Freedom Lover's Academy

When Gabriel Lost His Mind

2010-03-08T22:38:00.000-05:00

Since I posted a story about the littles (Or, as Gabriel calls them "The Joes"), I asked Gabriel's permission to post a story about him. First, I had to tell him the story. After he had recovered his breath enough to talk, he said that it was fine for me to post it, so long as I made it clear that he was 5 when this happened. So, please note that my child was 5 when the following occurred.

When Gabriel was 5, we lived in Maine. We lived with Gary's parents for 8 months. During that time, Gabriel went grocery shopping with Gary's mother, Memere, and Memere's father, Pepere J. Pepere J only needed a few items, and always finished before Memere did. As a result, he would wait on the benches at the front of the store while Memere finished her shopping. Apparently, Gabriel frequently cavorted back and forth between the two.

On this particular day, Pepere J was sitting on one of the benches watching Gabriel as he scampered around, getting drinks, talking, and generally having a good time. Now, behind the benches, there were photos of store employees. In front of the bench was a generously proportioned gentleman who decided to lean over the bench to peer more closely at the portraits.

As the scene played out, Gabriel availed himself of the water fountain. Then, he walked over to the large man leaning over the bench, and proceeded to spit the water down the pencil holder at the back of his pants. Apparently, the man never turned around. I don't know if Gabriel's mouth had warmed the water to body temperature, but I do know that the man must surely have noticed the water going down his behind.

We'll never know what the man, or Gabriel thought, because Pepere J thought it was funny, and didn't say anything until a couple weeks later. He didn't want Gabriel to get in trouble. That's what happens when you get a 90 year old man and a 5 year old boy together. They cause trouble.

When I told Gabriel this story, he said, "Why?" I have absolutely no answer for that. Little boys' brains do not work the way grown women's brains work. This is just one of those stories that will live forever in family lore.

When the Boys Fixed the Sewing Machine

2010-02-27T23:29:00.000-05:00

In the fall of 2006, I was in the middle of finishing a quilt for Xavier's kindergarten class, for a silent auction. Since I was using my sewing machine almost every minute of every day, I left it set up on a table in our den. This was my precious sewing machine that had finally allowed me to remember how much I loved sewing. It is amazing how much more enjoyable sewing is when you don't have to fight with your sewing machine.

One day, I went upstairs to take a shower, leaving the two little boys watching t.v. They were 6 and 3. They decided to take that opportunity to investigate the forbidden fruit. After all, what mechanically minded 6 year old can resist a machine full of buttons. (For the record, he still loves it- he just uses it for what it's meant for, now.) As they opened drawers, and flipped the top up and down, they saw a small bottle of oil. They took out the small brush that came with the machine, and proceeded to 'fix' the sewing machine with the oil. They just dumped it all down the inside. Mind you, this sewing machine is computerized. When they realized that they couldn't clean up the oil with a rag, they ran into the kitchen and got a liter size cup, filled it with water, and dumped it down the top of the sewing machine to clean up the oil.

In the words of Dominic, "It went fzzzz pop!" *sigh*

There I was with a half finished quilt and a sewing machine that was not going to run. My two boys were crying (I hadn't even said anything to them, yet) and apologizing. My wonderful husband stopped on his way home from work and bought me a cheap sewing machine. I proceeded to curse my way through the rest of that quilt.

A friend advised me to let the sewing machine completely dry out and then try it out again. So, 6 months and one move later, I took it out of its case and plugged it in. It worked! I did a happy dance and forgave my children. Well, really, I had forgiven them the same day they did it. I was very upset with them. After all, they knew they were not supposed to be touching it. That's the whole reason they tried to wash away the oil. They were trying to get rid of the evidence. But, they were so contrite. And, they have not touched my sewing machine without permission since then.

Things are better now. They know how to use my machine. While I still insist on supervision, they are allowed to use it. I believe it is always better to have an appreciation for what something is actually for than to abuse it and ruin it.

My New Space

2010-02-26T22:31:00.000-05:00

When we first moved into our house, I thought that this hallway was a huge waste of space. I still think that they could have designed the basement much better, but we are slowly remodeling the spaces. Sometimes, we are ripping out walls and building new ones to make the space better. In this instance, I have just repurposed it. I originally planned to put shelves under the stairs to hold books and board games, then add a reading nook. After all, this hallway is a good five feet wide. Surely, something could be done to make it useful! I am all about not wasting space.

