First Allowance

Harper got her first allowance today. After marveling at the two stacks of shiny quarters, her sole purpose in life became spending all of them immediately. So after lunch we walked down to the corner drug store so that Harper's wildest fantasies could become a reality.

After much debate, she settled on one imported plastic, glowing kitten night light-like thing. It changes colors. Oh, and it's covered in hearts, so she had to have it. Obviously. 

On the way to the register, Will spied the diecast metal cars (I should have had the foresight to take the next aisle over, and I have regretted my decision ever since.) and refused to proceed until he had thoroughly perused them. As I had just cleared out the toy bins of several gruesomely disemboweled vehicles (thanks to our future engineer), and Harper was purchasing something for herself, I decided to let him pick one out. He sweetened to a cherry red ambulance which we purchased in haste.

Not two and a half minutes after leaving the store Will LOST it. "School bus, mama! Not ambulance! Go back! Go back!" he wailed for the next ten minutes. He clearly had pre-nap buyer's remorse and my patience was wearing thin.

I reasoned: two year olds cannot possibly comprehend the weight of their decisions. If he were to calm down I might consider exchanging the offending ambulance for the school bus that he now pined for, and then my burgeoning headache might subside. So I asked him, "Will, would you like the school bus and not the ambulance?"

He brightened immediately. "Yes, mama."

"If you are calm and sit in the stroller, we will go back to the store and buy the school bus, but there will be no more ambulance."

"Yes, mama! Yes! School bus! New school bus!" He chanted cheerily, and handed me the ambulance. I kissed his sticky, tear-stained cheek and we headed back to the store.

It turns out that, shockingly, two year olds are fickle. He found the beautiful school bus for which he was longing not quite so spectacular upon our return. Finally, after an inordinately long decision making process, he chose a police jeep with a shiny light bar and articulated doors. We thanked the cashier for being so accommodating and exited the store.

Then, not thirty seconds after leaving, Will began bawling.

"Go back, mama! Fire engine! Not police jeep!"

And that, my friends, is why you don't negotiate with a terrorist.        

  

Island Vacation

Brad's parents very generously treated his entire family to a week long family vacation on Anna Maria Island. We just got back and are still de-vacationing. 

The weather was a little cool but, for those of us who have experienced an unseasonably hot winter this year it was a welcome change. And, except for the tornado, it was beautiful. 

The kids spent all week alternating between playing at the beach and swimming at the beach house in the (barely) heated pool. They ate nothing but fruit and cheese sandwiches and were perpetually shivering. Basically, it was the happiest I've ever seen them. Plus, it was Uncle Ed's birthday, so that made it extra celebratory. (Photo Credit: Ed Booker)

Brad's mother made matching skirts for Harper and cousin Zoe, and picked out a complimentary country-western shirt for Will so Uncle Ed could get some portraits of the kids together. 

Our attempt at a family photo. Nailed it.

Cousins.

I think Harper's face says it all here.

This is the only one of Nana smiling. I love it.

The Bookers. 

After the photoshoot, we headed down to the beach and I got a couple of quick shots. 

It was such a relaxing week I simply didn't get my camera out to take the pictures I wanted to take, so on the final day I got a couple of final shots of Brad and the kids before we headed out.

It was wonderful to see all the Bookers! We need to figure out how to make this an annual event. Thank you again for a wonderful week, Ann and Daryl! 

Excerpt from a Homeschool Log

10:00 am              Start Time

10:01 am              Give puppy chew toy. Put puppy in the kitchen and lock baby gate.

10:02 am              Put Truck Tunes on TV and Mighty Machines on computer for toddler. 

Also place a dozen of toddler’s favorite toys strategically around the living room.

10:05 am              Tell schooler to finish with morning chores and sit down at the table.

10:06 am              Empty dishwasher.

10:07 am              Toddler wants a snack. Get toddler milk and graham crackers.

10:12 am              Finish emptying dishwasher. Start folding laundry.

10:16 am              Check on schooler. Schooler informs me she needs to use the restroom.

10:21 am              Folding laundry. Smell something coming from the kitchen. Clean puppy pee and poop. Put puppy outside.

10:31 am              Toddler needs milk refill.

10:36 am              Where the heck is schooler? Find schooler engrossed in a book on the commode. Give schooler 4 minute ultimatum. Set timer.

10:40 am              Begin schooling. Review homonyms.

10:48 am              Notice smell emitting from living room. Change toddler’s diaper. Yell from the changing table to have schooler start on handwriting book.

10:51 am              Realize puppy is unusually quiet. Check on puppy. Puppy has dug a hole the size of a basketball in the middle of the lawn. Feel sick to my stomach. Let it go.

10:53 am              Check on schooler. Work through mistakes.

11:00 am              Money puzzles.

11:03 am              Toddler is afraid of trucks- wants cuddles. Bribe toddler with alphabet cookies and new video.

11:05 am              Check on puppy. Puppy is chewing on unidentified mushroom. Run to the neighbor’s house to borrow Hydrogen Peroxide.

11:10 am              Administer Hydrogen Peroxide to puppy. Move homeschooling outside. Draw food webs in chalk on the patio while puppy vomits the contents of her stomach.

11:32 am              Puppy has finished vomiting. Clean remaining vomitus. Crate puppy.

11:37 am              Back inside. Write short captions for each of schooler’s drawings from the night before.

11:40 am              Hear toddler in the bathroom. Find toddler playing with favorite toys in the toilet.

11:42 am              Bathe toddler.

11:43 am              Instruct schooler to just do some pages in her mazes and puzzle book.

11:58 am              Dry and clothe toddler. Add bleach to tub. Throw toys in tub.

11:59 am              Reconsider going back to work full-time.

12:00 pm              Lunch!