Miscellaneous, aka "I Hate Coming Up With Titles for Things"

Well, we've had a great week getting back into the routine of school, chores, outdoor stuff, and reading Little Women. The girls were outside the other day pretending to be the poor Hummel family, huddling up to one another for warmth because they had no fire and there were cracks in the windows. I thought it was cheating somehow to play this down in Florida where they have not the remotest chance of actually freezing to death. :) Well, they had a good time anyway while Jackson walked up and down the backyard searching for just the right place to put the sprinkler. He never found it. I'm beginning to see some motivation from this boy who didn't walk until 15 1/2 months. He had his pajamas on the other night, and he wanted to go out onto the lanai. I said "No, you don't have your shoes on." So he babbled something at me, went to his room, and came out with his shoes. Then he attempted, with much grunting, to get them on. He was pretty mad when he realized that the reason I'd given wasn't really the whole truth; I just didn't want him out on the lanai to get dirty again after his bath, and I never thought he'd go get his shoes. Note to self - never underestimate the boy.

I've posted two pictures of Cora's latest sewing project, which she just completed. (I hope you can see the stitches in the first picture). It's a four-square potholder, and I think it came out nicely. The picture of the stitches is for her Daddy, who told her that she needed to rip out the first set of whipstitches because she hadn't done her best on them. I figured she had done her best and that the second attempt would turn out like the first. Well, I was wrong. Cora was determined to make Daddy proud, and she set to it like only Cora can. Although the stitches are big, and Ma Ingalls would probably disapprove, they are even, and she was quite proud of herself. I was proud of her attitude when she gave it another try. I think it just goes to show you why kids need mommies and daddies. I would have given her encouraging words and let it slide. Daddy said "do it again," she did, and she learned something in the process. God sure knew what he was doing when He set up marriage, didn't He?

The following story is also for Daniel (who is following daily life through short phone calls every day and through this blog) but I'll explain it for everyone else. All three girls love these books by Kathy Appelt focusing on characters named Bubba and Beau. Bubba is a baby and Beau is his hound puppy. Daniel recorded one of the books, Bubba and Beau Go Night-Night, onto an audiotape along with many others so that they could listen to them at night in bed. Abigail can now quote the book in its entirety - in a redneck accent- because she loves it so much.
She came to me with a plea the other day before dinner, "Mommy, please put on Bubba and Beau because - Sister, those napkins came in handy," and then she walked off laughing hysterically. Bubba and Beau had made an awful mess with some raspberry swirl ice cream cones and the author was informing the reader that those napkins did indeed come in handy. I don't really know how Abigail's mind works, but I think it's pretty funny. Some kids are quoting Shakespeare by the time they are three, but it takes a special talent to be able to deliver a line like that with a redneck accent. I love this child. I just hope she passes one standardized test in her homeschool career. Please comment with hilarious stories/comments your children have made - I think kids are the funniest people in the world. My niece who is five does stand-up comedy, and I think Jerry Seinfeld could learn from her. Her favorite joke (which my girls now love to do) is the following:
Dyani: Knock, knock.
Me: Who's there?
Dyani: Interrupting cow
Me: Interrupt-
Dyani: MOO!! and then falls over laughing
I mean, what can be funnier than that?

Hope this brings to mind something that makes you laugh...
Have a great night-
Casey

This smiiiile's fer you, Daddy!