Gretchen's Interview
Me: How old are you?
G: Four.
Me: Four and what?
G: Four and I love snacks.
pause
G: 451
Me: That's pretty old.
G: When I get old than I'm 451.
Me: What are you afraid of?
G: I'll be afraid of monsters. Flying monsters that have wings. They're green and white. When they're white then they're shiny. When they're dark then they're dark green. They eat bad bugs. They're my nice monsters that eat bugs. And they be nice to me. All people, little kids, babies, big parents and mommas and daddies. They are my helpers and they sent me some stuff.
Me: What kind of stuff.
G: Just stuff. They help me and protect babies so they don't get scared.
Me: So they're not scary monsters?
G: So I'm not afraid of them.
Me: What makes you feel happy?
G: That the monsters help babies.
Me: What in real life makes you happy?
G: Yes.
pause
G: In real life makes me happy when butterflies move.
Me: Do you mean fly?
G: MmmmHmmmmm. Butterfly. They fly all morning because they likes too. And they sleep all night.
Me: Do you sleep all night?
G: Yes. Can I have an egg?
END INTERVIEW (because Gretchen is concentrating on trying to peel a hard boiled egg.)
ELLA INTERVIEW
Me: How old are you?
E: SEVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN!!!! HA HA! SEEEEEEEEven. Ha ha ha.
Me: What makes you happy?
E: Mushu
Me: How do you spell that Colby?
E: M-U-S-H-U
Colby: You haven't even had it before!
E: Yes I have.
Colby: What is it?
E: Chicken!
Colby: How do you eat it?
E: With a fork!
Colby: You don't even know what mushu is!
E: (giggles)
Me: Is there anything you want to say?
E: Yes.
pause
E: Um. I like to play with my stuffed animals!
Me: Why?
E: Because it's fun! I play family.
Me: I have a question. How come every time you play "Family" there's a sad abandoned kid who has no one to take care of them?
E: That isn't true!!!
Me: Yes. It is. "Someone get the door!" "Hi! I'm Strawberry Shortcake/Random McDonald's toy/Stacie Doll and I have no family. Can I be in YOUR family?" "Sure!"
(End Scene)
E: That's what Gretchen made up.
Me: Did you make that up Gretchen?
G: Yes! Because I like eggs. They're very yummy.
Me: But why do you always have kids in your games with no mommies and daddies?
G: Because.
Me: Do you just want them to be adopted in so they can have a family?
G: MmmmHmmmmm!
E: No momma, that's my interview!
G: HEY!!! MOMMA!!! I LOVE YOU!
Me: Ok Ella, what do you want to finish up with.
G: N-O-E-N-O-E-N-O-E
(I assume she's spelling because she wants me to continue typing her words. It worked.)
E: Momma, why are you doing this?
Me: Just for fun. For posterity.
E: What's posterity mean?
Me: Posterity means you leave something for the future. What do you want to leave for the future? So when you're a grown-up you can come back and read this...
E: Ok!
Me: But what do you want to remember about being 7?
E: I want to remember that I am a good artist. And to remember that I love my family so much (giggle). I want to remember my friends.
Me: Are you a good friend? Are you kind to everyone?
E: Mmmmmhmmm!
Me: I love you.
E: I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE YOU.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Spring Break: And This is Why We Can't Go Anywhere Nice
Hello Family & Friends.
After the craziness of Christmas, we decided to save our sanity and the $1000 we would have spent on gas and just stay in town for spring break. Stay in town so we can appreciate the little things. Like finding the Easter hats and white gloves and having an impromptu tea party (the gesture of Gretchen's hands in this shot just kills me. So very proper.)
A few weeks ago, Colby turned the big 4-0. I was pretty proud of myself for thinking up an awesome present, but then I possibly ruined it & asked him if it was really what he wanted. (What if I dropped all this $$$ on a gift and I got the wrong thing?) But he liked it. And it's changed our life. Here he is opening his brand new PS3.
We also got him Rocksmith, which is like Rockband but you use AN ACTUAL GUITAR!!! So you, you know, actually learn how to play an instrument. UM, AWESOME. Also awesome? That we can stream netflix directly to our TV now. Yeah, our basement is going to be so amazing one day...when we get the stacks of boxes sorted out.... All the makeout parties will be here. In the windowless basement. With two turn tables. And a fireplace. What could go wrong?
