I know how he feels

Max walked into my bedroom last night and said:

"My brain hates me...it never lets me remember stuff I need to remember."

This was his clever way of leading up to telling me that he hadn't done the couple of jobs I'd asked him to do. But I truly could relate. Sometimes it really feels like my brain hates me, too. (Though that's not my excuse for my pathetic performance on yesterday's to-do list.)

a snippet of dinner conversation

Annie: I've decided that I want another job, along with being a vet, an author, and a wildlife photographer.

Me: Do tell.

Annie: I want to work for the CIA.

Max: I want to be a superhero when I grow up.

Rich: What about you Gray?

Gray: I want to be an evil clown.

--So, do you think we should be worrying? Or is he just getting into the spirit of the season?

utter silliness

A breakfast table conversation...

Gray: "Mom, why did you give me such a dumb name?"

Me: "I absolutely love your name! Why, what are you going to name your kid?"

Gray, without hesitation: "Pooh."

Me: "Pooh?"

Gray: "Yeah, it's a bear name."

Annie: "Kids will make fun of him at school."

Max: "I'm naming my kid Funk."

Gray: "O.K., if I have a boy, I'll name him Ironman. And if I have a girl, she'll be The Incredible Hulk."

Carl, I'm afraid I'm going to have to hold you personally responsible if I end up with grandchildren named Ironman and The Incredible Hulk! :)

his best day ever

We decided to go out and run errands as a family Friday evening...and then we got really wild and decided to splurge on dinner out. We hit the only decent Mexican restaurant in the area (good Mexican restaurants are something we have sorely missed since moving here).

Anyway, we had a wonderfully friendly waitress. When she came for our drink order, she patiently listed all the drinks the kids could choose from. The very last drink she mentioned was "Mexican orange soda"...well, they jumped all over that. Pop, in general, is a big treat for them (as their mean old mom and dad rarely let them have it), but having "Mexican" in its name just seemed to add to the thrill. And their happiness increased exponentially when the waitress brought their drinks, for it came in bottles! They'd never seen pop in bottles before (yeah, I know, we really need to let them out the cave a little more often, huh?). As their bottles were set on the table, Gray says, "It's just like beer."

We all sit and munch on chips and salsa, and then enjoy a wonderfully delicious meal. And when we've all finished, the waitress brings the kids some individually wrapped Life Savers. Gray obviously can't believe his luck, for he leans back contentedly against his seat, sighs, and says a little too loudly, "This is the best day ever. First I get drunk, and then I get candy!"

Rich and I laughed so hard we had tears streaming down our cheeks. (Of course, we were also looking around for anyone surreptitiously using their cell phones to call Child Protective Services.)

book power

Me: What's on your to-do list for today?

Annie: Write thank you notes. Finish watching our Frida Kahlo movie. Write some book reviews. And read, read, read. That's one thing I have to do, because I run on book power.

hmmm...

"I often dream of traveling the world on my own."

These are the exact words spoken to me by Gray last night. On the surface, nothing particularly unusual, I suppose. But these words were uttered from a mattress on the floor of my bedroom as I sat there reading. From a mattress on the floor of my bedroom, because that is where he's slept for the past many months. I guess traveling the world on his own is no big deal...as long as he doesn't have to venture into his own bedroom solo. :)

******

I'm sure it's simply shocking news to hear, but I signed up for the Novella Challenge.

sweet innocence

A few nights ago at supper, Gray asked a doozie..."Why are we at war in Iraq?"

I must admit, I was inwardly groaning, really not wanting to go there. But before I can think of any sensible words to begin this discussion, Rich picks up the ball. "The president said that the leader of Iraq had some really, really bad weapons."

Max interrupts, "He said he had matches?"

Holding back laughter, Rich and I say together, "No, even worse weapons than that."

Max, with incredulity in his voice, "Swords?!!"

Well, bless your sweet little heart, Maxidoodle! I certainly wish matches and swords were the worst weapons this world had to contend with! And may you keep that sweet childhood innocence for as long as possible!

kid logic

"Multiples of five are crazy."

This is what Gray said to me this morning. I was baffled. For one thing, I had no idea he knew what a multiple was. But mostly because I just didn't understand why he would say they were crazy. So I give him that "I don't understand...could you please explain?" look.

He just points across the room to where his brother and sister are in the midst of silly fit. It took me a second to comprehend, but then it clicked...Max is 5 and Annie is 10.

Couldn't argue with his conclusions.

babbling, mostly about books

Just the other day, Max sat scratching his little legs and said to me, "I hate winter! It's itchy and I can't ride my bike."

