Sam's favorite store is....you guessed it...Sam's Club. He refers to it as "My Club". He acts as though he is doing the general public a big favor by allowing them to also shop at his club. What's funny is we don't even have a Sam's Club membership. The only time he's there is when my mom takes him shopping.
We are in the process of pricing out an above-ground pool. The type you take down each fall. They aren't terribly expensive, but we're Dutch and we like a bargain. The boys are very excited about the coming pool, particularly TJ. Sam, of course, is being more hesitant, but I fully intend to get him in the pool. I knew TJ needed a bigger life jacket, so Sam will get the one TJ used the past couple years. That may make him a bit braver. I took the boys shopping for the life jacket and some other pool toys on Saturday. Just a word of warning. Never let your boys hold their new pool noodles in the check-out lanes. The next thing you know, your oldest two will be having a sword fight and you are stuck on the other side of the cart and can't stop them. I would like to apologize for the innocent bystanders who were 'noodled' by my children.
Later in the day on Saturday, we went out to Pioneer Park in Muskegon to visit my sister and her husband. It was cold, so I didn't really intend for the kids to get in the water. But before we left, Sam said, "Mom, do we need to bring my 'jap like it'?" I had to say the word in my head a couple times before I realized he was saying life jacket. Funny boy.
Friday night we took the boys out to Village Inn for pizza. They were very well behaved but started getting antsy while we waited for the bill. On the way out to the parking lot, they were practically bouncing off the walls. A couple was on their way in and my boys bounded through the doors the moment the guy opened them. Only Sam stopped and said to him, "Hey! Thanks for taking care of the door!" The couple got a big kick out of that.
Not to be outdone, TJ asked me a for a 'canola bar' for snack the other day. You say 'granola bar', he says 'canola bar'. His doesn't sound like anything I want to eat!
Monday, June 14, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
TJ still cracks us up
At 6 1/2 years old, TJ usually knows what he is talking about. Occasionally, though, he still makes mistakes. He usually has the good grace to laugh at himself, or ignore me when I start laughing.
Yesterday, a box arrived for the boys. I had ordered each of them a Kleen Kanteen stainless steel water bottle from my co-op group. The boys often ask for water to drink, and TJ and Sam each had their own plastic water bottle. However, the water started tasting (and smelling) funky after just a little while, no matter how often I scrubbed the bottles with soap and water. So, I upgraded them to stainless steel and bought one for Nolan too. The boys were very excited. They each have their own color, and Nolan's has a special sippy cup top so he can drink without making a mess. While they were admiring their bottles, TJ informed Sam that stainless steel is really good and that it is 'almost like glass'. No. It's not even close to glass, but whatever...
This was the last week of school. Both Tuesday and today, TJ came home with little treats (and tons of papers! Good grief! I hope he doesn't realize I threw most of them out!). Anyway, on Tuesday, he came home with taffy. You know, taffy...the chewy candy that has zero nutritional value to it. For some reason, TJ could not remember what the candy was called. He kept calling it "Krispie", as in "Rice Krispie Treat". The two items could not be more different. When TJ finally ate the taffy, he realized why I kept telling him it wasn't "Krispie". Nope. He agreed, as he tried prying it out of his teeth.
Last night, Bill grilled hamburgers. Correction...he grilled cheeseburgers. My boys love cheese, and usually call cheeseburgers 'meat burgers with cheese.' While I was slicing up items to put on the burgers, I asked TJ what he would like on his. Sometimes he asks for tomato, and I wanted to make sure I cut enough. TJ thought it over and said, "I just want the meat, the cheese, and the bun. No tomato this time, and DO NOT put cucumbers on it." I thought that was a very strange answer, as I don't think I've ever known anyone to put cucumbers on a burger. I asked him why in the world he was worrying about cucumbers. He looked puzzled, and then said, "You know...the green things you pick off my burgers at McDonald's."
Oh! Pickles! TJ doesn't yet realize how closely related pickles and cucumbers are. He just had me laughing with that one.
Today, my big boy finished kindergarten. I feel a bit sad at how quickly he's growing. According to the report card from his gym teacher, he grew 3 inches this year, and gained 3 pounds. TJ was sad to see the school year end. He told me several times, "Mrs. Marsh is really going to miss me." He makes me smile.
