Things I Learn From My Kids
The weather has been very nice lately, so we let the kids play outside as much as possible. The other day, the kids where all in the backyard. I stuck my head out the door to see what they were up to and noticed Rj had the lid to the lawnmower gas tank in one hand and a rock in the other. I ran over to him and pried the rock from his fingers before he could poke it into the mower. Then I looked in the mower gas tank and saw I was too late. It was full of rocks. I don't mean that he stuck a few rocks in the gas tank; I mean he couldn't have gotten that last one shoved in even if I didn't take it away.
He is such a funny little fellow. We bought a rug for the living room and he just loves to run cirlces on it because it feel sofr under his feet. When he is tired of running circles, he does summer-saults. What a funny little boy.
He messed his pants this afternoon, so we went him up to have a bath. After about 3 seconds in the tub, he comes down here wrapped in his towel saying,"piece, piece." I told him he only gets a "piece" if he goes in the potty. He doesn't get anything when he goes in his pants. I took him back up the stairs and put him on the floor. He ran over to the toilet to show me that he did use the potty. I was so proud of him, then I looked in the tub and immediately saw why he had such a short bath. I hate it when kids poop in the tub.
Things I learn from my kids. This should include the time-honored phrase "it doesn't matter if you win or lose, it is how you play the game." Sorry all, that is what losers say. I should know, since I am the losing-est coach in the world, and pretty irratated by it. Therefore, I am not going to discuss that here.
Our preist had some nice comments about Emma today, so I am quite pleased. I think all parents (at least good parents) wonder how their kids act when they are not around. So it was nice to hear the preist say that Emma is very good during her religion classes. She listens, sits still, pays attention and is respectful. That was nice to hear, and I will be sure to pass it along to her.
It is junkin' time in our town. I will have to take the girls out. They are embarrassing to take out because it is not good enough for them to just do a psycho drive by, then go back to the good piles of junk. They want to stop at every pile and paw through it. "Mom, you never know what is buried under that heap of wet, moldy carpet." During junkin' week, they always come home from school with a bunch of crap they dug out of a pile. Last fall, Emma found a brief case that she wanted to keep all her 'spy stuff' in, but unfortunately she found it on her way to school. She hid it in some bushes, thinking she could retrieve it on her way home, but someone else took it. She was devestated, but luckily we found another one for her to use. There is always tons of chairs. If you want any furniture, you have to be quick, because people rip off all the hardware to recycle it. It is pure craziness.
Time for an update. We wrote down our goals and we have been practicing volleyball, starting at the remedial level. We stand in a circle and practice arm swings. We do dry hits at the net to get approaches right. Then we finally introduce the ball. The team is looking pretty good. We certainly have the ability to be successful this year, but somehow I must convince these ladies that volleyball is a mental game. It is just as much about what is going on in your head as what is going on on the court. I am nervous about this weekend. In part because we are short setters, so I will be playing, but also because I am afraid I will not be able to get the winning mindset in the player's heads. Well, I have to read my motivational coaching tip of the day.