Originally, we were using it as storage space. We just had this bureau, which I use to store my craft supplies. However, when Gary started remodeling the dojang, this space suddenly became a mess of storage. This is after I had started organizing.

This picture was taken mid-organization.

You must understand that I organize in a specific way. First, I take everything out. Then, I slowly put it all back in, or throw it away. This way, everything gets put away nice and neat. Unfortunately, this is a very long (did I mention slow?) process. Anytime a member of my family (starting with my grandparents, all the way down to my smallest cousin) hears that I'm organizing, they know that my house will not be available for company for some time to come.

After approximately two ~~months~~ weeks, I got the space completely cleared out. We went to my mother's for Thanksgiving. We drove our gas guzzling beauty to Oklahoma, because we knew we would need the room on the way home. We barely fit everything in the back of that thing. Two of the things we came home with are my grandmother's sewing desk, and her sewing machine, both of which were damaged in a house fire.

The sewing machine will have to be cleaned. I just don't know how to do it. I don't know if it can be repaired, so right now, I am just using it as decoration. Let's face it, I would probably never use it, anyway. I love my sewing machine. (Remind me to tell you the story of Xavier and Dominic 'fixing' my sewing machine someday. It's one for the history books!) However, the sewing desk needs to be stripped and re-stained.

You can see where something was sitting on top of it, and all the smoke damage around it. The drawers will need to have shelf liner put into them, as they just leach soot.

Since I didn't want to mess up anything I was sewing, but I wanted to start using the sewing desk immediately, I covered it with an old sheet. It will work for the nonce. When the weather gets better, I'll take it out in the garage and teach the boys how to strip, something I learned in my dad's piano workshop.

I needed shelving in my 'sewing room', so I rounded up some old shelves that we've had for 9 years. I sincerely never expected them to last this long. They are very cheap particle board that have held everything from clothing, to toys, to tools, to food, to sewing supplies. They have resided in 5 states. They have survived 7 moves. I am actually very impressed. They don't look great, but they are still functional. And, since I was trying to make something out of nothing...

I decided to use all those little precious objects that had no particular space in my home, to decorate with. The objects all have special meaning to me, but were getting lost in my house.

Above, you can see two pictures taken at the fair when Gabriel was a baby. The one on the left was taken when he was only a month old, and the one on the right was taken when he was a year old. The two dolls on the sewing machine were made by Gabriel and my nephew, Alex, at Silver Dollar City. The elephant, Elly, was my favorite stuffed toy as a girl.

These two little fellows also have special meaning. The Thumkey was another childhood toy. Yanis is on the right. Gary won him at a street fair, in Greece, while we were dating. He was our first child. We named him Yanis, because it seemed that half the men we met in Greece were named Yanis.

Finally, at the top of the wall, I strung a wire, and have started hanging the kids' artwork from it. Soon, it will be full, and I'll have to start paring down again.

My Favorite Motormouth

2010-02-25T14:53:00.001-05:00

There is a girl that I have come to know moderately well. We'll call her A. She just turned 10 years old. Due to the fact that we both spend much of our day waiting at taekwondo, we have had many conversations. Well... Really, she's talked and I've listened. There have been those times when she has asked me endless riddles, but other than that, I have not been required to do much talking.

A is an adorable, beautiful girl. She also likes to talk. There is usually little rhyme or reason to the things she tells me. She flows from one subject to the next in quite ADDish fashion. My mind understands how hers works, so she chose her listening partner well. I'm not saying that she actually chose me as a listening partner. In fact, we were just sort of thrown together by circumstances. I was there for my children, and she was there for her cousin.

One of the first conversations I can remember having with her went something like this:

"A, is Mr. D. your Uncle?"
"No. He's my cousin. I don't know why everyone thinks he's my uncles. *huh*"

It was quite obvious that she was disgusted by this question. Never mind that it was a valid question, since he is 14 years her senior. Of course, I also understand her pique. Most of my cousins on my father's side have children my age. Plus, I have witnessed this exact conversation happen again and again. Poor girl. They should probably post the words "Mr. D's Cousin" under her picture to help her out.