While I'm right there with him on the whole issue of dry winter skin, I really couldn't disagree more about winter in general. I've always loved winter. Heck, I love each and every season. But dang, this winter has been a real let-down. We've just had so little of the beautiful white flakes this year. They're saying that the storm that's arriving now should leave us with 12-16" by tomorrow morning, but at this point I'm not holding my breath. Crossing my fingers, yes, but not holding my breath.

But snow is not supposed to be the subject of this post. Books are. Book reviews, specifically. I'd really like to get caught up. Ah, but first I must admit failure in Kailana's Four-Legged Friends Reading Challenge. But failure's relative, right? I did read two pretty darn enjoyable books because of this challenge (Charlotte's Web and The Tale of Despereaux). Oooh, if I stick in Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM (which wasn't on my list, but I did read) for Ginger Pye (which was on my list, but I didn't read), I could really count this as a "win"...but I guess that's kinda cheating at this point, huh? Anyway, thank you Kailana for a wonderful challenge!

Hmmm...what can I ramble on about now to get out of these blasted book reviews? Yes, I'm pathetic. Truly pathetic.


Oh O.K.--I Was a Rat, by Philip Pullman. Loved this book! Loved, loved, loved it! It was so utterly charming! I knew that Annie and I had to read this one for our fairy tale exploration after reading Nymeth's wonderful review. Yes, it is a fairy tale retold. But no, I won't tell you which one. You really don't want the surprise ruined, do you?

The story begins with the arrival of a little boy to the door of Bob and Joan, an older childless couple. Bob, a cobbler, and Joan, a washerwoman, had always wanted a child, but it just never happened for them. The little boy knocked on their door and announced, "I was a rat." No explanation, just "I was a rat."

Roger, as the couple starts calling him, is a sweet, lovable fellow, but one who tends to gnaw the most unusual things. And he has a knack for landing himself in trouble, though really through no fault of his own. When Roger first shows up on their doorstep, Bob and Joan try to do the right thing and find out where this little guy belongs. They try the police and the hospital, but really get nowhere with a host of very unhelpful people. The dear couple without openly discussing it, just take Roger in as their own. But then trouble strikes and Roger is lost. He encounters a host of quite unscrupulous characters, before Bob and Joan once again find him. And even then Roger isn't safe...it takes a princess to come to the rescue (this is a fairy tale, after all).

As I said, it is an utterly charming book. Perfectly delightful.

Though not my original choice, this book is filling in the animal category for Annie's What's In a Name Challenge. It also fulfills another slot in Ariel's Unread Authors Challenge...can you believe this is the first Philip Pullman book I've read (shame on me!). And last but not least, this will fill in the "I title" slot in Joy's A-Z Challenge.













Well, damn. Once again, I really wanted to get caught up on my reviews, and once again, I just can't seem to do it. Guess I'm only good for one at a time. There's always tomorrow, right?

a taste of freedom

This shall be an odd week for me. And I think I'm going to thoroughly enjoy it! I will actually be experiencing 3 hours of "alone time" each afternoon this week. Ahhhh. And as if that wasn't treat enough, I will then be getting much of the weekend all to myself as well!

Annie is off with my parents for the week (they'll be bringing her back on Sunday). Which means that each afternoon while Max is in school, I shall be luxuriating in blissful silence. Don't get me wrong...I am missing Annie. We all are. As Max said, "But everything's more fun when Annie's here." (Melted my heart to hear him say that!)

But that doesn't change the fact that I plan to take full advantage of this nearly unheard free time. I shall spend 3 straight hours each day working on lesson plans, etc. Maybe that doesn't sound all that fun, but it will actually be a treat to just get to work uninterrupted by "Mom, can you pour me some milk?"..."Mom! Max spilled his milk!"..."Mom! Gray punched me!"..."Mom! Max took my deinonychus!"..."Mom, can I have a snack?"..."Mom! Aldo threw up on Dad's chair!"..."Mom, can I have my markers out of the penalty box yet?"...

Besides, I plan on accomplishing so much that I will refuse to feel guilty when I take the weekend off! Yes, a weekend off! Rich is taking Gray and Max off for a "boys weekend"! They don't have a clue where they're going yet, but Rich insisted on doing this so I would be free to participate in Dewey's Readathon. Oh, how I love that man!

Now the Readathon doesn't start until 9:00am here (if I figured out the whole time zone thing correctly, that is), so that means I will also have Friday evening all to myself. Scrapbook room, here I come!

