Call Me Maybe

Admittedly, their verses need some work, but overall, I'd have to say who wouldn't want to call these cuties!

George's Thoughts on the Existence of Santa Claus

****** It's been a while since I've posted anything about Agatha the Gift Bearing Beagle, so if you've forgotten or you need Agatha explained, take a minute to refresh, it will make this post make more sense. ******


Geo has been spending a lot of time reading Calvin and Hobbes.  He likes to read them out loud to us as we're in the car which is rather unfortunate because so much of the comic, like his other favorite, The Far Side, needs to be seen to be fully understood.  But he's reading so we're happy. 

But the real problem with Calvin and Hobbes is that it introduces some pretty big areas of question for his growing mind.  And I'm not referring to communism, capitalism, or the differences between boys and girls- I'm referring to questions about Santa.

So the other day in the ISH and Geo are whispering in the back of the car, and suddenly, in a bit of a panic ISH states: Geo says that Santa's not real!

Me: Geo?  Did you tell him that?

Geo: Yes.

Me: Why?

Geo: Because he's not.

Me: Oh? Where did you hear that?

ISH: So he is real? (and he turns to give a smug look to his brother)

Me: I'm didn't say that, I'm just asking who told him that.

Geo: No one.  I just figured it out by myself.

Me: So you're saying there's no such thing as Santa or Agatha or.....

Geo: Oh no!  Agatha's real.  It's just Santa who's made up.


 

The 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition

One of the realities of raising boys in this sex-crazed-soft-porn-is-acceptable little world is the difficultly that it is to protect the boys of having such images burned into their little brains at an early age.

 I remember reading a story somewhere or hearing advice once about a mom who avoided the check out lines with magazines to protect her children from the sexualization displayed on the covers, opting to have a battle over candy bars now rather than facing other more subliminally ingrained battles later.

I remember there was a time I took that advice to heart, but somewhere along the way I forgot it.

Until today.

Today ISH and I were on our regular Monday grocery run and, after scoping outing which line was the shortest, I pulled into lane 8. And what should be there as a last ditch effort for an impulse buy but this season's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.

"Ugh!" I thought.  "Lord please protect my boys."

And as the words were going from my mind to the Father ISH says "Oh."

"Oh?" I replied

"Oh, that-" he said pointing to the SI cover.

"Oh :( " I thought

"-that is really inappropriate." ISH said with as much disdain as can come from a six-year-old lisp-y little mouth.

"Yes. It is." I said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Why do they want to put that on the cover?" ISH asked me.

"Because some men like her and some women want to be her and they think it's a good way to sell magazines."

"Well I don't."  (Lord keep this innocence about him)

"Me neither buddy." I said as I started to put my groceries on the checkout line belt feeling as though I had somehow avoided a storm.

"Now that-" he said with his eyes getting bigger, pointing the Food Network Magazine cover of a Bacon, Egg, and Cheese tart, "that's what they need to have on the cover.  That's what they need more of."

I giggled.

"Yes buddy, I agree."

 

Clarification- I've Never Lived in Mexico

While riding in the car on the way home from Sonshine School is begins to divulge what he told the lady who drives the pick up van.

"I told her we use to live in Mexico." He said quite proud of himself.

"ISH! You can't tell people that." I replied

"Why not?"

"Well, for starters, it's not true."

He sat there looking a bit puzzled.  So I tried to explain a little better why this might become complicated in case the whole fiction-reality thing wasn't enough for him.

"What if one of the teachers comes to ask me why we lived in Mexico or what about this or that about Mexico. I wouldn't know what to say because we have never. live. in. Mexico."

"Oh don't worry about that." He assured me.  "I listened very well in my World Explorers class when we studied about Mexico. I told her all she'd ever need to know.  There won't be a need to ask you questions about anything."

Sock Monkey

In 3rd grade the kids have monthly projects to help them learn about something or another. This month's project was to read a non-fiction book about an animal and make a power point, diorama or 3-D model of the animal.

Geo really wanted to do his project on a tiger, but he was beaten to the punch by another classmate, so he "settled" for the red crowned mangabey monkey (aka the red capped mangabey).

