36 Hours

On Saturday afternoon, September 6, the kids were doing this:

And a lot of this.

36 hours later...on September 8 we got THIS!

..and we got it ALL day!

Lincoln's Take on School

For the past couple of mornings this massive, orange, cylindrical tube swallows up my kids and doesn't spit them out until suppertime. I have attempted to sneak aboard, but the gaping mouth snapped shut right in front of me.  This morning I attempted to bite the tail as it once again swallowed the little masters--but to no avail as a bellow as black smoke rushed into my face, disorienting me, as the tube shot off down the road.

Perhaps even more disconcerting is the fact that the big master stands and allows this all to happen.  When I nibble at the children, I get a whack.  But when this, this THING eats her children she is smiling and waves and happily holds me by my collar to prevent me from investigating this new enemy.  Then she happily makes her way back down the driveway with the smallest ones--not a concern at all that her other young have been eaten.  This is indeed, a strange species.

 At suppertime I realized that the cylindrical tube returns to vomit out the children.  I imagine they did not digest well.  That ought to settle that.  You do not eat something that has made you sick.  But again, this morning the 'tube' ate the children.  I am extremely confused.

Now You See It....Now You Don't!

 At 3:00 this afternoon, I made 2 large pizzas for supper.  I tried a wholegrain crust and loaded them with pizza sauce, ham, pepperoni and salami.  Just before grating the mozzarella cheese, one of the kids called for me and I went running to the office.












When I got back a few minutes later, the pizzas were gone.  All I found was a bit of pizza sauce smeared on the floor and a husky dog licking his chops.  He got a loud holler and a huge boot.


















We're still not on speaking terms.

Pictures

Courtney is happily planted in front of her best friend.

On a trip to the Devonian Botanical Garden, these 2 got tired and decided to rest up a bit.

It was 8:00 pm (bedtime) and these boys wanted to go swimming.  I told them to give me 3 reasons why I should let them swim.  Well...they scratched their heads...

But they DID come up with 3 reasons and I let them go swimming...in fact, I even joined them!

I don't like dressing my kids in the same clothes but for the first time I bought matching outfits.  The girls were ecstatic to receive matching dresses.

It's August and that means PLENTY of gardening!  The girls are a wonderful help and we have the best conversations while picking beans.

Eric got a pellet gun for his birthday from his grandpa.  I tell you, his grandpa knows EXACTLY what an 11 year old likes!

Courtney got kitties again. That is one happy 3 year old. One morning I couldn't find her.  She wasn't in her bed, she wasn't planted in front of the T.V.  Nope, she crossed the driveway (when there were big trucks driving back and forth since we were catching chickens) and went to go see her kittens.

And with that, I think I'm sort of caught up.  I really need to post some of the interesting conversations I'm having with the kids lately.

Meet 'Mita'

I'm icing cupcakes and feeling pretty good about myself since I made the icing myself instead of buying a pot of the pre-made stuff.  Seth nonchalantly grabs a stool and comes to see what I'm doing.

SETH: My mom (meaning his wife) will make cupcakes that look like a heart.

MOM: Well, that will be nice.I'm sure they will taste very good.

SETH: Yeah, they'll be better than yours.

MOM: Well, O.K.

SETH: And my mom will make mushroom soup that isn't yucky like yours.

MOM: Hmm, well good for her.

SETH: And she'll even put macaroni in it for me.  You don't.

MOM: So what's her name?

SETH: Well...her name will me MITA

MOM: Mita???

SETH: Yup, Mita, and she'll make taco salad a lot.  Not your yucky caesar salad.

MOM: Well I'm going to give her all my recipes.

SETH: She will burn them.

MOM: What if she makes you chili?

SETH: Then I'll yell at her a lot.

MOM: I hope you consider a lot of time for marriage counselling.

Breakfast

If you ever stop in for breakfast, I would encourage you to politely decline Seth's offer to make you a little something to eat.  As pictured below, he considers bologna on a toasted blueberry eggo a well rounded meal.  I'm going to be kind and say his taste buds are still maturing.  

 

When Someone Gives Us Sidewalk Chalk...