Forgive me for this silly babbling, but in case you couldn't tell, I'm a wee bit excited!

a different perspective

I admit it...I love all times of the year. I feel so lucky to live in a place where we get to fully enjoy each and every season. Each season has such wonderful things to offer.

And here we are in October already...how did that happen, by the way?!! October is such a delightful month. One with a uniqueness unparalleled. I mean, when else do we get to carve pumpkins and put on costumes and eat unhealthy amounts of candy and celebrate all that scares us silly? The air is cooler and holds that refreshing crispness, the cornfields take on that "autumn look", the trees paint the hillsides.

This October may be a bit different around here this year though. Gray (self-proclaimed "medium kid") is really going through a "terrified of his own shadow" phase. We're going to have to be careful about our nightly Halloween reads this year. And the movies we choose for the haunting season. I even had to pack a few decorations back up that were simply too much for him.

That's just fine though. For all we forego on his account this year, he'll give back tenfold. Gray, with all his sensitivity, brings us gifts of his own uniqueness. He makes us ponder with his limitless curiousity...last night he asked us what number came right before infinity. And he never fails to astound us and make us smile with his boundless creativity.

And you know, he's even adding his own little imagination into this season of spooks and chills. At the supper table the other night, we were all discussing the things that scare us. Annie said she was afraid of sliding down the pole at the playground. And she was also afraid of spiders. Ever-brave Max declared he wasn't afraid of anything.

Then Gray spoke up. "I'm afraid of being alone."

Short pause.

"In a big room."

Another short pause.

"With marble floors."

Gotta say, he gave me a little shiver there.

always good for a laugh

As I was folding laundry this evening, Max walked into the bedroom and announced, "I don't need a real bath tonight. I'm just gonna take a kitty bath." He immediately started licking his arms.

Now this behavior didn't surprise me in the least. He is our third child, after all, and this sort of thing seems to be some kind of rite of passage or something. Or maybe my kids are just weird.

Anyway, I said to him, "Well, that's a kitty bath alright, but isn't it kinda gross?"

He paused in his licking a moment, looked up at me, and said very seriously, "Yeah, and it's kinda spicy, too."

milestones

Our darling little Maxidoodle is a challenge like we've never faced. It would be hard to count how many times a day I must force myself to take a deep breath before dealing with his latest antic. We are constantly saying that he is incredibly blessed to be so cute and so funny.

But for all his trouble-making prowess, his newfound belligerence, and his lack of self-control, he is still one of the sweetest little creatures on the face of the earth. He's affectionate, and happy, and just plain adorable. And it is a wonderful gift to see the world through his 4-year-old eyes from time to time.

He put the biggest smiles on our faces the other day. Rich was talking with him about starting kindergarten in the fall. He was telling Max that he would still be 4-years-old when he started, but he would turn 5 pretty soon after that. You could see something dawned on him as his eyes grew large. "That's a whole hand!" he said in something that resembled awe.

in the genes...

Grandpa, the chemist. Daddy, the biologist. And now Max, the...hmmmm. Biochemist, maybe?

The last few days, the boys have been having the time of their lives "experimenting" in the backyard. Daddy was even so kind as to give them some plastic beakers. They have been gathering up all manner of reactants, reagents, solvents (O.K.--I have know idea what to call them...I'm not a chemist. I'm a wife'n'mom...I really just want to call them ingredients.) Anyway, we're talking berries, pine cones, leaves, maple seeds, sand, etc. And water. Lots and lots of water.

Well, the other day, I was inside folding laundry. Am I ever NOT folding laundry?!! Anyway, I hear Gray yelling, "I'm gonna tell Mom! I mean it...you better go tell her, or I'm going to!" Not actually giving Max a chance to 'fess up himself, Gray was in the door, down the hall, and ratting his brother out in approximately 5 seconds. I had already heaved that all-important sigh. Then Gray blurts out, "Max went in the bushes and peed in his cup and then poured it in his experiment!"

Needless to say, there was no holding back the laughter! I tried. Really I did.

Gray runs to the back door yelling, "Don't worry, Max. Mom's not mad. She's laughing!"

I did go out to ask Max about his "little experiment" and yes, to clean up the results. In his sweet little 4-year-old voice, he told me, "I needed a new chemical." Guess, you can't argue with science, huh?

is it that bad?!!

While driving home from preschool today, we passed a dead skunk. Max exclaimed, "I smell Baker!"

Baker is apparently overdue for a bath.

lest I forget (update)

Well, Mr. Maxwell has out-smarted his dumb ol' mommy. Last night when I tucked him into bed, I reminded him that he said he was going to start listening to me tomorrow. He assured me that he remembered.

