Conspiracy Exposed

I heard Cindy tell Kenzie, "go talk to mommy. Just go talk to her. She's in the other room, go talk to her." I know what that means. She's brought up a tough subject, one that Cindy doesn't want to have with her.

Kenzie found me and in her most serious voice, looked me in the eyes and said, "Mom, I need to know. Is there really a Santa Claus or was it just you guys? It was you guys, right? Is Santa Claus REAL?"

I have told her that I would never lie to her, which made this question particularly awkward because, in fact, I have been lying to her for the last six years on this subject. I have been very nervous about this moment because learning that there was no Santa was, for me, a defining moment in my life. It was when I learned that adults were not perfect and the world isn't as it seems.

So, expecting the worst, I looked her in the eyes and said, "Kenz, Santa is like a dream. He's not a real person, but he's something that kids can believe in, kind of like magic."

The wheels started to turn. Her eyes went to a distance, and then back to me, "but what about all those people? Everyone talks about Santa."

Then a smirk came on her face. She thought it was quite funny, and she was being let in on the secret. It's a total conspiracy. I told her, "it's a big job being a big sister and knowing that Santa isn't real. You have to help your brother continue to believe." With that she left the room.

I later found out that she immediately went to find Mason. Cindy told me that she spilled it all, "Mason, Mason, Mommy just told me that there isn't a Santa Claus!" I didn't find out until this morning and was rather perturbed at her. She claimed that she didn't understand what I meant, and I believe that. She said, "if that's what you were telling me you didn't put it in words that I understood." Touche. But now we're clear. She understands that it is officially part of her job to partake in the conspiracy.

So then Mason was looking through his stocking presents and said, "Santa gave this to me. Noooo...you gave it to me." I said, "no, Santa gave you the stuff in your stocking." Kenzie jumped right in and said, "Right, Mason. It was Santa. Last night when I told you there was no Santa I was just joking." He said, "Oh. Okay." And so it continues...

White Christmas 2008

We've always wished for a White Christmas. This year we got enough for all those Christmases Past. As a result we have had a relaxing, low-key week leading up to Christmas. Because we had to constantly watch the weather report, we were forced to slow down, which I think is exactly what we needed. We went sledding, played games, made cookies, baked bread, hung with friends and just enjoyed being a family.

The kids were a little spoiled this year (as always, I guess). Kenzie loves her new blanket that Grandma made, light blue of course. She received some cute clothes, her very own digital camera (the results of which can be seen here, I'm sure, at some future date), and some special things for her "collection" (which is anything that fits in her room).

I think she actually got the most joy out of making a special present for each of her grandparents. All on her own she decided to draw a picture for them and then frame it. She was so proud to watch each of them open it (and then tell her how magnificent it was).

Mason got a special train set to go around our tree, plus loads of things that fly, whirl or scoot (including a new skateboard). He even got his own remote-controlled helicopter. It seemed like a good idea at the time we purchased it...

Monkeys make banana bread

Kenzie told me, "Mom, I wish Lauren lived with us." Mason quickly echoed, "yeah." Instead they got to make banana bread with her.

Santa, really?

On the way home from our Christmas Eve dinner at Grammy and Grampy's, Kenzie said, "Mom, do you know how Santa gets out of a gas fireplace?" I wasn't sure if this was a trick question or not. I said, "what do you think? Do you think sometimes he uses the front door?" She was all over that and came back with "what about the beep-beep [motion detector] on the front door?" I decided to reuse my same approach..."what do you think?"

She said, "I think that Santa isn't really real. I think it's you guys who fill our stockings. What do you believe?"

I said, "I believe that Santa only visits little kids who believe in him. So, do you believe in him?"

Surprisingly, our conversation ended quickly.

Sledding day 2

Another successful day sledding! This time we had three of Kenzie's friends with us who all, conveniently, had a younger sibling. They all came over after sledding to hang out and bring out every toy the kids own.

P.S., I finally got a charger for my video camera.

Good save

The path curved to the left, but the sled decided to turn right...right toward a 14 month old. Luckily, Cindy was on high alert...

Demise of the princess

I have waited for this day for a long time. I wasn't sure it would ever come.

Kenzie said to me, "Mom, I don't think I really like princesses." Trying to hold back my hip-hip-hurray I said, "oh really, why is that?" She continued, "well, I don't like the fact that they're just born into being able to rule the world. I don't like that. I don't think that people should be able to rule other people." Trying to test her resolve I said, "well, what do you think about someone like Barack Obama? He is set to rule the most powerful nation in the world." She quickly retorted, "yes, but he wasn't born into it. People voted him in. That's different. We chose to have him as our leader."

