It finally happened.

I’ve been waiting a long time for the day when one of my children was going to walk in the door from school and announce that they had a big project due- the next day. It happened this week. I actually got more than a day’s notice about the Reading Fair Project that was due- I got two day’s notice.

Tonight I quested for a tri-fold board. I went through two glue sticks. I helped Ernie type up and edit what he wanted to say. I sent him to bed and then I glued and cut and glued some more. And the whole time I kept thinking, “This kid better get into medical school”.

Ernie was sweet, and he apologized and told me how good it makes him feel when I help him. And I was humbled and I looked at him and remembered what he was like as an infant. Now he’s all grown up and forgetting big projects that are due at school. It’s the circle of life, people.

And just in case you’re wondering, he did his project on Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth. A very funny book, according to Ernie.

21 Days

Ernie IV has been introduced to the concept of “21 Days”. As in, it takes 21 days to make a habit.

I think this concept has struck such significant a chord with him because he is a child who craves order and structure and routine. When he was a baby, and even a toddler, I could tell you his schedule down to the half hour- he was that predictable. Naturally, this predictability would mean that any interruption to the schedule would guarantee a melt down.

Now Ernie’s grown up and he’s 10. He’s developed a great deal of self control, but he still craves order, predictability, and routine.

Back to the 21 Days. Every single thing he’s heard at church or at home today- that he likes- he’s said, “I’m going to do that for 21 days!”

Just now I heard him in his room shouting at his siblings, “Let’s not fight for 21 days so we can make a habit of not fighting!”

And I thought, “If only…”

Turkey Comas

Yesterday I made the best turkey I have ever made. It was a Butterball and I watched the temperature of the bird very, very carefully, I basted it faithfully, and it was basically amazing. The leftovers today have been divine.

A few of my favorite things about Thanksgiving:

• Mashed Potatoes (my very favorite)
• Pumpkin Pie
• The delicious smells in the house
• Staying home all day

The kids had a great time yesterday. We had the Painter family join us for the day and since they have 6 kids and we have 4 kids- you could certainly say that it was a kid-centric dinner. There was much running around outside for the kids. There was much fun and laughter from the adults.

Best thing about the Day After Thanksgiving:

• Black Friday Shopping

Yes, this morning I went out shopping. I didn’t get up at 3am or 4am or 5am. Nope, I slept in until 7am, then I got up and eventually made my way out the door about 8am. I still got some really great deals, thanks to Toys R Us and Target. (Mostly Toys R Us). The very best thing of all is that I am now completely finished with the kids shopping. All that’s left is some stocking stuffers for my Ernie and I am officially done!

And the Christmas decorating has begun. Sigh. I love my house decorated for the holidays, I just really hate that it takes me two solid days to get it all done! I started today and after unpacking everything, and then surveying the damage- I looked at Ernie and told him I was going to take a nap. And I did. And it was way better than hanging garland.

It’s possible…

It’s possible that this is what my kids ate for dinner.

And then again for breakfast the next day.

But, hey. We’re on vacation, right?

True Love

Nigel’s found his True Love.

He told me in the car on the way to the dentist.

Her name is Paige. She has long brown hair and she gave him a present at school today (a pencil).

He gave her a present in return (a pencil).

He wants to bring her a really nice present to school tomorrow, but mostly he wants to know when it’s okay to say “I Love You”. Because according to Nigel, it would be “really bad” if he told her he loved her and then she broke up with him. He thinks that would be weird.

I was remarkably calm through the entire conversation and I resisted the extreme urge to start giggling. I did, however, calmly stress to him that there really is no need whatsoever for 2nd graders to be saying “I love you”.

Best moment of the day.

The kids and I went to Walmart tonight to get Emmaline a cardigan that is acceptable under the new school uniform policy. It’s cold now and despite her drawer full of adorable cardigans, she does not own one that is solid black or navy.

While I was digging around looking for her size, I heard a man start to laugh. I looked up just in time to see Max- shirtless- attempting to try on an item of clothing.

The best part about it was that Max refused to put his own shirt back on and then spent the rest of the shopping trip riding in the shopping cart (his punishment for not putting his shirt back on) with no shirt on- causing lots of other people to giggle as we passed by.

The whole time I thought, “Well, it’s probably alright. I mean, we do live in Mississippi after all.”

Circle of Life

You will not believe this.

I am serious.

Last night I made Turkey Pot Pie for dinner and I served it with a Spinach Salad and sliced up Zucchini Bread.

And each and every one of my children raved about how delicious it was and Nigel of all children actually told me that he wishes that every night we could eat such delicious food and have a dinner like that where he likes everything on the table.

Seriously? Obviously I am thrilled, but my kids usually complain to the extreme about a casserole type dish like a Pot Pie.

It must mean they’re growing up. Which made me think about how they’re actually growing up a little too fast for my taste, and then I remembered Little Ernie’s wise counsel to me when he was 5 years old. When I told him he was growing too fast and that I probably was going to have to stop feeding him- he looked at me and sighed, “Mom- you eat, you poop, you grow. It’s the circle of life.”

Thankful Thursday

I’m thankful…

• For my dishwasher, my washer and dryer, my refrigerator, and my vaccuum. They are, without a doubt, the unsung heroes at my house!
• For a car that runs.
• For my wonderful husband who changed the brake pads in under 15 minutes on the aforementioned vehicle and can fix almost anything on both of our cars.
• For my Kindle, which now lives permanently in my handbag and keeps me from being bored when I find myself stuck somewhere with nothing to do at random times during the day.
• For my new handbag. It’s bigger than any handbag I’ve carried up until now and I should’ve gone up to this size years ago. I am madly in love with this style and pattern.

• For our new cat Sugar- who keeps my kids happy and is less demanding of my time than our previous cat Percy.
• For our wonderful friend Miriam and the wonderful family pictures she took of us.
• For surviving the family picture shoot and for the fact that we look happy to be taking the pictures. I’m happy to accept that fiction.

• For the pizza place that we went to after the family picture shoot where I could sooth my nerves with cheese and carbohydrates.
• For Nigel working so hard to stop sucking his thumb so that he can start his orthodontics.
• For teachers who call me to tell me that my kid won’t stop talking in class. While I’m not happy about getting the call- I like to be informed.
• For a company that tells my husband how much they appreciate his hard work. That is much, much appreciated by me.
• For warm weather. (It’s going to be a warm and sunny 83 degrees this afternoon).
• For enjoying the comforts of a comfortable home and full bellies.
• For Bogart, my faithful and loyal border collie.
• For Emmaline and her insistence on being a princess.
• For my mother-in-law, who made Emmaline’s Christmas dress (a giant, poofy princess creation) again this year and it weighs 4 pounds.

• For the upcoming holidays.
• For having a husband with a sense of humor and kids who love to laugh.