A Perfect Day

What does a perfect day consist of? For me, today was it. The kids rose early, as usual, but with little to no whining, not usual. They played together happily all morning and when I made lunch, miracle of all miracles, they ate it without complaint! In fact, they scarfed it down. What did I make for lunch that the kids so happily ate? It wasn't mac-n-cheese...

Garbanzo burgers! I got the recipe for these in a Rachel Ray magazine. They are truly phenomenal. I LOVE them and could probably eat them every day. Unfortunately, Denver will not touch them. To be fair, he did try them once, but I think he was expecting something that tasted similar to a hamburger. These do not. Think fried hummus. Yummy! Last time I made them, the kids were a little contrary and wouldn't even try them but today...

Look at him go! Corbin rarely eats new foods and won't touch tomatoes, but on this perfect day, he picked up the tomato and put it back on the burger after it fell off!

And my missy Mia, just loving that tomato. She did eat the burger too, she just likes to pick her food apart.

Thank you Karli, for waiting so patiently for us to eat our lunch. My food was actually warm!

After lunch, the kids went down for their naps without a peep, something that is almost completely unheard of. After naps, we went to pick Chase up from school, and just because I'd been having such a good day so far we had ice cream cones at the park!

Okay, so it was raining, good ole Oregon Sunshine, and the kids opted to eat their cones in "the house" as they called it.

But when they finished they did play for a few minutes. Mia loved the duck. I loved the side ponytail.

Yup. That's Chase. Yes, he really is going to be 13. Soon.

Instead of whining about Mia getting to be in the swing, Corbin was a super big brother and pushed her for a while.

This is Corbin deciding not to go down the slide because it is just a little too wet. Once I'd snapped the pictures, I went and sat in the dry warm truck with a sleeping Karli and read my book. I got to finish an entire chapter without being interrupted once! Add to the that the fact that the kids were happy to leave the park because they were getting cold and wet and that when we got home they ate an already prepared crock pot dinner and then went peacefully to bed. Ahhhhh, a perfect day.

Had to be done...

My son Chase. He rolls his eyes when he thinks you're not looking. He sulks. His voice cracks and he no longer tells me about the girls he likes. I now ask him to open jars for me. I have to put forth effort to win at board games. He is doing math that I no longer remember, and when I want to know what 9 x 6 is, I ask him. And even with all this, I can't see him as anything other than my little boy. The little boy that would do anything to make his mom happy. The one who would hold my hand whenever possible. The one who dragged a gallon of milk into my bedroom at 3 o'clock in the morning because he was thirsty and couldn't pour it himself. This sweet little boy. Every illness, every heartache he's had, I've suffered with him. I've even felt heartaches yet to come that he's completely unaware of. So what do I do when I'm the one that causes his distress?
Last Friday night, Chase was caught sneaking out. UGH! Technically, we caught his friend in the yard that came to meet him so they could go play cards. Nonetheless, they admitted they'd done it once before. Obviously, this isn't something that we could just ignore. After a long lecture-Mom you'd have been proud-I drove Chase's friend home. When I returned, Denver was sitting on the couch eating popcorn. He'd told Chase he was just going to sit back and watch the show that he was sure I was going to put on. I hated to disappoint him, but I knew we needed to discuss things and I was too upset and angry to be doling out punishments. Besides, I remember how it felt to know I was in BIG trouble with a lurking punishment hanging over my head. Fear of the unknown, right? So we let him sweat it for a few days. Chase was already grounded for missing assignements at school and poor grades, so that was out. I've also been taking him to and from school because we can't trust him to be where he's supposed to be, so really what more could we do? And then it came to me. Chase has been begging me for a paintball birthday party. He's turning 13, and I'd told him he could pretty much decide what he wanted to do. But it was too harsh. I knew how much it meant to him. Yet, I couldn't deny that this was what I was supposed to do. I've learned not to argue with promptings, and if I'm going to pray every night for guidance in how to help Chase get through these difficult years, then by golly, I'm going to do what I know to be right, even if it breaks my heart. Chase reacted a lot differently than I expected. I explained to him that by taking him to and from school we were using up a lot of gas and a lot of my time. Not to mention that a paintball party is for responsible people, and he hadn't shown us that he fits into that category at this time. I told him that we'd still have a family birthday party, presents, cake, the whole works, he just wasn't going to get the friend party that he'd wanted. He nodded while a few tears rolled down his face and then silently went to bed. And I broke. I cried. And then I cried some more. And just when I thought it would end-I continued crying. I tried to blame Denver for making me go through with it, but it was my idea in the first place. Truth is, Denver gives me the strength to do what is right, because without Denver, I probably would have caved, knowing that it was wrong. With Denver, however, I am able to break my son's heart and mine as well, because it is what is best for him. My sweet little boy.

Family pictures

Here they are, the family photos as promised. Taken the day after Easter by one of my best friends in the world. Thanks Denise-you did an awesome job with the photos. It wasn't easy since Corbin and Mia were behaving as if they'd been in a cage for 20 years and were just set free, but you worked some magic and got some good shots. Thank you, thank you!

Easter

Easter. I never quite know how to handle it. I don't do well with Christmas either. It's the whole Easter Bunny, Santa Claus thing. Don't get me wrong I love playing Santa, but I have a really hard time lying to my kids. Particularly when I feel like I need to keep my kids focusing on the Savior. So, I try to compromise. Santa brings gifts to help celebrate Jesus' birth and the Easter Bunny wants us to look our best when we celebrate Jesus coming back from death. (Just try and get a 2 or 3 year old to say resurrection-it's a hoot!)

I actually took this picture the night before, just after the Easter bunny left.

And first thing in the morning when they found them. Next year, I will remember to take a picture of Chase when he finds his basket. I also spoke with the Easter Bunny and it's been decided that Chase's basket will be hard to find. Really hard. Now, I'm getting excited for next year.

Okay, I know that Mia is dressed in this picture, but that's because she was so tuckered out from all the fun the day before that I let her sleep in her clothes. If I had remembered that I would be taking pictures in the morning I would have made her change. I like to keep up the pretense that I'm on top of things and my kids are always perfect angels and the house runs like clockwork. And I can pretend, unless there is physical evidence. Sigh, at least she's happy.

And sweet little Karli cakes. I think she liked her first Easter. Yes, she has candy in her basket, and yes I'll let her eat it too. After it's been processed. C'mon, moms need some candy too!

We didn't take any pictures of all of us, or even the kids in their new outfits, but we will. Soon. Until then...