Oh yes, this is a proud day...

Buffalo read

This video is a bit long, but I like to track Kenzie's reading progress. Watching it is only mandatory for grandparents.

I asked her to show me something she had read recently and this is what she selected. Then she decided to read me the prologue.

Cow rehearsal

The kids are studying for church pagaent. Kenzie is a shepard, Mason is a cow. Mason has one long part, but, as you can see, Kenzie has mastered it ahead of him. Mason still has a while longer to learn it--the production just got postponed to January due to weather and then vacations! We'll look forward to Christmas in January. It's even cuter with his cow costume on. :)

Neighborhood snow play

Just heard that we are having the "worst" snowstorm in over a decade. We have about seven inches and it's still coming down. We're hoping it doesn't all melt by Christmas!

We took full advantage of our quiet neighborhood today. First Ed came out with his sled and pulled the kids around our front field, and over, and back, and over again.

Then Kenzie's schoolmate and his little brother joined us for a snowball fight.

Finally we sought out a hill, which we found just a couple of streets over in a driveway. The four kids, plus a teenager who lived there, had a blast!

Transformer Canoe, by Mason

Mason drew this picture. He describes it, "it's a transformer canoe because it can transform. It flies and can land on water. Some of the arms are wings, some are canoe paddles."

Let the Christmas begin

We had the Bolam family Christmas gathering at our house this morning, so Christmas has officially begun. Here's our best pose...

Snowball fight

Snow angels

We got a winter blast today! Everyone made a snow angel, even Jordan.

Off limits

Mason has been dry overnight enough times that he gets to sleep in his monkey underwear tonight. I thought I'd be nice and wake him up for a quick trip to the bano before I retired. I found this note, however, discouraging me from entering. I'm not convinced that it was his doing because: (1) it's on the outside handle and (2) it's not his handwriting.

Monkey Roos

Alas, two dry nights in a row!

Redmond lights

We went with some good friends to Redmond tonight. We experienced caroling, a lot of walking in Christmas lights, a live manger, and anticipation of Santa in a canoe (who never showed). Here Kenzie met Comet (or maybe this was Cupid).

Saturday

Frosty, by Kenzie

Tree posing

Who's been teaching her little brother how to pose for a picture?

Court

I got a traffic ticket a couple of months ago. I took a left turn onto a road that had a sign in a tree saying no left turns. Kenzie has been upset with me, not quite understanding how I could justify breaking the law. I explained to her that I honestly felt that it was an unjust ticket, and I decided to challenge it.

I took some pictures, looked up some regulations, and prepared my case. I thought it would be a good experience for Kenzie to (1) see the process in action and (2) learn that the courts are a place where you can see justice (hopefully). I took her out of school early, and we went to the Issaquah courthouse. We were escorted into one big courtroom with 70 "defendants" and one judge behind a raised desk. (I was expecting a more intimate setting.) The guy sitting next to Kenzie obviously had some mental health issues. He was talking to himself about killing someone (yikes). His hands were bandaged up - he blurted out that he had gotten in a fight. He was first up and was immediately arrested, so that was an interesting start to the next hour! People were called up, starting with "Z" last names, so we got a show. She paid attention the entire time, asking "what are tabs?" "why did that person speed" and "he hit a bicyclist??" When it was my turn I took her up to the front. She stood next to me while I was sworn in, watching my every move.

The ticket was dismissed (yeah!)...and Kenzie high-fived me as we were leaving the courtroom. I think she was most excited to be out of there.

You and I

Kenzie was yelling at Mason, "You are so MEAN! You pulled my hair! Mom, look what he did!?!" She showed me a handful of hair on the carpet.

I tried to distract her and we started talking about school. She told me about Miss April, the school counselor. "Miss April told us about 'I' sentences and 'you' sentences. A 'you' sentence is when you say something like 'you did this' or 'you did that.' An 'I' sentence is when you say, 'I felt bad' or 'I am sad.' Cameron and I had to act it out! We went up to the front of the class. Cameron pretended to cut in front of line. First I made a 'you' sentence. I said, 'You shouldn't cut in line!!' Then we tried it again and I said, "it makes me upset when you cut in front of me in line."

Trying to reinforce the teaching moment, I called Mason over and said to Kenzie, "how about if you show Mason? Tell him with an 'I' sentence how it made you feel when he pulled your hair out."

You would have thought I told her that she was a child of aliens. Her eyes were as big as saucers. As she picked up her jaw from the carpet she said, "I never thought of it that way."

Santa

We found a fun tree farm in North Bend. After hunting around for the perfect tree, we found a building with a warm fire, hot cider...and Santa! This was the coolest Santa. He visited with each kid for quite a while. Consequently a short line took a long time to get through.

