Slingshot

Max came in and showed us the slingshot he fashioned out of a branch he found!!  The little guy is so resourceful!

Self Storage

We were coming home from the gym last night when Simone spotted a sign advertising a self storage facility.   She commented,

"What in the world is 'self storage?'  Is that where you keep yourself?"

Best Birthday Present!

My parents always spoil  me on my birthday, Christmas,  and on Michael's and my wedding anniversary.   This year, they sent me a humble but highly precious set of pictures of when I was wee Gi. 

Thanks for giving me life, Mom and Dad!

Spelling with Anatomy

Sometimes our regularly scheduled Spelling lesson veers off into a different direction.  One of the kids - for whatever reason - uttered, "Cankles" and my juvenile self giggled. 

I just had to draw and demonstrate what this word meant.

Appropriate

On our way to the cashier, Max asked me to look at some candy.  I had already let him pick out candy for himself so I want to eager to go back to shopping.  I just wanted to pay for what we had and get out of there. 

But Max convinced me, "I found some candy that is uh-poh-pre-eht for Daddy!"

My little man used the word appropriate!  I was so impressed that no matter what he showed me, I would get it because I was so proud of his word usage.  

He showed me a little carton in the shape of a Christmas - decorated house that was full of Whoppers,  one of Michael's favorite candies!   It was indeed appropriate!

Sparkly Eyes

We were driving to the Exchange yesterday and Simone said to Max, "What are you up to, Max?" 

Max was confused by the accusation and asked what she meant.  She explained that he had a sparkle in his eye.

Max then sighed, "Just because my eyes are sparkly doesn't mean I'm being mischievous!"

Mommy, smell!!!

One of the things that brings dread into my heart is when my child comes up to me and says,  "Mommy!  Smell my finger!"

To which I say,  "No way!!"

Math Minute

The kids resemble Michael and me very much.  As different as he and I are with our love / hate relationship with Math (I love it,  Michael would like to throw all math books in the fiery depths of Hell),  so are Max and Simone.

Max told me there's only one manner in which he wants to be like me, "I want to be smart in Math!"  Simone's eyes,  however,  glaze into a daze when I talk about addition and subtraction.

Yesterday morning,  I tested Max on addition past the combinations of 5 and he did so well!   "Max, what's 6 + 2?"  He took one second and then shouted, "8!!!"  I asked him how he knew that and he said his brain counted it.

Later in the day,  we were driving in the car and I decided to practice with Simone some subtraction.  I asked her, "Simone,  what's 10 - 2?"  Her response to me was, "Whyyyy?"

Eastern Maryland

This weekend we ventured away from the D.C. area and attended a wine festival in the eastern part of Maryland.  What beautiful landscapes one can find when driving away from the metropolitan area. 

When I gaze at all the land available for just one house, I entertain the thought of settling above the Mason Dixie line.  But then I remember ... Winter is coming!!  And it would be wonderful if we could settle somewhere where snow just doesn't visit at all.

And It's Off!

Max wiggled his tooth so much that it came off already! 

After brushing his teeth,  he came up to me and noted that he felt his tooth was gone.  I dismissed him, thinking he was playing another practical joke.   But then he said he felt it gone after he brushed his teeth.

*gasp!*

Sure enough he has lost his first baby tooth!!  I panicked that the momentous tooth fell  down the drain, but we luckily found it in the sink.

Bravo Max!

Max's Obsession with Gingers

When we were in Ft Belvoir, one of Max's good friends was was a boy named Conner, who had a bright crown of red hair.   Max  then became obsessed with who is a ginger,  aka "a redhead." 

Just now I overheard him tell his sister that he thinks Sofia the First could possibly be a ginger.

I think it started when I explained the definition of a "ginger" to him.  We had a neighbor with two bloodhounds that reminded Max of his cousins' dog Ginger who is a beagle, a similar-looking breed.  When he saw the two dogs, he would shout, "There's those Gingers!!!"  In addition to clarifying the real breed of our neighbors' dogs, I explained to him that the G-word is considered insulting and that he shouldn't just shout it out willy nilly. 

Max then met Conner, a real deal ginger and everyone's complexion was under his careful scrutiny, even those of Disney princesses. 

Awesome Autumn

I surely love the changing of the guards in the East Coast!

Halloween 2015

We actually did our trick or treating in the RV park!  The were a few kids running around, and even more campers giving out candy.  Lots of older folks were prepared to give candy!   There were some families that didn't do it and outright left the park and I suspect it was for religious reasons but I was too embarrassed to ask. This left more candies and cupcakes for us!

Michael helped decorate the bus and carved the kids' design on the pumpkins!

Loose Tooth

Yesterday Max had a quesadilla last night and bit on something harder than usual (big ball of quest maybe?)  This morning he told me about it and showed how his tooth was hurt.  He wiggled and I squealed that he was starting to lose his first tooth!  He smiled and ran to tell his sister and daddy!

Simone is Sick?

I used to think the worst time to be sick was at Thanksgiving.   But I now know there is a worse time if you are a child ... Halloween.

Simone had a slight fever the All Hallow's Eve's eve.  It subsided during Halloween Day, but after trick or treating, she came down with a major fever that persisted for two more days.  

We took her to an urgent care and that was inconclusive because they said it wasn't Strep Throat nor the flu.  They sent us on our way home with the instructions  to do BRAT.

Our visit was actually not so harrowing as evidenced by these jovial pictures!