No Offense, Mom But...

Rushing around the other morning trying in our usual chaotic way of getting ready for school on time, my youngest pipes up, "No offense, mom, but I know a lot of crazy people and you are the craziest." I don't think of that as an insult in any way. Why be normal? Normal is boring.

The Doctor Told Daddy

The car conversations continue... Taylor announced the other day, "I like going to Daddy's better now. We don't have to bring wood in any more because the doctor told daddy he needs to get some exercise. He brings in all the wood now." This led into a conversation around how things are after the separation as in "Daddy doesn't have a wife to do things for him now so he buys pizza instead of making it."

One or Two Children?

Kids ask the darnedest things in the strangest of places. Pulling through the bank drive through today, attempting to extract money for a pricy plumbing job, Kenzie (now 8 years old) decided to ask a question. "Mum, I've wanted to ask you for a while. If you have one child, do you have to do it to have another child?" It took me a while to clue in as my brain is in too many places. "Have sex?" "Yes." Taylor pipes in, "not if you have twins." Kenzie, "ew." Taylor, "I'm only going to have one child if I have a lazy husband like daddy used to be. I'll have two if I have a husband who helps."

French Immersion

I was so happy to hear my eldest daughter tell me - twice - while we were camping that she wants to put her children into French Immersion like I did. She says she enjoys it and it helps get jobs like working in the National Parks or talking to people who know French. All that angst about whether to put her in FI 6 years ago or not to. ah...

Am I Smarter than a Fifth Grader?

Today I pondered outloud at the supper table, "On the news today they showed a blue lobster. I wonder how it became blue." With no hesitation and a voice full of confidence my 10 year old answered, "some lobsters live in rivers and are blue." She had also asked me earlier while we were hanging out the clothes why I have so much useless information in my head when I forget important stuff. I had just told her about Daryl, and his brother Larry and his other brother Larry from Newhart from the tv show I watched decades ago. She said, "I only have important stuff in my head because I watch educational shows." She proved this later with her river lobsters are blue information. My response, "And what are the words to the iCarly television show." Of course, she knew them as well. Are you smarter than a fifth grader?

I Bet You Want to Know?

30 March 2013 We had our cousins outdoor Easter egg hunt earlier this year; before Easter rather than afterwards. While the kids were sorting through their assortment of goodies on the living room floor, my youngest looked up at me and asked, "I bet you want to know which I like better?" Of course I had no idea where she was coming from. "Like what better?" "Do I like the Easter egg hunt with the cousins or the Easter bunny egg hunt better?" pause... "Which egg hunt do you like better? The one with your cousins or on Easter?" "I like the hunt with the cousins the best. It's fun and we get to be together."

Innocence of Childhood

My eight year old asked me (while watching a PG movie at home), "How could that happen if they weren't married?" Ah, to have such a black and white view of the world. I told her rather bluntly, "they had sex." Her response made me smirk, "why would they do that?" I sighed internally knowing we haven't gotten to that bridge just yet. "Because it's fun." "Ewwww." Was her response and that works quite well for me. I just wonder how long that was of thinking will last. 23 march 2013

Go Back to Bed, Mommy

When I got up this morning, I was told to go back to bed. Kenzie brought me breakfast in bed: eggs, ham, rice cakes, apple, orange, and cookies Taylor made. yummy! She also had three birthday cards that she made and pipe cleaner creations she had also made. One even spelled out the words, "I love Mommy." 27 February 2012

Going to the Rodents

Kenzie woke me up early this morning to get me to drive her to the pet store. She and Taylor wanted to rescue two of the fancy mice from being snake food. So about an hour later, they have a mouse each - with their own money from the tooth fairy and chores. I didn't want to discourage helping animals though I pointed out it is the circle of life. I think my house is going to the rodents. It had been going to the dogs. 23 June 2012

Miracles Do Happen

Something amazing happened tonight. I took my 7 and 9 year old girls to see Madagascar 3. Shocking that it cost me $35 for the 3 of us. The amazing part is that my 7 year old used her own money, $28 of it, that she had been saving for an ipod, to buy us all treats: Coke slushies, skittles, popcorn, DQ blizzard, and onion rings. She said she just wanted us to all have a good time together. She doesn't want an ipod any more. She doesn't want one even if her friends tease her that she doesn't have one. And that she wants a picture of all her family members for her birthday; not an ipod. See, miracles do happen. 10 June 2012