Monthly Archives: August 2010

08.24.10
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But wait, there’s more…

First of all, I have to say that I failed to mention the laptop, cell phone and iPod on Katie’s birthday list. I figured most people would assume they were there. She’s nine, and my daughter and a modern girl, too.

And the only reason a pony isn’t on the list is because we’ve been over that one a dozen times. The military won’t move your horse.

One other item that was on her list was a light for reading at bedtime that clips onto her bed. Her brothers each got one for the feast of the Epiphany last January. She and Jenny were very disappointed that they did not also get one.

So I got her one, just like her brothers’. In fact it was so very like her brothers’ that it even had a sticker on it with a St. Nick and words addressing it “To: Katie, From: The Three Kings.” She and her sister had been misbehaving last January and I threatened them with one less Epiphany present if they did not straighten up. They didn’t, so these lights have been shoved in the back of my closets (here and the one in Virginia) for 7 1/2 months.

She was happy with this one (not Silly Bandz squealing, just normal happy) and laughed when I pointed out the sticker. Jenny asked if that meant she was getting a light for her birthday next month.

“Put it on your list,” I said.

08.23.10
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Birthday presents

Back in March, Katie was upset about something and decided that all her personal issues with life hinged upon the fact that WE (her father and I) NEVER get her ANYTHING that she requests for Christmas or her birthday. Ever. That’s right. We make every effort we can to spoil her days and make her cry.

So, I told her that from then on, all requests for gifts would have to be made in writing, signed in blood, sealed and filed for future reference.

Several weeks ago, with a birthday looming, I requested her list.

“TWO pages?” I asked, incredulous, as I stared at her notebook.

“Actually, it’s three,” she replied and turned the page.

“Uh, you need to rank them. Give me your top 3 to 5. And I make no promises…” I warned. With the finalized list in hand, I sat down at the computer to shop.

Umbrella. OK.

Backscratcher. Hey, if a $3 gift floats your boat, no problem.

LEGOS. Yes, 99% of the LEGOS we have a very boy-like. Of course, 99% of the LEGOS made are very boy-like.

And last, but not least, the item she wanted most and which elicited the greatest shouts of glee: Silly Bandz. And she immediately opened the package and put all 27 of them on her arm. Whatever.


She is 9. Half of my children are halfway (or more) to adulthood.

Happy birthday, Katie.

08.20.10
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Clarification

Spending 15 minutes discussing the realist’s perspective on world affairs and how that perspective conforms or not with Catholic teaching on the nature of man and whether or not states are sentient beings and how an individual’s value system affects his country’s behavior, while very interesting, is not at all what I had in mind when I said that we really needed to carve out some time every evening to talk.

Intelligent conversation: CHECK.

Azimuth check on how we’re spending the weekend: INCOMPLETE

08.12.10
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Lost and found

I love that Netflix keeps your history of movie rentals and returns. Or not returns.

The Tale of Despereaux. Shipped 4/30/09. Purchased 8/8/09.

I don’t even know if the kids watched it before it disappeared. Vanished without a trace.

I just now found it. Three hundred sixty-nine days after purchase. After having packed, moved and unpacked an entire house.

Buried in the stack of blank, writeable CDs. Of course.

Wonder if they would give me my money back if I returned it…

08.06.10
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First Day of School

I don’t usually take “first day of school” pictures. I don’t usually make a big deal of that day at all, even if it is kindergarten. Maybe I should. But for me, our life just flows naturally from non-school days to school days. Yes, suddenly, there may seem to be a set time or a more firmly directed exercise. But it’s not like I never read to my kids before kindergarten, or never have them draw or color or practice writing, or listen to music. It was probably a bigger deal for Fritz, but for all the others, this is just life.

But yesterday, the moment was too precious to not record. The joy, the excitement, the anticipation of his very first day of kindergarten. I can only imagine his thoughts of the fun he might have or the things he might do or the stories we might read.

Or perhaps, he was simply thinking, “Does she SERIOUSLY expect me to get up this early?”

08.05.10
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Boggle: not just for word games

Somebody gave us this portable Boggle game as a thank you for some volunteer work I made the kids do. It’s pretty cool, and the kids have been playing with it, the way it was intended to be played, some of the time.

The handiest feature is the built in 3 minute timer. After shaking the letter tiles, you twist the container closed and the timer begins automatically. This is the point at which gamers are supposed to begin scribbling down their words.

However, in other situations, this is when the “spy”/”army guy”/”villain”/”hero” RUNS LIKE MAD knowing he has only 3 minutes to get away before his bomb explodes.
08.04.10
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That’s Monkey for Pippo

Before reading the book for the gazillionth time, Mary and I looked at the cover.

“What’s his name?” I asked, pointing to the little boy.

“Ah…I dunno,” she confessed.

“His name is Tom. And what is the monkey’s name?” I pointed to the stuffed friend.

“Ooo…eee…eee…ah…ooo,” she replied, almost with a straight face.

I didn’t realize my 2 year old spoke Monkey.