Exactly How Holy is the Sabbath???

Even before we were married, Diamond and I made a decision that we would live our life together according to the tenants of the Mormon faith.  We would not drink alcohol, we would pay tithing, we would keep the Sabbath as we understood it, etc.  According to Mormon belief, Sundays are a day to be spent at church, with family and giving service.  Similarly, Sundays are not intended to be spent at the mall, in a movie theater or at the ball park.  I'm good with all of this.
Fast forward to this past weekend.  Big Boy #2's little league baseball team was playing in a Memorial Day tournament.  From the get go I told the coach that we would not be playing any Sunday games.  (A major reason we picked this particular league was for its absence of Sunday games.)  And it's not like the team was likely to make it to the championship game anyway - they were tied for last place.  It was a pretty easy call.

Friday night BB#2 pitched six innings in the first game, gave up only three runs, and lead his team to a victory!  Their second win of the season.  The boys were thrilled.  The next day we played again, and won again!  A virtual miracle!  All of a sudden the team was playing in the championship game - on Sunday.

We talked it over and decided that we didn't want BB#2 to think that we compromise our faith in the name of a baseball game - even a championship one.  BB#2 was pretty good about it.  It was what it was, and he accepted that.  I think I had the hardest time of anyone - which really, really surprised me.  I knew that although the coach was understanding of our stance, he really wanted his first baseman.  (He had used up his arm Friday and although unable to pitch, BB#2 was still an integral part of the team).  I struggled with the commitment to the team, with the strictness of our stance, with the look on my boy's face when he realized he wouldn't be there with his team battling for first place.

Between text updates from another player's mom, we talked to several friends whom we totally respect at church on Sunday and many (but certainly not all) said they would have let their kid play.  There was an award ceremony that evening and we figured that might be a good compromise - letting him receive his trophy with the team.  However, we didn't get enough notice and missed that as well. The whole thing left me feeling both disappointed and frustrated.  The team lost the championship, and came in second overall.

I guess the real question is what is the right thing to do?  I know a lot of people will say just let him go to the game.  But doesn't that teach him to compromise his principals?  Do we really want to send that message to an almost eleven year old?  I don't want him beginning adolescence with the notion that principles are situational.  And yes, sometimes it's hard.  Really, really hard to do what you believe is right. 

Some will say you just obey the commandments - there is a reason they aren't called the Ten Suggestions. Diamond dealt with this many times as a kid, and he missed more than one game in the name of keeping the Sabbath Day holy.  (It's part of the reason why I married him - I admired his dedication).  But that feels so black and white - a way of thinking that I'm not particularly fond of.  When we travel our Sabbath observance certainly looks different.  If we accommodate that, why wouldn't we make an exception for this?
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Brace Face

Today Big Boy #1 got his braces on. Here is the 'before' shot.
The whole thing only took about a half hour. He was feeling pretty good right after (I think the frozen yogurt I treated him to helped a bit.) But by the time he got home from school, he was starting to ache quite a bit.

I'm thinking if I just hang onto these pictures of him getting the braces put on, I can use it to scare away some girl in the future.
Who could've guessed that braces would actually make this kid CUTER?
In case his four bowls of cereal for breakfast, constant complaining about being tired and endlessly outgrowing shoes and pants wasn't enough, after getting his braces on, this kid is definitely a teenager now!

Archaeology

The basic premise of archeology is that by studying the physical environment in which a society lives, one could get a sense of the people and culture that inhabited the area. I started to wonder what an archaeologist might think if they stumbled upon our home with no one home. I think it would become pretty clear, pretty quickly, that we have a house full of boys.

Like the Nerf darts that landed on the kitchen counter.
And the Nerf dart hanging on the curtain in the family room. And on the floor of the master bath. And embedded in the Christmas tree... Pretty much there are Nerf darts EVERYWHERE.
Speaking of cabinets, what about the Spider Man that was spotted climbing up those things.
Then there is the handcuffs hanging from the clock in the foyer.

One quick glimpse at the closets here and you would have to notice a total dearth of anything pink.
Certainly all the army guys guarding the upstairs would be an indicator that there were boys in the house.
Who knows what you might find on the decorative shelf above the foyer. Shoes? Paper airplanes? More Nerf darts? Yup, all that and more.
Yea, I don't think it would take long at all to figure out that we are a houseful of boys. And I LOVE it!

