Pinewood Castle

Mischief

From Monday ~

 

The kids switched the collars on the kittens, the sprayer on the kitchen sink was rubber banded to the "on" position, and I passed out these worksheets with which to start school. Fun day!

Don't Blink

My #1 kitchen helper sliced all the portabella mushrooms for Friday's dinner of Mushroom Shrimp Risotto. She was happy as a clam until she looked with dismay at my work slicing the onions - she had wanted to peel the paper off first (such a choleric). I was almost too distracted by my pride and amazement with her desire to help to notice that she pronounced it correctly: "onion" instead of "yun-yon".

My baby's growing up (sniff, sniff).

In a matter of months, or weeks, we will no longer hear her signature words:

    step-o-stool

    choking haz-rits

    pop-thistles

The days of her famous Dowager-Countess style one-liners are numbered too, I suppose:

    "How can you know?"

    "What? Why aren't we late?"

    "Are you going to die, or not?"

I will be keeping my eyes and ears wide open - how I will miss this stage.

The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

I don't often attempt humor here, and my husband only gave it mild chuckle, but I've had this post concocting in my head too long not to share it. I don't mean to be offensive or too stereotypical, or even label things "good" or "bad," I just find the differences funnier the longer we live outside The Metro. Feel free to add your own in the com box!

 

14 Differences Between the City & the Country

(besides the obvious lack of good restaurants, arts, and culture)

 

14. Men's Fashion:

    City: Pink shirts, fur collars, plain front pants, Ugg boots - totally metro-sexual.

    Country: Polaris (snowmobile) jackets, hooded sweatshirts and everyday jeans.

13. Women's Fashion:

    City: Pretty much everyone has switched to skinny jeans and tall boots.

    Country: The working moms sport salon hair and the latest styles but we SAHMs are still in the             same jeans and tees we bought ten years ago.

 

12. Family Size:

    City - Why on earth would you want more than two?

    Country - Three, four, or more!

11. Farm Fresh Food:

    City - Wonderful farmer's markets and natural food co-ops.

    Country - Buy direct from the farmer once you get to know the county roads.

10. Public Parks:

    City - Treated for mosquitoes

    Country - Infested with mosquitoes.

9. Flora:

    City - A few truly outstanding public gardens.

    Country - Better study up on wildflowers of Minnesota as well as deer-proof perennials.

 

8. Fauna:

    City - The usual birds, squirrels, and occasional deer.

    Country - Fox, opossum, raccoon, eagles, hawks, woodpeckers, deer, and occasional bears.

 

7. Libraries:

    City - Pretty much any book you want and free museum adventure passes.

    Country - Better learn how to use ILL and buy family memberships to your favorite museums.

 

6. Parking:

    City - Hail Mary full of grace, help me find a parking space!

    Country - A likely place to get into an accident they way people speed across the lines of all the                     empty spaces.

5. Decibel Level:

    City - Traffic, delivery trucks, and airplanes overhead.

    Country - The gun range, freight trains, and booming sub-woofers.

4. Vehicles:

    City - Mini Coopers, convertibles, and sports cars.

    Country - SUVs and pick-up trucks. Extra points for hauling snowmobiles, 4 wheelers, jet skis, a                  boat, or an ice fishing house.

 

3. Driving:

    City: Better know where you are going or be tailgated.

    Country: A surprising number of people (mostly women) refuse to attempt driving in the city.

 

2. Bumper stickers:

    City -I'm Pagan and I Vote!

    Country - I'm in the NRA and I Vote!

1. Safety:

    City - Stray bullets through your window shot by gang members.

    Country - Stray BBs shot by neighborhood boys aiming for your cat in the window!

 

Giggles for Kitty Lovers

Photo Booth Fun

God Knows Best

Some years we include our children in our anniversary celebration with a nice steak dinner at home instead of having a night out. This year we chose that option since we have  a new baby and all the nice restaurants are an hour away. The older the kids get, there more fun it is to tell them stories of what our lives were like before they were born.

As we were sipping our wine and Izze sodas we heard a piece on the classical music station performed by clarinetist David Shifrin. I explained to the kids that he teaches at the prestigious Yale School of Music and that when I was a clarinetist I always admired his playing.

Of course the mention of this school means nothing to them, but they enjoyed the story I proceeded to tell them of my audition at Yale long ago. Based on a preliminary tape screening I was invited to audition in person. I traveled by plane, then by train to Connecticut. After settling in an old hotel in New Haven with noisy radiator heat I explored the campus and went at the appointed time to play for David Shifrin. Although he liked my tone quality, I had gotten nervous and messed up a bit too much to be accepted into the graduate school. It's a good thing though, I explained, because if I had attended Yale I would not have met Dad and none of then would have been born.

They all looked shocked at the possibility of this until Sunshine explained with a smile, "God wanted you to get nervous and mess up because he wanted us to be born!"

