Funnies

1.  Rexx had a friend over last week to play.  We had to go pick up Elle and Rhet from school.  As we were in the car with the radio on, Rexx asks his friend, "Brody, is this music appropriate for you?" He had to ask him a couple times because I don't think his friend knew what appropriate meant because his friend finally answered, "No."

2.  Mont is learning about the Holocaust in English.  His teacher was explaining to them that the Nazis wanted to create a perfect race of blond hair, blue eyed  people.  Mont raises his hand and says, "Blond hair, blue eyes...that's me.  Would you like me to come up to the front of the class and give a presentation on being the perfect race." His teacher shaking her head told him to be quiet. 

3.  Kade has been sick with the flu so we have quarantined him to the quest room downstairs.  I came down one morning and discovered that his phone was missing from the office.  I went in the room and asked him where his phone was.  He pulled it out from under the sheets and took it from him.  Later that afternoon he asked me if he could have his phone back.  I told him no.  He asked why...I explained to him he knows the rules and he knows we don't have phones in our rooms. He said, "Mom, I literally had it for ten seconds."  I said, "A rule is a rule." Well a couple days passed and he came to me again wanting his phone.  I told him if he wrote me a one page report on why we don't have our phones in our rooms I would give it back.  He asked if I was serious, and I told him yes.  He asked if it had to make sense.  I told him yes.  Five minutes later I had a one page report.  --What's even funnier is that on Sunday of the same week, Mont was playing games on his phone.  I took his phone away and told him if he wanted it back he had to write me a one page report on why we don't play games on our phone on Sunday.  Five minutes later I had a one page report.  I couldn't read anything he wrote...his handwriting is atrocious, but he did it.

Nose

Rexx and I were in the car on our way home from preschool when he says... "My nose is broken, it's not working very well."  I had to chuckle to myself.  He has had a cold that has been lingering and his nose has been running.  This is the only thing I can relate it to.  So funny!

Santa

Santa came to visit at Rexx's preschool a couple weeks ago.  I forgot that he was coming on this particular day to get him excited about it, until I had picked him up and heard another mother talking about seeing Santa.  As we were driving home this is our conversation.

Me:  "Rexx, did you see Santa today?"
Rexx:  "Yea, but it wasn't good."
Me:  "Why wasn't it good?"
Rexx:  "He wasn't the real Santa."
Me:  "How do you know?"
Rexx:  "He wasn't wearing glasses."
Me:  "Well, maybe he had contacts in."
Rexx:  "No, it wasn't the real Santa.  Santa wears glasses and boots.  He wasn't wearing boots either."
Me:  "Well, there is no snow in El Paso so Santa doesn't need his boots."
Rexx"  With a look of total complete disgust on his face, "No, Santa wears glasses and boots.  It wasn't the real Santa."

There was nothing I could say to change his mind.  He was pretty disappointed that the real Santa did not come today.  I couldn't believe how much detail he noticed...glasses and boots.  I will say a Santa without glasses is no Santa, but I couldn't believe he noticed his foot attire.



I was at Cabelas the other day getting Keith some last minute gifts when I saw a sign that said Santa visits these days.  I thought I better take Rexx to see Santa again...hopping this time it was the "real" Santa.  Since Christmas Eve was on Sunday, we did all our Christmas Eve traditions on the 23rd.  A must stop was to Cabelas to see Santa.  We entered the store with no one in the Santa line and Rexx was able to walk right up and sit on his lap.  It was the cutest thing ever.  He was so excited to tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas (a remote control car). They took their picture and gave it to him right there. 

Me: "Rexx, was that awesome?
Rexx:  With a huge smile on his face, "Mom, that was the real Santa. He had glasses and boots."
Me: "I know."
Rexx: "That was awesome. Where do you think his reindeer are?"
Me:  Luckily we were in an outdoor store that what I could say could be believed. "There is a fence outback with hay and the reindeer are eating."


I have never known any of my children to be so excited for Santa as he was.  Most of them never wanted anything to do with him...never wanted to sit on his lap...they liked him from a distance, but this kid went right up to him knowing he would get to sit on his lap and tell him what he wanted, and that Santa would bring it.  It was the cutest thing ever!

Freaked

The school year just ended a couple weeks ago and Kade will now be entering high school as a freshman.  Holy Smokes!  The high school has open weight room for all athletes (mostly football players) during the summer for them to work out.  He was unsure if he needed his physical from the doctor before he started working out.  I called and made two appointments.  One for Kade to get his physical and they other was for Rand to get his third shot of a three part series.  Kade went first and everything was fine and he waited out in the waiting room for Rand to be done.  I was in one of the rooms with Rand waiting to get his shot.  Rand is sitting on the table while the nurse gives him his shot in the arm.  The nurse then starts to talk to me.  As she is talking to me I am listening to her as well as glancing over at Rand...who is fine...and going back and forth.  As I glance at Rand who is still sitting on the table I see him slowly fall to his right side.  My first thought was "is he being rude and tired of us talking".  --This is all playing out in slow motion for me--  The nurse realizes what has happened and says oh he has.....(can't remember what she called it), and went to get the doctor.  I stand up and go to him.  He is still laying on his side and starts to seizure.  I am trying to stay calm, but I am totally freaked out inside. (I am thinking, what is happening to my child?)  He stops seizing and slowly sits up.  I am standing right at his knees and my face is inches from his face and I am looking him right in his eyes.  His eyes are open but are totally blank.  --As I am looking at him and seeing that his eyes are blank it brings tears to my eyes as if he's not even in there.  It was a feeling that I have never felt before and it scared me to death.  (Out of motherly instinct I'm sure, I have to touch him and just start rubbing his back.)  At this point the doctor and nurse came in and brought him some water.  He slowly was getting out of it.  He sat on the table for another 5-10 minutes till he felt like he could stand and walk.  The nurse said that with this series of shots this is normal.  It doesn't happen all the time, but it is not uncommon.  She usually keeps chocolate on hand but was all out.  She said chocolate and Gatorade will help.  As I was taking both Kade and Rand to see Keith to get their braces adjusted afterwards, we stopped at the Circle K and I bought what was needed for Rand.  The seven minute drive to Keith's office Rand said the chocolate really helped.  He was still not back to "normal," and the nurse said he would be lethargic all day, but I was glad that he was slowly coming back. 

