End of an Era

My boys, every single day for the past 8 years, have eaten oatmeal for breakfast.  And now they won't.  All of a sudden.  I still have 4 boxes in the cupboard, because normally they go through several boxes a week.  But not anymore.  Because they've decided that they HATE oatmeal, as has their sister.  Which makes breakfast every morning a choice instead of an automatic, which takes a lot more time.  The indecision is killing me!!  "What do you want for breakfast?"  "I don't know.  What do we have?" "We have oatmeal." "I don't want oatmeal!" "Then what do you want?" "I don't know. What else do we have?"......  UGH.  They would love it if I would cook them blueberry pancakes every morning, but quite frankly, I don't have the time or energy for that. 

I miss oatmeal mornings.

Overheard

The boys, arguing about the monetary value of Quinn's baby blanket at auction....

Colby: "Quinn, it's not OLD.  Old stuff is what makes it valuable."
Quinn: "But it's handmade!  Things that are handmade are worth a lot!"
Colby: "It's not worth one cent.  It's all torn and ripped and stuff."
Quinn: "It is too!  It's worth ALOT!  It would totally go for hundreds at auction!"

Mom: "Well, sometimes things of value are worth a lot to one person, but not to others, because it has MEANING to that person.  Not everything has a dollar value.  That blanket means a lot to you, Quinn, but probably wouldn't mean anything to anyone else."

Quinn: "Mom, you spent months making it by hand.  It's worth a ton."

SMILE.  I am really glad that he is attached to that old ratty, ugly thing that's falling apart.  It IS worth a ton, even if it's not worth one red cent.  And for the record... those boys may watch too much "Antiques Road Show".

For The Record

At 9 years of age and 15 days, my son Quinn weighs 66 pounds.  I know this from a visit to the Walk In Clinic in Billings, MT for Impetigo.  You're welcome.

The Musician

Colby has found the love of his life... the flute.  He's decided it's his calling.  He loves the flute in Japanese-inspired songs, and has come up with our family band, consisting of Mom on the piano, Colby on the flute, Quinn on the trumpet, and Reagan on the harp.  We'd make quite the quartet, wouldn't we??  Next year in 4th grade, he gets to join the school band, and Colby CAN'T WAIT.  He's been trying to decide on his "instrument" for a full year now....

Quinn picked the trumpet after about 30 nanoseconds of thought, because "it's totally easy to play, since it only has 3 buttons".  Hmmmmm.

Marriage

Continued dinner table convo -

Colby: "You know Mom and Dad, sometimes people don't get married just because they like the other person's looks."

Mom & Dad: "Oh yeah?"

Colby: "Sometimes, people get married because they're actually friends!!"

You didn't learn that on t.v. son. 

Colby: "I mean, even two ugly people can get married to each other because they're friends!"

Well, whatta ya know.

Being Called

Topic of conversation at dinner tonight, since we witnessed one yesterday - ordinations. 

Dad: "So boys, do you understand what an ordination is?"
Quinn: "Yeah, it's when someone becomes a pastor or a priest."
Colby: "Yeah."
Dad:  "Is that a career path you guys might consider?"
Quinn (snorting): "Uhhhhh.... God does not appear to be calling me in that direction."

You never know, son.  Never know. 

Oh, How He Will Freak Out About This Someday.....

Colby was running around outside after church, and fell on the concrete, skinning his elbow and his knee.  The wounds were pretty significant - enough to rip (yet another) pair of church pants, and cause profuse bleeding from his elbow.

Colby (in tears):  "Mom, I'm bleeding!  I can't make it stop!"
Mom: "Well, I don't have any bandages here.  You'll have to wait until we get home."
Colby: "But it's soaking through the paper towel!  It won't stop bleeding!"

OK, then.  In the interest of not getting my car seats soaked in blood, we'll do something.  I wordlessly handed him a Kotex from my secret stash.

Colby: "What do I do with THIS?"
Mom: "Open it up, and put the padding against your elbow."

(seconds pass)
Colby: "Mom, I don't get this.  This is the weirdest Band-Aid I've ever seen.  The sticky part is on the OUTSIDE!"

Mom: "Just wrap something around it to hold it on there.  It'll work."

He wore the kotex on his arm for a good 45 minutes, until the bleeding finally stopped.

Mom to the rescue.