God Bless Abigail and Tender Feelings About Warren

Tonight, at dinner, a dejected-looking Warren says: "Abigail was the only person who voted for my costume in the costume contest at school today." God bless Abigail!

(Warren is a "Lost Boy" from Peter Pan. He really wanted to be this. So he has a full body koala bear costume he wears, like the animal costumes the boys in the animated movie wear. Then we put a black eye on so he looks a little tougher. We finished it off with a rustic-looking slingshot and a wooden baseball bat for a club. )

This morning, after Warren unloaded the dishwasher: "Mom! Unloading that big silver pot lid totally let me know what I wanted to be for Halloween next year: a kitchen warrior. I could use it as a shield and have paper plates for armor and use a butterknife as a little sword."

Tonight I looked at the webpage Warren is making about himself. In describing himself he wrote, "I like to play imaginary games and sports like baseball and soccer." Imaginary games. I wish I could always remember the way I feel about Warren right now--I don't think I could ever be frustrated with him again. Or that I could remember how grateful I am to Abigail for loyally voting for her brother. Surely I could never be impatient with a child like that. Sigh.

Quotable from Warren

"Mom, if they asked what your favorite form of transportation was on your primary spotlight sheet, I would put, 'My imagination,' because I can go to a whole different time, a whole different place and a whole different world."

If You're Happy and Your Daughter Knows It...

Preface: to understand this story, you have to know that one of my wonderful friends who sometimes watches my kids taught them to sing, "If you're happy and you know it say, 'Amen!'"

I decided to let one kid sleep in my big bed each night this week. Tonight is Madeleine's turn. As she lay next to me and I wrote out tomorrow's "to-do" list, I rubbed her cheek. After a moment of this, she sat up and leaned next to me, reached up her hand and rubbed my face. It was so sweet, I started to cry a little. Madeleine noticed and asked, "Mom, why are you crying?" I said, "Because I'm happy." She responded, "Could you say, 'Amen'?"

Unrelated but another happy moment of the day:

As part of Warren's Cub Scout requirements, he planned our meals for the day and then made breakfast all by himself--well, of course, Abigail the event-planner was there to help out, but he was in charge. I laid in bed :) He made scrambled eggs, toast with jam and apple slices. He even had to slice the bread himself. As they started eating breakfast, these were a few comments made: "Breakfast just is so much better when you plan it!" "These eggs are the best I've ever had." And they all ate it happily and energetically. I think I might start having him cook breakfast every Monday morning.

Moments from September

One day school was canceled for my kids, so they all got to have Tutu day and go to the splash pad with my mom. They were so excited waiting for her to come!
It was WWHS 50th Anniversary and I took my kids one afternoon to work on the 2000-2011 float. I was drawing this big Warrior emblem and having a hard time with proportions, so I laid Avery down and just traced her, then added some more muscles.
Abigail was so thrilled to get to help on a float. "Mom, I've been waiting my whole life to work on a float." Hilarious. She was really helpful, too. In fact, all three girls painted these feathers. Madeleine still has the blue paint in her hair to prove it.

Now that the 3 older kids are all practicing piano, Madeleine has jumped in right with them. She often insists, "I'm doing my practicing!" or "I need to do my practicing." In the picture above she is playing and singing, "DO is home."

I found this picture on the camera. I think Avery took it, but I'm not sure when. But those are M.'s pajamas, so I think it is one morning before I got out of bed. I don't let M. play the ipod, hence the total look of adoration in her eyes. She often protests, "I'm not 2, I'm 4!" since Avery is 4 and gets to play sometimes.
My kids enjoy pointing out Papo's political signs all over town. They get really excited when they see them, so naturally, Abigail made one of her own and stuck it in the yard. Referring to the side that is pictured first, she asked, "Are you allowed to do letters like this on signs?" You can see she decorated each letter with a different embellishment.
Today was our ward's Primary Children's Program in sacrament meeting. Kids 3-12 are the singers, speakers and even the piano players. Avery's part was, "There are many things we can do to gain a testimony of the scriptures. We can search, ponder and pray about the scriptures." Avery was very reverent and knew the words to the songs. Abigail could be heard over the primary on some of the songs and sang with gusto. No other word for it. She also played the violin for "I am Child of God" and was so cute standing on her little blue step-stool to make her visible. Warren played "Search Ponder and Pray" on the piano as all the kids walked up and he was great. He also gave a short talk about his baptism. It was all so sweet and I was very happy for them.

