Mac's honesty...

**Post edit

I worry about my kids, I am sure just as much as most moms do. I worry constantly whether I am doing enough to teach them to make good choices on THEIR OWN because it feels right, not because I told them to. Today, a bit of my worry was put to rest.
We stopped at the Dollar Tree really quick and we were checking out. All of a sudden Mac picks something up and runs up to the mom and little girl who just checked out and were walking out of the store. Then I see him handing them some money. I guess he had seen them drop the money and he made the right choice to give it to them. He told me that he saw them drop the money and at first was waiting for them to leave so he could keep the money but then he thought how that would make him feel bad so he decided to run after them to give it back. He did all of this without me urging him to make the right choice.
The cashier and the people behind us in line saw this also and they told him what a great thing that was for him to do. And told him how proud I was of him for being honest.
A little back story: All morning before this him and I had been talking about the money he has been saving and we even counted all of his money. He had almost $7. He was pretty frustrated when I told him he has to save $10 before we will let him spend it. And we talked about how much more money he would need and ways he could earn it. And how much he would pay in tithing and how much he would have left after that. So more money was definitely on his brain. And I am just so proud of him for making the right choice even though he is wanting more money so that he can spend it.
I love being Mac's mom. Even on the really tough days, I adore him and love him so much I feel I could explode. He is intense and stubborn and does not take no for an answer, but he loves others just as much and really wants to make good choices. And I just love this boy!

**Something I wanted to add to this was a great lesson we were able to teach Mac about following the commandments and the blessing that follow. So the day after this happened we were at a family reunion. They had a find the golden hatchet activity for the kids. They gave clues and you had to go search out in the woods for it. The one to find the hatchet would get $5. Mac was so excited about doing this. I "helped" him for about an hour. Parents weren't supposed to help them just be with them. Him and looked forever. Then my Uncle who was giving the clues kindof helped us with the right direction.  And Mac figured out the right spot by himself with all the clues. We got to the area we thought it was and I spotted it but didn't tell him where it was. He ended up finding it! And he got $5. Later Hubs talked to Mac about how he was blessed for his honesty the day before. It was such a great teaching moment for him.

Mac's birthday!

Life was a bit crazy around Mac's birthday so we kept it really simple but did all we could to make it special. But I think that it was fun and Mac was not disappointed (well except for one thing but I will explain that later). Daddy had already moved to be closer to his new job, but he came home just to spend the weekend with us for Mac's birthday. 

We blew up balloons for Mac to wake up to. We started doing this a couple of years ago and Mac made sure we didn't forget about it. So he for sure woke up bright and early because he was so excited. When he woke up he had presents waiting for him on the table from us.

Oak and I made this crown for Mac. It was so cute on him!

His breakfast request was donuts.

Getting to play angry birds on the ROKU.

Love the chocolate smear from the donuts.

It is our tradition that daddy always makes our kids' birthday cakes. We love this!

And didn't he do an awesome job on this lego cake?!

These next photos are from my iPhone so they are out of order from the previous pics.

Oak helping make Mac's birthday hat. This may have to be a new tradition.

After breakfast we actually went and got our Christmas tree but I think I will put that in one of my Christmas posts.

The fun activity Mac ended up choosing was pizza and the arcade at Putters.

Oak hit the jackpot and got like 500 tickets at once. We stood there for about five minutes waiting for them to finish coming out.

Me and my boy!

Daddy getting frustrated putting together Mac's new bike. 

So we have been planning to get Mac a bike for his birthday for months. Mac was excited about it. But when we headed over to Toys R Us to get it, Mac was beyond tired and all he wanted to do was buy Legos and didn't want a bike anymore. I knew he would be getting some the next day when he opened presents from his Grandparents but he was so tired that he just was in a bad mood when we told him we only came to get a bike. Once we got in there and he got to test ride it a bit, he was a bit happier. Once we got him home he and daddy put it together he was beyond happy with it. He kept on saying things like, "Can you believe how awesome it is?" and "Don't just love that it's gold?!" It was really cute. 

The next day we just had a simple little family birthday party for him at my in laws house.

And of course he got his new legos and a new nerf gun.

He was very excited for me to bring treats to his class that he could eat with everyone. Because of his tree nut allergy I don't allow him to eat any food that some anyone else brings to school as a safety precaution. So he has had his own little box of nabisco snack bags that his teacher will give him when parents bring in treats for birthdays. 

