Kidspeak Continued

Kristin wrote a great post on September 2008 called Kidspeak. It's Sunday night, and I'm tired and lazy. So, I'm viewing this as a addendum to her post...

It probably has something to do with the fact that they've watched quite a few of the Star Wars episodes of late, but the kids, especially Sam and Chase, love to sword fight. As they were battling last week, we overheard Sam say to Chase, "Do you want a piece out of me?" (Instead, of course, of, "Do you want a piece of me?")

All of the kids love to jump off of the furniture. As she jumped off the bed recently, you could hear Ava bellow, "Blast over!" (Instead of "blast off.")

Ava sneezes and then says aloud, "Bless me." (Instead of "Bless you" -- which her Mom says, so I'm not sure it counts as a misquote.)

This may not fit exactly with the angle of this post, but it was recent and very funny...

The kids typically meet me at the end of the driveway each day as I come home from work. Chase and Sam like to help me drive, and Ava typically prefers to sit in the back seat (although, of late, she's been wanting to help me drive, too). On Friday, it was Chase's turn to drive. We were pulling into the garage as Kristin came out to greet me with, "Hey handsome." Before I even a chance to process her remark, Chase had already responded with, "Hey."

I'm just scratching the surface here. It seems like there are 2 - 3 publishable misquotes per day in the Arnold casa. We can't capture them all! Boy, I wish we could -- with HD video. Does anyone else have any funny misquotes from their kiddos?

Art

When we first moved back to Bloomington, I took Grandaddy on a driving tour of Indiana University's campus. I showed him the library and Sample Gates and other buildings where I spent a lot of my time in grad school.

We passed the Musical Arts Center and I told him about my job there in the ticket office and my dear friends I met in that tiny little room behind the windows. When he saw the stabile in front of the building he said, "What's that?"

I said, "Art."

We rounded the block and drove past the Union where I confessed to buying a no-bake cookie almost every day I walked through the doors. On down the street, we drove in front of the IU Art Museum and another orange structure made him ask, "What's that?"

I said again, "Art."

As we drove closer to the IU Auditorium and he spied Showalter Fountain, a statue with a naked lady splashing around with fish between her legs, he said...

..."Now THAT'S art."

Repeat After Me

We take turns praying at dinner and tonight it was Chase's turn. He was resistant this evening for some reason, though, so I said, "Ok, Chase. Just repeat after me." I began with, "Heavenly Father." He repeated "Heavenly Father." I couldn't hear him very well, so I said, "Loud." Then, Chase, thinking I was praying the next line, in all seriousness, said "Loud."

I know you had to be there, but since we all laughed so hard I thought it was worth going into the family log. Kids are awesome.

Sam's School Day -- Friday, April 16, 2010

I took the day off from work Friday to watch the kids, and homeschool Sam, as Kristin took part in Chrysalis (Thursday p.m. - Sunday p.m.). Thanks to Kristin for setting up Sam and me for success.

Here's Sam's first-grade homeschool workload for posterity:

Philippians 1:1-11. I read this passage to the kids. We talked about Paul's references to "joy."

The Usborne Book of World History. I read pg. 87 to the kids -- "The end of the Roman Repbulic." Sam talked about Julius Caeser and Augustus Caeser.

Leading Little One to God. I read lesson 80 ("The Lord's Supper") to the kids.

Math work sheets: sums ("match each sum to a letter to answer the riddle"), counting by 10s to connect the dots from 10 - 100, subtraction (2-digits and problem solving) and 3-digit mystery number.

Critical thinking/logic: story-time logic ("At the ice cream shop, Ben, Chan and Maria each...") and pet logic ("Alex, Betty, Chad and Dena each brought a pet...")

Spanish: Sam completed her next Rosetta Stone lesson on her own. (She even calibrated the headset/microphone to Kristin's Apple Powerbook on her own. She's getting quite skilled with a computer.)

Reading: Sam read chapters one and two of Betsy Byars' Tornado. After finishing her reading, we pulled out her dry-erase map and outlined tornado alley. I also read her chapter 11 of Henry Winterfeld's Detectives in Togas ("A hilarious whodunit in ancient Rome.").

Profiles: I read pages 157 - 164 of George Muller – The Guardian of Bristol's Orphans.

(I'm going to read all of this fascinating account.)

Music: piano lessons from Piano Wizard Academy book two (ex. Big Ben, It's Midnight)

I'm looking forward to seeing Sam continue to blossom. It's amazing how much she's learned already. I'm thankful for getting to take part in her education on Friday.

Keep it Handy

In various places around my house you'll find an emory board. My desk drawer, a kitchen drawer, every purse, my top dresser drawer, etc.

When we were in town a few weeks ago, Grandaddy asked me if I had a good emory board. Well, I have one of those handy things that hooks in your air vents as a cup holder, in case you don't have any built in. Since we have them built in, I use that for ink pens, mascara, a tire gauge and, you guessed it, an emory board. So, I handed it to him and he promptly put it in his shirt pocket.

I said, "Go ahead and use it."

"No, I'll use it when I get home," he said.

Not wanting to lose a well-placed emory board, I continued to encourage, "Just fix your nail real quick and I can put it right back."

"I'm not going to use it on my nail. I need it for my tooth."

I pulled it back out of his pocket and promised him his own emory board set when we got home.

Easter Bunny Stories

This story is better told by my dad with the twinkle in his eye at the thought of his firstborn and the exaggerated moves of an actor. My sister was born in August of 1968.  At the time, Daddy was an actor playing the lead role in the Legend of Daniel Boone at the outdoor theater in Harrodsburg, Ky.  When he got word that my mom was in labor, he took off in his costume to get to the hospital…coonskin cap and all.  Somewhere along the way, a state trooper pulled him over and Daddy got out of the car to explain things.  In his haste, he said, “I’m Daniel Boone and I’m going to have a baby!”  

The trooper didn’t miss a beat and said, “I don’t care if you’re the Easter Bunny, you were driving too fast and you’re getting a ticket.”

Apparently, once he slowed down and explained more clearly why he was driving so fast in a Daniel Boone costume, they came to an understanding.       

Good Question

As a stocking stuffer at Christmas, one of us got Love Talks. It's a spiral-bound conversation starter for families.  We set ours on the dining room table and ask one once a week or so when we've run out of things to share. Questions like what one dessert would you choose if you could only have one the rest of your life or if you could go anywhere in the world where would it be.

The other night the question was this:  If you could ask God anything what would it be? 

Without hesitation, Sammie said, "When are you coming back down?"