Day Six

Ever had one of those days when you feel like you accomplished an incredible deal and the world is definitely better because of you...but you got nothing done that you were supposed to do? It has nothing to do with Mommy Lion, but that's what happened to me today!

Little Lion finished swim lessons today, not a bad week, I feel like he's capable of being left unattended at a pool now if Little Pumpkin needs a potty break or something. He worked on side breathing, and big, scooping, arm strokes, but didn't quite get it all down.

Little Pumpkin had a good day but a terrible evening. She pushed her luck a little far tonight and didn't get all her dinner or dessert. It was all by her own choice (Grandma Lion)! Dinner tonight was with the Brazillians. Flank steaks, braised cabbage, and rice, the Little ones got carrots and celery sticks also. Little Lion cleaned up, and had seconds before RJ got there from work.

That's right, WORK. He goes back tomorrow at 7am for more! If this keeps up, he may become a contributing member of society! I'm half kidding of course, he's just as excited to work as we are to have him spending time profitably. He had a good day, learned a little, and is ready to GO BACK tomorrow.

Today Mommy Lion says goodbye to her orphans. Extra prayers for that girl, she's so attached and is feeling guilty for not being able to do more. I'm sure the tears are flowing, and she's got to do it all over again next week.

Day Five

Mommy Lion's been gone for five days now, honestly it's been a little longer as she easily checked out a few days ahead of time and was a bit of a mental wreck. Five days and eveything's alright! Maybe I can do this?

Little Lion woke up this morning arguing about the triviality of wearing two pairs of clothes in three installments. He wanted to wear his swim suit all morning so that he wouldn't have to change into it when swim lessons came. I argued with him that if he wore his swim trunks, he'd forget to remove his under-britches before he jumped in and then he'd have wet under-britches for going to camp after lunch. He needed to wear his clothes this morning, then change into his suit, sans under-britches, then back into his clothes after swimming lessons. Am I way off track here people?

We also debated the evils of flip-flops and dancing, and most importantly, of dancing in flip-flops. Camp Bravo is a drama camp he's been doing in the afternoons, they're working on their choreography and he has great difficulty, apparently, performing in flip-flops.

Not to worry, he didn't take his back-pack to swim lessons - AT ALL. That's right, some how he got to swim lessons in his swim suit, carrying his clothes, but with no towel, no socks, no shoes, just his flip flops. Call me furious!!!

Dinner tonight for Little Pumpkin was a half ear of corn, 6 ritz crackers, and shepherds pie, then a half a sloppy joe! Little Lion had pork roast, green beans, and ritz crackers with an apple.

On the bright side today, I got two loads of laundry finished, talked with my beautiful wife in China via Skype (she was online at 6 AM her time just to see us!!!!) I noticed some tears already when talking about leaving her girls on Friday, such a soft heart for the unjust. Pray for Mommy Lion to share the love of Jesus with her translator and girls, she's had an awesome opportunity already to preach the good news of the gospel!

Sorry, no pictures today, they'd just be of laundry, messy faces, and ... under-britches. Maybe something creative will happen tomorrow. Many thnks to Josh Hood for lending my wife the laptop so she could Skype with her kids!

Oh, I also got good news that my raise that was supposed to go through last April didn't go through, so they're back paying all my checks at the new rate since April. God is good, all the time. The assistance with RJ has taken a toll on us, we're not broke or in debt, just relying on God's blessings to sustain us to the VERY last dollar most weeks.

Today, He did.

Daddy Lion

Day Four

A four hour meeting at work today. Of the eight hours I was there, I was actually in my department for about 20 minutes!

Quote of the day from Little Pumpkin: "When I toot in the swimming pool, it makes bubbles, he-he-he"

Little Lion got his hair cut today. He was strangely quiet in the barber chair this time, maybe because he just doen't know what to say with Floyd The Barber. Typical small town shop, one chair, one cut, one guy. He may have been a little quiet because I got onto him for wearing his flip-flops, again, to Camp Bravo, even though we talked about it last night and we packed shoes and socks in his bag today.

Tried to do a 'chat' or something like it with Mommy Lion today and it didn't work. Yahoo has changed their mail setup and the new one has features that do NOT work like chat. I'll work on it some more later.

Dinner tonight was Sloppy Joe with steamed mixed vegetables. Just the three of us tonight, RJ never showed, I called his cell at about 8 tonight and he was with his mom. That just means he'll have leftovers tomorrow when we do chicken sandwiches!