Answers to Prayers, Mother and Daughter

This morning after family scripture study, Abigail said, "I wish I could know if Jesus is real." I told her she could know, and asked Warren to tell her how she could know. He is learning the song, "Search, Ponder and Pray" on the piano, so I knew the answer would be ready. It was. He sang--improvising applicable words a bit:

Search, ponder and pray are the things that I must do.

The Spirit will guide, and deep inside I'll know that {Jesus is} true.

(It usually says, "scriptures are" in place of "Jesus is")

We compared the process to finding out if a note I'd left after school was really from me or not, or whether it was a made up note. Each time, there was a mock phone call (to represent a prayer) at the end to confirm what she thought about the validity of the note I'd left her. Then, we talked about Elder Bednar's counsel on receiving answers to prayers: sometimes it is like a light switch going on, and sometimes it is like a sunrise over the soul. We read a portion of "The Living Christ" and I asked her if she would pray about what she thought about Jesus sometime today, and said I'd check in with her at bedtime.

So after family prayer as she lay in bed, I asked her how her prayer went. She had forgotten and said, "I'll do it now." I was a little nervous; I wanted an answer for her right away that she could understand, but I know that it is up to God how He answers prayers, so as she prayed, I knelt next to her bed, and prayed alongside her that she could receive an answer as she prayed. When she finished, she was smiling; I asked her, "What happened?" She said, "I felt it." Big smile. "What did you ask?" I queried. "If Jesus was real and if the Book of Mormon was true."

I was so grateful for the answer to both of our prayers. I know it is a question she will ask again and again in her life, that one prayer at 6-years-old is not enough to last a lifetime. But I am so grateful that she has begun a foundation of her own now. She can build on that over and over again as she matures and grows. Each answer will come in a different way, but the answer will be the same. I am grateful for the faith, and the willingness to act on faith, of a 6-year-old girl.

Getting in to Giving

Warren's class is doing a Secret Santa gift exchange all week. Today he told me he gave the little girl he has "broken rocks--the shiny kind that have some crystal in them." Hmm. I was a little worried. But then he really got excited when I suggested he make a coloring book. He chose 24 pictures and printed them, punched them and tied them into a coloring book. He had me do the cover writing so she wouldn't recognize his writing; I had to explain that 2nd grade boy handwriting his pretty hard to disguies, even if you try to write "really ugly" as he suggested. Still, he couldn't hold back when he got into it and dres some jewels and a princess after coloring the lettering in. After he drew the princess--which Abigail had been BEGGING to let her draw--he asked her, "I drew a princess dress, and I'm not sure if it looks bad. Abigail, does it look good?" "Yeah--actually, no" replied Abigail. Since I had just given a lesson about gifts from the heart, I chided, "Abigail, is that a gift from the heart to say that?" To which, Warren responded enthusiastically, "No mom, it's good Abigail told me the truth. I really wanted to know if it looked good or bad."
Warren also made a purse with some small paper trinkets, and on the back cover of the coloring book, he taped a pocket, decorated it with fun foam and put in a coupon redeemable for "one paper airplane made by [him.]" He is so excited to give his gifts.

2010 Thanksgiving Parade

Madeleine didn't get into the festivities so much.

LOVE love LOVE this picture of Avery.

Strung out along the parade "route."

Yes, Warren carried the "house" to symbolize he was thankful for his house.