By the time we were finished we decided to pick a pre-cut tree and be on with our day!

Cobb salad

We track Kenzie's spelling progress over time by having her write shopping lists. I don't give her any hints, just tell her the item and she gets to spell however she likes. Sometimes it makes for an interesting shopping trip as I try to decipher what she meant, such as "letes" = lettuce and "backen" = bacon. But she got pretty close on a lot of them!

And, because she's thinking ahead, she put a star next to each one so that she can fill in the star as we find the item. Which she did. She's actually quite handy to shop with, like having my own little assistant. Maybe I'll buy her a clipboard for Christmas.

Thanks for...

Thanksgiving was at our place tonight. We had a nice day with friends and family. We asked the kids to tell us one thing they were thankful for.

Kenzie - "I'm thankful for nature. Even the sticker bushes because they turn into blackberries."

Mason - "I'm thankful for wheels. If we didn't have them we wouldn't be able to drive."

The dental gnome

This is another post that must be disguised into obscurity in order to discourage one curious juvenile from further study.

I am a novice Dental Gnome. With approximately 39 loose bicuspids and incisors ahead, I will surely get more practice. However, last night required four separate trips into the chamber of the juvenile. The first one I carefully stepped, tip toe, tip toe, hand ready with coinage all the way to the dental cushion when a little voice said, "Mom, what are you doing?" In quick step I replied, "I'm just checking to see if the TF came yet. Nope, you better go to sleep or she won't come."

After thirty minutes, adventure numero dos began. Tip toe...success. Exit. Parental until number dos returns to inquire about the dollar amount, which was singular. She doth protest and insist on doublage. Trip number three I begin. Tip toe...seven more coins, clink, clank. Exit, success. "Did you remember the tooth?" Dang! Back I go...tip toe, empty entire cushion, retrieve object, replace coins, exit.

Toothless wonder

Alas! Kenzie was saying goodnight and showed me her tooth. I said, "Kenz, that needs to come out. Just twist it." She grabbed it, twisted, and then squealed in utter joy. She is ecstatic that her tooth is out!



She left this note for me before she went to bed:

Slumber party

Kenz had her first official slumber party last night at her friend Taylor's house. It was Taylor's seventh birthday. That seems so old!

The kids (boys and girls) were dropped off at six. They ate pizza, watched half a movie, had cake, kicked out the boys, then watched the other half of the movie. She self-reported going to bed at "midnight-oh-six." The mom woke them up by popping balloons (never met her, but think I like her already).

Stubborn tooth

How long can this one wiggly tooth hang on (literally by a thread)??

Snowman, by Mason

Thanksgiving tradition

Mason's preschool got in the Thanksgiving spirit.

Later, Mason demonstrates that a feather is truly a versatile accessory.

Structural changes

Evidently we like to pack our life changes into small, one-week segments. Perhaps to get it all over with, perhaps to add interest and intrigue. Regardless, this was one of those weeks.

Cindy started teaching this week. Except for summer school, this was the first teaching job she's had in over five years. So this week she signed up as a substitute. One day she taught little kindergartners and the next she was in the juvenile detention center teaching middle schoolers. To care for the kids, Grandma June stayed with us the whole week. She and Bob are selling their house and planning to move near us. Very near as a matter of fact! We're starting construction on a new house on our lot! With Mason just starting preschool and Kenzie starting two after-school activities, everyones routine was changed.

Change is hard for everyone, but we're excited about the good things ahead.

Dude got a pho-hawk (and 2 suckers)

School boy

Mason started preschool today! He loves his new school. When Cindy picked him up the teacher said that he had a good day...except for when he and "Jason" snuck away from snack time into the bathroom to spike their hair with water. And so it begins...

Cat pillow

Ketchup

...is a necessity. Meat is just a vehicle to transport the ketchup. Pasta will do in a pinch.

Kid jam

Moment of truth

We had the chance to sit down with Miss B., Kenzie's teacher, for conference. Kenzie is doing great in school. Miss B. described Kenzie as a "quiet leader, not one of those who is bossy and yelling at the other kids, but the one who is always there, setting a good example and ready to help everyone else." (I was a lot proud...and a little surprised.) She said that Kenzie is one of the more mature members of class, and has the rare ability to consistently follow multi-part directions. Kenzie listens, does what's asked of her, then raises her hand (as instructed) to indicate she's done and available to help anyone who needs it.

