Christmas Gifts

Me: What should I get you from Christmas?

Evan: 22 movies.

Me: 22!?!?!

Evan: Oh, ok. Just 10.

Me: What 10?

Evan: Let me see... Let me see... Night at the Museum one. Madagascar three. Phineas and Ferb. Ant man.

Me: Ok. Just five.

Evan: I talk with mom and get more videos for my birthday.

No more test me

My dad likes to be inclusive by including Evan on family group texts. When it is to say, "I love you", "Happy Thanksgiving!", or "Missing you at Priesthood Session" then Evan seems to be okay with it.

This morning, we started a discussion about what food we'd like to eat over the holidays and asked for requests. It quickly turned from food to a dog for Christmas. But after 9 texts, Evan sent me the following:

"No more test me"

Now, as you may remember from an earlier post, I don't like calling Evan after he texts me, because then he does the same when I text him. But what on earth was I testing?!?

I called him. He asked us to stop texting him because he was working.

New Albums

Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez each released new albums.

Yay.

Me: What's your favorite Bieber track?

Evan: 1...2...3...4...5...

Temple Recommend Renewal

Evan's temple recommend was about to expire, so I set up an appointment to get it renewed at the Stake Center. Evan called me one hour before the time we agreed to meet telling me he was ready, waiting for me at the T stop, and where was I? I told him I was still in my meeting, would be ready at our agreed-upon time, and perhaps he could wait at the library?

When we did meet up with just enough time to get to the church five minutes early, I was wearing chinos, brown dress boots, and a button up shirt. Evan was wearing flip flops, shorts, and our pink family reunion shirt.

So we went.

Arriving at the church, we swapped wardrobes. Wearing my pants and shirt with the legs and sleeves rolled up, Evan looked presentable as he walked into the Stake Presidency's office. Wearing his shorts but my socks and t-shirt, I did not look presentable as I hid in a classroom.

Revolutionary Connections

Evan and I went to Concord for some Revolutionary War experiences. As I tried to explain the North Bridge and which country was on which side, Evan started asking me questions:

• Did Captain American fight in the War of Independence?
• Are X-men soldiers buried here?
• Americans fought the British, like Pirates of the Caribbean?
• England came on boats across the Atlantic. Oh, we saw that [i.e. the Atlantic Ocean] on Thursday in Rhode Island.

Later, when we stopped by Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, he asked,

• Is this Sleeping Beauty?
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows?

Partners in Choices

I am trying to be better at incorporating Evan's preferences into our daily decision-making process. It isn't working well.

M: Do you want to stay in DC or drive to Richmond?

E: Yes.

M: Which one?

E: Sure.

M: Stay in DC?

E: Maybe.

M: Go to Richmond?

E: Maybe.

Thanks, Mom, for dinner

We used Mom's credit card to pay for a dinner. I said, Thanks Mom. Evan said, What Mom? She did not make this.

True.

Dangerous Movies

We recently visited our nieces and nephew in Wisconsin. Planning a movie to watch that night, Evan forbid using his own. "Can't watch my movies! Too dangerous for kids!"

Even More Texts

Evan and I have done a lot of joint travel in the past years. He gets bothered when he doesn't come along. I've started to get him some movies and books to be delivered when I leave. This was a bad precedent to start. I've been inundated with requests for DVDs the past few days. Today, he asked: "Is my packers day get tomorrow." He wanted to know if his package would arrive tomorrow since I was leaving tomorrow. Sadly, it wont come until early next week.

Church History

Direct quote: I watched Prince of Egypt years ago. In Boston. In Watertown. On Netflix. Yeah, it's church history.

Yes. Yes it is.