Politics according to a 5-year-old
We were gathering opinions for where we should go to dinner tonight when this conversation erupted in the backseat:
T-Rex: Chick-fil-a! (his response every time we ask him where he wants to eat)
Little Miss: There aren’t any Chick-fil-a’s in Michigan remember?
T-Rex: Chick-fil-a!
Little Miss: We don’t have Chick-fil-a in Michigan because the governor doesn’t like Chick-fil-a. Soon we will have a new governor and maybe he will say, “Someone can open a Chick-fil-a in Michigan now!”
Narrator: Where did you get that idea, Little Miss?
Little Miss: Papa
I knew it.
I think that should be part of the gubernatorial debates, “And sir, what do you think of Chick-fil-a, and will you allow them to open franchises in Michigan?”
Filed under Funnies, LOL, Little Miss Sunshine, T-Rex | Comment (1)Finish line flag
I’m finishing up a year long transitional marathon, and I think I can see the finish line. There’s a flag of high speed internet waving at me. The privacy of my own master bathroom is calling my name, urging me to finish strong. Granite countertops gleam like a finisher’s medal, with stainless steel appliances rounding out the medal stand. I’m trying to keep a steady pace, one foot in front of the other, but like in all races, when the finish line comes into view, my heart rate quickens, and my pace gets a little hurried. I’m packing boxes, making phone calls, and in general just getting very, very antsy. It’s rather hard to focus on anything other than that finish goal. It looks like, by June, it could all be history that I remember from the comfy cushions of my much-beloved tan couch of which I could write a book about.
Fun with Fire(men)
learning about fire gear
Today was one of those days that I’m glad I always have my little Canon PowerShot in my purse.
We met up with The Narrator after Bible Study for lunch. As we were eating, it became apparent that our waitress was enamored by T-Rex. I mean, I can’t really blame her, he is an incredibly adorable, well-behaved, 3-year-old boy with eyes that just suck you right in. As a result, we had very good service at our table. My coffee cup never went dry, our plates were cleared immediately, and she really wanted to make sure T-Rex was enjoying his mac’n cheese, which was obvious since it was all over his face.
T-Rex’s footwear of choice is normally boots. Today, he was wearing his bright red firemen rain boots. The waitress asked him about his boots, and then pointed out that the table next to us was full of firemen. She asked him if he would like to help her give the mints to the firemen. He gave her a shy nod yes, and then Little Miss asked, “What about me?? Can I help too?” I think she was feeling a bit left out of all this attention.
The kids walked over to the table and the waitress introduced them to the firemen. The firefighters then asked the kids if they have ever sat in a fire truck, and invited us to come visit the station which was right behind the restaurant. The kids’ eyes lit up and I promised them we’d go over right after lunch.
We piled in the car and drove around to the firehouse where one of them men from lunch greeted us, along with a black lab who was five times the size of T-Rex. It turns out this fireman has a 3-year-old boy too who is, naturally, fascinated with all things fireman related also. We had our own personal tour of the fire station. He let the kids sit in 2 different trucks, showed them all the gear and what all the various parts of the trucks are for. He also gave them a couple fire hats, stickers, tattoos, magnets, and pencils. Talk about some loot!
My favorite part was when he showed them how they have their boots tucked inside their firepants so they can step into their gear and get dressed really fast. He said in school they have to be able to get all of their gear – boots, pants, jacket, gloves, helmet and backpack on in less than 70 seconds. I’m thinking this might be a useful technique when it comes time for school. We can half assemble their clothes and shoes the night before. In the morning we can set the timer. You have 70 seconds to get dressed for school. Ready, set GO!!
So, thank you to our firemen and women who keep our towns safe, help us when we are ill or in an accident, and for having an open door to the young kids in our communities! You made our dreary day memorable.
Filed under T-Rex, cheap & fun, motherhood | Tags: cheap, firemen, firetruck, free, kids | Comment (0)Rhubarb = Summer
Too bad the weather doesn’t feel like summer!
The kids picked the first of some of Great-Grandma’s rhubarb this past week, and tonight I turned it into a Rhubarb Pudding Cake that is out of this world. It went so fast, I didn’t even get a picture of it! The tangy, sweet dish was a hit with everyone. This recipe came from Meals For You, and I found it several years ago.
Rhubarb Pudding Cake
3 cups rhubarb, cut into 1 inch pieces, thawed if frozen.
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1-2/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup skim milk
3 Tbs unsalted butter or margarine, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbs cornstarch
1 cup boiling water
Preheat oven to 350 F. Place rhubarb in the bottom of a buttered 9 inch square or 10 inch round cake pan or baking dish. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and half the sugar in a mixing bowl. Add milk, butter and vanilla. Using an electric mixer, beat until smooth. Spread batter over rhubarb. Combine remaining sugar and cornstarch and sprinkle over batter. Pour boiling water over mixture. Bake 45 minutes or until tester comes out clean when inserted in center.
