Little Funny, Little Sad

So I have been really bad about blogging this last week or two because I keep forgetting to charge the camera and have dead batteries, or do remember to charge the batteries but forget that my memory card is full. Silly Sarah.

I did want to share two things, though, and they really don't need pics, thank goodness.

1. Nadia now has her own room (again). My parents were finally able to sell their house after lots of drama involving floods, radon, and a family of mice, but it's DONE. They have also successfully bought their new house after more drama, including closing 2 weeks late because of lost paperwork, loan officers who thought they owned 2 other houses, and drainage problems. All has been resolved, and all is happy in their new home on the golf course.
Anyway.
The very afternoon they left, Nadia was moving everything back into her room, and even drew a picture for me to show what she needed and where it should go. This included a dresser, bed, small heart shaped rug, new bedspread, a lamp, and a picture on the wall. Very practical as well as imaginative, my Nadia. She also asked if we could paint. I told her that would have to wait, but was curious what shade of pink she would like on the walls, since none of the other bedroom stuff in her picture was pink, and pink is her favorite color. She told me she doesn't want pink in her new room. Or princesses. She is now too old for them. I was devastated.

2. Brandon has been having an issue with whining and crying whenever he doesn't get his way, and then whining and crying when he gets in trouble for it. Today, we were out running errands and I decided that they had done so well, we could stop for ice cream at McDonalds. The kids were very excited about this, until Brandon realized we were just getting ice cream, and not Happy Meals, or more importantly, no Happy Meal toys. He started to throw a fit, so his ice cream was taken from him. He asked me why. I told him I do not reward children who whine and cry. He then looked down at his empty, ice creamless section of table, and said in a very small, very pouty voice, "When I'm a parent, I will ALWAYS give my whining kids ice cream." So hard not to laugh, but keep a sober face at him.

Mother's Day

I was having a very difficult time trying to upload this picture, and I still don't know what I did differently this time that actually made the computer gods shine down their favor on me and let the image finally go through. But this is why the Mother's Day post is so late in coming.

This is the picture Nadia made of me for the Mother's Tea at school on Friday afternoon. She made sure I knew that there really wasn't any tea at all, just punch and cookies.

This is a great picture of my new haircut and color. Do you like my stripey hair? Did you see my bangs? Very accurate and true to life. Now everyone knows what my new 'do looks like.

Mother's Day was very nice. I got breakfast in bed, which was pancakes and oj. There was just a small problem when Nadia lifted up the tray which happened to be half broken, and finished the breaking. Unfortunately, this accident also included the demise of her favorite mug, and so tears were shed. But isn't that sweet that she wanted me to use her favorite mug for breakfast in bed?

I also got necklaces. Nadia and Brandon each picked one out for me, along with Daddy. Let's just say Brandon has great taste, Nadia is all about the bling, and Cliff is clueless. And I can say that now that Mother's Day and my b-day are over. Love ya, sweetie.

Windex, Anyone?

I don't do windows. This is why.

The Trouble With Bribes

I bribe my children. Oh yes, I do and I freely admit it. Bribes have helped me not kill them when I have needed to get something done, like potty training or going to school. I love bribes, and will use the object of the bribe until I have squeezed every last morsel of fun and satisfaction out of its sad, pathetic little bribe body. For those of you who are scorning me or feel I have stooped to some incredibly bad parent low, I just have two words for you. It and Works.

The current bribe of choice is a video. Not any video, mind you, but a cartoon series called Avatar. For those of you who do not know what this is, skip to the end and celebrate the fact that 3 months of your life will probably be spent doing useful things instead of watching this show. For those of you who have seen it, you know it is like the Lay's potato chips of animation and you can't watch just one. It's so bad in my house that Cliff and my dad both ask me to tell them when it's time to watch because they don't want to miss it.

We are currently using this bribe to keep Nadia on track with reading, since it will be part of her grade next year, and because she needed a little push to break her goal of reading for 100 points. She gets to watch a new episode every night she does all of her homework including this extra reading and doesn't break any major house rules.

Brandon is also being bribed with Avatar to stop pouting and crying every time something doesn't go his way. He is a very soft hearted boy, but really, it's one thing to cry over a cousin leaving and another to cry because he didn't get a gold medal on Mario Kart. I can't even get the gold, but I have learned that all I get if I cry about it is a red nose and a headache. Yeah, I'll have the soapbox blog about tough love and sympathy is for suckers another time.

