What do you get?

What do you get when the Science teacher hands out these:

To this person:

A BLACK EYE!!:

Thanks, science teacher, for handing these poppers out to boys who want to see what happens when they stick them to their bodies!  Dur!

Reflections of Sunday

Here's my thoughts about this past Sunday:

1.  Sacrament meeting goes A LOT better when I don't sit by the boys.  Apparently I am the cause of the irreverence -- who knew?

2.  People will finally do the BSA Youth Protection Training if it gets them out of Sunday School. 

3.  I really do LOVE my new calling!  I'm the Advancement Committee Member for the scouting program -- it's a SWEET gig!

4.  It sucks when you haven't cut your coupons for 4 weeks. . . . .

5.  I really love Amazing Race!  I think Brooke and Claire are my favorite ones to watch.  I'm not saying they're going to win, but their hysterical.

6.  I also really love The Next Iron Chef.  No idea why I like this show -- I just do.

7.  After watching 60 minutes and reading The Lemon Tree I have some strong opinions about Israelis and Palestinians.  Perhaps tomorrow I'll tell you what those opinions are.  Meanwhile, you can have a thought about today, Monday.  It's the day I took Ethan to get his braces:

Tuesday Night Lights

There's something about a guy in a uniform . . .

What I Thought On Sunday . . .

While sitting in the audience on Sunday,

I focused on Ethan, who was sitting on the stand.

He seemed like a good person to focus on.

Especially since he looked so handsome!

What a delightful distraction he was.

Bless you Ethan~

Music to My Ears

This blog has turned into a life update,

Instead of my Views about things.

Today it's safer to avoid my views -- cuz I'd rant and rave about cooperation, teamwork and charity.

So let's just update you on my life and say that I'm in love,

With Ethan's new instrument of choice!!

Such a beautiful sound!

Fire - Works

Twelve Year Old Man Has Discovered Fire

A twelve year old man encountered the effects of fire this weekend and burned his thumb.  After purchasing a multitude of fireworks, with his own money, he proceeded to light them.  Following the lighting of the fire bombs, the twelve year old man threw them in the air - narrowly missing the car parked BEHIND him!  During the process of lighting and throwing, a thumb was charred and blistered. 

Somewhere, nearby, a mother was a FREAKING out!

Thriller!

Dance Festival was a success!

6th Grade pulled a new musical number with their rendition of Michael Jackson's THRILLER!

Ethan LOVED his role as Zombie

Alex and Alinda as Michael J and his girlfriend:

Dance Festival ROCKS!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

I have a new found respect for one of Pleasant Grove's Art Groups.

This morning, I was asked to help 'control' the green room as CSYP had their first performance of "Once On This Island."

I reflected on previous 'child-corraling' assignments and realized I needed to go prepared.

I thought of quite games we could play in the wings.

I practiced a magic card trick to stun the kids into silence.

I tried out several whiper / yelling techniques to get kids to be submissive to the rules.

I considered my skill at smacking kids without leaving a mark

I took caffeine drinks knowing that I'd have a HUGE headache by the end.

And all the worrying about how to professionally control 85 kids behind the stage at the Covey Center was for NOTHING!

The kids were PERFECT!

They were quite behind the stage (with NO reminder, at all, from any adult)

There was perfect hanging of costumes on hangars!

There was perfect returning of props to labelled spots.

There was support and speaking kindly to each other.

There was excitement and friendship.

I was completely blown away!

Center Stage Youth Performers has a QUALITY program put together.  I can't even begin to express my admiration of them for what they are doing and the level at which they are doing it.

If you have a problem with reasonable expectations for your kid, consistency in following rules, respect, creativity, professionalism, kindness . . . then you should stay away from CSYP.

But if you love all those things, and want them for you kid -- sign them up with this group!

I love it, I love the ladies who run it!

They really do have my R-E-S-P-E-C-T!!

Check out their latest production, now showing at the Covey Center.

Ethan was adorable.  I'm so happy for him to have something he loves!

Click HERE for tickets and show times.  Don't forget to mention Ethan's name when you place your order for tickets.

Imagery

MY DAY
by Ethan

When I wake up,
All I taste is my breathe,
When I get in the shower,
All I smell is my shampoo,
When I go upstairs,
All I hear is my cereal crunching,
When I get to school,
All I feel is my pencil,
When I get home,
All I see is the dinner table,
When I go to bed,
All I do is dream.

My Two Sons

These two little boys have been keeping me busy lately.

As well as any family and friends we have.

Ethan enjoyed a special weekend

Where he turned 12,

Had a surprise birthday party at the auto show,

And received the priesthood,

while his mom and dad cried.

