Caring Children

 Watching old home movies from when Ty was a Toddler we can see how difficult he was to parent. Now he's so sweet. He still has anger and struggles to control it. But he is so kind and thoughtful. He tries so hard to please his teachers and his parents. He tries so hard to be his best self for himself as well. He wants to be proud of who he is. And for the most part he is proud of himself. 

Yesterday our family recorded a musical number Away in A Manger. We practiced for a month. Each of us learning our parts. Each having solos and vocal combinations.
Then when it was time to perform we decided to record it...so we would have more than one chance to get it right. Here are the struggles we faced in this attempt: 

Athena wouldnt look at the camera and the kids wouldn't smile. Luke wouldn't look at the camera. Athena and Luke were yawning and moving around. Despite our forewarning "Look at the camera, smile, don't move around and realize that this is a video and people will be watching us." AND a bribe of a new flavor of Kit Kat for giving us their best performance. They still did terrible. 10 times!

One time I messed up my singing by forgetting when to sing. And one time there was no sound recorded. One time the National Anthem played during the performance (because we live on a military base). The very last recording was the one we used. Our best still included Athena and Luke looking away from the camera most of the time. Athena acted like a distracted and bored little girl. (But  that's what she was)
And Luke still acted like a teenager who just doesn't care. (Which is close to the truth too)

But it was good enough to show to family. 

This morning (Christmas Eve) we did a talent show with the Roundy clan. We played our video instead of performing live.
Athena was bored during the talent show so she played with my hair filling it with hair bows. Then she got my blanket and wrapped me in it. Then she massaged my shoulders! I said "You're spoiling me!"
Ty then chimed in "You're not spoiled but your kids are!" He's so sweet. He realizes how much "spoiling" they get verses me. Although, I do feel spoiled a lot of the time.
And Athena is so nurturing. She spoiled me then she asked "Is anyone else cold? I will go get you your blanky!" She loves taking care of others!

Luke and Ty are close friends as well as brothers. They love hanging out together and playing together. Luke loves teasing and torching Ty just a little. But Ty complains. It's only natural for a big brother to do that especially when Sterling is their daddy! Ster loves to tease and torcher... just a little. 

It's Like Having A Dog

 

 Families who have dogs can sometimes get tripped by those dogs. Don't believe me? Look it up on Youtube. I have been tripped by other people's dogs before. 

Lately I have been having this issue in my own home. By who? The littlest one we have.

When you have a small baby or toddler you are very careful not to step on them because you are really heavy and they are really fragile. But when your baby is almost seven years old you don't expect to step on them or trip over them. So you don't usually worry about it. And an almost seven year old moves super fast. They can go from a safe place to under your feet in no time!

But why would they do this? Here is the example of what happened today...

Athena was sitting down showing me her scrapped up knees that needed bandaids. She was crying and I expected her to stay in one place as I go get her bandaids. But then her brother started looking for the tv remote. And lately Athen freaks out when anyone looks for the tv remote. She claims it. She wants it to be her turn to watch tv all the time. 

When she realized Tiberias was going to watch tv she cried out "No! I was going to watch tv!" Even though she had just been outside playing and was planning to go back out with bandaids on.

And as she shrieked these words in a whiny tone she moved right into my path. I tripped over her midsection and landed on the hard floor on my arms. The landing wasn't too rough except that my pinky was bent on the nearby bench during the fall. 

My check gently pressed against the cold floor as my fall came to an end. 

The front door was open and Athena's friend Kailen watched the whole thing. Sterling was also in eyeshot...in the kitchen. Although he didn't really see it. He didn't know what had happened.

Darn girl! She has tripped me probably three times in the last month! Although this was the first time I fell all the way down...laying on the floor on my face! Difficult girl.

The kids didn't fight anymore about the tv after that incident. I'm not sure what happened. Maybe Athena went outside and forgot about the tv and Ty was able to watch in peace.

The Day Clowns Took Ty's Shoe

 Tiberias announced "I'm going to go outside and play." He opened the front door to leave and as I looked up I saw him wearing one croc. Just one. 

"You're going out with just one shoe?!" I laughed.

He replied " My other shoe is on Brandon's porch."

This reminds me of the story of The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash. It felt like such a silly thing and it seemed that if I were to ask "Why did you leave just one shoe on Brandon's porch?" Then Ty would say something like "I didn't leave it there. It ended up there because some clowns came down the street and took it from me. Then my friends tried to get it back but the clowns tossed it back and forth to each other in the air. So I gave up and went home with just one shoe." Or something crazy like that. 

So I decided just not to ask.

 

Athena's Lost Her First Tooth!

