Cookies Anyone?

A little while ago, Brett made up a game called "Thirty". It is really easy to play, whoever can pick up thirty things and put them away first wins! Very exciting! I had told the kids that the winner of "Thirty" got to pick out what kind of cookies I made. Well Bonnie was not to be outdone in this game! She picked up her thirty things as quick as a flick (that's a Bonnieism). Although, after she got to twenty she kept asking me what came next. Ethan was feeling a little too cool for this game. He had caught on that we were just trying to pick up the house. Brett and I have to watch out, he is on to us! So Bonnie won the game, and she decided that sugar cookies were on the menu. I secretly groaned and moaned because not only are sugar cookies the messiest things ever, they are the cookie that takes the most time! Plus, they are not my favorite. But that is what she wanted, so I put on my brave face and my favorite apron and we made sugar cookies. We made the dough, rolled it flat, and cut out the cookies. It was fun to do, and Bonnie is always entertaining to be with. So by the time we were done, I was not grumbling about the effort involved in making sugar cookies. After we had finally put the last cookie on the cooling rack, and cleaned up the kitchen, Bonnie said, "You know mom, what I really wanted was those sugar cookies that have cracks in them. You know, they have flour all over them." She was talking about snicker doodles, which are much, much, much easier and yummier than regular old sugar cookies! Not to mention funner to say! I do roll my snicker doodles in actual sugar, not flour, by the way. ARRRRRGGGGG! I need to get more information before I start a project like that! In case you were wondering, my very favorite apron that I have on says, "Who are these kids and why are they calling me Mom?" I'm not sure why I like it so much, it must be the colors!

First Day of School!

This is my attempt of immortalizing the first day of school. In this first picture, as you can see, Bonnie is smiling her very cutest I-am-to-excited-for-words smile! And Ethan is tolerating me. I told them to make their grumpiest faces. Usually reverse psychology works on Ethan. As you can see, it didn't this time. But once again, Bonnie is cooperating nicely. Now he is telling me that he doesn't' want his picture taken, and are we done yet? Bonnie is giving me a come hither look. Despite the undignified beginning to his day, Ethan told me he had a fantastic first day! His teacher gave him easy work, and he has friends in his class already. Bonnie had just a thumbs sideways day her first day at kindergarten. For those who don't know, a thumbs sideways means it was just OK, not a thumbs up awesome, and not a thumbs down total disaster. There was apparently something about her coloring when she wasn't supposed to and her teacher telling her to stop (meanly according to Bonnie). I am not sure on the details, she couldn't talk to me about them, it made her too upset. A random Bonnie story. Bonnie was asking me something, and I was saying no to whatever it was. She started to get upset with me and told me I was making her sad just like Satan! Well, I have to say, that one made me stop and think.

Seeing Double

I would just like to clear up a little confusion about the corn incedent. Yes I was at the end of my rope, and yes I really did lick the corn out of desperation, and it was the first thing I thought of. But what my loving husband failed to mention was the fact that I had to hide my face in the cupboard because I was laughing so hard. Of course Bonnie started crying that she didn't want her corn licked. I almost fell on the floor. I think I might be losing it! On to my real posting! I think I might be living in some sort of time warp where everything happens twice! I guess sorta like Ground Hogs Day, you know with Bill Murray when he gets stuck living the same day over and over. But I digress. I only live through everything twice. You might be wondering how I came to this conclusion, and I can tell you it is because of my children. They have started saying, "I was like..." after whatever it is they have said or did, and then repeating it again. Do they think that I can't remember two seconds ago? Do they think I missed it? I really just don't get it, but hearing everything twice makes me wonder if I haven't been getting it all along, and they are just trying to help me out so I don't miss anything. Ethan started it, and Bonnie has faithfully taken over for him. "Did you see mom? I was like you are such a silly eyeball, blah, blah, blah." All the while she is shaking her head like a dog. (True example) Yeah, I saw the first time cause you were right in front of me and you said, "Hey Mom", before you said it! Do mom's get vacation? I think I might need one! Anyone got any good ideas?