If you've made it this far, you're a die hard, and I'm about to let the cat out of the bag. Exclusive blog disclosure. I was offered a job yesterday in Germany, by another company in our network, by a former VP of my company who now is with this other company. I owe him a call tomorrow, I think I know what I'm going to say, wish i could talk with Mommy Lion to solidify my feelings. I talked to MY VP about it today, he was calm, didn't offer any specific guidance, but reiterated a lot of what I already was thinking; not really helpful, but reassuring.

This is after I was offered a job last week with another related company about an hour outside of Atlanta, Georgia. I brushed that opportunity off, but it's still floating around in my head, what the opportunity would be, is there a better time to change, and what do I want to be when I grow up. There you have it, the inside scoop, haven't told anybody but you!

Tonight I was trying to get online with Mommy Lion when Little Pumpkin kept bugging me. There's a very small window of time when we can both be online at the same time due to a shared computer there, and 13 hours time difference from here. I asked Little Pumpkin several times to go play in her room while I tried to figure the problems out. She finally went off crying "I just want to be with you" over and over and over, and like a fool, I kept fighting the fight I didn't think I would win. At about 6:30 pm I gave up and went to get her, only to find her asleep, all her lights on. I got some sweet snuggle time rubbing her back and waking her gently before she agreed to help me fix dinner. She sat on the counter with me the rest of the evening, dumping, pouring, stirring, slicing american cheese with the cheese wire, open the bag for hamburger buns, and picking out vegetables. I LOVE that little girl.

Daddy Lion

Day Three

Kids were up at 6:15 am and we were at the Brazillians by 6:35! Little Lion was dressed, Little Pumpkin still in her silky pajamas...so hard to let go of that one especially when she's snuggly.

Little Lion got to do swim lessons today, we still need to work on strokes, long arms, scooping water at the end of the imaginary pole that points out the top of his head. I asked Little Pumpkin tonight what her favorite part of the day was, she said with the sleepiest but most excited voice possible "playing almost all day with (Little Brazillian)"

Dinner tonight was chicken & bean enchiladas, both kids had a fresh cut peach, and corn on the cob. Little Lion had two halves of a corn ear! Then they had the audacity to ask for dessert! Kids these days. They actually both peeled the skin off of their peaches and ate it first because, according to Little Pumpkin, "it's the best part".

Ultimate thanks to Mrs. Brazillian, I could NOT have done this without you!

They poor kids were probably starved because I put them to work today after we all got home. We put Miracle grow on all the flowers, they made mud pies in their swim suits while RJ & I tore the box apart in the shed that we were saving for the other Brazillians. Then they made 'chocolate' like the Oopa-Loompa's. I got them cleaned up then we ate dinner outside, in the back yard, under the soccer tent; apparently the coolest thing I've ever let either of them do !?!?!?!?

Speaking of RJ, while he was mowing the lawn today, his phone rang and HE GOT A JOB, starts at 7AM tomorrow at Southern Tire Mart. About a month ago I asked him if he could choose anything to do, no limits, what would it be. He chose two, either a long haul truck driver, or a Tire Man!!! God is good...All the Time.

So now I need your help. RJ is sooo ready for this. Please take 10 seconds, say a prayer that his work ethic, strength, and desire to live life to it's fullest would be dynamically manifest tomorrow. I'll join my prayers with you.

Daddy Lion

Day Two

Lunch at the church today with all our friends (and no need to eat leftovers yet!)

The hardest part of the day was fixing Little Pumpkin's hair this morning. I got several compliments on my diligence!

The rest of the day is nothing, maybe fix the lawns later this evening. Little Lion went to the Brazillian's birthday party and will probably be gone a few hours. Little Pumpkin is sleeping even though "she's not tired". I'm headed there too!

Little Pumpkin & I took a four hour nap, then she ate a whole PB&J, strawberries, chips, half a roll, and then asked for dessert! We watched funny home videos, a few minutes of Move the Bus, then the power went out for two hours! Baths in the dark, brushing hair and teeth by twilight, then bed with no nightlight. You would have thought the world was coming to an end.

Things were back at about 9:15, it's good to post, hope Mommy Lion gets to read. Prayers tonight by little lions were "the orphans are coming, the orphans are coming" so excited for her Mommy!

Evening One

It's been a really LONG, HARD day, swimming, walking, eating, sleeping, wii-ing...

This afternoon there was NO NAP TIME, and here's what happened...

Little Pumpkin is asleep and one leg twitch from being crumpled on the floor! Little Lion has stolen the computer and is playing Farmville and waiting for Mommy Lion to Skype.

What a great day!

