Summer begins

We ate pancakes at the neighborhood Boy Scout's breakfast and car show before we headed to Ikey's last soccer game. Halfway through the game, I called out to him, "If you make a goal, I'll give you an RV toy." I've been trying to bribe him like this since the third game of the season. Two minutes later, the field seemed to be in slow motion and he took the ball from mid-field right into the goal. He put up his arms and ran straight to us and said, "I did it! I get an RV toy!" He ran to his coach for a high-five and told him, "I get an RV toy!" He told the referee, every kid on his team, and every kid on the other team. It was totally exciting.
We went back to the car show to look at a 100 year old Ford and a 2013 Tesla.

We looked at RV toys online and I fell in love with a big metal Tonka Winnebago, but it was going for $100 and Todd reminded me that the prize was for Ikey and not me. Although, I totally could have scored on that preschool soccer team by at least halftime if I'd been in there.

We had to take Todd to the airport to go to Indianapolis on Sunday, and on the way home we stopped at the big Walmart (no RV toys, but tons of other prizes) and Toys R Us (Matchbox RV for $1!). Ikey was totally happy.

 

I was moved by this blog post on The Orange Rhino so I quit yelling at my kids right after this ridiculous display. The kids and I have both loved it. During our RV shopping trips, I found that almost every mom at Walmart and literally every mom in Toys R Us have not taken on the no-yelling pledge. I think they and their kids might like it if they tried it. Let me know if you think I seem calmer and the kids are more moved by my less intense and more in-control interactions.

Me (in a calm and peaceful voice): Jovie, just do one squirt of soap.
Jovie: I did. I did one with another hooked to it.

Jovie: I'll love you for 17 years.
Isaac: You'll love me way longer than that!
Jovie: I'll love you till I'm 70, until I'm a wrinkly train.