August 29, 2008
· Filed under Trivialities
I was standing at the window yesterday looking out into the vegetable garden when I saw it. My very own anaconda. Gigantic. Huge. Black with white spots. Big enough to eat me. Or at least my right leg. He was big. I think it was actually a rat snake.
As I was making this for dinner tonight (yum!) I considered omitting the green peppers so that I wouldn’t have to venture out into the snake-infested garden. In the end, I decided that I wouldn’t be chased away from my freshly picked organic produce by a little garden snake gigantic man-eating serpent.
I think I’ll have my kids play on the other side of the yard for a while. They’d be just the right size for anaconda lunch.
August 28, 2008
· Filed under Family, Trivialities
The time has come. We have a puppy. Or, at least, Little Man thinks we do. His name is Rover and he’s super shiny and soft with a very bright coat. He’s house trained, doesn’t bark, and incredibly low maintenance. And he’s from Talbot’s and has such nice beads. What more could I ask? Here’s his picture:
Little Man is very attached to him. But please don’t break the news to him – he’d be devastated to hear that his new puppy is really a ladie’s fashion accessory whose home is in Bean’s dress-up box. Rover used to be a jump rope, and before that he was a prop for Bean’s dancing.
Little Man decided to teach Rover how to jump today too. He didn’t quite get it that when a dog jumps his hind legs stay put and his front legs go up. Little Man had it a little backwards. We’ll just be thankful that Rover won’t jumping at all any time in the foreseeable future.
And while Little Man was busy petting and admiring Rover today, Bean kept herself busy dismantling and repairing Rover’s primary mode of transportation. At least we know that if her career choice of Princess of a Very Big Castle doesn’t work out, she can always become a mechanic.
August 19, 2008
· Filed under Parenting
After a week away, we’re back home now. We spent a week in Florida visiting my parents. And my brother, and my aunt. And we saw my cousin, one of my bridesmaids, and one of hubby’s work colleagues. That was a lot to fit into one week, especially considering it was a week virtually without sleep and that was meant to help me get some work done. (and no, it didn’t get done.)
Regardless, a good time was had by all, including wonderdog Sam, who actually dives underwater to retrieve toys. Yes, I’m serious. My brother’s dog dives down to the bottom of the pool to get toys. Anyhow, we learned some things this trip. Like, Little Man will become a big girl when he starts using the potty. Bean no longer wants to be a princess when she grows up. Now she wants to be a garbage truck driver. (And who said our kids weren’t ambitious?) Bruiser will be able to play with baby toys when he’s 17, according to Bean. And Little Man has apparently become a puppy dog (that is, until he’s big enough to use the potty – then he’ll cease being a puppy and he’ll become a big girl.)
Our big outing this morning was the library. A pregnant mom with a 4-year old asked me how I managed to get 3 kids who are so young to the library and still look nice myself. Unfortunately my answer was less than impressive. We’re here at lunch time because it was the earliest I could wrestle them all out the door (and now that we’re here it’s time to leave, since we’re all hungry). I’m wearing heels because I couldn’t find any other shoes. I have on nice slacks and this cute layered top thing because all my other clothes are covered in spit-up. And wait, did you see my 4-yr old in wooly winter tights and clothes would challenge Punky Brewster’s sense of fashion? See, that was a battle I wasn’t willing to fight this morning. So she’s dying of heat under all that. Oh, and my cute hair cut? It’s this short intentionally – so that I don’t have to spend more than 30 seconds on it to look presentable. And the make-up? That’s from yesterday that I didn’t bother to wash off. Now if you’ll excuse us, I have to rush them back home for the lunch they should have had about an hour ago.
August 5, 2008
· Filed under Business
After telling a prospective applicant that we do background checks:
So, like, a felony would be a problem?
Yes, that would exclude you from consideration.
Oh. Well, ’cause I have 3 felonies. So should I apply?
Um… No, it would really be a waste of your time.
Oh. Well my cousin, see, she doesn’t have any felonies. Could she apply?
Sure.
Oh. Now my friend is lookin’ for work too. She’s only got 2 felonies. Should I have her call you?
Do you see why I hate interviewing?
August 2, 2008
· Filed under Home
Need I say more? And apparently to get rid of them I won’t just be washing kids’ hair and nit picking for the next week, I’ll also be washing all the sheets daily and vacuuming all carpets and furniture. Daily. So, don’t expect to see me around much. But if you want to stop by for a visit, our house will be cleaner than it’s ever been before in 7-14 days. A silver lining on every cloud, right?
August 1, 2008
· Filed under Faith, Family
I have no real theological backing for this, but I really believe that there’s a special place in God’s heart for the prayers of little children. My kids fight over who gets to say grace at dinner time, and recently they’ve started watching Boz, a big green bear similar to Barney, only Christian. There’s a prayer at the end of ever Boz that they’ve memorized and they say that before ad libbing their own. It goes like this:
Thank you God as this day ends, for our family and our friends. Taking time to sit and pray, thank you God for this great day.
Then they name specific things that they’re thankful for from the day. Well, I was sitting in Bean and Bruiser’s room nursing Bruiser in the middle of the night when Bean started crying in her sleep. I gently shh-ed her, she quieted down, and then in a very distressed voice she whined the prayer. Followed by incoherent mumbling. It’s obvious to me that she had a nightmare, but I don’t know if the prayer was a part of the nightmare or her response to it. After all, I have tried to teach her to pray when she has a bad dream. Still, as I finished nursing Bruiser I went back to my room with a smile on my face. Apparently something we’re teaching her is sinking in.
And tonight as I was putting Little Man to bed he wanted to pray. And do you know what that sweet boy prayed for? He thanked God for his “great mommy,” his “great big mommy.” Hmm.