Why We Have Family Meals

It's Sunday and we are all in the backyard, eating mac and cheese (thank you Joyce Packard for teaching me how to make the real stuff!), swinging, talking and climbing on the fort. (My kids also tell me there is a worm garden somewhere, but I haven't seen it yet.) I am lying on the trampoline, silently laughing at Warren's latest question:

"Why is a bowl of macaroni and cheese the opposite of a swimming pool?"

Really?! What is going on in there? He explained, a bowl of mac and cheese is hot at the bottom and cold at top, but a swimming pool has it's hottest water at the top and the coldest at the bottom. (To her credit, just moments before, Abigail informed us to "Always take from the top, and not the bottom." I thought she meant like in the grocery store--don't take the cabbage from the bottom of the pile. But she meant mac and cheese.)

On Monday we were eating breakfast together and Warren asked, "Is that company that McKane's brother owns going to put the Christmas video on YouTube this year?" (For the past 2 years Scrapbook.com has made a Christmas video featuring employees kids answering Christmas questions. Our kids still think they are supposed to give the "right" answers, not realizing how funny the "wrong" ones are. Like the first year, the cameraman sat W down and said, "We're going to ask you some questions," and W queried, "Are the math problems?" Last years video is the one at the top of the page) Anyway, back to story. Andy replied, "No, they're going a different direction this year." Warren looked a little sad and Abigail protested, "But I know better this year!"

Shorts

from Warren as I lay in bed next to him after reading "Geronimo" together:

"The only hard part about staying awake is my eyes; they just want to shut. My body is full of energy but my eyes can't stay open."

from a stranger as he held the door for Avery:

"She is a really beautiful child."

I used to worry about Avery because she looked so much like me.

A sweet moment with Abigail:

We went to Maricopa Stake's Evening of Excellence to hear some music I helped notate and ended up staying. We sat side by side for an hour. I had my arm around her. After a few minutes, she freed her arm from my side and stuck it behind my back. It didn't even reach all the way across. I can still feel the warmth of her small hand.

Madeleine is talking so much, but her singing is even better. She sings along with the kids' LPM CD's, and not just on the normal words--she does the sol-sol-do and mi-re-do parts. She loves to sing. She is fearless. I took her on the climber at the Children's Museum of Phoenix and she went all over, gaining confidence to go further each time, despite seeing the ground 15 -20 feet below, or being up against a wall of clear glass.

This reminds me of family night on Monday. I blindfolded each of the kids one at a time--in the dark, outside--and walked them at least 100 feet from our house. In Warren's case, across the street by a cactus-filled yard, then asked them to find their way home. I asked each if they wanted help and offered directions. As I watched them stumble in the dark, hands outstretched, W with a goofy grin and Abigail with tiny nervous steps, I was suddenly overwhelmed with humility for the trust these children place in me. Not one of them gave up or got angry with me; they trusted every direction I gave them, even when they didn't understand. I wondered if I was worthy of that pure trust.

Why am I blogging again? I can't let these moments be forgotten.

Warren, a quote and memory

"Dad, can we go to Mars together when I'm 16?" (After Andy has just explained to him that no human has ever been to any other planet)


Several minutes later, after reading how far apart the 2 planets are, Warren just asked: "When they [Mars and Earth] are only 35 million miles apart, can we go there?" [As opposed to when they are 248 million miles apart]

This reminds me of 2 years ago when Warren was sure he was going to be able to build a rocket to the moon out of a cardboard box in the backyard. He planned to take my dad along, and if he missed dinner, no worries: he'd packed an easy-open can of pineapple. This went on for weeks.

