With All Due Respect

For the first time in my life, I made beef stroganoff. When I was a kid, I thought it looked and smelled like dog food. But for some odd reason, I finally wanted to eat it (it only took twenty years). It was a pain to make (lots of time and dirty pans), but it tasted at least 100x better than dog food.

Just as I was dishing up the plates, Grant peeked over my shoulder to see what was for dinner. The kids aren't allowed to say that anything is or looks "gross/yucky/disgusting," because that's just plain bad manners. And they get in a lot of trouble for exhibiting bad manners. So Grant simply said, "No I want to eat it. No thank you."

As you wish, sir!

PS: As it turns out, he ate it anyway. Must've been pretty desperate for some food.

More Kid Stories

I was frantically trying to get my editing work done with Grant on the computer next to me. About every three words I read, Grant would interrupt and say, "Mama, Mama, Mama ..." until I responded. Then he would say, "Look!" and show me something on the computer screen.

Finally I said, "Grant, I have to get this work done. I can't look at the computer anymore."

Five seconds or less later, Grant said, "Mama, Mama, Mama ..." I couldn't believe it. "Mama, Mama, Mama," he continued.

"What?" I impatiently asked.

"You busy, Mama?" Grant innocently asked.

I couldn't help but smile. "Yes, Grant."

Grant added, "Grant's busy, too."

* * * * *

Nicole showed me a fistful of nine pennies and asked, "Mom, do you need some money to help pay for the new house?"

*Smothered chuckle.* "Uh, I think we'll be OK."

"Mom, what can I buy for nine cents?"

Uh ...

Out and About

On our way to a party tonight, we stopped at my sister-in-law's place to pick up a couple of cousins. Grant and Scotty were in the back seat, Aunt Shari was up front waiting for me, and I was at the front door, waiting for the divas to get their hair perfect. I heard a horn beep, and I was surprised to learn that it was my sister (I blamed one of the kids). When I got back in the car, Grant said with a very excited tone (a tone that made me wonder if he had ever heard someone honk the horn before -- I really think tonight was his first time), "Mom, Aunt Shari push the button, and it make a noise. It go, 'Beep, beep, beep.'" Then Scotty giggled. So we said "beep, beep, beep" again. And Scotty kept giggling. Apparently it was his first experience with the horn, too.

* * * * *

I walked into a fast food restaurant with the kids the other day, and was surprised to see a man dressed in a black shirt and wearing one of those religious black and white neck ties -- like a Catholic priest or something. He received his order ahead of us, and I just happened to glance at his table just as he was finishing a prayer, presumably a blessing on the food. He was sitting across from a woman, and she had prayed with him. My first thought was how odd it was to "please bless this double cheeseburger." My second thought was how odd it was to pray for your food whilst sitting in a booth in Mickey Dee's. But then I thought how sad it is for me to think of praying as odd, even if it is in public and for disgusting food. So we sat down and blessed our grease-filled meal as well. It's still a free country, after all.

* * * * *

I met a man from Albania who, through a stroke of good fortune, is now a U.S. citizen. I asked him why he wanted to immigrate, and he gave me the "American dream" story. I asked him if the U.S. was everything he dreamed of. He told me that it was exactly what he had imagined ... that you could work hard here and make your life as great as you want. When I alluded to the possibility of the American dream fading away, he replied in a very kind way by saying, "I think if Americans were a little more educated about the realities of socialism and communism, they would not be able to sleep at night. They don't realize how great this country is, and there isn't anywhere else like it in the world."

Old News, but I'm Getting Old

Nicole lost a tooth. And not just any old tooth. Her first tooth ever. She's six and a half, and she's been wondering for a long time when it would be her turn. For several months now, I have been avoiding library books that handle the subject of losing teeth. No need to bring up depressing topics, if you know what I mean.

Forgive me if I can't name the exact day, but suffice it to say that the loose tooth was discovered about an hour into our drive from Spokane to Phoenix (two and a half weeks ago), and that it fell out in the car (surprise!) looking for a house in Arizona (several days later). This was also the day that one of our tires "exploded" mysteriously while driving home from looking for a house. Nicole said to me, "I knew I shouldn't have come to look at houses with you." (Not that she had a choice.) And by the way, if you want to hear a funny story, ask Grant about the blown tire. He'll tell you that our "car blew up."

Back to the teeth, though, because we're all about remaining focused and never deviating in the middle of an important story. The "hole" in Nicole's mouth didn't stay vacant long. I actually think that's why the tooth finally got wobbly -- because something bigger was pushing it out of the way. So since I'm late at everything (just ask Clint; or better yet, don't ask Clint ... remember that "depressing topic" issue mentioned earlier?), here's a picture of Nicole's hole with the permanent tooth already sprouting.

Happiness Blooms Around You

Nicole with "flowers."

The Brotherhood (Grant, Tommy, Ty -- Scotty was self-excluded)

Tommy

Ty-Man


Tommy Tinker

Susie Q

There he is -- the little fussy-monster himself!

Sam and Tommy

Sammie

Quince and Nicole

Quincy and Kalia

Wincy Q

More Quincy

Nicole and Kalia

Kalia Sugar Baker

Grantigrew

The Busy Bakers

My sister Shari and her girls

Wild hair girls

Behind the Scenes Photos

What really went on in between the shots ...

Climbing a tree.

I love a candid smile.

A photo boycott

"Might as well jump!"

What's wrong with this picture? Oh yeah, she's a middle child.

Just girls. Cute.

Woo-woo! It's fun to have Aunt Sarah around.

"I'll do it if you do it."

Cousins make the best friends.

Hi, Ty!

Aunt Shari, one of two unpaid babysitters.
Grant's favorite number is three. So every day, I get three hugs and three kisses. I tell him, "Hey, Grant, I didn't get my three hugs today." To which he replies, "Hey, no three hugs today." Then I get three hugs. Sometimes I cheat and make him give me three hugs every couple of hours. Sometimes Nicole gets three hugs, too,

See, getting your picture taken is fun!

Windblown.

I Used to Blog

I also used to post pictures of my kids.

We're in Arizona this month. That's right -- a month. It's a, ahem, trip to find a house. But now that the dirty work is over (yes, I really finally did find one!), my focus has shifted to pleasure. That starts tomorrow with the Easter egg hunt for the kids.

Today was not pleasure, although it certainly should/could have been. My sister, my sister-in-law and I took nine kids in white clothes to the park for photos. I can think of lots more things that would be more pleasurable than that. Take ironing clothes, for instance. Or cleaning up throw up off my sister's new floor three times in one week (true story).

OK, you get the idea. Anyway, I ended up with 266 photos from one hour's worth of torture, and here's the best I got (one kid is missing):
Here's the alternate:
We have some individual shots that turned out quite nice (watch for them). If I'm feeling especially masochistic tomorrow, I might try my luck again. Heaven help me.

Baby Dreams

Uncle Matt: How did you sleep, Grant?
Grant: Good.
Uncle Matt: Did you have any dreams?
Grant: Yes.
Uncle Matt: About what?
Grant: Milk.
(Mom giggles.)
Grant: Mom, don't!