Amber, Dan, baby Lucy, Krista & Jimmy came over to sing "Happy Birthday" at Colby. Gretchen played with fire. Altogether, a successful evening.
Then came Easter.
"We've been eating Easter Candy all morning! Take our picture! Then take us to church for three hours!" Perfect plan. Again, what could go wrong?
I did hear one of the older ladies audibly gasp when she saw Gretchen's outfit. A gasp of being overwhelmed with cuteness. Yeah, that's why I go to church. Thanks Aunt Terry for passing this lovely dress on to Gretchen. We'll send it to Teagan next so she can overwhelm the ladies in her ward with her the cute.
Since we didn't go anywhere big over the break, we went lots of places small.
FIRST UP - The Crystal Mine. Or, rather, the crystal hill that you can find crystals on. If you look under the snow. 5 miles on a dirt road, plenty of snacks, 1 leaky water bottle, and a whole lot of crystals = good, good times.
I love this picture because we all look like we're having fun. Even the dog. She's totally smiling. Even though we made her climb to the top of the crystal hill to look at the view.
Woo hoo! Crystals!
Pensive, thoughtful Crystals.
That fabulous adventure almost doesn't happen. Here's the back story, lest you think that we actually, you know, have it together.
Sunday - spent 1 hour+ looking up directions to the Crystal Mine. Which is hard. Because it is on unnamed dirt back roads. And the 3 places I found with directions were all slightly different. Huh.
Monday, 9am - printed out maps; topographical AND road maps. Printed out the history of the mine, educational information about the crystals, and 3 sets of directions. Colby is not excited about the 3 sets of directions.
10am - Packed snacks and water bottles. Told the girls to get dressed.
10:30 am - No really. Seriously. Get dressed girls.
10:45 - Ella decides that she doesn't want to go because she doesn't want to wear jeans. Gretchen can't find her boots.
10:46 - Tell Ella she can just wear pants. Ella doesn't want to wear pants. Gretchen is "looking" for her boots on her bed. Well, actually she's just reading.
10:48 - Ella throws fit when I agree that maybe we shouldn't go after all. Gretchen cries dramatically on the floor. Tears. Sobs.
11 - I take a walk around the block. Possibly slam the door on my way out. While coming back home, I resign myself to the fact that this outing will not be happening.
11:10 - I come back home. "Mom, there you are! We're ready!" (Apparently I need to leave in dramatic huffs more often.)
12 - Finally make it to the mine. Fun times ensue. Forget drama of the morning and wonder why we don't do more fun stuff like this. Gretchen is so excited to pee outdoors, she does it twice in one hour. She is thrilled to be making yellow snow.
2:30 - Arrive home happy with a small collection of crystals.
Tuesday morning - find Gretchen's boots in the bottom of her dirty clothes hamper. Sigh deeply.
Besides the crystal mine, Ella also played Laser Tag for the first time. Gretchen was so, so sad that she wasn't big enough. Soon, my darling, soon you will get to run around in a dark room and shoot at people. I know, life isn't fair.
Wednesday we drove to Sacramento for two exciting things. Ikea and Aunt Bonnie. Aunt Bonnie is awesome.
Thursday we visited Alicia who's on week 6 of maternity bed rest. I am no longer jealous of the amount of time she gets to sit in bed.
Friday we went to the library and the Minden Pool (which is indoors and super fun and SUPER far away) and the Chocolate Nugget candy shop. You know, cause we need more candy.
Saturday we sat at home and watched movies and played Little Big Planet.
And today I took a nap.
So how was your Easter Break?
After the craziness of Christmas, we decided to save our sanity and the $1000 we would have spent on gas and just stay in town for spring break. Stay in town so we can appreciate the little things. Like finding the Easter hats and white gloves and having an impromptu tea party (the gesture of Gretchen's hands in this shot just kills me. So very proper.)
