Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY Monday, April 27, 2009...

Outside my window... sunshine, strong breezes, bikes in the driveway (huge pet peeve), and a freshly mowed lawn (huge blessing).

I am thinking...that I love my life. Sometimes I gripe and complain because it's "really wearisome" (make sure you read that with a whiney tone). But this is what I dreamed about. This is what I prayed for and hoped for. THIS is the life that God chose for me. If I could get my cute little head around that thought, I'd live with more power and more patience and more peace.

I am thankful for...Jesus. Not just the "Thank Ya Jesus!" that we holler in the huddle after church softball games. Not the "Thank You, Jesus!" that we breathlessly utter when we've been spared some discomfort. I am thankful for Jesus...the best idea God ever had. The only way - the only way in the world - for me to live - truly live. Without Him, I could do nothing.

From the learning rooms..."You have reached the learning rooms. Our regularly scheduled hours do not begin until May 13. Please feel free to leave a message and we will contact you at our earliest convenience [pretty much on, but not before May 13th] If you have an emergency, please hang up and dial 9-1-1."

From the kitchen...Blueberry Chutney Chicken with Jasmine rice and sweet peas. Don't forget the oatmeal brownies for James and his friend who's coming to visit this evening.

I am wearing...jeans, black v-neck, black flips, and glasses.

I am creating...coordinating "stripes & dots" curtains for Ardyn & Mari's room. I plan to use the extra fabric to fashion a table cloth for their huge gray tub that holds all their dress-up. It will fit nicely over it and offer a quaint spot for tea. AND it will look much nicer than having an industrial sized gray plastic Rubbermaid tub in the corner of their room.

I am going...take Luke to practice and come straight home. There's work to be done, people! Last week's bug-fest ate a chunk out of our redecorating scope and sequence.

I am reading...The Bible. I am hungry, and I refuse to keep eating the junky treats of opinion and prose without chewin' on the meat of Truth first.

I am hoping...in Christ alone. Every thing else is wishful thinking and empty promises.

I am hearing...Ardyn read to Mari to prep her for naptime, Landen vacuuming to earn a little extra money, Luke blowing his nose (he got my allergy gene, poor guy) and Ashli quietly turning pages in her book behind me.

Around the house...easy, breezy, naptime. I will not be participating today. I have much to cook, and much to sew...and therefore, much to enjoy. Ardyn and Ash are heading outside to ride bikes (and hopefully return them to their rightful spot) and I'm really not sure what the fellas are planning...I'm trying to stay off their case while they enjoy their break from school.

One of my favorite things...singing harmony. I'm not picky. I can do my best as a second soprano in the church choir, work up some tight chording with some friends, hum along with one of the kids, or absolutely rock out with Mandisa as I drive. I just love how separate parts come together to make one rich sound. It's straight from God, I'm sure.

A few plans for the rest of the week...company tonight, painting after an appraisal appointment tomorrow, AWANA awards Wednesday night, a mom's day out on Thursday, and too much baseball to talk about this weekend.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...this is Luke on first base after the out. "Hey, red-jersey-guy, I hate that ferya!"

To participate or simply enjoy more daybooks, visit The Simple Woman.

Simple (Tardy) Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY Thursday, April 23, 2009...

Outside my window... sunshine and strong breezes, some spinach plants that are not thriving, and what seems to be 37 bicycles of assorted makes, models, and sizes.

I am thinking...that stomach bugs are gross. Tuesday midnight, Landen and I were struck down...and that's the last thing I remember until mid-morning today. Silver lining: I lost 4 pounds. My baby was literally kicking and flipping out. She had been left in the dark about the fast with no warning. I gently consoled her by rubbing my belly...knowing there's plenty of "reserves" to get her through a day or two...like behind the upper arms, the inner thigh region, under the first chin, not to mention the entire belly region that she is cleverly disguising at this point...several years worth of overstock saved for such a time as this.

I am thankful for...my kids. With Philip and work, JW in class, and Landen and I down for the count, Luke was forced into a temporary role of "alpha male". He did great. He cared for the sick, fed the hungry, cleaned the unclean and supervised about 10 hours of PBSkids. It was funny to hear him use my home management jargon. "Mom, I've got the girls on task, and I'm gonna check on Landen and take a quick shower." I asked him, "What does 'on task' mean?" He explained that Ardyn was going to unload the dishwasher, Ashlin was going to tidy up the living room, and Mari was supposed to finish eating and wash her hands, then get a book and wait on the couch. What a guy.

