Trial and Error

So the boy is OBSESSED with playing video games, specifically Minecraft.  In an attempt to keep his brain from disintegrating completely, my initial plan of attack was to only allow 1 hour a night during the week, and then unlimited on the weekends.  Unlimited on the weekends sounds like a lot, but we usually have at least 2 things going on (playdate, grammy's, grocery shopping, etc) so it gets broken up.  And that worked for a while.  Until XBox Live came along.  XBox Live is a service you PAY for ($5 a month, not a big deal) that allows you to talk to other people playing games.  That really didn't interest me that much for my 8 year old, cheap or not.  But then all the craze happened over Minecraft, which can ONLY be played if you have XBox Live.  Yeah, ridiculous.  So, we gave in.  And I have to admit, it is completely adorable listening to him and his friends just act like goofy little boys-giggling over farts, coming up with silly names for the "maps" they create, etc.  While most people/kids talk through headphones, I learned that there is an option in the settings where you can turn the sound on so that it can be heard through tv.  So I can hear EVERYTHING.  This I like.  For the obvious reasons. 

 
We also had to establish certain "predator rules" because other random people that you don't know can ask to join your "XBox Live Party."  If you look back at the first pic, you will notice this list posted on the entertainment system so there will be no "Oh, I forgot..."  (interesting how kids totally take over decorating...)  I'm pretty sure that Jacob is probably one of the few kids on Live that has to have his settings turned on for the whole family to hear, plus it is on the living room tv so, again, I hear IT ALL.  Call me overprotective.  But he doesn't care.  Now, here in lies the problem:  obviously he wants to spend his precious hour playing with his friends, but he can't know exactly when they are getting on.  So if he gets on at 6, plays for an hour, and just as he is getting off, other kids get on...well, you can imagine the pitifulness.  And how can I say no to him wanting to socialize??? So I had to devise another plan.  After a couple more trial and error strategies, here is the final one for weekdays:  he is allowed to get on at 7:00.  At that point he can play until bedtime, which is 9:00.  This gives us time for homework, track practice, dinner, etc.  AND, because he is a typical boy who can't sit still, he kills time by going outside and playing basketball, etc.  The other boys usually get on around this time as well and have to get off about the same time for bed.  So it's working. So far. 

**I decided to make this post because I think it will be interesting to look back on my "good parenting" attempts in the future....I'm sure I will laugh hysterically...

What's Been Goin On So Far

Not a lot. We have been pretty lazy in 2013 so far. 

   A lot of time has been spent on the iPads.  They "join" together to play a game called Minecraft (see Christmas post where he got this game for Xbox.)  Why are they playing on the floor in the bathroom?? I don't know.

Jon got some free Grizzlies basketball tickets and took Jake.  Jon caught a tshirt and a ball that they threw into the stands.  I got to stay home and be ALONE.  

We went to some friends' house and watched the Super Bowl.  Jacob was rooting for the Ravens and wanted a shirt.  Since the team was in the Super Bowl, of course the shirts were OUTRAGEOUS.  So I went to Michael's, bought a $3 tshirt, printed out a Ravens image that Jacob picked out, and ironed it on.  Ta-da.

As I have mentioned before, his school does several fund raisers, but my fave is the one where all the classes have are given a theme and they have to draw a picture.  The first year the theme was winter, and last school year the theme was fall.  Then the "proofs" are sent home and we can order things made from the artwork, just like you would do from Snapfish, etc.  Jacob drew the 2 cats sitting on the fence, the 3rd pic on the top row, from the left.  What do cats have to do with fall you ask? Well, duh, "they sit on the fence at Halloween time."  Sheesh. Anyway, many a gift is given from the fundraiser.  This past Christmas, my Dirty Santa gift was a hot pad/oven mitt with the artwork on it.  A couple people actually fought over it.  Hallie, Grammy, Grandmother (Jon's mom) and I also got one for Christmas.  They were a hot item indeed. 

