That Brock boy!

Brock will keep me posting with all the funny things he says....

Today, right before dinner:

Curtis: "Who knows what happened today?"

Boys all together: "We got a new President."

Brock: "Yeah, it's Barackobama." (all one word and really fast)

Me: "Yes, it's Barack Obama."

Tadhg: "Not Brock Obama"

Brock: "Yeah, Barack" (totally sounds like Brock to me)

Tadhg: "Brock, you're the President?"

Brock: "No, I can't be President...I'm not brown."

more random conversations

A while ago:

(set the scene) Tadhg eating his after school snack. His mouth stuffed full of food.

Tadhg: "Brock, do you like see food?" (we all know this joke, right?!)
Brock: (completely straight faced) "No, I don't like fish."

We all start laughing so hard, and Brock is staring at us wondering what was so funny. Obviously, he didn't understand the joke, and the best part....It totally took the wind out of Tadhg's sail! Couldn't finish!


Yesterday:

For Christmas all the boys got MP3 players.

Brock: "Momma, do you know why I put the headphones in my ears? It's so my heart can hear the music."

I dodged the bullet! No jury duty for me! Yeah. I had to call back twice, but my services were no longer required. Yipee. I would have been bummed if I had to miss the Library tomorrow.
Started a kick-boxing class today. Let's just say I am not very coordinated. I did manage to make it through the whole class without kicking another person though. That's a good thing. Right? I realized I am a wimpy girl when she wanted us to do push-ups (girl ones with knees down, ankles crossed) after the first set of 16 I was feeling pretty proud that I hadn't wimped out, then she asks for 12 more then 8 more then mini pulses!!!! UGHHH.
Had a day in town with Brock yesterday, taking him to the dentist and running errands. Reminded me of when he was my shopping buddy, before he started school. He was so easy to hang around with. He talks a lot more now... :) Mr. Question boy. "Momma, how does this work?" He thinks I'm magic. That's an incredible feeling.
Wish all life was that easy, everyone so willing to see the best. Wish I could bottle this time. He is so sweet....except when he's mad at me. Then he draws a picture of me... in jail! :) Whatever!! Still love him.

I am trying to teach Tadhg about CHOICES. Not an easy task. I'm sure he hears and understands where I'm coming from, but...not sure it's really sinking in. "What do you want in life?" "Will that make you happy?" "Are you sure that is the best choice?" "Will that get you in trouble?" We are trying to find his "pause button" so maybe he can think before he acts. He is so smart and funny and can be quite charming when he wants to. Maybe that's why I love him so much, I can see what is inside. Wish I knew how to help him realize that HE is in control.

Quiet? Sunday Evening

It is a tradition in our house to have "quiet time" after church on Sundays and I look forward to it all week. I was worried that with the new year we'd get a new church schedule, and it would "infringe" on my quiet Sunday afternoons. We did get a new schedule, but YEAH it is better than ever. Now, we get to sleep in another hour in the morning and get our quiet afternoon! Except for today. But that was partly my fault. The boys did their time (and that is how they look at it....doing time!) but I never got mine, so it is now after dinner and because they had a rest they are bouncing off the walls! So NOT quiet now. As I was trying to cook dinner it was so chaotic I made them put on sweatshirts and flip flops and go jump on the trampoline until I was finished.