Responsibility Week

Every now and then I go on a parenting kick. The first week of April was one of those times. I don't remember what else I did, but I know there was a lot more than the story I'm about to share. My kids used to lose a lot of toys to the Gunny Sack. After a while, he got full and forgotten in my closet. I have a really hard time actually giving my kids things away, so this was convenient for me too. However, it all came to a head when Warren rationally pointed out, "Mom, it's a good thing we have the gunny sack so we can have more toys since you store some for us, too." Ouch. Solution? Sam was having a yard sale to raise money for Relay for Life. So, since the stuff was mine now, I donated all "my" stuff in the Gunny and arranged for a special "night before preview" at which my kids could go and purchase anything they wanted with their own money. And I made sure I paid them the 6 weeks backpay of allowance. And I made sure Sam charged them high prices. (Avery had saved several coins and was the exception: we just had her pay a few coins each time she bought something, but most of it wasn't hers anyway) They bought a lot of it back and chose not to purchase some of it, and nice reminder to me of how little "stuff" is really valued by kids, and adults. The "stuff" they did buy back is now played with very frequently, e.g.: Warren has rollerbladed at least a dozen times since then, more than he ever did in the previous 2 years of owning his rollerblades. I was able to donate over $20 to my brother's Relay for Life funds--through my children :)
I remembered something else about Responsibility Week: my kids missed breakfast once or twice on a school day and Warren had to take his clothes in a bag on the ride to school. Somehow he managed to get dressed before the carpool kids got in the car. And I promise he had his seatbelt on whenever the car was moving. One day when Warren disobeyed and ran back in the house to get dressed when we were supposed to be leaving, he forgot his lunch and I let him. And I didn't take it to school. And he was fine.
This last picture has nothing to do with responsibility week; it is just so funny I had to share. I was walking out of church and saw this in the back of someone's golf cart parked in the lot. Bishop's golf cart, actually. Upon closer examination, I realized it was 2 filtering masks leftover from our ward's alley clean-up the previous day, but really, can you see why I did a double take and still laugh when I look at it?

Easter Eggs

April 3: Yes, that is egg on Madeleine's face. I think Madeleine was the biggest hidden "egg" of all; the picture below is of her, freshly discovered, in the playhouse at Tutu's. (And yes, Abigail was there, but somehow missed any pictures. She, Avery and Madeleine all wore the same pink hoodie shirt. They were tickled pink to be matching.)

Friday Afternoon Irrigation

March 26th. They were so excited that irrigation was not on Sunday and was during daylight hours. Heaven.

Kid Island

March 22. "Kid Island" is a restaurant inspired by the real restaurant, "Islands." 2 kids per every adult eat free on Tuesday nights, so sometimes we go to celebrate parent teacher conferences. progress reports (Montessori school does not give letter grade report cards). Our kids love to order macaroni and cheese off the kids' menu. Really? Naturally, our kids were inspired and picked tangerines and hauled my bag of carrots outside for their own restaurant. They made signs and set the "table" and only kids were allowed, with the exception of their friend's mom. They actually wanted to charge neighborhood kids to come eat, and I hope I an not crushing their entrepreneurial spirit by discouraging them from charging $1 for a carrot. I think they advertised out in the front yard. On a related note, on Mother's day, they made a sign for "Mutherlind" (Mother Land) that I got to run through to enter the room, a la return missionary style.

"Finger" Painting

This was all in March. Good thing I said, "Don't touch Madeleine!"

Madeleine's 1st Birthday

{remember, this all took place in February}
On February 25th Madeleine turned 1. I have never been a huge first birthday celebrator--just some extended family, gifts and cake have comprised our celebrations. Well, if it could get more low-key than that, it did. I don't know why I was feeling so overwhelmed or busy at the time, but I remember I did feel that way, and I knew Madeleine wasn't going to care too much what we did. My plans included finishing Madeleine's 1st year book on blurb. (which I did a month after her birthday) and making madeleines, a kind of French cookie, typically eaten with coffee and shaped like a seashell. (You can see a bit of what they look like in these pictures).

