The Power of a Positive Attitude - or Ketchup

Every once and a while Norah will wake up screaming and will not be consoled. Nathan figured out to keep asking her questions until she answers positively. After that she immediately lays down and goes back to sleep. This is how it goes:

Norah, do you like ice cream?
Nooooooooo!
Do you like butterflies?
Nooooooooo!
And it keeps going for ten to 20 questions.
Do you like to play outside?
Uh-huh. (Lays down and immediately falls asleep.)

The other night was kind of strange:
Do you like princesses?
Nooooooo!
Do you like ketchup?
Uh-huh. (Back to sleep)

Ketchup? Really? After all the other fun things? I think it's funny that Nathan even thought to ask her that. Come to think of it, when ever the kids don't eat their dinner, he brings out the ketchup and then they will eat it.

See Derek Dance. Dance, Derek, Dance.

This week I took Michael to the optometrist. While I was completing the medical forms, I was asking him the questions.

"Do you have high blood pressure?"

"No."

"Arthritis?"

"No." 

"Are you pregnant."

(In the same bored voice.) "Yep. Sorry you had to find out this way."

And the Winner is...

For the last couple of years we have given awards to the kids each week at family council. I like how it makes me look for good things they are doing and then come up with names for the awards like, "Be Your Own Boss" or "The Obedience Award." When we present the award, we tell about what the person has been doing and cite specific examples if we can. The kids like to guess who we are talking about. I like that after we present the award we all clap and cheer for them. It brings a smile every ones face. Yesterday, Nathan snuck in an award for me. It feels good, no matter how old you are. I love to watch Norah smile proudly as she holds her piece of paper and we clap for her. Even though I'm not sure she knows exactly going on, she still enjoys it. Last night she walked around with her little award certificate for a long time and got angry when she put it down and saw someone else with one, thinking they had hers. I've sometimes seen the awards hanging in the kids bedrooms. When we started this, I never thought a little piece of paper could mean so much.

bits and pieces

There has been so many things I've been neglecting to write about and I'm beginning to forget them.

Here's a few odds and ends so I can stop thinking about them.

*Me: Michael, you get more handsome everyday. I didn't think it was possible...
Mike: (shaking his in mock sadness) unbeliever

*Norah has a bobble head. When she nods, it is a very big affair. Her favorite words: again! whee! juice and no.  She says a lot more, but these are her signature words.

Even if I need to work on remembering our blessings, Merian has a natural gift for looking on the bright side and being grateful. Her prayers are always full of thankfulness. I've been saving a list she made at Thanksgiving time so that I could record some of the things she is thankful for. Some of the leaves on her chain are missing but here is what is left:

the world

M.C.P.

Art

P.E.

science

music

history

writing

teachers

my house

my family

instruments

books

food

toys/glasses

school

"evryfing" (everything)

animals

pets