But, what has endeared her the most to me is her unfettered joy in just letting it all hang out. That girl has told me things that I'm sure would have her mama throttling her for. I know that because if one of my children let out some of the confidences A has graced me with, I would blow a gasket.

I have come to realize, through this happenstance relationship, that most people don't really care what your children tell them. If your child lets slip that you didn't get up until 11 that day (totally not what she has said, but definitely what MY children have told people before), it really doesn't matter. The fact is that your friends, and the friends of your children really won't care. They love you for who you are. If they don't, it's really not worth getting upset by their disapproval anyway. So, if you happen to overhear my children say something about the state of my household, take it with a grain of salt. It's probably true.

Overheard

2010-02-22T13:24:00.002-05:00

"Wow. She is really weird. I know she's our mother, but man." (Gabriel)
"I know. She's even weirder than the rest of our family." (Dominic)
"She's even weirder than me." (Xavier)
"Mmhmm" (Dominic)

Is this disrespect, or a comfortable knowledge that their mother doesn't mind being weird?

History is Fun

2010-02-21T18:53:00.000-05:00

Who knew? I remember very little of the history I learned in school. I can guarantee you that it was the absolutely most boring subject we studied. It was not until I was in college that I got a professor that made history interesting. Really, though, even he did not make it nearly as interesting as what my children are experiencing. he was one of the most dreaded professors at the university I attended because his classes were very difficult, but they were basic courses required for all majors.

Now, I am finding that history really is a story, actually many stories combined to create one lone story. This is how my children are learning history. They are reading amazing books and stories. These books are slowly becoming some of Xavier's and Dominic's favorite books. Gabriel has always been a history nut. Xavier and Dominic are much more into science. It makes my day when my 9-year-old son selects, as a book to occupy time while waiting, one of the history books on our shelves.

Because we love them so much, and want everyone to know what they are, here are a few of our favorites. (Many of these are books that were required reading for either Sonlight or Ambleside Online. Ambleside Online has contributed the most to our favorite reading lists. Even if you don't use their curriculum, their reading lists are worth checking out!) Many of these books are available in the public domain. If you have an iPod touch, or iPhone, you can download a couple apps that allow you to download many of these books for free- two of my favorite are the Kindle App-also available as a PC download (Amazon has many classics available for free as Kindle downloads!), and the Stanza app (all those Project Gutenberg books are available through this one!).

Dominic:
Our Island Story by H.E. Marshal - Also available free as part of the Baldwin Project, and an audio download in two parts.
Fifty Famous Stories Retold by James Baldwin- Also available as a Kindle download for $1, and for free on the Baldwin Project. (Dominic's favorite book!)

Xavier
The Discovery of New Worlds by M.B. Synge - Baldwin Project
The Little Duke by Charlotte Yonge (Xavier had a hard time getting into this one, but by the time he finished it, he was ecstatic with it.) - available as a free download on Project Gutenberg (which can be downloaded to an iPod/iPhone!)
Joan of Arc (We love ALL of Diane Stanley's books!)
Michelangelo by Diane Stanley
Good Queen Bess : The Story of Elizabeth I of England by Diane Stanley

Gabriel
The New World by Winston Churchill- This book is, sadly, out of print. I got lucky and found the set of four for $25. I asked at a local used book store, and she searched until she found it for me at a reasonable price. Gabriel said The Birth of Britain was okay, but he absolutely loves this book.
A Patriot's History of the United States: From Columbus's Great Discovery to the War on Terror by Larry Schweikart and Michael Allen- This is Gabriel's favorite history books, hands down.
Voyage of the Armada by David Howarth- It looks like this book may be out of print. We were able to check it out from the library. Gabriel got so excited by this book that he came upstairs and gave Xavier a one hour lecture on the Spanish Armada.

So, those are our favorite history books, for now. I'm sure that before the end of the year, we'll have more, but these are all excellent books worth your time.

Allergies

2010-02-17T14:53:00.000-05:00

I am allergic to latex. It is a mild allergy, and one I don't think of much. However, I recently discovered that I am also mildly allergic to acrylic. The only place it causes problems is on my forefinger, where my yarn rests while I am knitting. This also happens to be the place I have psoriasis. The acrylic yarn causes my psoriasis to act up, resulting in swelling and blisters. (probably those weak genes again)

Now, normally, I don't like to knit with acrylic. I prefer natural fibers. My favorite fiber is wool, and cotton is nice, too. I recently acquired some alpaca that I love.

