Happy Happy Birthday!

My baby boy turned 9 today. We celebrated by inviting a couple of his friends to the movies and coming home for some cake and ice cream.

Happy Birthday Elijah!

Eight is Great!

Eli turned eight a few weeks ago and in our family
EIGHT is BIG!

Eight means there will undoubtedly be a baptism. We've done this before (3 times to be exact) so this was old hat except for one thing. This baptism was our last. My baby boy was being baptized by his dad the same way my other boys were. I remember when my first boy was baptized. I was stressed out. I was happy but also sad that we had hit this milestone so quickly. This time I was relaxed. I was happy and not sad. I am so grateful that all of my boys have embraced the Gospel of Jesus Christ and made the decision to be baptized.

Something that goes along with being eight in our house is new scriptures and joining Cub Scouts! The latter is something Eli has been looking forward to for a long time. With 3 older brothers he has been to a lot of pack meetings and camp outs!

How cute is this card that his friend Bennett made for him!

A Hand Sanitizer Reality Check

With all of the FLU hullabaloo this year we have used our share of hand sanitizer. Okay, I am a germophobe and we'd use it even without the hullabaloo. Anyhoo!
This year I have sent in more than my fair share of tissues, hand sanitizer, and Clorox wipes to our classrooms.

Yesterday I went with Eli to Sam's and I was considering buying another extra large "price club" sized bottle of hand sanitizer to donate to the classroom. I asked Eli "Do you think Ms. *Teacher needs more hand sanitizer?"
"I don't know" he says, "she keeps it in her desk."

"In her desk?" I asked.

"Yes," he replied. "The health inspector said it has to be put away, it can't be out on the desk because it has chemicals in it."

"Well of course it has chemicals in it. That is what kills the germs!" I said in a louder than usual voice.

He just looked at me with a "Don't take it out on me, I am just the messenger" look.

I asked and it was true...it seems the health department thinks the risk of kids being poisoned by ingesting (eating? really?) hand sanitizer outweighs the risk of kids spreading germs like the flu!

REALLY? Have you ever tasted hand sanitizer? By accident of course... eeew!

*I am sure his teacher (who is a lovely woman) would rather remain anonymous.

I do realize they are still allowed and encouraged to use it, but to put it away, out of sight!?
Who woulda thunk.

Where'd he learn that?

As the mother of four I am in a constant state of baffle-dom (is that even a word? It is now!)

I am either baffled by my children's stupidity or by their genius.

Yesterday it was genius (so refreshing!)

I was complaining about Hope and her appetite. She can never seem to have enough food in her tummy. I usually feed her once in the morning and once in the evening but she never fails to give me the "I'm hungry" stare at 2pm. I thought I would outsmart her by spreading the wealth out thru the day via breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It didn't work. She gave me the stare all afternoon, but I didn't cave, I was strong.

Anyhoo! As I was discussing this with Eli (7 years, 10 months) he said "it looks like she went over her budget of food". Since I have been actively listening to my children (see here) I heard this and then said "what did you say?" (not because I didn't hear him, but because I wanted him to say it again to make sure I heard him correctly. BUDGETING?)

Yup, I heard him correctly. My 7 year old knows about budgeting. (he didn't learn it from me!)
I asked him if he was learning about budgets in math... "no", "Did we discuss this in Family Home Evening?" I asked. "No".

Apparently he just knew! (I wish he'd teach me!)

CRAZY!

Halloween

Here are some overdue photos of Halloween.

One down, 205 to go!

With four boys it was only a matter of time before someone broke a bone.

It is that time.

Yesterday afternoon Eli came in from the trampoline crying. He was knocked down by his brother while they were jumping on the the trampoline. He didn't fall off, he fell down. Apparently he landed wrong. He told me what happened and he said his hand felt like it was too heavy to hold up.
I knew it was something serious when the whimpering and whining continued after ice, kisses and a short nap.
I took him to Urgent Care. At first he was holding his arm, then he was laying on it, using it as a pillow. He held my phone while playing games. As the evening progressed I was kicking myself for "wasting" our time and money at Urgent Care. I kept thinking that I should have waited longer for the pain to subside because he was *obviously fine!

The doctor came in, checked his arm, heart and lungs (?), asked him some questions and left to look at the x-rays.



Imagine my surprise when he returned and said "it's broken!"

*what is obvious is that I have no medical training!

My Favorite Job!

I have had a lot of jobs in my life. My first job (besides babysitting) was at a Farmer's Market. I've waited tables, flipped burgers, run a register for a dept. store, college bookstore, and a gas station (11pm - 7am shift), scrubbed toilets, managed the night shift at a sub shop, and directed traffic around road construction. I have learned a little about what I don't want to do when I grow up but I still don't know what it is I do want to do.

Tonight at Cub Scout Pack meeting Eli was asked "What job would say your Mom does?" and looking at me he answered "PTA?" Give that boy the GRAND PRIZE ~ He is right!

Last week I was busy with The McAlpine Mile fundraiser (we raised over $11,000), this Friday each class has their Spring Celebration (cookies and juice packs) I don't have to be there but I do have to remind the parents who volunteered to bring the stuff. Now I am heavily involved in planning for the Spring Book Fair. I LOVE my job! Next year my life should get a little easier with the change in position from Co-VP of Fundraising, Book Fair Chair, and Room Parent x 2 to PTA Co-President, but for now I am loving every busy minute of my job! Does this count as a job?

Eli and his first grade class after finishing the McAlpine Mile! (Yes, I made the sign too!)