For Posterity

This one just has to go down in the history books. W had an assignment at school: Create a dinosaur. Draw a picture of it, describe it, and write a short story about it. Here it is, word for word (Although I tried to scan the picture and it didn't turn out. You'll have to use your imagination)

"My dinosaur's name is Calvenasurus. PS Calven for short"
"It lives in Sharon"
"It likes to eat schools"

"Calvenasurus is part dinosaur and part robot. He has wings and robot claws. One day Calven ate my school. the end. by W"

It must be every 8 year old boy's dream to have his school eaten by a part-robot dinosaur.

Valentine's Day

I don't know exactly when Valentine's day became a children's holiday, but I think once you have kids that's all it's about. And I can't believe how much work it is! Even if you do those commercial paper Disney character valentines, you still have to write all 30 names of every kid and teacher in the class and then multiply that by the number of children you have. And then, of course, you have to make cupcakes for the class parties and then you have to deal with your kids bouncing off the walls after eating the cupcakes and lollipops from said party. Anyway, the reason for this post was something pretty funny that I found in W's Valentine mailbox after it was all over and we were looking through his valentines. Keep in mind that this boy started a "Get Rid Of Slimy girlS" (otherwise known as G.R.O.S.S.) club at school, a la Calvin and Hobbes, his heroes. When asked which girls are slimy, he responded, "Oh, you know, the ones who like Hannah Montana and Fairies." Well, sure enough, in his valentine's box there was a Hannah Monatana valentine. But I noticed something strange about Hannah's face. W had drawn glasses and a beard and mustache on her. It was such a classic boy thing to do, I had to laugh. I mean, do people really still draw eyeglasses and mustaches? I guess so...

Big Dollies

Recently I volunteered to help with a school fund raiser and ended up in charge of the lunch. We are having a chili cook-off and I thought it would be great if the prizes were aprons. So last week I wrote out a nice letter and dropped it off at this lovely store, http://www.vermontapron.com The owner, a very nice lady, and I chatted for a bit and she agreed to donate an apron to my cause (she actually ended up giving us three which was sooo kind!). I had little M with me and she was thrilled to see all the pretty, flowery, lacy items all around the store. But I didn't notice her eyes getting really big at the sight of the life-size mannequin sitting on the store checkout table. She tugged on my arm and whispered, "Mommy, are those girls dead?" Poor thing! We explained they weren't dead, just plastic, "like big dollies." Ok, she was fine with that idea. The store owner said it happens all the time. Once, she was changing the clothing on the mannequins in the display window and she took one of the arms off only to hear a little boy screaming outside on the sidewalk.

I Would Be A Dragon...

This is just one of those silly little games you play in the car while driving (which we do here A LOT). But it made me laugh really hard so I thought I'd post it as a memory for later.

Mom (trying to get kids to stop screaming at and kicking each other from across the van): Kids! KIDS! If you could be any kind of animal, what kind would you be?

W: A bird. So I could fly around and be cute and eat bugs. Actually, I'd be a hummingbird who sips nectar and I'd be really fast.

A: I'd be a baby bunny, so cute and soft and fuzzy and cozy.

W: Yeah, but then you'd get eaten by a fox.

A: No I wouldn't! Foxes don't eat bunnies, do they mommy?

Mom: Sorry, honey, actually foxes do eat bunnies. (A starts to get tears in his eyes) But, but! Wait! Baby bunnies are also really fast and good at hiding. Okay?

W: Yeah, and rabbits have sharp teeth so you could chew the fox's leg off.

Mom: Ooookay, what about M? What kind of animal would she be?

M (looking at W for approval): I'd be a bird, too.

W: Yeah, we could be birds together. M, would you be a pink bird?

M: Yes. A pink bird with sparkly feathers. (of course)

W: Actually, I'd be an Ever Bird, half woodpecker and half hummingbird and all the colors of the rainbow.

A: What about you, Mommy? What kind of animal would you be?

Mom (having never actually thought of this before): Hmm, that's a good question, A. I'm not really sure. Maybe a bird? Something that could fly...

W: You could be a cicada, they fly. Or a grasshopper.

Mom: No, no bugs. But I'd want to live somewhere warm, like Hawaii....

A: Mommy, you need to be a mommy fox so you could protect all the little baby bunnies and birdies.

Mom: That's true, I would need to protect you. I know! I'd be a dragon. That way I could fly, I could sleep all I want, I could protect you with my claws and fire breathing and I'd be warm all the time.

W: Yeah, and you'd have lots of treasure so you can buy us anything we want.

Mom: Um, hmm. Wait, we're forgetting Daddy. What kind of animal would he be?

W: A bear.

A: Yeah, a big fat bear with a big belly!

W: Who toots all the time!

All: Hysterical giggling

So Unfair!

Today there is a Winter Storm Warning (this is how they say it on the news, capitalized and boldface) that stretches from the tip of Maine to the Ohio River Valley. Ice storms and feet of snow await. Over 500 schools in the Boston area are closed today. Every school in Windsor County is closed today except...ours! W was fit to be tied as I bundled him out the door for the bus. In fact, as we were waiting at the bus stop, a nice lady even stopped her car to inform me that "school is closed." "Yes," I replied, "only, not ours." This made W even madder. Waving at his sad/mad little face in the window I did kind of feel bad for him. But when I walked in the house I did a little dance of joy because I don't have to go anywhere today. So you know what that means: Snow Day! We'll have some fun at home and let the bus do the driving. And all this snow means great snowmobiling on Saturday. So bring on the Winter Storm, we'll do our best to enjoy it!

A Little Late But...

Yoda Soda, Tie Fighters and Find the Jedi game

Dark Side Cupcakes with Vader and Rebel Cupcakes with Lego Luke

Cool masks: R2, Grievous, Obi Wan and Padme

Making Padawan Pizza

Jedi Lightsaber Training

I know it's a little late but these are some pictures from A's birthday party in November. Poor middle child, always neglected, right?

The New Word Around Here--"Bling Bling"

Yeah, I know I haven't been posting much these last three weeks. Want to know why? This is why:Thanks, Mom and Dad, for coming to visit this Christmas, staying three weeks, organizing my kitchen, spoiling my kids, fixing the basement and teaching us how to Pimp Rabbids. Bling Bling to you too.