I ask, "Cade, What are you thinking?"

"Let me show you!" he responds, and then gives me a huge hug and kiss.


Moments like this melt my heart and, with the help of my blog, will be treasured forever! Thanks, Mom, for encouraging me to get back on track.

Zane's ideas...

‎"The stuff I want to do [for a job when I grow up] doesn't really have to do with words or numbers." Zane, 9/20/2010

Zane said yesterday that he thinks that cars should be germ-powered because you wouldn't run out of germs. If your tank was empty you could just say, "Okay, everybody get out and spit in the tank!"

Pajamas

The boys scored matching pajamas from both Grandma Marsha and Grandma Boom Boom this year.

Grandma Marsha made fireman pajamas for each of the Gant boys. Here is my interpretation of each boys expression:

Cousin William- I have chocolate!
Zane- I want chocolate!
Luke- I already snuck some chocolate.
Cade- Maybe if I'm good they will give me chocolate.



Grandma Boom Boom gave each boy footed pajamas. Zane was excited being that he outgrew all of his footed pajamas and has missed them.



Footed pajamas are great [and adorable] but they can get very hot.

The Challenge of Parenting

I think the most challenging part of parenting [far more challenging than the physical demands] is conforming the will of three little people, who were born selfish, into boys who consider others more important than themselves, while at the same time continuing my own journey toward selflessness.

Dolly [pardon me] Parton

After my recent post about Halloween costumes, I showed pictures to Luke and Cade of Dolly Parton so they could see who my mom dressed me up to look like one year.

Luke laughed at Dolly's pictures and said that if she tried to kiss her husband she might knock him down. Then he laughed and said, "She'd be good at football. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang." [No, I'm not joking. It surprised me too!]

And then Cade said, "She couldn't even kiss her husband." [And this, from a five year old! I don't know where he got this from.]

Head's up, Mom!

My dad dropped by today and wanted to take us to lunch. I quickly talked to the boys about finishing school after our lunch trip to Junction City and they agreed they would come back and do their school with a good attitude. When we arrived home, and it was time for them to follow through with their end of the deal, I found that they needed a reminder of our agreement. I added that if they were going to act naughty, then next time, if Papa came during school and wanted to take us to lunch, I would have to tell him we couldn't go.

Luke said, "We're not naughty. You wouldn't be telling the truth."

I replied, "I didn't say you ARE naughty; I said you are ACTING naughty. That is a big difference."

"Sorry, but I might not let you in my house when I'm older."

"Why?"

"Because I don't like you saying that," responded Luke, and then casually added, "Just a heads-up."

Halloween

My mom did a great job of coming up with Halloween costumes for my sister, Joy, and me when we were young. She is, of course, the most creative person I have ever met. She never bought Halloween costumes, but could easily put together something original from her trunk of dress-up clothes. Here are a few samples of my mom's cleaver creations:

Joy, my friend Lori Frieze, and me dressed like Hillbillies.


Dolly Parton and a masked cowboy.


And my personal favorite: Michael Jackson. [Okay, so Mom didn't get the memo about Michael only wearing one glove. She's exceptionally creative, not perfect.]


Fast-forward twenty years. I now have three little costume-wearers to adorn with creative, homemade costumes and possess maybe 1/2 or 1/4 [or 1/32] of my mom's creativity. Mind you, we really aren't too enthusiastic about celebrating Halloween. If they go trick-or-treating, they usually go to family, church members, or our closest neighbors. My philosophy is that if little ones dressed in costumes can bring joy to some of our family or elderly friends, then I think that is a good reason to allow my boys to participate. Sorry. I had to chase that rabbit.

Back to costumes. Last year the boys were sick so I was able to escape the pressure. This year we celebrated with family at my cousin Sara's. Zane decided to be a spy, Luke wanted to be a University of Oregon Duck fan. Both those ideas were easy to do, but I was disappointed that I hadn't come up with some majorly creative idea like my mom would have done.

As for Cade, he said he wanted to be a butterfly. My thought; better now than later. You can get away with being a little boy butterfly when you're five. [And truthfully, I was a little excited to see Cory's reaction.] However, when we got to the store, all the little butterfly wings were gone. Cade saw some pirate accessories and determined that that was the new must-have costume. [I knew the butterfly stage would be short lived...]

Here are pictures of two of my boys with their adorable personalities making even the simplest costumes look good. Luke didn't want his picture taken until he had on a U of O hat to complete his outfit. Unfortunately we didn't find it until we were already running late. I keep trying to get a re-take, but it hasn't worked out.




I am already trying to think of something creative for next year. I have a really fun idea for a costume for Luke and, as of now, he likes the idea. Only time will tell if it comes together or if I again resort to some last minute costume of desperation.

Marry your mom?!

At a tender five years of age, Cade is still in love with me. He was very pleased to learn that Cory is three years older than me and may die first. He thinks that after Cory is in heaven that we might be able to be married for at least a year before I die. He added to the ongoing conversation on another day, "You know, when Dad dies he may have money left and then we could have it." I asked why we would need it and he said, "So you could buy a job." He also asked recently if when Dad is in heaven and we get married if the cops will "be after us." I told him that they might be, being that it is against the law for a mom to marry her son. Rather than being discouraged by the knowledge that our marriage would be illegal, he seemed to think the idea of evading the police sounded fun.

+ Silly +

There is plenty of silly to go around at the Gant house. I have proof.

Who knew that eating popcorn would require this kind of attire? Cade! That's who.


Who knew that swimming masks were not meant for water alone? Luke! That's who.


