Christmas Spirit

To say that Annie is bothered by her three little brothers is putting it mildly. She often laments to anyone who will listen about the "burden" of being the eldest of 4 and the ONLY girl!! So I love it when days like today come along. Annie's Reach class holds an auction at the end of each semester. The students bring items to "sell"... and you can imagine the fine quality of the wares, everything from a liter of Dr. Pepper to an MP3 player that "kinda still works". Annie has brought home some treasures in the past....a giant stuffed bulldog and a very large Bart Simpson doll (for her Dad of course), just to name a few. But today, she came home with items that are truly special, and I have no idea what they are. Today she used all of her "money" to buy Christmas presents for her brothers. She flashed me the hugest, sweetest smile and told me it was a surprise for everyone. Lord only knows what she bought, but that's just about the sweetest example of Christmas spirit I've seen in a long time. I love that my children never cease to amaze me!

New Do

This newly coiffed Sam greeted me after school today! This is what happens when a pretty little girl with blonde pigtails smiles and asks to cut your hair. She even said please!

When I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change because you're amazing...just the way you are!!

Flat Chicken

Overheard in the kitchen tonight...

Sam: mom, whats for dinner?
Cathy: flat chicken.
Sam: where did it come from?
Cathy: from here. i'm making it now.
Sam: no, i mean what part of the chicken did it come from?
Cathy: huh?
Sam: i mean, which part of the chicken is the flat part?
Cathy: there isn't a flat part, sweetie. i flatten it.
Sam: good. because i think a flat chicken wouldn't taste very good.



PS--This picture is not "our" flat chicken...

The Artist in Residence

This morning, Will decided to get out his paints and easel again. He set up camp in the kitchen and set to work.



Sam walked in and saw Will's work, and he exclaimed, "Will, you are an artist!"

Halloween 2010

A little Kiss for Halloween?














Nothing like a little kindergarten angst to make the outfit complete.

Funny things I hear when on the phone with my wife...

When on the phone with Cathy, I often "overhear" things that she is saying to the kids during our separate conversation. Today, Cat and the kids were at PetSmart during one of our conversations. In mid-sentence with me, she broke off and said, "Settle down, honey, that tower is really built for cats, not humans." Sfuni.

It doesn't take too much imagination to picture Will on the top of this cat tree!

Sibling Love

Today's exchange while playing Wipeout on the Wii:

Jack: Good one, Annie.
Annie: Thanks, Jack.
Jack: I didn't really mean it. I was just being pathetic.
Annie: Do you mean sarcastic?
Jack: Whatever. I mean you stink at this game.

Yeah, he's pretty much got it right.

So earlier today, Will was asking Cat questions about pregnancy. One exchange went something like this:

W: So, why is the bump in the lady's tummy?

C: What do you mean?

W: Why is the baby up there if it comes out...you know. (And he gestures in the vague direction of the Southern Hemisphere.)

C: (Playing him like a mackerel) What do you mean, down there?

W: You know, the baby comes out the sweet spot!

Oh lord. You'd think he'd already seen the 4th grade sex ed film.

[But I do have to note, when this little exchange was repeated for me, we did determine that he said "the weak spot" rather than "the sweet spot." In any event, still priceless.]

Brotherly Advice

Last week, on the way home from one of the thousands of baseball games inflicted on us (like locusts in Egypt), Will announced to Jack and me that he had made two New Year's Reservations. (He was going to stop saying "burn" and "jinx," both of which pleased me greatly. But that's not the point.)

I had a hard time holding my tongue, but I am glad that I did. Jack listened to Will's "Revolutions," and then (relatively kindly) said, "Will, those aren't New Year's Reservations. They are New Year's Revolutions."

Absence...and guilt...make the heart grow fonder

OK, so it's been a while since I've posted anything new. Or old. Or anything at all. Someone who used to read this little blog on occasion blames it on that internet Satan, Facebook. And she is, in part, probably right. I tend to share pictures there that I might otherwise put up here.

In any event, here are a few new pics of the kids from the last day of school, courtesy of my friend Dewey, that were taken at our second annual Buzz Party.*

Our new fifth grader!
Now in third grade!

A kindergarden graduate!**
The newest WRE kindergardner!

*There is actually some legitimate debate over whether this was the second or third party. The first year, 2008, was not actually called a Buzz Party, and it was not an organized party at all. It was the last day of school, and it turned into a pretty big and wild gathering at the house on the last day of school, but I don't recall there being any haircuts. Last year was the first "official" Buzz Party--there were buzzes, and an Evite, and "Come and Get Your Buzz On" cups...

**This is what I call Will's Wallace (as in http://www.wallaceandgromit.com/) face.

WRE's Got Talent

One of the highlights of the WRE school year is the kids' talent show. We had three participants this year. Luckily, the performances have been recorded for perpetuity on YouTube.

Fourth Grade Copacabana

Second Grade Boys jump rope routine

KG boys Kung Fu Fighting

Rock and roll afternoon....

Will, Sam and our new neighbor Gray have been listening to the radio in Jack's room, rockin it out dance party USA style all afternoon...

Annie went in to see them after choir practice. Here is the conversation that took place:

Annie: do you boys want to hear the song i learned in choir today?
boys: not really
annie: it's really good
boys: oh all right
annie sings a song in dutch (kinda crazy sounding)
annie: well what do you think
gray: i think i'm worried about my ear drums
annie: what do you expect it was in dutch
gray: no it wasn't, it was in jack's room and it wasn't good

gotta love it!

Steroids are not your friend...

I know everyone already knows this. I'm not talking about the make-me-look-like-some-monster-pro-wrestler-turned-Incredible Hulk. I'm talking about the steroids Sam has to take when he gets croup. I know they are necessary. It is the only thing that even comes close to giving him relief from the terrible seal-like coughing. But...WOW! He has been bouncing around this house all day like a ping-pong ball! Running in circles through the front rooms singing "'cause I'm so happy, so very happy, I've got the love of Jesus in my heart" over and over and over. Then, hiding in different room and jumping out at me as I walk by with this demonic Chucky laugh. And bobbing up and down in his carseat, taking off the seat-belt because he JUST CAN'T SIT STILL and kicking the back of my chair with both feet until I think I'm going to cause the airbag to deploy! And did I mention the barking! No, not coughing, barking...like a dog, and running up and down the hall on all fours....FOR HOURS!!! Now, let's talk about the eating....OMG! Before 10:00 this morning, he had eaten the following:

2 slices turkey bacon, 1 bowl cereal, 1 bag of chips, 1 slice of pizza, 1 box of nerds, 1 fruit roll-up and a string cheese...wow!

A necessary evil for sure, but man o man, who IS this kid!

Happy Birthday Tita

My sister--the Kids' Aunt Tita--turned 40 today. Hard to believe my big sister is that old.

Happy Birthday, Tita!