Geo was going to do a power point for his presentation complete with "all those fun things that spin and turn" and I think LK (a power point truest who believes they are actually better sans flying graphics and about 75% of the words most people fit on one slide) almost had to disown him.

Thankfully peace (and inheritance) was managed to remain intact with the suggestion of making a 3-D SOCK MONKEY!!!!

But since this was Geo's project- it's wasn't going to be me making this monkey- Geo had to do his fair share.  So he helped measure where to cut (socks provided by LK).

 (Don't worry about Geo huge hand there the left.  It's actually mine)

Then, because I have this fear of sewing machine needles going through fingernails (I'm not sure where I got from but man I have it!) I only let Geo help with the foot of the machine while I ran the fabric through.  He did a great job keeping the pressure even.

He also had to help me stuff the monkey.

(Ish is very excited that the monkey is getting some depth to him)

He helped sew him up once he was stuffed.

He helped me layout the tail.  Red crowned mangabeys have a white tip on the tail so we used part of a white sock turned inside out on the tip to give a "realistic" look.

He helped sew all the arms and legs and ears and the tail on by hand.

And he helped tie on the 457 pieces of red, orange and brown embroidery floss to make the crown.

He did a great job working on his first sewing project!

And I think we got a pretty good likeness to the real thing:

Now if only we can calm down all of his late night monkey business

Sorry ... I really am. ... But you know ... it had to be said :)

Soccer

ISH has decided to take a break from karate to try his hand at soccer.

To help get him ready for "clump ball"* LK went and got him a ball and they spent time on Saturday practicing kicking and scoring into an old soccer net the previous owners left with the house.

Today ISH asked if I wanted to come and practice.  My job was to try and kick it into the net because, he explained, he enjoyed being goalie best.

But, every time I kicked it towards him he'd shreeeeeeeek and fall to the ground.

"ISH," I said as kindly and as supportive as I could, "I don't think the job of the goalie to scream and fall to the ground every time the ball comes near him."

"Oh," ISH stated rather of mater-of-factly, "apparently it is."

This coach is going to have his work cut out for him that's for sure.


*for all you non-children homes out there clump ball is the act of small children clumping around a soccer ball and following it around the field instead of playing actual positions. For example

Piano Recital

This one is really for the grandparents and those who want to oooo and aaaaa over the boys playing their piano pieces.
Actually, for ISH only having started in September, I'm pretty impressed with his willingness to hop up there and play. Geo gave him some good coaching on how to not be nervous.
I was proud of how well both of them did. Good on ya boys.

Thanksgiving

We had a lovely time at my parent's for Thanksgiving. It was quieter this year with only my parents, my family and Grannie- a whole lot calmer than the Thanksgiving of my youth with me and my cousins running through Grannie's house, eating all the good nuts out of the mixed nuts bowl. But it was good all the same.

One of the sweetest moments came when my dad and ISH put on a concert for us (at ISH's request). ISH has been in piano since September a he combined his two memorized songs to make one lovely piece. The first video is their first run at it. The second is when Dad figured out a better way to play his part.





What was your favorite part of the Thanksgiving break?

The Season of Giving

ISH: Mommy, today in Bible class we talked about how there are some people in the world that don't have as much as we do and it's hard for them especially at Christmas. And so I was thinking, maybe I can go through my toys and get out the ones I don't play with much any more and we can give them to kids who don't have a lot of toys.

Me (feeling proud of the spiritual height he has reached at such a young age): Sure buddy. That would be a great thing to do.

ISH: Like maybe I can give them my broken slinky.

FOOD FIGHT!

Today is C's 100th day with us! What blessing to have her with us... though after today ... she might be having second thoughts.

But then... what else is there to do on a sunny Saturday in May but have a food fight.  Yes, you heard right.  Food. Fight (and yes, I questioned my sanity going into this whole thing).

But it all came together as a result of the seed the Diary of a Whimpy Kid books planted in Geo's mind.  And so I went with it.

A full on ...

Baked beans and chocolate sauce ...

Whipped cream and mustard....

Flour and tomato sauce ...

Mashed potatoes, strawberry syrup, and cereal FOOD FIGHT!

And in the end, we had a group of very messy people...

And one excited boy, ready to mark "Have a food fight" off his list of things to do before he's old.