Tonight for dinner was Shell pasta with red sauce, green beans & rolls.

Day One

Slept till 7:21 this morning, trying to decide what to do with myself today. Mommy lion is soaring over Russia right now, Little lion is STILL with The Little Red Hen, Little Pumpkin is STILL with the Brazilians, and I'm just about to finish movie number two, "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World".

Yes, world, I've just wasted four perfectly grand hours of my life!

Day Zero

Mommy Lion Left for China today at 4:15 pm, made it through security in Dallas and was grabbing dinner before her 10:35 PM flight.

Little Lion is with the Little Red Hen, Little Pumpkin stayed after dinner with the Brazillians, and RJ is on his way home. I've had a quiet evening, trying to watch "Inception", waiting for a last call from Dallas!

Dinner tonight was a great "disaster" soup, rice, sliced beef, hot links and asparagus courtesy of the Brazillians.

New Do

So let me begin with a before picture that is... well, quite a ways before! In fact it is almost one month to the day before! :o)

This pic of the kids was taken while in Oregon visiting family for graduations. Maybe someday when I'm not so busy I'll actually blog about that great trip! ;o)

Silly as it may be, it's a good picture to see how long Little Pumpkin's hair has gotten.

She has been to the salon twice before for trims, but today we did a full blown CUT! With Mommy Lion leaving on Friday for China a shorter length should help Daddy Lion out with washing, combing and fixing hair!!!

So here she is sporting her new do! She likes it, maybe we'll keep it short?!?

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Kinda feeling green today...

...and the kids loved it! ;o)

Father Knows Best

As a father I am once again...Wrong.

Little Lion had a Pine Car Derby today and we've spent the past few weeks preparing.

He drew the car out, total lack of aerodynamic engineering.

He put in a door, smack dab in the middle of the body, in direct violation of structures and strength of materials.

He denied any desire to properly weight the car, who cares if it's exactly the 5.0 ounces maximum allowed and recommended in the Cub Scouts.

He wanted it painted Blue and Purple.
He didn't want to put any numbers on it.
He wanted lights on the back - painted them with nail polish.

And so I determined to let him fail, the cars were expertly done by the other fathers, blowers, low profile, graphite wheels, turtle wax, themes, and bling. Not my son he had done this to himself, he would find out in this school of hard knocks that father always knows best.


Third Place...that's my boy!!!

More exciting news!

Ok, so we are teaching Kid's Church on Sunday morning when I notice the whole front row of boys is staring at this one little boy who is trying to pull his tooth out! Yes, it was Little Lion. He was being very unsuccessful, so I sent him to the back of the room to not be a distraction.

After class, we had communion services in the sanctuary. First grade and up attend these services. So there we sit Daddy Lion, friend, Little Lion, Mommy Lion. I had given the boys stuff to draw with, when the next thing I know Little Lion is handing me a tooth! He was so proud of himself... It's the first one he pulled completely by himself!

SO, why am I telling this story today? Because yesterday when I picked him up from school he had this concerned look on his face. (Which usually means a yellow instead of purple ... talking too much.) When he got in the car, I immediately asked "Purple paw?" and he replied "Yes!"

So I asked what's with the sad face... He smiles really big. Mommy notices nothing.

Finally he just tells me: "I pulled my tooth at school today!!!"

I hadn't even known he had another one loose! It has been the goal since last year to pull a tooth at school. You know that's the best thing ever! You get the cool tooth necklace and all. He was pretty proud. Even concerned about leaving it under the pillow. He didn't want the tooth fairy to keep the tooth necklace.

So there it is his toothless smile! The two he pulled are the two on either side of his upper front two teeth. Exciting times in the life of a seven year old! :o)

We are still alive!

No real exciting news here, was just reminded that it had been WAY too long since I posted anything. So here's the picture of the day; our silly Little Pumpkin.

She ran in from washing her hands after "bessert" and stuck her tongue out. She was so proud of it. She also got her second hair "cut" of her life; another 3 inches and you can hardly tell we cut it!

White Christmas

This is as close to a white Christmas as we will get this year!

Merry Christmas everyone! We pray yours is as Merry as ours!

Little Lion's Perspective

So I survived my first Mom & Me camp out with Cub Scouts. But I thought it would be fun to hear about the camp out from Little Lion's perspective. Of course I will use my Editor's rights in what comments actually get posted...

"I went to centers at Mom and Me."

They had space theme "Continuing the Journey." I was impressed with their creativeness in coming up with activities and names! This was comet golf. They threw out hula hoops; then tried to throw golf balls inside pantyhose into the hoops. Pretty funny, Little Lion made 7!