Serves 8. Really good with whip cream on top. Or ice cream.
Here comes kindergarten
I blinked. Now Little Miss Sunshine is ready to start kindergarten. And I mean, the girl is ready. She is definitely my child. I’m one who would organize my new school supplies, smell the paper, and run my fingers over it imagining the genuis that would come out of my brain and impress my teachers. Ahem. Anyway.
We have debated back and forth among several schooling options. We decided to suspend all decision making until we knew what school district we would be living in. After the housing issue was settled, I began to research the local school district and was very impressed with what I found. Today, we went for our kindergarten visitation.
Little Miss pranced in the door and sat on the bench in the hallway kicking her legs. “Is it time yet? Is it time yet?” When the principle and teachers came to collect the visitors, she was first up and had one of the teacher’s hands right away. Aww. The teacher then asked her how to pronounce her name. After a couple tries and the teacher still not saying it to Little Miss’s satisfaction, she said, it starts with an “I” and it says “Ih, Ih.” We are only at visitation, and Little Miss is making sure the teachers know the short vowel sound for the letter “I” which her first name begins with. Oh, this is going to be a ride! The principle was CRACKING up, and came over to make sure we had heard what Little Miss said. Oh yes, that is our girl.
Let the fun begin.
Filed under Little Miss Sunshine, motherhood | Comments (3)It’s true, we ate dandelions
My post last week apparently started a dandelion obsession. Not to mention how yellow the yard is since we’ve had all this rain. The dandelions are tall enough that the kids have been picking long-stemmed dandelion bouquets. Now, long-stem dandelion bouquets are quite special and deserve the fine, tall vase treatment. Yes, sir!
As I started thinking about dandelions, this odd, pervasive weed of the north, I was surprised how many memories I have surrounding dandelions. In addition to the dandelion picking for wine making, one of my earliest memories is of dandelions. My brother and I were playing in the back yard while my mom did yardwork or hung the laundry (with the underwear discreetly hidden on the inner rows of the clothes line). My brother must have been around a year old, which meant I was the quite-capable mother/sister of 4 1/2 years old. I saved my baby brother from certain death as he was just about to eat a handful of dandelions he picked for a treat. I snatched them from his chubby little hand (and he was a chubby baby!) and informed him that dandelions are for cows, and that he was not, last time I checked, despite his baby chub, a cow. I then smartly informed my mother of my good deed, expecting my due praise. And yes, I now have a 5-year-old version of myself living under my roof.
*******
I remember being embarassed of our yard growing up because while the neighbors treated their lawns with chemicals to make them thick and green, our yard always remained a quite organically spotted yellow. I asked my Dad why we didn’t treat our yard too so that the dandelions wouldn’t pepper our yard making us look like red-necks (in my mind). He informed me that 1. with the open lot across the street that was filled with dandelions, weed treatment would be almost pointless and 2. that my great-grandfather needed the dandelions for his dandelion wine. And then he sent me with a bucket into the yard to de-dandelion the yard. Why pay for lawn service when you have kids to pick the weeds out for you? I stopped bringing the subject up. And now that they have no kids at home, they have a very green, organically treated yard.
******
I graduated with 25 classmates from a small Christian school. We always felt like a weed amongst flowers, I guess. I think this feeling was mostly perpetuated by our lack of athleticism. Athletics brings money. It doesn’t matter how big or small your school is. Athletes get the attention for the school. Our class wasn’t overly athletic. A few of us played volleyball, a few played basketball, and we had one cheerleader. We were sandwiched between two very athletic classes. We, however, tended to be more artsy. When it came time for the school musicals, 99% of my class was involved in some form. We had the highest rate of participation every year. And some of my classmates could sing, oh could they sing! I hope they still sing, even if it’s only in the shower. I envied their voices. Oh, and we were really good at talking. Teachers used to make seating charts for us, right up until we graduated. The charts, carefully planned to separate friends to decrease talking in class, never worked. It didn’t matter who we were sitting next to, we ALL talked. Naturally, a number of us participated in (and won) numerous speech competitions throughout the years. From musical instruments, singing, drawing, painting, speaking…we were an incredibly talented group of young people. But we still felt like weeds for some reason. So when it came time to vote on a class flower, we nearly unanimously voted on the dandelion. We were dandelions in fields of flowers. The school balked. We said it was our class, and we voted dandelion. They insisted it could not be our flower, because the class flower gets pinned on our graduation gowns, and the dandelion is not a flower. We still didn’t see the problem. They did, however, and provided us with little daisies instead.
*****
Last week, while the yard was fresh with yellow, Nana sent the kids out to pick some for dinner. She washed the blooms, made a simple batter out of bisquick and water, dipped the blooms in the batter and fried them. And we ate them for dinner. The kids loooooved them. They tasted like fried pancakes with a hint of….fresh yellow.
And to think, I deprived my little brother of such a delicacy!
Filed under Funnies, Random, motherhood | Tags: dandelions | Comments (4)