Click here to check out all 151 photos (we put the camera on a timer and went to town)

WHAT?

I was cleaning out the garage yesterday - moving things from place to place trying to clean up the aftermath of our half-year-back move.  While I'm working ISH looks at me from his spot on the floor where he had spent the last half-hour coloring.  "Wow Mommy.  You've moved a lot of stuff.  That's some hard work .... (wait for it)... for a woman."

WHAT?

So I'm not sure who of you out there taught him this or thinks it's funny. ... But I have my guesses .... and you're all in trouble!

Random Thought Thursday: Gifts

What time is it: 1007A

Where am I: standing at the kitchen counter, trying to fit a blog post in at least once this week

Last ate: Hmm... I think I ate breakfast. That or the Altoid is holding me over well. So let's go with breakfast

Listening to: the electricians in the dining room-- new dining room light goes up today!

Thoughts: ISH is a very thoughtful child. Should he choose to marry, he will certainly be a good catch one day.

 Why is this? He knows the way to a woman's heart is thoughtful gifts. He's forever brining me treasures from the outside to brighten my day.

"I brought you this leaf because it has some black on and and I know black is your favorite color."

So sweet.

However.... last night's gift left on my bedside table might need a Mulligan.

Thanks for the effort though little one.

Promises Promises

Tonight at a group activity, the kids were suppose to write down things they are good at doing.  ISH proudly showed me his badge:

I AM GOOD AT:
making promises

"That's great Buddy," I said. "Are you also good at keeping the ones you make?"

"Oh Mommy," ISH replied with a bit of a five-year-old twinkly eye roll.  "I'm not so good at that."

Overheard

ISH (while holding up a cup to his ear): Listen! I hear the ocean. .... (pause while concentrates on the sound in the cup) ... must be a red flag day.
Me: Why's that bud?
ISH: I can't hear anyone playing in there.

ISH (while staring in awe at the genius of Phineas and Ferb): How do they get all that done in 104 days?  

Geo: They must be fast builders.

RTT: Before I Get Old

What time is it: 1007p

Where am I: at kitchen table making my way towards bed-- trying to be better about getting up early means needing to equally be better at going to bed earlier.

Listening to: two fridges dueling it out-- need to move borrowed fridge out now that real fridge is here. REAL FRIDGE IS HERE!!!

Thoughts:
Geo has really been into the Diary of a Whimpy Kid Books so for Christmas we got him the Do-It-Yourself book.  Within the book there is a list of "Things You Should Do Before You Get Old."  I was pretty proud of the fact that I could check off many things on the list.  But one of them- one of them has alway alluded me.  Until tonight.

Tonight I win.  Tonight I made it through a whole lollipop without biting it.  And a toostie roll pop at that. Check!

RTT: Truly Random

What time is it: 936p

Where am I: at the new kitchen table at New House. HORRAY!

Listening to: LK clean up from dinner (I married a great man!)

Last ate: Hearty Beef Stew with warm rolls, but I'm contemplating trying out the pumpkin cream cheese muffins Flower brought over tonight.

Thoughts: I think it's been a month since I officially did a RTT. It's hard to describe the last month except the say that after the contract went bust, we still decided to mostly move and have been living with borrowed furniture and sleeping on air mattresses. But it's not as bad as it sounds. How great is it to be able to fold up your dining room table and chairs when not in use ... we really need to have a bowling contest in there before the real table comes. And as I've been saying, nothing shows how much a man loves his wife as when he inflates her bed for her in the evening. And I say her bed because yes, we are on separate twin air mattresses. Just call us Ozzie and Harriet.

I picked up a paint brush for the first time in a month today. Something about that dining room ceiling- it's the one thing that needs to be done before the large furniture arrives and the one thing I can't get motivated to finish. But T- 6 days til move in so I best get after it.

ISH and I had the best belly laugh tonight as I was trying to get him ready for bed. It was in no uncertain terms completely unproductive for bed-time readiness but it was equally in no uncertain terms one of those moments I wanted to freeze frame forever. Click.

LK is now off to play a game of "old men basketball." My parting words to him before such games: remember your insurance card. Yup, not as cool for sure.

