Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

Today is Tuesday. That means Max and Aiden are back at my house after school. Time flies and before we know it Mom is there to pick them up. Two-year-old Max was workin' his "pouty lip".

Mom: "What's wrong, Max?"
Max: (sad face)
Mom: "Are you said because we're leaving?
Max: "yes"
Aiden: "Don't worry Max. I miss her, too!"

APPRECIATION

This past weekend my hometown had Homecoming festivities at the high school. The kids have spirit games all week long that lead up to the parade and homecoming game on Friday night. The town is buzzing with a current of excitement, because our football team is destined to win the conference---GO EAGLES!

Saturday night is the Coronation. The high school boys get dressed in tuxedos while the girls wear unbelievable dresses. A ceremony is held before the dance to crown the king and queen and then the dance begins. All of this is followed by diner out and after parties. This is a BIG DEAL in our town. Although we are just middle-class American, Coronation is taken seriously...So seriously that party buses limos and even Hummer limos can be seen taking the high school students to their destinations.

Upon seeing one such limo drive down their street, Denise's eight-year-old daughter Madelyn looks up at her and says, "Wow! They must really appreciate their daughter."

Smart girl. She is getting Mom and Dad primed for her turn in six short years.

No Socks...No Problem

My friend Jen's boys spend time with me on Tuesday afternoons until she gets off work. I love that they feel right at home and kick off their shoes and socks as soon as they hit the door. Today I told seven-year-old Aiden it was time to put his shoes and socks on, because Mom was on her way to take him to karate class. Unfortunately, we could only find one sock.

"It's okay," he explained to me. "Socks are not required at karate."

Emergency Situation

"Help! Help! IT'S AN EMERGENCY!" The teacher in the workroom heard the distressed voice of seven-year-old Aiden coming from the hall. She rushed out to help. "Aiden, what's the matter?" "Help! It's an emergency! Is a frog an amphibian or reptile?"

A little taken aback she asked, "What do you think?" "Amphibian?" he asked anxiously.
She told him he was correct and he went back to work.

With a smile lurking on her lips, she shook her head and returned to the workroom. Upon entering, her colleague asked, "What do you think is going on with Aiden today?"

It would seem a little earlier in the day the same thing happened to her colleague. Hearing a panicky Aiden yell, "Help! Help! I need a professional!" she too rushed into the hall. When she approached Aiden he said, "Help! I can't get the lid off my glue stick!"

Mr. Tiny Man

photo © Anindya Chowdhury
for openphoto.net CC:NonCommercial

Denise, wonderful mother of three and second grade teacher extraordinaire, wanted her kids to witness the life cycle of a Monarch Butterfly. They scoured weeds along the roadside, tracked down some milkweed with an egg on it and brought it home to see the stages up close and personal. When the Caterpillar hatched out of the egg six-year-old Carter took it upon himself to name it MR. TINY MAN. Weeks went by and MR. TINY MAN ate and grew and ate and grew and ate and grew. Finally, when Mom informed Carter and his brother and sister MR. TINY MAN looked like he was ready to change into a chrysalis Carter announced, "I think we need to give him some privacy."

Fashioniesta

Today eight-year-old Jae and I had exactly 45 minutes after arriving home from school to do homework, eat a snack, put on dance wear, fix hair (ponytail) and get out the door. Forty-six minutes later I'm quickly whipping up Jae's ponytail as she diligently digs through her box of hair accessories to find the perfect clip. In my best MOM voice I say, "Just pick a clip. There's no time for fashion." Jae looks me straight in the eye and says in a most serious tone, "Mom, there's ALWAYS time for fashion." Apparently that's true, because we arrived at dance 6 minutes late.

The Golden Rule

Six-year-old Carter is learning about self discipline at his school. In an animated conversation with Mom, Carter explained what self discipline means. He told Mom about the Golden Rule and how we should treat other people the way we want to be treated. Carter then came up with a brilliant idea: "I think they should put the Golden Rule on our school wall in real golden."

Not sure how this idea will go over with the school district with all the cuts to education, but we could check into it.

What College?

My 8-year-old daughter Jae overheard her dad and I talking about our day. "UGHHHH! I had an appointment at the gynecologist's today," I said. At this point Jae chimes in, "What college are you talking about?"

Football follies

Daddy told six-year-old Jeremy that football is a dangerous sport. Jeremy told him, "Dad, you have to let me go SOMEtime."