 

 Athena lost her first tooth today. November 2nd. She was eating her sandwich in the lunch room at school when it came out into her food. Her teacher gave her a special tiny treasure chest to keep her tooth safe in. She brought it home so excited to tell me she lost her first tooth. 

Yesterday I was putting away the Halloween decorations under the stairs. And a big cardboard box I had stored in their was just in the way. I decided to carve a little bit off the end to make it shorter and take up less space.
Athena could hear me sawing through the cardboard. From the bathroom she called out "It sounds like you're killing it!" She knew "it" was cardboard. But children loove cardboard...especially this child.

I responded "It's just too long. I'm only cutting off a little bit."

She yelled back"You CUT it!?!" LOL. I thought it was so funny. As if I had hurt a creature.

It Makes Me Feel Young

You never know what funny things kids will say at random times. Often what's funny about it is the way they phrase it.

For instance... "I like doing this...it makes me feel young" ...this phrase sounds like something a grownup  would say. But these are the words of a 10 year old Tiberias climbing up a rope bridge at a park today. I laughed and replied "You are young!"

It was just random and funny to hear from a child. My thought was "Don't you always feel young?!" You don't know what it feels like to not feel young! haha

 

 

 

Just Get to the Sidewalk, Girl! A "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie" Story

 Every morning to get to school Athena rides her bicycle.

I make sure she gets her shoes, bike gear and backpack on and out the door on time. Then I remind her to not stop and play or get distracted ...so that she won't be late to school.

Usually I send her out the front door because the back door has yet to have the blinds pulled back that morning. She then has to walk all the way around the house to the back porch to get her bike.

But along the way there are so many distractions! First she sees the flowers and the clovers in front of the kitchen window. She wants to stop and touch and see them. No, Athena, move on!

Then there's the swingset between the trees. She wants to stop and swing for just a minute! No, Athena, move on!

Then when she gets to the back porch there is the wood pile! She must stop to play with the wood! If there are blocks of wood they are perfect for building walls and castles. She will just play for a second! No, Athena, move on!

Then she grabs her bicycle and slowly walks it across the long yard to the sidewalk. She might stop to talk if I'm standing on the porch trying to urge her to hurry and get to school.

No, Athena, GO!

Once she finally gets her bicycle to the sidewalk she usually gets herself to school on time. She doesn't stop. But getting her to the sidewalk...that's the tricky part.

Is it Illegal? Boys and Girls Go to War?

 Sterling, Tiberias and Tiffany were in the kitchen one evening. Ty asked "Is it illegal to hit a girl?"

"It's illegal to hit anybody" Sterling explained. "But it's being a gentleman to never hit a girl."

"I thought it was illegal" Ty responded , "But then...how would boys and girls be able to go to WAR?"

This was a funny question to us!

Ster and Tiff both thought about this...which kind of WAR was he talking about? A game of WAR between boys and girls? Or real war in real life?

Ty was thinking of real war. Men and women soldiers fighting each other.

 

Athena's PTO Meeting

 Today was my first general meeting as PTO president at Ty and Athena's school.

Athena attended with me but she had to sit alone in the audience as I sat and stood at the front of the meeting. 

When I asked if anyone wanted to take a look at the PTO constitution Athena raised her hand. I quietly told her she didn't need to look at it.

When the treasurer asked if anyone wanted to look at the budget Athena raised her hand. I quietly told Athena she didn't need to see the budget.

Any time I asked for a raise of hands during the meeting Athena raised hers!

Then when I asked for a vote on our new Communications Secretary everyone in the room raised their hand except Athena. Then I asked for a raise of hands for anyone opposed to the new communications secretary and Athena raised her hand! Half the room giggled.

Difficult girl.

"Challenge Accepted"

 Some weeks ago the kids and I were together and I made a comment about how Luke drinks a lot of water! He guzzles down a bottle of water any time I hand him one. Especially when we are away from home. Whether it's a ride to the store or a ride to the beach.

So Ty said "Luke drinks more water than any of us!"

Athena perked up and and said "Challenge accepted!" Then she ran to the kitchen and got a tall thing of water.

The boys and I started laughing! It was pretty funny.

She can't drink as much as Luke but she sure tried to show us.

Tiberias' Attitude Over Carrots

Getting ready for our long awaited summer beach day we packed lunches. Tiberias grabbed the baby carrots and said "I'm taking the carrots."

I responded happily "Good! I'm glad."

He then snarked back "I didn't say I was going to eat it!"

Sterling and I burst out laughing.

Strap Me To the Top of Car/Super Strength Daddy

Yesterday we went as a family to a Japanese restaurant that actually serves French and American styled foods. It was a yummy and fun outting.
On the drive home the boys were yelling in the car. We would tell them to be quiet but a moment later their voices were raised and rowdy again. Sterling threatened "Stop yelling or I'll strap you to the top of the car!"
Athena chimed in sweetly..."I want to be strapped to the top of the car!"

