Keeping the Grandkids While Brent and Jessica Attend the StuMo Conference

Brent and Jessica had their annual Student Mobilization conference the first week in January. Jessica's parents had Anna Claire and Bennett at the beginning and Gary and I had them at the end. On Sunday, January 2nd Gary and I asked them where they wanted to have lunch. Of course, Chuckee Cheese. When we left Bennett said "That was fun!"

Unfortunately, I don't have many pictures from this week. I honestly thought my iPhone 4 would take better pictures. I have pictures but these are the only ones that are halfway decent. I will go back to using my camera.

Here we are with Chuckee Cheese. Bennett wouldn't take his eyes off him. Anna Claire would not get near him.

 In order to get free tokens we had to dance the hokey pokey. Am I the ONLY adult dancing? I didn't even notice that until I saw this picture! I just noticed that Bennett is still keeping an eye on Chuckee Cheese.

 Aften dancing we waited on the free tokens.

And, that's all the pictures. I am so disappointed. Oh well, live and learn. I will risk making everyone mad for a few pictures!

We drove to Norman also that Sunday on the 2nd. Bennett slept some of the way. When we reached Oklahoma City he woke up. He asked me where we were and I told him we were almost to Norman. He started screaming and crying "Turn around. I want to go back to your house." Gary called and I told him Bennett had a meltdown. After I hung up Anna Claire asked me what a meltdown was. I told her it was Bennett having a fit. She thought that was very funny.

When we got ready for bed Anna Claire asked me if I could wear something other than my black pants to take her to ballet on Monday. I sure thought she would be about 7 or 8 before she started telling me how to dress! She told me "Ma, I know you have more clothes because I've seen them in your closet." She even told me that I needed to wear a different necklace. I had on a diamond necklace!

Anna Claire also said to me "Ma, I love you so much. I even love you more than Callie." Callie is the turtle.

Anything Bennett didn't want to do he said "That's the rule." Everything was a rule. No bedtime "That's the rule."

I started my bath water. I left the bathroom to check on the kids. When I returned and stepped in the tub, it was ice cold. My first thought was the hot water heater didn't work. My second thought was "Oh, Bennett had been in the bathroom." Sure enough, I asked him if he turned off my hot water. In a very proud voice he said "Yes!"

At bedtime we were all on Bennett's bed reading and talking. Bennett wanted me to tickle his leg. So, with one hand I was holding a book and the other hand tickling Bennett's leg. Anna Claire wanted me to tickle her arm and I told her I couldn't because I was tickling Bennett's leg. She said "Ma (in a duh tone)...you have TWO hands!"

With Bennett if I didn't know something he would say "Look it up on the Internet." I asked them if there was a movie theater in town. Bennett said "Ma, look it up on the Internet." Bennett asked me if the movie theatre had couches. Later while we were talking in bed Bennett told me "Ma, you have to look beyond your circumstances." What??? Yes, he said that. Not sure why....

I think we have started a new tradition. They love "talking" in bed. After reading two books each (Bennett loves the 'Train' book and Anna Claire loves the 'Halloween Party Strawberry Shortcake' book) we would lay in bed and talk for at least 30 minutes.

Here is what we talked about:

Anna Claire's favorite food is spaghetti. Favorite color is pink and purple. Favorite room in the cabin is the playroom. Favorite thing to do at the cabin is build a fire and make smores.

Bennett's favorite food is tomatoes and broccoli. (That's what he said...I'm not sure I believe him.) After he said that he asked "Ma, is that healthy?" Favorite color is orange but when I said my favorite colors were red and black he resonded "Oh...Oh...my favorite color is red and black also." Bennett's favorite room in the cabin is the playroom. Favorite thing to do at the cabin is play outside and play with trucks. Favorite neighbors are Ma and Granddad. Then, randomly Bennett said "Ma...Daddy's favorite thing to do is go duck hunting with Granddad."

Anna Claire told me my favorite color is black, my favorite food is salad and my favorite thing to do at the cabin is to clean. Then, she asked "Ma, why do you like to clean so much?" The funny thing is I don't clean until we are ready to leave and go home. That is the ONLY time I clean. That is also the only time I do not play with her or Bennett.  I responded "Anna Claire, I only clean when we get ready to go home....plus, you always help me clean." She replied "Ma, I don't like to clean at all....I just do that to help you!"