A friend gave me a large amount of acrylic yarn, and I am attempting to use it. In order to use it, I place a bandage over my finger, so that the yarn doesn't come in contact with my skin. This has worked out great, until last night.

Last night, I put on a bandage and went about my business of knitting. This morning, at about 5, I woke up because my hand was itchy. I kept rubbing it on the sheets and scratching it. Finally, I realized that I had put on a latex bandage. *sigh*

This is not the first time I have used a latex bandage without thinking about it. I am presently going through my house getting all the latex bandages and putting them aside for kid-only use. Maybe that will keep me from screwing up and using them again.

A Strong Opinion

2010-02-16T14:47:00.000-05:00

One of the things I require Gabriel to do is write a paragraph three days a week, and an essay once a week. Really, his writing needs a lot of work. However, the exercise is more about getting comfortable with writing, than it is about mechanics. His paragraphs can either be copied from his reading, or composed. I am way behind on grading, and just sat down to grade his past work. This was the second paragraph I came across.

I hate "How to Read a Book." It tells me things that I already know. Take that chapter on careful reading. I learned that 5 years ago. Also, I already know that the most important part of a book can be in a single sentence and not a paragraph. It acts like I'm less comprehensive than I am. That book just drives me crazy."

I may have to analyze whether "How to Read a Book" is a necessary part of his homeschooling.

The Beauty of Learning

2010-02-15T21:46:00.000-05:00

Last week I found this quote. "The joy of learning is as indispensable in study as breathing is in running." - Simone Weil French philosopher and social activist 1909 - 1943

Apparently, the love of learning is alive and well in our house. Tonight, while I was putting Dominic to bed, I told him that there was school tomorrow. (We're on a four day school week, since Gary has a four day work week.) The tired little gamer, who is usually anxious for the weekend to commence, since they are only allowed to play video games on the weekend, told me he was okay with that. "Because," he whispered, "I like school as much as I like video games, maybe more." I am one happy mama.

Free Thinkers

2010-02-04T14:15:00.000-05:00

I just want to lay to rest, once and for all, the idea that homeschooling brain washes/stifles/or otherwise forces children to think just like their parents. This is an argument I hear frequently. "Well, if they are homeschooled, they don't get the opportunity to hear the opposing view. They only hear what their parents want them to hear. They don't learn anything different. They don't have the opportunity to make up their own minds."

First, let me say that I don't let my children blindly believe the same things I do. If my children express a political view, I automatically take the opposing view, even though they know I agree, so that they have to come up with reasons, logical or emotional, for their views.

Gary and I are anti-enviromentalists. If you want to know more about that, see this post. I've written about it on my political blog (which, unless you're wild, crazy, and willing to get in a good fight- I can guarantee you won't agree with everything I say- I'd suggest that, in general, you stay away from it. But in this case, if you're wondering how I could be anti-environmentalist, I'd check it out.)

Our oldest son has always been a strong environmentalist, in his need to protect the land and animals. I can certainly empathize with this, especially since he's not hugely preachy about it. For years, he wanted to live on a nature preserve and protect the animals. He's recently decided to be a history professor, instead. I think that's a better fit for his personality, but it's his profession to choose.

Today, Xavier said to me, "I think I want to protect the land when I grow up." I asked what brought that on. His reply, "Well, when I was walking in the woods, yesterday, I really enjoyed it. I want to make sure that is available forever. I want to protect nature. It is so amazing. I want it to be around forever."

Well, I can completely understand, and totally agree with them. But, it's not something I've taught them. It's not something I've talked to them about. In fact, I've spoken out quite vocally about the global warming debate. So, you can stop believing that homeschooled children are being brain washed. Most of the time, they're just being taught how to think, and to think for themselves. Imagine that.

Too Much Harry Potter

2010-01-27T15:05:00.002-05:00

Dominic just asked, "Mom, do we get post on Sunday?"

Dominic's New Hat

2010-01-20T21:53:00.000-05:00

The Nickster wanted me to make him a hat. I found this on Youtube and thought it would be a great one for him. Off we went to the local fiber store (one of Dominic's favorite places), so that he could pick out some yarn. This is what he came up with. It took a little longer than Xavier's toque, but it was totally worth it. He loves it, and so do I.

