Homework helper

I sure love my kids! Punkin wanted to help me at the computer today. I told her I was doing homework and I didn't think she could help. She insisted she could, and would be a very good helper. "Punkin, thank you, but I have to write an essay and I just don't know how you can help me with that." "But mom, there is the 's' and there is the 'a'", she said pointing to my keyboard. "I can push the 's' for you!"

"A" my name is.....

We were in the car driving home from running some errands. The four girls were with us, and Boo asked Peach to play a game with her. They started the alphabet game. Peach started with "A" my name is Allie, and I like apples and alligators. Boo said "B" my name is... and before she could finish Little Cat broke in, "No! Your name is 'Peach'!" Peach tried to hush her, "I know, honey, thanks." Boo had finished and Peach was up next, "C" my name is Cora and I like... "NO! Your are not Cora! Your name is Peach!" I'm just laughing in the front seat. Peach tried again... "We are just playing a game sweetie" This continued through the alphabet until about N. I hear, very loudly, "Your name is PEACH!" Peach finally said, Okay... my name is Peach... to which Little Cat replied, "I just trying to help you, Peach." It was so commical.

Moral of the story.... don't play alphabet games with a two year old who knows she's right.

Martin Luther King Day

January 19th was Martin Luther King Day. I remember when my goober son was in kindergarten, he came home from school and said "We don't have school on Monday!" I asked him if he knew why he didn't have school on Monday, grasping at a teaching moment. He said simply, "Yeah... some black guy died and they closed down the school." I had nothing to say to that, I just shook my head. (We did talk about it later...) Well, fast forward 16 years, and now his little sister Boo is in kindergarten. The Friday before MLK day, she too announced, "Guess why we don't have school on Monday." I said, "why don't you just tell me." She said "Okay, the king died so we don't have to go to school." I asked her, "the King?" She said she didn't know what he was a king of, but he was a king over something... she just didn't know where his kingdom was. Like brother like sister?? Well, I have two left to go to school, so we'll see if the understanding gets any better.

Learning Time

Boo has been practicing telling time with a standard clock face. She can easily read the numbers of the digital clock, but she is getting really good at telling time the "old fashioned" way. Today she came in to me and said, "Mom, it is so WAY past our bedtime! It's 11:30." Totally confused I glanced at the clock and smiled, "No, Boo... it is 5 minutes to 5. But if your tired......"

What will they say next?

Little Cat loves to pretend she's a cat (hence the nickname). She'll crawl around on her hands and knees meowing, and 'paw' at you until you reach down and pet her or scratch behind her ears and say things like "oh... good kitty." Punkin gets in the action and we end up with two kitties running around our apartment (even though we aren't allowed to have pets). Occasionally, they are dogs, but usually only after watching 101 Dalmations or something. Luckily, Little Cat will announce "I'm Pongo" so I know she's a dog not a cat. The other day the two were at it as usual, and I guess Boo had had enough. She said "I don't want to play cats and dogs today, can't we just pretend I'm allergic to pets?" I had to laugh. Sometimes you just don't know what they are going to say next.....

Merry Christmas

I have been so busy with finals and getting the family ready for our holiday vacation that I haven't blogged in forever. We are leaving (today actually) for a week at Wolf Creek in the mountains. We rented a condo for this week. We'll set up the Christmas tree and play in the snow and watch the deer and just relax for a week. (Well, that's the goal...)

I do want to wish family, friends and everyone a very Merry Christmas. My family and friends are so important to me. I don't usually send Christmas cards, but I'm going to start. I want to stay in touch with people more than I do now. I've lost touch with so many good friends that I wish I was still close too.

Have a happy holiday!

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

My husband teases me about my "Rudolph Rant." In fact, whenever I get ranting about anything else, he will 'cough' into his hand 'rudolph' to let me know I'm on one. My older two children know my feelings about Rudolph but I've kept it from my younger children, not wanting to spoil the innocence of Christmas.

The Rant: If Rudolph was made as people instead of animals, it would never be shown. This is a story about a child born to proud expectant parents. When they discover that their precious baby has a deformity, they are ashamed of him. They try to hide his deformity and are ashamed of what he has or who he is. When the truth comes out, none of his friends are allowed to play with him anymore. Even the revered ruler of the community is ashamed of him and bans him from participating with others. It doesn't matter what his abilities are, he is ostracized by the community. In shame, he runs away. After running away, he realizes his own worth, and maintains his good heart. He returns home, and finds that his parents have gone looking for him. He has to rescue them. Then, the community begrudgingly accepts him until they realize they can use his deformity for their own benefit. Suddenly he is a hero. Putting aside his own feelings, Rudolph saves the day because it is for the good of children everywhere. I think it is selfish and mean and an awful show.

The other day, Punkin and Little Cat had watched Frosty the Snowman about 10 times. Over and over and over and over again, I had to endure the music of Frosty the Snowman coming from the playroom. Finally, I suggested, let's watch something else. I put in Rudolph (it came in a set of Christmas movies... I wouldn't have bought it on its own). I went back into the living room to fold laundry. After 10 minutes or so, Punkin comes running out just sobbing. It was such a broken hearted cry, I was sure that Little Cat had taken her beloved Rufus or something. "Honey! What is it? What's the matter?" I pulled her onto my lap and tried to comfort her. After her sobbing had subsided somewhat she said. "I don't like that movie. They were so mean to Rudolph and he runned away. That was so mean. They were rude to him and Santa was mean. I don't like that mean Santa. Rudolph was all alone and runned away!" She started crying all over again. I sat in thought for a moment. I was going to have to defend Rudolph. I tried to tell Punkin that Rudolph was okay, and he comes home and everyone says sorry, and he gets to lead the sleigh, but she didn't buy it. She told me should would never watch that movie again. After sitting quietly on my lap for a few minutes as I ran my fingers through her hair, she looked up at me and said "Can we watch Frosty again?"

When I told my husband about it later, he actually laughed. He said "Well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!"

The Icky Sickies

Both Punkin and Little Cat have colds. Punkin's is worse. She sounds so croupy at night. Her nose is so stuffy she can't breathe, and she wakes up crying. She was sitting with her dad and me at about 1 in the morning, and she told dad "My nose is so full of boogers I can't breave". It was funny and sad at the same time! Poor little Punkin. I hate it when my kids are sick. They both have fevers today, but at least they are not really really high, and come down with ibuprofen. I guess it is just that time of the year. I hope Boo doesn't get it, but I think that is just wishful thinking.

Halloween Festival

Boo's school had a Halloween Festival. Boo and Punkin dressed up as scarecrows, and Little Cat was, well, a little cat. They had a ball. The school did a good job. There was a spook alley, crafts, cotton candy, games and lots of fun things all around.