Sunshine Is Free

I have a friend who wears a shirt that reads, "The sun is free." It always makes me smile when I think about it.

Anyway, as many of you know, sunshine is never taken for granted in our house. I recently introduced Nicole to the "You are my sunshine" song. She was humming it this morning, and I started singing along. After the first verse, Nicole said, "Of course they have to take his sunshine away. Some days are rainy."

I didn't realize that she didn't understand the metaphor (but then how could she have, possibly?). So I explained that the man's "sunshine" was his wife (for all intents and purposes here, this is good enough), and that she brings him "light and happiness."

Without hesitating Nicole asked, "Does Dad bring you 'light and happiness?' And exactly what does it mean to bring someone 'light?' I already know what happiness means."

Fielding questions from a six-year-old can be tricky sometimes!

Grant's My Best Friend

While driving in the car, Nicole was telling me about some of her friends. She said, "Mom, do you remember my best friend ... well, Grant's my best friend, but my other friend that I liked ... ?"

Since she was in the back seat, she didn't see the smile spread across my face. My best friend. It warmed my little heart to hear her say that. I know she loves her brothers so much, and I'm so, so happy that she gets to spend all day, every day with them. It is one of the unanticipated benefits to homeschooling. So even though they argue, chase, and fight, they still have plenty of time together to build clubhouses, read books, play games, decorate cookies, make "rolls" (aka, big mess), write letters to each other, swim together, race up the stairs, wear buckets/grocery bags on their heads and crash into walls, take their scooters for a ride in the snow, trade toys, go on shark expeditions in the dark with flashlights, and drive their trains down the tracks with their remote controls.

Because that's what best friends do.

For My Mom

... who lives too far away to come over and see Grant sleep with his hands behind his head. On my bed, on his bed, on the bean bag, or even in the car.

More

More Scotty,
more walky,
more guns.

Grant Talks Cute

After a long day of swimming with friends and playing on the playground, Grant fell asleep for a late nap. When he woke up, he ventured into the kitchen where I was cooking dinner and said, "Great day. Do 'day again."

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Grant approached me closely and said, "Kiss my boy hair." Hair is how we distinguish male from female. It's working, so far.

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Mom: I love you, Grant.
Grant: Love Mom.

Former President: Lincoln

We've been studying Abraham Lincoln for a couple of months. It began when we drove past the Lincoln memorial one day and stopped at the red light. Nicole looked out her window and asked, "Who is that?"Oh, you want to know? Well, let me tell you ... (Notice there is no snow in the background. This was the last time I saw grass in Spokane. Now everything is just plain gray. Everything. Even the remainder of the stubborn snow that just won't melt.)

Since then, we have read kid-targeted biographies on Lincoln, accounts of slaves, civil war stories and seen tons of pictures. Oh, and Nicole was very interested to learn about the assassination and what happened to the bad guys. She was happy to hear that they (well, most of them anyway) were justly hanged.

We have been collecting all of our work, such as the picture of the quote below, which was on the Lincoln memorial.
We also dragged some other homeschooling friends into the frenzy and visited a gallery featuring art work to commemorate Lincoln's bicentennial birth. OK, whatever. Anyway, here is the group with ... Lincoln's head and moose antlers.
Our one-of-a-kind book is nearly complete and ready for binding. President Lincoln would be so honored, I am certain.

A Valentine Joke

Q: What did the octopus say to his valentine?
A: I want to hold your hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand.

Scotty's Turn

Scotty has stayed a baby longer than Nicole and Grant did. He really does feel like an overgrown 9-month-old. Even still, I'm afraid I'll forget his cute baby mannerisms if I don't write them down.

1. His feet are so ticklish that I can't even put his socks on without him squirming and giggling. Actually, his whole body is ticklish. I've never seen someone so sensitive to touch. You can just poke his fat tummy, and he lets out a laugh.
   
2. His favorite "toy," by large margins, is the night light. He loves to wrestle it out of the wall, tear off the cover, and then "chew" on the bulb. I'm glad it's never broken in his mouth! You ought to see his fit when I discover his find and take it away.
3. He eats Swiss cheese, in addition to ... everything!!! (I remember when Grant was in that phase.)
4. He is finally starting to walk. But only when it's his idea.
5. He thinks walking is funny.
   

The Memo: Spoil Me Please

I found this on Nicole's desk the other morning and asked her if she needed an envelope. I wanted to keep the original, but as you can see, it wasn't addressed to me. She constructed this by herself, and even remembered Grandma's phone number (area code included). Do you suppose she isn't spoiled enough at home?

Good Finds: You Will Cry

Anthony Hopkins plays C. S. Lewis in this dramatization of Lewis falling in love with an American writer. Witty, beautiful landscape, and fairly true. Also, you'll need a handkerchief, or two. Very touching, and reminds you of what is most important in life.

Scotty's Hideout

I don't know how he gets in here, but I do know that he can't get out!

Always late ...

... but worth the wait. Isn't that how it goes?This dress was supposed to be completed in time for Nicole to wear it to The Nutcracker two months ago. And even though I bought the fabric in September, I just managed to get it sewn up within the past few weeks. It looks like a simple pattern, but it really was a tricky thing, and I had to completely start over -- twice! Good thing I bought extra fabric.

Good Finds: Double Feature

The Adventures of Bert and A Bit More Bert provide laugh out loud humor on every page for both early readers and their on-looking parents.

Bert is an adult Englishman who lives with his wife, baby, mother, and dog, and who somehow manages to find himself in some unusual circumstances.

Bert's innocence and goodness won over our hearts!

(Written by Allan Ahlberg, illustrated by Raymond Briggs.)

A Wee Bit O' Spring

Not so much my Groundhog's Day prediction as my Groundhog's Day hope.