Ascension Thursday

To celebrate the Feast of the Ascension (and enjoy this new-fangled flaming ball in the sky called "the sun"), we had a special picnic.  Colby got bonus points, because when I asked what of significance happened 40 days after Easter, he nailed the right answer.  Woo-hoo for things sinking in.  Anways.  Our picnic incorporated bubbly liquids (because bubbles rise up, and there's no way Rob's going to have a picnic without beer), chicken salad sandwiches (because chickens have wings and fly) and fruit (because Christ was the first fruits of the risen).  (I'm using a lot of parentheses).  (Bear with me).

So we were at our picnic, and I was explaining the significance of our chosen food, when Colby began debating the merits of how we were celebrating.

Colby: "Chickens don't fly".
Mom: "Yes they do.  They have wings."
Colby: "Have you ever seen a chicken in flight?"
Mom: "Have you ever heard the saying 'flew the coop'?"
Colby: "No I haven't.  They don't fly."
Mom: "Yes, they do.  Just not very far, because they're so fat."  Editor's note: I have no idea if that's the actual scientific reason why chickens don't fly, but I'm the Mom and I was making a point, and they shouldn't be questioning me.

Colby: "And it's Thursday.  Why is there a feast on a Thursday?"
Mom: "Because it's 40 days after Easter."
Colby: "But there's nothing special about Thursdays."
Mom: "This one is special, because it's 40 days after Easter."
Colby:  "No, special days happen on Sunday."
Mom: "Christmas sometimes happens on a Thursday, but sometimes not."
Colby: "Is this ALWAYS on a Thursday?"
Mom (cogitating for much too long about this question): "I.....think.....so......  YES.  Yes it is, because Easter is always on a Sunday, so 40 days later will ALWAYS be on a Thursday."  (phew!)
Colby: "Thursdays aren't special days."
Mom: "They are if we say they are.  This Thursday is special."

Mom: "So, what happens FIFTY days after Easter?"
Quinn: "Something something."
Mom: "No.  Don't be sassy."
Quinn: "That's the right answer.  SOMETHING happened fifty days after Easter."
Mom: "What was that?"
Quinn: "I have no idea."
Mom: "Colby???? Do you know?  It has to do with tongues of fire."
Reagan: "TONGUES?  OF FIRE???  They would burn if you licked anything!!!"
Colby: "Oh.  The Holy Spirit came down."
Two bonus points for getting both the Ascension and Pentecost right.  Good job, Colby Man.
Colby: "Does that happen on a Sunday?"
Mom: (Again, cogitating much.too.long. on this question)  "Yes.  Because there's 7 days in a week, and 7 weeks between Easter and Pentecost.  7x7 is 49, and Sunday is the 50th day.  Always on Sunday."  So there.

And then we ate.  Lesson complete.  May they always think of chicken salad and beer on Ascension Thursday.

BLECH.....

I was sitting next to Quinn on the couch, when Colby came to join us. Colby: "Hey, Quinn! My back was itching, and I found the perfect back scratcher." Quinn: "Oh, that's cool." It took me a second to register all of this, as my attention was elsewhere. But then I happened to look over. To see my son scratching his mangy back with MY TOOTHBRUSH. UGH. BLEH. Yuck yuck yuck. Time for a new toothbrush.

Say what?!?!

Dad and the boys were playing football in the yard. Colby went out for a long one. He sprinted for the weeds (aka "the end zone") and yelled at the top of his lungs. "It's another HOMERUN!!!!"

This will make my sister cringe, our son's lack if sports knowledge. 

Just Want to Remember

This is why I blog. Nights like tonight. Reagan wanted a bed-time story, so she found her "special book" (her blog book from 2009) and curled up next to me in bed. As I was reading, here come her brothers, and we all snuggle up together, and laugh and laugh and laugh at Reagan's antics as a baby. Quinn and Colby both made a point of mentioning how much they preferred Reagan as a baby. They couldn't believe all the pictures of them hugging and kissing their sister. Colby suggested we have another baby, because Reagan was so cute and so much fun "it's not too late to have more". Yes, son. Yes it is. Unfortunately. So then Colby ran to get his and Quinn's book from the same year, and we laughed and laughed and laughed some more over those crazy boys and the totally wacky things they said and did as 4 year olds. And they ended up going to bed an hour late on a school night, because I just didn't want it to end. At one point, I read an entry where I was waxing philosophical on the "young family" stage being the best part of my life up until then. How everything I'd planned and hoped for and dreamed was leading up to that time of life... when our family was complete, and the kids were little and sweet. Colby just laughed and said "Well, that's all over now, Mom." Yes, I suppose it is, to a degree. But luckily, we stil have these rare, infrequent moments of pure joy, where we enjoy each other's company and just revel in being a family. Sentimental old fool, this mama is. But I want to freeze certain moments in time, so I can relive them again some day in the future. Because life is good, and I am happy.

Sunday morning Kung fu

Basketball camp

They run and play really hard. Those boys!

Overheard....

The boys were arguing with their sister.

Reagan: "I don't lie."
Colby: "Yes you do."
Reagan: "No I don't! I tell the truth!"
Colby: "You totally lie."
Reagan: "Un-unh!"
Colby: "Yeah, but you sin."
Reagan: "No I DON'T!"
Colby: "Mom, are you listening to this?  Reagan says she never sins."
Reagan: "What's sin?"
Quinn (very seriously): "Reagan, do you not listen in church?  'If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."

Mom's jaw drops.

He was LISTENING in church???    Who knew????