Riding his bike outside for the first time.

And his six year well child check up. He has always loved the "arm squeezer"! We were sad that it was our last visit with the best pediatrician ever. We have loved her so much!

Hopefully soon I will get up a post about what Mac is like at six and hopefully he will let me take his six year pics. I tried taking them a couple of days before his birthday but he refused since he wasn't six yet. Silly boy!

Last Taekwondo tournament...

Mac had his very last taekwondo tournament. It is his last one since we will be moving soon. We are sure going to miss our wonderful Taekwondo family at Duer's ATA. We have made so many wonderful friends and it has just been so wonderful for Mac. Unfortunately they don't have an ATA where we are moving so we will have to find some other martial arts for him.

Mac did a wonderful job. He was being a bit goofy but he did great with his form and one-steps and he did so great with his blocks in sparring. He earned two medals. 

We are very proud of him.

Me and my boy!

funnies

Mac thinks that adding the lines to the letters in his name means that he is writing it in Chinese.

Oak funny: Oaklee was not listening and daddy was counting to give her incentive to listen. 
Daddy: what happens when I get to three?
Oak: four!

Me: Your new shoes are awesome.
Mac: Well that is what I always try to be!

Oak held up her quarter and asked her brother, "Is this an eagle?" Brother nods his head. Then Oak says, "Oh, I thought it was a peregrine falcon." What?! I didn't even know she knew what that was. My kids never cease to amaze me!

Oak funny: (this is a generalization, since I wasn't there) Oak was mad at grandpa about something...
Oak: you're not my grandpa!
Grandpa: I will always be your grandpa.
Oak: my dad can fix that!

Me: Oak, I am so lucky to be your Mama.
Oak: Ya, and I am so lucky to be your girl.  

McCoy: "When I grow up and get married, I want to stay home and take care of the kids while my wife goes to work." 
Mom: "Um...okay."

Oaklee has a chronic plumbers crack problem. This morning as she was climbing into her car seat it was in full force so I was fixing it. Then Oak says to me in the most annoyed voice, "Mom, can you just leave my bum alone!" Oh my goodness I love her, plumbers crack and all!

Oak out of the blue...
Oak: Why do dogs have tails?
Me: I don't know, but I don't think all dogs have tails.
Oak: Snowmen don't have tails!

We were in Toys R Us returning something, and as we were walking around the store, I think more as a reminder to himself Mac says, "I DISTINCTLY remember you telling us we couldn't buy anything."

Oak sillies:
--Instead of saying "special delivery" she says "spankdelivery".
--She calls our iTouch "The iPatch". I am thinking a cross between iTouch and iPad.
--No matter how many times I correct her she calls a car seat a "seat-car".

On our way to Taekwondo (so he was wearing his uniform) I had Mac run into the library to return a DVD. He comes out with the biggest grin on his face and says, "Mom, everyone was looking at me and they were thinking "wow he is so cool, I better not mess with him.""

Mac: Can I have a snack?
Me: Sure, would you like some pineapple?
Mac: Yes. When I am done with my pineapple can I have something else?
Me: Sure, like what?
Mac: Like something that ISN'T healthy for me?

A new school year for both my babies!

So it is another school year and both of my kids will be in school. Oak will be starting her first year of Preschool, going two days a week and Mac will be starting Kindergarten half days.

I have had mixed emotions about it all. With Oak being gone I will have an empty house, for 2.5 hours, twice a week. That sounds awesome and at the same time makes me sad. Awesome because hopefully I will get alot done and sad because I was hoping I would at least have a baby to be taking care of.

With Mac, I was very excited for him to have the new adventure. At first I was a bit worried about how he would do academically and behaviorally. He is pretty smart, catches on quickly, gets bored easily and is quite the class clown. Seems like a recipe for failure, but as time went by, I realized he will be just fine. What my main concern and great source of anxiety was sending him off to the care of others when he has a severe food allergy. I just didn't know what to expect on how to handle it and how they would handle it. To say I have been stressed about it is a super understatement. After a blessing from my Hubs and talking with his teacher and the school office and preparing Mac I am feeling much better about it. Now onto setting up a good routine for us and making sure I am making our home and family a safe haven from the world that I have just sent my son into.

For FHE Monday night we did Father's Blessings. And daddy gave me one too to help ease the anxiety I have had. 

