Ten on Tuesday

1. I'm going to start this "Ten on Tuesday" thing and really try to stick with it so, at the very least, there will be one new post each week.
2. I have a paper cut on my pinky that is making typing rather difficult.
3. Today was our second to last Bible study for the semester. I'm sad that it's ending because I've really loved getting to know the book of Revelation a little bit more (and we only just scratched the surface), but I'm really looking forward to getting my Tuesday mornings back!! I've already decided not to attend next semester's study because I need this morning time at home.
4. I found a bin of clean clothes that the cats have apparently been using instead of the cat box. Eew. On the bright side: I found the source of that musty smell and am so glad to be getting rid of it!
5. WARNING: potty-talk ahead. While we're thrilled that Zachary has been going tinkle by himself (okay, it's just so he can have candy, but whatever works!) I'm not so thrilled to discover that when no one helps him, he takes care of his business standing up and does not put the seat up. He prefers to do this in the master bathroom. Thanks kid.
6. Daniel currently has 5 teeth and will have a 6th any day now.
7. Today is Curtis' second day of having an employee under him at work (directly! reporting TO him!). He's only been with the company a year.
8. We have been taking the newspaper for the first time since we got married. We only take the weekend paper and sometimes don't get to it until Tuesday or Wednesday.
9. We finally got some major furniture pieces out of the garage and put in their permanent locations, so it feels like we just now starting to really move in. We've been in the house since the second week of September.
10. I really hope I remember to make notes all week for this post next Tuesday, because it took forever to think of 10 interesting things to tell you (and I think I cheated on a couple. See #2 and #10. Don't tell me if you didn't find anything interesting in this post).

We Voted!

You know what I just realized? If I took all the time I spent reading other people's blogs and spent that time writing in my own blog, I'd actually have a blog worth reading. Seems like a no-brainer, but I hadn't seen that before. So, I've turned off my phone in the middle of reading about how someone else's child celebrated their recent birthday and am going to put up a post before Z finishes his lunch.

Today is Election Day, so Daniel, Zachary, and I headed to the polls after bible study this morning. (So convenient to be already out of the house. Getting two little ones in the car is such a hassle, it's nice to get two things done at once. Not that I ever regret having two little ones, but I like to combine effort wherever possible.) Thankfully D fell asleep on the way and slept the whole time. I had the single stroller with me, so no seat for Z (can I just tell you how much I like having two different strollers?? One with two seats and one with one, depending if I anticipate Z needing a seat or not. Love it. Except for the days I forget what's going on and have the wrong stroller in the car. Oh well.) I spent a fair amount of time while driving explaining to Z what behavior I expected from him. I often forget to do this and regret it later. Toddlers and preschoolers do so much better when they know your expectations! I know this sounds like another no-brainer, but as a parent I often forget that children don't yet know what behavior is expected, especially in a new situation. And today's talk worked! Z did very well - there was no running around, no yelling, no sword-fighting (a recent favorite). I confess I did bribe him with goldfish. Those little golden crackers are my children's favorite currency (yes, D has eaten his fair share of goldfish already, and he's not even 1! Brothers like sharing is all I can say.)

We had paper ballots and Z wanted to "color" too, so I found some paper for him (not a ballot!) and we "colored" together. He told me he wrote his name and my name. I wish I could have taken a picture, but no cell phones allowed and taking pictures with my ballot right there would probably have been frowned on too.

When we left, the exit official gave Z an "I Voted" sticker too, which he loved. Later, someone posted something on Facebook about bringing your kids to the polls to educate them about the importance of voting. I'm sure it makes an impression on them, but what I started wondering about was how other parents respond when they bring their older child(ren) who may have questions about what's going on. You're not supposed to discuss the issues while in the middle of voting, but how do you respond to your child without sounding like you're indoctrinating them or trying to influence those around you who just can't help but hear your conversation? (Ignore them I suppose. Don't like that option either.) Z is at least a year, if not 2 or 3, away from really wondering what's going on at the polls and wanting to know how I'm voting and why, but I'd be curious to know how other moms and dads have handled this situation? I suppose once your kids are in school (and I mean full-time, not the 4 hours that Z does now), you vote while they're in school and the issue is completely avoided. So then who is targeted by articles talking about taking your kids to the polls? Stay at home moms with babies, toddlers, and preschoolers? Of course we're going to take them to the polls! What else are we going to do? The whole point of going during the day is to avoid the after-work rush, and I bet there are very few of us going to pay a babysitter just so we can vote without little ones hanging onto our legs and trying to push the stroller and wake up sleeping siblings.

So, that was our Election Day 2010 and now we get to complain about how our country is governed because we voted (j/k, sorta). And if there are any SAHMs and SAHDs in the area who would also like to complain but would prefer to vote without said little ones, we're home the rest of the afternoon and would love to have friends over and so be absolved of doing any housework for the rest of the day!