Yesterday, a box arrived for the boys. I had ordered each of them a Kleen Kanteen stainless steel water bottle from my co-op group. The boys often ask for water to drink, and TJ and Sam each had their own plastic water bottle. However, the water started tasting (and smelling) funky after just a little while, no matter how often I scrubbed the bottles with soap and water. So, I upgraded them to stainless steel and bought one for Nolan too. The boys were very excited. They each have their own color, and Nolan's has a special sippy cup top so he can drink without making a mess. While they were admiring their bottles, TJ informed Sam that stainless steel is really good and that it is 'almost like glass'. No. It's not even close to glass, but whatever...
This was the last week of school. Both Tuesday and today, TJ came home with little treats (and tons of papers! Good grief! I hope he doesn't realize I threw most of them out!). Anyway, on Tuesday, he came home with taffy. You know, taffy...the chewy candy that has zero nutritional value to it. For some reason, TJ could not remember what the candy was called. He kept calling it "Krispie", as in "Rice Krispie Treat". The two items could not be more different. When TJ finally ate the taffy, he realized why I kept telling him it wasn't "Krispie". Nope. He agreed, as he tried prying it out of his teeth.
Last night, Bill grilled hamburgers. Correction...he grilled cheeseburgers. My boys love cheese, and usually call cheeseburgers 'meat burgers with cheese.' While I was slicing up items to put on the burgers, I asked TJ what he would like on his. Sometimes he asks for tomato, and I wanted to make sure I cut enough. TJ thought it over and said, "I just want the meat, the cheese, and the bun. No tomato this time, and DO NOT put cucumbers on it." I thought that was a very strange answer, as I don't think I've ever known anyone to put cucumbers on a burger. I asked him why in the world he was worrying about cucumbers. He looked puzzled, and then said, "You know...the green things you pick off my burgers at McDonald's."
Oh! Pickles! TJ doesn't yet realize how closely related pickles and cucumbers are. He just had me laughing with that one.
Today, my big boy finished kindergarten. I feel a bit sad at how quickly he's growing. According to the report card from his gym teacher, he grew 3 inches this year, and gained 3 pounds. TJ was sad to see the school year end. He told me several times, "Mrs. Marsh is really going to miss me." He makes me smile.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Today's funny
Sam has a new phrase he likes to use whenever he is surprised, very happy, or disgusted:
"Oh, my brother!"
He throws in one of his cute hand gestures, just to make it more comical to Bill and me. Of course, we have to try and hold back our laughter so that TJ won't hassle his little brother.
"Oh, my brother!"
He throws in one of his cute hand gestures, just to make it more comical to Bill and me. Of course, we have to try and hold back our laughter so that TJ won't hassle his little brother.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
New Sunglasses
I need to start this post off by reminding all of you of how much my children love bells. The 3 of them spent an hour on YouTube this morning, watching videos of different church bells ringing around the world. TJ informed me he wants to go listen to a particular one in Amsterdam ring. I told him he needed a passport for that, and he wasn't old enough for one. Ha ha.
Anyway, at the beginning of spring, we had two pairs of kid's sunglasses. A baby pair for Nolan (they have a band that wraps around the back of his head, keeping the sunglasses in place), and a Thomas the Train sunglasses. They started out as TJ's, but Sam has been wearing them this year. TJ asked me if I would buy him some new sunglasses. I told him that I would, and I asked what kind of sunglasses he wanted.
"Ones with church bells," he tells me.
On Monday, I went shopping at Kohl's and picked up a new pair of sunglasses for TJ. I dutifully looked over every pair on the rack, so I could honestly report back that I checked every pair. Not one pair had church bells on them. He got blue Lightning McQueen sunglasses instead. He was disappointed, but not too upset.
Bill says some manufacturer out there is really missing out. If they did design a pair of church bell sunglasses, approximately 10-12 children in this country would be thrilled!!
Anyway, at the beginning of spring, we had two pairs of kid's sunglasses. A baby pair for Nolan (they have a band that wraps around the back of his head, keeping the sunglasses in place), and a Thomas the Train sunglasses. They started out as TJ's, but Sam has been wearing them this year. TJ asked me if I would buy him some new sunglasses. I told him that I would, and I asked what kind of sunglasses he wanted.