At Least He's Thorough

The Caboose came home from kindergarten yesterday with a pile of writing he had worked on over the last several months. Let me 'transcribe' this one for you, written January 4, 2012:


"My resolution is to not say bad words like butt and fart, stupid, poopie, pee, boobie, boob, your butt is ugly and your face is ugly and your butt is ugly and poop is ugly."

Well, at least the list is pretty thorough...

(There was also a full book he wrote about his little girlfriend. That one wasn't as disgusting. Maybe there is hope???)

Super Tuesday

While Romney and Santorum were fighting over votes in Ohio, Massachusetts and Georgia, Big Boy #2 was working to earn votes himself. The kids at school were getting ready for their big field trip to Ameritowne.


It's a place designed to teach children financial literacy and the basics of community life. In preparation for the field trip, the kids had to fill out an application, interview for jobs or run for elected office. BB#2 ran for Mayor of Ameritowne. He prepared a PowerPoint presentation and easily won the primary (his actual class). The next step was to present in front of the whole fifth grade. On Super Tuesday the results came in, and he won Mayor!!!

Yesterday the kids headed to Ameritowne. It's an amazing place, that feels a bit like Main Street in Disneyland. All of the kids had uniforms/costumes that corresponded to their jobs. At the market, they wore aprons, at the hospital, they wore lab coats, etc. The Mayor? He wore this bad boy.


Each student is given a specific job and as the Mayor, BB#2 had to begin the day by taking the oath of office and then giving a speech to the entire group.

As head of the government, he then swore in the Ameritowne police officers.

But if you ask him, probably his very favorite part was ceremoniously cutting the ribbon with these giant scissors.

Each student had work to do, but BB#2 thought that after giving his speech, he would pretty much just be hanging out. He was wrong. There was a lot to keep this young mayor busy.

To start, each business had applied for a business license, and the Mayor had to get those filled out and distributed. Then he worked on their web site, filled in for the judge when she was on break and also selected the winner of the Ameritowne Stamp Design competition. "I have to do a lot of signatures today!"

As part of learning about personal finance, each worker received a paycheck, which they deposited at the 'bank'. They were encouraged to save some of their money as well as invest in high, medium, or low risk stocks. They each had a debit card and checkbook. With the left over money the kids shopped at each other's stores - for real things, like snacks or small toys.

At the end of the day, he was a part of the closing ceremonies, distributing certificates to all the business leaders of the community.

As a social studies teacher, I was beyond impressed with what those students learned at Ameritowne: supply and demand, interview skills, investment risk, money management, the basics of running a business, advertising, etc. And they had a fabulous time while doing it.

BB#2 was on cloud nine the entire time. He loved that his peers were calling him "Mayor" all day long, he loved the free stuff he received from the townspeople, (Whaaa? Corruption already???) and he loved his picture and interview on the cover of the Ameritowne newpaper. Overall, a GREAT experience!

Two Thumbs Up

The Caboose has been sucking his thumb since he was a newborn baby. The pediatrician figured that this habit probably started in the womb.

While my other babies were pacifier addicts, this one opted for his thumb - always there, always accessible. He slept better than his brothers, because he was able to soothe himself. I remember expressing concern to my sister in law, Jill. Wouldn't it ruin his teeth? Her response was "Hey, the kid will need braces either way, right? You might as well enjoy the good sleep." I took her advice, figuring it would all work out well enough.

So the Caboose kept sucking his thumb while clinging to his soft, silky blankie. When the other boys were about two or three years old, we took their Nuks away. It wasn't too much of a problem. One or two bad nights and they were able to move on. (Big Boy #2 gave his Nuk to Santa - who left him a special present for being such a big boy). But one of the problems with sucking a thumb is that you can't exactly take it away. Always there? Always accessible? Yup.

The Caboose kept sucking his thumb, and frankly, I had a hard time really trying to stop it. He just looked so stinkin' sweet with his thumb in his mouth. When he turned five he declared he was finished. That didn't even last an hour. We took away his blankie, but he just found other soft things to rub his fingers on; his brothers' silky althetic shorts, the soft sheets on the bed, he would even play with my hair or rub his fingers over my skin to find something soft. When he swore of his thumb the night before he turned six, I wasn't too optimistic.

