“carbage” and cake

So I’m in the living room, thinking about my mental to do list, including the stuff we need to accomplish before FirstHusband’s parents come for Thanksgiving. FirstHusband and FavoriteSon, on the other hand, are in the playroom, completely entranced by virtual sports. Thinking out loud, and hoping to inspire physical movement (other than thumbs), I say, “We are never going to be ready for your parents.”

and FavoriteSon responds (so now he’s moving his thumbs and his mouth), “Relax Mom, it’s not like they’re going anywhere in your car.”

“OH!”

Then, guffaws from the playroom.

“oh, no you didn’t! You little creep! Your penance for that smart aleck comment is to clean out my car!”

“nooooooooooooo.”

Later, after indulging in a piece of PinkGirl’s left over birthday cake, I called, “PinkGirl! Look.” and I stuck out my (royal blue icing) tongue. PinkGirl squinched up her face and said, “WHAT did you do?”

pause.

recognition.

“Oh NO you DI ENT!

“Oh yes I did.”

“Can I have some cake?”

a cow’s tongue in chapel?

PinkGirl says, “Momma! Guess what? Dr. SchoolAdministrator brought Tommy The Tongue to chapel!”

“What?”

“It was a COW’S tongue.” (spoken in a voice that says, “ewwwww, gross.”)

pause. (I got nothing, so me and my furrowed brow just wait.)

Then FavoriteSon chimes in, “Last time it was a heart.”

“A real heart?” (I’m totally confused.)

“Yeah, he got it at the grocery store.”

“Dr. SchoolAdministrator got a heart at the grocery store.”

“mmmm hmm“

pause. (still working on this, give me some time people)

“WHY?” (would this not be everyone’s question at this point?)

FavoriteSon says, “I can’t remember PinkGirl, you tell her.”

Then PinkGirl says, “I don’t know.”

“Wait. There was an object lesson in chapel involving a COW’s tongue and neither of you know why?”

pause.

Then PinkGirl says, “I think it was about being careful of your words and not saying mean things.”

“Yeah. Yeah, something like that.”

“okay, then.” (that poor cow lost his tongue for nothing.)

(some things should never be removed from a cow. ewwwwwww, gross.)

it’s confirmed.

We have GREAT kids.

We recently had parent teacher conference day. All the middle school teachers were in the gymnasium, each at their own table, seated in alphabetical order. Parents had an opportunity to speak with each of their child’s teachers for about 10 minutes. I spent a little over an hour at school, talking (and listening) to FavoriteSon’s teachers. When I arrive home, I call out, “FavoriteSon! Come here please.” He puts down the video controller and slowly comes into the room. I wrap my arms around this great kid and say, “The only reason I didn’t have SEVEN people just tell me how wonderful you are is because Coach Basketball (P.E. teacher) wasn’t there.”

“oh.” (with a grin)

What a great kid. Really. Six people confirmed it today. People who would know. He is a great kid. Smart. Funny. Respectful of his friends and teachers. Interested in his classes. Competitive (hmmm. wonder where he gets that?) He’s just . . . really a great kid! He can’t seem to keep track of lunch boxes, but doesn’t want to buy lunch at school because, as he put it, “It’s a terrible value.” (That’s my boy!)

He did get an infraction at school the other day. What was the terrible offense? He forgot and left his cell phone on and it rang in class. Wrong number. So he got an infraction for forgetting to turn off his phone. There are worse reasons for getting an infraction.

He is a GREAT kid.

PinkGirl’s teacher didn’t even need to talk to me. Her daughters are in a play with PinkGirl. The Aristocats. Rehersals are Wednesday afternoons and we carpool, so I get to talk with the teacher often. PinkGirl is doing GREEAAAT! I love the comments on the report card:

“PinkGirl is the ultimate “drama queen!” She loves to sing and perform. She is always directing and choreographing plays at recess. She has limitless energy and an amazing zest for life! She throws herself headlong into everything she does at work or at play.”

and here’s my favorite part of the comment:

“She lives life out loud!”

Oh, yes.  Yes, she does.

I love these kids. Thank you God.