Of course.

Here's a marriage poem that we printed on the back of our wedding program. Such a good reminder eleven years later.

Marriage Takes Three

I once thought marriage took
Just two to make a go,
But now I am convinced
It takes the Lord also.

And not one marriage fails
Where Christ is asked to enter,
As lovers come together
With Jesus at the center.

But marriage seldom thrives,
And homes are incomplete,
Till He is welcomed there
To help avoid defeat.

In homes where Christ is first,
It's obvious to see,
Those unions really work,
For marriage still takes three.

Phonics Review Needed

Sunshine: I know what "kur-tus-ty" means. Dino: What? Sunshine: Kindness and politeness! (Baby photo just because. Just practicing blogging with an iPhone and to show off his Mohawk)

Katie No Pocket

If ever Sunshine spies a kangaroo without a pocket hopping down the street, she will gladly offer her van organizer!

Somebody Got Into the Snow!

She evidently didn't want the Little People to feel left out of the premature winter weather.

We really couldn't get mad at her for this one - we all just had a very good laugh and placed the baby powder on a high shelf!

Lost and Found

Is this your chicken? Or is it a rooster?

To the delight of our children, this fowl has been wandering around our neighborhood for several days now!

5 yo Boy Humor

This morning Dino's face lit up when he realized that God spelled backwards is dog. Just a little priceless moment.

Recently, I sternly asked him to sit on his bottom at the dinner table. He smartly replied, "But then I would have to a double bottom - one for sitting and one to sit on!"

My husband won a CD at the Irish Festival Sunday, a compilation of tracks from local Irish groups. Pub songs included. I overheard Dino singing the lyrics to one, "You'll always be my true love, but whiskey was my first." Me: "What's whiskey?" Him: "I don't know!" Unintentional corruption. I just hope he doesn't break out into that chorus when we go to Target today!

Mysteries

Why did my alarm go off at the default setting of midnight rather than the usual 5 am?

Why did I wake up with a splinter or something else equally painful in the tip of my index finger?

As Dino pouted this afternoon, "Why is it when we finish one thing it's always time for something else?!"

Why did Sunshine think the lyrics to the Lambchops theme song were the following:

This is the song that never ends,
Oh it goes on and on my friends.
Some people died in their sleep not knowing what it was . . .

Love Him or Not . . .

these are really funny - Bushisms

Growing Pains

My 8yo daughter is getting greasy hair and pimples on her back (is this normal?).

My little Sunshine who is of the cute & cuddley variety who you (friends, family, total strangers) want to freeze so she never grows up just turned SEVEN.

My 20 mo old held up a pony tail holder and grunted until I did her hair just like her sisters'. Such a big girl!

But the real kicker is that that my 5yo boy is in love. With a girl from the Target flip, clip and save coupon book.

After Dino marveled at how cute this little girl was, my husband obliged him by flipping, clipping and taping her three sections together for his son (my little baby boy) to carry around everywhere. He even sleeps with this picture on his nightstand. I had to sneak it off while he was sleeping to take this photo:

Well, I have to admit that she is cute. He has good taste. I might feel a little jealous if she didn't still have all her baby teeth.

The perk is that when I suggested to him that the little girl might like to hear his piano pieces he RAN to the piano before I even finished my sentence.

Talk about love making obedience easy!

Maybe I should start wearing my hair in braided pigtails.

Well, it's a great reminder to pray for my future daughter-in-law, whoever she might be. I pray that her soul may be every bit as beautiful as this little girl's face!

HT: Kansas Catholic Blogspot

For My Mother, on Her Birthday

Me: So, children, Grandma B's birthday is coming up on Monday. How old do think she will be?

Sunshine: Uh, a hundred?

Me: No, no, silly! Not that old!

Sunshine: Ninety-nine?

Buckethead

Remember when I mentioned that home schooling is going great, especially when the baby is napping? I am eternally thankful that she is still napping in the morning from 9:00-11:00. We use this time for the bulk of our seat work.

It's the remaining eight hours of the day from naptime to bedtime that keeps me on my toes!

Example #1: Playing in the Sandbox While Mommy is on the Phone Planning for Little Flowers

Example #2: Running With Scissors While Mommy Makes Dinner
I just had to snap a photo before prying this potential eye-poking hazard from her tight little grip. Yes, she threw a fit.

Margaret recognized the bucket. I guess I am not the only one with qualms about tossing into the recycling a pail that once held $14 worth of state fair cookies!

About the Town

Some employee of our local community ed. has a whimsical sense of humor.

Her endearing piece of statuary, Ebu the Dog, sports a new outfit every day -

Athlete, sports fan, surgeon, whatever he wears, he is top dog with us and the highlight of our errand days!

Have You Ever Had a Baby Do THIS?

From the Sunday Paper...

Sometimes it just hits too close to home!

Posted by Joe.