{Highlights from today}

The past couple days have been unusually cold. Bitter bitter cold. Olivia left her coat in the car (again) so as we were putting it on, in the garage before getting into the car, she said, "Brrrr.......Mommy! It's so cold! I'm freezing...like a woman!"

A couple funny things that Will said to me tonight when I took the kids out to dinner:

"Don't look at me that way Mommy, I had nothing to do with that." Over the spilled pepper on the table that both he and Olivia were eating.


"That's a MILLION times better." In response to me giving him permission to dip his steak in ketchup.

{Future Inventor}

Each week Will & Olivia bring home a stack of work from school, mainly artwork.  Yesterday Phil was able to pick Will up from school and when they got home, they went through each piece of art together.

When Phil asked Will to tell him about a particularly detailed drawing, Will explained his machine thoroughly and ended with, "...so it sucks your car in here and sucks you in there and then you push the blue button and pull the red lever and then you come out and you're a car, but you can still talk."

{Big Brother}

Just overheard:

Olivia came downstairs from her bedroom and Will asked her, "Olivia, why aren't you watching your {My Little Pony} movie? Don't you like it?"

"No. It wasn't the song part."

"Hmmmmm....I think I know what might be the problem. Let me see if I can help."

....and up the stairs they went.

{A Labor of Love}

For about 6 months now, both Will & Olivia have had small chores to do around the house. They are both so eager to help, so I figure I better make the most of it!  One of Will's jobs is to open the shutters downstairs in the morning and close them at night when it starts to get dark.  At first, he was great about doing it without being asked, but lately has needed repeated reminders.  I recently found the cutest reward chart online and printed a version for both Will & Olivia.  Will has been super excited to earn stars and has asked me repeatedly for more things he can do for me to earn more stars {WHOO HOO!}.  He gets a star for doing the blinds if I don't have to ask him first. So far, he's been doing it everyday.

Yesterday, as I was hurrying to get out the door for work, Will informed me, "Mom, I did the blinds today without being asked. I just want you to know that I really don't like to do the blinds. It's not something I like to do, but I did it because I know it helps you and I love you.  I do them because I love you."

What more can I ask for?

{A Child's Prayer}

"Dear Heavenly Father, I hope you had a fabulous day in Heaven today and I hope you have only sweet dreams tonight. And please bless that I will only have good dreams, and no bad dreams. And please bless we will be able to have a fun day as a family tomorrow. In Jesus name, Amen." - Will

{Singing is the best medicine}

Olivia has an uncanny ability to remember and recite lyrics to songs. It cracks me up when I hear her singing Nirvana's In Bloom while she tools around my bathroom while I get ready in the morning or Duffy's Mercy as we drive to school. And now, thanks to our recent trip to NYC, (where she saw the Broadway musical), her latest (and perhaps more age-appropriate) singing obsession is Mary Poppins.  She loves to sing all of the songs, but in particular, Spoonful of Sugar & It's a Jolly Holiday with Mary.  


Lately, Olivia has developed a wee obsession with eating peanut butter & honey on a spoon. Who can blame her?  Well, just now, while eating her favorite snack, she started singing, "Just a spoonful of peanut butter helps the honey go down! The honey go dooooooooooown the honey go down!"

{Choosing the Right, finally?}

Today marked the start of a new {Primary} year at church.  Big changes, most notably that Olivia is no longer in Nursery and is finally a Sunbeam!  Also, Will graduated from the Sunbeams and is officially a CTR. CTR 4, to be exact.

When we picked up the kids from their classes, they both had so much to tell us about their new teachers, new class names, etc. etc.  Will had a picture of the CTR crest that he colored.  At the bottom, he drew a picture of a "Sunbeam" (which looks remarkably like his snowflakes & seashells).  It had a line drawn through it and he asked, "Do you know why I drew this? Because ERNT! no more Sunbeams!"  On the way home Olivia, taking a page from her big brother announced, "ERNT! no more Nursery!"

Phil asked Will what CTR stands for and he answered, "Choose the Right." Following up, Phil asked him "So, if you had a choice between yelling at your sister or not yelling at your sister, which would be the right choice?"

"NOT yelling at my sister!" Will answered gleefully.

"That's right, Will. That's Choosing the Right."

Without missing a beat, Will replied, "Good thing I went to church!"