And who would have guessed that Cory [with his amazing eyelashes] would come home with his face painted to look like Jack Frost? Really, who knew?

Solution: Traps

Yesterday I was telling Zane that I think he is an attractive little boy and that he is going to draw people to him like a magnet. I also said that when he gets older he is going to have trouble with girls. He replied, " I've got all kinds of things [ideas] to stop that!" When I questioned him regarding what he would do, he replied, "Traps." He also said that he would tell the girls that he likes how to get out of the trap. It is hard to believe in a few short years that Zane's perspective on girls will change 180 degrees.

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I've been trying to plan a party for Cade's birthday with his cousins Lolly, Gabriel, and Abigail. I had to cancel the first time because my mom wasn't able to be there and really wants to be. When Gabriel, age 5, found out that the party was canceled, he was excited and asked his mom if he could keep Cade's present. Today, when he found out the re-scheduled party is tomorrow he was disappointed. I guess he would rather stay home from the birthday party and play with the present. Hopefully Cade will be extra nice and let Gabe play with it.

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, Mary Poppins & Samantha

My boys are very noisy when the play. Zane is the most noisy. He seemingly cannot play without sound effects and although I know I will someday miss this, at times it is a bit much. Really, when they all three get going, it is a lot of noise. Today Zane was playing and instead of asking him to quiet down I decided to start making my own noises. Sort of a Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle approach to parenting. So as I am washing dishes and wiping counters I begin making loud, random noises. Within seconds Zane is by my side asking what I am doing. I respond that I am just washing dishes. I take off to the bathroom to put towels in the washer while making jet-plane-like noises. He is right on my heals. He tries to ask questions. I tell him I'm busy. He asks, "Are you trying to make it fun?" Being that he cannot engage me in conversation, Zane goes off to play. Maybe five minutes transpire and my throat is becoming sore. I also notice that Zane is no longer making noise and I call him to the kitchen to ask why. He says that he doesn't always make noise. Then he asks if I was trying to make my job fun like he suggested yesterday. Yesterday, the boys and Cory were going for a bike ride and I was thinking about whether I should go or not. I asked, "Who will make dinner while I'm gone?" Zane told me that, like the lady with the umbrella says [aka Mary Poppins], we should have fun no matter what we do. He thinks maybe I should stay home and have fun making dinner. I laugh and decide to go on the bike ride. So today, after my experiment with noise making, he thought I must have followed his sound advice and used noises to make housework more fun. Personally, I would prefer the twinkle-my-nose approach to housework like Samantha on Bewitched, but he hasn't [and probably won't] see that show.

Cottage Grove Lake

Last weekend we went camping with Grandpa Bruce and Grandma Marsha at Cottage Grove Lake. We had a great time! Grandpa and Grandma brought their boat and the boys got to ski tube for the first time. Zane and Cade loved it! They had their thumbs up most of the time signaling that they wanted to go faster, faster, faster. Cade would hold up both thumbs hoping to urge Grandma to go ever faster.





You may have noticed that I didn't mention Luke. He didn't even want to be in the boat and was crying [warning: the picture below may break your heart]. He finally decided to give the tube a try, but there were conditions: (1) I would ride with him [not Dad, who enjoys speed and; therefore, crashes on occasion], and (2) Grandma Marsha would drive very slow. While on the tube, he confided that the only reason he agreed to the ride was because he could then control how fast the boat went. [Pretty smart kid!] Thankfully, being that Grandma and I did exactly what he wanted, he eventually liked it and we spent our time absorbing God's beautiful creation as we meandered around the lake.

Let me explain...again

Zane told me this morning, "I don't understand why Cade frustrates me when he knows that he is going to get hurt." After thinking about it for awhile I later told Zane that I think it is because Cade wants his attention so much that he doesn't care if he gets good attention or bad attention. Zane responded, "So he really does want to get hurt." I think he missed my point and I had to go over it again to try to help him understand and be more empathetic.

Commando/Taekwondo

Cade is still wearing Pull-ups at night. In the morning if he is wet he takes the Pull-up off and wears only his pajamas (no underwear) until it's time to shower. He used to say to me, "Mom, is it okay if I go commando?" however, recently he got a bit confused and began saying, "Mom, I'm going Taekwondo."

Speaking of Taekwondo, my niece Lolly has been taking lessons and my mom cannot remember the word Taekwondo. It seems each time she mentions it to me it comes out a bit different. One of my favorite versions: Kwon-fondue.

I recently asked Cade if he wanted waffles for dinner. He replied, "YES! You are a genius!"

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Today we have Zack, age 7, over to play. I made a picnic for them to eat outside in their fort. After awhile Luke came in the house holding his neck. Here is how our conversation went:

Next time they ask if Zack can come over and play, say no.

Why?

He hurt me!

What did he do?

He hit me in the neck with a cantaloupe [ball]. Luke giggles because he thinks that sounds funny.

You really don't want him to come back?

Well, he can come back, but don't give him cantaloupe.

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In June we had a Palmer Family reunion. Luke spent a lot of time pushing Cade on the swing. I was very proud of him and later told him so. He said, "I want to get stronger" then added, as he threw his thumb over his shoulder pointing toward Zane, "So I can beat him up!" Humorous, but his motivation did somewhat negate the kind deed.

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This morning I showed Zane a video of a real car that transforms into a plane. I knew he would like it because he often talks about inventing something like that. As he watched the video he said, in a quite awestruck sort of way, "My dream. It's possible. It's possible. It's possible."

CUPCAKES