Underwear and Hemi Starter

I have 2 Willardisms from this last few days.

Willard likes his underwear. So much so, that we have made a rule that he HAS to change his underwear every night before bed. We repeat ourselves until we are blue in the face, because if we didn't, he would keep the same pair on until they fell off.

The other night he was getting ready for bed and he came walking up to me, bear naked.

He said matter-of-factly, "Momma. You always, always, always, always change your underwear."

Then he turned quickly and went back to getting into his clean underwear and jammies.

I guess he gets the picture.

Then, since we watch a lot of speed channel around this place, there is a commercial for Armour All and it has Tony Stewart (a nascar driver?) staring at a shiny Corvette and all these girls come running up to him and gasp "Tony Stewart". Willard has been learning different cars, and thinking he was cool, he saw this commercial come on and he ran up to the pore magnifying screen and said..."Hemi Starter" instead of Tony Stewart. It was so cute!

And a quick Maynardism.

We found a caterpillar the other day, and we put it into a little critter catcher. "Gardea" (pronounced gard-ey)-Don't ask me where Willard came up with that one...probably a Garnier Fructis commercial) was taken everywhere with us that day. to the store, to pay bills, to visit our friend in the nursing home.

Then, the next day, Gardea started building his cocoon, so I put him on the top shelf near the washer so the kids cant get to him. Every day Maynard comes up to me and asks to see the "dutterfwy" and I have to hold him up to see if it is coming out of its cocoon yet.

Other words Maynard says:

tut (truck)
yut (yuck)
biebuffs (panda puffs-a dewoh (cereal))
demi (semi)
wowusseses (walruses)
wockadio (crocodile)
dit (well he only says this after he hears it (we are doing pretty good not saying it, but sometimes we overhear others), and its a cuss word...lol)

Say What?

Willard came up to me before breakfast the other day and asked,

"Momma, can we please do our chores after we eat cereal?"

I was quite taken aback, but of course I agreed! Usually we do them later in the day, after naptime.

A few weeks ago, I was watching Jon and Kate plus 8. It is such a cute show! On it, Kate had gotten a chore chart in the mail, and the kids were so pumped up to do them.

So, I modified the chart to fit our needs and wrote numbers on little craft sticks I got from the dollar store. I have 8 chores and 4 rewards. I place the marked side down into a cup, and allow each of them to chose one to do together. Then we have a corresponding chore. On the back of the numbered side, I drew little smiley faces, so Maynard could count them instead.

They LOVE it! Our chores are:

1. Putting your clothes where they belong (this includes putting away clean ones, utig dirty ones in the hamper, putting dirty ones into the washer, clothes from the washer into the dryer..the whole gamut!)

2. Turn off any unused lights, TVs, electronics

3. Reward-Play a game on the computer (They have been loving Thomas, and now they like the piney game)

4. Sweep the floor

5. Put your toys where they belong.

6. Reward-Play a game (Either a board type, or ring around the rosie, duck duck, etc)

7. Wipe off the tables (one gets the coffe table, one gets the kitchen)

8. Water the plants

9. Reward- Play with Toys (usually ones that are put up and only taken down occasionally)

10. Pick up garbage, and empty the bathroom garbage

11. Make your beds

12. Reward- Be creative (they have been loving the playdoh...it used to be a rare treat in our house, but now, while they play, I clean the kitchen so I can keep an eye on them too.)

Willard is 5!

A few days ago, I had mentioned to Willard that his birthday was coming up soon. I asked him what he wanted.

"Birthday Cake and Cupcakes," he stated.

I replied, "Well, we can make one or the other."

"Birthday Cake."

So, I just left it at that. He was busy playing, and it seemed not to click right away.

Later he came up to me and said, "Mom, I'm going to be FIVE!"

I said, "Yes, you are! Is there anything besides Birthday Cake that you want?"

"Presents!", he shouted.

"What kind of presents?" I asked.

"A fire engine." He said matter-of-factly.

"Is there anything else you would like besides a fire engine?" I asked.

"Well, I want Maynard to get an engine too. But he can have a smaller one, since I am bigger," he commented.

