Ike's parenting plan

Yes, it scares me just as much as it scares you to read "Ike" and "Parenting" in the same sentence.

As we just finished watching the Polar Express. Our first time in HD and I must say, "WOW WEEEE!" it was amazing. The father at the end of the movie lovingly refers to his son as, sport. Ike comes up with the clever idea that he is going to have three kids. Nickname one, Sport, the other, Tiger and the third, Loser. Then let them figure out who is his favorite.

I really wish he would keep his clever ideas to himself, they just make Ben and I worry all that much more about him.

This is Ike's fourth match. His team when against Glover Middle School. They won. His second match was against Northwood. It did not go as well for him and I have decided that a video does not need to be posted of that.

His third match was against Sacajawea Middle School. He won that by what is known as a near fall. That is when you have your opponet in the the pin position for certain amount of time but cannot get his shoulders to both touch the mat. Ike had the boy like this when the final buzzer rang. Ben has the video on his camera and I need to pull the card out and up load it. I was unable to attend due to parent teacher conferences but Ben and my Dad did show up in support.

He has four matches left this season.

Ike's first match. Chase vs. Shaw

Ike wrestles for Chase. He has been wrestling since he was in kindergarten for the local H.S Jr wresting program. He was super excited when he made varsity. I was not excited when the coach asked him to lose 3 lbs to join a lighter weight class at 105. Ike does not have much to lose on him to begin with.


The next day was fast Sunday. Ike prayed that he would do good in wresting this year and make varsity, then started his fast. He was so pleased when he came home Monday from practice and had lost the 3 lbs. "Wow mom!" he exclaimed. "This fasting stuff really does work. I am glad you made me do it or I never would have lost those 3 lbs." oh man. so not the point I was trying to get across.

Ike was super nervous for his first match, as was I. But as nervous as I was I know Ike's was more so. He was pacing and jumping in place. And other times just sitting very still. He is really glad he has the same wrestling coach he had for the last two years and Coach Vaughn was super happy to see Ike go to the next level of wrestling. It has given Ike confidence to be around someone familiar.


Man, he looked so much older than his 12 years down there with his team mates.

Chase Middle School won this match against Shaw. They only had two boys that did not win their matches. Ike got the fastest pin of the night. Next Tuesday they are going against school that has a much tougher wrestling reputation. I just pray he continues to do the best he can and be proud of how well he is doing and not get too frustrated when things don't go as well as they did this time. I keep telling him that it is not whether you win or lose but how much heart you put into your match.

When he got into the car to come home there were two people on his list to call right away. His Uncle Matt and his friend/coach Lon Page. That, to me, is pretty cool. We also had another tradition from SJW of going out to Mc Donalds after each match. Well SJW only has four matches in a season. This year he has much,much more. Aunt Amy came to the rescue this week and treated all of us to a lovely Mc Donald's dinner. The kids, and by kids I mean me, were super excited. Thank you Amy.

Jakey's 9th Birthday

Oh man I have been neglecting my four faithful readers. I am so very sorry.


Jakey turned 9 on November 1. For that day he had a pizza cookie delivered to his class with a Lego Star Wars Jedi Star Fighter Pilot on it. I thought it totally rocked. Until several kind observers asked why in the world I would put a lego guy in a bikini on a gigantic cookie for school. Dang it! I looked at it again and they were right!!

On Friday the 4th, he had a bunch of friends over to play and I made Wookie cupcakes for them. Ben does an amazing Chewbacca impersonation. One kid quickly pointed out, "Dang, I thought all this time the dude was is costume. Turns out it was just your step dad before he shaves." I told Ben to go put a long sleeve shirt on. He was scaring the kids. ha ha ha



Then on Saturday he had is birthday party with his Grandparents and family. I was so tired and burned out on parties by then. Next year we are doing ONE party. On the day of his birthday. Those who can make it, Great! those who can not can stop by when it works for them. I am getting too old and this family's schedule it getting to hectic.


Jakey with Grandma Brown on is THIRD party.

Jakey and his buds with his Wookie cupcakes.