Not As Cool As I Think I Am

Geo to me: Sometimes you say something to Daddy and you both laugh like Ha Ha Ha Ha. But what you said, it's really not funny.

Thanks buddy.

Blast Off!

We had a busy weekend full of five-year-olds, birthday fun, family, and the debut of the Rockets!  If you look closely you'll see Gray # 3 skipping (dare I say dancing) down the court and the occasional stare off into the stratosphere.  But overall the team did great and Geo even had two assists!  And even though Upward Sports doesn't keep score for the 2nd/3rd grade team Geo logged every shot and proudly announced they won by 2.



He even gets a few dribbles in on this one.  If you listen close you can hear the coaches calling trying to get his attention (to no real success.)



Oh and look around 2 minutes in to see a kid have the ball bounce out of his hands and hit himself on the head-- and no, it wasn't my kid.

Wailing in the New Year

Here's to hoping the wailing that is coming from my youngest's bedroom is not indicative of the year to come.

Hoping the noise makers at your new year's party a less organic than mine.

Agatha Explained

In more than one post I've referenced Agatha the Gift-bearing Beagle and if you've spent much time around my children it's likely that they've asked you if you've ever heard of her.  So here it is, Agatha explained.

When LK and I moved to Memphis for his graduate work we bought a house.  Sure we calculated that 5 years in a house given the down payment we could make would make more financial sense than renting. And sure, we determined we'd be able to house overnight guests better in a house.  But really, I mean really really, we got a house so we could get a dog.

So, less than a week after moving in LK and I were at the pound- believing that we would show our heroic side by rescuing one of their caged pets.  We chose Keebler- a German Shepherd mix who was on death row.  We paid our money and went home with happy expectation that following a routine examine and spaying Keebler would be ours.  We went an even bought toys and a bandana for her to wear. We were excited.

Two days passed and back to the pound we went.

But at the pound the worker, who himself looked like the human version of the unwanted pets he watched over, told us that that dog had parvo and distemper and they'd dun put her down.

You could physically see my heartbreak.

Okay, Okay- we said, so what can we do now?  And we were told we could choose another dog.  So we did.  This time we chose a puppy- sure that a puppy would be healthy enough to survive the two day physical.

Two days had pass, and many phone calls to the pound to make sure the do was okay, and back to the pound we went.  But when we arrived, heartbreak again as we were told that dog had heartworms and they put him down.

No- no! LK told them- you killed our last dog.  This dog you just told us not more than an hour ago was ready to take home.

We couldn't bare the heartbreak of choosing another dog only to have the Memphis pound kill it, so the worker directed us to a "pet store."

We were not only first time home buyers, we were first time pet buyers so we didn't know about the whole puppy mill situation, we just knew that here was a place that would have a dog we could take home that day, and that was good enough for us.

LK told the work about his dream of having a dog that would catch a frisbee off leash at the park the way the dogs did at the beginning of The Flight of the Navigator.

The workers eyes lit up.  If you want a dog you can let off leash, a good dog that doesn't bark or dig and is so easy to train, a dog you can let off leash while you play at the park, a dog that hardly sheds ... you need a beagle.

Clearly "stupid" was tattooed across our forehead.

We paid more than one month's house payment and took the beagle home, naming her Agatha, Greek for a "good thing."

Within one week, after the dog had dug up and eaten flowers out of the backyard, after the dog spent all night barking and baying, after the dog had eaten part of the mask I'd bought in Venice, after the dog defiantly peed on our bed while looking at us, and after the dog had shed balls of hair in every corner of the house and scaled the fence to run away- I looked at LK and told him to take this hellion dog back to that woman and tell her that she LIED!!!!

Overtime Agatha and I would grow to love each other and in December, when LK and I celebrated our first Christmas away from family- I decided Agatha should buy us a gift.  She was well aware of the massive leaf situation we had with all the old trees in our yard and thoughtfully bought us a leaf blower.

Since that year Agatha has brought us presents each year and well before the boys knew that there was a man name Santa, they knew Agatha the Gift Bearing Beagle would bring them presents.

They've even asked if she'll be able to find us at the new house.  And LK assured them that just like when she would run away back in our Memphis days and find her way home, she would find the new house. And she did.

So here is to hoping Agatha brought you all your heart desired.