The truth about Santa Claus? Or not.

Yesterday as I drove Ayden to school he mentioned something about santa, I not thinking he really believed in Santa said "Well, yeah, but Santa isn't real." I wasn't prepared for his audible gasp followed by a very upset "Santa isn't real!?!" Eeek.. "Um, we'll talk about this after you get home from school." So later I tried to tell him the story of St. Nicholas, and that a long time ago he brought toys to needy children but that he died, but that people still like to remember him so they keep talking about Santa Claus and pretend that he still brings presents, but its really just moms and dads. All I got back was "Whatever. Whatever. Nice joke mom."

So... I guess we believe in Santa for a little longer.

BOOK IT

When I was in kindergarten I read for foil star stickers. Now kids get pizza's. All it took was one Book It coupon to get Ayden to voraciously read with out ever having to be reminded or asked to keep going for a couple more minutes. He's already well past his required reading amounts for the month of January.

A Conversation Between Kindergarteners

Its so true that kids say the darndest things. I could listen to their simple insights and observations all day. Some are actually quite deep, while others are just hilarious. I'll do an entire post on things Ayden says a little later, but needed to get this incident documented before any details get hazy. This conversation took place between my 5 year old son Ayden and my 5 year old brother Thomas. They were going to have a sleepover at our new place but we needed to stop at the old place and get something in the dumpster so I took these two as well as my brother Jeremiah over to the old apartment so Jeremiah could help me. Then I dropped Jerm off, and the following conversation took place...

Thomas: Good thing Miah isn't here so we don't have to hear him talk any moi. (He's got a bit of a speech impediment.) Ayden: UGH! I know! I was this close to getting a headache! If he would have said ONE more thing... Thomas: I have a Miah headache.

I just sat in my seat laughing to myself, loving how observant they were, and how relieved Ayden seemed that someone was thinking the same thing he was. But seriously, where do they learn this stuff?

If I only had a snuggie?

Ayden: Mom, you should get a snuggie. Then we could hang out. Just like cousins.

New Years Resolutions

I make them, and I break them. Every year without fail. But this year needs to be different. Everything seems so cluttered right now. I lose my keys every day, that load of laundry still hasn't been folded, the car is a disaster and we're always a step behind. My resolutions this year are not grand. They are not impressive. They are probably all things that every one else has a handle on, but somewhere down the road my together-ness took a wrong turn and I ended up wearing two different socks.

Without further ado I give you my resolutions for 2010:

1. No more soda. -Soda makes me fat. So do those rice crispy treats, but we'll start with the soda.

2. Cook something from scratch, or close to scratch at least 3 nights a week. - I work nights, but 3 of them I'm home early enough to make dinner and opening cans and boxes or going through drive thru's just doesn't cut it anymore.

3. Make at least one weekly trip to the library with Ayden. - Ayden loves to read, and he's really good at it. His little readers used to be enough but he's getting noticeably bored with his school books. One can only read about Sam and Mit for so long.

4. Clean my room. Clean my everything. Throw away. Give away. Make room for some negative space. - As much as I say I'm not, I am a pack rat. Why on earth can I not get rid of my Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing? Or those shoes I'll never wear? Or that mirror I'll never hang?

And lastly...

5. Stop eating at school. - This is too expensive. I have food in my cupboard. Good food. Healthy food. Food that won't make me fat. Food that's already been paid for. I need to eat this instead of the delicious already prepared food at school.

And there we have it. My resolutions. Nothing too difficult. And none that aren't semi-flexible... except the soda. That buck stops here. I' m 10 days in and so far so good. I'm usually giving up by this time so I'm feeling hopeful.

A new start...

Its the new year. A time to start over. A time to make things better. Perhaps the smallest of the things in my life that need to be changed is my blog, but at least its a start on the list. I want this blog to focus mainly on Ayden and I, and the things that WE are up to. My other blog felt selfish and all about me, and I think that contributed to me never updating it. So, here we go... Attempt #3 at blogging. Third times a charm, as they say.