I was in the mood to receive the Mom of the Year award

What better way to win that fabulous award than to go furniture shopping with two children....an eight and six year old??!?!  Seriously, I can't even believe we went back the second day, but there's nothing like saying over and over...and in EVERY store....
"get off the couch"
"I've taught you better than that"
"get your feet of the cushions"
"stop yelling"
"I've taught you better than that"
"no more climbing over the back of the couch"
"the entire store doesn't need to hear that you like/don't like the couch"
"no we are not buying a couch with power recliner"
"there is no reason to buy a couch with a fridge in it...and who even makes that"
"saying 'please buy this I love it' is not the best technique....I've taught you better than that".

At one point, #2 told the salesperson that this is the 8th store that we've been in and he's ready to buy a couch.  I just looked at him.  He smiled and plopped himself on the couch and pulled out the recliner...yes, that was the second time we had been in that store and he was done.  Done with me.  Done with bribes.  Done with couches.

We promised #2 and #3 everything under the sun if they would just behave....and we paid up at the end of our search....boy, did we pay.  We decided that the toy store would be a nice treat.  #3 had to look at every toy that this toy store carried.  I'm not saying every toy in the sports aisle or even every toy in the aisle that he is interested in.  I'm saying EVERY TOY.  By the time we were going through the aisles for the second time, I told him he had five minutes.  There is nothing like a six year old crossing his arms, glaring at you and breathing out of his nose so loudly that the store employees immediately stop what they're doing because they know that something is about to blow....and it's gonna be this kid.  My heart starts beating rapidly, my eyes squint and I am praying with all of my might that we don't have a meltdown right here....not in the Spongebob Squarepants aisle....there are too many people here and I can't handle it after sofa searching all day.  By the grace of God (and I truly mean that) a toy started making noises that clicked #3 out of that soon-to-be meltdown and started him giggling...and all was right with the world.  If I knew what toy made the sound and who pressed it, I would have bought all of the toys and paid that person a hundred dollars!!!!!

So #1 went to church camp this week.  He was thrilled and called me each night at 10:30pm to tell me what a great time he was having and how tired he was.  He lived through his zip-lining experience and told me that he loves to zip-line over the water (WHAT!?!??!?!?!  OVER WATER!?!?!!??!  HE COULD HAVE SUNK!?!?!??!?!) and how much he loves to fish now.  His first middle school/junior high camp was a success and I am so happy that he had such loving people in his life....for example....his youth pastor....

See, #1 lost some of his money.  In fact, I later found out he lost two of his bags of money.  When he told me on the phone that night, I was about to give him the big speech about how "he needs to be responsible and how we talked about keeping it in his bag and how I can't hand him money all the time" (you know, all the parent stuff you think you're supposed to tell a kid that just lost $19)....but then #1 told me that his youth pastor talked to the group about how one day when he lost his wallet and how his dad told him that he could give him the lecture of how to be responsible, but instead, he said how his dad gave him the money that he lost in his wallet because that is what Jesus does....gives us things that we don't deserve.  MOTHER OF THE YEAR FAILURE AWARD!!!   Okay, I'll admit, I don't have the gift of mercy....never have had it....probably something I need to work on in our life by numbers.