Rules were made to be KEPT!

I have this rule in my house- no walking on the furniture.

This rule also encompasses things like "no jumping on the furniture and no jumping from the furniture."

It is a rule I must remind my four-nearly-five year old of at least twice a day.

We have a wonderfully bouncy sectional in the family room. Jonz loves to walk up and down the length of it, bouncing with each step.

I've told him the many reasons we don't walk on the furniture.

"You could fall and get hurt."

"You could break something (a toy or heaven-forbid-a bone) if you fell off."

"It's not good for the couch and we want our couch to last a long time."

"I don't like it."

You know, normal reasons for the rules I've made.

So today, I gave Jonzy a bowl of popcorn and told him he could watch a show. While I readied the television, Jonz sat on the couch with his popcorn...or so I thought. I turned around just in time to see him walking across the couch carrying the popcorn bowl and lose his footing. Down he went, up went the bowl.

As he laid in shock on the popcorn covered floor, I took some steadying breaths. What follows is the conversation we had:

Me-"What happened?"
Him-"I fell."
Me-"Why?"
Him-"Cuz I was walking on the couch."
Me-"Are you supposed to walk on the couch?"
Him-"Nope."
Me-"Then why did you do it?"
Him-"Because I did."
Me- "I'm trying really hard not to yell at you, Jonzy. I am so mad right now. Do you know why I'm mad?"
Him-"Because you're mean?"

While taking more steadying breaths because I'm trying super hard not to raise my voice or yell (as has been an unfortunate habit of mine that I'm working hard to break) these thoughts ran through my head-Dagnabbit, boy! I tell you over and over again that we have this rule not to walk on the couch so we can avoid situations just like this one, you break that rule again, and I'm the mean one?!?!?!

Aaaaaaaah, the injustice of it all!

Anyway, I explained that I was mad because he knows this rule and he keeps breaking this rule and now that he's done it again we have a huge mess to clean up.

I'm hoping that the combination of the dangerous edge in my voice and the drudgery of cleaning up every piece of popcorn will keep him from breaking this rule again. I can hope, right?

And hey, at least it was spilled popcorn and not a broken arm!

Plus, now that it's over, the room is clean, and everyone's obedient again, I think it's pretty darn funny. "Because you're mean?"

Honestly.

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for fake flowers.

I love winter. And usually I love winter all the way through March. But for the past few years my love of winter has been ending earlier and earlier each time this season comes around. Mostly because I'm tired of sick kids. But we've been much healthier this winter than in years past.

Perhaps the love is over early this season because it's been an unusually warm winter. We've even had quite springy days this past month. I am reminded of how wonderful spring is each time we're given a warm sunny day and then the cold comes back.

Despite my readiness for this winter to be done and over with, I am loving that I can have flowers in the house. Really brightens the place up without having to worry about whether I can keep them alive in this weather, even inside.

I love going to Michael's and looking at all the different fake flowers they have there. So pretty.

And I love that since I was married in the dead of winter (technically it was still fall, but tell that to the snowstorm), I had fake flowers at my wedding. Why do I love this? Because I still have them! I get to keep my wedding flowers in my living room and have a constant reminder of that lovely day.

Fake flowers are awesome and I'm so glad that I get to have some in my home.

What are you thankful for today?

He hears me

I prayed last night before going to bed, as I do most nights. I love to pray, especially my night-time prayers because I'm usually more alert then than I am during my morning prayers.

Last night, as I crawled into bed after praying when I should have been stressed and worried about all sorts of things I had one of those happy-all-over moments. I was (and am) so happy that I know that when I pray, He listens.

I don't know what the future holds, but right now I'm not worried about it. I know He cares. I know He loves us.

I know that I have a Father in heaven and that He hears my prayers.

And that makes me happy:)

Injuries- Thankful Thursday

Last night I had all three boys in the twins' room while prepping the little boys for bedtime. I had Goose up on the changing table, halfway dressed in his pajamas. Jonzy and Al were on the rocking chair. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jonz hop off the chair. Al was still rocking. But next thing I know, Al is laying on his stomach on the floor between the rocking chair and the foot stool screaming his head off. I have no idea how he fell, even though I was standing right there and he was in my peripheral vision. I also have no idea how he hit his head on the stool, but he must have.

I yelled over the screaming for my husband. He tried to calm Al down, but the kid just wouldn't stop screaming. He ended up throwing up and I immediately thought, "Oh no, not a concussion!" Then Bret spotted the blossoming bump and scrape right next to Al's right eye. The little fellow is fine. Bret got him calmed down and changed into pjs. We're guessing he threw up because he was screaming so hard. We gave him some motrin, checked to make sure his pupils were dilating, and he slept fine. He's got a nice shiner now though.

