Yup, They're Still X-tremely Innocent

There are moments in parenting when I feel like these kids are getting too old too fast. When the things they say are so adult-like that I need to resist the urge to lock them in their rooms and not let them out until they're twenty five.

Like when Theo uses the word loquacious in conversation. Or when he sits in the backseat of the car, pondering the laws of physics out loud. And, thank goodness, answering his own questions because god knows his mommy is pretending she's too absorbed in the rigors of driving to give solid, scientifically proven answers.

Or when Ben says things like, "Mom, have your peeps call Jacob's peeps so he can come over." Or when he exclaims, "WOMAN, what am I gonna do with you??" when I forget to bring snacks in the car. (By the way, he is about the ONLY man who can get away with calling me 'woman'.)

And then there are the moments that remind us that they are still really, really little boys.

Like the conversation at dinner the other night. We were talking about movies, and what ages Eric and I were when we first saw a PG movie. (I was 9, and it was "The Champ" with Barbara Steisand and Robert Redford. I'm pretty sure the only good thing about the movie was that it was rated PG and I was there with my friend Sheri, without any parents.)

Anyway, the kids were asking about the different ratings and why they rate movies the way they do. They are very intrigued by the possibilities that may be contained in an R-rated movie, and are pretty sure that it's exactly the kind of adult language and violence that they'd like to see.

Of course, Ben piped up wondering, if an R-rated movie has that kind of potential, what could POSSIBLY be in an X-rated movie. Mom? Dad? Have you ever seen one? Hmm? Are they REALLY violent? Like, what KIND of violence??????

Yeah. Where do you go with this one?

We coughed, took an extra long time to chew and swallow our food, tried not to look at each other, covered our mouths with napkins so as not to reveal the grins, and basically just stalled as long as we could.

Or at least until Theo could chime in, wide-eyed, and say, "Ben, they are SO violent and have SO MUCH bad language that there's nothing else in the movie but that. You don't even want to see one because it would be so scary."

Amen and hallelujah.

Both satisfied with that answer, they finished their dinners and ran outside.

Break Out the Fans

Crunchy Chicken is hosting a "Keep Yer Cool" challenge over at her site.

Considering that we don't have air conditioning, I think we're up for this one.

As this summer has gotten progressively hotter, we've become skilled at the old-fashioned way to keep a house cool. We leave the windows open during the night, and then by mid-morning when it's getting warmer outside, we close the house up. It stays closed up until late evening, when the temperatures are cooler again.

It really does keep the house about 10-15 degrees cooler than it is outside. And we're talking about a house with 90 year-old windows and absolutely no insulation. Last summer we had many, many days over 90 degrees, and we never once pulled the window a/c unit down from the attic. So this method really works, amazingly enough!

Sure, there will be THOSE nights. The dreaded nights when it never cools down and the stickiness keeps us awake.

And there will be THOSE days when I'll wonder why, why, why didn't I choose a traditional career that takes place in a nicely air-conditioned office building?

But there's something to be said for the strength you feel for surviving those days.

And the realization, once they're over, that they weren't THAT bad.

You, too, can sign up for this cool (hah!) challenge by clicking on the box above or by clicking here.

Father's Day

And the Heavens Opened....

...and out of his mouth came the words,

"I have a new appreciation for how hectic your days are."

(do I hear angels singing?)

I almost died from the gratitude.

Eric is home this week, starring in the role of domestic diva.

This includes:

• shuttling kids and friends to and from endless activities and sporting events
• doing the dishes
• making breakfast, lunch and dinner
• many runs to the grocery store
• doing the dishes
• giving the dog medication
• cleaning up the resulting doggy accident on the living room rug
• doing the laundry
• doing the dishes
• cleaning the bathrooms
• orthodontist appointments
• keeping the garden watered
• installing landscaping edging
• doing the dishes
• asking, at least twice a day, "are your teeth brushed?"
• making the necessary Target runs
• and finally, doing the dishes

Hmmmm...and he's not even trying to also squeeze in a career that tends to be heavy on the need for creative time and prone to mathematical error. What is he doing with all his time????

Thanks, Eric, for all that you do. And for noticing all that I do.

Quotes of the Day

At the soccer fields last night:

"I brung the snacks!"
"Ah, the word is BRANG..."


Ben to his friend, Nico, who had just had a great idea:

"Nico, you're small but smart."

Oh, Happy Day

Wait....is this car smiling?

What a Health Nut

Today was a lazy day at our house. We went to the home of friends of ours last night, and played until well past our bedtimes. So we've been tired and lazy all day.

Eric went to have lunch with friends, and I managed to keep the laundry moving along, trying to motivate myself to tackle bigger projects. No luck.

At one point, in a fit of motivation, I left the kids home alone to run to the paint store. Theo was reading a book and Ben was in the backyard trying to chip a rock into the shape of an arrowhead. Ben is the only one of us who slept in until 11:00 this morning, so he was clearly more able to be motivated.

Well, all of that rock chipping must have worn him out, because when I got home I found this:

Some of you may not recognize it. Maybe you've never seen one before. It's a chocolate syrup sandwich. That's right. Hershey's chocolate syrup between two pieces of bread.

Hint: Best when you also leave a pool of syrup on the counter.

Even better when you wash the whole thing down with a spoonful of Nutella.

Ah, to be a kid again.