From the learning rooms...the WHAT rooms? nada.

From the kitchen...two extremes: Kashi crackers and applesauce for the convalescing, and leftover pizza for everyone else. Borderline disgusting on a lot of levels. JW is at the store, so mealtime should be on the upswing from here on out.

I am wearing...blue shorts, red tshirt. Plan to actually get dressed tomorrow. woo-hoo

I am creating...a blog post for the first time in a week. yay, me.

I am going...to get some time away tomorrow. A-Lone! then a datenight is in the works. There is a double header in L'view on Saturday, we'll see who is well, and then hopefully enjoy a family day in the sun.

I am reading...The Horse and His Boy by CS Lewis with the kids (still!) and I received two magazines in the mail today...very nice.

I am hoping...no one else comes down with this bug. I'll clean really well tomorrow and leave the rest to hoping.

I am hearing...Landen and the girls chatting in the living room. Ashli comes to ask for food every 5 minutes or so. She got sick last night and is finally finishing her regimen of teaspoons of water every 20 minutes. I have given her a few crackers and a tiny piece of banana. She's "still hungry".

Around the house...we're winding down from a pretty easy day. We need to take a running start at the last phase of the bedroom makeover tomorrow. Philip and Luke and Ardyn are at a baseball game, so we may just watch a movie...since no on has watched ANY tv in the last 48 hours. ha!

One of my favorite things...my new mattress. Tuesday morning, I awoke with lower back pain. Our mattress was a good one and should have lasted longer than it did. The high center was still great. And I used every bit of it the week Philip was gone. I cried Tuesday morning, "I don't mind if my back hurts by 5 or 6 in the evening, but if it already hurts at 6 in the morning, where do I go from here???" (that was at 6:40 am) At 7:14 am, Philip called to say the furniture store would be delivering a new mattress after lunch. What a man! And the best news: they warranted the first one and we got the new, upgraded one for CHEAP! Thank You, God.

A few plans for the rest of the week...who knows, but it will be fun.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...Ashlin Rae in her costume for the "Sacrifice" a couple weeks ago.

To participate or simply enjoy more daybooks, visit The Simple Woman.

Check Point

Philip is home. We were able to spend yesterday evening together as a family, and then he and I spent the afternoon together today running around town, just being together. Everyone is watching a Ranger game in the living room, so I thought I'd come log on for a minute.

James is almost packed up and out of his room. He's lived with us for almost four years. It has flown by. He'll try to enjoy a nomadic existence these last few months leading up to his grand exodus. For now, he's camping out in the "purple baby room". When the baby comes, he'll head to the boys' bottom bunk or the couch...or if I'm up with the baby in the night, I suppose he could snuggle up with Philip. We'll let him navigate all those options at the appropriate time.

Landen has one assignment left to complete before moving on to seventh grade. He is very pleased with himself, and so am I. Last night, someone called needing Philip to come look at their church van windshield wipers. Landen beamed, "I love it when people call my dad to help them...he's a problem solver just like me!"

Luke is doing well. He has a little more work to do on his research project, but will soon be moving on to 6th grade. He and I had a pretty good week. Every time he challenged my authority, I simply asked him if he needed something to be in charge of. He always decided that my being in charge was the lesser of two drags.
He has been a big help in the tedious, reorganizing aspects of our bedroom do-overs.

Ardyn is so glad that Philip is home. She wants to dance for him, ride bikes with him, play cards with him, and color with him. She is headed for 3rd grade and is very excited about doing dvd's this coming year. She "Luuuuuvs" her new pink room. "It is soooooo much better than [her] old one!"

Ashlin is ever conscious of our new baby. She puts her ear to my tummy several times a day. She just waits. Listens. Tonight, when I returned from the store, she came up and hugged me and said, "I love your baby." She is already such a great big sister.

Mari Alice was sick Thursday night and Friday. We are so accustomed to her cheerful spirit, that when she's mopey and moody, it is difficult to handle. Last night the kids persuaded me to make banana pudding to celebrate Philip's homecoming. Mari could not partake, but I promised her that she could have hers today. This morning at 7:something, she came to my bed and whispered, "It's tomorrow morning. I'm all better. I want my pooding, please!"