I was so grateful last night that he didn't have a concussion. But this morning when I saw he had a black eye (the first for our family), I realized how grateful I am for all the protection our boys have had. Really, it's quite shocking that this is the first black eye. We pray multiple times every day that our family will be kept safe from accidents. And I've definitely seen much divine assistance in our boys' lives. Oh the close calls we've had!

I know that with three boys I've got to accept that we're highly likely to suffer through broken bones, stitches, concussions, and emergency room visits. I am so grateful that we haven't had to yet! I have this recurring nightmare that one of the boys will break their arm or leg and I have to figure out some way of getting them to the hospital without hurting them more. (How do you put a child with a broken appendage in a car seat?!) I'm really hoping we can hold off on the major injuries until the kids are older (and out of car seats:)).

I'm so thankful that my boys have been kept safe from major injuries so far in their young and rambunctious lives.

What are you thankful for today?

Thankful Thursday

This week sure has gotten away from me. I can't believe it's already Thursday.

Today is an extra special Thursday, too.

I am so grateful for Bret! I'm so grateful for the memories I have with Bret. This morning I heard that song on the radio that I believe is titled "Two is better than one" and is by ...Ihaveabsolutelynoideawhoit'sby who sings many of the songs I hear:) One line is "I remember what you wore on our first date." I heard that and suddenly pictured Bret on our very first date. That led to remembering our first date. As far as first dates go (or any date goes, for that matter), it was pretty amazing. We have so many fun memories together.

We have some not so fun memories together, too, that are just as meaningful to me. Like the time I was going to brush two year old Jonz' teeth a few days after the twins and I were home from the hospital. In his toddler rage at bedtime approaching, Jonzy hit me in my recently-operated-on stomach. I walked out of the bathroom, announced to those in the living room that someone else would need to take over teeth brushing. Then I went to Jonzy's room, sat on the rocking chair in the dark, and proceeded to have a hormone/pain driven-"I can't be a mom to three kids" sob session. From two+ years out this sounds a bit pathetic, I know. But unless you've lived through the total exhaustion and insane hormonal roller coaster that often comes with newborns, I hope you'll just take my word for it that it wasn't pathetic. Anyway, back to the point. I didn't know that Bret had followed me to the room until he was kneeling in front of me. I don't remember what he said, but I remember that he was there and that he held me and talked me through one of the darkest times in my memory.

How blessed I am to have a husband who is there in good times and bad.

Happy birthday, Bret! I love you and all the wonderful experiences and memories you've given me.

What are you thankful for today?

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful that yesterday the sun was shining.

Yesterday I awoke to the sun shining brightly into my room and the view out the window was a bright blue sky full of white fluffy clouds.

Yesterday the boys and I played out in the sun without hats, gloves, or heavy coats.

Yesterday I turned off the heater because the sun shining through the windows was enough to keep the house warm.

Yesterday.

Today the gray cloud cover is back. Today it is raining and cold. Today- no sunshine.

BUT-

Yesterday reminded me that there is so much to look forward to! Spring will be here in a couple short months and bring with it sunshine, warm rain, flowers, higher temperatures, longer days, and open windows of fresh air.

And truth be told, I love cold rainy days. I love the way the clouds sit low on the mountains and I can see the peaks over the top of them. I love first the bite of cold air and a cold nose and ears.

What are you thankful for today?

Four year old imagination

Here's a conversation I had with Jonzy today:

J-Mom, my room needs some air. I want to turn on the fan.
Me- Turning the fan on would make your room cold; I don't think we should because I want the house to stay warm.
...
J-(contorting and twisting trying to scratch his back)Mom! I'm all itchy! I need to the fan on to make me not itchy!
M- The fan would just make you cold. It won't stop you itching.
...
J- (squinting and in a strained voice)Mom! I need the fan on so my eyes won't be hot.
M-(cracking up inside) If we did that the rest of your body would be too cold.
J-I'll hide the rest of my body so it won't get cold.
M-Where will you hide it?
J-Under my bed.
M-Hmmmm, good idea. But let's just keep your body warm and the fan off instead.
J- *huuuuuhhhh*Okaaaaay.

I feel like such a kill joy, but hopefully made up for it by laying under the covers and chatting with my little four year old where we were nice and warm:) We also ended up having a snoring contest. Funny, funny, funny!