And just when you think kids these days don't know how to write a thank you note, Jacob proves you wrong.  One of our employees at work really likes Jacob (I mean, who doesn't???)  and she gave him $20 for Christmas.  I told him he should draw her a picture telling her thanks.  Well, here it is.  Needless to say, she loved it. 

Again, video games are quite popular with the 8 year old crowd. Here Jacob and Jon are playing Madden Football...

Jacob and next door neighbor playing Minecraft...

 Morgan and Jacob playing Minecraft...

Jacob and next door neighbor figuring out to join together even when they are at their own homes.  Yep, just call me mother of the year...

 Sometime before Christmas Jacob decided he wanted to put the HUGE air hockey table we got from Aunt Debbie in his room.  At the time, we had it in the attic, saving it for when he was older (we bought it about 3 years ago).  When we moved into this house, the options for Jacob's room were 1. put him in the room closest to us, but it was the smallest, or 2. put him in the bigger room, but it was furthest away from us.  So we gave Abby the bigger room and put him closest to us.  Well, with the addition of the air hockey table, YOU COULD NOT MOVE IN JACOB'S ROOM.  But Abby kindly allowed us to switch rooms.  IT IS SO MUCH NICER TO HAVE SPACE.

Jon found this awesomeness at a garage sale.  Jacob uses it as a dresser. Awesome.

The air hockey table and many posters.

That table was a desk you would find in a library, with all the sides and everything.  The college where mom works is forever having sales where they sell old furniture to employees.  Mom got me 2;  Jon took the sides all off and uses 1 as a work table and the other is here as a bedside table in Jake's room. 

 About 2 years ago Jessica, Morgan, Jacob and I were walking through Garden Ridge looking for something for her new place.  Jacob spotted this stuffed shark with a torn tail.  He had to have it.  It was the only one left, but of course I told him no because it was torn.  He pestered me the entire time we were there.  So finally I told him if they would discount it, and if he wanted to spend his own money, then he could get it.  Well, they sold it to him for $2, he bought it, I sewed it up when we got home, and he is still obsessed with it to this day.  As is every kid who comes over.  It always gets played with. Boys.

Paper clip thingy from Grammy because an ordinary bulletin board is just unacceptable!

I actually did not want him to do this because it messed up my whole zen thing I had going on, but he wanted to print out the 2 logos from his 2 fave NFL teams, and then (gasp) draw that sign above it, and hang them all up.  The sign he drew says, "Yo, they's (these) teams Rule."  OCD mom shudder.

Jacob's teacher's birthday was a couple weeks ago and I got with the room moms to put together a sundae party.  It was a lot of fun and not chaotic at all, which is what I was totally worried about because we set it up buffet style.  In years past, whenever I have brought sundaes, I have the kids order what they want, we pre-make them at the store, and I just bring them. But this really was a lot of fun.  **You see how I manage to swoop in, come up with a fun idea, but don't have to do the work of the official room mom?  Oh yea, that's all part of the master plan...

 Jacob hates Valentine's day.  HATES it.  Has never really liked it.  Doesn't care that he usually gets candy; the whole thing is just not worth it to him.  But, in order to not have him looking like the only grump in the room, I force him to participate.  He had to decorate a bag and I offered to print out a regular colored camo page to make the heart from, but he consented to the pink as well as the red glitter in honor of the day.  He does love some glitter... 

I patted myself on the back for this one.  The card part is the part he hates.  So I used the blank address labels and instead of putting an address, I typed "Happy Vday from Jacob" and got him to stick them to the back of ice cream coupons.  These were his Valentines he passed out.  I got told, "that's a good boy-mom idea," and he high-fived me.  It's those little things that get me these days :)

