Ebeth's 4 and no more

If I haven't mentioned it before my oldest son, number 1 has an inquisitive mind. I know what you are thinking, most kids are that way. As true as that is, being a mom of 4 wonderfully unique children, and a teacher of 100's of other children, not all kids are inquisitive in a general sense beyond the toddler years. Number 1 is one of those on a different scale. Now I wouldn't go far as to say above exceptional intelligence, but top tier level indeed.  He has a creative mind and is putting the pieces together from the world as we know it. Some days he discusses why the grass is green and the sky blue, other days it is what makes up outer space, and where heaven really is. This discussion typically comes while driving in the car, or heading to bed. They are completely unpredictable but can be traced to a seed that was planted sometime earlier that day or days before be it from a person, TV, or book. Last Saturday's topic happened to be how babies are born, what a c-s...

A few days ago I asked my husband to go to the Community Club, which is across the street from his work, and sign our son up for soccer. I could pull up the forms online but since I have yet to get the ink cartridges refilled that is out of the question. So, he of course does not do it the day I tell him, instead is doing it today. Within 10 minutes of being at work, he proceeds to call me and ask, "When is #3's b-day?" Now I know this is not a huge surprise to virtually every woman who may read this but is still an annoyance. I do not say the month or year, but only 2 nd because seriously he better remember the rest. There is a dramatic pause, and then a statement of the month, and then a question like the tone of the year. I confirm he is correct, feeling like this would be the end of the stupid question hour, only for him to then add, "How old is he," pause, pause, pause, no response from me........., "4 right???" It took everything in my soul to...

Picture this... It has been a long day, traveling between 2 schools to drop off and pick up children, touching up and painting walls, fixing breakfast lunch for 6 and dinner for 4 kids, washing and folding 2 loads of laundry, horse lessons, swimming, paying bills and God only remembers what else. You still haven't taken your shower and it is now 5:00. As the children are finishing up dinner you say, "I am taking my shower, finish the dinner (you have been complaining about), and put your dishes in the sink." You then head to the bathroom, your toddler happily playing with her sister who is done eating. You have barely stepped in the shower when (no surprise to you) the older daughter joins you. She is not alone, she brings the toddler, and stuffed horse which is almost as tall as the mini horses we have. It stands like a regular horse and she fills you in on the "lesson" she is giving the horse. You are even asked to poke your head out to "see" nume...

As my husband and I drove my two oldest children to Open House an interesting conversation was heard. #1, "I'm glad to live in America, in this State, and in the country (vs city)." Dad, "Why?" #1, "We speak English, not uno dos tres ." #1 to his sister, "#2 do you know what language I just spoke?" #2, silence and blank stare. Mommy, " Spanish." #1, "In America we have cool stuff, like DSI , radios, and soda, you know the good stuff." Mommy, glad to be sitting in the front seat smiling to self, "Other countries have those things too #1." #1, "Oh, well it just is good to live in America." Mommy, "You are right, #1." This conversation reminds me of another one on a similar theme. Some friends of ours came to the house to have dinner. As it was being assembled everyone did as they normally do, gather in the kitchen. #1 being the child who needs to share his wisdom with others decided...

Is it possible to be lonely when you are not alone? Can a person's mind run away with them? Words are everything. They breathe life, they breathe death. People say don't sweat the small stuff, but isn't the small stuff what leads to the big stuff? I sit here alone in my room, well minus my cat and 4 sleeping children, and can't help but ponder my life, my choices. What ifs run amok. I normally avoid those thoughts, it really gets you nowhere in the here and now. The one thing the what ifs will do for me is help carve out my future. What if I let go of all that the past holds and cleave to the future? What if I change my focus, what can I become? Miracles are made by people who solely thought of the what if I can. Can I? Can I take baby steps to my future what-ifs? What are those what-ifs? A friend once told me I put the people in my life in a certain category and leave them there. I suppose there is merit to that thought. Does that then mean I put myself in a box...

Today my hubby and I took Number 1 and 2 to Six Flags. They each earned a free ticket at school through the reading program by Six Flags. I have not been in quite a few years and man I am getting old. First, my 9-year-old is afraid of most "big" rides. He is just now at 48 inches so it is OK because he can ride the kiddie stuff this year. My 6 1/2-year-old likes the "big" rides, but at 44 inches tall there is a limitation to what she can ride. We started off with the log flume. This was something they all had done last year when a broken foot, and a 3-month-old baby at home prevented me from making the trip. Oddly enough Number 1 got nervous about it, but in the end, decided he liked it. Next, we headed to the Mine train. I recall this being a little faster than first assumed and was nervous for my two kiddos. I rode with number 2 and hubby with number 1. 2 was scared for the first half, even held her tummy, and then said it was OK at the end. 1 said he hated it, ...

To make any good weekend all it usually takes is my family at home, food in the house, and rested kids. Rested kids are the sometimes iffy part:) Yesterday afternoon, once the house was clean, clean clothes were put in their prospective places, etc my hubby and I sat down to just watch, or play with the kids. Number 2, big sister, says to Number 3, "Let's put on a play." He says OK and they head downstairs to her room to "practice". A minuscule amount of time goes by and they both appear at the top of the steps. Except there is a surprise . Yes, as the pic shows my son is wearing a dress. He runs to me and says, "Pretend this is a boy outfit." I smile because next to me my husband is nearly having a stroke:) He tries his best not to react, which I have to say I am eternally grateful. They make performance attempt 1, not so good. I suggest it needs to be short, and well-rehearsed (words an article in Wondertime Magazine used). Downstairs they go a...