TAG (Talented and Gifted) Tuesday

What's going on with Nicholas this week?  Well, Nicholas started the gifted program at school this year and it's called T.A.G. (Talented and Gifted.)  They have learned about owls and dissected owl pellets.  He's in love!  He's my science kid.  Anything to do with science or history and he's got to know everything there is to know about it.  He watches all kinds of science shows and the History channel on a daily basis.

He could be a comedian too.  From a very early age, he's loved to make people laugh.  I remember him being just a few months old when he did something that made me laugh, so he did it again!  I told Rich then that he was going to be a funny guy!  Just the other day we took him out to dinner because he did so well on a school test.  While there, we were talking about a dish being cold and sending it back...he asked what we thought about using a microscopic A-bomb to heat the dish.  When we discounted the idea due to radiation poisoning, he wanted to use an H-bomb.  When we didn't like that idea either, he asked if we could use an f-bomb instead.  I'm surprised the restaurant didn't kick us out for rolling on the floor laughing!

I wouldn't change this kid for anything in the world!

Meaning-full Monday!

Hello everyone and a happy Monday to you!

Most people don't like Monday's.  I am not one of these people.  The first reason is because of my husband's job.  He's a musician, teacher, and he works at two local churches.  So, his weekends are totally full of lessons, practice and church.  We MIGHT get Sunday afternoon with him, but sometimes that's taken up too.  On Monday, the kids go back to school and I get him all to myself!  :-)  Now, don't take that the wrong way, he's usually working out in his building creating his latest masterpieces...Agape Guitars.

Secondly, I am a recovering slob...Monday means a chance to accomplished something.  I get to clean up the result of the two hurricanes (Nick and Wes) that were home all weekend.  It doesn't take me long to pick up the living room that is now full of toys and feel like I am superwoman!  Gives me the motivation to do the dishes!  (Which I LOATHE!)  Then it's on to vacuuming and laundry!  Wow!  Look at all I have achieved!

Monday is also a start to a whirlwind week, but I wouldn't have it any other way! God has given me this week to be active in my life.  Do something for His glory.  I choose to care for my family and raise my kids.  There is an abundance of meaning in my Mondays.

The specialness of September 25th

Today is a special day. It's my mom's birthday! (She's going to kill me for this picture too, btw. If you don't see anymore posts from me, you now know why!)

I have a great mom. Here are the top 10 reasons! (Nicholas had some input too!)

1. She is fantastic with my children. As you can see in this picture...she will do just about anything for them. Including wearing a spiky neon green hat! :-)

2. She loves my dad, even when she hates him. I know that doesn't sound so wonderful, but it really is great! (It's also a Grey's Anatomy reference.)

3. She works hard, even when she's in tremendous pain. My mom has chronic pain in her hips and back, but she doesn't let that stop her..

4. She roots for the underdog.

5. She will help out whenever she can. My sister and I have both turned to my parents in times of need and they have done everything they could to help us out.

6. (From Nick, I think this one ties into #1.) She's really nice! She doesn't say no very much and she gives me a lot of things. :-) She's very loving. She lets us stay at her house for a long time even though we are monsters! (LOL)

7. She's very supportive. I could have done many different things with my life, but choose to be a wife and mother. She has supported me with that. I know that she would have loved to see me do "something" but she supported my decision.

8. She loves to try new things. Even in her 50s, she willing to learn and expand her view of life! That is awesome!

9. She has had a lot of hardship in her life and while that has shaped her, it hasn't broken her. She has allowed it to give her a unique look on life. Now, sometimes I don't agree with it, but it is unique!

10. She believes that birthdays are important to celebrate that person. That's what this post is all about. I love you. Happy Birthday Mom!

Friday Fill Ins

Ok, going to give some of these ideas a try!  :-)  Kind of exciting to sift through lots of blogs and see what kind of ideas I can use!

I would love to see your answers too.  Comment with a link to your blog with the answers.  Thanks!



1. Family _____.

2. _____ back and forth.

3. I love a _____.

4. _____ makes a good meal.

5. I've got the _____

6. _____: wth!!!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _____, tomorrow my plans include _____ and Sunday, I want to _____!




And here are my answers:


1. Family is everything. :-)

2. I like watching the trees blow back and forth.

3. I love a good therapy session.

4. Yummy tuna cakes and sweet and spicy sweet potatoes makes a good meal.

5. I've got the season premiers of several shows on DVR, when am I going to get to watch them?

6. It's 90 degrees during the day and it's almost October!!: wth!!!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to having some great family time, tomorrow my plans include celebrating my mom's birthday and Sunday, I want to actually make it to church!