You've got to love dinner conversation. My boys come up with some pretty interesting topics and Brock, wanting to put in his 2 cents worth, says, "MOM, mom, MOM, mom" I look at him and say, "What Brock?" and he looks at me, then his face screws up and you can tell that he's thinking hard, (I'm not entirely sure if he forgot what he wanted to say or if he just wanted to be part of the conversation) and then says, kind of quiet, "never mind." It's so hard for a little (I use that word facetiously!) guy to get heard! Anyway....tonight, for some reason the topic was "man points". I know that some of you know about "man points" and some of you don't so here is a brief description. [With three boys in our house and no girls ( I really wouldn't know what to do with one!) we had to come up with a way to help them deal with disappointment, or fears or hurt feelings, injuries... whatever, so Curtis came up with "man points"] Keep in mind that these are young boys and originally it started out as a joke, but has taken on a life of it's own! Curtis likes to dare, and bet and basically tease... he frequently challenges the boys to do something that they would probably not normally do on their own. Things that now fall into the "manly" category. If you accept the challenge and do... whatever it is you get "man points". In order to earn man points you have to have a "man card". You have to really step up to get a "man card", for Brock it was riding California Screamin' roller coaster at California Adventure when he was just barely 6. For Caden it was jumping off a roof (don't freak out... it was into Curtis' arms and only a few feet at that! after he retrieved a ball) he is afraid of heights. I think Tadhg had to ride Malibu-mer, or something. If they do something exemplary, or handle a situation in a mature manner, or try something outside their comfort zone, they get a man point. (Tadhg got a man point for asking a girl to dance at his school dance... a slow song!) Well, they LOVE getting "man points" and tonight it came up after they had to walk to the trampoline IN THE DARK!!! Of course, and especially with Tadhg, it becomes a competition as to who has the most "man points". He threw out some ridiculous number like 42 and all heck broke loose! So we decided that with the new year the slate was wiped clean. Everyone starts at zero, but they still have their "man cards". So now, they are trying to think of things that they have done since Jan 1 that would get them some points on their card (actual physical cards and points don't exist, mind you!) So, Tadhg decided that he deserved a point for passing the sacrament at church today(very manly, indeed). Caden tried to talk us into awarding one for good behavior in Sunday school, but there was no way to prove it one way or the other :0! Curtis earned one for accepting the call to the Elders Quorum Presidency, and Brock told us that last year he had earned some for getting Hawk Awards and was sure he'd get another soon. After a few minutes of this they all look at me and say, "Mom needs 'woman points'!" I had to laugh. What, exactly, would I have to do to get woman points?? Crying at a movie? Get out a tough laundry stain? Not burn dinner? LOL! But it was nice of them to think of me. Oh, and if you are caught not being manly (being a pansy, or acting like a baby) there's the chance you could LOSE a point. [Brock informed me a month or so ago that he could NOT go see the new Tinkerbell movie because it would make him lose man points! but, if I wanted him to go with me, really bad, it would be okay! Funny boy.]


Saturday I got up early (oh my!) and went to the church in Oakhurst for a Merit Badge Clinic for the Boys Scouts. I was asked to be the Merit Badge Councilor for Genealogy. (I don't understand how scouting works...it's like a foreign language to me, with all the rules and special ways you have to do things, but...) I had about 6 boys show up, including Tadhg, and we went over what they needed to know in order to earn this badge. At one point I looked at these boys and saw the glazed looks on their faces and realized that I had become "that" person. You know, the one who bores you senseless with their enthusiasm for something you think is totally un-interesting! I had to laugh AND then make them promise that they wouldn't just throw away the time lines and interviews that they had to do for this badge, but give it to their moms. Try explaining to a bunch of 12 - 15 year old boys why, 60 years from now, their grand kids will think this piece of paper would seem cool! I KNOW they think I'm crazy :) After I had taught my classes I was sitting and waiting for Tadhg to be done and was talking to our new Bishop. He asked if I would be willing to continue in cub scouts, (everyone was released last week when they re-combined the 2 mountain wards) but this time as the Den Leader, not just the assistant. Panic washed over me. I am fine to help, but be IN charge! Plan! **Cause for stress** So, I run some errands in Oakhurst, one of which was to give blood at the Elks Lodge and come home. Maybe it was the combo of being a pint low and all that adrenaline from stress, but I felt like CRAP. And my mood wasn't much better. This *** is when I realize how thankful I am for good friends who, in talking with them, help me "get over my bad self". Thanks, you know who you are... I decided that I probably needed an attitude adjustment, it is not as bleak as it seems...a laugh, a smile and the world is right again. Thank goodness! How does that saying go?? Fake it, till you make it? Maybe I'll be a good Den Leader after all.

random conversation from Sunday dinner...

Brock: "I was at the hospital when mom bought me."

Tadhg: "Yeah, you cost two dollars and fifty cents."

Curtis: with eyebrows raised, "Buying children?"

Me: "..walking up and down the aisles, looking at the babies, 'Nope, don't want that one, it cries too much!' moving along...