But he did it. Once he woke up on his birthday, he didn't suck his thumb all day. He was in high spirits and very proud of himself. However, by nightfall, he was tired and wanted to fall asleep with his thumb in his mouth. The way he has done every single night of his entire life. He was crying and saying "I can't do it! It's too hard!" I tried to console him. I bribed him with a Slurpee if he could make it through the night. I encouraged him to say a little prayer that he would be able to make it.

A little bit later I heard him say "YES! Heavenly Father did it!!!" "Did what?" I asked. "He made it easy to not suck my thumb!" (Love this for sooo many reasons.) He made it through the night and we celebrated with a Slurpee the next day.

He's been doing great ever since. A couple quick slip ups in the morning, but otherwise he has stayed strong. Talk about willpower! He just decided he was done, and BAM! Done!

Then last night he was having another hard night. He was tired and just wanted to suck his thumb. I brought him downstairs and let him lay on the couch to fall asleep. As he finally drifted off I notice his little mouth working away - no thumb, but sucking in his sleep much the way he did was he was a baby and his thumb had fallen out of his mouth. My little baby is growing up. I'm so proud of him, but I will miss the tenderness of my little baby with his thumb in his mouth. Man I love that kid!

Six

The Caboose is SIX! We celebrated this momentous occasion with a Phineas and Ferb birthday party. Here he is with the Perry the Platypus birthday cake. (Thanks Carolyn for the fondant recipe!)

Phineas and Ferb's older sister Candice is always trying to get her little brothers in trouble and is known for the phrase "You're busted!" In her honor, we had a "You're busted" balloon pop. Most of the kids loved it, but there were a couple who weren't so keen on the loud noise. Oops!
Doctor Doofenshmirtz is always trying to catch Perry the Platypus. So the kids made these contraptions to catch Perry - complete with a cookie for bait. We named each contraption after the kid who made it, like the "Donavin-inator 6000". It was really cute.

We played "Where's Perry" hide and seek and also let the kids make there own "Ice Cream Invention". It was a great little party and I think the kids had a fun time.

After the party we headed off to Red Robbin for a birthday dinner. (Of course the only reason they pick Red Robbin is for the shake and the sundae.)

Here's the Caboose at age SIX:
-The Caboose LOVES: reading, playing with his brothers (and his brothers friends), McDonald's, soccer, his Nintendo DS, having friends over, playing on mom's iPod
-The Caboose HATES: When his brother's bug him, being treated like a baby, sleeping in his own bed, and when Diamond sings
-Favorite subject in school: recess
-Favorite food: Taco soup

Happy birthday little man. We love you TONS and TONS and even more than that!

Yay!

I hate the idea of having a braggy blog, but sometimes you just can't help it! Big Boy #1 has earned his Life Scout. Yay!
You'd never guess that there may have been a bit of parental urging to earn all those merit badges, huh? (Although I have fallen in love with Merit Badge colleges!)
Every time a scout earns a rank advancement, they present their mom with a Mother's Pin. Honestly, Diamond deserves this way more than I do. Next stop? Eagle baby!
Meanwhile, Big Boy #2 earned the "Rising Star" award from the University of Denver.
It's an award for students who demonstate strong leadership and hard work. Sounds like BB#2 to me! The best part was that the prize was 15 tickets to a DU Men's Basketball game.
With fifeteen tickets to share, there was enough for Big Boy #1 and his pals, and their cousin too.

Silly boys!
Good job buddy!

First Date: McDonalds

This little girl has managed to capture the Caboose's heart. You can certainly see why, she's a total cutie!
And just like any smitten boy, the Caboose wanted to woo her with a nice meal - at McDonald's. And he wanted to pay for her. I told him it wasn't necessary, but he thought that "It would be nice to do." He earnestly saved up his money until he had $6.00. Enough for two happy meals. He worried "What if she orders something more expensive? What do I do Dad???" Diamond just laughed and said "Amen brother!"
The Caboose wrote the date down in his calendar and counted down the days. When it was finally time, he gathered up all his money into a baggie and the three of us headed to McDonald's.
They had a great time, running and playing and his little friend was kind enough to bring money for two ice creams. If this was my thirteen year old, or even my ten year old I probably wouldn't have been quite so on board with everything. But at five years old, I find the whole thing terribly adorable.

But then I heard the Caboose come out with these gems: "Sometimes I get thirsty chasing the girls" or "I'm kinda fast 'cuz I chase girls." Yeah, I probably need to worry.