Her reading, math and writing skills are all very strong. It was all good to hear because our biggest goal for our little Spit Fire this year was social skills. We weren't concerned too much about academics at this point, but we all needed to focus on her ability to be a good team player. She still has opportunities. Such as earlier this week when a classmate said, "Kenzie, when you're done with that book can I borrow it?" and Kenzie replied, "No." She was surprised to learn Miss B. was right behind her and offered suggestions on how to handle it differently!

So, we have a couple of things to work with her on...but all told it was a great report! Good job Kenzie!

Changing times

Last night this country elected Barack Obama as president. As we sat with friends in our living room waiting for each state to report, the kids were trying to understand what was going on. Evidently fed a line by someone in the room, Mason kept blurting out "Go-bama." He would get a laugh every time, but of course he didn't know what it meant. As the night wore on and we were watching the results, Kenzie kept trying to take it all in.

At about 8:00 the networks announced that Obama had won. John McCain gave an incredible concession speech that encouraged everyone to unite. It was just what we needed to hear as we waited for Obama to come on the stage. Finally, as he and his beautiful family appeared in Chicago, it hit me. I think it hit everyone in our room. We were watching history be made. A Black Family was about to enter the White House. This was truly amazing. Our living room was quiet as we listened to the words of our future president, who was breaking a barrier that perhaps none of us thought we would live to see broken.

Then Kenzie leaned over to me, "Mom, what's the big deal?"

I looked at her face and realized that she doesn't know prejudice or discrimination. I tried to explain to her how amazing it was that our country has overwhelmingly elected this man of color to its highest office, but I realized that race is a non-issue for her. How incredible is that! She goes to school with people of all different colors of skin and they're just all kids. As I looked back at her, I could feel the changing times. It was palpable and yet so surreal.

I didn't have the right words. I tried to say that some people still judge people based on their skin color. She tilted her head a bit, focused on the center of my eyes, as if to see if I'm really telling the truth. To her it was inconceivable. To me, her innocence gave me great hope.

Happy October

Halloween seemed to start early this year and is just finishing up. We went to several Halloween parties this year...even Cindy and I donned costumes. It's been a fun month of spook.

Last weekend the kids spent the night at Tia Jo's and Uncle Randy's. They spent much of the day at a corn maze that had giant spiders, vultures, and pumpkin launchers. Sarah and Kyle joined them. The kids had a blast and told us a hundred stories.





When Kenzie and I started talking about costume shopping, I told her that she could be anything except a princess. She has been a princess for the last two years, so I thought she should branch out. We went to a vintage costume shop in Issaquah for inspiration. After a while of looking on her own she found me and said, "Mom, I know what I want to be." I said, "okay, anything but a princess." She said, "yes. Not a princess. I want to be a queen."

Ugh.

But rules are rules.

In the end we compromised on an Evil Queen so we could paint her face white and her nails black.

Mason wanted to be a vampire so he could have blood dripping down his face (most of which was worn off by the time this picture was taken). We got some black hair spray and darkened the crowns of both of them...not my brightest idea.



This year they opted to help raise food for the food bank, which is very low on food right now. In conjunction with our church (and friend Josh here), each kid is trying to collect their weight in food. So, Kenzie has about 49 pounds to collect, and Mason about 36. Each house that they visited, Kenzie would wait until the adult offered the candy jar, then would very seriously say, "We are collecting food for the Issaquah Food Bank. Do you have any extra cans of food that you would care to donate?" As you can see, they were quite successful! Toward the end Kenzie decided she didn't want to collect any more candy, and just went straight for the cans. (By the way, if you're interested in helping them collect their weight in food, you can either donate cans or cash. We're planning on shopping for heavy protein-rich foods.)

Writer of the month (2008 edition)

As Kenzie wrote a couple of days ago, she was the first grade's first Writer of the Month this year. Last year she was also October's writer of the month (except we were invited to the assembly last year). She came home so excited. Between that and her "wiggly tooth" it's a pretty great time to be a first grader!

Airplane obsession

My father has been into model airplanes forever. I bet he cannot count how many planes he owns with any degree of accuracy. Certainly he has no idea how many he has owned over the years. And, over those years he has searched for someone in the family to share his joy, his love, of these planes.

I do not fully grasp the phenomenon - this club of people who share their afternoons in a field of grass with their necks cranked backward, whiffing the gasoline, demonstrating the dexterity of their thumbs. But, I digress. Grampy has been slowly introducing--some might say brainwashing--Mason into this world of model airplanes. And, despite my best efforts, the kid is fully hooked. He throws those little wooden planes at least 500 times in a row. He finally splintered the latest balsa wood plane, so he fabricated his own. Paper will have to do for now, but I'm sure that somehow another wood plane will soon make its way into our house. It's a love I don't understand, but it runs deep.