I am doing much better since Philip came home. I am really tired from Mari's all-night nausea, and with all the celebration, it's been difficult to catch up on rest. I've been told that my week long hiatus from cooking has drawn to a close. I have a couple things I can fake for the next couple days, and then I'll have to start menu and go to the grocery. bummer.

Thank You, Father, for bringing Philip home safely. You are so good to us. Thank You for using him to build Your Kingdom wherever You lead him. Thank You for my wonderful children. They each have so many strengths. Help us raise them to honor You and be a blessing to You and others. Thank You for JW. Thank You for showing Him part of the plans You have for him - good, prosperous plans. Thank You for blessing our home through him. Might You PLEASE grant me a good night's sleep tonight. I commit my ways to You. Love.

Whodunnit

The other day, Mari was using my restroom while I was down the hall painting. I heard her hollering for someone/something. Uncle James was "the closest relative in case of emergency".

He walked to the bathroom doorway and asked if she needed anything. She declined and explained that she was just fine.

As he came back down the hall, he yelled his report, "False alarm!".

A few moments later, Mari appeared from the bathroom. She was snapping her pants with rinsed hands, but desperately needed to know: "Who called me a 'false alarm'?"

Progress

Yesterday, I was able to finish painting the baby's room. It is very lovely.

I painted the toy bin today - with lots of "help". The girls and I worked on the first coat, and then the boys and I finished it up. There is a 2 x 4 foot patch of "lantern light" yellow in the back lawn. (We'll try to mow it away before Philip returns) Mari was FAR more interested in the dipping process than with the actual disbursement of paint. She saturated a 2 inch brush to the point that bristles, metal, and handle were a lovely shade of creamed butter...along with her hand and most of her forearm.

Just when it was time to wash out the brushes and take a bath, we discovered that we had no water. We called the company, and there had been emergency maintenance on the main water line. In my shock, I think I may have asked the lady, "Will it be back on in time for me to shower before AWANA????" I think in her dismay, she must have answered, "Uh, no."

I started handing out baby wipes...one per body part...and we just made the best of it. There was not one single thing I could do about my 2-day old hair. After serving meatloaf and gravy to AWANA workers for an hour, I couldn't tell if the overwhelming stench was the food, or me. Bleck.

Fortunately, when we returned home tonight, the [wonderful, marvelous, blessing of] water was running full force. I was thrilled to take a long, hot shower, and bask in the knowledge that tomorrow's agenda does not include the words "sweat" or "paint". I hope to sew some curtains, and read to some kids.

Thank You, God, for a good day. Thank you for running water. Thank You for knowing me, and Thank you for wanting me to know You.

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY Monday, April 13, 2009...

Outside my window... surprisingly cool night air stirs the sounds as neighborhood dogs bark, and trucks haul freight up and down the highway.

I am thinking...about Philip. He has been working the tornado damage in Mena, Ark, since Saturday. He called tonight and said "It's bad." He sounded so tired. I feel badly for him. He is in a motel, and they were able to watch "Baseball Tonight" on ESPN --which is an ironic treat. I asked him if he is eating well. He said, "You bet!"

I must admit, we are not. Without Philip here for me to thrill and amaze with my culinary efforts, we consume little more than oatmeal and PB&J. Pitiful, really. I heard JW talk to Philip on the phone tonight. "I really miss you, Phil..." was obviously code for "Please come home quickly, mealtime ain't pretty!"

I am thankful for...a good report at the doctor this morning. My belly grew a cm, and I lost a pound and a half. Yipee!!! That's the way we like it! He scheduled a c-section for Friday morning, June 19th and said everything looks great.

From the learning rooms...we streamlined the last week of lessons, due to Philip's trip. I felt like it would be a good idea to keep everyone distracted from their sadness with furniture rearrangement, fresh colors, and paint fumes! (It is apparent that JW resents my efforts toward group-wide distraction.)

From the kitchen...instant oatmeal wrappers lie on counters smudged with PB&J. I'm kidding. I made quesadillas for supper and cleaned up my mess. Everyone is very excited about the Pepperoni Pizza Paninnis scheduled for tomorrow's token meal.

I am wearing...black knit paint pants and red D-Now 2000 paint shirt. I love putting this outfit on because it has splotches of paint from past projects: Apple Green from the kitchen, Chocolate Brown and Rain Blue from the bathroom, lots of Alabaster White from lots of trim, and just a few thumb prints of Basket Beige.