Gramma: "oh look, a redhead, let's take him!"

Brock smiles.

and to finish the update...

Sorry had to take a break. Dinner with Pop-Pop and Gramma. Let's see... I got mostly through the boys, now....me!
It seems like I have been running non-stop (mostly in the "like a chicken with my head cut off" fashion) and this Christmas break has been a good break. Honestly, when it takes me months to finish a book you know I've been busy. I read two in the last week **contented sigh***.
Like I said, I have been working at school, volunteering in Brock's class. I started working on Mondays, then Thursdays and now it is Fridays. I love working in my kids' classes. {I've been to Kindergarten for 3 years!!!(and loved every one!)} I get a resounding "Good Morning Mrs. Flynn" when I walk in (the first few times I had to look over my shoulder, wondering where the heck Curtis' mother was??!!) followed by lots of hugs. Sometimes I think that the other kids are more excited to see me than my own, but hugs are great no matter where they come from. (Plus, this is where I get girl time..."Mrs. Flynn, can you put this bow back in my hair? This is a new jacket, do you like it? I got glitter nail polish!" Can't get that at home!) I usually get drug to the carpet and sat on (in a good way) by at least 3 kids, my own front and center if he can manage. I love it when Mr. Elliot gets out the guitar and they sing, that is so neat. Brock is always astounded when I know the words to one of the songs, (like Mr. Elliot made them all up!)
On Wednesdays I haul myself to Oakhurst to work in the Family History Library. When it is slow I work on finding my own ancestors. It has now become my mission (more like Mission Impossible... *deep voice* "your mission should you choose to accept it...") to hunt down O'Kelleys, Mortons, Wages, and Coats from here to Canada and back. I hound my Gran mercilessly during Sunday dinners for names and dates. I will find these people, I will!!! I think they are hiding on purpose... Never-the-less...I will prevail! But, I have found that I must limit myself to Wednesdays at the library or hours and hours will fly by and no one gets any dinner.
Wednesdays are also Cub Scout days, and I have been the assistant den leader for Caden's pack. Trying to get a roomful of boys to stay on task for more than 2 minutes is a joke, but a couple of Excedrin and the mantra "It's only for an hour and a half" has gotten me through since September.
Around October-ish, I started working part time for my friends, who own a Christmas type business. It was nice to get out, some adult conversation, a little pocket money...but it did make me think longingly of those rose tinted hours to fill as I pleased. Lucky for them, the lousy economy didn't affect their orders, (they said I was the lucky charm... I'd work and they'd get more orders!) What started as 1 day became a week, then every spare minute up to Christmas break. It's kind of nice to be needed.
Of course, there is the regular, at home stuff that fills up the after school hours. I have found that I am much better at Algebra at 35 than I was at 16, but it normally takes me just as long to check the homework as it takes them to do it. (except, I get x3!... but Brock's is pretty easy.)
Tadhg tells me that I am the "fun nazi" and I have earned quite a reputation with their little friends, who's parents have started limiting xbox time after finding out about 'our' house rules. But, we still seem to have more than a few extra boys around the house and my boys don't seem too down-trodden...it's amazing how they'll get up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday to play xbox, but can't drag themselves up for school!!!
There are still a few home projects left to finish (the list grows, but rarely shrinks) on the remodel/conversion and I get to them as I can. But it has been nice to take the last year off, sort of, ...at least I'm not making weekly trips to Lowes and tripping over power tools.
I had taken a break from my digi-scrappin' and never did finish my last class, once school started. I felt kind of rusty, but had to kick it into high gear to get the Christmas Calendars out. Felt a lot like college, pulling all-nighters to meet that deadline (that I procrastinated) Still didn't get there in time! I made 2 versions this year, a wall calendar and a cd size ( cuz my momma asked me nicely!) I'll post some when I get around to it. Despite the frantic, 'didn't I take more pictures? where are those pictures?' I really enjoy doing my scrapbooking *note to self... take more pictures*. I hadn't printed any off, just looked at them on the computer screen, before I printed out the calendars. I was pleasantly surprised. I was afraid they'd look funky or cheesy. I guess I'm a tactile person and I like to touch the paper layers and the fun things that pop off the page, but these were okay. I'll probably do both or a combination (hybrid scrapping, yes, there is a name for my sickness!) once again, if/when I get around to it.
I have been sooo good about keeping up with my blog that I decided to join facebook, too! Like I need another thing I feel compelled to do each day! I have heard that it becomes quite addictive (like I need another addiction!) maybe, between the two I can keep in touch with family and friends and feel connected, even if it is that nebulous, floating out there in 'computer space' kind of connection. Hey, I've had more positive communication with Tadhg on my facebook wall than in real life for the last 4 days.
Tomorrow starts real life again, and that's not necessarily a bad thing, sometimes it's pretty great. We'll see how I do, I'll try to keep you posted....