Our favorite saying and ritual was "Nitey night, don't let the bed bugs bite." Then, we all hugged and kissed. Then, sleep.

Monday morning, January 3rd, Anna Claire had ballet. Bennett has a friend, Ali, and her sister is in ballet also. Bennett took his tractors to play with while we waited on Anna Claire. He handed a tractor to Ali to play with and she wasn't interested in playing with it. He looked at her very confused and said "You don't WANT to play with my TRACTOR?" He could not understand that at all.

Later Anna Claire asked me how "Jesus made babies." I told her I wasn't sure but she could ask Mommy and Daddy.

Anna Claire said later "Ma, I have so many new toys I don't know which one to play with first."

We went to the movie and saw "Tangled." It wasn't very appropriate for Bennett. I held him in my lap and he kept asking me if the bad guys were going to come out of the big tv. Anna Claire liked it but it also had a little too much violence for her also. I was very surprised. Live and learn. You just can't tell about these Disney movies.

The only way I would turn on the right street to go home was if they would tell me the street name. Then, I acted like I didn't know the house number and they had to tell me the house number before we would pull in the driveway. Bennett kept saying "I don't remember." Finally, he would get it right but Anna Claire would have to tell him the first number.

Tuesday, January 4th was pre school for both. After hugs and kisses with Bennett I started heading to the door. I heard him tell his teacher "My booty itches." He keeps me laughing! Every morning the first thing he would say to me was "Ma, can we talk?" We would sit on the chair, he's drinking chocolate milk, and we would just talk. I would drink coffee and he would ask me "Ma, does coffee make your tummy feel good?" He told me Daddy also drinks coffee. Anna Claire told me she couldn't wait to tell Miss Katie, her teacher, that she had a loose tooth over Christmas! She no longer has a loose tooth. She had a friend that she played with over the Christmas break who had a loose tooth so every since Anna Claire has convinced herself that she has a loose tooth!


On Wednesday Brent and Jessica came home. Jessica asked me if Bennett behaved. Um, what do I say? We had to do group hugs a lot. He had to say "I sorry" a lot to sissy. He would have to say it with a smile.  Once, he was throwing Anna Claire's My Little Ponies. Anna Claire is so sensitive and that would hurt her feelings so much. I told Bennett "If you do that again you will be disciplined." He replied "You don't know how to discipline." I responded "Well, I sure know about time out." He frowned at me, crossed his arms, stomped his foot and said "I don't want time out." "I angry!" Without responding back to him, he walked to his bed, angrily got on it, sat up, crossed his arms, and said "I no like time out." So, he put himself in time out. He had to stay there until he changed his attitude.

But, he can also be a little angel. We had a scary moment. We had been to Sport's Academy earlier in the day. I start getting them ready for bed at 6:30 p.m. I know that's early but it takes me two hours to get it all done! I couldn't find mousey. I called Sport's Academy to see if they found it. The lady said no. We went anyone and traced our steps. I saw a worker in the little kid's clothes section and I asked her if by any chance she saw it. She did!!! Thank you Lord!!! She got it for us. Bennett yells (yes, it was a loud yell!) "Group hug!" There we are in the aisle hugging! It was so sweet!

We are so blessed to have the family we have. We said nightly prayers and prayed for everyone. The first night I forgot to pray for Callie but Anna Claire whispered in my ear "You forgot Callie" when I was naming everyone. Bennett reminded me that I needed to pray for Papa Jack. I left his name out and he quietly said "Jack....um...what is his name? Oh yeah, Papa Jack."

We only had one mishap that I didn't solve. Anna Claire locked the master bedroom closet. Brent and Jessica don't have a key to it. You have to have a key to it to open it. I found out after I got home that Brent had to take the door off.

Next time my camera will be flashing away!

Now, after you read this, please say a prayer for Shane's safety! I just don't like him being where he is right now. After I hit "publish post" I'm headed to the post office to mail a care package of Kashi bars, tuna meals, peanut butter and some of Nana's body cream. I know where he is it's in the middle of a hard winter and some body/face cream may be useful. My stomach has really been hurting this morning. If I go a week without any communication with him or news from Jess I start feeling sick. I'm not sure why that happens but it does.

Wow, without pictures this sure seems like a long post! I'm counting the days until I can babysit again. Hope it's soon!

I head to Baltimore next week to see one of my favorite nephews. Can't wait!