Feb. 29, 2008 - The Same Old Boring Story
Last night in the car I hear Q say “Mama, H hit me.” This is not the first time. Or the second.
Soooo……I asked H why she hit her brother. She replies, “He was making me bored.”
I must say, I have never heard that one before.
It was strangely refreshing.
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Feb. 19, 2008 - Dinner Rules
A few nights ago we did something different. We stepped outside our comfort zone and actually grilled salmon! GASP! For a 'no seafood as a rule' family, this was incredibly strange and somewhat awkward. The cooking process went well, and the specimen turned out looking fairly edible. Then came the true test. Actually helping it pass through our mouths, into our stomachs.
Back up a little and you will know that at our house we have been dealing with picky eaters. Really have been for about 7 years...ever since a certain 7 year old was born...but that's another story...Anyway, I had the bright idea to institute a new rule around here to stop complaining. This idea was discussed between the husband/wife team of this family and then given once as fair warning to the four little eaters. I stood back and waited to see if it would actually work. The rule? If complaints are heard about your dinner in any way, then it will be fed to someone who won't complain and then you get to wait for the next meal. Who won't complain? Lucy. Our 110 pound Golden Retriever. Sounded reasonable. Mostly.
As I'm sure you can see coming, my plan backfired. The four little eaters saw fish being put down on our family dinner table and had the bright idea that if they complained about it, they would not actually have to eat it. You saw that coming right? Strangely I didn't. Temporary blindness maybe.
Well.......we assured them that yes, they did actually have to try this beautiful (I'm sure it would be beautiful to some people) salmon. I then made another mistake. I decided to explain WHY we were trying salmon that evening. "We are doing this to eat healthier, we are doing this to take care of our bodies, to keep them strong, etc, etc, etc,..." My last statement was "We are doing this for daddy". That was where I went wrong. N looks at me and then passes his plate across to Ben and says "Then here daddy, if we are doing this for you,,,you can have mine." For some reason I found this hilariously funny. Maybe because I was thinking the same thing...
In the end, we found the salmon to be indeed edible and will probably try it again in the near future. The four little eaters made it through another meal, and as it turns out, I am in search of the perfect child training ideas for picky eaters,,,,,,again.
• 2 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Feb. 13, 2008 - SSSSME
This morning during the kid's journaling time, S wanted me to write her name for her. I proceeded to write her name, then I put a big S on the paper and said SSSSSSonora. She replied, “SSSSMe”.
• 2 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Jan. 31, 2008 - Some Silly Things I Want to Remember
Something from each one this week…
N: This morning after N’s Bible study, I asked him what he read about and he answers…"Never listen to your wife." (add mischievous grin here)
HUH?
Genesis 3:17-19
I KNOW it’s not REALLY funny, but I had to laugh nonetheless…
Guess I wouldn’t have found it so funny if I had backed up and read verse 16…
Alright, alright, it’s not funny…but N is!
Q: He now speaks of himself in the third person. “Q really likes this, Q doesn’t want to eat that, Q wants to go to the movies…” and so on and so on…I haven’t had time to psychoanalyze this yet…
H: On the way to play practice the other night she and I were discussing what is appropriate behavior in public and she informs me that…”I will not burp, I will not say I have to go potty, and I MOSTLY will NOT eat a fly. Yep. Eat a fly.
S: And finally S. She is three today and I cannot believe it. Here is a photo of her from our trip to OKC last week. She is getting so very big. She talks all the time…pretty much non-stop. This has made school challenging. So much so, that even the boys are asking her to be quiet. It’s hard to believe that she is already three! Happy Birthday, my beautiful little talker!!!
I will try to post more Children’s Museum photos soon!
• 2 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Jan. 24, 2008 - A Not So Funny Bone
This morning H hit her elbow on the corner of our computer desk. Here is how the conversation went after that:
H: OOOOOWWWWWW!!!!!
Me: What happened?
H: I hit my, my, my,,,,,,,,what is this right here?
Me: Well, when you get hit right there they call it your funny bone.
H: Your FUNNY BONE!
THATS NOT FUNNY!!!!!!! (And, if you know H, you know that she says this particular statement quite often...about many things!)
This was one time that I actually agreed with her!
• 4 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Jan. 22, 2008 - Cute Associations
Ok, so I realize that it’s been a long time since I’ve updated this blog, but then again, the holidays were as crazy as ever and life hasn’t really slowed down much since! I started this blog because I wanted to remember all the funny things my kids say before they slip into the abyss of my mind, and I have had loads of opportunities to do so, but today provided me with one that I just can’t pass by.
I was helping Quinn with his spelling lesson this morning as he was having a little trouble finding the spelling word that went with the group “pretty, adorable, ___________”. I made sure that he understood what kind of word he was looking for and then we just went from the top of the list to the bottom.
#1: Pretty, adorable, rule? Quinn: No
#2: Pretty, adorable, use? Quinn: No
#3: Pretty, adorable, mule? Quinn: Nope
Now this pattern continued on all the way to number 9.
#9: Pretty, adorable, you? Quinn: YES! (Said with adorably cute bright eyes and a huge smile on his face!)
As true as Quinn’s answer was, the real answer was number 10: cute.
Yep, CUTE! Or at least I thought so…………..