Here's where the difference in personalities and bribe technique comes in to play. Nadia likes to watch new episodes, and Brandon has a few favorites he likes to watch over and over again. So Nadia doesn't care if Brandon is rewarded with an extra Avatar, because he'll watch an old favorite or she'll watch a new one by herself if he's in trouble. When Nadia is in trouble though, I have to use all of my child psychology skills to coax the boy into watching a new one, usually by saying he can watch an old one after. But what else can I do? Watch it by myself with a bowl of popcorn? Okay, so maybe I do that anyway.

There is always a problem with bribes, though. You have to find the next THING, whatever that is. Our next thing will have to be found by the middle of June, at least if we're going by new episodes. We'll see how long I can stretch this baby out. I am thinking of using trips to the pool, unless we have some horrible experience there like mama wearing a swimsuit and NOTHING ELSE. Then it will become the bribe that I never go with them again.

April Birthdays Part 2

Sorry to take so long in finishing off the April birthday bash blog. I have been out of town and under the weather. I did want to finish off Benjamin's and tell a little bit about mine.

This is to show what Benjamin got from his gift card that Aunt Marlene sent. Dinosaurs and trains for the boy who likes to go. Brandon is now jealous that Ben has more dinosaurs than he does (in that size) and thinks since he is older, he should have more. Didn't know I had to check on that kind of thing. Benjamin also has some new shoes for going. They are a pair of slip on firetruck shoes and little monkey mock crocs. I love those things. So cute and kid friendly. And they are monkeys. Always a plus.

This is not from Benjamin's birthday. This is from mine. Cliff and the 2 older children went to get me "lots of presents", because apparently that's what I wanted. And we all know how much I love little doggies and purses. I also received a pink water bottle for work, because it is a hot and thirsty job making lunch for the entire school (Nadia's words). Too bad I keep forgetting it at home.

I also got a new haircut and color, courtesy of Natalie's incredibly talented sister, Callie. I will be posting a pic soon, but in the meantime, if you are in a hair rut, go to this woman. She is INCREDIBLE. I will be making the drive again to see her.

Benjamin's Birthday

Yesterday was Benjamin's birthday. He is now 2 years old. This is a picture of him at 2 months. What a big difference between baby and toddler. He now will talk in sentences on occasion, and DEFINITELY has his own opinion about things. His favorite thing now is to go. It doesn't matter where, he just wants to go pick up Nadia from school, go out to the back yard, go to the car and run errands. He has to wear a jacket and his shoes at all times so he can be ready to go.

Since he is enamored with trains, (maybe because they are always going?) we had a train theme for him. He loved it. He kept saying, "Too too" (choo choo) which is his name for Tomas the Train or any train that he sees. When it was time to blow out the candles, he asked, "Is hot?" and then blew. The big birthday gift hit was the Thomas the Train laptop. It was great except he has to use the leg of an adult as his laptop table, so you can be stuck for 20 minutes while he points and clicks the little mouse.

He also got a firetruck baby transformer. It is really simple for him to change by himself, and now he can play with Brandon. Maybe. Aunt Marlene sent him a gift card, which will probably buy him some sandals and shorts so he can go this summer in style. Thank you all for presents and your love. We are so glad he is in our family and has the blessing of being surrounded by such incredible and wonderful people!

5 Things

My friend Krista tagged me in 5 Things. Here it is:

5 things I was doing five years ago:
working at Pepperidge Farm part time
trying to potty train Nadia
trying to lose baby weight from Brandon
having a conniption fit anytime Cliff talked about changing his major again
learning how to knit with my sis (never did a great job)

5 things on my to do list tomorrow:
wash sheets
wash children
go to the library
listen to conference
pray for Spring to finally come and stay

5 thing that I would do with a million dollars:
pay tithing (first things first, right?)
pay some landscaping company to totally redo my backyard
pay off all debt
finish up all home improvements NOW
put the rest in a high yield investment portfolio so I can keep using it later

5 places I have lived:
Germany
Italy
California
Virginia
Texas

5 Jobs I have had:
lunch lady
dental assistant
secretary/receptionist for a construction supply company
packer for a moving company
gopher/secretary for the housing office on post

5 Things I want to be doing in 5 years:
looking at my totally finished remodeled kitchen
telling people about my newly finished redone bathroom
taking some classes and be glad I finally took all my math requisites
going to visit my parents on their 5 year old golf course estate home
finishing up my 3rd book tour and talking about movie rights

Hey, a girl can dream, right?

5 people I'm tagging:

Klarisa
Jenny
Michelle
Kathy
Jen