The dreaded phone call!!

OK. so it's the worst experience ever, when your kid's teacher calls you at home. Xander's teacher called me on Monday because Xan has been having a hard time paying attention and he is quite a distraction to the other students. Well, not only is he a chatty child, it turns out he is quite the instigator too!
He was poking a kid and during carpet time when the teacher has them all sit there and listen he was kicking a girl next to him and pulling her hair. Not hard! But, he was doing it.
After I got off the phone with her, I talked to Xander and asked why he was poking and kicking the girl. He said she was annoying him. How? She kept talking to me and telling me to stop. I looked at him and said, Xander that's because you were pulling her hair! And annoying her. I would tell you to stop too.
So I came up with a reward idea to encourage good behavior. We went over all the rules of the classroom and how to behave on the carpet. I thought OK. we can do this.
So the next day (Tuesday) I dropped him off, reminded him of the rules, went over his possible rewards and off he went with a kiss and a see ya later mom.
OK. progress. I picked him up after school hoping for the miracle I had been praying for and ... dramatic pause!
Not happenen today! Nope he was sent to time out again for fighting. Not like full on battle, but poking and scratching. The other boy was doing it too. It wasn't Xander just being a butt. So, home we went and yet another lecture. Tyler thinks we should give him a sever punishment like taking all his toys away. I said, um no that won't work in this house and not with Xander. He can find a piece of string and turn it into a toy complete with sound effects.
So I tried the positive approach again with reinforcing the good behavior and rewards.
The next day (Wednesday)I dropped him off and went over all the same rules and behavior. Told him I would be talking to his teacher again when I picked him up and he better be good. OK. mom, I love you.
TA-DA. He runs up to me after school excited as can be. I thought yeah!!! I went over to his teacher and asked the inevitable question. How was he? Her response,
"Um, could you talk to Xander about not spitting?" Spitting! What? He spit on her wall! Kid you not. He said it wasn't on her wall, it was on a picture on the wall. "Oh, I'm sorry, that made it a whole lot better."
This time we got home and nice mommy wasn't there. He got his choice of 2 different punishments.
#1 No friends and no going outside. And he had to write his teacher a letter saying he was sorry.
#2 Soap in his mouth and write his teacher a letter.
He chose no friends. He did pretty good until he saw and heard all his buddies outside. And it tortured him that Dawson and I went out. So he asked if he could play. "No, you chose no friends." "I choose the soap now." Alright!
He ran upstairs with me and said, I can do it.
No, mom will do it.
I grabbed the bar of Irish Spring, lathered it up real good, and had him stick his tongue out and painted it green. He tried to rinse it off right away. I said, no way. The tears were streaming, his mouth was drooling,the soap was foaming. It was a beautiful sight. I asked him, "Are you gunna spit again?" "NO!" "Are you gunna be bad?" NO! "Are you gunna sit still and listen to your teacher?" YES! "Did you learn a lesson right now?" UH HUH! "OK, one more minute!"
After he rinsed we talked about it and hopefully something sank in.
I will let you know. He's at school right now and with 1/2 an hour left that miracle better be taking place. Or fear for him.
I will keep you posted. If anyone has any idea to help please share. I only ask that child abuse not be involved. I do love the stinker. And he is a good boy. His teacher just defines him as a 5yr old boy with lots of energy.

Kids Say the Darnest Things!

I absolutely loved this comment from Xander. I hope you guys will too.

"Mom, Mac and me are best buddies and we're brother's."
"Because Heavenly Father is our father and we are all his children."
"So is Mother Nature our mother?"

What a great question. I personally had never thought of that connection. It's amazing to me how his mind works.

Here's one more from Xander while at church. I'll give you the background first.
I was pulled out of Relief Society one week because Xander was making comments in his class that I guess his teachers found irreverent or inappropriate to the lesson. They said he was "upsetting" the other children.
The lesson was on the Holy Ghost and they were talking about how we can have the Holy Ghost with us. And he helps us to make good choices and do what's right.
Well, Xander preceded to tell his teachers, "There are no such things as ghosts." "I don't have a ghost inside of me." "I make my choices and no ghost is there."
This is when the teachers pulled me out and told me what was going on. I sat down with Xander to discuss his behavior and why he would say stuff like that about the Holy Ghost. After a few more questions and trying to figure things out, Xander stood his ground that there are no ghosts. I finally looked at him and said why? "Why are there no ghosts?" His reply,
"Because the Ghostbusters got them all with their proton packs."
Nuff said!

We did straighten out the differences in the types of ghosts and now I am happy to say he knows that the Holy Ghost will help him to make good choices and feel the spirit. And that all other ghosts are caught with proton packs.

My "Scentsational" new business.

OK so I have neglected to share the news with a few people that I now sell "Scentsy" candles. They are a "wickless" warmer that just plugs in and turns on with a switch. The scents come in over 80 different scents and they are in 6square blocks. All ya do is break off a square pop it into the warmer and turn it on. A 25 watt light bulb melts the wax and releases the wonderful scent. The best part is that the wax never gets hot enough to burn you, which makes it very kid friendly. And another super bonus is that it can stay on all day and night. And if you leave, it can stay on and won't burn the house down. What a welcome home when you walk in the door to the smell of "Sugar Cookies" or sweet "Fresh Cut Cantaloupe". Yummy!
Check out the website at www.scentsy.com. You can click on "view catalog" and see all the cute warmers and read all the different scents. If any one is interested in getting a warmer or having a candle party give me call or reply on the blog. And remember Christmas is right around the corner.

I'm Married Again!!

Yes it's true no matter how hard Tyler tries he's not getting out of this marriage that easy. I'm kiddin' Tyler has never wanted or tried to leave. However, we have received our miracle and my ring has been restored to it's rightful place upon my finger.
On Friday, I came home from my morning walk and the house was stuffy and just needed aired out before the heat of the day started. So I opened windows and went about my routine. Got Kenzie up and off to school. Then Tyler left. Got Xander and Dawson up. Got Xander ready for school and the boys breakfast. Walked Xander to school. Came home and played with Dawson. Then walked back to the school to pick Xander up. When I got back home at about 12:30, the house was heating up and the air kicked on. So I preceded to close the windows. I got the upstairs closed, came downstairs and did the kitchen windows then moved onto the living room. For those who have been to my house know I have a couch in front of my front windows. I couldn't get the blinds lowered at the angle I was at, even though that's how I always close them. So I scooted the couch away from the window and as I pulled the windows down something caught my eye.
Yes, sitting on the window ledge under where the bottom of the blinds hit the ledge sat my ring. Had I not moved the couch and just leaned over it to close the windows and blinds, I would have never found it. But, for some reason the blinds just wouldn't budge and so I had to move the couch.
Pure joy was the instant feeling followed by great relief. It was almost 2 weeks to the day. I called Tyler and told him the great news. And he was so happy. Then he said, "See, I told it was in the house." OK. he was right. However, I know I didn't take my ring off and put it behind the couch under the blinds. OH'Dawson what will I ever do with you.
A few jokes were made after it was found. Tyler said, Honey, if you really wanted a new ring you didn't have to "loose" the first one. I said, well I decided that since you weren't getting me a new one right away I might as well just put the old one back on. Then, I said to him well, the one good thing that came out of this is that it made you finally fix our bathroom sink. Ha Ha. That was my plan all along!