Week #4

No Lenten menu this week folks. I am being wheeled away for surgery bright and early Wednesday morning, so we winged it for dinner on Monday and Tuesday. The rest of the weeks meals are being provided by different church members.

No big deal on the surgery; I will be happy to divulge the details on some other, less public forum... like, um, my other addiction, Facebook.

Here is the biggest shout out possible to my mother-in-law, Kay. She is meeting Josh early Wednesday morning to take our kids so that I can recover from surgery in peace. We won't get them back till Saturday afternoon! Yikes, she is brave! Actually, Levi and Claire LOVE going to their grandmothers house. Her house is a child's paradise, with an entire room dedicated to toys, books and general mayhem. Both my kids know that what they get in trouble for here, is just a normal day at grandmas.

For example, in her playroom, or the red room as Levi calls it, she has one of those plastic play kitchens. There are pots and pans, spoons and plates, and one extra special thing that no mother would have in their play kitchens: real food. My mother-in-law lets them play with flour, salt and pepper, oatmeal, raisins, chocolate chips and blueberries (I am sure that she let them have more food than just this, but these are what I can personally testify too.)

Grandma also does not adhere to a bedtime schedule. Sure, they get a bath, read books, brush teeth, and go to sleep, just not necessarily in that order. Or before 11 pm.

Grandma and Grandpa also take Levi and Claire to the video store and let them pick out a couple of movies to watch. Scooby Doo and the Loch Ness Monster is always one, and lately the other has been one of the zillion Land Before Time movies.

"Pick up your toys" and "eat your vegetables" are two phrases that are never used in the Grandma Knight household. In fact, I think they are officially banned. Thus, after a day of my children being at Kay's house, it looks like a tornado replaced my two children.

I am convinced that my mother-in-law is totally spent after a couple days of watching my children; but she would never admit it. I know it must take her hours to clean up after them; but I could never drag that information from her lips. Because, of all the crazy things that go on up in Gold Bar, all the ways I am sure my children are getting spoiled, all the unnecessary toys that were purchased to entertain them specifically for this trip, Levi and Claire come home happy as clams.

Well, not really. They are actually sad to come home; they would rather stay with Grandma. But at least I know they are having a wonderful time, and that they are being cared for by two people who love them and want the best for them.