A few minutes later we drove by Ster's current work place to show the kids.He told the kids he fixes machines for the Air Force. I told them Ster is a Mr. Fix-It.
Athena then said "Dad, it would be cool if you could lift a whole car."
Sterling said "I can lift a Matchbox car!"
Athena got excited and responded "I'd like to see that!"
This is when Ster and I realized she didn't know what a Matchbox car was. "It's a toy Athena."
Hahaha

Gangsta Face, Musical Brain & Thoughtful Missy

Lately Luke has a hard time smiling. When I want him to smile for a photo I say "Luke, smile!" And at first he it seems he isn't even trying. His first claimed attempt to smile looks mean and gangster. A frown and an evil glare.  Then I tell him to try harder and he makes a look on his face like he is trying but failing.
Finally I have to make him laugh and then I get excited because I hope to capture his sincere smile but as soon as I put my face behind the phone or camera again to snap the picture he quickly returns his face to his sad attempted smile. Which actually isn't a smile at all! LOL


Tiberias, unlike my other kids, loves music. Now, Athena loves listening to music. But Tiberias takes it to a whole nother level. He hums and sings most of the day long. If he hears a tune he starts singing it. Even if it's something he's never heard before. He attempts to learn it by trying to sing along. And if the music stops he keeps going even if he's making it up as he goes.
Now, when I was a kid I loved music so much I would create my owns songs about anything and everything to entertain myself. But Tiberias is not like that...
When he hears a tune...even if it's made by a phone ring or a robot vacuum playing it's "I'm finished cleaning" song, he starts singing that tune! He takes it as if it was a real song and it gets stuck in his head.
I love it because I think it means he has a whole life ahead of music and talent.

Athena loves taking care of other people. A few days ago she and Ster were going on a daddy daughter date for breakfast. While out Athena told Sterling he needs to take me out on a date soon.
Ever since then Ster brings it up atleast once a day. That he needs to take me out on a date because we don't do it very often.
Ster is missing Italian pizza and I have the perfect place for our next date. A friend took me to an authentic Italian restaurant months ago and I knew I had to take Ster there. So, our next date will be Italian.

Having a 6 year old girl

My 6 year old keeps me constantly busy if I let her.
As I was making my breakfast she came into the kitchen and started prepping to make jello. Jello takes hours to make so she wanted to get it going early. But she needed my help. So, as I drank my smoothie I helped make jello.
Then an hour later I began my workout using Just Dance games. Athena came in and coaxed me to allow her to choose every other song and dance with me.
As we were dancing I noticed a puzzle she had made, messed up on the floor. I told her to clean it up. She then told me she was so proud of it when she completed it that she was trying to slide it across the floor to the other room where I had been, to show it off. But it got messed up in the slide. So she asked if, after dancing, I would help her put it together again so I can see the finished product. I agreed.

Lol. Some days I just say "no." But today is a "yes" day.

Lately she has become a gabby girl. She wants to talk and talk and talk.
Most of it is stories that start with "What if..."
I try to blog the cutest ones now and then. It can be annoying when she talks too much but sometimes it is just cute.

Talking in Their Sleep

Athena cannot wake up to go use the toilet after she has fallen asleep. Atleast, not really wake up. She keeps her eyes closed as much as possibly and just cries when she has to use the toilet in the night...and she's 6 years old! Ster or I have to physically put her on the toilet.
Otherwise, she is just crying and talking jibberish. Saying things that make no sense! Like she's still asleep and in dreamland. Dreaming of what? Whatever it is it makes no sense to me!

If you ask her questions her answers are hard to hear and make no sense. haha

Tiberias does the same thing but usually only when sleeping in a place he is unfamiliar with. If he goes to a sleepover he will sleep walk and talk in his sleep. Speaking jibberish...making no sense at all...and not opening his eyes.

A few days ago Tiberias walked into my room to talk to Ster and I. It was the middle of the day. Ty had not been sleeping. But he came into our room speaking total nonsense!
I can't recall the exact wording and topics but it went something like this...
"Do you ever go on a ride?"...(before allowing us to respond he continued with)"I had something from the store!"

Sterling and I could not figure out what he trying to ask or tell us. It was utter nonsense! We started cracking up.

2018 March

St. Patty church outfit pictures of Athena. 