Today arrived. We made it until nearly 11:00am before I asked him to do something that he didn't want to do. "Maxie," I said, "you promised me you were going to listen to me today, remember?"

"No," he said, with an ear-to-ear grin on his face, "I said tomorrow. It's only today." If I didn't know better, I'd swear he had that planned all along.

lest I forget...

Just a couple things from the mouths of babes...

*At supper two nights ago, Gray asked, "How did they first make plastic?"

To which Rich answered, "I'm not really sure. We'll have to ask Grandpa." Because Grandpa is a chemist.

Gray, however, obviously thought there was a different reason that Grandpa would know...in this very incredulous voice, he asked, "Grandpa was a caveman?"

Needless to say, Rich and I nearly rolled out of our seats laughing before explaining that plastics have not been around nearly that long!

*Max has been especially challenging lately. He just won't seem to do anything I ask these days. It's been very exasperating. After supper yesterday, he asked me if I would help him brush his teeth. And in a very mature (ha!) manner, I answered, "I don't know; will you start doing what I ask?"

He quickly answers, "Yes." He obviously put no thought into what I'd actually said. So I said, "And WHEN will you start listening?"...fully expecting him to say, "Now."

But he paused thoughtfully, then looked up at me and said in the sweetest little voice, "How about tomorrow?"

little bits of this and that

*First let me say, I have no right to complain (zero, zilch, nada). I am not a basketball fan. Certainly not the NBA, and frankly, not of college ball either. So like I said no right to complain. Yet, for some reason, the last 2 seasons when Memphis has made it to the Sweet Sixteen, we have gotten really excited around here. (That personal connection, I guess. Having lived there for 4 years. It's where Rich got his PhD. Spent lots of time on the campus.) So anyway, we are really fired up to watch the game last night. And what happens? Well, of course, they don't show it here. I know, I know--no right to complain. But still we were mighty bummed! We did watch the end of the Kansas/SIU game, mostly in hopes that they would switch to the Memphis game after it ended. And hooray, they did...so we got to see the last 6 minutes. And frankly, those last minutes are the most exciting anyway, right? Anyway...way to go, Memphis! And good luck!

*I'm still really excited about the Spring Reading Thing! It has me all energized to get a pile of reading done. In fact, I've been wishing ever since I posted my list yesterday that I'd made it longer. So, last night, after those 6 minutes of the Memphis game, I was all ready to put a big dent in the last 100 pages of Executive Orders. But I'm sad to say, that didn't really happen. The book has really bogged down for me. A war has begun, and all of Clancy's excrutiating detail about vehicles and equipment and maneuvers is simply boring me to tears! I stuck it out for as long as I could keep my eyes open, but didn't make all that much progress. Oh well.

*Just a couple of goofy things that I've been told this morning:
--"I want a toothbrush that plays rock 'n roll in my mouth." (Max) Don't tell me...there probably is such a thing.
--"I could go to school without any underwear and no one would even know." (Gray)

*Gray is going to buy his lunch at school today! Hooray! This is quite a rare event. And frankly, I should not be happy about it. It's so much more expensive than packing his lunch. But for some reason, I hate packing lunches. (Should have put that on this week's 10 on Tuesday.) Don't ask me why...it's not like it's a tough job or even all that time-consuming. I mean, how hard is it to throw together a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (the only kind he'll eat at school, though he'll eat other kinds at home), add some fruit, and some fig newtons or the equivalent, and zip it all into his Pokemon lunchbox (a wonderful thrift store find), right? And yet for some reason, it's just one of those jobs that I despise doing.

*Max just asked me to wrap some of his toys so he could pretend it's his birthday. Maybe I'll even do it while he's in preschool today...easy way to make one little boy very happy. But anyway, that got me thinking about Annie's birthday again. I have got to get busy on that front! I haven't done anything to get ready yet. Nor made any Easter preparations. Which this year is the same day as Annie's birthday, further complicating matters. Since she's homeschooled, it's tough to get out there and shop for her, without her in tow. Of course, the bulk of her present will probably be a big Barnes&Noble gift card...that will make for an immensely happy young girl!

I Never Claimed We Were Classy

A snippet of "conversation" from the dinner table last night...

Max (age 4): Dad-what if you were standing in front of one hundred people and you were singing and then your pants fell down?

Annie (age 9): At least you had underwear on.

Gray (age 6): Yah, but then they fell down too.

Guess I should just be thankful we didn't have guests for dinner.

and more sweetness...

Me: "I love you sooooo much!"

Max: "I love you sooooo much, too. All the way to outer space!"