The Perfect Punishment

Johnny came to John, and later to me, and told us that he knew what we should do to punish him when he is bad. Johnny said that we should make him play Zelda until he gets through to the next task. Johnny has again and again, despite our laughter, told us that it is really a good punishment because he is at a spot where he is stuck and so that would be hard for him. Of course Johnny is still asking permission to play Zelda everyday. I can imagine trying this out. Johnny would be playing for an hour and I would say, "It is time to get ready for school," and Johnny would say, "I can't, I haven't killed the boss yet, so I have not finished my punishment." Would he then skip school to make sure he was all the way punished?

Flirting Already

When we get big rain storms, the park across the street floods. A lot of the neighborhood kids come in swimsuits and splash around in the water and the mud. We have been having a lot of big thunderstorms, so the park has been very flooded. In fact, I have never seen it so badly flooded. I took all of the kids to swim there the last two afternoons. Both times there have been a lot of other kids there. Today, I did not have any other parents to talk to, so I just watched my children. To my big surprise, Ruth and Kate were flirting very thoroughly with the boys there. Kate would even flip her hair back and prance around them. Ruth started talking to a boy about a crush Kate had on a boy once. Then she started chanting, "Kate and Chance sitting in a tree." But Ruth was doing this in an "I want attention voice." Again to my surprise, the boys seemed to flirt back in a boyish flirt sort of way. One boy kept coming up to them and asking them questions like their grades and ages. I am guessing they gave the correct answers because then he asked them to have crawling races through the water. Kate started crawling and then she got up quickly, ran to the finishing line and called out in a laughing, giddy voice, "I'm the winner! I'm the winner!" Ruth said, "But you cheated." Kate replied, "It was just a joke," and the boy said, "It was funny." Then Ruth went and started talking and building things with another boy. They reminded me of my Ricks College years with all the girls panning for the boys attention. Ruth, I think, behaved more like I did, and Kate more like most of the girls I knew. One good difference was that while I think Ruth and Kate played off each other for the boys attention, they didn't get upset with each other at all. Still, I can't believe they are flirting already!!!! And, I am not looking forward to three years down the road when they start flirting for more than just attention. I guess it all starts now.

Dinner Conversations

I think 50% of our dinner time conversations are about cartoons and kid movies.

Johnny and Alyssa

John went on a feild trip with Johnny today and got to see Alyssa, one of Johnny's good friends. John snuck a few of these pictures. (Johnny may be embarrassed by them.) John said that when Johnny came onto the bus Alyssa got up from the seat she was in, sat down right next to Johnny, wrapped both of her arms around him, and then she held his hand. Johnny has always said that Alyssa is one of his best friends along with Dylan from kindergarten, and Joseph from church. Ruth and Kate have always teased Johnny that he has a girlfriend. Johnny has always said that Alyssa is only his friend. But recently, Johnny has begun saying that Alyssa is not his girlfriend, even though she is the girl that he is going to marry.

A couple of days ago, while playing Zelda, Johnny had a girl with his Zelda guy. Ruth and Kate said Johnny has a girlfriend that he is taking on his trip with him. Johnny turned red and said, "No, I am only taking her to the Temple." Then we all teased him more. His Zelda guy was really taking this girl to a Zelda temple to help his Zelda guy find out something to help Johnny win the game. But then we all started teasing Johnny about taking Alyssa to the Temple. Johnny did not deny that those were his intentions.




Since Johnny is so competitive, he would probably like Jay to see these to let him know that he is The Champ with the girls as well. And Johnny is only in kindergarten.

Kate's Testimony

Today in Fast and Testimony meeting Kate bore her testimony. I was in the mother's room with the baby at the time, so I actually got to hear the whole thing very clearly, even though I did not get to see her. Kate began, "I'd like to bear my testimony. I know the church is true." Kate then said that she is glad that she has a testimony and knows the church is true. Then Kate began, "When I was a little girl I used to say my prayers really fast, you know, so I could get into bed quickly." Then Kate said that now that she is not a little girl she realized that she should say longer prayers. Kate said that when you pray you are actually talking to Heavenly Father and isn't that neat. You are talking to a real person. She said that now she is trying to really talk to Heavenly Father when she says her prayers. I did not know that Kate felt or thought those things. I am so glad that she bore her testimony and I could hear what she is thinking and feeling.

After Sacrament Meeting I had a lot of people come up to me and tell me how wonderful Kate's testimony was. I thought that it was wonderful. I think that Kate did a good job and that she even helped the grown ups by bringing to mind what prayer really is. The comment that I most enjoyed was Sister Mickey Cessna. She said, "It was so funny. This little girl came up and with all confidence said, 'When I was a little girl..', and I looked up at her and her nose was barely sticking over the podium." I wished that I could have seen her. But I am grateful that I got to hear my Kate loud and clear without having to say, "Be quiet. I want to listen to Kate."

Rachel at Breakfast

I have been making my family eat more healthy food, just by the fact that I am only providing healthy food at most of the meals. I have received a lot of criticism for this, but I have stuck it out none the less. Yesterday I bought Lucky Charms, because I thought that if they actually ate the cereal part as well as the marshmallow part then Lucky Charms is about as healthy as Kicks. This morning Rachel ate all of her marshmallows out of her cereal and asked me for more. I said not until she ate the cereal part of her cereal. Rachel said, "I want ask Dad." So I let her ask Dad for more cereal. I think Rachel wanted to ask Dad, because she knows that Dad has been the biggest complainer when I provide healthy food, and the most complimentary when I provide junk food. I actually thought Dad would tell Rachel yes because he feels like her desire for more sugar and sweets is legitimate. But Dad said no and Rachel declared that she was done.

Kate

Kate said, "I have a big fat mouth and I'm not afraid to use it." She also says, "Hoolarious," instead of hilarious. Kate is Hilarious. She can be really fun.