ICK

Blue eyes are much prettier than pink eyes, I've decided. Blaine has struggled with the pink eye this week. So far no one else has shared with him and I hope to keep it that way. Hopefully he'll be back at school soon...

Faulty Theology

We may need to really start working on Blaine's concept of divine communication (and telling the truth?).

On the way home from running errands this a.m., Blaine was 'looking' at a DVD case in the back seat. The DVD was then out and being handled by little boy fingers - a pet peeve of mine. I told him to return the DVD and if the DVD came out again then he would get a swat when we get home. Sure enough, it wasn't 2 minutes down the road and the DVD was back out. I told Blaine when we got home we would need to handle this.

Blaine then said, "Momma, I don't want a spanking. Jesus told me to take the DVD out. Really, Mom, He did!"

House of Boys

This was too funny and too true not to pass on. All you mothers of boys in the world, unite and laugh:

1. ) A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq. ft. house 4 inches deep.
2. ) If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with roller blades, they can ignite.
3. ) A 3-year old boy's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.
4. ) If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong
enough to rotate a 42 pound Boy wearing Batman underwear and a Superman
cape. It is strong enough, however, if tied to a paint can, to spread
paint on all four walls of a 20x20 ft. Room.
5. ) You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on. When
using a ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a few times
before you get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way.
6. ) The glass in windows (even double-pane) doesn't stop a baseball hit by a ceiling fan.
7. ) When you hear the toilet flush and the words "uh oh", it's already too late.
8. ) Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke -- lots of it.
9. ) A six-year old boy can start a fire with a flint rock even though a
36-year old man says they can only do it in the movies.
10. ) Certain Lego's will pass through the digestive tract of a 4-year old boy.
11. ) Play dough and microwave should not be used in the same sentence.
12. ) Super glue is forever.
13. ) No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you still can't walk on water.
14. ) Pool filters do not like Jell-O.
15. ) VCR's do not eject "PB & J" sandwiches even though TV commercials show they do.
16. ) Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.
17. ) Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.
18. ) You probably DO NOT want to know what that odor is.
19. ) Always look in the oven before you turn it on; plastic toys do not like ovens.
20. ) The fire department in Austin, TX has a 5-minute response time.
21. ) The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms dizzy.
22. ) The spin cycle on the washing machine will, however, make cats dizzy.
23. ) Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.
24. ) 80% of men who read this will try mixing the Clorox and brake fluid.
25. ) 80% of women will pass this on to almost all of their friends, with or without kids.
A) For those with no children - this is totally hysterical.
B) For those who already have children past this age, this is hilarious.
C) For those who have children this age, this is not funny.
D) For those who have children nearing this age, this is a warning.
E) For those who have not yet had children, this is birth control.

Good Citizenship

This a.m. Blaine woke up and while he was getting dressed he said, "Yesterday I wasn't a good citizen, but today I will be."

I guess our discipline had an impact on him last night...It was awefully cute the way he said it and was hard to stifle a smile as I told him he was correct.

Not Cute

Every now and then our kids do things that remind us about the principle of grace. Today Blaine was sent home from preschool with a note from his principal saying that he punched another boy in the face, giving him a bloody nose. Not cute. Not cute at all. What is crazy about it is that this is completely out of character for him to do. However, it reminds me that we are all sinful little creatures and even if I didn't punch someone in the face today, I haven't been perfect either. After we finish disciplining Blaine, we will forgive him and move on. It's great to know that our Heavenly Father also is quick to forgive and help restore us.

I Fall to Pieces...

No, not a Patsy Cline song, although that's a good one.

Tonight when I tucked Blaine into bed I said, "I love you to pieces, Blaine. Do you love me to pieces?"

Blaine giggled and said, "No, Mom, I love you all together and I love me all together."

Pancakes

One distinct benefit of sharing a residence with grandparents is that every morning before school there is a full breakfast prepared and on the table for the kids to eat. That being said, Granny has been out of town for the last 2 weeks helping Grampy with his mother. She got home last night and the boys were delighted at her return. The first thing Blaine did was run up to her with a wild grin on his face and say, "Granny! You can make me PANCAKES tomorrow!!!"

To know you're loved....

Simple Lyrics

It's amazing to me how I am most moved by the of simplest of song lyrics. The boys and I have been listening to an old VBS cd in the car, which also happens to be one that I use for preschool choir. Anyway, today these are the words that moved me:

"You are God. You are Life. I will worship You forever. (repeat)

You knew me before I took my first breath, and you know the day when I will breathe the last. You're the Alpha, Omega, Beginning and End. Forever to You I sing."

Just a simple little song that repeats a hundred times and makes me think how cool it is that my Creator knew me before I was born AND knows all the days of my life already. Makes me feel small.

Blood Taker

Ok, I've had too much fun telling this story that I must now write it.

Yesterday at the dentist Blaine asked the dental hygienist what a particular machine was. The nice hygienist told him it was a Blood Pressure Machine and it takes your blood pressure. Well, apparently he understood her to say it was a Blood Taker Machine. He became very serious and said, "I don't like that Blood Taker machine. If you use it on me, I will cry." I'm missing the element of his tone here - It was much more of a lecture or a warning to her that she'd better not use it. I couldn't help but to laugh as we got it sorted out.

T.M.I.

