a lesson in gifting

I'm constantly trying to teach my five year old to be less selfish. "Share with your brother" let your friend sit down first" " let someone else pick the movie tonight." When it comes to money and tithing though it isn't a subject we discuss. He likes to put money into the offering plate, and occasionally asks for money to take to Sunday school. Since Christmas Ayden has been saving money in an automatic change counting piggy bank that I got him for Christmas. You slip a coin in through the slot on top and it keeps count. He now officially has more than $11.00. With loosing his tooth that made $12 since apparently the going rate for teeth is $1 around here. He was so proud of that tooth fairy dollar. He carried it around and showed everyone. He kept it close and was so careful not to loose it. On Sunday when we were on our way to church I said "wanna put some money in the offering plate today?" He took his tooth fairy money from the counter and said "YES!" He then carried it along with his Bible and refused to put it in his pocket. When the offering plate came around he joyfully tossed it in. Now I know you are expecting the "wait, i want my dollar back!" But here's the lesson... and it wasn't for Ayden. He never. mentioned. it. again. Not once. That dollar that had meant so much to him was given to his God without complaint. Without doubt and without question. He gave with a willing heart. I wonder where my willing heart disappeared to. I question My tooth fairy dollars that I cling to so tightly. What if I gave so willingly?

photo evidence

Ayden minus his first tooth. First in and first out.
I crafted this pillow to help the tooth fairy find his tooth in the middle of the night. Also to keep monies in place until morning. Worked great! Ayden was worried the tooth fairy wouldn't know what it was so we put Tooth with an x to guide the way.

teeth, and toddler beds

The tooth came out tonight. Fairly simply. We've been wiggling it for days and I finished the job this evening.No floss required. He has a second one right next to it we can start work on tomorrow. :-). I think it hurt a bit more than Ayden was expecting though so I may try to be more patient with this one... although I also think he was surprised by the bleeding. He didn't like that part. Maybe the tooth fairy will make it feel better. Now I understand why the tooth fairy was invented! I'll post pictures tomorrow of the "tooth pillow" we made so the fairy can find it and so monies wont get lost in Ayden's nest of a bed.

Balin is doing excelent in his big boy bed. I'm sure by the end of the summer we will be ready for a bunk bed! YAY! We packed the crib up and everything. Tonight he got tired and gave everyone hugs and went and climbed up in bed all by himself. Amazing. I really am grateful for how easy this has been! Even if it is hard to see my boys growing up so fast.

Methinks I see the wanton hours flee,
And as they pass, turn back and laugh at me.
~George Villiers

Time needs to slow down. We bought a toddler bed for Balin this afternoon. We set it up to introduce it and hope that he might like the idea and EVENTUALLY sleep there. We also rented a storage unit to store all of our baby items that clearly are not needed any more. A few hours later we were driving to go eat and Ayden announced "My tooth is loose!" Mind you.. he has said the same four words multiple times EVERY day for the past three months. Seriously. But this time he was right. Sure enough that same little tooth that first poked its way into this world is loose. Wiggly. Ready to come out soon. I'm so proud of both of these milestones for my boys, but am struck with a heavy sense of loss as well. My babies are not babies anymore. They are growing up and everyday I am reminded that they are one day closer to being thrust out into the cold scary world to fend for themselves. I feel like I'm running out of time. Ayden will be six in just a couple of months. How many years do I have left to really make an impression. To really instill in him those foundations that he will need. Have I prayed enough? Is there enough time to pray the prayers that need to still yet be prayed? What about the six years so far? Have they been good enough? My precious babies. Oh and Balin? Sleeping like a lamb in his big boy bed.

Winter?

We took a walk this morning around the neighborhood and A asked if we could go swimming. I don't blame him. It's over 70 degrees today! Glorious weather. We've opened all the windows and the babies are sleeping wonderfully. If only the cleaning crew would show up now! I hate cleaning. I think its the futileness of it. Epecially with two toddlers running around. (a reminder to new people: I have two children, and borrow another during the week while his mom teaches kindergarten. I teach babygarten). I swear they are on a mission to dislodge EVERY object in the house. Maybe I should pack up two thirds of everything. Yesterday B took his diaper off at some point. I didnt notice at first because he was wearing a one piece pants outfit so I thought it was just unbuttoned and well, it wasnt a priority to stop and button it. I walked into the office/school room to open a window and stepped in.... POOP. Wonderful. I'm glad he's so cute. Or he would have been in trouble.

Dinner for Sicks

on Saturday Ayden was recovering from strep and Lucas from a belly bug so I came up with this: Homeade Chicken noodle soup and Rocky Mountain Beer Bread. I don't use recipes and I'm not a super great chef, but this turned out awesome. I made the soup by boiling two chicken breasts with a box of Rachel Ray Stock in a box and about one additional cup of water. I added a sliced up onion and about two cups of chopped up carrots. (my boy's wont eat much else!). I also put in a tiny bit of garlic salt. Then about 20 minutes before I served it I boiled in about a cup of broken up spagetti noodles. The beer bread is three cups flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 cup cheese (I used mozarella), 1 tablespoon sugar and 12 oz of Fat Tire beer.. hence the Rocky Mountain title. It was yummy and everyone ate it :-).