A boy's gotta do what a boy's gotta do...

Vanessa commented that "He's getting up at 8am?? Isn't it summer?" And yes, I think it's a little freaky that a boy would get up so early on his day off. But this boy's gotta do what a boy's gotta do.... And he felt he wanted or had to do his Lord of the Rings marathon.

And this turned into a post.

Although he is still a "boy" in the physical sense (no freaky body hairs yet), Ernest oftens seems like a real "man" (in the best sense of the word -- and so much like his dad, the Handy Husband!) in a boy's body.

He embodies the best parts of being a man: He is devoted to his family, he will focus on the tasks at hand, and he will plan ahead for the future. In my book, that's a REAL MAN. And he's only 12. I hope he will keep these ethics, as his dad did, as he grows up. As much as I love my older son Frank, he was not this "together" at 12. (Frank has since show his gifts: a 5 on his AP Calculus test, 4 on AP Physics. He's our math genius.) However, I digress...

For the last few weeks Ernest's focus has been going to "work" 5 days a week at Theater Gone Wild at the zoo, which requires commuting 45 miles each way (with the obliging carpool parent which 3 out of 5 days has been me, the "can't say no" SAHM.). And not complaining at all (from him, not me). Because it's what he really wants to do. And I respect that.

I like that Ernest says his opinion and sticks to it. For example: Do you want to keep this toy? (We are in the middle of a huge Clean Tradey Sweepyness Thing that I can't even talk about right now because I am so overwhelmed by it.) But I can ask him about a silly toy and he will say "donate," "keep," or "Mom, I'm not sure." Not sure means I let him keep it anyways.... Frank would say "Whatever" or "I don't care" which doesn't tell me anything.

And Ernest just showed me how to enlarge what's on the screen so my 48-ish eyes can read it (Control +)!

Ernest and I are planning something fun next Friday afternoon, and hopefully a Disneyish thing the week after (planning all this at the last minute). Happy Face Mom. And then school starts. SAD FACE MOM.

Bythe way, I have promised the HH to go to some drag races in Bakersfield in October. HAPPY FACE HANDY HUSBAND!!