The Dreaded Advent Day

Today was the day of Advent that the boys always hope never arrives. It comes every year though, and they know that. Now, they just hope it's on a day that is not their turn to open. Today it was Riley's turn to look in the advent stocking. He did it while I was in the shower and nobody said anything when I got out. When I asked about it the only comment I heard was from Conner - "I didn't like it last year so why would I like it this year."

What is this torturous day of Advent? This is the day each boy is allowed to pick out five GOOD toys to donate to the Eugene Mission. We had to designate them as "good" toys since they used to try to pass off bits of trash, found in their playroom so they must be toys, a single Lego piece and broken toys as passable items on this day. Nobody rushes to do this activity so I usually have to attach a small threat to it. Today was no different and no one was going to leave this house to receive their new belt in karate (they all tested this past Friday) until their five toys apiece were ready to be delivered. It worked out well. They actually got in the spirit of it a bit and donated more than five toys each. We have whole Hot Wheels track sets (the set must be complete to count as one toy), a few balls and frisbees, some random toys and then Conner decided to throw in a pair of sandals he's never liked. I try not to comment on anything so as not to discourage them. At times Conner has given away toys he (and I) like very much and it's been hard for me to watch them go, but I've learned he has never regretted it (or at least has never said anything about them again).

On another note, Conner wrote a bit more today. One of the greatest joys in homeschooling has been to watch each of the boys learn to read. Tegan and Riley read so early, and Riley pretty much taught himself that it's been a long time since watching this process. Conner is finally getting it and realizing he can sound out words, write them down and then others are able to actually read them. His latest sentences are:

"The Conner is osim. Riley is osim. Tegan is osim. Dadd is osim. Mommy is osim."

He is an "osim" little boy and such a joy to us all.