A few weeks ago, Colby turned the big 4-0. I was pretty proud of myself for thinking up an awesome present, but then I possibly ruined it & asked him if it was really what he wanted. (What if I dropped all this $$$ on a gift and I got the wrong thing?) But he liked it. And it's changed our life. Here he is opening his brand new PS3.
We also got him Rocksmith, which is like Rockband but you use AN ACTUAL GUITAR!!! So you, you know, actually learn how to play an instrument. UM, AWESOME. Also awesome? That we can stream netflix directly to our TV now. Yeah, our basement is going to be so amazing one day...when we get the stacks of boxes sorted out.... All the makeout parties will be here. In the windowless basement. With two turn tables. And a fireplace. What could go wrong?
Amber, Dan, baby Lucy, Krista & Jimmy came over to sing "Happy Birthday" at Colby. Gretchen played with fire. Altogether, a successful evening.
Then came Easter.
"We've been eating Easter Candy all morning! Take our picture! Then take us to church for three hours!" Perfect plan. Again, what could go wrong?
I did hear one of the older ladies audibly gasp when she saw Gretchen's outfit. A gasp of being overwhelmed with cuteness. Yeah, that's why I go to church. Thanks Aunt Terry for passing this lovely dress on to Gretchen. We'll send it to Teagan next so she can overwhelm the ladies in her ward with her the cute.
Since we didn't go anywhere big over the break, we went lots of places small.
FIRST UP - The Crystal Mine. Or, rather, the crystal hill that you can find crystals on. If you look under the snow. 5 miles on a dirt road, plenty of snacks, 1 leaky water bottle, and a whole lot of crystals = good, good times.
I love this picture because we all look like we're having fun. Even the dog. She's totally smiling. Even though we made her climb to the top of the crystal hill to look at the view.
Woo hoo! Crystals!
Pensive, thoughtful Crystals.
That fabulous adventure almost doesn't happen. Here's the back story, lest you think that we actually, you know, have it together.
Sunday - spent 1 hour+ looking up directions to the Crystal Mine. Which is hard. Because it is on unnamed dirt back roads. And the 3 places I found with directions were all slightly different. Huh.
Monday, 9am - printed out maps; topographical AND road maps. Printed out the history of the mine, educational information about the crystals, and 3 sets of directions. Colby is not excited about the 3 sets of directions.
10am - Packed snacks and water bottles. Told the girls to get dressed.
10:30 am - No really. Seriously. Get dressed girls.
10:45 - Ella decides that she doesn't want to go because she doesn't want to wear jeans. Gretchen can't find her boots.
10:46 - Tell Ella she can just wear pants. Ella doesn't want to wear pants. Gretchen is "looking" for her boots on her bed. Well, actually she's just reading.
10:48 - Ella throws fit when I agree that maybe we shouldn't go after all. Gretchen cries dramatically on the floor. Tears. Sobs.
11 - I take a walk around the block. Possibly slam the door on my way out. While coming back home, I resign myself to the fact that this outing will not be happening.
11:10 - I come back home. "Mom, there you are! We're ready!" (Apparently I need to leave in dramatic huffs more often.)
12 - Finally make it to the mine. Fun times ensue. Forget drama of the morning and wonder why we don't do more fun stuff like this. Gretchen is so excited to pee outdoors, she does it twice in one hour. She is thrilled to be making yellow snow.
2:30 - Arrive home happy with a small collection of crystals.
Tuesday morning - find Gretchen's boots in the bottom of her dirty clothes hamper. Sigh deeply.
Besides the crystal mine, Ella also played Laser Tag for the first time. Gretchen was so, so sad that she wasn't big enough. Soon, my darling, soon you will get to run around in a dark room and shoot at people. I know, life isn't fair.
Wednesday we drove to Sacramento for two exciting things. Ikea and Aunt Bonnie. Aunt Bonnie is awesome.
Thursday we visited Alicia who's on week 6 of maternity bed rest. I am no longer jealous of the amount of time she gets to sit in bed.
Friday we went to the library and the Minden Pool (which is indoors and super fun and SUPER far away) and the Chocolate Nugget candy shop. You know, cause we need more candy.
Saturday we sat at home and watched movies and played Little Big Planet.
And today I took a nap.
So how was your Easter Break?
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