"Gas Who" is almost 40????

Russ turned 39 this week. Early that morning, we laid in bed pretending to be asleep and giggled as we heard the ding-a-ling-a-ling of ice bouncing around wine glasses being brought into our room by 3 little birthday elves all carefully carrying one very full tray together. Kids always make a birthday so special. It makes my job very easy! I didn't have anything to do with their surprise.

And what's a birthday without some party games?! One game is an original creation. We're calling it Gas Who or Who Gassed It? I don't know. But it's a potty humor twist on another game we play.
The person that is "it" sits in the corner with their back to the crowd.

The crowd then silently picks someone to make a gas noise, and "it" has to guess who gassed it. If they guess right, "it" gets to be "it" again. If "it" is wrong, the gasser that fooled them gets to be "it". It works better than the version of the game where you say a word in a weird voice. Much harder to decipher and much easier to trick people!!!
I kept accusing the birthday boy of wimping out because he was making such soft delicate noises that it was like he was bunting the ball in a baseball game when he could take a home run swing! But his strategy fooled people every time.

We finished the night with Russ' favorite party game, Bean Bag Archery (from the Cub Scout Book). He rules at this game of course, but we always laugh and laugh and Ava even won a round!!!
I made cinnamon rolls instead of a birthday cake, but they were so inedible that we just stuck a candle in an apple and called it good. The rolls never rose in the oven using the speed method and ended up more like rock hard hockey pucks!! Funny enough, they were all gone the next day anyway. I guess desperate kids like cinnamon roll bricks!

Bottle Rockets and Slim Jims

Chad goes to a rainbow hippie flower school. Well, to be more exact, a charter school that has more hands on learning, circle time, no textbooks, and no letter grades. Weird, eh? Yes it is. But the social environment there is a little gentler than the middle school, hence the reason he's there.

Just got back from chaperoning their 3 day team building camp out.

They launched homemade soda bottle rockets the length of a football field (yes, this school is very cool in many ways):

made skits, did a ropes course, and did some meditating to candlelight. (See the rainbow hippie part???)

Oh how I hate to see how the kids treat my son. I see how he feels invisible. When he tries to even say hi to someone they reject him and turn the other way. People just refuse to talk to him. I'm happy to say that a teacher taught some of the kids about Asperger Syndrome so I had several girls ask me about it. One of those girls then asked Chad to sit by her at lunch. It was the first, last, and only time I saw someone interact with Chad. He said no thanks and sat at a boy table. I still feel like giving that girl a million bucks just for the kind thought! (I'll probably delete this paragraph before Chad gets a chance to read it.)

Anyway, there is a teacher there with Aspergers and it's everyone's favorite because he is hilarious. So I'm thrilled to see what a beautiful, inspiring, and fun life this guy is leading and yet he has had his challenges.

When I picked up the little girls from the best babysitters in the world at this lovely vista, Ava screamed, cried, and hid at the sight of me. Not the reaction I was expecting after missing my babies! She was just devastated at the thought of me interrupting her walk with grandpa. I'd have been too.

My Hero Dad Champion Babysitter!

And God IS watching over us. Because on the way home after all the social challenges at camp, a little miracle happened. FYI, Chad's favorite luxury treat is a pepperoni stick. I'm pumping gas at the gas station, Chad goes inside, comes out and says:

Chad: "Mom, do you have a penny? They have pepperoni sticks on sale for one cent!"

Me: "Chad...that's impossible. I'm sure the one means one DOLLAR."

Chad: "No, they're one cent. They really are!"

Me: "Chad, you can't buy anything in the world for a penny. Maybe five cents, but NEVER a penny."

Chad: "Please, Mom!"

Me: "Here. Take this dime and see what you can do."

Sure enough, he came out with 9 sticks!!!!! I went inside, talked to the cashier, and he was right! They were way back in the food section without a price. He just happened to ask how much they cost and that was her answer. They were switching brands and clearing them out.
Chad: "I'm going to save one of these for my grandchildren so I can tell them this story someday!" "I call these Mormon cigars."

Too Much Hotness Around Here

Alyssa, the kindergartner:
"That guy Tyler wanted to sit next to me on the bus. I fink he finks I'm hot."

Serving the Military

This picture by Alyssa was included in the package we mailed to my brave nephew in Afghanistan today. Apparently this whole time we've been talking about Scott serving in the military...she pictured him "serving the military" (or serving pizza to military people!). I love the innocence of children! :)

Now if we could just get him off the front lines as a combat soldier and sign him up at the Kabul Pizza Hut!

Breaking News...Election Update

Sarah did not win the election for Student Council President. The girl that promised longer recess won...OF COURSE! Who doesn't want longer recess??? Anyway, Sarah ran an honest campaign. She was so brave and comforted her friend on the bus that was crying on the way home because she lost as secretary. Sarah didn't shed a tear until she got home. I am SO PROUD of her for running. It sounds so cliche but I truly believe this... "Tis better to have tried and failed than to have never tried at all!!!" Amen to that!!!

So in the end I am thrilled she had this experience to learn how to dust yourself off and try something new or try again. She won last time she ran for office. So it's good to know you win some and lose some in life. It makes us appreciate and be humble during the wins, and resilient after a loss.

She ran for class rep against 9 other students and won on Wednesday. So see...you do lose some and win some!

Why Kids Need a Mom and a Dad

This melted my heart.So how do you get a perfectly SPONTANEOUS moments like these? Let me explain.

Dad: The perfectly obedient very spiritual ALWAYS have a lesson for Family Home Evening kinda guy. (As Ava would say...."Bowww-wiiiiin.") But good and very important. (I have to say that or I would sound like a huge rebel. Wait, I am a huge rebel!)

Mom: The lets play for FHE kinda girl!

They need both, right?! Well, Russ was out of town so I partied with the kids for FHE! It was just what I needed because with school, the activities, the running here and there...I was SO craving getting away from it all and just absorbing the kids goodness and wonder.

And as proof that a family that plays together stays together, the pictures of the lovefest that ensued without any prompting from me just shows what a dose of fun can do for a fam.Yes, Spokane is gorgeous, but the kids are even prettier.

Fast food at the Downtown Mall riding 100 feet tall escalators is fun. And a trip to Pottery Barn to buy a corded phone $50 off, even more fun for me! There's something in it for everyone! And I am now no longer running around looking for the 5 cordless phones that are always missing.
Here, have the whole bag!
So next time you're in charge of FHE, bag the lesson and head downtown to play. It will surely be a spiritual experience as the kids laugh and love together and spontaneously prefer to walk hand in hand! A mother's dream.
Yes, I'm posting this picture twice because I love it that much.