two boys in a box....

 

Wulf and Tennyson came over last night with their mama, Margaret, and auntie Evelyn (their daddy, Adrian, went snowboarding with Jonathan)...we made a feast: Paul made chili, they made pizza, and wings with their famous "sticky sauce", it tastes just like the Chipotle Chicken Crispers sauce....the boys had some rides in the box, too cute.

Wulf will be four in a few months, and he talks like a miniature adult.  He's so sincere, so kind and caring, but also has tons of energy.  Tennyson is more laid back, only 16 months old, more low-key...but he's starting to get more of a will, as even the nicest of us has, ha.  Last evening, he thought the place to be was on top of the dining room table.  He thought it was a funny game to be scooped down from it.   :)

Yesterday was bitterly cold....below zero again in the night, but today is milder, and the sun is shining on the snow.  I finally got my act together and packed.  I gathered up all possible clothes, tried some on (oh dear, that wasn't fun!), washed two loads (darks and lights), then jettisoned half of them.  The airbnb has a washer and dryer, so I plan to travel there and back in the same clothes, a comfy dress with pockets, and some leggings...

We went to church today, and it was good to see everyone, good to have some coffee afterward and talk.  The girls run a mini coffee bar, and some of us bake things they sell, money goes in their conference travel fund.  (Since traveling isn't really a thing right now, many of their conferences have been local, but we try to make them fun and adventurous!)

I have chicken soup in the crock pot, but Miss Cam simply can't wait until dinner, and is eating ravioli.  She loves frozen cheese ravioli, boiled up, with just butter, salt, and pepper.  I don't get it.  (late lunch).  What?!  She's #16, so yeah, a little spoiled.  The last four, the final 25%, are all a bit spoiled...and I'll try to explain why....

I have learned a few things through the years.  Kids are all different, but they ALL need to be treated with respect, and it takes more patience sometimes than a human being is capable of, but when I've asked God for more, He's never let me down.  Kids are rebellious, they can't help it, it's how they're wired, some more than others, and some stages more than others, like the terrible twos, and threes, and fours, ha....but teenagers, oh dear.  It's like they're victims of this contrary nature, they can help it but they can't, if that makes sense.  

So dealing with them requires mama to take a deep breath, and don't take the bait.  If they're itching for an argument, do not engage!  Mom doesn't have to win anything.  It's not about winning arguments!   It's about putting your foot down as little as possible, only on the most important of things, giving them freedom to be themselves, express themselves, but also being an example in what you teach them to do.  I can't scream my head off, and tell them to be patient!  So I have to live the life that I encourage them to live, and that's a true, genuine, and difficult thing, you can't fake it.  So meet them with warmth, and let them know what you expect of them....and be humble and think about it when they give YOU an exhortation, ha.  (No one wants to be talked down to, no one wants to be yelled at...I remember being in the store a few years back, and this guy just YELLING, not even loudly, but harshly, at a kid who looked to be around 13...the kid was hiding behind his hair, but he glanced at me and looked absolutely mortified. I wanted to hug him, I wanted to slap the guy for humiliating this boy....).  Respect goes both ways, you have to respect your kids if you want them to respect you.

(Just in case anyone wanted any unsolicited parenting advice, ha...)

Anyway, the years of having little children fly by, and I supposed I'm holding on to being mommy.  I'll always be their mother, but you know what I mean.  It changes, they grow up and into their own lives, and I become a friend, which is a good thing...but it's not the same.  So I'm holding on to it, and enjoying the mommy days, with all of my heart.  

These two younger girls of mine love anime, and they watch it with subtitles.  (It helped Miss Char become a good reader, really fast, when we discovered shows with subtitles, several years ago!). It rather drives me batty, but I learn to tune it out.  

So the car is driving better, still some icy wheels, but not nearly as bad.  How many years have I lived in the land of frozen, and I'm just learning about the shaking because of deep snow?  One teenage son did drive it down some unplowed roads, and was quite impressed with how it handled.  I was quite unimpressed that he drove MY car through deep snow.  And he is a really good kid, but they just don't seem to always think things through.

So tomorrow, heading to the airport....then to Fort Lauderdale!  The airbnb has a pool...we'll go to the beach once or twice, but are thinking of mostly just getting some sun by the pool....I also plan to go to Publix a few times, mm hmm.  I wish I had take pics of every single far-away grocery store I've been in while traveling, but no one would care, except me, because I am a genuine grocery store nerd.  Safeway, Piggly Wiggly, Fred Myer, Sprouts, WinCo....such fun!  

Ah well....hopefully I'll be able to fit the laptop in the backpack, and bring you all along on my little vacation!  Have a really good afternoon!