Ok, file this under 'too much information.'

Does anyone else have an odd hair that grows in a weird part of your body all by its little self? I'm not talking about a gross hair like in your ear that you have because you're just getting older and you can't see into your ears. I mean a hair that just stands alone in one random spot? I have this one hair right next to my belly button - Just one little hair. No matter how many times I pull it, pluck it, shave it or otherwise remove it, it just keeps coming back to the body party for more fun.

So I want to know - Where is your freaky hair? Or do I stand alone here?

Happy Birthday, Braylon

Today we helped Braylon ring in the Big 0-6! Dinner at Johnny Carino's and a gift of a Nintendo DS - All is well with the world according to him today!

When

When did my yellow-headed, newborn baby turn into a snaggle-toothed near 1st grader? It probably happened about the same time that the sweet little cutie pie baby went from being happy playing with a free cardboard box to desiring a $70 IPOD for Christmas and a $140 hand-held gaming system for his birthday. I just want to know when this happened, is all. I have another one coming behind him and I need to get ready and start bracing myself now. Life with Braylon is turning out to be a pricey penny, no doubt. Kind of makes me miss the cardboard box days....

Easter

I have an answer in response to the great song-writer who wrote the inspiring words to the ditty, "The Holky Polky." You're no doubt wondering where THIS is going...Stay with me here.

"You put your right hand in, you put your right hand out, you put your right hand in and you shake it all about. You do the holky polky and you turn yourself around. That's what it's all about."

In my head, when I think of Easter, I hear the last line of that song. "Easter. That's what it's all about." (Make sure you're singing it your head for added effect.)

Today at church was a great, up-front reminder to me of something that is always on the forefront of my mind - The resurrection of Jesus. You see, I believe that it wasn't so much that Jesus existed, that He performed miracles, or even that He died on the cross. It's that there isn't a physical body in the tomb anymore and no one can explain that away...No bribe was able to cover it up and no group of nay-sayers able to find a good conspiracy theory that would stick. Jesus was who He claimed He was and like my pastor pointed out, that requires a radical response on my part. If I believe that Jesus is the Son of God and became a living sacrifice, I have to believe that the resurrection was for my benefit, along with all else who believe in Him.

I hope you all had similar experiences this Easter. I hope you were reminded of the great love of God and the great sacrifice that was made. I hope you refreshed your commitment to serve Him with your life.

And that's what it's all about.

Hmmmm

So I gather that most people think the Lone Ranger is a wimp and that winter is for the birds....

Update

Brandon gave Blaine a shower last night and the tattoos came off. Ahhh....Just in time for Easter, too.

Inked

Last weekend we had a small party for Braylon's 6th birthday (which isn't until next week, actually). I gave away sheets of fake tattoos as the party favor and the boys and I had fun later in the day giving each other tattoos. My tattoos came off very easily and Braylon's have all but faded. However, I'm starting to worry about Blaine's tattoos. It is now 5 days later and the tattoos are not showing signs of coming off anytime soon. I have scrubbed and scrubbed, but no. They stay on. I'm going to feel bad at his high school graduation if he still has a large pirate ship on his right forearm and a red octopus on his left forearm. That'll go over well.

Whatever

Brandon just voted on my blog and informed me that the Clint Eastwood character is called 'The man with no name' - Not Dirty Harry. I told him 'whatever.' Soooo, by way of technicality, if you vote for 'Dirty Harry,' it's really 'the man with no name.'

Brothers

The boys had fun tonight playing 'brothers.' I tried to explain that that is the role they are really playing in life, but I obviously didn't 'get' the game if I go by their blank stares. Apparently this game involves moving sofa cushions into the living room and making a fort, followed by working at McDonalds and ending with Braylon putting Blaine into a head-lock and cutting his hair (with real scissors, mind you). I think I came back into the room just in time to prevent any serious damage to Blaine's image, but it was a close call. Ahhhh, the game of 'brothers.' Missed out on that game growing up, I guess.

Movie Review

'Monsters Vs. Aliens'
Rated: PG
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Rainn Wilson, Paul Rudd (and various other big names)

This is a cartoon movie about, you guessed it, a small group of long-forgotten monsters who are assigned by the US government to take on one self-replicating alien. The main story centers around a 'monster' named Susan who discovers satisfaction in her true identity after being mutated from getting hit by a meteor.

Becky's rating: B+

There are several well-known actors who provide much comic talent in this family film. We saw the 3-D version, which was a neat feature. The film held the boys attention the entire 1.5 hours, so that's always a sign of a good cartoon movie.

My favorite line: "EAT LEAD, ALIEN!!!.... (Bang, bang, silence).... "Evidently he eats lead."

Bottom line: Take your family, you won't be disappointed.

Three State

Don't know if I ever pointed this out before. I was just looking at the pictures I've had up for quite some time to the left of the blog. The bottom picture is that of Grampy, Braylon and Blaine in August 2008. I don't know if anyone noticed this, but Grampy is standing in Arkansas, Braylon is in Louisiana and Blaine is in Texas. Cool, huh? You'd think there would be more fanfare at this particular location. But nope. Just a sad looking rock that you can stand on and be in all three states at once.

That geography lesson was free.

Red Envelope Day

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=93404

Check out this article talking about one man's plight to change another man's heart. Pretty awesome.