Mac sat so reverently while he got his blessing. 

Oak sat on my lap to get hers.

Then the next day was Preschool.

Oak is going just across the street where big brother has gone for the last two years. 

I tried to make it a special morning like I have done for Mac the last two years, but I failed miserably.

Thankfully, I don't think she noticed. The morning went by so quick and then before I realized it, it was 8:25 and she wasn't dressed, hair wasn't done and she hadn't eaten breakfast. Did her hair and got her dressed quickly and got a text from her teacher at 8:35 asking if we were coming. What?!? Looked at the calendar on the fridge and I had totally forgot she had changed the time from 9am to 8:30. So she scarfed down her breakfast. Took one quick picture then headed over as fast as we could. I HATE being late for anything and I am usually more on the ball than this. I am blaming my anxiety! 

What I thought would be me just dropping her off, turned into her clinging to me. She knows her teacher (our good friend and neighbor) and plays at her house at least once a month. She knows all the girls since they are all neighbors. It just was bizarre that she was being shy and clinging to me. Then I realized that maybe she didn't really realize that WHAT preschool actually was. After about ten minutes she was distracted enough to let me leave.

When it was over she came out running, giddy and just so excited about it. She had loved it!

(Today when I took her she clinged to me for just a couple of minutes. I sure hope this part gets better!)

Later in the day her teacher texted me this cute picture of her class.

While sister was at school I took Mac to get a haircut and over to his school to see who his teacher was and to see who was in his class.

Later in the afternoon we cleaned out and organized Mac's room to where it would be easier put his toys away and keep clean. And we added the nine cube shelf. He has loved it! And he is doing so great at putting his toys away when he is done playing. Hopefully it will last. 

Then the next morning was Mac's first day (and only day this week) of Kindergarten. It went a lot more smoothly. We started right off with the morning routine we hope to have. We will tweak it if necessary. But so far so good. He let me take pictures with out any problem! 

I seriously swoon when I see little ones wearing backpacks.
And my Mac, oh he is so handsome and cute!

Then off to school. Daddy came with us too!

A picture in front of the school sign.

Then to find his class room. 

Mac was so excited and not nervous one single bit!

He seperated all of his school supplies on the table for the teacher. I talked to his teacher about his allergy. We looked at her cute gerbal. Then it was hugs and goodbyes.

We were very excited about his teacher. We live in the little "one-stop-light" town my husband grew up in, and two of his sisters had his teacher when they were in grade school. I have heard great things about her.

Then when it was time to leave, this is how Oak reacted. Not out of jealousy but because she does not like to be without her brother. She did not want to leave without him. 

She was a sad girl. But we had plans for a donut date, just her and I.

And to help Mac and Oak in the morning with his routine so, I whipped this up. We don't have a color printer so it isn't all fancy. But they both already really enjoyed looking at it to see what to do and checking things off. If you couldn't tell the pictures mean: getting dressed, make bed, say prayer, read scriptures, eat breakfast, and brush teeth.

Taekwondo: Camo Belt

Mac tested for his camouflage belt on Saturday. They also had their annual family picnic afterwards. Mac did really great (although he seemed a bit out of his element, obviously, since they were testing outside and not at the dojo). The testing lasted more than two hours, but it went quickly and the kids did a pretty good job at waiting. 

We are so proud of him and the hard work he is putting into Taekwondo. He has come along way in his behavior and in other areas like working hard for something and following through to the finish. 

All the kids that tested.

They were also celebrating 10 years of owning the business and also Master Duer's Mastership which he just recently got. 

Mac testing for his camo belt Aug 2013 from bwilberger on Vimeo.

I forgot to get a pic of our new Camo belt at the picnic so here it is a couple days later on our way to practice. He is so proud of that belt! And he should be!

Garage sale & Lemonade stand

So last Saturday our neighborhood had a neighborhood wide garage sale. It was so much fun and really busy! Well really busy, that is until it down poured at about 1pm. So we closed up shop after that. But it was so much fun while it lasted because the neighborhood kids would wander from house to house playing with their friends and playing with the stuff in the sales. They had a blast. 

Also we promised Mac that he could have a lemonade stand. Oak didn't really want to do it, but his neighbor friend helped him and they made more than $8 by like 11 am. They were so excited to split their earnings and go spend it at another garage sale.