Gavin's Tail Twister #33: I'M IN A CRISIS!!!

Early Christmas Shopping ? Yep! Today Canadian Man and I got up early to go to an arcade auction. You read correctly...an arcade auction where they auction gaming machines and pool tables. We were going early Christmas shopping so we took our kids over to the neighbors to play for a couple of hours. On the very short drive to their house one street over, I turn to Gavin only to see his hair sticking up like a turkey's hind feathers.

Three blocks away from the neighbors: "Gavin, I told you to comb your hair."

Gavin's mouth immediately dropped open and his hand rose up to the exact point of the spike. It wasn't a little turkey-like it was so long and spiky that one could almost mistake Gavin for a Cha cha cha chia Pet. It reminded me of the that time Sammy (big brother) put peanut butter in Gavin's hand and then tickled his ear so peanut butter would be all over Gavin's head and hair when he awoke. When Gavin got up the next morning, there was nothing laying that hair down except a full head scrubbing.

"OH MY GOD mom why didn't you tell me to comb my hair earlier." Gavin was pushing his hair down really hard.

Two blocks away: "I did tell you three times. Here put this on." I handed him chap stick for his lips because his lip edges were red from being out in the wind the day prior.

Gavin ignored my request. His eyes were furrowed and he was in distress. He even started to get panicky and resorted to licking his palms and trying to paste the spikes over to one side.

One block away: "Here Gavin put this on " I repeated.

Half block away: Now even more panicky and pushing down harder on the hair. "Mom, I'm can't do anything you say. Can't you see, I'M IN A CRISIS!!!"

Rolling up the driveway: Teee Heeee! "Gavin no big, when you go inside, just go to the bathroom and put some water on your hair and then comb it with your fingers just like you do every morning at home."

Putting it in park: "I can't!"

Parked: "You can!"

Doors opening: I can see Gavin nervously fidgeting before getting out of the car. His eyes are searching his brain for a solution to his problem which may result in potential heckling and embarrassment if he has to enter someone else's home with that head.

My final glance: Gavin exits the car quickly and pulls the back of his jacket over his head so no one could see his hair as if he were trying not to get wet in a thunderstorm. As he darted into the house to head to the sink, I thought to myself ... I wonder if Gavin would have cared about his hair so much if one of the kids he was visiting wasn't a GIRL... quick thinking Gavin...she would have teased you more than her brother and yours too. That probably was a crisis in his little mind. So cute!!!

Samuel's Tale Twister #3 : It Sounded Good!

My son Samuel (11) made his middle school basketball team this season. He was so excited when he heard he had made it that we went right out and purchased a new pair of basketball shoes and a basketball hoop to practice on.

Day one of basketball practice: "I wanna quit basketball!"says Sammy.

My response was "Oh really, was it too much work for you?" (Hee! Hee! under my breath.)

"Yes all we did was run. We ran 3 miles and we had to do each lap under a certain time otherwise everyone had to run more. We did NOTHING with a basketball!"

Day two: "I am sick!"

Day three: "I think I sprained my ankle! My leg hurts!"

"Where?...Here ?" I asked.

"Ouch, owe-ch! Yes and yes." Replies Sam.

"Sam that is called shin splints. You need to stretch before you run. This will all get better as you do it more. " I said.

"All we did was run a bunch today too. I don't see what that has to do with basketball."

"It is called conditioning Sam. That is so when you get on the court you will be able to play for longer periods of time. I am sure the coach doesn't want you to get into a game and be tuckered out before the game gets going. You knew you would have to do some conditioning before you joined the team! We talked about how doing other sports that strengthen your core and give you balance are great for getting you ready for next baseball season. "

"Yea, well, it sounded good!"

"Ah ha ha ha! Yea Sammy, kinda like it sounds like a good idea to plan to go to the gym at 5AM until the alarm goes off and I have to get out of bed."

Gavin's Tail Twister #33: Your Fat!

It was the day before Halloween and I had not made any attempt to participate in any Fall Festivities. No pumpkin, no cob webs, no spiders, no candied apples... oh and no candy. I thought to myself...Maybe this is the year I should just skip Halloween. I wonder what the kids will think if I do that. Will that scar them for life, label me bad mommy for life or maybe they won't even notice. It was Sunday afternoon and tomorrow was Halloween. I had about 6 hours before bed time to figure it all out. Sammy (11) at his age is ok with most everything as long as he gets to get together with his friends to roam the neighborhood on Halloween night. Gavin on the other hand is all about "CELEBRATING LIFE!"

Gavin and I were in the car about to head home when Gavin finally said with an accusing bad mommy tone "MOAMMM! Tomorrow is Halloween and we have not carved a pumpkin yet and we have no candy! We gotta go to the store NOW!" I could see him in my rear view mirror as he cut his eyes over my way with what looked like a child's disgust. His brow was furrowed and his jaw was clinched. I'm not scared of a little 8 year old so I attempted again. "It is so late and our pumpkin would only be out only one day. Maybe we could do a couple of pumpkins next year."

"NO! responded Gavin. (Loudly I might add!) We have to carve a pumpkin and put out decorations today so we can be ready for all the festivities tomorrow." He was not going to buy into my trick. I guess we are not skipping this holiday. I am pretty sure there would be some mental long term scarring for Gavin.

So....I turned the car around and headed to Kroger only to find zero...yep zero pumpkins available for purchase not even the plug in kind. I drove on to Fresh Market... same story. I knew my only real option was to go to the dreaded pumpkin patch where the trunk or treat was taking place at that exact moment. There was going to be no parking and there would be tons of people everywhere. I was worried Gavin would be sucked up in the excitement of trunk or treat with the big jumpy activities and want to side track. We got there and I tried to get out of getting the pumpkin one more time. No chance! Gavin was so focused on the patch and getting that pumpkin that he was trying to keep me on his mission and told me "Do not to even think about going over to the church for other activities Mom". "Well OK then" I replied. We got in and out under $12 and in 30 minutes. We ended up with one carving pumpkin and 2 small cute pumpkins to draw faces on. We got home and Gavin went to immediate carving mode, drawing all over the pumpkin face and then shedding tears over his crooked mouth. Gavin even got the drawing on his small pumpkin done.

Sammy comes in the door and Gavin immediately picks up the two small pumpkins saying in a very calm soft tone with no inflection on any work "here Sam draw a face on your pumpkin...hurry up we don't have time to talk about it...tomorrow is Halloween." Sam immediately was looking around questioning for what we brought back for him "Why did I get this one, what are my choices." Sam said dismissing Gavin's urgency. Gavin replies "we have one big one to carve, a tiny little one for me and this bigger on for you. Oh... and yours is bigger (pause) .... 'cause (pause) ... well 'cause you're fat! The insults never stop between brothers and I love it because it makes for some pretty good blog topics.