Overheard, Part IX

We try to write down some of the things the boys say so someday when they are older we can look back and "hear" our little boys' voices and remember these days when they can be such a kick in the pants. We realize that some of these are funny while others are not; however, they are the conversations from our daily life that give us a good picture of who each of our boys is and what each one is doing or learning at the time.

April

Looney Dooney is a regular monthly feature in the preschool. This month’s visit from Looney Dooney was advertised as a “Big Surprise,” and Caleb was looking forward to it. He kept wondering what it was and made guesses as to what was so “big” about it. When he got home after school, I asked him what the big surprise was. In a disgusted tone, Caleb answered, “He was painted like the Cat in the Hat, and he just read books to us. He said he was going to read four books, but he ONLY read two.”  When asked if it was a good surprise, he let us know through his body language, his eye rolls and the tone of his voice that it was a great letdown. Poor kid!

When the boys found out I was hosting bunco this month, one of them excitedly did  a fist pump and said, “YES! We get to sit in the back room and watch movies!”  Obviously, we don’t make our boys stay in the back bedroom often enough since it is such a novelty!

Having dinner at Cenote Grill right after Paul and I tore apart two fused tortilla chips:

Caleb: It’s the breaking of Jesus!

The boys were having a conversation in the living room when Isaac said to Paul:

Isaac:  Dad, Caleb doesn’t know who Satan is!

Caleb: Yeah, I don’t know. Does he go to your school, Isaac?

March

Isaac: Do you like sandwiches?

Caleb:  Yes.

Isaac: Here, then have a knuckle sandwich [making a fist at him]

February

You know your child is tired when he sobs uncontrollably when you tell him he can’t listen to John Tesh as he falls asleep.

You know your children go to a Christian school when the names of their action heroes and Lego guys are “Noah,” “Abraham,” “Elijah” and “Elisha” during role playing games.

 After I rubbed his back before bed and as I left his room:

Caleb:  Mom, who taught you to rub backs?

The Big Winner!

Danae was the winner of this year's NCAA basketball tournament bracket challenge we hold in our house.  Yes, you did read that sentence correctly.  There is a first time for everything, right?  This is one, though, that I honestly didn't see coming.  

Danae and I always fill out a bracket to compete against each other.  I think in our 15 years of marriage the score is Paul 14, Danae 0.  It is usually a given that I win.  I am the sports person in our house.   Besides, who would pick Wichita State and Michigan in their Final Four with Michigan making it to the finals?  Victory should have been in the bag, right?

This year we decided to open the challenge up to Isaac and Caleb as well.  The boys were eager to get in on the action and sat down and very carefully picked their teams.  After a quick explanation of how it works, the boys couldn't wait to choose their winners.  We used ESPN to keep track of our progress, and if you thought I liked to check the scores on ESPN, I think Isaac and Caleb may have me beat!   Not fully understanding how it all works, we had to explain many times that we can't pick new teams when ours get beaten. (Isaac had chosen Gonzaga as his winning team.)

After all the games were played, the Cinderella storyline was completed in our home:  a new champion was crowned!  I am not sure Danae would want me to make a video montage to the theme song "One Shining Moment" or that she will be cutting down the nets, but for 2013 she sits on top as Champion!

As tradition holds, the winner gets to choose where we go out to eat.  Danae chose her favorite Mexican restaurant, Cenote Grill.  I really can't complain.  It is delicious!  Congratulations, Danae!  

Legoland

Danae and I surprised the boys one Saturday in February and took them to Legoland in Carlsbad along with our good friends and their girls.  Isaac and Caleb have both been SO into Lego lately, and every time they go to the store we hear how they planning to buy another set.  Probably the most exciting part was seeing all the Star Wars stuff and talking about what they had recently seen while watching some of Star Wars movies! 

Enjoy the picture tour of our day and some of our favorite sights:

It was a great day, and Caleb thinks we should go back there every time we get in the car.

The Reagan Library

Over Christmas break we made the trek to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. The drive there and back was long and the library was very busy, but it was a fun, informative day (that Paul and I enjoyed more than the boys ;-). Thanks to a fellow teacher who gave us a couple museum passes, we only had to pay the entry fee for the boys making for a cheap outing.

At the start of the tour...still interested

Looking at the teleprompters and showing us how he would look if he had to give a speech

In front of Air Force One before going inside it 

Stopping for a little snack

In front of the pub 

In front of President Reagan's burial place

There was also a Disney exhibit on display so we got to check out a few Disney artifacts including princess dresses, Tron, Ironman, and Pirates of the Caribbean things. Unfortunately, I cannot find those pictures. 

Christmas Fun

Celebrating Christmas at the Leonards' home was a fun change for this year's Christmas. We had a fun-filled extended weekend with cousins baking, eating, opening gifts, playing games and with toys, watching movies, and checking out Christmas lights.  Here's a snapshot of some of the fun we had:

Gma N.'s Visit

We were very spoiled this fall in that we not only got a visit from Gma B. but also got a visit from Gma N right before Christmas.  Gma N. is not going to come out during December anymore since it seems to rain like crazy every time she comes, but despite the rain we had a super time with her.  She came out specifically for Isaac's school Christmas program in which he sang in a small group for one of the songs, but we were able to fit in a few other things while she was here like:

Baking Christmas cookies:

And decorating them:

Celebrating Paul's birthday:

Making doughnuts. (Of course, it started sprinkling right as we started frying them!)

 Opening presents. The boys spent most of her visit in the Santa hats she bought with them at the start of her visit.

Hanging the 2013 ornaments:

A football guy for Caleb

A remote for Isaac

Caleb loved staying home with Grandma for a couple days and going out for a doughnut one of those days. The boys also spent time with Grandma outside on their scooters when it wasn't raining. And we played a few games over the few days that she was visiting.  Thanks for the fun visit!  We can't wait for your next one--be sure to bring Grandpa with you. :-)

Overheard, Part VIII

In order to be able to document the fun things the boys say and remember them much later when they are all grown, I started a document on our computer to which I add little tidbits as they say them. As a result of this fine-tuned system, I have forgotten to periodically post them here.  Since it has been a while since our last overheard entry, be prepared for a wide variety especially since some of these are from over half a year ago.

January, 2013:

Caleb (while eating his salad at dinner): Mom, did they have lettuce when you were little?
{Nothing like making me feel old...Paul thought it was really funny!}

November, 2013:
Caleb telling us what he said when he was the listener of the day at preschool (the person who solves problems so the teachers don't have to hear everyone tattling on each other during recess):
Caleb: One kid was blocking the slide so I said, "Here's the deal..." (and proceeded to solve the problem)

July, 2012:

On the boat with Gma N. when Caleb honked the horn:

Isaac: Caleb, you’d better not do that when the birds are flying over us or they might poop on us. [little pause…] But they could poop on Grandma’s head because her hair is already white.

Playing Angry Birds on our trip across country:

Isaac: Oh, I beat this world!

Caleb: Isaac, that is good because I was really struggling with that one.

May, 2012:

Isaac (at the zoo looking at the fossils): Look, there’s a bone. I’m a boner.

April, 2012:

Caleb: I’m having some issues with Angry Birds. Could you play it?

Using the bath paints in the bathtub with Caleb

Isaac: Look, my nipples are purple!

While playing baseball on the Wii:

Caleb: I got a hoom run!