"Ones with church bells," he tells me.
On Monday, I went shopping at Kohl's and picked up a new pair of sunglasses for TJ. I dutifully looked over every pair on the rack, so I could honestly report back that I checked every pair. Not one pair had church bells on them. He got blue Lightning McQueen sunglasses instead. He was disappointed, but not too upset.
Bill says some manufacturer out there is really missing out. If they did design a pair of church bell sunglasses, approximately 10-12 children in this country would be thrilled!!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Tiny One
Nolan is a very verbal child and almost always wakes up in a great mood. In the mornings, he immediately asks for "brestfest" and often will ask if TJ and Sam are up too. After nap, he chatters away about his "banket" and "Buddy" and a stuffed penguin he is obsessed with. He also asks if his snack is ready. The kid loves food.
This afternoon when I walked in to get him up after nap, I noticed it was a bit fragrant in his room. I asked him if he had a poopie diaper. Nolan immediately responded, "No" but then paused and thought his response over. Finally, he nodded, but said "Tiny one."
I thought that was pretty funny. As if a tiny poopie diaper somehow isn't as stinky as a regular one. As if is isn't quite as important that it be changed pronto. I did a quick negotiation with Nolan, and he agreed that I could change his diaper as long as he got his snack immediately afterwards. On a typical day, Nolan has snack and THEN the diaper change. Like his brothers, Nolan is all about routines.
For the record, I didn't think it was all that tiny. He is not a very good judge of that, I guess.
This afternoon when I walked in to get him up after nap, I noticed it was a bit fragrant in his room. I asked him if he had a poopie diaper. Nolan immediately responded, "No" but then paused and thought his response over. Finally, he nodded, but said "Tiny one."
I thought that was pretty funny. As if a tiny poopie diaper somehow isn't as stinky as a regular one. As if is isn't quite as important that it be changed pronto. I did a quick negotiation with Nolan, and he agreed that I could change his diaper as long as he got his snack immediately afterwards. On a typical day, Nolan has snack and THEN the diaper change. Like his brothers, Nolan is all about routines.
For the record, I didn't think it was all that tiny. He is not a very good judge of that, I guess.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
If You Give a Kid a Popsicle...
He will definitely get sticky! Nolan needs the biggest bib we own, a washcloth draped on his lap, and he needs to be outdoors in order to make this do-able. As it was, he was still stained orange a few hours later!
Check out his grip technique. Why use the stick when you can hang right on to the popsicle?
Sam making the 'wow, that's cold!' face.
Sam is much neater than his brother.
We were Puka-sitting over the weekend. I think she was disappointed that Nolan didn't have any crumbs for her. She loves sitting near his high chair while he eats.
Check out his grip technique. Why use the stick when you can hang right on to the popsicle?
Sam making the 'wow, that's cold!' face.
Sam is much neater than his brother.
We were Puka-sitting over the weekend. I think she was disappointed that Nolan didn't have any crumbs for her. She loves sitting near his high chair while he eats.
Our new/used playset
Last fall, the family across the street offered us their playset. It looked pretty nice to us...covered landing at the top of the slide, several swings, a small rock climbing wall...but Bill wasn't able to get over there until this spring to dismantle it. When he did start working on it, he discovered that quite of bit of the wood had dry rot, and it really wasn't even stable enough to move.At that point, he decided to salvage what he could (the slide, the swings, the rock wall, etc.) and start from scratch with fresh lumber.
I'm sure the neighbors wondered what we were up to...Bill said he felt like he was building a marching band podium!
A little bit of progress...but a bit of a safety hazard!
What we have right now for the boys. Later, Bill will add the swings on, and maybe cover the landing like the old playset. Not a bad little piece of equipment for about $100 in lumber!
I'm sure the neighbors wondered what we were up to...Bill said he felt like he was building a marching band podium!
A little bit of progress...but a bit of a safety hazard!
What we have right now for the boys. Later, Bill will add the swings on, and maybe cover the landing like the old playset. Not a bad little piece of equipment for about $100 in lumber!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
