joe is home

Joseph had a nice trip. He went 4-wheeling on atv s, went to Wyoming, Colorodo, and New Mexico, where our friends live. I asked him if he missed me, my nice handsome 16 year old son (soon to be 17), and he said he didn't. He missed his guitar, and the cat. Which seems quite true, as he has been his room playing that guitar all day....

Okay, it is warm out. Almost 80 degrees, and not a cloud to be seen. So, the girls are in their room with a blanket over their mini-blinds, playing hotel. It is too hot out, apparently. We were all out there this morning for a while. Six kids were crowded into the sand-box. Sometimes I feel so sorry for them, but they do seem to get along with other kids....and share....and they are thoughtful of others....

I am going to pack up Sam, Margaret, Kathryn, Evelyn, Suzanne, Sonja, Jonathan, Charlotte, and Camille, and go over to my brother's house this afternoon. He lives only 9 miles away, and has a huge yard, and lots of kids, cousins for these guys to play with. I sort of invited myself over....so I'm going to take a run to the closest town, 4 miles away, to the little grocery store to get some food to bring over. I really want to go to Lowes , 12 miles away,and get the electrical supplies we need to hook up the hot tub, but I don't want to bring all these guys to what they call the "toilet store"....and I am not mean enough to leave them all with Joe....

You'd think I would know by now how to get a child to listen to me. Mr. Jon has some problems in that area. Just a simple thing sometimes sets him off, he'll start crying really loudly....this morning, I told him he had to take his night-time pull-up off (he is trained, just wets at night) before breakfast. Next thing I know, he's at the table digging in. I can't just ignore it, he knows he's being disobedient. I'd LIKE to ignore it, but that laziness is not good for anyone in the long run. So, I escort him from the kitchen, and point to his clothes....he starts his crying, people here are still sleeping! I have to give him a couple swats on the behind to get him to comply, as I help him get dressed...as soon as he calms down a bit, I let him dress himself, as that's now what he wants to do.....but such a BIG deal for nothing. There are times to let them do as they like, but they have to learn to listen to mommy, too. I hate to spank a child. I never do it as a punishment, but only to get them to change their direction. And then only very sparingly. I think that the time after those conflicts is very important: I told Jon that my job as a mommy is to get him to listen to me. It I let him be disobedient, I am not doing my job. And that I love him, and want to keep him safe. It is part of my job, but it is part that I hate. Why can't they just co-operate all the time? They learn security from me saying what I mean and meaning what I say.....so I have to follow through....

Well, I need to get my rear end out of this comfy chair, again!, and get moving.