There are a few rules in our house about the great outdoors.
Number one is you may not play outside without an adult before you are pushing four and then it has to be with your older sibling(s).
Number two is Mom doesn’t go out in the cold unless you are in trouble.

Every once in a while I have been known to bend the rules. Not often. You can count that on one hand. I’ve taken smaller kids outside a few times just to take a photo and say we did. I did it when Beau was pushing two. Did it when Beau was four, Champ was two and Skeezix was a few months old. That day (evening actually) was fantastic. We slid down the driveway on the ice in our sleds. We miss our cul-de-sac! And today was the third time.

So today I was feeling like I should let Angel experience some of the “joy” of winter.

The big kids have been playing out all week and I think she thought she was missing something.

So we ravaged the closed and found enough gear to properly dress her. Navy pants, pink coat, green gloves, Mickey Mouse boots, a royal blue snood. She was good to go.

What about Mom? It was a bit too cold for my driving jacket and leather gloves. I don’t own a hat of my own. I put on one of JB’s hats, one of Skeezix’s scarves (it mostly fit!) some of JB’s old mittens and two coats. What about my feet? Okay – I remember that I DO own boots. I usually just wear sneakers when I snowblow the driveway. But I do own some. They aren’t my size, but a few years ago I saw boots on sale at Kmart for $1.99 a pair. They didn’t have my size, but they did have some 1 – 1½ times larger. That is better than smaller! So I have boots that I think I have worn 2 or 3 times. But where are they? I headed to the basement to find them. Headed over to the shoe tote. I threw open the lid. And what I saw brought tears to my eyes.

WATERSHOES! Beautiful watershoes! And SANDALS. Lovely sun-faded sandals.

I am definitely a summer person.

*sigh*

I did find the boots. I slid them on and out we went. Boy was it fun — not.
Angel was not impressed. Granted there wasn’t enough snow for real sledding. She may like that better. The kids’ best fun is from going down the slide in their snow pants. They WHIP down that thing!

NOW before you judge me too harshly… remember I’m a good mom the other three seasons of the year! Remember those amazing cakes I make them on their birthdays? 😉

And here is a WONDERFUL sister story.

We have been going back and forth about the bedroom situation. I will spare the details. When to put the girls together, what kind of bed to get them, and when will Angel stop peeing herself at night? So last night after I read the girls a bunch of books on Skeezix’s bed and boy is that thing comfortable. It is a double bed recently given to us from my mom. I turned to Angel and asked her if she wanted to sleep with Skeezix. She LOVED the idea. Skeezix was a bit less enthusiastic. She likes to fall asleep the minute her head hits the pillow. So I put down a liner and got her pillow and to bed they went.

There were three interruptions.

The first one came a few minutes after light’s out. Skeezix came running down to tell me Angel was talking to her. I went back and reminded them the rules. I then stood outside the door to see if I heard anything.

About 90 seconds later Skeezix comes charging out in the hall and was surprised to see me. She tells me, “She’s talking again!” I don’t believe she was and I say so. I think her breathing was bugging Skeezix. Tucked back in.

About 5 minutes later, Skeezix comes out to say it happened again. So we put Angel back in her room. Or tried to. She went ballistic. Tears, sobbing, inability to breathe. She was out of control with sadness. I calmed her down and said we could try again tomorrow night. “No Mommee, now. I sleep wiff Rie. I doan talk no more. Wiwwy. I doan talk no more. Peeeez.” Sob. Sob. Sob.

Well, she is the baby of the family. I took her back in and tucked her in.

This morning I hear feet on the stairs at 6:10AM. Skeezix with her usual morning search for Daddy [see previous post about this.] But it really was WAY too early. Then I hear the feet come back up and into my room. Just as she opens the door to my room I faintly hear Angel’s voice down the hall. Skeezix stands there with her hands on her hips. Oblivious of the time, obviously. “SHE’S TALKING AGAIN MOM! PUT HER IN HER OWN ROOM! SHE SAYS SHE DON’T PEE ON ME.” Pee? Pee? That is code word for Mom-get-out-of-bed. So I jump out of bed and there is Angel in the doorway. Holding herself and saying, “I no pee on Rie Mommee. I no pee on Rie.” I said, “Do you have to pee now?” “YES!” she replied as she beelined for the bathroom!

She was so proud of herself. I tried to tuck them back in, but about 20 minutes later they were up for the day.

We are looking forward to next Wednesday and the arrival of some family from Canada. The kids are jittery with excitement and Champ is counting down the days.

And oh – JB took a few photos while I was working. This is good for a chuckle.

Get this – the CBS Children’s Director found me as soon as I came to the kids’ side. She had to speak to me. My boys were disruptive two weeks in a row. I have never been told that before. 😦

So – I say in the car, “Guys, Mrs. Bills had to talk to me today about your behavior in worship. Do you know what she had to talk to me about?” I kid you not. They were absolutely stoic. That they couldn’t think of anything. The whole way home the were unable to admit any wrongdoing. So I said, “So either she is lying or you are lying. Which is it?” No answer. So I am baffled. And 5% of me is actually wondering, “does she have the wrong mom?” But I know it is likely they are messing with me.

So when we get home I quickly call my friend b/c I know she was in there. And she wasn’t home. So I left a message. I tell the boys, “I just called Mrs. H. I know she was in worship. Before she calls me back do either of you have anything you want to tell me?” So Beau comes up with, “maybe it was because we didn’t do the hand motions while we were singing. Yeah, that must be it.”

Right… they always tell parents kids are disruptive when they don’t do the hand motions. I press a bit more… and still nothing.

So my friend calls back… um, yes, she has a bit of info for me… INCLUDING the fact that they had time outs. Time outs! TIME OUTS! They didn’t think THAT might be part of what she had to mention to me?

So now we have layers of issues. Not only disrespect of others in worship, but Lying! You call it what you want. I was aghast.

I don’t want to browbeat them about worship. I always maintain [at church, etc.] that I can’t MAKE you worship, but I do expect you not to tempt others around you who WANT to worship to pull their focus away from God and onto mischievous little boys.

That by messing around they get the attention of others who are either thinking {1} look at those obnoxious kids, or {2} gee, I want to mess around like them. Either way the focus isn’t on God it is on you. So I just talked to them about that and took away their privilege of taking their stuffed animals to CBS until after Christmas. BUT the lying… they lost TV until Saturday.

I need a nap. 😛

and if you don’t have time to watch it… read the transcript.

http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/17923/

Ahmadinejad Offers Obama Landmark Congratulations
Our own VP-elect suggested last month that should Obama become President, he’d most likely have a significant foreign policy “test” in the first six months that would not be widely appreciated up front.
… And now the Iranians want to be our friends…

I know, I know… stick to pictures of the kids, right. 😉

What can I say…

I think we found our calling.

Beau is a Kingpin.


He had his fancy victory jumps down pat, too.
I’m as proud as if he’d married his first cousin!

Skeezix was the least likely to win any trophies.
She somehow managed to wedge the ball in the gutter… on the other side of the bumper!
I missed that photo!
She did land a few good ones and had a good little post-throw-ball-lean she worked nicely.