Jarin's New Email

What is a nine year old boy going to do with an email address?  

I just don’t know, but Jarin did.

Jarin had been asking for months to get an email address.  

When asked why, he simply replied, “Cause everyone has one!” 

Hmm, doesn't ‘everyone’ have everything?  I went on to ask him who in THIS neighborhood had one.  Apparently not one of his many friends had one, however, everyone in his class (except his friend from our neighborhood) had one.  I found that hard to believe so I was not sold.

Later he came home and told me that his piano teacher (bless her heart) told him he could have an email address once he passed off the hymn, The Star Spangled Banner.  I really don’t know how Jarin finagled his way into that one.  Since he was so clever, I agreed.  Well, that boy practiced and practiced and to his teacher’s delight, he was the first nine year old boy out of her students to pass that hymn off and have it memorized.  I was so dang proud of him that dad set up a email account for him.

After the email etiquette talk of rules, I gave him some addresses to add to his address box.  What proceeded was several ‘prank emails’ to his sister (had to have a chat about that one), lots of funny hallmark cards sent to family and friends and his school teacher, and a continuous email dialog between Jarin and mom……

 

Read this or die! - Email Title (I guess I had no choice but to open and read it.)

Jarin:  How about you don’t yell and I won’t be sassy this week.  Write back if it’s a deal.

Mom:  Sounds like a great deal!

     Love you.

Do I yell that much?  

(To defend myself – I will raise my voice after asking ever so nicely the first three times – after that I yell.)

 

Jarin:  Sometimes. Tell Trevor to chew with his mouth closed - um um.  GROSS!

(Apparently Trev was standing next to him eating something.)

Mom:  Hmm, I don’t know what to tell ya.

Jarin:  Don’t fart. Yes you fart as much as that million 'thank you' hallmark card.

            (This response totally cracked me up – I needed a good laugh.)

Mom:  (still laughing) 

Jarin:  Mom I love you and my foot kinda hurts and you’re the best and

I hope you get over your cold.

(Ah, he is sweet, isn’t he?) 

Jarin:  Mom, I'm at school right now.  What are you doing?

Mom:  Jarin dear,  while you are progressing toward your profession of becoming a doctor, engineer and professor;  I am home doing the dishes, washing your underwear, cleaning the toilets, and making chocolate chip cookies for your after school snack - all in that order.  Lots of Love!

(He came home fully expecting to find warm chocolate chip cookies – it’s a good thing that I really did accomplish all of my duties that day.)

My Bears is a Bear!

Blue and Gold Banquet 

         (February)

Jarin - my Bears - is now a Bear - grrrrrr!

Moms are granted the honorary 'Mom Pin' at each Cub Scout advancement for several reasons. This is to make us feel like great mothers or lack of it (fortunately I get to feel both).  Here are our qualifications for earning the pin.

1.  Sewing patches on shirts 10 minutes prior to a Pack Meeting.

2. Arguing with Jarin to tuck in his shirt in for the umpteenth time.  I don't care if no one else does!  

3. Skimming through his book a dozen times to make sure he has passed off enough for an arrow point.

4.  Reminding Jarin to take his cub book to den meeting only to find it on the table after he has left -grrrr.

5.  Rushing to make cake box cookies for a pack meeting treat - one month I dumped two boxes of Fruit Roll Ups into a bowl and pushed Jarin out the door as a last minute treat.  Turns out that they were the most popular treats.  Go mom!

6.  Threatening Jarin to complete two requirements before he can do anything else.

All in all, it is the Scout leaders that deserve the 'honorary pins'.  They are amazing and I thank them a hundred times.  I know that these little pins really are an honor to wear and are reminders for bigger and better mom tasks ahead.  In reality, they are reminders of what little boys will grow up to be - wonderful young men - I will enjoy him now. 

Go BEARS!

Way to go Jarin!  

He also received his Duty to God Award.

We love you!

Dad is honored as the supporting actor in this role.

He actually sits with Jarin on Sundays and completes requirements with him.  

Perhaps I should bestow my pin on to him.

Did I mention that we are proud of you?  

We are!

The Boys are Back - grrrrr!

April Fool's!

Being blasted by cold water from the kitchen sink sprayer at 6:30am is not a jolly event.

"April Fool's!  shouted Lala from a discreet distance away.

I was soaked through before I spotted the tightly wrapped rubber band around the water sprayer's button.  I walked away flustered tying to turn my annoyance into good humor.  

Too bad she forgot to video record it - hee hee.  

I can play this game too.  

I did the easiest most classic April Fool's joke.

Take a look....

I really did make the 'yummy' cake muffins from beans.  

Just substitute an equal amount of pureed beans (canned with liquid) for the oil.  

You can't even taste it and you get protein.

Works REALLY good with box brownies.

I'm not joking.

Sugar - Sugar - More Sugar!

Our family celebrates each opening Saturday with sugar cereal - ta dah!

After much debate on what kind of cereal really is healthy for breakfast, the kids and I designated a sugar cereal day.  I am not a big supporter of big colorful boxes claiming whole grains and good for your heart stuff.  I won't even buy them if they are more than $2 a box.  Yet, I couldn't imagine the thought of squashing childhood dreams of Saturday cartoons with big Tupperware bowls of sugar.

How we decided....

Weekdays?  No way!  Send the kids to school and have their brains run low on sugar fuel before 10 am.  Nope. 

Sundays?  Hum....squirmy kids in the chapel, only to send them to their Primary teachers to deal with - no, I don't think so (I am one of those Primary teachers).

Saturdays?  Ah, sleeping in and fend for yourself day.  Yes, Saturdays became the kid's most treasured mornings.

Unfortunately, soccer season takes up five months of those Saturdays and involves three of the five kids.  I soon cursed those dang cereal companies as I watched Jarin loose energy before the first quarter of his game even ended.  

My mommy nutrition education kicked in - I had to compromise.  After everyone inhales their sugar intake for the week, I supplement it grudgingly with a protein meal before each soccer game (protein shake or eggs and wheat toast).  So much for, "Start your day with a delicious bowl of Kellogg's cereal and you'll benefit from it's nutrients."  HA!

It just goes to show that you can have your sugar and eat it too.