Mistaken identity

Chase is a whistler. He practices all the time. I think it's cute most of the time, but sometimes it can get a little bit annoying. His dad is a little less tolerant and finds it annoying pretty much all the time. Fast forward to Friday night...

The Elders from our church joined us for dinner. We were all seated around the table passing bowls of green beans, serving up fettucine, etc. all while being serenaded by a soft, easy whistling. Nobody seemed to mind or really notice until Karam in a threatening-loud-only-made-by-dad-kind-of-voice exclaimed (looking directly at Chase) "NO whistling at the table!" Chase innocently proclaimed, "It was the missionary." So then Karam added a serving of "words" to his plate... Gobbled 'em right up! ;)

Po-TAY-to/ Po-TAH-to

I have a habit of saying dag-NAB-it a lot. Emphasis on "NAB". It's kinder and gentler swearing than some other things I could say. My boys have never picked it up. Never heard them say it... and then this exchange yesterday:

I was playing a game. Chase was watching me. I lost. Chase exclaimed, "dog-DAM-it". (I cannot tell a lie, it still makes me giggle everytime I think about it.) After the shock wore off I said, "That's a bad word." Chase immediately replied, "Grandma said it!" (phew! He wasn't trying to copy me... it was GRANDMA'S fault!) I asked, "When did she say that?" He said, "When she left her purse at home." ***disclaimer... upon confronting Grandma, she insists she said, "Dangit."*** Lesson learned? A swear word by any other name is just the same... to a 5 year old. ;)

There's a monster in my house

Ok, so maybe I exaggerate when I say monster. Maybe it's really just a mouse. (I get that if there's "A" mouse, there's more than likely mice plural, but it's easier for me to pretend it's a single, solitary one that is terrrorizing me. It's a little more tolerable.) To ME, though it's a monstrous problem.

I'm not a fan of mice. Not even a little bit. If you look in my pantry, it is practically bare... every food item NOT in a glass jar or metal can is in my fridge or freezer. I want the mouse to die and never, ever return again (like as a ghost to haunt me... it's friends aren't welcome either). I would probably be like the little old lady in the movie Ratatouille and actually shoot at it if I owned a gun. I'm that irrational when it comes to this unwelcome, uninvited intruder.

My young sons get that I'm completely horrified by the monster in our house. We had a little teaching moment the other day (Chase teaching. Me... listening, but not really open-minded about the subject matter!)

Chase: "Mom, didn't Heavenly Father create mice?"

Me: "Yes, He did."

Chase: "Why do you want to kill Heavenly Father's creations?"

Me: "Well, Chase, I don't know what Heavenly Father's intentions were for mice, but I'm sure they are not meant to inhabit humans homes and get into their stuff and poop and pee in their pantrys. So, since that's what is happening, I think it's ok for us to get rid of the mice in our house."

Chase: "Well, maybe Heavenly Father just made a mistake."

Ha, ha... or maybe I need to be a better example. I just don't see it happening. Not anytime soon. Just not when it involves His creation, the mouse... in my house.

P.S. There's a super cute kids song called "there's a monster in my house"... it turns out to be a snoring father, but for me, well, you know what my monster is.

Dare to bear

On Fast Sunday this month (in our church, the first Sunday of each month is dedicated as "Fast Sunday". We are invited to fast from food and drink for a 24 hour period while praying with a purpose. We then donate money equal to the cost of meals we've abstained from and our Church meeting is open to the congregation for the bearing of testimonies... what we personally believe to be true.) both of my boys decided to share their testimonies in front of the congregation. It's important to me for them to say what is in their hearts, not what I prompt them to say. It's a little scary, however, to stand there for "moral support" never knowing for sure what they're going to say.

This particular time was no exception. Most people begin by saying, "I'd like to bear my testimony". Aiden bravely got up on his own claiming " I dare to bear my testimony". It is daring, you have to admit, to be brave enough to get up and bear testimony in front of a congregation of 100+ people! He got a little nervous and wanted me join him at the pulpit. I did, but continued to encourage him to say what HE wanted instead of telling him what to say. He got lots of snickers when he said, "I hope we don't say bad words." :) Honestly, though, I hope we don't say bad words as well.

Chase got up and said he wanted to "bury his testimony"... of course he wasn't burying it, he was bravely sharing it! ;) Most of us (me included) choose to bury our testimony on fast Sunday, instead of getting up and bearing it. So, good for you, Chase for bearing yours even if you wanted to bury it! Your confidence was showing, as well, when you just stood there with one hand holding on to each side of the pulpit. Just like a grown adult. I was impressed.

Later that night, Aiden was saying the family prayer and had this heartfelt message to share with his Heavenly Father:

"Dear Heavenly Father, I beared my testimony today and everybody laughed at me. It hurt my feelings."

I was touched (and maybe a little embarassed as I have to admit I was giggling during his testimony too) since he hadn't said anything to me about the snickering he heard. After his prayer we talked about it and I assured him that when people laugh at things children say it's because they're so cute it makes us smile and sometimes even laugh. Apparently that explanation sufficed because he vowed to continue to be cute enough to make people laugh. And... there's been no more mention of it in his prayers. lol

P.S. Did I mention I adore these guys? Maybe it shows. ;)

Measurements...

My cute little boys always say and do things that make me think. For example, the other night Chase prayed that "Satan will start choosing the right". How cute is that?! I'm pretty sure I've never prayed for Satan. I've prayed against him. I've prayed that he won't have power over me. But to pray for him?! I wonder what kind of influence we could have if we all prayed for him? The whole human race... praying for Satan. With the faith of a child. Who knows?

Eclipse... the movie

Back in December (ok, so I'm a little behind) I arrived at my parents house (where my boys had been most of the day... and where they'd stay ALL day EVERY day if I'd let them) and Chase eagerly came up and asked, "Mom, can we watch Eclipse tonight at the movie theatre?" A little confused, I reminded him that it wasn't in the theatres anymore. He insisted that Grandma was going "out" to watch it later in the evening. I realized that he must be talking about the LUNAR eclipse, not the latest movie in the ever-popular vampire series. I explained what the eclipse really was... apparently not very well as evidenced by the following conversation, which took place several hours later:

Chase: "Mom, please can we go watch Eclipse with Grandma tonight?"

Me: "Chase, it's the moon. The eclipse is the moon. Up in the sky."

Chase: "Soooooooo... the MOON is showing a movie?"

I was a dutiful mom and I woke each of my boys up and carried them outside into the freezing 2:00 a.m. air so they could witness the eclipse. In the morning, neither of them even remembered anything about it (or believed me when I insisted that I did, in fact, take them outside to view the reddish moon, for that matter).