Fire

With all the illness attacking our household the last few weeks there has not been much of interest to write about so I've been writing on my other blog which is just a random collection of musings that tend to ramble and not be too organized, and don't really pertain to the family; but, the other day was the book fair at the kids school. Xander was so desperate to get his allowance so he could blow it at the book fair. Ginger and I are big fans of books and hope this is instilled in our children for a lifetime of enjoyment.
Xander bought (at the BOOK fair let me remind you) a two sided pen that has a highlighter in the backside, and an electric pen that not only writes, but has a calendar, and phone book, and if you have a friend that also has one of the pens (and is no further than 10 feet away) you can send text messages to each other. He did get a book as well a book of cheat codes for video games. It contains hundreds of cheat codes for all manner of games on several different systems of which we have maybe four that it applies to. The total reading involved in this book is looking for the name of the game you are playing in the index and then a very short description of what the cheat will accomplish for you.
I really had a good laugh when Xander found the cheat for The Nightmare Before Christmas Oogie's Revenge that would allow his character the ability to have unlimited fire throwing capabilities. He enabled it and then had his character running around with a steady stream of fire blowing before him while Xander was singing Fire by the Pointer Sisters. I don't know where he got it from, but he picks up all kinds of songs and saying from T.V. especially commercials.

Another fire to sweep the house today was Katie just fighting for independence. We've had concerns about behavioral issues that we see, but the school psychologist gave a glowing report of how good and well adjusted she is. At home Ginger will ask her to do something and Katie will look right at her and say "No!" when Ginger tells her to go to her room Katie will just stare at her and not move (she does the same to me, but not as often or as blatant). She has not done her chores for two weeks now and she is pretty much refusing to do her homework (this well adjusted and good child). Today I heard her tell Ginger a flat out "No!" and a refusal to budge and even though I was laying in bed still in pain from bronchitis I got up in a rage and came out to the living room and grabbed her by the arm picking her up off the floor, in great fear she ran to her room crying. A little while later I walked by her room and saw this on the door.

I had to laugh. She is such a force of nature and so strong willed. I'm not really sure what to do. I do worry that she is going to be one of those who up and runs away one day when she is tired of being told she has something to do and that would crush all of us, but I hope this is also a phase of going through puberty and having to deal with other 11 year girls doing the same.