Treasure

Riding in the car yesterday, an ad came on the radio about pawning gold (a sign of the times... lots of "gold pawning" ads lately). Quinn asked about it.
Q: "What is the news saying?" He thinks any talking on radio is the news.
M: "They're telling us to sell our gold. Do you know what gold is?"
Q: "Yes. There's chocolate in it."

It took me a minute to realize what he was talking about. Gold coins... the kind he got at Halloween. He's so like his mother, relating everything to chocolate :)

Yooper Fashion

THIS is how my son went out in public yesterday, while I was at work, and there were only Y-chromosomes in the house to choose outfits. Reagan, sister.... we've got a lot of work to do!!!

Preschool Humor

The boys were being awfully silly at dinner. Like the Three Stooges. Goofy, tongue-wagging, fork dropping, slapstick silly. I was not appreciating it. I told Quinn "That's not funny."

Q: "Yes it is! That's funny!" Colby burst out laughing

M: "No, that's silly. That's not funny." Colby burst out laughing.

M: "There's a difference between silly and funny."

Quinn did a raspberry, and Colby copied him. They both busted a gut.

M: "That's silly. It's not funny. Funny is like when you tell a joke. Like this: Knock Knock (say who's there?)

Q&C: "Who's there?"

M: "Ima"

Q&C: HILARIOUS LAUGHTER

We didn't even get to the punchline. That was enough. That started a slew of pathetic but preschool-hilarious "knock knock" jokes:

Knock Knock, who's there? Baby diaper!

Knock Knock, who's there? Brown Yuckie!

Knock KNock, who's there? Fanny!

The funny thing was, when they got to "Knock Knock, who's there? Handy!" ROB starts laughing and says "That's what I was going to say!" Oh the sophisticated humor of the Aho's!!!

Preschool Dance Class

I signed the boys up for a dance class, in the hopes that it would expend lots of pent-up energy. The first session last week was a bust.... I was "summoned" to come remove my children, who were running around like banshees instead of dancing and following directions. This week, the teacher met me at the door and said "YOU CANNOT LEAVE". I think the Aho boys scared her!! I assured her that I was staying put to help out, and that Colby would be spending the evening in the daycare rather than class, in an effort to give the boys time apart from each other. Know what? It worked! Quinn did AWESOME in his class! I wish I had a camera to document. So well behaved, following directions... learned his ballet moves, did the hokey pokey. I was so proud! It occurs to me that with my boys, 1+1 = 5 as far as energy level is concerned. Together, they become a fusion of energy that is ready to explode. Apart, they are polite, well-behaved, calm children. They need more time apart. For all our sakes.

Book Day

Quinn dubbed today, January 20th, 2009 "Giving a Book Party" day. In commemoration, he chose a very LARGE Michael Creighton novel and put it in his backpack to give to his teacher. He also brought three homemade cards to give her as well. I suggested he maybe SHOW her his dad's book (he tried to take one of mine- I nixed that idea) and then bring it back home, but he insisted that it was GIVING a Book Party Day, not SHOWING a Book Party Day. We'll see what makes it home this afternoon. It was too cute to say no, and I was secretly pleased that he wanted to GIVE something away. At Christmas that was a hard concept, as he kept wanting to KEEP everything we were giving to others.

ADDENDUM: Just got a call from Quinn's teacher, who was rather confused about the whole "Book Giving Party Day" thing. SHOULD she keep the book? I told her she could if she wanted to, otherwise, I would pick it up on Thursday when I came to visit the classroom. What about the three cards? One was addressed to Grandma Betty? I told her that Quinn chose to give her all three cards, and she was welcome to keep them, including Grandma Betty's. We would make another one for Grandma. I was laughing - Quinn's teacher wasn't. I think she thinks we live in a crazy house over here. She would be right.

Like Momy Like Son

I caught Colby using my breast pump tonight. Discreetly under his shirt, just like mom. He's probably trying to figure out what exactly is so exciting about the thing, since I use it so often. Funny.

Oh No.

Yet another humiliating Mom moment yesterday.... and here I am writing it down so I can remember it forever. Is that a little masochistic or what? The boys got up early yesterday for school, so our morning started leisurely. They even had time for a shower. We ate breakfast together, and then I asked them to go brush their teeth while I started cleaning the kitchen. Time got away from me, and when I looked at the clock, I realized it was 8:20, and the bus would arrive any minute. I yelled for the boys to hurry hurry hurry... did they brush their teeth? They ran by me , telling me "Yes!" and then we all got their snowclothes on in record time. The bus came 30 seconds after the last boot was donned. After the dust settled, I proceeded to go about my morning. It was about an hour later that I entered the bathroom. Toothpaste was EVERYWHERE - smeared on the mirror, the walls, the floor. UGH. I sighed, and cleaned it up, and thought that was that.

When the boys came home and took off their coat, I noticed their school clothes were also covered in toothpaste. "What? Did you go to school like that?" I asked.
Quinn said "Teacher Karen made me wash my hands." So that meant clothes AND hands were covered in toothpaste. At the parent-teacher meeting last night, his teacher told me she had to wash his HAIR, which was additionally caked in toothpaste. REALLY? HOW did I not notice that when they left the house???? I put their snowclothes on them... did I do it with eyes SHUT??? SHEESH!!!! WHAT they must think of me there, sending kids to school COVERED in toothpaste! His teacher actually asked me "When did you find out that his hair was full of toothpaste?" I said "Right this second, with you telling me 10 hours later". I think it's time to reign in the body-painting. Maybe I should've reacted a tad more harshly to the blue pen episode a few days ago.... It's also time to do a thorough body-check on each child before they leave the house.