Last but not least, we have a star chart.  Oh yes, I love a star chart.  It all started with the famous Poo Poo Chart back in the day.  This one here came about because a boy has no interest in doing well in school.  Well, I guess some do, but not mine.  He has never cared much, but this year it is affecting his grades.  I had been noticing that most of the time when he did badly, he had either not completed the work, or not read the directions correctly.  When asked why he didn't finish or didn't follow directions he would say, "I don't know" without any hint of regret.  ***I think this indifferent/rebel attitude should have been foreshadowed to me when he was learning to write his name forever ago and refused to make just the first letter capital.  He would randomly capitalize some letters throughout his name because, "It's my name."  Anyway, obviously I couldn't let this go on so I started punishing him by taking about all technology.  And he would be really upset-a sure sign it will have the desired affect right? But then it didn't...  So I decided to come at it from a different angle-reward him when he does it right.  He gets 1 star for completing ALL his school from the day, and reading and following directions.  So if he comes home with 3 sheets, completes 2 but not the 3rd, he does not get a star.  And now that it has gone on for so long (because I was trying the whole punishment thing at first) I was afraid that he was behind in what he was supposed to be learning.  So with Bethany's help, I found some websites that offer free printable worksheets.  He can earn another star for doing an extra worksheet at home.  Once he fills up the chart, he gets a reward.  For the completion of this first chart, he wants-try to contain your shock-another controller for the Xbox.   So far, fingers crossed, it really seems to be working.  He hasn't come home once with incomplete work since we started it, and it had become an everyday thing.

Unnecessary

I got a message from Blogger telling me that my blog was going to be deleted if I didn't post something soon due to inactivity.  I don't really understand this, it's only been a little over a month.  I don't know if I made up another blog previous to this one and don't remember it??? But just in case they are talking about this one, here is a random, unnecessary, uneventful post.

Mom has a small collection of dolls.  One of them is a baby.  Morgan and Jacob have decided that it is fun to make it throw up.  And to do this they poor water, coke, etc into the hole in the mouth and let it pour back out. Jacob is quick to point out that it was his idea. I'm so proud.

Well, that's about it.  Thanks.

Christmas #3, The End

Dad wearing his new "house divided" shirt.

Jacob and Morgan on Christmas Eve, watching The Grinch movie.

A few months ago, one of Michael's rich customers randomly gave Michael his old iPad (1st generation) because he wanted to update.  Yes, random and crazy.  But Michael eagerly took it.  Jacob and Morgan have been obsessed with it.  Michael decided to sell it and use the money to get Morgan an updated one for Christmas.  That was always the plan.  So imagine everyone's surprise when Jacob opened a gift Christmas Eve and yelled, "iPad!"  I was sitting so that I could not see it, and just assumed he was opening a gift that had been wrapped in an iPad box.  No.  It was so sweet of Michael.  Especially since the week before I had called him, asked him if he wanted me to pick up something for Jacob from him for Christmas, then spent $10 more than he originally told me to spend on him.  I asked him why he didn't just tell me about it, or at least that he had gotten something already.  He said, "You would have told me not to do it, and you would have asked too many questions if I just said I had already bought something."  Which is true I guess.

Mom got Jon a book called Garage Sale Millionaire. 

Morgan got a new American Girl doll from Grammy and Fafa.  Jacob apparently got a paddle ball...

Morgie in her blanket I made her :)

My dad gets me a nutcracker every year.  I have the characters from The Wizard of Oz, The Nutcracker Ballet, and other misc. ones.  This year he started me on the characters from A Christmas Carol. 

Lasagna server from my mom ;)

Jacob and I always pick out stuff to put in the dogs' stockings.  This year Jacob picked out "Flavor Balls/Goof Balls."  Very fitting and apparently very delicious.  Both dogs watch out for the other to leave their ball, then grab it, take it back to their own lair, and growl when the rightful owner comes looking for it.

I framed Jacob's jersey.  For the background I developed pics from their season in black and white.  We both really like it.

Playing Minecraft from Aunt Debbie and Uncle Vince.  This is a game that Michael calls, "Legos on steroids."  You build stuff with blocks & kill random weird characters.  There is a "creative" mode where you just build stuff, and a "survival mode" where you have to hunt and scavenge for food, tools, etc to survive. He has been begging for it for months.  I totally used this as a nod to "old school Christmas."  The game was only $20-not that much. And Jacob has had enough money to buy it for himself.  But remember when we were little and actually had to WAIT until Christmas to get that one special thing? How awesome it was when we finally got it? That is what I wanted Jacob to experience. 