Josh enjoyed a special weekend too,

Where he received his Eagle,

with the mayor giving an great Eagle Charge,

His dad giving a sweet spotlight,

And Josh thanking those who supported him.

I have had, in the back of my mind a feeling from when Josh was tiny and headed to nursery for the first time.  I had an overwhelming sense of appreciation for the adults in my children's lives. 

I often feel inadequate at being a parent, and when I see the success of my kids, I know that they are having that because there are other caring adults in their lives.

I guess I do think that it takes a village to raise a child.   And I'm grateful for my village and family that have helped me have two great sons!

Once on THIS Island

Guess who's got a part in the play?

ETHAN!

If I remember correctly, he'll be playing the following parts:

A Bridge

A Dancing Frog

A Singing Peasant

Are you as intrigued as I am?

Mark your calendar now to come see my son,

The STAR

As he portrays a bridge, frog, and peasant.

Or as I call it

A Brogant!

(Show will be April 20 - 24th at the Covey Center)

Falling

Ethan

Mrs.Kaylor

Falling

A small, unnoticed seed, the size of any index finger’s nail, can become the largest of things. Looking at trees around my neighborhood, you would never think they started from a small seed. A majority of them are taller than most of the houses. Planting a seed takes a lot of dedication. You need to plant it, water and nurture the undersized plant that has spurted from the ground, then, from that unnoticed seed, becomes a large majestic tree.

Then the leaves sprout from the long, snaky branches. These vegetations will sometime have to fall. As a bird nests, they might collide with these petite leaves. As the stem connecting the two breaks, the small leaf falls unseen, it is practically invisible. This leaf falls silently and at a snail's pace. The tender leaf spirals to the emerald stalagmites below. The leaf tenderly lands on the earths surface, there it is more vulnerable. A small average kid, who is fascinated by nature, walks up to admire the highly elevated, majestic tree. The small boy steps on the worthless leaf. That small leaf is now pinned onto the flattened grass. The boy leaves the tree to do something besides look at trees. Green veins on the poor, insufficient leaf, have become murky from the filth and grime on the bottom of the boys worn out Sketchers. Edges have been folded and frayed; the leaf is now just an old antique of nature. All of this from one plain old seed.

A-Camping We Shall Go

I think I'm missing him more than he's missing me~

My Favorite Movie

My Favorite Movie

By Ethan

My favorite movie . . . hard choice. I don't really have a favorite movie. If I could only choose one, it would have to be "The Sixth Sense". The reasons I like "The Sixth Sense" are for the spine-tingling story, the amazing effects, and towards the end, it's not so scary. I think "The Sixth Sense" is the best movie I've seen.

Score: 18/20

On an unrelated matter - why is Ethan having a hard time sleeping in a room
by himself?

Childhood Angst

Quick Bunko update: I'm going with a book theme for prizes, a Brownie & Strawberry dessert that was served at a Stake Primary Function and I'm seriously considering Little Caesar's Pizza.

--------------------------------

On to Childhood Angst -

Ethan and I have been having lots of conversations lately about the 'joys' of being his age (11).

He's struggling with lots of issues and sadly, I struggled with many of the same.

In addressing his concerns, I find that I'm re-living many of the pains that I've managed to cover up for many, many years.

Would it surprise you to know that at 11 the following, random things, were part of my existence?

• Trips to the Principal's office for hurting others.

(I hereby publicly apologize to Jason B and Noelle N for hurting you, repeatedly, on the playground. And to Mr. Shell for spending so much time in your office)

• Being scared to death of my teacher!

(I should be checking the prison roster for my teacher, Mr. Johnson, who used to sit with his feet on his desk, picking his fingernails with a bowie knife. Occasionally he'd throw Kurt R. up against the wall. Sheer Terror!)

• Being Teased Daily

(They teased me for being tall. Tall and skinny. Please world, please! . . . tease me again for being those two things.)

• Monthly Visits From Aunt Flo(w)

(Yes, Amy - this is just too much personal info for the world on my blog. However, it illustrates my point that being 11 SUCKS!)

All I know is my heart is breaking for my child, who is trying to find his place in the world.

Childhood is not so easy, and being the mother of a child isn't either.

My Favorite Place

Ethan has done another exciting essay that I thought I'd share with you:

My Favorite Place

My favorite place is most likely my living room. Mainly because of the Wii and T.V.. [ As you can see, I like video games.] My living room is radical!

There is a wall that is directly across from a half wall window with a nice view of the mountain, has picture frames of all the children in our family, also including Wayde. Wayde is my little brother that was taken away from my family. I miss him. The living room is where we have guests sit when they come over and we are finishing up something that needs to be done. There is a couch and a chair the color of a football, it is fluffy and very comfortable too. There are two plants much larger in height than me. To me it smells like a Jamba Juice store.

