Cast Him In to the Dark Ages

Tomorrow is the first day of literacy week and although Isaac loves to read he is also very fond of playing electronic games.  All of my boys love them so much in fact that we've had to turn the Wii into a weekend privelege.  That has become a privelege to which they truly look forward.

The advent of literacy week has sent Isaac into a tailspin.  Apparently he was on track to conquer Lego Batman 2 this weekend and with literacy week comes the challenge to abstain from TV and video games.  He left for school in tears this morning at the realization that his video gaming would be delayed for a WHOLE WEEK!

He renewed the topic when he got home from school.  Isaac's spirit had sunk even lower upon learning that the lamp for our TV burnt out this morning bringing on the whole sad affair one day early.  When he told me that iPads were included in the challenge it got to be more an he could bear.  I told him that it wouldn't be all that bad for him to have a week away from electronics to which he responded, "Can we still use our alarm clocks or do we have to buy a rooster?"

Maybe This Year I'll Write One

My husband gave me a Kindle for my 31st birthday and I have absolutely loved having it.  I had forgotten how much I truly enjoy reading and this little device rekindled (pun only partially intended)  my love for that hobby.  I suppose that had I actually made any New Year's resolutions for 2012 it would have been to read more, specifically classics and literature.  Now as I begin 2013 I'm happy to report that that is a resolution I actually kept, or would have, again, had I actually made it.

So just for kicks I shall list all the books I read last year...mostly because I'm curious.  (Also, some of the books I read only because they were free, don't judge me.)

Book of Mormon
Golden Lies
Stuck in the Middle
Emma
The Scarlet Letter
Pride and Prejudice
Northanger Abbey
Sense and Sensibility
Scat
Mansfield Park
Jane Eyre
Awaken His Eyes: The Awakened Book One
Paths of Destruction: The Awakened Book Two
Hands to Make War: The Awakened Book Three
A Confederacy of Dunces
The Secret Garden
Les Miserables
Atlas Shrugged

If I've done my math correctly that means I've read  just over 7000 pages, which, now that i think about it, doesn't sound like a whole lot.  But if you factor in all the laundry and dishes I did last year as well, not to mention potty training a certain stubborn toddler, I suppose it's quite a feat.

So farewell, 2012, I hereby dub thee "The Year Mightier Than the Sword."

The Mental CHRISTmas Card

A few years ago I was blessed with an experience that is still ingrained in my mind's eye.  It was CHRISTmas time and I was at my mom's house trying to capture some of the spirit of the season by baking and wrapping gifts.  Hewitt was only a couple of months old and got tired of laying by himself on the floor.  My mom needed to get off her feet so she went over, picked him up and sat down with him in a chair next to her CHRISTmas tree in front of the window.  She did exactly what grandmothers do with babies...spoiled him with love and smiles.  As I stood looking on from the kitchen the moment was truly picturesque; my mom in her apron, the beautifully decorated CHRISTmas tree her backdrop, giant snowflakes gently swirlingin the window behind her, face to face with my baby, both of them grinning from ear to ear.  It was a beautiful moment that I cherish and the Christmas card from my Heavenly Father that I will never forget.

Three Years Old!

I remember holding Hewitt as a baby while the other kids ran wild through the house.  Hewitt was such a good, sweet baby and I recall looking down at his beautiful face being grateful that I had at least one child that would sit still.  I looked at Hewitt and said, "I love you so much, Hewitt...but I know you're going to turn into one of them."  The last part didn't even enter my head it just came out of my mouth.  Wherever it came from it was so true.  Little did I know that he wouldn't just be one of them, he would become their leader!