So, Randy ran to the store a couple days later and got a couple fire engines. I also picked up a couple of little Semis and a couple of portable fans.

So this morning, he came running into our room and said, "I am 5!" The four of us snuggled up together in our bed and sang Happy Birthday a few times.

Today was his special day. He got to choose which cereal he wanted...rice puffs or something. (Thanks to Randy, I got to take a cat nap this morning!)

For lunch we asked him what he wanted. He said "Arby's" right off the bat, but we knew he has been wanting to go to Peppy's Pizza. We suggested a few places, and he repeated "Peppy's" before we could suggest anything else.

We piled into the van and headed down there. Peppy's has this "creature/puppet" that rides around on this little track, and talks to people. It is really cool, however, today Willard was being shy and didn't really enjoy "Peppy the Pizzasaurus" or his antics and singing. He did smile a few times, but he just wanted to eat so he could ride the rides and play the games.

**********ON A RELATED NOTE...WILLARD HAD GOTTEN AHOLD OF MY CAMERA, SO THE SETTINGS ARE MESSED UP. THE PICTURES ARE VERY MANGLED, OUT OF FOCUS, AND BLURRY. SORRY!**********

Here is Willard enjoying his lunch:



Here he is playing a game with Maynard--one of their favorite games there:



Here he is trying Dance Dance Revolution. (This game is harder than I expected, though, it would be a good way to stumble into shape, in the comfort of my own home, when the kids are asleep.):



Here he is going down the slide--one of a hundred times:

(Love the blur?)



After we went to Peppy's, we went to visit our dear friend in a nursing home, who is also celebrating her birthday today. Though she is 91, she is still a kid at heart. Maynard was asleep in the van with Randy, so Willard and I went up and sang Happy Birthday and gave her a picture and a card.

Then we asked Willard what he would like me to make for dinner. He said Macaroni and Cheese. We stopped by the store and got some ARTHUR Mac and Cheese.

We arrived home, and He and I started on his cake. I asked him if he wanted Apple Cake or Carrot Cake, and he said Carrot Cake.

Here he is, adding carrots to the Food Processor: It was turned off!



Here he is with cake batter on his chin, getting ready to lick his fingers:



After we got the cake in the oven, I made Arthur Mac and Cheese:



Maynard loved it too. He is into making weird faces when the camera is out:



When dinner was over, we sang Happy Birthday and Willard got to blow out his candles. Here they are enjoying the cake (and milk!):





Then it was time for presents. He was excited to share his gifts, which is nice, since they fight over every little thing!:

Books:


A card:


Fans:


Oh, and I thought I would share this one of Willard opening presents. He inherited this from me. When I concentrate hard, I do the same thing:



Semis:


And the engines! Willard was so excited for Maynard to get one too:



They got to play for about an hour before it was bedtime. He said he had lots of fun on his birthday, so mission accomplished!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILLARD!

OH, COME ON!

My neighbors probably heard me groan that.

Tonight, I recorded the American Idol Finale, since it was going to air when the kids were getting ready for bed, and I didn't want to miss it.

I sat down occasionally, watching the show in between chores. After I got the kids into bed, I settled in and continued to watch, bag of chips in hand. We have a DVR, and it is really handy, especially when I want to make sure I don't miss things. Oh, and fast forward through the Jonas Brothers, George Michael, and that dude in the white hat and cape.

(On a side note, David Cook, doing the impersonation of Tom Cruise in Risky
Business for Guitar Hero...well, that is just hot. I rewound that a couple times. Come to think of it, I have never even watched that movie....)

So, I am watching, waiting, hoping, etc...

Seacrest says, and the winner is...

DAVID

And my DVR stopped recording, right at that moment. I DON'T KNOW WHO WON! I yelled, "OH, COME ON!" to my DVR, then started to shake my head and giggle.

Yes, I could google it. Yes, I could call my sister and find out. BUT I WANTED TO SEE IT, and I am a bit ticked and a bit amused all at the same time.

Technology. Love it or hate it, it's here to stay.

Oh, and don't tell me who won. I want to sit and steam a bit. So, I have to turn off my computer and only watch pre-recorded shows. Good thing Ugly Betty is on tomorrow!