Tired

After a late night, Logan pops his head out from the bathroom where he's brushing his teeth and says: "Sometimes, when I'm really tired, I look into my room and see my bed and my very comfortable blanket and it makes it really hard to concentrate on brushing my teeth."

I hear you, Logan.

Pizza

As we're making plans for dinner, Brody asks "Can we have Domino's or Papa Johns?  I really feel like good pizza.  And in my opinion, they're the best."  I stare at him blankly, so he goes on, "...I also like Little Caesars."

We're failing as parents.

Materials

Logan's summer project is to write a book.  A multi-chapter book with a complete storyline and details.  It's about someone who escapes New York after a wall was built around the city.  (It's amazing to me, how much these boys think about Trump and the wall he wants to build.  Even a 7 year old realizes that this is a very bad idea.)  As Logan writes and I work at my laptop next to him, he asks me "how do you spell 'materials'?"  I send the question back to him and ask, "what do you think?"  He looks at me with an expression that lacks any amusement and responds "...I'll just use the word 'tools' instead."

Oh, and based on the other word he asked to spell, it appears that his main character is going to escape the city by climbing the wall with a grapple hook.  I wonder what Trump would think about that.  A seven year old has figured out a way to get over his wall.

But this blog isn't meant for politics...

Poop Deck

There are many reasons that I'm thankful to be a mom of two boys. There are also times when I realize I was meant to be a mom of boys and not girls. Today, the boys were talking about "poop decks" and we decided to google to learn what they really are. This picture made me laugh just as much as the boys. I'm not sure it's helping clarify what a poop deck really is...

Candy

As Brody put his Spree-flavored candy cane in a plastic bag tonight to save the rest for tomorrow, he walked past me to go upstairs to bed and said "Well, try not to eat it."  After 8 years of having his mom eat his candy, that's the lesson he's learned.  He doesn't cry or get mad.  He just speaks directly: "try not to eat it."  I'm going to try really hard this time.

Sweet Frog

Logan LOVES Sweet Frog. Given the option of any special treat in the world, he will choose sour patch kids.  But if he really thinks about it, he'll say Sweet Frog because there he can get frozen yogurt AND sour patch kids. Tonight, he lucked out because Dada was feeling generous at Sweet Frog. After receiving a hefty pour of tart vanilla, Logan decided he wanted strawberry too. Jacob agreed to pour it on top of the tart, doubling his normal amount of ice cream. When they made it to the scale Logan realized his good fortune, saying "Whoa! 51?? That's even bigger than me!" 

President

The boys were chatting with each other as we drove home tonight and Logan randomly asked if the President worked hard. Jacob and I started to respond, but Brody had it covered. He talked about government, laws, and voting. I was impressed. Earlier this week, Brody's class voted for their student council representatives and the class was asked to choose the most responsible boy and girl in a ballot vote. Brody's class chose him. He has no idea what it means to be on the SCA but he's proud that his class chose him. So is his Mama. 

Mum Mum

After checking out a delicious new Thai restaurant for dinner, we all leave stuffed and happy. Well, almost happy. As we get into the car, Brody says "I wish Mum Mum had sushi." Logan replies, "I wish Mum Mum had PIZZA."

Dream big

After reading a book on Amelia Earheart, Logan and I had a conversation about how she worked hard to achieve her dreams.

Me: "If you want something and it seems really hard, you just have to keep practicing and keep trying until you figure out. You can do anything you want."

Logan: "I want 100 diamonds."

Ninja warrior

"Do you have anything I can use as a salmon ladder?"

-Brody, age 8

Dr. Logan

"If you feel like you need to puke, try to look at your brain."

Speedy

Logan: "Do you know how fast I am? I beat Itsie in a race! Know how I beat him? <whispered> I cheated."

Texas

While sitting in the car waiting to park at Six Flags, Hurricane Harbor in Arlington, TX, Brody reads all of the license plates around us and says:

Why are all of these people from Texas? It's like we're the only ones from America!

Brothers or Friends?

The boys were goofing off while we waited in line to pay for their swim team suits. They found a big mirror and made funny faces into it, cracking each other up. Then they counted down 3-2-1! and made scary faces to see who could come up with the best one. They were giggling  like crazy and leaning close to whisper to each other. The cashier saw them and smiled. He turned to me and asked "Are they brothers or friends?" "Both", I replied. 

Looking in the mirror

This came home with Brody today. Should we add modesty to his list of good traits?

Big

Logan's class is learning about plants and flowers.  They planted seeds, learned the parts of a flower, and discussed the plant lifecycle.  His teacher, Mrs. Amend is awesome and tries to give them tangible comparisons while teaching.  For sunflowers, she asked the kids to think of the biggest adult they knew, because sunflowers can grow even bigger than that person.  Logan's classmates selected "Mrs. Weaver".

After 16.5 years together, Jacob was quick to clarify for Logan.  Mama is tall, not big.  Thanks, Jacob.  :)

Swimming babies

Logan called me over and said "I learned something today."  But instead of a statement, it was more of a question, as in, "I learned something today...?"  He continued:

"If you're a mommy and you have a baby in your belly...? And you go in a swimming pool...?  The baby will swim.  Because the water gets inside the mommy and so then the baby has to swim...?

I learned that today from Mrs. Rose at Winwood.  She's so smart."


Um... we're paying for this portion of his education.

Running

Brody: "Mama, why do you run so much? Oh, I know, it's because you eat so much candy."

Sigh, yep that's pretty much it.

Logan's piggy bank

As I mentioned in a previous post, Brody has two piggy banks. For every dollar he receives, 50 cents goes to savings he can use at his own discretion and the other 50 cents goes towards his future car. His car jar, which is literally a washed-out tomato sauce jar covered in magazine cutouts of cars, is packed with cash. The boy is rich. 

Tonight at bedtime, Logan begged me to let him get out of bed to go say goodnight to Brody and Ellie. I wasn't saying no, but he expected me to and quickly said "I'll give you $2." I told him to move quickly and he shot out of bed and into Brody's room. When he came back, he grabbed his piggy bank to pay me, which I politely declined and put it back on the shelf, realizing just how heavy it was. This told me two things:

1. He's stealing money from somewhere. I bet he has raided Jacob's change drawer. 

2. It's time for him to split his bank and start a car jar of his own. 

"Whoa!", I said to Logan. "You have a lot of money! It's time you start saving for a car."

He quickly responded "Or I can buy a lot of ice cream."

Johnny Cash

Jacob is trying to influence the boys' taste in music, which to date is centered around top hits and pop thanks to the annual CD created by Aunt Katie. There isn't a Katy Perry song they don't know. :) Tonight as we came home from swimming they sang along to Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire, Boy Named Sue, and Hey Porter. At the end of Boy Named Sue, Logan laughed and said "he would want to be named anything other than Sue, like poop or toot?"