I've always thought anyone could become a hard worker if they wanted to. But some people are just born to it. In their case, the only way to get them to leave a job unfinished is kicking and screaming. Let me explain:
Grant loves wood. Notice his adoring expression. I guess you could say he "works" with wood. He brings it in from the garage every chance he gets, and carries it around with much grunting and other such manly noises. His main goal is to get it into the stove, of course. The wood stove is usually jerry-rigged shut, but one time I forgot and the next thing I knew, it was completely stoked. (Thank goodness there wasn't any fire in there.) (Oh, and as a side note, Cole has a head lamp.)
So, this morning he selected some nice pieces, and began the incredible journey up the stairs (? - the stove is downstairs). But of course he's never done it without hands...with his arms full...hardly being able to see. It took him about 15 minutes to get up the first six stairs, so he must have been exhausted upon contemplating the next six, but it had to be done. This is serious "man" work, here. Don't ask questions.
But his exhausted arms were giving out, and the logs kept breaking free, somehow. Well, that was the "last log"...the "log that broke the boy's back." During his temporary loss of composure, one even fell down the stairs.
Doh! So, broken hearted, spent, and screaming the whole time, he made his way back down (no log left behind) to retrieve it, only to find his burden doubled by boot malfunctions. Cole tried to give moral support - really, as did others.* But this was a matter of personal triumph.
Finally, and against his will, I had to just hoist him swiftly to the top or risk him falling down the stairs in his delirium. Again, Cole was compelled to help, but it just upset matters worse. I mean, who could know what in the boy's world he was trying to accomplish? And after all that, he eventually just sat defeated and bawling on the floor with wood askew on his lap.
There was only one hope for this splotchy faced lumberjack. Yes. Nuggets and string cheese. And when he got up from his nap, he never missed a beat; went straight for the wood, with new strength, hope, and perspective. And then, tonight, his efforts were rewarded when he took his little bundle of logs back downstairs and happily helped Pop load them in the stove for the fire.
*
This was a heart wrenching experience for a mama. I got a lump in my throat witnessing such determination, yet devastation. The only reason I was coldly taking pictures of the whole thing is because he'd scream louder with every attempt to help, and I wanted to document it for a future "Olympic moment" to remind him how he never gave up, even when he was a baby.
On our second full day in Idaho we took the boys sledding. In short, they hated it. To start with, they were wearing so many layers they could hardly move. Adding to that, it was cold enough to make a brass monkey nervous and the wind was blowing just hard enough to prove that the "wind proof" jacket wasn't. But they were interested in the snow and headed out to investigate it. 
It wasn't long before they were done and we headed back inside. I think we spent more time dressing them than we did outside. We probably should have stuck to the sledding down the impressive piles of snow in their Uncle Gary's front yard. 
It was on it's top and all of the windows were broken out, the glass scattered like sugar across the freeway, mixed with the obvious flotsam of a family: shoes, pillows, books and blankets. As we got out of our car and approached the upended vehicle amid billowing clouds of aromatic engine coolant, a head emerged from one of the windows, gratefully followed by the rest of the body of an adult female. Then, one by one children began to crawl out, most of them in stunned silence. Soon, five children, aged 3-10, were huddled with their mother and father by the smashed remains of the family SUV. Apart from a few bumps on heads, there weren't any serious injuries. Hmm, seat belts really do save lives. As I said, it was very cold and many of their shoes were scattered across the road, so we loaded the kids and their mother into our rental car, which had the advantage of being warm and upright, but wasn't really designed to hold six extra people, especially with our two boys in car seats. 
We gathered up their belongings from the roadway and waited for the police and paramedics to arrive. It didn't take long and then we loaded them all into the ambulance and headed home ourselves, at a speed somewhat slower than before. According to the Pocatello paper, two more accidents occurred on that same hill within a hour and a half of that first. We were grateful to have played only a supporting role.
What a workout. Bubble bath, anyone?
At the hospital he got two staples and didn't appreciate them one bit. 
That one's worth viewing at full size. Fortunately our hospital has a pediatric ER and they are well stocked with popsicles; Grant even got one. 
And finally, the reason Cole has vowed to return often, the nurse gave him a "beanie" frog named Smoochy. 
Next time he's going for the stuffed moose.
The forks and spoons and stuff just jumped out of the drawer, flew around the room and landed all over the floor. I could've been forked or spooned or something! 
See, it couldn't have been me because I wouldn't have left so many in the drawer."
So, this morning he selected some nice pieces, and began the incredible journey up the stairs (? - the stove is downstairs). But of course he's never done it without hands...with his arms full...hardly being able to see. It took him about 15 minutes to get up the first six stairs, so he must have been exhausted upon contemplating the next six, but it had to be done. This is serious "man" work, here. Don't ask questions.
Finally, and against his will, I had to just hoist him swiftly to the top or risk him falling down the stairs in his delirium. Again, Cole was compelled to help, but it just upset matters worse. I mean, who could know what in the boy's world he was trying to accomplish? And after all that, he eventually just sat defeated and bawling on the floor with wood askew on his lap.
There was only one hope for this splotchy faced lumberjack. Yes. Nuggets and string cheese. And when he got up from his nap, he never missed a beat; went straight for the wood, with new strength, hope, and perspective. And then, tonight, his efforts were rewarded when he took his little bundle of logs back downstairs and happily helped Pop load them in the stove for the fire.
You'll want to click on the picture to see the full sized version for the full textured experience, as well as a close-up of those dinosaur jammies. Pictured is the vanilla Yo-tee but it is also available with lemon, banana, boysenberry, orange cream, and strawberry. Our Cruncher scientists assure me that any flavor of yogurt could theoretically be used, although you may experience difficulties with those "fruit on the bottom" brands.
There are many different "holds" you can use when riding a Pop. We recommend three, and we haven't fallen off yet, so that qualifies us to teach classes.