My Favorite Christmas Present

2010-01-09T16:55:00.001-05:00

Sadly, I have not found time to use it, yet. But, soon. Soon.

Snowy Day

2010-01-07T17:39:00.002-05:00

We started the day by doing school in my bed. Gabriel woke me up by bringing me breakfast in bed. Xavier and Dominic wanted to get school done as fast as possible, so they brought their books into my room. After school, Dominic and Xavier headed outside to play. They did a lot of sledding. Then, Xavier decided he was cold and came inside, while Dominic continued to play.

So, what do you do on a snowy day?

Make snow angles.

Build a snowman.

Ring the doorbell, so Mom can let you in.

Realize the toque your mom made you doesn't keep your neck warm, and decide to knit yourself a scarf.

The Wool Toque

2010-01-06T22:04:00.000-05:00

Shortly before Christmas, Gary introduced the boys to this version of "The Twelve Days of Christmas." Xavier promptly requested a wool toque for Christmas.

Shortly after I started knitting in August, I came across this book while at Half Price Books.

Since everyone in my family is a rabid Harry Potter fan, I snatched it up. I'll admit that I don't like all the projects. I love the robe that will never happen, because I don't have the patience for long projects. I also love the clock afghan that will never happen, for the same reason. However, I knew that my boy would love that wizard hat. So, I went to the knitting store, and bought some yarn, two days before Christmas.

I was already in the process of making the Nickster some requested mittens, so I had to wait until Christmas Eve to cast on. In fact, I did not finish the hat until Christmas Afternoon. However, Xavier couldn't have been happier.

Tonight, he chose to wear it to bed, to keep from losing his warmth. *snort* He also made his own "Snuggie" out of his robe. That boy cracks me up.

Sunday Comics

2010-01-04T21:45:00.000-05:00

The age old ritual of reading the Sunday comics: the race to the end of the drive, dibs and second dibs, the quote, the laughter. It all makes Sunday better.

Ode to Winter

2010-01-03T14:44:00.002-05:00

Oh winter sun,

You're so deceiving.

You look so warm,

But you're really freezing.

November Tournament

2010-01-02T18:10:00.000-05:00

The weekend before Thanksgiving, we went to a tournament in Decatur, Illinois. There was fun to be had for all. Our hotel room was on the end of a row. On one side was the hallway. On the second side, were the elevators. On the third, there was a sort of landing with couches, and balconies. It was very difficult getting to sleep that first night. There were people running around, even playing hide-and-go-seek outside our room. We finally managed to get some rest, and boy were we glad!

Saturday morning dawned bright and early with a crew that just couldn't sleep. We all got up and hit Cracker Barrel for a good breakfast. We knew eating would be hit and miss for the rest of the day. With five of us competing, plus wanting to watch all of our friends, it can make for a crazy, fun, exhilarating, tiring, and just plain great day.

Youngling is the youngest competitor at our school. As a result, he is always the first to compete.

He took second in forms.

Next up was Professor X. He and Shady Rooster got some hang out time watching other people before he had to head back to the holding area (sounds like something they hold cows in, huh?).

A rare, still moment.

Look at that front stance, and snap.

That's why he took 1st in forms.

The Man Cub put in his best effort. Unfortunately, he did not get some pertinent information. As a result, his second match ended in him losing. He did not place in forms.

Obligatory "Professor X has the camera" picture.

The Shady Rooster took first place in forms, as well. I took first in forms, and ended up with Grand Champion. Sadly, I had to compete against the Shady Rooster for that. Oh well. Maybe next time, Shady Rooster.

After lunch, it was time for sparring. Only Professor X and Shady Rooster sparred. Poor Professor X. This was such a great learning experience for him. He came away with a 'pity' medal and a determination to learn enough to do better next time.

Checking for loose teeth. Protect the head, dude!

The Shady Rooster is seen here, fighting a Transformer! That's right, folks, the Transformers made an appearance at our tournament. Who knew they were real? There was another guy that had matching gloves and foot guards. I seriously was rolling in laughter.

Sunday dawned too early, after a late night of food and fun with friends. Board breaking was on the slate, and we had to get ready. It was absolutely crazy. There were a lot of us competing, and not nearly enough board holders to go around. One of our black belts had to wait to do his competition, while another black belt did his. It was crazy and fast paced. I have no pictures of the Shady Rooster or myself. The Shady Rooster got silver, and I got gold.

