Life is good with sleep and exercise

I have been feeling so happy the past two days. It's probably because I am finally getting enough sleep. I've also been getting up earlier and walking Ethan to school. He holds my hand and we walk up the hill together, dodging cars, and wishing for more sidewalks. Yesterday, on our morning walk, Ethan told me all about Garfield's favorite season. Did anyone else know that Garfield loves fall? He loves the colorful, crisp leaves ..... because they remind him of potato chips. Ethan loves spring. He loves the blue sky, the flowers, and the sun. Me too.

In the afternoon, Scott and I walk back to school to bring Ethan home. (My total walking for the day is just under 2.5 miles! Woohoo! Another reason I'm feeling so good! ) Usually, Scott rides in the stroller (better workout for me). On the way home, Scott and Ethan like to run down the hill. Last Thursday, they were adorable. They held hands, told secrets, and raced together to each curb. Then they'd sit and wait for me to arrive with the empty stroller. We'd cross the street together, and they'd take off again, holding hands like best friends. It was one of those sweet, sweet times of being a mom.

Scott talks a lot about things he will do when he's a dad. Yesterday, on the way home, Scott saw someone mowing his lawn. "Mom, when I'm a dad, I'm going to learn how to mow the lawn." I told him, "You don't have to wait to be a dad for that. You can learn when you're a TEENAGER. Did you know that I used to mow the lawn when I was a teenager?" He was curious to know how long it would be before he was a teenager and seemed to think Ethan was practically there.

Over dinner that night, Scott announced, "When I am a dad, and my kids are grown up, I will tell them stories about when I was a teenager and I mowed the lawn."

In conclusion, I like my kids.

All things Italian...

Scott just walked over to me, obviously proud of what he had made: "This is an Italian trumpet. I made it out of marble race." He then demonstrated its sonorous qualities, marching through the house and blowing out something that sounded a lot like the USC fight song.

Ethan, not to be outdone, announced that he would be making an Italian trombone. While working on it, Scott slipped off the back of the couch onto Ethan's workspace. "And that is called Italian ooof!" giggled Ethan.

A Primary anecdote

In Primary today, we talked about the important role of fathers: to preside, provide, and protect. Three fathers came to visit Primary and talk about their role and share their thoughts on what those words mean. Our Bishop said that to preside is to guide and lead. That makes sense to me, but part of me wants to argue that mothers also guide and lead, so why does the presiding fall to fathers? And then the other part of me says back, "Fathers hold the Priesthood and they preside, not because mothers can't, but because that's how roles were defined." And then the first part of me says, "But why? Is there something inherent in a father that makes him preside?" And then the second part of me says, "Pray about it."

But I digress. The point of blogging today was to share something from Sharing Time that made me laugh.

Our Sharing Time leader said to the children, "Some of you will grow up to be fathers." Zoe, a 5 year old girl, immediately cried out, "I am going to be a mother." Whereupon, Scott turned around and proclaimed, "I am going to marry you!"

Everything was all decided, I thought, until Zoe's teacher, who had been sitting right next to her, told me after the lesson was over that she muttered under her breath, "I will never marry you!"

Ah, young love.