One Wookie.

Lots_o_Wookies staring at you.

Bikini lego man. I wonder if I am now banned from bringing in Pizza Cookies for kids birthdays after this little fiasco?

He had a great time and is caught up on birthdays until he turns 12.

a very cool experiment for you to try amongst yourselves.

What you are looking at is a raw egg without it's shell. I just blew your wee mind, didn't I?


Take one egg and place it in cup and cover it with vinegar. we used applecider but I think white would work better because it is more acidic. Let is set for 24 hours. Keep checking on it though. It is cool to see the chemical reaction between the egg shell and vinegar. It is fun to poke at too. Rinse it well to get the remainder of the shell off and "VOILA!" I wonder what would happen if you boiled this. Would you have a yummy hardboiled egg you would not have to peel?
In class Daniel's teacher bounced her egg from about a 4 foot drop. So we wanted to see if Daniel's egg would also bounce. The video shows that.

This is why I think that white vinegar would have worked better.

You have now reached the end of this educational program. Have a good day.

I have not posted since october 9

This is basically a post on how i have not posted since october 9th. Ben was stunned when he saw that just now. I felt shame. well something close to shame, my cold, heartless nature actually keeps me from feeling true shame. He also works great as a spell checker.

our day is early morning seminary, mile long walk, hustle off to school for me. Ben getting the kiddos on their way. Depending on the day he is then out the door to work or home whittling down piles of dirty clothes and making super yummy dinners and cookies for when we all get home. On days he works we both get home close to the same time. then 30 minutes later kiddos start filing in. Homework being done by all. laundry getting put away, dinner getting started,kids getting to various evening activities or worse yet, us having to go to parent meetings so we can pretend to be involved. HA HA HA oh and lets not forget the copious drs, dentist, and specialist appointments that come with this time of year, then kiddos off to bed, me doing more homework and then the both of us crashing by 9 pm because the thought of staying up to 9:30 exhausts us.

So no, have not had much to blog about. Kids are doing good is school. Not fantastic, but we are working on that. And they are so pleased with the prospect of having Ben and I "all up in their business." Well actually they did not say this but the eye roll implied a lot.

Ike starts wresting on Monday. Have a physical for him scheduled for Thursday. Yes, I will be posting pictures with that blog update. Then all five have a dentist appt on tuesday, and then Friday Maria has an eye drs appt.

Sometime in there I have to keep up with my studies because I think i will cry if i get below and A on anything. Seriously. And I think Ben doesn't want to witness the mess of me crying to he is doing all he can to help me study and understand what is going on in Math and Biology. Yes, He is a friggen good man. Yes, I know I totally lucked out. Yes, I know eventually he will catch on that I know this and will use it to his own advantage. Mwaa Haa Haaaaa.


Well it is 10 pm. I have not done my nursery lesson for tomorrow, but that is okay because they are three and can be bought off with cookies. Or maybe I just want to bring cookies so I can eat them too.

Hello long lost friend

Yes, I have been negligent in my blogging. But I have a very good excuse. You see I am taking a writing class in school so hopefully as I learn proper writing skills my blogging will improve and you, the reader, will be edified instead of mystified by my blogs.




Now on to the real topic. Ike caught a fish. He first this year. He is a good size fish too, as you can see. He is a brook trout. I don't know if the fish knows this, but now you do.

Ben taught Ike how to kill and clean his fish. Jakey wanted the head for dinner.

No, I did not let jakey eat the head for dinner.

Here he is scooping out all the guts with his thumb. I really hope he takes it serious now when I tell him to wash his hands.

Ben is showing him how to cut off the fins.

Ike, demonstrating his fin cutting prowness. And he did not even knick a finger!!

I did a bit of season to Mr. Brook and fried him up in a bit of butter. But really when a fish is this fresh there is not a lot you need to do. They taste fantastic.

I do think that Ike is hoping to catch one that is more than three bites next time. I would not mind him catching one for me too. :)

And so ends our fishy tail. This sentence is called the concluding sentence. Do you know why?