Youngling got bronze.

Profess

or X got gold.

Man Cub got bronze. We were particularly proud of this one, since he had 14 kids in his division, and his division is a tough one.

In all, we took home 5 1st place trophies, a second place medal, 2 send place trophies, 2 third place trophies, and a Grand Champion trophy. It was a good weekend.

Hope For the New Year

2009-12-22T21:24:00.000-05:00

For me, the end of Chanukah (the Festival of Lights), and the Winter Solstice, signal the coming light. The knowledge that each day brings just a bit more sunlight to my world is a wonderful thing. It gives me hope for the coming year. The Winter Solstice signals the birth of a new year. It celebrates the end of the darkness. For me, that is wonderful.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas, and a wonderful winter!

Work in Progress

2009-12-17T00:17:00.000-05:00

My work in progress. I started learning to knit in August or September. All through September, October and November, I knit. I knit and knit and knit. So far, I haven't gotten burnt out. I have figured out that my skin doesn't like acrylic. It's causing my psoriasis to really act up. I'm currently making sure to have a barrier between my skin and the yarn.

This is a gift for my cousin. I'll post pictures when they're done.

Slowing Down

2009-12-15T22:31:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, life gets rushed. It seems to always get so rushed for us at this time of year. This year, we had a tournament to go to the weekend before Thanksgiving. Since we were already going to be partway there, we chose to continue on to my mom's house, although we had originally planned to stay home for Thanksgiving.

After more than a week away from home, we were all happy to be home. We arrived home Sunday evening. Monday, I took Professor X to the doctor, and Gary took the truck to the doctor. Tuesday, I had a job interview. Wednesday, I had training for my new job. Thursday, I got to stay at home with my boys until evening, and Friday, we had co-op. Needless to say, we did tae kwon do every night that week. By the end of the week, I was exhausted. I just wanted to stay home.

After two weeks of keeping tae kwon do to a minimum, and focusing on family, I am slowly starting to feel more like myself. But, we need to slow down.

We declared December an unplugged month. The Shady Rooster (hubby) and I are allowed one hour on the computer each night. Otherwise, everything is off. The computers are off. The t.v. is off. The video games are off. It has been wonderful and frustrating. It has been frustrating because I am used to being able to hop online any time I need something. It has been wonderful because I have been able to completely focus on my family during the day. We have all needed this.

As the days go by, we are enjoying our slowing down time. The boys are playing a lot of games, in addition to catching up on school work. We are spending time making Christmas gifts for family. The boys had their first sewing machine lessons on Saturday. We are reading together.

We are being a family again. Of course, we are still going to tae kwon do. Fortunately for my need to slow down a bit, the holidays are coming, and they limit the amount of classes available. After the new year, we'll be back in full force. In the meantime, we'll take it slow and enjoy each other.

It's All Fun and Games

2009-12-06T23:15:00.000-05:00

Our family loves board games. Our favorite games are strategy games. We've been playing Settlers of Catan for about 6 months, approximately once a week. Of course, once we get going, we might play three games in one day.

Recently, we introduced the boys to Risk. We've had this game for many years. It was Husband's before we got married, but it's been taped up through half a dozen moves. For obvious reasons, we never untaped it. Have you ever seen what young children can do with a Risk game? At any rate, we pulled the game out, cut the tape off, and played a game. The Youngling spent his time organizing his troops- all those not being used on the board. He had massive, intricate battles going between the Brits and, at various times, the French, the Romans, and the US. The rest of us played. I lost quickly, and happily went about my business, while Husband proceeded to trounce the older two boys.

Each subsequent game has ended quickly, with Husband the victor, until last night. Last night, we set up the game in front of the fireplace. Youngling decided to join the game. Husband got knocked out of the game before the end of the fourth round. Youngling was going down fast, and I suggested that Husband help him out. Next, I was knocked out. Youngling managed to capture all of North and South America, and Professor X was quickly losing ground in Africa and Asia. The Man Cub held everything else. Suddenly, we realized that it was 9:30. We sent everyone to bed, and moved the game to the kitchen table.

