The Sweet Tooth Fairy

I had to work last night, and didn't get home 'til 9 pm. After picking the kids up at my in-laws, I carried them, half asleep, into their beds. I rearranged Quinn's pillow to plop him down and.... TADA! Poptarts! Two of the cherry kind. "You little turkey!" I told him, as I took the poptarts downstairs. As I'm bringing up the next boy, I heard crying from the first. I asked him why he's crying.

"Because Colby has poptarts under HIS pillow, too!!" Sure enough. Two more. Colby was mortified that Quinn would rat him out in this manner. "QUINN!! You're not supposed to tell!!!"

UGH. That was a close call. ALL I need is two 4 year olds on sugar-highs an hour past bed-time!

Stranger Danger

Quinn had an unfortunate first today. Both boys had been playing outside, when Colby fell and split his lip open. Quinn dutifully brought his injured brother inside, and while I was tending to the blood, went back outside. I put ice on Colby's lip, made him lunch, went about my business, and then realized that Quinn should also eat lunch. So I called for him. No answer. Went outside, called again. No answer. Ran around the yard, screaming for him. Nowhere to be found. I was getting a little panicky. I actually checked the trunk of the car, afraid he might've climbed in there to play and got shut inside. Luckily, that wasn't the case. But WHERE was he? I searched for about 20 minutes, and then told Rob I was leaving in the van to see if he had wandered down the road. I got to the neighbor's house (about the equivalent of a city block away) when I saw him there in their yard. These are neighbors we have never met before - a mom and little boy. The mom said that Quinn had wandered over when he saw her son and his cousin riding their bikes by our house. Was it okay if he stayed to play and have lunch? I said yes, but inside I was thinking "you CANNOT do this, little boy!!! I was scared to death!" About an hour later, Colby and I walked over and brought him home. On the way back, both Colby and I scolded him about leaving the yard without supervision, talking to strangers, and going inside a stranger's house! Quinn just looked at me and said "But mom! They weren't strangers! They were Pastor and Locust! I know them now!" Pastor and Locust? It took me a second to realize what he was talking about. The mother had said that the boys' names were Patrick and Logan.
We need to have more talks on what does and does not consistute a stranger!!!

Kids' Day

I was telling the boys about Father's Day coming up.

M: "You know how you made me a card and gave me a flower for Mother's Day? Well, this Sunday is Father's Day... just for Daddy."
Q&C: "Oh. We made you breakfast. We gave you tea."
M: "Yes."
Q: "Wait a minute. When's KIDS Day?"
M: "Every day is kids day."
Q: "No. I know. CHRISTMAS is Kids Day. Jesus' birthday and Kid Day."
M: "OK".

Summer Fun

A knight (Sir Tobin the Mighty), a Spiderman, a Black Power Ranger, and well... a Zac went for a walk through the enchanted forest today in search of the Castle In the Clouds. They were accompanied by Princess Elli and Princess Reagan, and two Wicked Witches ("Don't hit each other with sticks! Stay on the trail! Don't get too far ahead!"). A beautiful day for a walk, I must say, despite being attacked by MULTITUDES of ticks and mosquitos. A thorough tick-check back at the castle revealed SEVEN on Colby, 0 on Quinn, 2 on Mom, about 5 on Renata, and luckily none on the babies. We were looking down our shirts at every itch the rest of the afternoon. Anyways. Here's a picture of the Castle In the Clouds, that the Dragon (Morgan) eventually led us to. There's no way of keeping five kids still for a picture in one of these things.

Quotes From The Road

I obviously didn't have my computer and an internet connection with me in the Buick on the way out West recently, so wrote down some classics from all my boys. Picture a sedan loaded down with two adults, 3 children, 3 car seats, 5 suitcases, 2 bags full of toys, a giant backpack full of food, a diaper bag, plus miscellaneous paraphenalia, for three 10 hour days. Here's what you get....

Quinn: "Mom, can I have a juice box yet?"
Mom: "No."
Quinn: "Why not?"
Mom: "We haven't left our driveway."
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Colby & Quinn: "Are we there yet?" 20 minutes into the trip.
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Rob: "Well, there hasn't been any screaming or fighting yet on the trip."
Mom: "Yeah, I think it helps having the boys separated by Reagan."
Rob: "No. I was meaning US."
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Upon hearing a Veggie Tales character on the laptop say the word 'hate', which is considered profanity in our household....
Quinn: "Mom, don't wash the computer's mouth out with soap. It will break it."
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Colby (numerous times): "Mom, Dad said 'stupid'! Wash his mouth out with soap!"
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Rob: "Look boys! Mountains!"
Quinn: "Those mountains are covered with trees."
Colby: " Not that! Those are hills. Behind the trees! Covered with snow!"
Quinn: " Those aren't mountains. Those are clouds."
Rob: "Nope. Those are mountains. They reach right up to the clouds."
Quinn: "Dad, I've never been there before!"
It's amazing how you can miss a topography, a terrain. I remember when 1st moving to Michigan, looking at the horizon and thinking the clouds were mountains, because I'd never lived anywhere without them on the horizon. Now I see mountains and think they're clouds, just like my son. Kinda sad.
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Quinn and Colby: "Are we there yet?" Now every 5 minutes apart. Like clockwork. Like labor pains.
Mom: "No. No. No. No. No."
Quinn and Colby: "Are we almost there?"
Mom: "Yes! Almost!"
C: "DAD! WE'RE ALMOST THERE!"
Quinn: "MOM! You said we're almost there!!!"
Colby: "Quinn, we're almost there!!!!"
That last 10 minutes went by R.E.A.L.L.Y. slowly

A Picture from Grandma

Was looking at the pictures on my in-law's camera today, and came across this one. It made me laugh.