SGS9 is spending part of this weekend with us for the first time in over a year to year and a half. I am picking him up after school today from the far out burbs and bringing him home. DS7 will be at an afterschool playdate while I am driving just to keep things simple. DH will take him home Sunday before church. DH has committed to spending time with the boys, taking them to the park, possibly Disneyland. I think Disneyland is going overboard but hey, I'm just happy he wants to take them somewhere together HIMSELF. If the weather is nice it just may be the beach for bikes and volleyball. Planning this little visit has put me back in touch with SS30 and GF/babymama. It's weird talking to them now but the conversations have stayed on the logistics of this visit. GF/babymama told me that BM said "how nice of LAmom to take him etc etc." Blech! Both parents asked me if other kids will be around as they know we often have playdates with a bunch of kids but to keep things simple I'm not planning that. SGS9 has already asked how many kids will be at our house. Sigh, just you and DS7 this time. We have a long way to go before any more parties. SGS9 has just been put on a three week detention at school for fighting, again. Poor kid is so troubled. DH and I discussed and decided that it is for SS to discipline his child in whatever way and that we would just play the indulgent grandparents. I've laid in some treats I know SGS9 likes. I plan to play it light and loose. DH will be at the helm for whatever activities not me. However, all have agreed that if there are ANY problems, SGS9 goes right back home. A separate but interesting development, SD36's high paying job is at major risk and she may be getting a pink slip as early as Monday through no fault of her own. We had a nice talk yesterday and she may go to work for DH as early as next week. My idea and they both like it. I know, I know, when will I learn? If she works for DH I will talk to her everyday practically and start seeing her often as I will be training her on DH's business needs. Hmmm...for the good? Good for her, she needs the work, good for DH, he needs the help, good for me and DS7 as we will start seeing her a lot. She's been the nicest to us so I was glad to help her out this time. Interestingly she volunteered that BM is going to help her financially for the first time in her life! She said that BM, SS and his crew are going to have to wean themselves off of her support, I just listened without comment. She doesn't even want to see SGS9, her nephew, during his stay this weekend since it usually means clothes buying, video buying, restaurant going gimme gimme. Wow. She lives less than 10 minutes away but said "drive the long way around with him." Wish us luck.

Oh, that sounds like so much fun. I'm sure the kids loved it, especially filling their containers with dirt and watering them. Do they live close to you? Will they get to check the containers for sprouts every day? Martha

oh to have them all that young again...the 16 yo want's some fancy eyeshadow with chocolate..OMG the darn thing is her entire $50...are you kidding me?? worse is her sister wanted a $150 fitbit...well that isn't happening! with 9 kids to buy for I have to keep a strict budget...now the littlest one 3, wanted a glitter hair Barbie (another omg) but at least I had enough left for her safety helmet for her trike...her brother wanted a sta rwars art kit...had a coupon for that...kind of made me mad though...had generic one at Costco that was huge...but as dh said star wars is on the hot list...ds1 wh just got divorced this year hasn't sent me a list for his 2...as much as dh hates them, they love money...(and have a LOT less to spend these days, sigh)

This is a great thread! Years ago, when our oldest son was only 2 1/2, we were looking out his open bedroom window, watching our downstairs neighbour wash his van in the driveway below. As the neighbour was finishing up, our son yelled down to him, "Sandy, your forgot to wash the roof!" Sandy replied "Oh, that's okay, I don't have to look at the roof" Son responded, "Well, I do!" A couple of years ago, my DH was making homemade pizza with our two young grandsons, aged 3 and 5. While he was stretching the dough, his hands covered in flour, he playfully touched the nose of the youngest grandson. The older grandson looked on horrified at what grampa had done to his little brother, so grampa asked if he would like flour on his nose, too. Older grandson backed away, spread his hands, and exclaimed "what is WRONG with you!" Another time, my DH was getting ready to go over to our oldest sons' house. He came in to the room wearing a rather odd looking fake suede vest over his shirt, that he had bought himself years ago. I mentioned that it made him look a bit like a cowboy in it. He didn't agree, and thought he looked quite dapper. Shortly after arriving at our sons house, four year old grandson entered the room, and asked "Grampa? Where's your horse?" And other one, out of the mouth of our oldest son. When he was four years old, he was hospitalized with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, and had to have daily bloodwork to test his platelet counts. On about the sixth day of this, he marched up the nursing station and stated quite forcefully to his doctor that was sitting at the desk writing in a chart, "I am going home today and I don't care WHAT my bloodwork says!" Fortunately, his results were finally good, and he did come home that day.