Foolish Fond

Well, it's been a very aggravating week since the routine started back up. All the little annoyances are piling up and threatening to crash through my armored defences. For instance, our "new" DVD player is broken. Things like that. And the kids. I can't even describe the level of torment they have used to crack my happy shell over and over....

But instead of talking about all that, I have decided to tell you some nice stories instead.

While at my mom's house this weekend, Grant found a turtle. According to my mom, he was super happy and came running up to tell her. I have an uncle who refers to Grant as Turtle Boy, because they once found one together. According to the story, Grant ran up to my mom saying he was really a turtle boy, because he found another turtle! The turtle was putting his head in and out, and my mother told Grant that it was probably the first time the turtle had seen a little boy. So, Grant (and this is typical of him) went up to the turtle and in a very friendly way told him that he was a little boy named Grant, introduced his sister Abbie ("She's a girl.") and proceeded to line up toys in front of the no doubt fascinated turtle, carefully explaining what each one was. "I'm a carrot! This is really just a toy carrot. He doesn't really talk." (Because we all know that only real carrots talk.) Mom says he was out there conversing with the turtle for half an hour at least. Did I mention that Grant is not shy?

Abbie loves dresses. In the morning when I suggest that it is time for Daytime Clothes, Abbie also requests a dress. "Oh, yeah. My flower dress, Mommy?" She has a jade green dress with a polo shirt collar and long sleeves, but it has no flowers, and thus is quite inferior. Sometimes she wears the dresses I wore when I was little. A few of them have rust stains and have been deemed Playclothes.

When she is tired, or just feeling snuggly, Abbie crawls into my lap (usually with little consideration of my comfort) and either puts her hand inside my sleeve, or plays with my ear. Lately, we have been reading our chapter book, you know, and have all been piled into my bed. Abbie is in the middle, and Grant on the oposite side of her. Last night she put her head on Grant's shoulder and grabbed his ear. He smiled. Yay for Mommy paychecks.

For our neighbor Bree's birthday, the kids picked out some Spongebob bubble bath and a scrubby thing shaped like an octopus. They drew pictures for her, too. Abbie requested for me to draw a Girl Dancing, and then she added some colors. Grant drew a scene from Shaun the Sheep. He drew the dog holding a frisbee, and he drew "The sheep who eats everything" with something hanging out of his mouth.

Last night for dinner we had pork ramen (had to make 2) with egg and chopped Lil' Smokies. And some canned pears. Abbie, my non-eater, had 2 plates of it. Grant had 4. Tonight, we're having sloppy joes.

The bruise on my arm is at its peak, color-wise. Abbie calls it my Green. "Oh, you have a new Green." She gives it lots of very violent kisses. Ow.

I'm going to practice tonight, and I think I'll even be on time. There might not be much for me to do, but I don't mind. I need a break.

I love my children. Even though they are in their rooms for the 4th time already. Maybe I just need to turn them loose in the back yard for a few hours. We'll give that theory a test after lunch.

Hope you are having a good Thursday.