GI Joe and the Three Bears

GI Joe and the Three Bears was a take on the original, yet written for boys. My little boy doesn't want to have anything to do with Goldilocks. This was a blast to create because a bit of our (Rick, Noah, and myself)  personalities have been written into the Bear Family Characters. Check around the house if you want to read this one.

What I learned from Noah: Where he keeps G.I. Joe hidden.

Noah's Mom Is Also Someone's Aunt

I was an Aunt long before I was ever a mother. My siblings were so kind to share their children with me all those years of being single and childless. I wanted to be the very best Aunt and be THEIR very best Aunt. Things were going pretty good and then they grew up and got interested in ipods and texting. I also got married and had my own child to care for. I thought I had long lost the days of being an Aunt, but much to my surprise, there is still such a thing as serendipity!!!

My niece Madeline needed to get from Brigham Young University to the Airport. She wanted to stay the night with us. There was snow, laughing, and Cafe Rio. Mads will always be welcome here.

Then my nephew Jordan had a friend in Salt Lake City he planned to visit. He wanted to stay with us. There was bowling, baskteball, crepes, and laughing. I told him to come often, but often wasn't soon enough. He left his phone charger in the bedroom wall.  So, I drove to Logan with Noah and a phone charger...then, we laughed some more.

What I learned from Jordan and Madeline: All is good.  I have missed being THE Aunt. I can be an Aunt and Noah's Mom too.

What I learned from Noah: He loves his cousins, no matter the age.  The moment one leaves out the door he says, "I'm going to miss my cousin."

Where Have I Been

I have had the most wonderful opportunity getting to know my Grandmother Maxine Garff. I have interviewed her, gone through photos, and listened to her stories. She is an amazing woman and has lived an extraordinary life. Grandma wanted assistance in a project for her grandchildren. Needless to say, it has been my focus for the past few weeks. Rick would say it has been my obsession and I'll take this obsession over some of my others.

Noah came to me and said, "Mom, if you don't come off that computer, you're gonna forget the family and follow the Debble's (devil's) plan." I knew I was in trouble when we were scripture reading and I asked him to tell me who the Messiah was.  He paused and so I thought I would give him a hint.  I sounded out the first syllable--"JJJJJEEEE" and he quickly responded "G.I. Joe! I didn't know that G.I. Joe was the Messiah!"

I could hear Noah cutting and tearing rolls and rolls and rolls and rolls of tape. He found a box and covered it with white paper and all, I mean all 100 plus foam heart stickers, and I LET him, why?  It kept him busy while I worked on this project.  He actually did a pretty good job and then he filled the box with the cute Valentine's he made for his class.

Then I sent Noah upstairs to get his pajamas on.  He came down and I thought he looked as if he were wearing a snowsuit.  He had on his "moose" p.j.'s and I could see a white collar underneath. "Noah, did you put your pajamas on over your clothes?"   He said with enthusiasm, "I will go to sleep and when I wake up, I'll just take off my pajamas and I'll be dressed for school.  Isn't that a good idea?"

Well, I let him thinking he would be all uncomfortable (it did prove to be a real time saver for me the next morning) and hot, but the next night, he came down again...that one I had to put to a stop.

Noah had heard on the news that there was a chance of rain showers.  He wanted me to find his umbrella.  Like usual, I was in a real hurry to get us out the door.  I told him we would look for it after school and he said, "I need it right now because it's supposed to rain and I don't want to mess up my beautiful hair!!!!"

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and I have the two best guys to celebrate with--Rick and Noah. So, I'll put away the computer, get out some candles and make them a nice dinner. Maybe we'll have a party or go to movie.

What I've learned from Noah: A family just isn't a family without a mom. Who is going to find the umbrella, put on pajamas correctly, conserve tape...(notice, I did not say anything about "cooking" dinner.)