Well, this is where I start to get teary-eyed. My sweet children, somehow sensing a need for greater celebration put on a 1st birthday party for my sweet Madeleine. They brought the tables outside, rounded up chairs to sit in--notice the double stroller Avery and Warren are seated in, and had table decorations: fake flowers and candles. They picked tangerines, which are Madeleine's favorite food, so she would have more than just my madeleine cookies. They borrowed one of my HAPPY BIRTHDAY banners, hung it on the playhouse, and then Abigail added her own banner underneath, PRINCESS. HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRINCESS. I remember she was even careful to adjust the way it hung so it was centered. You can see it in the background of the above picture. They set up the roller coaster car and track nearby for an activity, and played on it with Madeleine. They even put that lovely little pink sparkly square sticker on Madeleine's forehead. Look back at the first picture--can you tell that Madeleine felt their love in a big way? (Oh, and right after I snapped that shot and before I put the camera down, Madeleine reached right out for that flame and snuffed it out with her hand. Ouch. But not too bad.)

Oh how dear are little children. They were so excited to give Maddie this party. They planned for it all day and were so proud to put it on for her. Pure. Innocent. Love. That's what that is. Later that night we celebrated again with our neighbor Jim. He made pie and had cake and ice cream, too. He even remembered the candle. I love M's blue eyes in this picture and the delighted expressions on my other children's faces. Truly a joy for one is a joy for all.

Mary Poppins Magic

February 24th we took the 3 oldest kids to Gammage to see "Mary Poppins." Thank you Gma Lindy for the tickets you gave us at Christmas! (She had a "spoonful of sugar" inside a box for the kids to guess what they were.) The entire night was magical. We picked up dinner at Steve's Krazy Sub and picnicked on one of the superbly green lawns. Gammage is so pretty at night and the kids thought it was so special to eat in the glow of it all. The fountains and lit walkways--which we got to walk up--were definite highlights. At intermission, we went outside to the huge balcony overlooking Tempe/ASU and danced around. It seemed a very normal thing to do.

We had prepped our kids for the show by downloading the musical recording. This was very helpful since the plot differs significantly from the movie, but can be followed pretty easily in the music. I went around the entire week after singing the spelling of SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS. It's a useful bit of knowledge to have stored in one's brain's pocket. We especially loved when Mary Poppins flies over the audience and Bert walks the upper perimeter of the stage. Wow. My kids were a bit concerned if it hurt the actors to have the lines attached that enabled them to fly, but I reassured them then, and several times since, that it doesn't hurt. (And if does, I'm sure they are paid enough to compensate :) By the end of the show, Avery was asleep on the auditorium floor, but I'm so glad we took her. It was so sweet to have a special night with all our "big kids."

I have a special place in my heart for Mary Poppins. I can't say the movie was anything special to me as a child, but when I saw it last summer in Washington, I really felt it was Providential. Some lines that spoke to me: "A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down"; "Although you can't see it, you know they are smiling each time someone shows that they care"; "Nearly begun is half-done"; "And now my life's ambitions go, with one fell blow, it's quite a bitter pill to take"; "You've got to grind, grind, grind at that grindstone, though childhood slips like sand through a sieve and all to soon they've up and grown, and then they've flown, and it's too late for you to give. just. that. spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down". Each time I see George Banks walk alone to the bank, passing the silent still cathedral, and the music swells, I get tears in my eyes, remembering the scene where Bert asks the children who does their father go to when things go wrong for him? And now from the musical, "Dreams are made of strong elastic", "Childhood is a step in time, parenthood's the same, never miss the chance to get it right" and "Just remember when you're low, feeling in the wars, someone's up your chimney and it isn't Santa Claus. If you need us, if you don't, doesn't make much odds. We'll be watching over you, brushes brooms and rods." Isn't that how a mom feels? Okay, so I'm not up the chimney, but I hope that as I work around my house with my kids, I will learn to put aside the physical results of the work, and always be there with an open heart and a broom, hairbrush or toilet brush in hand. Really, when hands are busy and minds are free, don't the best heart-to-heart exchanges happen? I have lot to learn from Mary Poppins. It's one of the few movies we actually own, so hopefully repeated watching over the years will result in some of these timeless messages rubbing off on me.