Sigh...

I read something interesting today.  The number one reason that people stop blogging is because they don't have a reason to continue.  Did you get that?  I know it sounds like common sense, doesn't it?  Well, it kinda hit me over the head.  I have been pondering doing another post, but wasn't really motivated to do it.  So, I got to looking at other people's blogs and decided to Google "Why blog?"  I got a couple of interesting hits, but, for me, the most profound was the number one reason people stop blogging.

I don't have a reason to blog.  I have struggled with this for some time now.  I want a reason, but I haven't found it yet.  So, dear readers (whoever the 2 may be), tell me... why do you blog, if you do, and why should I blog?

How a piece of furniture about wrecked the day...

Life is always interesting here at Chez Chaffins.  Here's the latest bit of interesting.  Getting a new piece of furniture is capable of wrecking an entire day!  Can you believe that?  I do.  It was an expected result here.  Let me get you up to speed...

DVDs...We haven't had cable for most of our marriage.  So, we have LOTS of DVDs.  Wesley loves DVDs. He will sift through lots of DVDs looking for just the right movie.  He is a rather independent child as well...things are usually his way or the highway.  But he has no regard to respecting property, the rejected movies are tossed on the floor or he will remove a DVD from the player and throw it on the floor...then walk on it, or put a chair on it...they get scratched pretty easily...or broken.  So, our living room is an interesting sight.  When DVDs get picked up, they are usually stacked together and tucked somewhere on the top shelf in the hopes that Wesley won't get them again before we have time to sort them back into their cases.  And this is usually a lower priority thing, so Wesley will usually get hold of them before we have time to sort them back in their cases.  You get where I am going with this??  We have had to rebuy several DVDs, especially of Wesley's favorites that will cause tantrums if they no longer play.  Our DVDs are kept on a bookshelf, open to the rampage of the 4 year old.  This has got to stop!!  So, we went yesterday and found a cabinet that has doors and locks.

Now, we had to put this cabinet together, first of all, and Wesley was home.  He thought this was the funnest thing ever and had to be right in the middle of everything.  This was all well and good while building the shell of the thing.  We ended up building around Wesley.  Then when we put shelves in it, he wasn't so happy with that and wanted to sit on them.  "I want sit down."  While great talking...not a good idea!  Remember "his way or the highway?"  Yeah, that's when it all started.  He was not a happy camper.  At this point, he still has no idea what's going IN this cabinet.  So, we get the thing built and decide to see how it's going to stand up against the Wesley storm, so we locked it...it was completely empty.  Wesley's head about exploded!  But I am happy to say that the cabinet held up just fine!  :-)

We went to work getting the movies transferred from bookshelf to cabinet and, of course, Wesley wanted to be in the middle of that, so I put him to work.  He loved it.  We did have to divert him a few times, but it's all in a day's work now.  Got the transfer done and locked the cabinet.  You could almost see it click in his brain that he was no longer going to have access to the movies.  Not pretty, not pretty.  Luckily, and speaking to his progress, this did not last too long...not as long as I had expected anyway.  I really kind of expected him to still be screaming about it.

Wesley is super smart and getting pretty sneaky too, so I don't, for a minute, think that he is all fine and good with this new cabinet.  I think he's just biding his time.

The DARK SIDE...

Nicholas has officially turned to the dark side.  He has a girlfriend.  The last day of school, he comes home with a huge grin on his face.
"So, how was your day?" I ask him.
"School or girl wise?"  Big grin still in place, impossibly getting bigger.
"Um, girl??" I spluttered.
"Yeah, I have a girlfriend." Like it was everyday stuff.

I found out about her at the talent show, she wanted him to sit with her...and he did, instead of down next to us.  First warning sign.

Apparently, this girl's name is Brittney...but Nick has a terrible time with names, so I am taking this with a grain of salt until I find out for sure.  He doesn't know her last name either, that would just be asking too much.  He is very into her too...he talks about her all the time and even spent precious arcade tickets to get her 2 bracelets...not just one, but TWO!  Wow!  He wanted to get two of each just in case they broke, but I talked him out of that one!  I'm not even sure this girl will remember him come August 23rd!  He didn't get a phone number or any way to keep in touch with her.

This is all hush hush too, I guess.  He wasn't supposed to tell anyone because she didn't want her little brother to find out because he would tell her parents.  I don't think we have to worry about them running off to get married and Nick is a good boy.  So, I am posting it to the entire internet.  He's not even sure of her name, so I think we will be alright.

So, it starts.  They grow up way too fast.