I am creating...a really big mess, actually. Philip always teases me about my "artistic" approach to cooking and craft. When he says I'm "expressing myself", he really means, "You've made a big fat mess." The Lord may have spared Philip a great amount of stress by sending him to Arkansas. He would not enjoy my 3-week decorating blitz.

I am going...to stick to my guns with Lukie this week. Today he sassed me and didn't follow my instructions, so I "gave him a plot of earth" - as JW coins the phrase. I told him that since he was obviously choosing his own way instead of the Johnson way, he would be in charge of his own plot of earth (a wooden chair in the middle of the backyard) At first, he was great with it, because it meant the other kids and I had to finish emptying out his room without him. But after a couple hours, he began to ask to come in. I told him he could manage his plot until dark, and then - only if he wanted to - he could come in and choose to be a Johnson. It was a long afternoon and evening for everyone. We emptied and cleaned the room, had dinner and painted. He sat.

I watched him out the window each time I passed the patio door. Sometimes he appeared tormented and depressed. Sometimes he looked beautifully peaceful, like he was communing with God. As I cleaned up our dinner, I took him a napkin full of crackers and a cup of water.

"I missed you at dinner," I sweetly shared.
"Can I have dinner when I come in?" he asked.
I calmly glanced down at the crackers.
"THIS is DINNER???" he whined.
"When you're ready to choose our home as your dwelling, you will be welcome to share our meals. But today, you have already made your choice."

When he came in, he was calm and kind and helpful. Everyone noticed. He confessed to JW that he had "been a punk", but had spent several hours "thinking about stuff". I'm sure that tomorrow will hold new struggles, but based on his redeemed demeanor (and slight sunburn) I trust he'll make his decisions wisely.

I am reading...The Horse and His Boy by CS Lewis with the kids (in theory) I'll try to catch up tomorrow.

I am hoping...Philip is safe and well rested.

I am hearing...the wonderful lull of solitude. A random praise song skirts through my thoughts every now and again....a memory from the children's laughter today floats through...then a stray phrase from an 80's hit or two tramples across my mind, but ultimately I'm enjoying the rhythmic click of my keyboard and the sustained hum of my tower fan.

Around the house...everyone is asleep. Everything in the living area is tidy. The left side of my bed is destined to be empty this week. sniff, sigh.

One of my favorite things...is whoppers malted candy. JW found some Easter eggs in the clearance bin at the store. Five or twelve of them dudes after a long day of painting...fabuloso!

A few plans for the rest of the week...more paint, more rearrangement, more laughs, more obedience, more oatmeal, more reading. Oh, and baseball and AWANA and did I say more paint?

Here is picture thought I am sharing...January 2009

Dear God, I trust You to keep Your promises toward Philip. You are good all the time! Thank You for blessing my life. I wait on You while he's away.

To participate or simply enjoy more daybooks, visit The Simple Woman.

Happy Resurrection Day!

He's risen, Hallelujah!
Death, where is your sting?
Behold the King of Kings!
He's risen, Hallelujah!

Saturday Evening Post

Last night, Philip was called to work the tornado damage in Mena, Arkansas. He left this morning around 6. He'll be gone at least a week. He called a few minutes ago and is safely in his motel room with lights but no TV. He sounded tired. Has to meet up with the crews at 5am. He'll be on an 18 hour work schedule until they're finished.

Landen is sick. He has been congested for a week or so, but now it's in his chest. Honestly, I think it's mostly in his head...like missing Philip. He wept all through dinner...some about how poorly he felt, mostly about how Philip's leaving took him by surprise. He doesn't want to sleep in the recliner to help with his cough, he doesn't feel like staying home alone tomorrow, he doesn't feel like watching a movie, he doesn't feel like doing anything.

Now that there is a chance we will all stay in tomorrow, Ashli is crying because she really wanted to go and do her "Sacrifice" song one more time on stage. Mari is crying because she "wants Daddy". They're all tired.

Luke and Ardyn are remaining neutral on the topic. Their time is coming soon, I'm sure.

I'm not sure if it's positive or negative that we all seem to fall apart without our "man of the house". Is it just that we love him so much? Do we rely on our time spent together for general well-being and happiness? Or are we stinking codependent? I don't know.