Today is Hewitt's 3rd birthday.  I'm still a little surprised sometimes that he's a part of our family.  I have a very vivid memory of waking early one morning with a prompting to take a pregnancy test and the humble, happy tears that followed the positive reading.  I was at a point in my life where I didn't know if another child was going to be possible for us.  I spent an entire pregnancy worrying about what could go wrong because of my previous delivery experiences.  It was such a blessing and relief to deliver a healthy, hefty (for us) 6 pound 1 ounce baby with no complications or surprises. (My goal was to have at least a six pound baby so that 1 ounce may as well have been a ton I was so grateful!)

These are memories from which I often have to call on for perspective.  That sweet baby who snorted when he was hungry in the night now has a voice.  A voice coupled with an opinion.  An opinion often spoken as mandate.  Mandates which he fully intends to enforce.  In short, Hewitt is a spit-fire Jekyll and Hyde.  He loves to laugh and make silly faces, pretend he's Batman or a Power Ranger, run, jump, and especially ride his bike.  He wants to eat cereal for every meal and has to eat first thing in the morning or else, trust me, you don't want to be around him.  There really are only 3 sides to Hewitt:  good, bad and sleeping.  I like the first and last Hewitts best.

This kid has a temper like I've never seen.  He often gets so mad he just clenches his fists and yells.  If anyone does anything to upset him he attacks from the back with punch after punch.  He's not a fan of being locked in his room, but hasn't yet decided that poor behavior isn't worth said punishment.  Pinching and spanking don't do a whole for him either.  Yet when he calms down he's often quick to say sorry and, "I want to be nice."

We all want you to be nice, Hewitt.  And have a nice birthday, too!

Imagination

Hewitt: Mom, you be mermaid.  You be Areel.  I be Prince Eric.  I be Batman Price Eric.  You be Batman Areel.  We go fight bad guy Urswah.  C'mon!

Don't Blink or They'll Grow

After years of indecision Kenley decided that she was truly ready to brave getting her ears pierced.  It may have helped that Nana gave her the green light by putting up the green to have it done. I love the excitement and anticipation evidenced in this snapshot.

I got my ears pierced when I was four and I know I didn't cry.  But I was worried about Kenley because she has an intense fear of needles, even when they're being used on someone else.  I became especially nervous when there was already a girl on the chair getting hers done while we waited for Kenley's turn.  (I may have selfishly said a silent prayer that that girl wouldn't cry just so that we wouldn't have ventured into the mall with all the kids in tow for nothing.)  Luckily the girl didn't even flinch and I think that cinched up Kenley's courage and determination to get it done. 

She instantly looked older and more mature. She grew up right before my eyes.

And to prove that she was happy with the results she took several pictures of herself.

Oh Yes He Would

As parents we are trying to teach our children right from wrong and help them realize that while they are in charge of their own choices, they can't necessarily choose their consequences.  We've also tried to emphasize that Jesus Christ has been our best example of choosing the right and that we should try to be like him.

Jack seems to get into a lot of trouble.  I don't think he's a bad kid. 

Mischievous?  Yes. 

Bad?  No. 

He just acts without thinking.  After continually hearing us teach him about pleasing Heavenly Father by trying to be like Jesus he started calling us to task as well.  Anytime he'd receive a punishment he felt was unfair - so, you know, every punishment - he'd counter, "You're not being like Jesus."  I'll admit that it kind of stung the first few times because I really wasn't handling situations in the manner of our Savior.  So I began to agree and stated that we could both use some improvement.

One afternoon I had had enough of Jack and his misguided deeds.  He hadn't done anything terrible enough to warrant any serious punishment but I just needed a break.  My idea was to have him spend some time alone so that he could have a break as well.  I sat down with him and explained that he needed to go to his room until I had reinforcements Jeremiah got home.  "What time will Dad get home?" Jack asked.  When I answered that it would be about three hours after the current time Jack said, "Jesus doesn't put people in their room for 3 hours."  By this time the guilt of my parenting tactics being compared to Jesus had worn thin and then I remembered something.  Something wonderful. 

You want to know what I had in my back pocket that stunned my little stinker? 

"Let me tell you about a prophet named JONAH!"