New bike!

Giants magnetic dart board.

The new clothes from Uncle Mike..

His favorite gift you ask? The iPad? No...  The bike? No...  The UnderArmor shirts, the new XBox games? No.....  His fave would be the SNOWBALL MAKER that Santa found through Groupon for $4.95 shipped!  (Santa was actually thinking more of herself when she bought this because she is the one who ends up making all the snowballs each year).  Crazy child.

We went to Hallie & Josh's house on Christmas morning to open gifts.

This is Josh's dog.  He is such a doofus.

 "What bow?"

Josh's mom was in Steinmart one day and randomly saw this pillow. Hilarious how much it looks like him.

This year at Jon's family get together, we decided that each family would be responsible for dinner one night. I of course cooked lasagna on my night.  But on my brother-in-law's night, his son took over.  Conrad is in L'Ecole Culinaire school.  So we were treated to prime rib, flounder, scallops, salmon, and other fanciness.  It just happened to be the night of my birthday too.

 Finishing the creme brulees...

   Fancy fruit tray.

 The spread.

From left to right:  Jon's sister Donna, soon-to-be-married-to-nephew-Stephen Sue, Jon's sister Pam, Jon's brother's wife Judy, and me.

Jon's brother Brad and his wife Judy.

Brad's sons Conrad and Reed.

From the back to the front:  Random friend of Conrad's-Teresa, Sue & Stephen,  Jennifer, Abby, Josh, & Hallie

Jon's siser Donna, brother Brad, and sister Pam

Judy and Donna

Donna, Sue and Stephen

Jennifer and Abby

Joe and Jessie

Josh, Hallie, Jennifer and Abby

Judy and her son Elio

Judy and Pam

Jennifer, her mom Pam, and Judy

John and Pam

Pam, Judy, me

Rodney, Sue, Jessie, Joe, Hallie & Stephen

This is a cousin's boyfriend, Bradley.  He and the cousin (Bianca-who is Judy's daughter) have been going out, off and on for a few years.  We all love him.  We call him Wilbur.  I am not sure why.  One of the days this week he showed up an hour earlier than Bianca did, and it was totally normal.  Like he was the member of the family and she was the extra person.  For example, I don't think I even I have a pic of her in this post...

There she is, with her mom.  I just had to go and hunt one down from FB...

Reed and me (Jacob LOVES him).

 Jon's mom with her kids.

Hallie's cousin Stephen.  They have always been close, and next year they are both getting married, less than 2 weeks apart!  Here he is with fiance Sue.

Jessie and Sue

This is Donna, Jon's sister, Stephen's mom, and Sue's soon-to-be mother-in-law.

Donna with her two daughters-in-law.  

Brother-in-law Rodney.  He is married to Jon's sister, Donna.  We always do a pic like this. Don't know why.

Hallie's cousin Jennifer.  She is from California.  She majored in Spanish and spent a year in Madrid during college.  Where of course she met her husband. They have lived there for about 3 years, and are now in the middle of moving back here.  Insanity.  She is literally homeless right now (well of course she is staying with her mom).  But their stuff is in storage in Miami because that is where they are assuming her husband will most likely be able to find a job given the field he is in.  But he is still in Madrid, tying up loose ends, shipping big items that wouldn't fit on the plane with her.  I would have been going crazy.

My Jon carving the turkey with the John married to my Jon's sister Pam.  Does everyone remember from last year's post all the Johns and Pams?? There is my Jon who used to be married to a Pam, who is now remarried to a John.  My Jon has a sister named Pam, who is married to a John.  And let's not forget that Morgan's mom, Jessica, is dating a John.

Joe and Jessie.

Rodney and Joe.

Jacob passed out before we even made it off of Grandmother's street.

This was all Jacob's idea. He told Jon he wanted to write a poem for me and frame it.  We aren't sure what happened to the poem.  I can only guess that when he got down to it, he realized how difficult that was.  So I got a beautiful drawing instead :)