Raising Boys Part 2

For those of you interested, this is a continuation of my last post on raising boys. As a teacher and mother of 3 boys I often find myself amazed at some of their antics, the things they enjoy, and how different they can be from little girls. Here are just a few more things I've learned:

1. Always wear house shoes when tiptoeing through their bedroom at night to make sure they are covered up.  As a girl, I'd always thought jacks were the most painful thing to step on, but that was before I placed my bare foot down on a Lego. It is a pain that will make even the purest of heart want to blurt out words you don't normally say. Legos, however, are nothing compared to action figures like Goku from Dragon Ball Z. You haven't felt pain until you've put all of your weight down on top of  plastic pointy hair. (Here's a picture so you'll know what I'm talking about. Goku is in the middle).

2. An exercise ball thrown against a sharpened pencil will pop - LOUDLY.

3. Pretending to be a dog and eating Nerd candy off the table with your mouth will cause some to be inhaled and stuck up your nostril, requiring help from the doctor.

4. Trampolines with the net sides make good wrestling rings. They are even more fun when you spray them down with a hose and they become slippery.

5. Did I already say that bodily noises are hysterical? 

6. Going over ramps with a bicycle is more exciting when you actually jump over 2 or 3 friends lying down.  (Why do Mom's have to ruin all the fun?)

7. If your son gets a gift at his birthday party called a StinkBlaster (especially if it's name is B.O. Brian), do not .... I repeat... DO NOT let him open it in the house. It took days to get rid of that horrible smell. 

Wow. My list could just go on and on... but I have laundry to get out of the dryer, a son waiting to show me something funny on YouTube, and another one searching through the cabinets and all my hiding places for something to snack on so I guess I'll end this here.

Thank heaven for boys. They make me laugh, gross me out, drive me crazy, and keep me oh so busy, but I love them with all of my heart.

THINGS I'VE LEARNED FROM RAISING BOYS

My past few posts have been serious-minded, and I thought it might be time to talk about something a little more light-hearted. After all, the name of this blog includes my musings. :)  As a teacher and mother of three boys,  I've learned quite a lot about them. They are in constant motion, always up for adventure, and soooo different than girls. Here are just a few of the things they've taught me:


Disclaimer: Not for the squeamish or those who have never had the pleasure of raising or being around boys.... :)


THINGS I'VE LEARNED FROM RAISING BOYS:

Hiding food is sometimes necessary to avoid being eaten out of house and home. Hint: The electric skillet is wonderful for this - boys just don't think to raise the lid and look inside an appliance.

Youtube is full of gross and disgusting videos. Think twice before watching something they find hilarious.

Boys actually do use the sniff test on clothing sometimes. Eeeww.

Burping the alphabet is a talent that most boys seem to find admirable.  


If someone looks at you and says, "I smell popcorn", whatever you do, don't sniff.  It probably means they just farted. 

Boys will be dirty, wet, or messy a majority of the time, and they enjoy it.


Anything is more fun if you can climb it, kick it, or take it apart. Be warned, the teen years
expand to include blowing things up.

Always check to see if toothbrushes are wet. Asking if they've brushed their teeth only encourages vague answers like "I think I did" or "Not yet".  The same goes for young boys who've just used the potty... don't trust them to use soap. I had a sniff test of my own... smell their hands and you'll be certain.


Fascination with "that" body part starts at a very early age. Ever notice how little boys hands just seem to radiate to their pants? When my son was only two, I put him in the bathtub one day, and just as he sat down in the water, he smiled  at me and said, "Look Mommy, my pee-pee is getting bigger and bigger and bigger!"    (Thankfully he doesn't read my blog posts! lol)


To be continued........

(  PROOF THAT IT STARTS EARLY  )

        

My son, Jesse's first birthday. He enjoyed his cake.

My son, John at 10 months old... always into things. :)

 

STAINED- GLASS WINDOWS

I spent the weekend in Chicago and saw the most beautiful stained- glass windows in the Smith Museum on Navy Pier yesterday. The light shining through made them a wonder to behold...clearly revealing each intricate design and beautiful burst of color. Walking through the museum though, I was disappointed when I saw a few windows against the wall where no light shone through. They weren't nearly as noticeable, radiant, or pretty as the other ones. I wanted to see them glowing vibrantly. If only the sun or some kind of light had been filtering through so I could see their true beauty. Continuing on, I was happy that the rest of the windows were brilliantly lighted. As I stood admiring the workmanship and the wonderful way the light illuminated them, I thought of Jesus being our true light and remembered a quote that I read just the other day:   

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.
~ Elizabeth Kubler Rossefore

Isn't that insightful?  Stained-glass windows are beautiful to see in the daytime...standing inside seeing the sunlight stream in. But when it's dark outside, the only way to see the beauty is to have a bright light inside shining outward. I really like her quote. It encourages us to have inner beauty that will shine out to the world. 

The bible tells us that Jesus is the true light. (John 1:9) When we let His light shine through us we will begin to reflect that beauty and light to others. When we are confronted with darkness from the outside, the light from inside us can dispel the darkness. 

Our lives can be a radiant story of His glory and goodness. When you look at a stained glass window in the dark, the beauty isn't evident. In fact, the dark colors blend in with the wall, making it hard to see anything special about it. In a similar way, if His light isn't shining through us, we tend to blend in with the world. When we reflect His light from inside us, others will know there is a beautiful story to tell.

A couple of my photos of the beautiful windows at museum on Navy Pier

As a side note... Who knew I would love Chicago?

I grew up in the St. Louis area and have never really liked the city. Chicago seemed to have a whole different feel to it. To begin with, it seemed cleaner and safer. And there were so many things to do! The museums were wonderful, the food was good, and once I figured out how to operate it smoothly, the segway was great fun!

(More Pics Below)

                                    

T-REX SUE AT THE FIELD MUSEUM

MY CHICAGO STYLE HOT DOG - SURPRISINGLY GOOD!

ME PRACTICING BEFORE HEADING OUT.



OUR GROUP AT BUCKINGHAM FOUNTAIN - MY SON JOHN IN THE STRIPED SHIRT.