I will battle Pokemon cards with Nelson. Sometimes I play my old Game Cube games. But, I always am playing a Nintendo game,[Sega isn't that fun besides Sonic.] My favorite game is Super Smash Bros. Brawl. My living room is so awesome!

My living room is kind of small but I love it. I bet some of my friends do too.

My Greatest Fear

The following is an essay that Ethan wrote for school last week.

My Greatest Fear

My fear is pretty weird, so don’t laugh at me. I’m afraid of romance movies! I know I’m crazy. Romance movies are super scary for several reasons.

The first reason I fear romance movies is because I hate the long, gross, dramatic kissing scene! I mean, it is so gross. There’s always some reason they do it. Sometimes they have no reason at all.

Romance movies have no action. I mean, they have none! Action is the whole reason I watch movies. I think only adults watch romance movies.

Romance movies should be called chick flicks because only girls watch them. I won’t ever watch a chick flick, ever.

I have heard of stranger fears than romance movies. I have other fears, but this is my biggest.
--------------------------------------------

I guess from now on I'll be checking under Emma's bed for monsters and Ethan's bed for romance movies.

Washing Machine Now Wash . . . .

I have found out a secret! And I am going to disclose it to all the mother's in my life ~

If you want your children to do their own laundry -- get them their own washer and dryer!

Really, I'm not kidding! It has worked like a charm~ When Uncle Ryan moved out of the basement last month, he left his washer and dryer for us. Josh and Ethan have promptly taken it over, and with GREAT results. I went to the store and purchased just the right smelling laundry soap and dryer sheets (good times having your boys sniff every product down the aisle!). And now they are on their own. I have not had to remind them about doing their laundry, to take it out of the dryer, put it away, etc. It's a dream!

Except that in a way, it's not a dream. It's just one more reminder that my boys want independence and self-sufficiency. I'm slowly being phased out. Just tonight they asked if they could use Uncle Ryan's dishwasher too and do their own dishes. The basement has become a bachelor pad for 12 and unders.

(FYI blog title is derived from a cute kids book called "The Marvelous Mud Washing Machine". You can obtain this book by checking it out of the library, losing it, pretending for months that you know just where it is, and then one day having a reality check and paying the library 5 times the book's value so you can go home and find the "lost" book. You can then keep the book because the library has cashed your check and there's no way you're going back there with this whole story!)

An Interview With Ethan

Interview with Ethan about the Last Day of School as I rush around sending kids to a pointless day of school . . .

Mom: Why are you only going to school for two hours today?

Ethan: Cuz, it’s the Last Day of School.

Mom: Well, why don’t you go for the whole day then?

Ethan: It’s not my fault. It’s the teacher’s fault.

Mom: Do you want to go for a full day?

Ethan: Hmmmmm. . . NO!

Mom: Don’t you think it would be the right thing to go for a full day of school? (me, using a guilt tactic)

Ethan: Nope!

Mom: How about the last day of summer that you spend at home only lasts two hours and I send you to school for the rest of the day?

Ethan: NO!

Mom: Why not?

Ethan: Cuz that would suck.

Mom: What am I going to do for just two hours?

Ethan: Play ToonTown.

Mom: Hmmmmm . . .time for school!

The Adventures of Flower Girl & Dirt Boy

A.K.A. Emma & Ethan

Installment One:

The Garden Master is suffering in the grips of a PMS (Pesticidal Munchkin Swarming) epidemic, and with possibly her last breath signals for help from Flower Girl & Dirt Boy.

"Dirt Boy," she yells whispers, "Take Flower Girl and go away outside. Find me a flower that will save my life."

"It will be done, Garden Master!" chants Dirt Boy and Flower Girl. "But we must sing our theme song before we go!"

"A theme song, for crying out loud!" says Garden Master with tears beginning to fill her eyes.

Flower Girl begins to sing, "Mommy's alright, Mommy's alright, Mommy's alright . . . Dirt Boy, you sing!" she says.

Dirt Boy sings, "Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright they just seem a little weird, surrender, surrender."

"Ha, ha . . very funny" says Garden Master, "Why don't you try another?"

Flower Girl starts, "Cinderella, SOS . . . . Dirt Boy, you sing!" she says.

Dirt Boy sings, "I'll send an SOS to the world, I hope that someone gets my message in a bottle."

"You can't steal your theme song from Guitar Hero." says Garden Master "Now go get me a cure!" she whispers . . . .

The Duo leave with their signature yell, "Chicka wah wah, Chicka wah wah" and a sesmic shake of their butts. After many peaceful moments the Superhero Duo returns with the cure:

All is well for another day in Vincent Garden, trouble has been narrowly averted with the help of FLOWER GIRL and DIRT BOY!