A conversation between brothers

Nate: Ted, can we watch Scooby Do?

Ted: No, we don't have it.

Nate: Well, we could download it!

Harrison: (sigh) 4 yr olds.

Lent begins

It's Ash Wednesday and so lent begins. We have created a few family traditions in the last few years during this time of fasting, prayer, and alms giving. Last year, we used beans to encourage sacrifice and good deeds. As the boys would do something nice, they would add a bean to a jar and then on Easter the beans were replaced with jelly beans. This year we decided to do something similar but instead we made a crown of thorns. We made ours from a salt dough and then put toothpicks in it. For each sacrifice, they will remove a toothpick. Hopefully all of the toothpicks will be removed before Easter. We will decorate the crown for Easter with jewels or flowers.

Maybe I should have made the crown out of playdough instead. The salt dough looks a little like bread dough. Every male in this house asked if it was something we could eat. It didn't surprise me too much but it did make me laugh a little when they all asked about it.

We have not been doing a good job of teaching and praying the rosary to our kids. We hope to say a decade of the rosary together each night. Nate does not know the prayers well enough yet to really be able to join us completely but we'll continue to try (and that's why we'll only say one decade with him).

Happy 8th Birthday, Harrison

Today was Harrison's birthday. He brought muffins for a snack at school. Bob's dad and stepmom came for a visit this afternoon. We went to dinner at Red Robin tonight so Harrison got a sundae there. Then, we came home for cake and ice cream. We had a fun afternoon and evening.

Harrison's birthday party

Harrison turns 8 this Tuesday, the 21st. We had his party today at Jumpin'. It was a bit crazy there today. There were so many people and parties at the same time but I think the kids had fun. With 3 of our birthdays within a month (Ted, me, and Harrison), I have really learned to focus on keeping the parties simple. All the kids really want is some cake, drinks, snacks, and to just run around and have fun. I made cupcakes and then we had chips, pretzels, strawberries, apples, and carrots to snack on. We gave each child a toy from the Dollar store instead of doing a goody bag. The party planning didn't seem as stressful this year as it sometimes is for me.

Curious Nate

I am really enjoying this time with Nate before he heads off to kindergarten next year. I know I'm going to miss the little chatterbox. He loves to talk and ask questions.

On Monday, he learned that Doug died after a tractor fell on him. Before this, I had only told him it was an accident. I wasn't sure if he was ready to know the whole truth. He seems to be doing ok, though. He was still excited to go to his tractor class this morning too.

After his class, we went to the post office and then decided to get lunch before taking the van for an oil change. I opted for the McDonald's closest to the dealer. As I was parking, Nate asked, "Are you sure this is a real McDonald's?" I guess it looked a little different and he wanted to make sure I wasn't trying to slide something past him.

Nate also asked me today about the day that Daddy picked him up from daycare. It's been a couple weeks now and this is the first time he has asked me about that. I told him that was the day that Lana's husband, Doug, died. I know he is a smart boy but it still amazes me when he asks something that I wouldn't have expected him to still be thinking about.

My baby is growing up

My baby is registered for kindergarten. I'll have all 3 boys at the same school next year. I tend to think it's going to hit me harder next fall knowing that Ted will only be there that year before moving on the middle school.

Nate was a little unsure about registration. He didn't want to get out of the van when we got to the school. He reminds me of Ted when he does that. I think he was worried about when he was going to have to start. I told him it won't be until next year. Harrison tried to help me and said it's this year, not next year. Nate was fine once we got in the school and he saw another family we know.

Nate is also taking a class at The Farm. It's on Thursday mornings this month (so only 3 times). It's a class about tractors...which is why I haven't told him everything about what happened to Doug (Lana's husband). I had to drag him to his class this morning. He gets nervous when he doesn't know what to expect. He was fine once he saw the tractor toys to play with. As we were walking to our van afterwards, he asked me when he gets to go back to tractor class.