 Athena typically doesn't beat herself up but this week...
She was riding a scooter on the sidewalk and fell. That scraped up her face pretty good! The very next day she fell off a stool in the kitchen and got a black eye! That same day she scraped her chest also!
The day after that (today) she got up on the counter where she doesn't belong and fell off. Smacking her forehead onto the kitchen floor (luckily we don't have a hard tile floor). So tomorrow she will likely have a brand new bruise to display. :(

Pretty Eggs and Scary Faces

Often when I say "Say Cheese" my kids try too hard. Their eyes almost pop out of their heads and they show me too much teeth! Like this...

 Usually I do not save those photos. But it usually happens.

For Easter this year we dyed eggs. They were so pretty! The kids dont like eating them for the most part. But we made them put them in the fridge so they wouldn't go bad anyway.
A few days later Ster and I started eating their eggs. They were so sad. They are too pretty to eat!
But, too yummy to waste. haha

Ty Stories

Ty's Bad Spelling Makes Funny Stories

Last school year Tiberias didn't know how to spell most words correctly. He was still sounding it out and spelling the way it sounded...which turns out wrong.
But he discovered a long time ago that if he wrote a story and had someone else read it...Luke or Mom, it would be a very funny story. 
There are many awesome and creative stories and he loves writing them. Most of them are about himself and Brandon his best friend.


Here is one of his more recent stories(read it as it is written, not as what you think he was trying to say):
Koopaling Desashter

Deku and Larry my Frend 2
I werk very hard at Bawser's kasle. He gevse me alot of werk to do. I get a 5 minote brak evry awr.
At the end of the day.
He throse me into the dungen wer I sleep. I saw Deku. Shhh Deku seid Im guna get you awt of her.
Deku opend the door to the dungen.
Deku therow a rock at the window it looked like Larry jumped awt Bawser came to kheck on Larry. Larry Bawser yelld. Deku and Larry leffed they wer going dawn the sters enthen so Lowd Wig.
 Lowd Wig chasing Deku and Larry. Shoting pawer blasts from his wand.
We canfyosd him. We past the star fite. Quick Deku hid in my shell it's Wendy and Igiy.
Ha Wendy and Igiy Bawser sent me to chek the earea for heros. Thay sumtims sneck in. One mor kors the Boo.
The Boo started to chas after us. We trid to kunfus it.But it didn't werk.
Larry polld awt his want and destoyd it. Deku and Larry wer free.

Sudenley all the koopalings ran and wer rite infrunt of them shoting wand pawer. Larry yousd all of his want pawer to defet the koopalings. Thay got sent to jall. Deku and Larry won. The End

Rock Collecting

At Yokota Air Base rock decorating, hiding and hunting has become a new trend recently.
One day we went to hide painted rocks...one from Luke, one from Ty, one from Athena and one from Mom. We went on a walk to a playground and we hid our rocks along the way. We also saw many decorated rocks along the way.
Athena found an awesome shark rock on our street. She wanted to keep it so she took it with her. Then she found another rock she loved and wanted to keep that too. I told her she could only keep one rock.

But as we went she found more rocks she loved and wanted to keep. She wanted to collect them in her arms and carry them on our walk ...that would be have gotten heavy...carrying all those rocks.
Then she would put them in her room. A room full of rocks! Silly girl.
Good thing mom is here to keep her from carrying rocks around all the time. haha

 Hiding Ty's Larry rock and Luke's Capie:

So Cute It's Funny

This morning I made pancakes. Normally I let them cool down a few minutes before I call the kids in to grab one to eat. But Athena has a nose for sugar and sweet things. She can sniff out candy or anything sweet no matter how hard I try to hide it. HAHA
So as soon as there were pancakes on the plate Athena was in the kitchen and grabbed one from the plate. I told her "They are hot!"
She responded "That's okay...my hands are cold." Sterling was in the kitchen and he thought it was so cute he had to laugh. She is adorable.

Wrestling with Daddy

The kids' favorite thing to do with their daddy is wrestle.
Every time it happens about the same way... one or more of the kids say "Dad, can we wrestle?"
Dad says "Daddies don't wrestle!" The kids used to protest saying "Yes you do!"
Lately they are getting tired of the same response from dad so they say "You say that every time!"
Then Dad might say "Mommies wrestle! Ask your mom." The kids know better..."Mom doesn't wrestle!"

They start wrestling on hands and knees upstairs because downstairs is all hard floors.
They climb on daddy and ride him like he's a horse. They get pretty rowdy during wrestling!
Mom stays out of it! I don't want to get hurt.

The kids love Sterling becoming a monster and capturing them one at a time. Once captured he tickles them, gently slaps them and gently tortures them. They love it! When they get free they may run away but they come back again as if they are saying "Torture me daddy! Beat me up next!" HAHA


Someday when the kids are grown they will remember wrestling with daddy. Just as I remember riding my dad like a horse and jumping on the trampoline with him. Those are precious moments.