Improvement Day

Last night Owen wanted to gather everyone in the living room for an 'improvement day.' Not an improvement day for the house he explained, but one for all of us. We would go around the room and say how we'd like the others to improve. Honestly this smelled like a trainwreck but I was intrigued so I said o.k....as long as everyone said something they like about the person as well.

Leo of course GROANED (understandably) but we finally dragged him off Minecraft. Then Leo sat in a chair that had these great jingle bells sitting behind it. He promptly got his hair stuck in the jingle bells and I MUST say that Ernie and I deserve HIGH PRAISE for not giggling hysterically. I mean really....Leo getting his hair stuck in some jingle bells...how perfect is that. I extricated him and tried to spare his dignity as much possible (giggle).

Owen started and his complaints about Leo were that he should wash his hands more often, that I should be a little quicker to get up and answer the phone and do things and Ernie? Well Owen's fault with him was that he works SO HARD that he doesn't take enough breaks.

I kid you not.

PALEEZE.....

I did not vomit though....I just nodded my head.

I can't remember what Owen said was nice about me. Leo refused to say anything bad (uh...I mean constructive) about anybody but said he liked how I cared for all of them and he liked how Ernie played with him and Owen. I forget what he said nice about Owen.

EVERYBODY'S comment about Ernie (even Owen chimed in) was that he swears too much. When asked what I needed improvement on Ernie just commented that he sometimes wondered why the boys were always dropping their clothes on the floor and then he said, "oh but look....there's a bra there...and over there...."

Yeah, yeah, yeah....

I gotta say I was sure this was headed for disaster but it ended up being pretty sweet. Ernie even cried when he tried to say what he liked about the boys. Man I love my boys.

Today Ernie and I went and bought supplies for tourtiere, and then bought oranges and pecans from a truck in Farm N Fleet's parking lot in the freezing rain and wind. Now Ernie and Owen are shopping for Leo's present and God know's what else that Owen can come up with. Then they're off to borrow pie plates (thanks Sasha and Dick!). I'm braising some pork country ribs in orange juice and soy sauce and I just made cranberry sauce for Saturday's party.

The wind is blustering and it's snowing a little.

It's been a revoltingly nice day.....