Grumpy Checka

This daughter of ours is a real grump. I can't even begin to imagine what the teenage years are going to be like. I imagine there may be alot of alcohol involved (on me and Scott's part, not hers; we will need a stiff drink every night) and probably a belly piercing or maybe a tattoo (her not us). Yesterday I asked my mom to meet me at the library with the kids after I got out of work. She obliged and even took them a little early to choose their books. Well of course Miss Grumpy a bug up her butt about something, not sure exactly what. She huffed and puffed like the Big Bad Wolf over some (imagined) injustice committed by me unto herself. When we got to the car, my mom asked the kids for hugs and kisses. Gavin was more than happy to give Ma his cheek but Checka gave a humpf and got into the car. My mom said "Checka are you going to give me a kiss?" to which she answered with a humpf and a sigh. Gavin looked at my mom and said "I think that's a NO Ma!" We laughed and laughed and even F giggled a little at her own sillyness. I love Miss Grumpy but boy am I tired of her moods...

Tag Sale, Part 2

I forgot to mention Gavin's favorite (and first) tag sale "purchase" of the day - his old comforter off of "his" bed at my mom and dad's. He was HORRIFIED that my mom would even THINK of selling it. He actually dissolved into tears and hid in the basement after we told him that he could not keep it. Scott found him about 20 minutes later still crying. So after looking at his sweet tear-stained face we all said "OK Gav you can keep it". He was so happy that he dragged it upstairs to his room and put it on his bed. Neatly. He has proceeded to make his bed (with 2 comforters on it) for the past 3 mornings. So I guess I can't complain too much about it...Now if I could only find something that would make Francesca make HER bed!

The Tag Sale

Saturday was our tag sale. As much as I enjoy getting rid of things, I absolutely hate having a tag sale. The haggling, the touchy-feely kids with their moms, the early-birds.....it just drives me crazy. But it was time to do it, so do it we did. We were not as successful as in years past but we did get rid of our stuff. Whether we sold it or it went to the Salvation Army store it wasn't coming back into our house. Well there were a few things that made it back into the house, by way of Francesca and Gavin. They each "bought" a few things at the tag sale. Actually Gavin did - he rustled up a few quarters and handed them over to pay for his purchases. Francesca just blatently grabbed items off the table, huffed at us and walked away. These are the "treasures" that they each saved from the tag sale table:

GAVIN: a Boppy pillow; a Thomas the Tank Engine shirt (which was too small); a book or two; my brother's old dartboard and darts (Scott was actually in favor of that one)

FRANCESCA: a cosmetics bag; a shirt; a wooden cutting board (by that point she was just looking for anything to take)

We were exhausted by the end of the day and tired of trying to hide things from the kids. Thank goodness it will be another year before we do that again!

The Sweetness that is Gavin

Well, sometimes...Last night he was so tired he fell asleep on the couch at 7:30. Thankfully he was already in his pj's. I was able to transfer him up to his bed and he slept until 6:15 this morning! So nice...He woke up in such a good mood. Happy and sweet and full of kisses and hugs. He got dressed without complaint and bopped downstairs, ready to start his day.

He watched me make Francesca's lunch and then told me to get out of the kitchen because he had to "do something". So I left. I went upstairs to wake up Scott and Francesca. When I came back downstairs, avoiding the kitchen of course, he had pulled a chair into the pantry so he could reach the cookie cutters. Then he got the bread and the peanut butter and proceeded me make me lunch! Exactly as how I make Francesca's. This is what my lunch bag had in it:

-2 peanut butter sandwiches, one in the shape of a star, the other in the shape of a heart
-a bottle of water
-Goldfish crackers
-fruit snacks
-a note written on a napkin that said "I love Mommy. From Gavin L."

Plus he wrote "MOMMY" on the paper bag and drew a happy face and a heart on a piece of paper and taped it to my lunch. I felt sooooo loved at that moment. When I ate it later for lunch it was truly the best peanut butter sandwich (sandwiches actually) that I had ever eaten. He was so happy when I called him later to tell him that I enjoyed it. It was a nice mommy moment!

Tag Sale Woes

We are having a tag sale this Saturday. We do this every year, usually somehow on the hottest day all damn summer. This year the weather report is forecasting a high of 77, which is not bad. Last year it was so hot we sold water! And sold out of that! Francesca is selling lemonade this time around. Our problem is that the children do not want to sell any of their stuff. We have tried being rational..."Come on if you sell some toys you will have more room for new stuff". Doesn't work. We have tried being stern - "You ARE selling some of your toys!" We have tried appealing to their love of money (especially Gavin) - "Selling some old toys will fill up your piggy bank..." - nothing is working. They see items in the boxes and they take them out, telling us that whatever it is "is my faaaaaaaavorrrrittttte toy, Mommy how can you sell that, I play with it every day" - as I brush the dust off of whatever that toy is. Gavin has gone so far as to march upstairs holding things behind his back. They wear me down. Grammy Carol if you are reading this could you come over and amuse the children in the backyard on Saturday? My mom will be helping me with the hoardes of hagglers -"Oh this is marked a quarter, can I have it for 10 cents???" - NO says my mother. I need to make sure my children are otherwise occupied so I can sell their "treasures", ha ha ha...

The President's Job, According to Francesca

Last night, after all the wedding hoopla, we settled in to read some books. I read Francesca "Otto Runs for President" about a boy/dog who runs for class president. I told her that this year, our country would be electing a new President. She was very curious about why this was happening:

ME: "You know, this year the people in our country will elect a new President."

F: "REALLY??? Why?? Did the other one die or something?"

ME: "No, but after 4 years, or sometimes 8 years, we have to find someone new."

F: "I understand, he has a hard job. He has to go on TV a whole lot and go to a bunch of meetings. He wants to rest now."

ME: "Yes, I guess he is tired."

F: "And his daughter got married, I saw it on TV. He had to plan the wedding, I bet. He needs to retire. Planning a wedding is really tough."

Well that, in Francesca's option, was W's greatest contribution to the United States; helping to plan Jenna's wedding.

The Belle of the Ball

Yesterday was a busy busy day. It was Barbara and Pat's wedding day. Barbara is one of my co-workers, also a pediatric nurse. Pat is Scott's cousin (actually his dad's cousin but who's counting). They have been dating for 5 years and yesterday got married!! They met at Francesca's 1st birthday party, over strawberry shortcake. It's very sweet actually (the 2 od them I mean, not the cake, although that's good too). We were all in the wedding -

Me - Matron of Honor (or special person as I call myself, I hate the word MATRON)
Scott - Best Man
Francesca - Flower Girl/Fairy Princess/Belle of the Ball
Gavin - Ring Bearer/Mini Stud Muffin

The kids performed their parts beautifully. Francesca tossed lilac flower petals, and then later picked them back up, only to re-toss and re-pick all afternoon. She had her hair curled especially for the day and could not stop bouncing her curls, a-la-Shirley Temple. Gavin "carried the pillow" as he called it, WITH THE REAL RINGS!!! I told Barb she was taking a chance with that one but they held tight (so tight I almost could not get them off the pillow). They stood still throughout the ceremony and even walked back down holding hands. It was so cute. The kids knew they were on display, so to speak, and smiled from ear to ear the whole time.

The reception was fun, we all danced alot, and we got home by 4:30, exhausted and ready to collapse. It was only 4:30 in the afternoon but we were beat! After quick showers all around we got our pj's on and relaxed for the rest of the evening! It was a special and fun day!