It's supposed to storm here by morning. Perhaps we'll all just hunker down and celebrate the Resurrection intimately with relaxed comfort and minimal wardrobe and makeup. Might be nice.

Thank You, Father God, for all You've done and promised to do to bring me closer to You. You are so big, so powerful, so massively incomprehensible, and yet You love me and save me and continue to show glimpses of Yourself so that I'll know You and love You more. Thank You for sending Jesus. Thank You for sending Your Spirit.
Keep us tonight.

Must See

It is my firm and enthusiastic opinion that EVERYONE should mark their calendars to view "A Thousand Words" EACH Thursday. You will be particularly touched by Kathy's blog today...a specifically thoughtful Thursday. God has gifted her and she keeps giving back.

Turn it Up

I was styling Ardyn's hair the other day. As I put some mousse in it, she asked, "What does that stuff do?" I told her it would give her hair some volume. (Like she really needs volume, but whatever...)
To which she questioned, "Really? My hair can sing?"

Daybook

FOR TODAY Tuesday, April 7, 2009...

Outside my window... brisk and breezy in the shade, warm and sunny in the...well, in the sun. duh.

I am thinking...that when you don't have to be at the church house every evening at 6, the days seem a little longer.

I am thankful for...Spring weather. Sometimes, the sunshine beckons us like a tractor beam to the driveway for bike rides and hoops. Other days, the pouring rain forces us to remain indoors...leading to one of two extremes: absolute productivity or the blissful absence thereof.

From the learning rooms...research projects coming to completion, focused diligence, and only seven more days of lessons! Woo-hoo!

From the kitchen...we had "dinner" at lunchtime since Philip was able to stop by and eat with us. A cold snap hit this morning so I was happy to have the oven on during the morning hours. Ardyn made "Bubble Pizza" and a gorgeous salad. Luke slapped together some sandwiches for "real dinner". They boys ate on the way to practice and the girls and I picnicked at the park.

I am wearing...navy work out pants, orange v-neck, tennis shoes, pony tail.

I am creating...a colorful decor for the baby's room. Ashlin had already selected a pale lavender wall color which goes beautifully with the baby bedding I have. While shopping yesterday, I found Ash a new purple comforter, some bright butterfly fabric for curtains, and several spring butterflies and bees to hang on the wall. I even found a butterfly net made of cane with green netting. Very cute!

Side note: Apparently, hormonal surges I experience during this pregnancy manifest themselves in an increased magnetism toward public insult. Case in point: The clerk at H*bby L*bby asked me when the baby was coming. I said "June". Then she gazed in amazement at my (appropriately) protruding belly and gasped. Then she commenced to verbally count down my final trimester as though this would be equally shocking to me as it was to her. "So you have ALL of April, ALL of May, and then HOW MUCH of June???" (Hey Lobby Lady-- hows about you just come right out and say you think I look HUGE and we can leave it at that.)

I am going...to take the kids to their NEW orthodontist tomorrow. After an afternoon of lessons and laundry, we're serving dinner to AWANA workers. See you at dawn for hair & make-up!

I am reading...The Horse and His Boy by CS Lewis with the kids, finishing Beechick before I have to return it to the library, and trying to dive into Scripture whenever possible.

I am hoping...to spend some quality time with Philip soon. Last week we sacrificed date night for the "Sacrifice", and we were all so weary from the schedule, that we just seemed to survive. I wish to thrive.

I am hearing...the kids lay out their clothes for tomorrow. Oscar roams up and down the hallway, wondering when the "pack" will settle in for the evening. My computer hums, and trucks roar down the highway in the distance, as the quietness of nighttime looms on the horizon.

Around the house...furniture needs to be dusted, bathrooms need to be cleaned, and floors need to be mopped. BUT the children are clean and happy, I am peacefully blogging, and there shall surely be time for these dreadful tasks on another day.

One of my favorite things...the smell of a baby's soft head after a warm, bubbly bath. umm, ummm, good! I can hardly wait.

A few plans for the rest of the week...Orthodontist, lessons, start sewing curtains, baseball, and the "True Treasure Hunt" at church Saturday morning. Perhaps a date night, or two? and then Resurrection Sunday!! Praise the Lord!

Here is picture thought I am sharing...
Aunt Kathy, Mari Alice, and Grammy making sugar cookies, Christmas 2008.

(Mari just walked in and saw my post. She cheered, "I love Aunt Kathy and I love Grammy and I LOVE COOKIES!!")

