February. . . Kids say. . .

We are driving by a cemetery and Landry says "Mom, when you die I'm going to plant you in that garden."

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Landry:  I like brown people.

Me:  You should.  They are no different than you are, they just have a different color skin.

Landry:  I really like brown people.  Especially when they can speak Spanish.  

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Landry and Nolan love to dip their chicken (and everything else) in mayonnaise.  When we get Chick-fil-A, I let them each have one packet of mayo.  When they run out, they just have to eat the rest of their food without it.  Landry asked why they can't have all of the mayo they want and I told her b/c it wasn't good for your body.  Of course, she wanted to know exactly why it's not good for your body.  I tried to sum it up by saying that eating too much of anything makes you heavy and that being heavy makes your heart work harder than it should.  She summed it up by saying "Oh, you mean it gives you a big bottom?"  A lot of you probably know my mortifying story of being in the grocery store when Landry was three and having her watch a very large woman walking in front of us.  She said with complete shock and loud enough for everyone in NC to hear her "Whoa, Mom!  That girl has a big bottom!!!"  I'm sure you can imagine how wonderful I felt at that moment.  Following that day, we have had many conversations about etiquette and keeping certain thoughts contained inside of your head.  We have also had many conversations about how bottoms get big.  Oh, how I wish I could defer those questions to her Daddy. . .

The other day, this is the conversation we had at lunch.

Landry:  Nolan, don't eat too much mayonnaise because your bottom will get big.  Boys look silly with big bottoms.  Only girls should have big bottoms.

Me:  Not all girls have big bottoms.  

Landry:  You do.

I love those warm-fuzzy moments around the dinner table. . .

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Nolan to Corinne:  Rinney Pie, you don't have some bunch of hair like I do, but I love your mohawk.

 

The Match

About a year ago in my MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) group, the woman that heads it up, Jane, had an eye-opening task for us.  I challenge each of you to do it as you go along, actually writing down your answers.  Don't read ahead before you write your own answers.

Jane:  "On your sheet of paper, write down the three things you spend most of your time doing."

(Pause)

Jane:  "Now, write down the three things that are most important in your life."

(Pause)  Go ahead, write your answers.  I'll wait for you to finish. . .

Here is what I wrote:

The three things I spend most of my time doing:

1) Laundry 

2) Taking care of the kids 

3) Cleaning/cooking

The three things that are most important to me:

1) God

2) My husband

3) My children

Jane:  "Now, see how the match up."

I'm sure you are realizing that my answers did not match up with each other.  Did yours?  I'm telling you, I think about this little "task" more often than you can imagine.  It was shocking to me.  It was confusing to me.  Most of all, it was gut-wrenchingly sad to me.  As I sat on my computer today checking my e-mail, updating Facebook, looking at clothing sales, etc., I was tapped on the shoulder by my conscience and asked if I had forgotten the sinking feeling I had that day so long ago in MOPS.   Did I not remember how I had pledged to make these two lists identical?  Had I already forgotten that my time should be spent with that which is most important to me?  I had.  I do.  Everyday, I have to remind myself.  I don't know why it doesn't just happen that the people and things that are most important to you take up the largest portion of your day.  Or. . . maybe it does.  Maybe it does and that is why I had that sinking feeling when I compared my lists.  Maybe my lack of "me" time has manifested itself in other ways.  After all, if I need some time alone, I'm sure to find it when I'm cleaning the bathrooms, sorting Landry, picking up groceries, vacuuming, cooking supper, and the many other monotonous chores that cloud my days.  Rarely does anyone jump up to join me for those things.  But, I become more and more aware that my priorities are out of whack.  My first-born is already five.  My son wonders why he can't start kindergarten with his big sis.  My "newborn" is half way through her seventh month and rolling all over the place.  

As I am repeatedly reminded throughout the day that time is not standing still waiting for me to get it together, I find myself negotiating the lists.  More importantly, I find myself praying for help to make them match. 

 

January - Kids Say. . .

This is a new addition to my blog.  I am going to put the funny things my kids say from each month.  Here are a few from this past month.

We are planning a trip to Disney World.  Of course, this has been the topic of many conversations at our house.

Landry:  "Mom, what do they have at Disney World?"

Me:  "Everything."

Landry:  "Do they have snow?"

Me:  "No, I don't think they have snow."

Landry:  "Then why did you say they have everything?"

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During the presidential inauguration:

Me:  "That's George W. Bush.  That's Barack Obama.  That's Joe Biden."

Landry:  "Where are Stafford and Moreno?"

(For those of you who don't know, Stafford was the quarterback for Georgia and Moreno was their super-star running back.  Yes, our kids are brain-washed.)

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McDonald's recently opened within a mile of our house.  Unfortunately, we have to pass by there every time going to or from school.  Nolan is very interested in new things and as we were passing by one day he said "Mama, that house is pretty!  I said "that's not a house, it's McDonald's."  He said "Donald's house is pretty!"  Since it has opened, the kids beg to go there.  (They have only eaten McDonald's once or twice.  I REALLY don't like McDonald's.)  One day after school, they talked me into getting them lunch from there.

Nolan:  "Can we go to Donald's?"

Me:  "How about Chick-Fil-A?"

Nolan and Landry:  "Noooooo.  Please go to McDonald's."

Me:  "Fine, we'll go through the drive-thru."

We come up to the speaker and the guy tells us that the credit card machine is broken and they can only take cash.  I NEVER have cash, so we had to leave.  

Nolan:  "Don't drive.  You didn't get our food!"

Me:  "We can't get anything from there because their credit card machine is broken."

Nolan:  "Can we please go get them some batteries so they can fix it?"

That's about all that I can remember from January.  The funniest thing we have going on right now is Nolan reading Goodnight Moon.  It has become an R-rated version due to the fact that Nolan cannot clearly say "sitting".  So it's "and there were three little bears s_itting on chairs. . .  "  Of course, we can't help but ask him "What were they doing on the chairs?"