It went flying

Today, it literally just went flying.

We made it to dinner tonight.  Our favorite Mexican restaurant and Linley screamed basically the entire time.  She emptied the sweeteners, salted her chips numerous times, and basically did a toddler fit.  After John and I took our turns taking her out it was time to leave. The boys helped clean up all the sweeteners off the floor and so earned a quarter for the sucker at the end of the meal.  Excited and joyful are two words to describe them. As we are waiting in line to pay, they are so happy that they are just swinging their arms around chatting about their suckers they are fixing to get.

Slow motion begins: Caleb swings his arm, pops Ethan in the mouth with his fist, something goes flying, Ethan grabs his mouth, my face has  a look of utter terror.  Now, in the floor of the Mexican restaurant is Ethan's front tooth.  I look at Ethan, "Is that your tooth on the floor?"  Seriously, I thought the college kid in front of us was fixing to flip out.  Ethan, just stands there holding his mouth.  He has to get that tooth off the floor, quick.  "Ethan, pick up your tooth off the floor."
 I turn to Caleb: "Caleb, you just knocked Ethan's tooth out!" Starting in on my lecture how we're not to hit one another.
 Caleb responds as only Caleb would:  Both arms go up in the air and he shouts "YES!!!"  Um, not the reaction I was looking for.
The college kid in front of me nearly hit the floor laughing on that one.
"Caleb, tell Ethan you are sorry for hitting him in the mouth."
Caleb offers a quick sorry and now I am holding the tooth in my hand trying to pay for dinner as the boys rush out to the van to tell John what all happened.

Now, Ethan is the snaggle-toothed boy.  And it's adorable.

We had an evening of fun by then hitting the volleyball game and it was great.  When we get home, Caleb informs me: Mom, I hit Ethan's tooth out so he would buy us a .... I don't even remember what it was. But, since he thinks he played such an integral role in getting Ethan's tooth out that Ethan should use his tooth fairy money and buy THEM a toy.  I don't know how that will fly.

007

Today, I was 007.

Our neighbor's dog came and visited today.  You know, the one who peed on Ethan's shoes while he was wearing them?  He is innocent enough and I like him...until he takes off down the road with Ethan's boot.  Then he comes back, and robs my corn from the fall scene.  Oh no you didn't.

So, like any person, I have to go get it.  Enter 007.  I, dressed in 007 attire: bright orange running shirt, workout pants, and garden shoes, stealthily make my way down the road, pushing a toddler, in a winnie the pooh stroller.  The dog sees me...quick I have to hide before I am licked to death.  I, picking up speed, run into the neighbors driveway and try to be polite. 007 has manners.  I knock on the door and no answer. So, like any 007, I scope out the yard, pushing my 20-month old, in a stroller,with a dog following me.  I did find some evidence: the corn was chewed up and shredded all over their yard (I'm sure my neighbor really appreciated that consider his yard is immaculate), a chewed up football that I didn't know we were missing...but no boot.  I stop and have to dart inside the garage to the dog's kennel and see if the boot is hiding in there.  No.  However, while doing this, my partner in crime has now gotten out of the stroller and is walking around trying to play with the neighbor's grandkids' toys.  Smooth, trying to play it off like we were there to play.  007 in training.  Despite her best protesting, I quickly put Linley back in the stroller and head back to our house. With no corn, and no boot.  Oh Harvey, until we meet again.

Today, as normal, I felt like a preacher, on self-control and using kind words. Ugh.

Ethan, responding to Caleb using up all the legos for ship, decides he is going to build a "Ship that is BETTER than yours!"
Caleb to me: Ethan is being shellfish.
Shellfish?  I think we need a little more lessons here.

 Repeat scenario again: Ethan annoying Caleb. Caleb defending his position with a toy in a hand and a threat to throw it.  I enter into the scene.

Me: Caleb, you cannot control him but you can control yourself.  We do NOT throw our toys no matter what your brother does.
Caleb: putting toy down, MOM!  Ethan is talking to me being mean.
Me: Pointing finger at the point-I will talk to Ethan.
Me: turning to Ethan: You are not being kind.  We are to build each other up with our words not tear each other down.  You are saying words that are not kind and not building him up.
Ethan: I'm not going to build him up or tear him down.  I'm going to put him in the middle. I'm going to put him in a dungeon.

Great, what do you say to that? At that point my sermon was over and it's time for bed.

Happenings lately

We've been having thoughts of things going on around here and I have attempted to blog about it. But, that was something in itself.

In the past 3 weeks we have been going through a lot of technology.  Linley Claire dropped our laptop. Several times. Banged on it.  And then it quit working. Shocker I know.  So, we have to get a new computer. One that is refurbished.  We had several issues with it so had to get it worked on...twice.  Then, one week later, John was on a work trip.  I'm cleaning up the kitchen, and then I hear-WHOOSH!!!  I turn around, and to my dismay Linley is standing on a chair and pouring water in different cups and it soaks the NEW computer!!  Flip out mode. But, praise the Lord it ends up working fine.  I was in the middle of a blog post when all this was going on.

Ethan and I went on our first bike ride together.  We went a little over two miles.  The first mile was great.  The was back, iffy.  We had to stop several times, sit underneath a tree for a few minutes, push our bikes up some hills.  But, it was great fun.  We get back and I'm talking to John and what does he see?  Bird poop...in. my. hair.   Please tell me how this happens.

We get back from running errands or something like that and our neighbors' dog comes to greet us. We really like the dog.  However, he likes to make his territory. This time he marks his territory on Ethan's shoes. While he is wearing them.  Seriously? That pair of shoes had to be thrown away.

Caleb has started playing soccer now. Sweetest thing.  He actually will go and do it, but the last weekends' game didn't go too hot.  Caleb comes to me after about 40 minutes, starts stripping off his shoes, socks, shin-guards.  They were hurting him.  Um, hello?  You have twenty minutes left of soccer.  During this time, Ethan takes a drink of Caleb's Gatorade. Apparently that was not according to Caleb's approval so while I'm trying to convince him to go finish the game Caleb literally whams Ethan on the face.  Seriously?  So, we didn't finish the game, and we had our own "timeout" in the van if you get my drift.

Ethan has lost another tooth.  They just keep coming.

Last week, our mailbox was stolen.  This apparently made a huge impact on Ethan.  During Children's Church that morning he prayed for the people who did it, that they wouldn't sin anymore. Well, they were caught and here's to hoping they learned their lesson. Answered prayer there.

I went on a trip with some dear friends this weekend. It truly was amazing.  We had so much fun, slept little, laughed alot, lost our voices, and ate well. We also learned so much about our Savior and training up our kids.  However, while we are away for that time, at our house this happened: Caleb threw up, Ethan almost had a sympathy hurl, one shin-guard and one sock were still in the van with me in Chattanooga while there was a game here.  Needless to say,  it was a memorable weekend for everyone.

The boys got in their halloween costumes today. I'm cooking pancakes and what happens? I'm literally bombarded with nerf gun bullets.  One whizzed by my head. Rule at the Cole house: you are NOT allowed to hit anyone in the head with a bullet.

Today at the lunch table, the boys start to leave the table.  "Caleb, take your plate to the kitchen." Caleb: "I'm not Caleb, I'm bounty hunter Caleb." Pardon me, my mistake.

Goodnight all.