Our Hero

Today my sweet boy crossed a major item off his bucket list....he ran and finished his first marathon!!!

As if training for 4 months in temperatures ranging from 107 to the 30s and running over 400 miles in the process wasn't enough, Mother Nature decided to torture him today of all days.  His first marathon (and last if you ask him...today) had to be in the freezing cold rain!  So, sweet Ames, we are so very proud of you.  What an amazing lesson you taught our children today about setting a goal and working to meet it...no matter what gets in the way.  Quite an accomplishment...we always knew you could do it!  Way to rock the Rock!

I wish...

Bulk Trash Man: Y'all getting a new bathroom for Christmas this year?
Me: I wish, but sadly, no.
Bulk Trash Man: Then what's this toilet for?
Me: My husband and I just turned 40.
Bulk Trash Man: (with very confused look on his face) Oh.  Ok, then.

I guess he didn't have a toilet with balloons coming out of it in his front yard on his 40th.  Maybe he'll start that lovely tradition in his neighborhood.  

Legos - we are in a love/hate relationship

Ah, Legos. It is Christmas time again, and on each of my boys' lists -- Legos.  How could we possibly need more Legos.  We currently have a box the size of a small boat full to the rim with Legos.  That does not account for the Legos that are not in the box because they are ... on the kitchen counter, in the bathtub, under the sofa, under the beds, lining the baseboards down the hall, on bookshelves, in drawers, even in the fireplace (note: must discuss that one with Jack), and always lurking, pointy-side up somewhere in the darkness, in the carpet, waiting for you to dare to walk through barefooted and quiet to check on your children each night.  Many a war has been fought over "that special piece I NEED" to make the coolest thing EVER!!  But also, many an hour has been spent, peacefully playing together, encouraging one another, creating and imagining all sorts of wonderful things to make.

So, off I go again...online and to the store...to purchase more dreaded/delightful...Legos.

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