Still true

You know how at the top of my blog, I explain this is a blog about an amazing boy that exasparates his mother. Well just to let you know.

IT IS STILL TRUE!!!!!!!

That boy is so frustrating some days. I just don't know what to do with him when he "Yes Mom" 's me and then proceeds to do what ever the heck I just told him NOT to do or if I tell him to do something he proceeds to ignore me and pick lint out of his belly button or some other task that seems vitally important to him at the time.

I do not know HOW to get that boy to just follow basic directions and do the same simple jobs he has had since oh age 5!

These are such things that I would never have had to remind the other two kids to do. Let's see:

take a shower
take the dog out
do your homework
set the table

NOTHING IS HARD!

NO wonder I have so many evil colored hairs on my head.

Geeze, only in 1 week?

Wow, how many more things can we pack in a span of a week? Yes it has all ready been a week since I posted. It seems in that span of a week there have been many things that have gone on.

Let's see first, I was out of town for most of that week. That makes time FLY by and when I get back a lot of catching up must occur. Everyone got along well without me but I could tell it was time for DA MOM to be home to keep the peace.

Next, while I was out of town, Vern had a spring concert. Superman taped it for me so I was able to see Vern in all his glory. Unfortunately we only got one blurry picture (below):

Next we toss in Easter. We had church and then a nice family dinner that evening.

All 3 of those kids complained that they didn't get more candy and have Easter eggs to find that morning. You would have thought the world was coming to an end! They each got an Easter bunny and $$$.

Follow this with a family day at the zoo.

(Yes I am as tired as I look.)
And finally a good photo of Vern outside on the deck, enjoying a nice day.

This adds up to one busy week!

Gardening 101

With spring here I LOVE to spend my time out in the yard. This weekend was no exception. We got the bunny fence put up to protect our lettuce and beets. We chopped down a tree with pine wilt. We bought an edger and edged the driveway. I trimmed the front Ewes and blew the leaves out of the rocks. I am sure there was more I have forgotten. Anyway, Vern enjoys this probably the best of the 3 kids. He wants to learn how to mow!

Step one of leaning how to mow is safety followed by maintenance. So the other night he helped do spring maintenance on the rider. We cleaned the air filter and changed the oil. We have to sharpen blades and change spark plugs yet but that is another day. He was very interested in this and paid attention.

Vern also enjoys gardening. He loves his sunflowers that grow HUGE. He has helped me plant in the past and I am sure he will again this year. In honor of spring and gardening Vern did another short survey for me :-)  Enjoy.

1. What kinds of things do you grow in your garden?
Answer: Vegetables and I guess fruits and flowers too.

2.  Where do you garden the most?
Answer:  Home

3.  Do you garden with your parents or a teacher?
Answer: Parents

4.  Do you like to spend time gardening with your parents, teacher, or friends?
Answer: NO (this makes it sound like its aweful...)

5.  How many other children garden with you in your garden?
Answer: Zero

6.  Do you share the fruits, vegetables, and flowers that you grow with other people?
Answer: Yes

7. Gardening can sometimes make you feel better about yourself in many different ways.  Tell us which of the things listed are important ways in which gardening has helped you. (I am only listing the ones Vern chose.)
Answer: Growing fruits and vegetables for food
              Learning about plants
              Making my home better with plants and flowers
              Exercising outside

8.  Do you think that you've learned about natrue and the environment through gardening?
Answer: Yes

9.  What kind of things have you learned about the garden that you can remember?
Answer: Don't plant a bunch of seeds in a clump. You must plant in a row.
              Don't step or pee on the flowers. (You just knew Vern would slip in something like this in a survey. I forgot all about it until I was typing this and it made me laugh all over again.)

10.  Do you live in the city or in the country?
Answer: Country

11. How old are you?
Answer:  9-12 years old

12. In your own words, what is the best thing about your garden?
Answer:  Food. My sunflowers I have in the garden. They are big and I like them and they are cool! Like 7 foot tall!!!!

This n That

Well, I am sorry to say things have not really improved with Vern. Last week was tough and by Thursday we had a longggggggggggggggggggg sit down talk. He told us all his troubles at home and at school. We talked about solutions and ways to deal with his problems.  We hoped that would help.

All weekend Vern was with his dad, I didn't hear much from Vern. I called him Saturday to ask about a DS game and he told me about the burn permit his dad got and how they put gas on the brush pile and how it burned out way to quick so the next time they put gas & oil on the brush pile so it would burn longer... Is this allowed?????

Anyway all seemed ok until Sunday night at 9pm. I get a phone call from Vern.

"Mom, I got an after school and I have to do it tomorrow."

"WHAT?!?!?!?! You didn't tell me until 9 p.m. on Sunday night? I have to work tomorrow Vern. I need time to figure things out. You are in BIG trouble."

"I know mom, I am sorry. I was not paying attention."

"How long have you known about this?"

"Well I got it on Friday."
"And you just told me now?"

"Well you were out of town and..."

"I'll call the school tomorrow and we will have a talk when you get home."

"Yes mom."

So I called the teacher, explained the situation, and got things worked out.  Vern got a lecture and some re-emphasis on his responsibilites.  If he can uphold these responsiblities he gets a DS game he has wanted for a long time. We shall see. I hope he does well.

Today was dentist day. I take all 3 kids to the office at the same time. It is quite the production. Luckily it is a good sized office so there are enough hygentist to take care of the kids at nearly the same time. They all got x-rays and cleanings and inspections. I am happy to report only 1 cavity out of the 3 mouths! Vern did well. He needs to try brushing longer and the hygentist suggested having music in the bathroom and he brushes to an entire song. Vern said he liked that idea so we will need to do set up of that.

Tonight I went outside to plant garden while leaving Vern in the house to do his "jobs". He did an ok job with only a couple of redo's needed. Only 38 more days to go...

Sometimes it won't pass the brick wall...

Sometimes I really believe there is a brick wall around Vern's brain. The information is held at bay like a fortress. Nothing will enter unless Vern decides to let down the gate and allow minute bits of information to flow in.  Those bits of information are usually football related stories or statistics.  I keep praying that useful information will be allowed to enter but to-date the jury is still out.

Here is an example of what I mean.

We were at church Sunday. The entire service and sermon was focused on loving everyone, we all have a purpose no matter what we look like or how we act, God created us special, unique and for a reason.  You get the picture.

As we are watching a group of kids sing, Vern leans over and asks me "Mom, is that one in the middle a boy or girl? I can't tell. How can you tell?"

Me: "SHHHHHH"

A little later Vern asks, "Mom, why is that kid tttt-tal-tttalking funny?"

Me: (getting more upset) "It is called stuttering, you stutter when you get excited. It is no big deal. Now shush!"

Fidgiting continues followed by giggling.

Me: "What are you laughing at?"

"Mom, there is that guy over there that looks like Superman."

I shush him and grab his leg to be quiet.

"YOUR A WITCH!"

I then had to remove him from church (by his ear) for a good talking to in the entry.  Why did I draw the straw to sit by Vern today I am thinking...

We go back into the santuary and he sits arms crossed with a scowl on his face glowering at me the entire time.  I manage not to hurt him the rest of the service.

So we get out to the car for the journey home and Vern starts in A-G-A-I-N.

"That kid was a girl. I just couldn't tell. Why did she look like that?"

The 3 of us also in the car all say in amazing unison "DIDN'T YOU LISTEN TO THE SERMON???"

"Hu?" Blank look on Vern's face.

Me: "About how everyone is made special. We should love everyone like God does no matter what they look like?"

Vern: "No."

Silent exasperation follows.