Well, the kids WANT to go...

For those of you that don't know, Daniel hates camping. I don't know what it is, but his version of camping is in a hotel room. Personally, I enjoy it. And I kinda miss it. So, I've been wanting to take the kids camping sometime soon. Daniel's dragging his feet, of course. Then, this great thing happened! Jed is so excited by the idea of camping. My parents let him spend the night one night and set up a tent inside the house. He had a blast. He's been begging to sleep outside, or to go camping all summer. This week we learned about fire safety on Monday in his preschool class. (Yay Genean!) Today he sat down with me and said "Mommy, let's go camping, and we can learn fire safety with the camp fire! Can we cook marshmallows on sticks and be safe and have fun?" I just smiled. This afternoon/evening we're going to have candles and cook marshmallows over them so he can at least try it. Hopefully, we can convince Daddy!

Already??

So, everyone knows that Jed has eyelashes about a mile long. Several months ago he started trying to use them to his advantage. He has figured out that if he gives this certain smile and bats them a time or two, old women swoon and give him whatever he wants. Well, he has been teaching Alyson, apparently. We went to Tot Trade yesterday, and they both flirted shamelessly with the lady at the desk selling candy and popcorn. I had seen a friend in line behind me, so we were waiting. While we waited, they talked and flirted and batted like crazy, and of course she offered them both free popcorn and oohed and ahhed over them. Poor kids. I suppose they get the flirting honest, though. They do have Daniel and I for parents!

Dora

I really don't like Dora. Break out the name calling but shoot me please. As an explorer, you would think after 5 jazillion episodes she would know where she is going but noooooooo........ Chica can't even find her own house without help from "super map." Ever wish Swiper the Fox would just eat boots? I do. From now on, I'm rooting for broken legs and the alligators.

Waste not..

So when Daniel wears out pants, it's only one area that gets worn out. The rest of them are just fine. So I've started cutting off the still good parts and saving them. Well, we felt kinda junky yesterday, but I had had a long nap and wasn't tired yet. So I pulled out the Legs of Daniel's old Khaki's, and made a jumper for Alyson. It was my first attempt at doing this, and I did it free hand (no pattern), and I must say I was please with just about the whole thing. (I don't know how to do button holes with my machine yet; those need work) I also used some old curtain fabric (I just shortened Jed's curtain so it would actually fit his window, and used the remnant from that) to make him a tie. It's my first one, and it's a little wider than it should be for the part that goes around the neck, but it looks really good! I have pics of the jumper! I'm excited to make them some clothes this fall! (sorry the pics are so blurry! Used the video camera to take them, and they seem to always turn out that way!)

Boys will be boys...

So, boys stick together just as much as girls do. We've been feeling a little under the weather today, and Daniel's home with it too. (Let's try not to spread too many germs, right?) So I toss him the phone (Honestly, it was a beautiful shot. We're talking, swish, hole in one, no rim type thing. Gorgeous.) It goes right into his hands, and he fumbles the ball and it goes rolling on the floor. Jed, my loving traitor, turns to me and says "That wasn't a very good shot mommy." "What? Honey, Daddy dropped it. It was a great shot!" (In Daniel's defense, he agreed with me, saying that it truly was a rare and beautiful toss made by me) But Jed just couldn't believe that Daddy would miss it if it was a good throw. Man, guys are just as bad as us girls!

Crayons

I hate crayons and I love crayons. They are great for occupying time and fun to watch kids color things and be so proud of them. They are also a PAIN. Alyson was holding her crayons and straining. I asked her what was wrong and she replied simply,"It's not broken." The look on her face was "Duh daddy, can't you see what I'm trying to do." I have never seen crayons get totally used up before. I wonder what these execs. at these companies are thinking? Did they never have kids who would break the crayons so here I am to propose and idea that would revolutionize the crayon world -

Mini Crayons!!!!

Ok, I know that they exist but oh, the potential! A great marketing team could sell this. All you need is former parents who took an active role in the raising of their children.

I hate broken crayons!

Kids say the darndest things

It's dinnertime and our kids naturally hate everything they put in front of you but Alyson is fond of the bread family. We also had grapes and beef stroganoff but she was not fond of that. She ate most of her bread (dinner rolls) and didn't eat the hard bottom portion and asked for more. I get up, give her another piece, wait for a second and ask "What do you say?" She answers a curt "No" and goes about eating the piece of bread and Shannon starts rolling with laughter. I just kind of stood there with disbelief watching her chow down and thought, "Well give me back my roll then," but I figure, since she is eating, why bother her?