"I made a pancake, we called them space cakes because it was space stations. We made them with butter and it was good."

They were learning to cook with large coffee cans and canned cooking fuel. I was impressed. The boy scouts were "in charge" of leading most of the activities; you could tell the difference between the troops!

"I went to shoot BB guns. I liked it."

This was the activity he was most excited about before getting to camp. Not so much after actually doing it. Probably a combination of having to wait SO long to take a turn (it was obviously one of the more popular activities) and not really have that great of a coach . . . I'm not a marksman by any means! ;o)

"I made a hand and I put camping stuff on it. It was fun. My favorite station was arts and crafts."

"This tree is poky. I found it when we were going hiking."

He was very upset with me when I made him turn around because I couldn't see the "trail" any more! It's just wasn't an adventure if we were on the trail according to him.

"These are my friends. They are nice. There is a lake behind me and my friends."

We couldn't get any closer than this to the lake; probably a good reason for that! I'm know a few little boys who sure wanted to go swimming!

"This is my alien; it can change from a boy to girl."

Another arts & crafts station that he enjoyed! He is so creative. And by changing from boy to girl, he is talking about it having a beard when it was an "old man" and curly hair when it was a "girl."

"I shot a water rocket. It was fun. It got me wet. I got to fix it up."

By fix it up he means set up the rocket before shooting it off. It was pretty cool that they went so high up! I think the boy scouts enjoyed this one just as much as the cub scouts! ;o)

"I shot a bow and arrow. "

This was a hard one for Little Lion, but I was proud that he pushed through and did his best! Cub Scouts motto: Do your best! ;o)

"I shot corn at a pan with a sling shot. It was fun."

"We went to a campfire and I danced a lot. It was amazing."

I took this picture for a number of reasons: 1. you can see how filthy they were after a day of camping 2. you can see how much fun they were having at the fire-less campfire! (burn ban) 3. this friend will forever be our friend since he found the second slide that Little Lion lost after dancing like an wild banshee!

"I liked Mom & Me camp out. We were going to chapel on Sunday. It was short."

Too funny that is what he remembers about the chapel time! Such a male. ;o) Note to self for next year: take picture together on first day upon arrival! Just glad I remembered to take of the two of us at all!

"This is me standing by the campsite of where I slept. I'm glad I went. I wish I could go again tomorrow."

I couldn't agree more, well, I don't think I would go again tomorrow . . . but I will look forward to next year! Already praying for good weather, I know that makes all the difference in the world!

Cub Scouts it is!

Okay, we've taken Little Lion to every sporting event known to man . . . . well, maybe not "every!" But at least all the ones offered in our area to kids his age. There statement qualified.

Anyway, he's been a good sport about going and supporting friends and even "testing" some out. But has always opted to "just watch". So when he came home from school excited about Cub Scouts I was a excited, yet apprehensive all the same.

You see he was real excited about Karate once too. Then he was told he had to chop a board in half with his hand and that was the end of that! It didn't matter how many times we told him it wasn't true; he was done before he even started.

So after two "meetings" and a semi-confident Little Lion, Daddy Lion agreed to sign him up. He was very proud of his uniform!

As you can tell! Such a GQ pose ~ takes after his Daddy! I'll have to post those pics sometime . . .j/k. The catch? Cause you know there is one! After taking this picture and being told to take everything off so we don't loose it....

Yep, you guessed it! We promptly lost the slide for the neckerchief! SERIOUSLY! How does one loose something from the bathroom to the kitchen!?!? We've searched everywhere!

Apparently we aren't the first. At the first den meeting Daddy Lion was given some tips to keep it from happening again. That is after Little Lion buys a new one with his own money! (These things are cheap!)

So, Little Lion's take after the first meeting? "It was boring!" So, we'll see how long our scouting adventures last! Oh, I forgot to mention the first event? MOM and ME camp-out! WHO SIGNED UP FOR THIS?!?!

Okay, good attitude! I'm sure some boy scout will need his eagle scout project ~ I'll sign whatever needs to be signed if he'll just put up my tent! This is going to be exciting!!!

I leave you with a pose from Little Pumpkin. 'Cause you know if I'm taking a picture of Little Lion, I must want one of her too! ;o)

I have no explanation for this one! Enjoy!

Photo pointers needed . . .

So pictures are worth a thousand words right . . . .

I think she is saying: "I don't care about first day of school pictures!"

A snapshot of Strong-will Determined . . .

This am Little Pumpkin asks for a bagel for breakfast.

