Kid-isms and a few other random thoughts

I love the little things kids say, where they don't get the words or the expressions quite right. I'm always sad when they learn the "right" way to say things. The older they get, the more they lose these little expressions, but I was reminded of one that Elise says that is so cute. Instead of saying "pinky swear" she calls it "pinky square". I think it is too adorable. Yesterday while we were straightening up my room I had on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition". It was near the end where the house and so forth were being revealed. Elise asked me, "Is that house one of your dreams?" I told her "No" that I love our house. So she asked, "Well what do you want for one of your dreams?" I semi-jokingly told her I wanted a porch swing. In total seriousness she looked at me and said, "I believe you'll get your dream." She is just too cute.

The beautiful spring weather has been wonderful the last few days. I'm dying to get out and work in the yard, if only my queasy stomach will follow my inclinations. I had a really good day yesterday and got lots of good cleaning done. It felt very rewarding, if a bit tiring.

On Sunday, near the end of sacrament meeting, Ian started complaining of "sweaty feet". Elise says the same thing during the summer when she has to wear socks and shoes. Cory always takes the kids to primary and for good reason since two or three people stopped me with questions before I could get out of the chapel. It's really not a big deal, but this Sunday as I gathered up my things to get out of there, I realized one of the things I was holding was Ian's socks and shoes. Ugh. Apparently he'd already solved the "sweaty feet" problem. I was headed to primary to take them to him, when I saw someone I needed to talk to and then got stopped again. Then I felt like I needed to spend a few minutes tweaking my lesson before Relief Society, and the next thing I knew church was over and I'd never made it in there with the shoes. Good grief. So, sorry to all the primary leaders and kids for whom we set a bad example. Thank goodness we can try again next week.

We're in the process of having our house painted. If you've ever seen our house, its all brick with a little bit of wood stuff on the front...as an accent, I guess. Basically we have this lovely front porch (railings and all), the carport, the wood siding stuff and all the window and other trim currently painted a dingy mustard yellow. But that is slowly but surely being put to rest. It will soon be a sand color with white accents. So much nicer. Almost like getting a new house without actually having to move. :)

Ian likes to fall asleep with the covers completely over his head. He says it is because he is scared, which may be true, but it does a good job of scaring me. I realize he is 4 1/2 years old, but it still makes me nervous. I have yet to convince him of a better way.

I am just doomed to have independent fashionistas in my children. It is a constant internal struggle for me to convince my kids to my line of thinking regarding proper fashion attire. I've mentioned this before, but the morning's events reminded me again. Elise was getting dressed for school and was asking about the temperature. After some discussion over what shoes she could wear, she came back in my room with a pair of pink strappy wedges. I decided that while it will be warmer today, pants are still the way she needs to go, so I suggested a pair of black pants and a magenta top with some cats on it. The whole outfit actually matched and looked really nice and when Elise looked at it she said, "Hey! I actually like this. It's cool and it goes together, but without really matching." The funny thing is, is I think I saw her fashion style through her eyes for just a moment. I'm hoping as we pick out spring clothes I'll be able to find more things she'll really like wearing...but still looks nice. Then Ian came in with a pair of too-small royal blue knit shorts with red and white stripes...and a navy blue UNC shirt to go with it. He wanted to know if it matched. Usually I just say "yes" no matter how horrendous it looks, but this morning I said, "Not exactly, buddy." So he came back a few minutes later with the same shorts and another shirt that still did not match. Again I told him "Not so much." But he was convinced it did, so he's wearing it as I type. And Merry Grace...well, she's happy wearing anything from nothing to something of Ian or Elise's or something from her closet, but only if she's in the mood. I'm having a serious internal struggle over how much leeway to give them in their dressing. There are so few things they have control over at their ages, especially the younger they are. They are sweet, good, well-behaved kids, they just have a non-conformist fashion sense. I just don't know how much I should lay down the law over their clothes and how much to say, "You have to do it my way." I love their free-spiritedness about it, but there are times I cringe when I look at what they've picked out. Actually lots of times. :)

Also, as I've watched the poll, I'm interested in knowing what "other" favorite Easter candy you have. So if you don't mind sharing, tell me what they are. Mine was Snicker's Egg. They are rich, but so yummy. It's a good thing they only make them at Easter. I don't know how great my resistance would be otherwise.

Well, that about sums it up. Now I need to get on with some of my effective activities...whatever those are. It's a toss up between folding laundry and taking the kids out in the yard...hmmm....