A Month of Gratitude, #14, 15, and 16

Day #14: I am grateful for the beauty of this earth, for the oceans and lakes, ambling rivers, peaceful plains, and majestic mountains.  I am also grateful for the opportunities that I have to enjoy them, through hikes and travel, and so forth.
Day #15: I am grateful for laughter, and those moments where I can make others laugh, or when I get to experience those rare belly laughs that make me teary eyed.
Day #16: I am grateful for two reliable cars. I know that as soon as I write this that one of them will break down because I am a champion at jinxing myself, but I am thankful that I have a dependable mode of transportation to get me and my family everywhere that we need to go.

Toddler Was Here

Suddenly, I'm No Longer Hungry...

Goob and I were sharing a bowl of Turkey Hill's Salty Caramel ice cream. We were attempting to take turns, but he was more than anxious waiting for his turn to come. As I was getting ready to take a bite, he coughed, and as every little kid does, he didn't cover his mouth, and all the spittle landed into the ice cream. Inevitably, it became his ice cream.
Well played, son.
Well played.

Proof We Know Too Much About The Scooter Store...

James and I watch a ridiculous amount of daytime television, particularly game shows, Golden Girls, and the like.
If you have ever noticed, a lot of the commercials during the morning hours are geared toward the elderly, with advertisements selling life insurance policies, catheters and medical supplies for diabetics, motorized scooter chairs, and lawyer consultations. During one such commercial about legal services, James looked at the featured lawyer on the screen, and got this really sad look on his face, as he cried, "Ohh no...he needs a Powerchair!"
Too much television = FAIL.

Easter Picture FAIL

I asked Goob to hold his sister during the group photo with the Easter Bunny at Story Time. He chose to look at his goody bag instead and dropped her. I have a pic of this in action. They are the two on the far left. Easter picture FAIL. ;)

Validation of My Parenting Style, Or, Why My Son Wants Breast Implants

I was raised in a pretty liberal Mormon household, as far as television, music, movies, and books were concerned. Although counsel in the Mormon church is to steer clear of rated R movies, I was allowed to watch them, provided my folks had viewed them first, and it was then that I developed a love for slasher flicks--along with classic rock, cerebral and often controversial literature, etc.
I had vowed to be as accomodating to my children's tastes as possible and within reason. I see parents asking questions on Facebook about letting their 10 or 12 year olds watch or read this or that, and I was thinking how I probably would have seen or read whatever they were talking about by the age of seven. And I think it's OK, provided there's parental moderation. I wasn't one of my fellow Mormon classmates who was sneaking out to go see rated-R movies, and I also felt comfortable asking my parents questions about life, sex, violence, etc, instead of searching for answers where I shouldn't. Also, I feel like ANYTHING can be taken out of context and made "bad" with the right material.
Case in point: the most innocent movie in the world, and one of Goob's personal favorites, Toy Story 3. He LOVES this movie, and has watched it...oh...about 900 times.
The other day, after watching it for the 901st time at his grandparents', I noticed he was walking with a swagger, a high pitched voice, and with makeshift boobs and a grin. I cautiously asked him who he was, and he excitedly answered, "BAAARRBBIIEE!!!" He spent an hour of his life being Barbie and wishing he had boobs.
ANYTHING can be taken wrong. Unless it's pornographic or intensely obscene, the key is parental moderation. My son now wants breasts thanks to Pixar. Will I ban the movie? Heck no. But, it did validate my idea that it's less to do sometimes with the material and more how we explain things to our children. Each parent has individual standards, but nothing is OK unless we provide answers to questions and a careful eye. I'd rather moderate than censor.

My Son Feels the Same Way About Twilight as I Do....

In my defense, it's not what it looks like. It's innocent. But, I'm not, for wishing he was....

The Creator of This Blog Must Have Been Inspired By My Kids...

I love the blog Sh*t My Kids Ruined. So. Very. Much. I'm not the only one with broken mini blinds and 2 year old Vaseline grease spots on my walls.

Evidence of Pottytraining: I Give You Exhibit A....

Why I Have a Sneaking Suspicion There Are Children in My House: Exhibit A

Why I am Grateful, #11, 12, 13, and 14

I'm a few days behind with my gratitude entries, so here we go:
--I am grateful today for the fact that, between grocery store reward points, the hubby winning a contest, and the yearly free turkeys at work, we will have three turkeys for the holiday season that we didn't have to pay for. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and I am grateful we have a bounty this year to celebrate.
-I am grateful for my health. I have been struggling with some minor health issues, and they can get me down at times, but I have it so much better than countless millions of people in this world, and I am thankful I have my health so I can be productive, play with my children, and enjoy the world around me.
-I am grateful for hand-me-downs and the giving nature of others, because that is less money that I have to spend when the budget is a little bit tight. My family has been able to snag some of the nicest clothing, furniture, etc. for free due to others' generosity.
-I am grateful for laughter, for things that make me laugh, for the sound of my happy children laughing, and for the ability to bring joy to others through said laughter. Can you imagine how boring and dreadful life would be without a little bit of fun?