Christmas 2011

Christmas speed by again this year. Here are some of our highlights. The Caboose went to see Santa at the library. (Where Santa told the kids that his favorite cookie was chocolate chip, despite our tradition of leaving sugar cookies. The whole time we were decorating the cookies, the Caboose kept telling me we were making the wrong kind of cookie. Oh well.) This year he wanted a pirate ship.

As excited as he was to see Santa, the Caboose really, really wanted to see the Grinch. We saw him last year and the boys loved it! The Grinch gave him a broken candy cane and the Caboose thought it was SOOO funny! He talked about it all year, and would laugh "That silly Grinch!"

We were so excited to have my niece come spend Christmas break with us. Here the kids are making gingerbread houses at Nanna's with cousin Kari.

This is a tradition my mom started back when I was a kid! It's a ton of work for her but we all just love it!


Here's how BB#2 described it in a school writing assignment: "So much candy made in to a house?  You can't miss!!!  You feel like a gingerbread builder when you build a gingerbread house.  It makes you very happy.  But then eating it thebest part.  You say "Destroy" and crush the house to pieces.  It tastes so good.  The taste is so good, it's indescribable.  You feel like a giant going to destroy a city."

Can you even FIND the house for all the candy on this thing? Their goal was to cover every possible inch with candy. I think they achieved their goal. Crazy! (My favorite part is the little pond - melted Jolly Ranchers - complete with candy fish.)

One treat for me this holiday season was when my old college roommate came into town. We had lunch and went shopping. SO much fun! She's from Arizona and was mesmerized by the snow - "Look! We're leaving footprints as we walk!" Ha!


This year was a white Christmas with lots of snow. On Christmas Eve Diamond took the boys sledding. Except for Big Boy #2, who had walking pneumonia all break.


From BB#2's paper: "The snow feels like needles hitting your skin.  You flip and flop but still try, try again until you amke it all the way down the steep hill.  Sledding is one of hte most fun activities of the season."

Christmas Eve is always celebrated at my parents house. Dinner and the nativity. Here are the wise men (wise boys?)


The nativity with all the cousins:


We always have the kids play their musical instruments as part of the program. This year Big Boy #2 performed on the trombone for the first time:

Another tradition is that we have some kind of hunt or activity where the kids 'earn' their new jammies. We did a variation of the Amazing Race for the pajama hunt this year. One of the tasks was organizing these drawing of the life of Christ in chronological order. The kids also had to memorize what the angels said to the shepherds and eat some goat cheese and olives.

After the pajama hunt Christmas Eve. (This years jammies have the helmets of all the NFL teams.)

All the cousins in their new Christmas jammies. (BB#2 is doing the Tebow.)

The boys call this the Christmas Club. On Christmas Eve they all gather in Big Boy #1's bedroom to play games and eat snacks while waiting for Santa. They go so far as to drag in an extra mattress.

After Santa came: This year's big gift was a new TV and entertainment center for the family. (Thus the huge boxes.)

Big Boy #1 was thrilled to get a 'chalker' - the device that sprays chalk on sports fields - for the backyard. The Caboose's favorite gift was a light up scooter. And they all were excited for the new wii game, Madden 12.

Big Boy #2's favorite gifts were a Bronco's coat and tickets to the opening night of the Nuggets.

Since Christmas was on Sunday this year, we took a break from the festivities to head to church. We normally have church at 9:00am, but they moved it back to 10:00 for Christmas day. Thank goodness! I was about to launch a full rebellion over having such an early service! Here are my handsome boys!

After church we headed over to my parents for Christmas Part II. (The kids regularly say that Nanna and Grandpa are better than Santa.) Probably the biggest surprise of the afternoon was when Dad got Mom an iPad. She was so surprised! I love her expression.

At Nanna's, Big Boy #1 scored this programmable, electronic sign. The perfect addition to his diet Pepsi Center! He spent the whole afternoon playing with it and getting it to say cool things.

The Caboose scored a Nintendo dsXL. He LOVES it and plays on it waaaaay too much.

At BB#2 scored a nice, new bike. As well as some new ds and wii games.

Overall, it was a great Christmas. My favorite part is that we enjoy so much down time without all the hustle and busyness of regular life. No school, no scouts, no sports, nothing but family time. Merry Christmas!