To participate or simply enjoy more daybooks, visit The Simple Woman.

Setting Things Straight with the Orthodontist

Well, I spent the morning securing a new Orthodontist. I called a few of the ones who have been recommended in recent days and compared their prices, availability in Marshall, and baseline beliefs on large families and homeschooling --oh, stop it! I'm kidding. [scroll down to "Open Wide" to be up to date]

I wanted to get some ducks in a row because I was scheduled for a phone consultation at noon with "Dr. More-than-enough". I really wanted to cancel ahead of time if possible. "Cari is a scare-dy cat...Cari is a scare-dy cat..."

When I lined up appointments with the new ortho, the receptionist mentioned that if we could provide the records from our "previous orthodontist" aka "the one of/to whom we do not speak", we would not have to pay to have them remade.

I called Philip and offered him the chance to go by the old office and request the records...AND cancel my 12:00 phone call AND the other two appointments on the calendar. As expected, he jumped at the chance to redeem my time and defend my honor.

He called the office, cancelled the junk, and requested records. When the sweet receptionist asked what the problem was, he kindly replied, "Well, the doctor made some comments when my family was there last. We don't have any problem with his work, it's just his demeanor."

She asked if there was anything they could do to make things better. He said that there really wasn't - that we had already decided to transfer.

A few minutes later, when he stopped by the office to collect the records, he was graciously greeted at the front desk. He asked to speak with the same woman from his phone conversation - who interestingly, was the one in the room with the kids and I last week. She was with a patient, but came out immediately to speak to Philip.

"Would you mind coming with me?" she said. "The doctor would like to speak with you."

(This is what I love about Philip THE most...I am so wimpy, I was tryin' to dodge a cross-county phone call with the man. If I had been in that office, I would have been fixin' to hurl.)

Philip walked back. He and the good doctor introduced themselves. Then the doctor began to apologize. "If my comments were offensive, I apologize... I was just speaking sort of off the cuff...kind of tongue in cheek...I didn't mean to hurt anyone's feelings."

Philip thanked him for his apology, and explained, "You know, my wife takes what she does very seriously. She feels like this is the life God wants for her...and to hear the way you talked was a little disheartening for her."

The orthodontist responded with, "I understand. I'm really sorry."

They shook hands, Philip thanked him again for his apology, took the records, and left. Isn't he good? I would have been cold, defensive and - let's not kid ourselves - would have ended up doing the ugly cry right there in his office.

So, what have we learned here, boys and girls?

#1. Love your enemies, don't hate them.
#2. Always be (wo)man enough to face up to a tough situation...no matter which side you're on.
#3. Treat others the way you want to be treated.
#4. If there is $30,000 of potential orthodontic treatment in the balance, it might behoove oneself to remove one's tongue from one's cheek - so to speak.

#5. I have the best husband in the world. duh!

Good Night

We had the dress rehearsal for "The Sacrifice" tonight. My friend,Katy, walks around with Ardyn and Ashli while on stage. The girls say she is their "fake momma". You can check out the photo she posted on her blog.

Thank You, God, for all You've done to make things right between us. "I'll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross."

Q & A with Ashlin Rae

I stole this idea from my cousin. I was so nervous about what Ash might say -- she's a straight-forward, no-nonsense kind of girl -- but all-in-all, this served as some good mommy encouragement.
Thank You, Jesus.

1. What is something mom always says to you? "I love you"
2. What makes mom happy? "to work"
3. What makes mom sad? "disobeying"
4. How does your mom make you laugh? "tickles"
5. What was your mom like as a child? "a baby"
6. How old is your mom? "79"
7. How tall is your mom? "I don't know...big."
8. What is her favorite thing to do? "play with her kids"
9. What does your mom do when you're not around? "do nothing"
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? "cause she moved alot"
11. What is your mom really good at? "the computer"
12. What is your mom not very good at? "I can't think of anything"
13. What does your mom do for her job? "watch over children"
14. What is your mom's favorite food? "salad"
15. What makes you proud of your mom? "playing with me"
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? "Cake' from Saturday morning cartoons"
17. What do you and your mom do together? "play games and read"
18. How are you and your mom the same? "we both have short hair"
19. How are you and your mom different? "she has brown and I have blue eyes"
20. How do you know your mom loves you? "Cause I came out of your tummy"