Mom's Homework

Now that Mitchell is in Kindergarten, he feels terribly grown up.  So far, he just loves getting his folder out immediately after school and digging out all his papers and gets started on his homework before I even get a chance to see it!  While Ben waits until he eats a snack, goofs around, complains a bit, claims he can't find his folder, goes to the bathroom, changes his shoes, and stares off into space a bit before finally getting down to homework, Mitchell is done before I get his snack ready!  I love the differences in my boys.  Always humorous to me.

Well, yesterday was a busy day and we just didn't have time to get homework done.  So we did it this morning.  I think I may do that more often!  Their focus was better and, for Mitchell, it got him into his hopping up and down, can't contain my ideas and creativity mood.  I love it when he is so amped about something he just can't stop hopping.

After finishing his homework, he immediately got out some paper and pencil and designed a special homework assignment for me.  

At the top was a picture of a jack-o-lantern.

Followed by some "writing/instructions."

Next was a line to write my FULL name, "not just mom, ok mom?  Your REAL name!"

Then a picture of a person, a door, and steps to another door.

The assignment was to write my FULL name, then count how many steps it took to walk from the front door to the family room.  But it didn't end there.  Once I completed that, I had to count how many hops it took.  Then skips.  Then giant steps.  Then baby steps.  Then crawling.  Then backwards steps.  Then  spinning.  

When I finally finished my homework, I got an enormous hug, a huge smile, and a hair bow.  

I think I'm going to have to plan some extra time into my morning if this is going to become a regular thing.  But it would be worth it for the amount of giggling and quality time all four of us spent hopping, skipping, crawling, spinning, and generally acting silly.

Moggy

On our walk to the bus stop this morning, Jack looked up at me from his little bike and casually mentioned, "Mom, it sure is moggy out this morning! It sure is..."

I guess he's right. When it's both muggy and foggy, naturally, you have on your hands a moggy day!

Smart little boy...

The Countdown

Jack has developed an interesting countdown.  First of all, I'm impressed with his ability to count backwards.  Secondly, and more importantly, I am impressed with his... embellishments!  It goes something like this:

10.. 9... 8... 5... 7... cereal... 4... 7... Mitchell... 1... BLAST OFF!!!

Let me tell you, it never gets old.  The more Ben and Mitchell laugh at it, the more encouraged Jack gets and the sillier and crazier the countdown gets.  At some point, it really just looses the ability to be called a countdown anymore and becomes a constant stream of silly words and giggling boys.

And of course, what sort of countdown can be considered complete without a space helmet to make it official.

New Kids on the Block

I have moved many times. Seems like I am forever the new girl. And I have had many neighbors, some more enjoyable than others.

This fall, I find myself in yet another new place, with a whole new set of neighbors. I'm getting pretty good at starting over.

Although I have moved plenty of times, I have to say, not once have I received a welcome gift - until now!

Being the new kid on the block isn't always so bad...

Junkyard Wars: The Jet

Ben and Mitchell have a new obsession.  Remember that show Junkyard Wars from a few years back? The series where teams of people run around a junk yard, collecting bits and pieces to put together something, quite frankly, a little unbelievable?

Ben and Mitchell are fascinated.  And they think if only they had access to a junk yard, all their dreams of building, owning, and operating a jet powered trike would come true.  It looks so simple to them, and it gets their imaginations bursting at the seams.

Just a few nights ago, after school, it was dinner time and getting dark and chilly out.  Dinner was ready and getting cold, but I just couldn't bear to stop the boys from what they were doing.  They had emptied out the garage, finding stuff I didn't even know what in there, busily building a two-man jet.  They weren't quite finished adding improvements to it and were having the time of their lives.  This time, I let dinner get cold.  That's what a microwave is for.  They played until past dark.  But they built their jet.

Mission accomplished!

Doorbells

All three of my boys are enamored with our doorbell.  I am not.  I will be up in my bedroom getting dressed when the chimes go off - a very long, annoying song that never ends!  And it gets worse!  The first and second floors are slightly off somehow and play the song not simultaneously, but in a painful, discordant chorus that hurts my ears and makes me want to smash the doorbell to bits and pieces!

Did I mention the boys love that doorbell though?  They sometimes go out the back door, walk around to the front of the house, ring the doorbell, then wait for me to open the door for them, eyes peaking through the mail slot.  If allowed to, Jack will push it over and over again just to hear the "pretty songs!"

Well, I finally made a hard and fast rule about no doorbell ringing in our house.  It was not an easy pill for the boys to swallow, but something had to be done.

So while we do not have that song playing constantly in our house anymore, the church down the street plays the exact same tune every hour!  Granted, that is a more musical and peaceful version, but I find it ironic that I just can't stop the doorbell song from playing.

One evening, when we were walking around town after dinner and the bells went off, Jack noticed the tune and said, "Hey mom!  Can you hear the church's doorbell? They better not ring it!  You said no!"

Little Message

Ahh, Mitchell... So mysterious to me at times, yet so sweet and thoughtful in his own unique way.

Just when I begin to wonder what is going on in his little head, he surprises me with a little message to let me know what he is thinking.

I found this little message - Mitchell-style, on my bathroom counter today:

How do I know it was Mitchell?  I just do.