Mommy: "We don't have any bagels."

Little Pumpkin: "I want a bagel."

Mommy: "I can make you toast."

Little Pumpkin: "I want a bagel."

M: ignoring her now because she has left the room . . .

Five minutes later:

LP: "I'm ready for breakfast."

M: "Ok, you need to tell me what you want."

LP: "I want a bagel."

M: "I know you want a bagel, but we don't have any. You make a bagel and I'll fix it for you."

LP: "You could make a bagel out of toast."

Moral of the story: sometimes it does pay off to be determined!

Hate it when my kids are right! LOL

Little Pumpkin with her toast bagel! Did pretty good didn't I!?! *grin*

The Milk Debaucle

Since my last post, I've had many requests for the explanation of Little Lion's self-diagnosis of a milk allergy. So I'll try to be short winded. . . but no promises. *grin*

So the first week of school Little Lion complained about his tummy almost every morning. Being the good "redneck" mom I am, I told him he needed to just go "poop". Well, Wednesday of that week same story different day . . . he followed my recommendation and still made it on the bus. On the car ride home from school, when we talked about his day, he informed me he went to the nurse's office twice. "But I didn't have a fever, so she sent me back to class." The loving mom I am replied "Of course you didn't have a fever, you're not sick." *grin*

Thursday morning . . . same story different day again. However, this morning he is at the porcelian throne trying to force himself to throw-up. Daddy Lion and I become very concerned and begin discussing school. Trying to pry something out of him without planting the idea in him. We assume somethings going on and he's trying not to go to school. However, after no avail he RUNS (because he wants to not because he has to) to the bus stop to get on the bus with the neighbor boy. The kid is fine . . .

FYI . . . bus comes by at 7am.

Phone rings at 7:55 . . . "This is Nurse Donna at the school and I have Little Lion in my office. He says he threw up on the bus and I called the bus barn and they confirmed he did." After apologizing profusely I throw Little Pumpkin in the car and head to the school.

Upon arriving home, I have him take his shoes off outside thinking they are yucky . . . but wait they look fine; in fact everything looked fine and he didn't reek of stomach acid . . .

MOMMY: "Little Lion where did you throw up"

Little Lion: "On the bus" (such a male answer)

MOMMY: "I mean where on the bus, at the trash can?"

L.L: "At my seat"

M: "Were you sitting on the aisle"

L.L: "No, between M & T"

M: "Did you throw up on them?"

LL: "No"

M: "Where exactly did you throw up?"

LL: Pointing to his shirt and shorts "Here and here" (they are perfectly dry).

SO, my hypothesis is that the mucus that has been draining from his sinuses has his tummy upset. He then gets on the bus (after refusing to eat) and glues himself to the two boys' DS screens while riding on the hot, bumpy bus.

The kid got car sick and "threw up" some mucus. REALLY NOW?!?!

Anyway, somehow he equated all that with milk and that he must be allergic to it. Refused butter, because you know that's made of milk and even complained about the Parmesan cheese in the spaghetti sauce! I asked him what he was drinking for lunch (because his options are chocolate, strawberry or plain milk), he said "Chocolate milk because that's all they have." And apparently string cheese is okay as is ANY ice cream! But not the pudding filled cupcakes.

BUT . . . I'm happy to report that this am when I gave him his plain toasted bread, he informed me that "The milk thing is okay now" and promptly asked for butter and cinnamon on his toast!

Funny kid!

7 ~ the perfect number!

Our Little Lion isn't so little anymore! Yesterday he turned 7!!! Where have the years gone?!?

He did have a cupcake for breakfast, but has decided he is allergic to milk so refused to eat it!!! That's a whole other post in itself; but don't be alarmed, he is getting plenty of milk.

Since it was his birthday and he asked very sweetly, I let him ride the bus home for the first time! Probably the last time too. *wink* He said "that was fun, but it was really hot."

Just love having those front teeth gone . . . keeps him looking "little" still.

"I can't eat this cake" says Little Lion after this is what he had done to it:

Of course he couldn't eat the "cake" he devoured all 2 pounds of the cream cheese icing off of it!!! Pretty sure he was in some state of a sugar coma for the rest of the night!

We had a great family celebration with Lolly, Pop, Tia and Patrick. Got to skype with G'ma and G'pa and even talked with Aunt Brandi on the phone! More celebrations to come with a b-day party on Sat!

Still in a state of shock myself! But so glad Little Lion is a part of our lives and proud of the gentleman he is becoming! He truly is a Tenderhearted Lion.