• 3 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Nov. 8, 2007 - NEVER Say Never
Ok, so when I watch A Christmas Story I always cringe at the part where the mom gets the younger son to eat his dinner by making him act like a pig. This has always been one of my better "I will NEVER do that" moments. NEVER say never. Today at lunch S would not eat her tuna. How did Ben get her to eat her tuna you ask? By saying that kittens love tuna and that she should meow and eat her yummy tuna…which she promptly did…meow and all. I cringed. THEN tonight at dinner she would not eat her corn. YEP…piggies like corn Ben says… and she morphs into a pig, oinking as she inhales the corn. THEN,,,we get to the real deal…the barley and sausage casserole. Ben holds up a bite and says "Piggies love barley…piggies love sausage…(at which, he paused, look at me, and began laughing)" He then turns to her and says "They love it SOOO much that they do everything they can to hold onto it." The barley and sausage casserole was gone. Eaten by a piggie. Out came the carrot cake and we told said piggie that piggies LOVE carrot cake. At which she replies, "I’m not a piggie, I Carrie." (Little House on the Prairie) Yep, I'm ok with the kittens and piggies at the table as long as they eat healthy food. NEVER say Never.
• 2 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Nov. 6, 2007 - She Has "The Look" But Can't See Anything
So I’ve been spending the last week making and keeping appointments. All kinds of appointments. All the appointments that we have put off for the last few months. I have at least one appointment every single day this week and then at least one a week for the next month.
Today’s fun was the eye doctor. 2 whole hours in one 12 X 10 room with three children, one optometrist, one tired mama, and 15 thousand pieces of equipment that look appealing to 5-9 year old boys.
"Sit down, don’t touch that, no that is not a toy, don’t touch that either, yes laying down on the floor is acceptable, no it is not your turn, don’t touch that, just wait until we get home." These comments were said multiple times if I remember correctly and right now my memory of the event is still a little hazy. Blocked it out I believe. Survival thing.
So finally, we arrived at H’s turn. This was her very first eye doctor appointment and she has been looking forward to it since she heard about it. She sat down and the nurse turned on the screen with the letters. 20/20 was the starting place. H says that "she can’t see them, they’re too little." Up to 30 we go…nope, she still CANNOT see them. The nurse looks at me, I look surprised, thinking, Wow, I did not see this coming. What kind of mom am I that I didn’t see my poor daughter’s lack of eyesight?
The letters are clicked up to 40. H still insists that she can’t see them. The nurse says, "look really closely now, and see if you can make one out." H says, in a perfectly straight voice, "Wwwweeeeeelllllllllllll………That A is really fuzzy, but I can’t see it." The nurse and I looked at each other and died laughing. AND, if you know H, you know that she did not find it funny. Nothing is funny.
So, the letters were brought back down to 20 and I am pleased to say that her eyesight is perfectly, perfect.
On a side note, I think we are watching too much t.v. This same H I have been writing about, just came up to me and asked me if I liked her new look. Her new look? I wonder if I should feign blurry eyesight too...
• 1 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Oct. 30, 2007 - Bittersweet Day
Today is a bittersweet day.
In case you are reading this and have not heard: We lost our baby last week. We named him Solon and are burying him today.
We were walking through the cemetery yesterday and my sweet daughter H was sitting next to my grandmothers grave. (Now, for background, this child has seen quite a bit of death during her short five years of life.) She looked up at me and said, matter of factly (like she says everything), "Cemeteries are full of love Mama."
The cemetery visits that we have made during her lifetime have taught this child something that she taught me yesterday. Cemeteries are full of love.
Yes, yes they are. Today they are.
Thank you all for your prayers, meals, emails, and support. We love you.
• 8 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Oct. 11, 2007 - On A Leash All Day
This post was actually written on Sunday,,,so just pretend :) Some Funnies From Everyone: S – She now ends every single sentence with the words ‘all day’. Meaning, this is what I heard this morning: "Mama, that’s my B all day". S, do you want some breakfast? "Yes, all day". "I sit in your wap all day mama" "My bewwy hurts all day" "I pwetty all day, mama!" To her siblings: "Get off me all day" "No all day" "That’s mine! All day" It’s all still funny,,,for now… H – She likes to dance with her daddy and brothers. She goes so far as to bow and curtsy. Yesterday, she was explaining to Ben how the whole process is supposed to go and she said…"You see, daddy, you’re supposed to bow,,,,,,now do it that way. AND, I’m supposed to curse." Yikes, we couldn’t help but laugh. N- Poor guy,,,he is actually not feeling very humorous right now. He is the final of the four to get this fever bug. Headache and a high fever. They’ve all had it over the last four days and now he’s it. Ben – So we are all sitting on the couches this morning just relaxing and talking together and Ben begins to tell the kids the story of King Kong. Thing is, he doesn’t tell them that it is a movie. They are all wide eyed and wondering if this giant gorilla is going to come back to the United States. It was pretty funny. He strung them along for quite awhile. The story started to break apart when he said that the gorilla captured their mama and put her atop the Empire State Building. I just couldn’t do it…they wanted details. Last, but not least Q – I was resting on the couch this morning…almost asleep. The kids were outside playing and I heard the back door open. He stepped inside and said, very quickly,,,"Don’t worry mama, he’s on a leash." This was what was on said leash.
• 7 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