I Don't Know What Just Happened!

This is a Brett Entry.....So, I was at the dinner table sitting down to a delicious smelling dinner of tri-tip, garlic mashed potatoes and corn on the cob. That's right I said "on the cob". This was going to be quite a treat and even the kids new it. As usual they began fighting over which was their seat. And as usual I just tried to stay out of the way. No sense in having four involved, besides Layne was handling herself fine. After it was over and Ethan lost I thought I would try to even up the situation by letting Ethan pick his ear of corn first. Not wanting to be left out completely Bonnie piped in and said as she pointed to the ear closest to her, "I want that one". Oddly, that was the very piece that Ethan wanted. As Ethan began chomping down quite noisily on his piece, Bonnie began her pouting mode by pointing out all the dirty flaws her terribly miserable piece of vegetation. Now here's the kicker, Layne was watching this whole thing and I could see her head getting redder and her eyes bulging. I knew something to remember was about to happen. It was then that Layne picked up Bonnie's piece of corn and began licking it like an ice cream cone, being careful not to miss a spot. There was actual silence as the rest of us just watched in horror. A few seconds had to pass before the crying started and we really understood what had just happened. I really can't tell you why ...or how...er I don't even know. I just thought you might want to know what happened. Plus I doubt it would have ended up in here (at least the whole story) unless I wrote it.

Just Stuff

I'm not sure what is going on with this picture. Eliza wasn't upside down when I was browsing for pictures. Anyway, she absolutely loves to stay on the first step of the pool, and play with whatever is available. Today, she was loving this bucket. It was really funny cause she couldn't even lift the thing when it was full of water! She would start to shriek and then it was pretty much all down hill from there. I dunk her all the way under at least once whenever we go swimming, and boy does she hate that! She got so mad at me the first time I did it she yelled for a good five minutes at me. I think we might have to work on her temper next!

Bonnie and her cousin Maddie are the best of friends (almost always). They play dress up together and put makeup on each other. No, I don't have a picture of the make up and I do apologize, cause that was just plain funny! We went swimming together, and Bonnie couldn't find her towel, so sweet Maddie offered to share hers with Bonnie. As they were huddled together Bonnie tells Maddie that Ryan is so lucky because he doesn't have to share a towel with anyone. Maddie responds with a "Oh no! We are the lucky one's, cause sharing is AWESOME!" Kudo's to Maddie's mom for that one!

I was looking through my videos, and I came across this one of Bonnie singing an all time favorite, "I Like It, I Love It" by Tim McGraw. She knows most of the words by heart, but I am not sure what was going on here. Maybe a little stage fright? I think you might rule out stage fright as you watch. It is pretty darn hilarious if you ask me, but what do I know, I'm just the mom! I think that I do a pretty good job too. Maybe I SHOULD try to go for American Idol!

Ethan wanted to make his own pinata, so he got a cardboard box, taped it up with good old masking tape, hung it up in a tree outside with a bungee cord, and beat the crud out of it with his baseball bat until a stuffed cat eventually fell out! America's future at it's finest!

Eliza's Hiding Spot

So Eliza has found a new spot to hang out. You can see a bit of our home theatre in that cupboard, well, we have to keep the doors open when we are watching so the remotes will work. Heaven forbid that we would actually have to get up and move when we are melting our brains in front of the TV! Eliza likes to come and close the doors for us. Then she claps for herself, and hey why not she has now succeeded in getting mommy up off the couch, again and again and again!

She also likes to close the door on herself.

Bonnie and Ethan were playing together last night, and Bonnie said, "Ethan, do you want to know why?" There was no response from Ethan. So she said, "Ethan don't you want to know why?" "OK, why?" "Because...just because!" I am glad to know it was so important!