--Rand calls it his worst day ever and is now afraid of shots.  I don't blame him.  I would be too.

Listening

The other day I was taking Rhet to his baseball game, when he asked me a question that turned into a nice, sweet, teaching moment. 

Rhet: "Mom, I can't hear him."
Me:  A little confused, asked "What?"
Rhet:  "I can't hear him."
Me:  "What do you mean you can't hear him.  Who?"
Rhet:  "Remember when you said that Heavenly Father is always talking to us and if we just listen then we will be able to hear him."
Me:  I somewhat remember this but I can't remember if it was recent or not.  I replied "Yes."
Rhet:  "Well, I have been trying to listen but I don't think he's talking to me."
Me:  "He's always talking to you.  He doesn't always say your name.  He doesn't say Rhet...Rhet.  Sometimes he does, but mostly He talks to you through feelings and thoughts.  He uses the Holy Ghost to talk to you".  I continued, "Do you know when you sing in primary and it makes you happy inside."
Rhet: "Yes."
Me:  "Well, that's the Holy Ghost talking to you and telling you what you sang was right and true. Do you feel those things?"
Rhet: "Yes."
Me:  "Then He's talking to you.  Do you ever have a thought that you should do something, and that thought is good?"
Rhet:  "Yes."
Me:  "That's the Holy Ghost talking to you too. He speaks to you mostly through thoughts and feelings.  But once and awhile He will say your name. He is always talking to you, but only if your being good and keeping the commandments."
Rhet: Finally understanding, "Ohhh. Okay."
Me:  "So, has he been talking to you?"
Rhet: "Yea."

It was a really sweet moment, that took me a little by surprise when he started talking. But what a great kid.  It was such a testimony to me that my kids are always watching and listening...even when I don't think they are listening.  I never know what my kids will take to heart when I talk to them.  I didn't know that he had been trying to listen to Heavenly Father until this conversation.  It made me happy to know that he had put it to the test and tried to listen.  I remember right before I received my patriarchal blessing I had really been trying to listen to the Holy Ghost.  I was 15 and I put it to the test as well.  I don't remember if I had a lesson on it from church or a family home evening on it or where the thought came,  "to experiment upon the word."  But I do remember after I received my patriarchal blessing and read it for the first time, that there is a line in my blessing that states. "You have tried hard to listen to that still small voice." It shook me a little bit, because God knew that I really had been trying hard to listen to His voice...and that God really does know me.
-Moments like the one I had with Rhet I will treasure.  What a sweet and good kid he is!

A Special Moment

I wanted to record this so I don't forget.

Last night Kade had a school basketball game.  We arrived at the school and as we walked in I noticed a couple girls crying.  I didn't think anything of it, as they are girls and this is a more normal emotion for females.  We sat in our seats and a few minutes later my friend comes up to me and tells me that a girl on the 7th grade volleyball team died.  She told me that the girl had been sick and was rushed down to San Antonio but they didn't make it and she died on the way.  She told me that someone had told the boys basketball team and several of their players had a really hard time with the news and that it looked like they were going to cancel the game, but the boys decided to play anyway. After the game was over I asked Kade about the girl.  I also asked him how the team was doing.  He told me that he and another boy on the team (who is also a member of the church) suggested that they say a prayer after hearing the news.  He told me he offered the prayer.  He also said that after he finished the prayer that he had a feeling of peace and calmness come over him.  I was so grateful for this spiritual moment.  I told him that I know that the other boys also felt that feeling of peace and calmness.  As a side note, when it's Kade's turn to pray in family prayer he always prays that we can be a light unto the darkness.  This experience I know he will always remember.  How grateful I am for him and his example to not be afraid to pray and be a light unto others.

Ski Trip

The plan for Christmas was to buy the boys ski bibs, goggles, gloves, etc.  and then take them skiing.  However, that never happened.  So when spring break came around this was the perfect opportunity.  We rented a cabin up in Ruidoso and the boys had two days of skiing.

All the boys attended ski school in the morning.  Rhet got his own private lesson since the classes started at age seven. 

Kade and Mont paying close attention.

Rand...hopefully paying attention.

After school and a couple hours of skiing it was time for lunch!

Now, time to get back out there and hit the slopes.

After a long day it was time to relax in the hot tub.

This is the BEST!

 Day two of skiing.  It was colder the second day with snowy and very windy conditions.  That didn't stop them from staying out till closing time.

The boys had a great time and loved every second of it...even being in the cold conditions.  They can't wait to go back!

While the boys were out having fun those of us that were stuck at the cabin made up our own fun. 

Time for a walk.

We found some sticks...

and some rocks.

Then we just came back home and  played games.

Or were just being silly.

We had a great time and it's too bad that we had to come home, but we look forward to doing it again next year!