This morning, the boys immediately wanted to play. Unfortunately for them, I needed their help cutting coupons and cleaning house. After much cutting, vacuuming, and straightening, they got down to business. Youngling went after Man Cub. Man Cub was not going down without a fight. After all, what twelve year old wants to lose to his six year old brother? Finally, when Youngling was on the verge of victory, he fell to the cards. Man Cub got 60 more men and wiped Youngling off the map. It was time to take out Professor X. Professor X had two territories left, and felt that Man Cub should not overextend himself by attempting to wipe him out, thereby giving Professor X a chance to turn in his cards. No such luck. Man Cub wiped the board with Professor X and came away the victor.

This game took approximately 12 hours, total, to play. That's 12 hours that a twelve year old, nine year old, and six year old were intensely involved in strategy, math, and fun. The older two frequently commented on how wonderfully old fashioned, and like a movie, it was. I was happy, and so were they.

There will be another board game under the tree this year. We just have to figure out which one.

Dominic-ism

2009-11-18T21:29:00.001-05:00

It is so much fun to live with Dominic. The things that come out of that boy's mouth are hilarious.

During the last competition, said to one of our instructors, who was competing, "I hope you don't get disqualified." Of course, most people would have said, "Good luck."

Yesterday morning, Dominic was wanting to cuddle with his cat, who had decided to take up residence against my leg, on my bed. He started pushing at my leg and asked, "Are these your lower appendages?"

He keeps me laughing all day.

Xavier Turns 9

2009-11-17T22:46:00.000-05:00

The much anticipated day finally arrived. Xavier woke up at approximately 9 AM. He promptly crawled in bed with me, and we cuddled for a good hour before hunger drove us to the kitchen. I made waffles, as per the kid's request.

After breakfast, Xavier headed downstairs to watch a GI Joe marathon. Gabriel had already completed his schoolwork, and Xavier had a personal holiday. Dominic took the day off by default. Mom had sewing to do.

This was supposed to be Xavier's baby quilt. I started working on it before he was born. I just finished it, today. He's been asking about it. I decided it was time he have a quilt made just for him.

The 'sand' has his baby footprints going around the ships/water.

This is how much thread I had left when I had finished binding it. That was close!!

This is a stack of gifts that is one larger than usual. We are a minamilist family when it comes to birthday gifts. Gary and I buy the boys one present, and they also receive one gift from their brothers, who combine their money to buy a gift. I decided that I would like to also include one homemade gift, each year. Our children truly appreciate homemade things. They would much rather have something, or give something, homemade than store bought. I love this quality in them. I'm sure it's something I did, and just as soon as I figure out what it is, I'll let you know.

The boys have been on a toy getting/buying freeze. However, they got their playroom clean, so I loosened the restrictions to allow Gabriel and Dominic to buy Xavier a Bionicle. Each child got one for his birthday from his brothers, this year.

Xavier loves board games. His three favorite are Monopoly, Settlers of Catan, and, a new favorite, Risk. He also likes Chess, but it's only a two player game, so doesn't get played as often. He got an expansion pack for Settlers of Catan for his birthday from Gary and I.

Then, he opened his quilt. It was priceless. He looked at me and said, "You finished it? I didn't know you were doing that?" He was so happy. He is now dreaming away underneath it.

Xavier requested Macaroni for supper. This is one of the easiest meals I know how to make, and I was thrilled that he did not request a more complicated meal, seeing as how I needed to spend the day sewing.

After supper, we had ice cream cake. Xavier proceeded to blow out the candles before I could get my camera ready to take a picture.

Then, we all ate cake.

Finally, we went to Taekwondo. We had a great class, and our nine-year-old boy is now sleeping in nine-year-old dreams. I can't believe he is nine years old. How time flies.

Birthday Preparations

2009-11-16T23:06:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow is Xavier's birthday. He has been so excited about his birthday. I can only hope it lives up to his expectations. In the hopper: Birthday breakfast- waffles, Birthday lunch- unplanned, Birthday dinner- macaroni, birthday gift- quilt almost finished (just have to bind it... I can do it!), birthday cake- ordered at Dairy Queen (we mostly do ice cream cakes, although Gabriel has put in an order for a 'regular' cake for next year), birthday game- Risk? His new favorite game.

I can't wait to see what tomorrow holds in store for my favorite cuddle bug.