Everyday Funnies!

I've written down some funny conversations and comments I've had over the last months with the kids.  I need to publish them here for memory's sake.  

We were having a conversation about why we don't have to work when we get really, really old.  We started talking about how it'd be awfully hard for great grandma Otte to go to work everyday.  

Vince:  "Yeah, great grandma has that scooter to help her walk."
Vera:  "Yeah, and she wears that helium in her nose to help her breathe."

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Vince:  "Mom, I want some orange juice.  But not that kind.  It has fingernails in it."
My kids don't like juice with pulp.

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Our power flashed through the night, so when we woke in the morning the microwave and stove clocks were flashing.  I found Vince standing on the table screaming, "Vera, look!  Look at the clocks!  Bad guys did it."

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On the note of bad guys, Vince often gets scared at nighttime.  He's been frantic that the shadows on his ceiling (created by the blades of the ceiling fan) are bad guys.  I've had to go in his room at night, calm him, and show him why the shadows are there.  "Mom!  There's a bad guy!  And there's another one right there!"  He's also afraid of the Big Bad Wolf blowing our house down at night.  Thank goodness our house is made of brick because the Wolf cannot huff and puff that down.  

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Vince:  "Mom did you know that Luke has a long drive to Patty's house because he lives on Long Road?"

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Me:  "Vince, get your shoes on.  We're going to the bank in a few minutes."
Vince:  "No we can't go.  Parker lives on that road."  (Parker lives on Banks Road)

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Annie came home from Patty's house and reported that Patty has fish in the bedroom where she naps.  And she said she kisses the fish when she takes a nap.  Patty has no aquarium or pictures of fish in this room.  None of us understood what Annie meant.  Patty had to peek in the bedroom to watch Annie when she laid down to see what her "fish story" was about.  The bed spread has small leaves on it, which in Annie's mind, must look a lot like fish.

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Vince:  "Mom, can we get the ball pit out?"
Me:  "I don't know.  Ask dad what he thinks."
Vince goes to Adam, who pretends to be asleep.  "Dad, we get the ball pit out?"  Adam does not respond.

Vince promptly turns to me and says, "He said yes."

A Tale of a Groundhog

In mid-March, Adam came home from work (before me, thankfully) and noticed a groundhog lying by the garage door of the house.  He attempted to get it away from the house, then quickly pulled the truck inside & closed the garage door.  I cannot even describe the kind of excitement and commotion it created for the kids. 

Vera went to work collecting data about groundhogs in her notebook.  This "nonfiction" book is her reference for all things groundhog.  Her notebook reads "Grondhog.  Speed sloe."

Meanwhile, Vince removed all of the pillows and blankets from his and Annie's bed, and then fashioned this "step" so he could climb on his dresser and see out the window.  The groundhog made his way near the flagpole and the kids couldn't see it from the front window.

Annie, his true sidekick, came to his aid.  He sat at the window and screamed, "Hey groundhog!  Look at my teddy bear!"

We phoned our trusty neighbor, Jeff, who came over to get rid of the groundhog for us, as we don't own a gun.  I wouldn't let Vince watch, and he was not happy to come down from his perch at the window.  After the incident, Vince was so sweet and concerned by asking, "Where him family?  They miss him.  Where him mom and dad?  Him sister and brother?  He lost."  We assured Vince that by putting the groundhog in the field, his family would find him and take him back to his home.

Winter Months Indoors

The winter months can seem so mundane here.  I often feel like our life is on repeat.  Get up at 5am.  Get self & kids ready.  Daycare drop-offs.  Go to work.  Come home.  Scurry to make supper for hangry kids.  Do dishes.  Help with homework.  Give baths.  Have snack.  Kids to bed.  Pick up house.  Crash.  Start over.  With cold weather and little daylight in the evenings, we are often unmotivated to get anything extra done during the week. 

We spend so much time downstairs during the winter months playing, watching TV & hanging out.  Here's a few pictures as proof.

Tiger gear for everyone in these pictures.

Most recently, Vera's favorite pass time has been playing school.  She likes to read to her class and teach them lessons.  When she does so, she talks at the top of her voice, and often isn't so kind to her "students."  She likes to play office, and she also likes to help me in the kitchen.

We were without plans on a Saturday evening, and after several uneventful weekends in a row, I promised Vera we'd do something fun.  We met the Thobe family very last-minute for an evening of bowling.  It turned out to be a really fun evening!

Tweedledee and Tweedledum.  Pete & Repeat.  Mutt & Jeff. 
I often say that I can't imagine who Annie would be if she didn't have someone to copy.  She really is Vince's sidekick, copycat and nemesis.  Just tonight he was so happy that she was leaving with Adam so he could play tractors by himself without her interference.

Annie's definitely in the midst of Terrible Twos.  She cries on a dime when something doesn't work out just her way.  When we cannot find her, she's often up to some sort of mischief, usually emptying a box of wipes or playing in my nightstand.  She's pretty good at matter-of-factually telling us no when we ask her to do something.  More than once at nap time, I've caught her in her bed removing all of her clothes, including her diaper (albeit dirty) to avoid sleeping.  Recently, I've heard her correctly count to about 8, and she knows a few of her colors.  (Yes, Patty is still awesome!)  She's been fairly successful at potty training, though she's not 100% there just yet.  

Surprisingly, all of the kids have enjoyed Barbies this winter and have spent hours playing and pretending.  It was a good decision to have them put away for a year or so.  Now they are new and exciting again.

This is about the same age that Vera started to constantly play dress-up. 

Vince is always asking to color or play Bingo Dotters.  I must admit that his creativity and coloring skills are pretty impressive, left-handed and all.

He is always wanting to help me.  I shortened the mop handle and let him do his thing.  He was so happy.

Here we are playing beauty shop.  Vince is busy styling my hair.

Maybe Annie needed a styling more than I?

He was so cute measuring.  He diligently tried to read the numbers as he measured objects.  This boy is nobody's dummy.  I cannot believe his abilities.

Aubrey came to play for an afternoon, and she received plenty of attention from the Pearson Trio.

We visited the Arts Evening at school in early March.  Here Vera is posing with her watercolor owl.  (Upper right)  Her siblings enjoyed running a muck in the hallways and cafeteria that evening.