Happy New Year! So, okay I'm only 4 days late, but that is about par for this girl's life... I know, I know there has been nothing here for the last 4 months, (or more) what can I say. I'm a busy girl, lots to do. Much more than I thought. I had these rose colored ideas of all this free time I'd have once school started. I wasn't really sure what I'd do during that glorious ME time, but it was coming, I knew it was... It's a good thing I wasn't specific, because not much *free* time was forth coming.
School started like a whirlwind. Brock was thrilled to be back, and for the entire day too! The other two, not so much. I did get the required first day of school pictures, but little else went as planned. There were some teacher/ class assignment issues that had me stressing for...oh, probably the first whole month of school! And I learned a very important lesson (good to know that I CAN still learn :)!!) which was...sometimes I DON'T always know what is best for my kids. Needless to say, the sun still rose and set and life did go on.
Brock ended up in just the exactly "right" place for him. His teacher, Mr. Elliott, is no nonsense and expects a lot out of these 1st graders, and you know what? They can.. and do.
Brock (gotta love that boy!) gave Mr. Elliott and I a run that first month. I have some friends who would ask me "So, what did Brock DO today? I know there has to be a story here!" and then they'd laugh and laugh when I told them about his 'exploits' (no pun intended, but there could have been...) It was one of those situations where you can laugh or you can cry, and they helped me to laugh. Thanks for that!
I had planned to work in class this year...and I got to, sometimes multiple days a week. I know Mr. Elliott was grateful and I really do love to be there. Once the lines were firmly drawn and all the rules fully explained (and a few privileges lost, for a few weeks in a row!) Brock excelled. He loves praise and in October was able to get his first ever Hawk Award! He was so proud, and he told me that now he knew 'how' to get one he'd get lots.
Caden, that little trooper, is so easy going...and forgiving. He just goes with the flow and doesn't complain, even when it's not exactly what he wants (hmmm... lesson there too?) He's been holding out on us! He got a gold honor role the first quarter without even breaking a sweat. He spends his free time reading the encyclopedia (not a joke!) and learning interesting facts about whatever has caught his fancy that day. Can I just tell you I love, LOVE going to parent-teacher conferences for this kid!! He was part of the science club after school and looked forward to each meeting so they could "blow things up!" I must have washed 4 copies of the periodic table, and he'd get a new one, to 'keep in his pocket'.
Tadhg demonstrated exactly how old I was this year by having the nerve to be in the **7th*** grade! You can NOT have a kid in 7th grade and be young. So, I guess I'm OLD. He loves Jr. High. He came home that first week and said, "Mom, school goes by sooo fast now!" He likes having different teachers and classes. He always has been 'on the go', now school can keep up with him! His parent teacher conference was really great. I did have to stop his home room teacher once, just to make sure, that she had the right parent or child.? She said he was a model student! (Yeah, that's where I had to verify..) I made the mistake of bragging to my mom and he found out. Apparently, he doesn't LIKE being a model student! Can you say contrary? Skiing starts this quarter so I'm sure all will be sorted out. He won't want to lose eligibility...come on, skiing or snowboarding every Friday or--- sitting in class...Hmmm.. He's played on the school flag football and basketball teams (he shoots an awesome 3 pointer} and **Yeah** had a growth spurt. He's getting closer to looking me in the eye, and catching up with his friends. I've had to buy new jeans because of his green bean legs. Oh, and he is wicked awesome.