Friday, March 1, 2013

Random Thoughts

Does anyone else quantify how their body feels? Every time Chuck or I gets sick, we always talk about it in term of percentages ("I'm at 30% today." Or, "I'm much better--probably at 90%!") Even Rhett adds to our discussions about his quantifiable health. We've taught him to do it using fingers, as percentages are a bit over his head. A perfectly healthy body is 10 fingers, so when he's sick we might hear things like, "I'm only seven fingers today, Mom." I love it.

Do your kids have songs they hate? Rhett does. I have a playlist on my iPod with 100+ songs that play randomly, but there is one that makes his blood boil: Doris Day's "Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps." He's not even five, so he can't quite express what drives him nuts about this song, but Chuck and I love torturing him about it. We even threatened to put it on a continuous loop for time outs.

I mailed our taxes yesterday. Yep, that's right: mailed. I feel like I'm the only person I know who does this. But I'm okay with it. We got the federal withholdings just about perfect, but the state withholdings still need tweaking.

Chuck's parents are moving in about two weeks. The day the truck is being loaded is the day I run my half marathon, so we'll need some help watching the boys. Do you think it's okay if I send an email to friends soliciting help, but make it clear I will not babysit in return? Because my talents lie elsewhere, do you think it would be weird if I offer to pay them in Excel lessons, math tutoring, or even handmade wares?

Picture it: You and your spouse go on an 18-month mission to...Mars! Could you do it? Just you and your spouse in a tiny space capsule for 18 months?

4 comments:

  1. I would totally babysit in return for your pretzel chocolate chip cookies or for one of the sewing projects (small, I promise!) that I have in mind. But alas, I believe your inlaws are moving while my mom is still here, which means I won't babysit and I hesitate to volunteer my superbly awesome mom.

    Yes. Mars! Me and Marc! Forced talking! ALL. THE. TIME. ;)

    I'm going to start the quantifiable health with my kids. Good idea you math nerds!

    And oh my. I love that song and poor Rhett's reaction to it is hilarious. Totally a tool of torture!

    ReplyDelete
  2. i love the percentages and the fingers. it's so cool.

    no, i don't think my kids hate any songs. but really we usually listen to a "kid" CD anyways. the girls do hate NPR. :)

    we can't even do our taxes yet since ben's payroll people are lame and keep getting everyone's W2s totally wrong. funny that you do it by mail. i like it, though.

    i don't think you need to do any favor back. just ask someone if they could watch your kids as a favor. i don't always expect a return if i'm asked to help out with someone else's kids. but you could back them something or something little like that if you want. and of course excel, math, or a handmade item would be awesome, too.

    could i? i don't know - but i certainly would not want to! you?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your blog is so entertaining! Nope, we don't talk in percentages, but it's a good idea.

    We mail our taxes to our BIL, then he mails them back, we sign, then we mail them to the IRS. Does that count?

    Wow! Didn't know about them moving in. Sounds like lots of fun! And craziness :) And I think you could offer your homemade wares. Don't know how far the math lessons would get you. But you never know! I could've used them back at BYU ;) ha! And Ryan too since he re-took that stats class!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yes have Natalie babysit! ;) I love that you've taught Rhett a great to communicate how he's feeling. I'm sorry you weren't well. Hope you are now!

    I will never ever ever voluntarily go into space. The thought of it makes me 100% sick to my stomach. I don't like tight claustrophobic type situations at all or being sweaty. But I love talking to Collin. Hmm maybe a long bus ride around the world?

    ReplyDelete