Today, Claire and I were at Winco, where you bag your own groceries. As I was busy throwing a basket full of yummies on the little conveyor belt, Claire was contemplating the gender of our cashier.
"Are you a boy or a girl?"
Oh no, did she just say that out loud.
"I said are you a boy or a girl?"
Maybe I can head this off at the pass... "Claire, she's a girl. See her pony tail and her pretty earrings."
I can see her thinking while I am busy tossing the last of the produce on the belt. "Am I a boy or a girl?"
"You are a girl, sweetie."
"Are you a boy or a girl?"
"I am a girl, too." I am glad she is asking about me and her, maybe it will seem like she is unsure of gender identity in general. She's just a little kid, asking a basic question. Except, she knows the difference between boys and girls... and has for some time.
Then the lady says "I can see her talking to me, but I can't really hear her."
Oh no. Am I supposed to say the exact thing I was hoping we could just let drop. Maybe I could just make a politically correct summarization?
I tell the nice lady that Claire's asking if we are girls or boys. "Oh, I'm a grandma." Good answer, as I am quickly changing gears to repack the shopping cart I just emptied.
Normally, I enjoy this part. I've always loved Tetris and feel like I can actually use it when I fill paper bags with boxes of cereal, crackers, cake mix and jello. I am even up to the challenge of tuna fish, tortillas and frozen pizza bites. And it's a race against the person in the other lane... even if they bought less stuff.
As I start to fill my first bag, Claire says "Then why does she have a mustache?"
I wanted to stop right there and laugh out loud! I understood the whole conversation a little better, now. And I wanted to laugh. I was tired and Claire was being observant, making "connections" in her little brain.
I chose the easy answer - "Shush, I'll tell you in the van." But she never brought it back up.
As I was telling Darren about our trip this evening, she piped up and said, "Well, she did have a mustache."
A family friend offered Emily and Becca a chance to meet her horse, Levi. It took about an hour to get there, so I had lots of time to go over the "mom rules" with them.
#1. DO NOT EVER walk behind the horse. They are large, strong animals and will kick you. Hard.
#2. Again, do not walk BEHIND the horse. I don't want you getting kicked. Walk around the front
if you need to get to the other side.
#3. Remember to use a soft voice,
so we don't spook the horses.
#4. Walk in front of the horse, NOT BEHIND...
or you will get kicked.
Before we could meet Levi, we got to muck out his stall.
The girls were so excited to wear boots and use a manure fork!
While Mrs. Debbie went to get some wood chips, the sisters waited patiently for her return.
It's hard for these sisters to stop dancing even when they aren't excited...
But we finally got to meet Levi. Mrs. Debbie showed us how to brush him, she showed us how to clean out his hooves and she taught us to keep our hands on him and talk to him,
even when we walk behind him.
What? Did she just tell my little 8 year olds they could walk behind this huge animal! "Keep your hand or your arm on him, so he knows where you are. Talk to him, so he knows where you are. Stay close to him, in case he kicks it won't hurt as bad... as if you were farther away."
NO! No she didn't just tell them to do the exact opposite of my years of watching television horses had taught me. You NEVER walk BEHIND the horse. And here was Mrs. Debbie, so patient and kind with the girls. Answering all their questions. Telling them what she was doing and why.... and she broke the only rule I knew!!!!
I kept my mouth shut. Obviously, I didn't know as much about horses as Mrs. Debbie and I trust she knows what she's talking about. So I kept quiet and wanted to walk in front of the horse to get around... but the way he was tied - I couldn't.
Unbeknownst to the girls, I made a pact with God. Do not let this horse kick me and I'll honor Debbie's directions. Fair enough?
So I kept my forearm on Levi's side and bravely walked towards the back end. Then another question popped into my mind. How much bottom contact was I to have? Did I have to slide my hand across the whole thing (like I was innocently doing on his side) including the "business" part or could I just touch one cheek and then the other? Remember, I have always stayed far away from the aft end of a horse... we'll especially when the horse is on TV. They don't usually do close ups from that end.
It worked. All my bones and internal organs stayed in tact. Levi did not kick me. Yeah, now we can ride!
As the girls used a stool to saddle up, I was so happy for them. The only thing an 8-yr-old girl would have loved better was if this horse had sprouted wings and flown them to a unicorns field in the sky.
Becca and Mrs. Debbie
Emily's turn
Even mom had a turn. A short turn. As I used the stool, I realized how tall Levi was. As soon as I got on, I was sure the saddle was slipping to the left and I was about to be hanging upside down - like in the cartoons, on TV. Mine was a short turn.
Then we headed back to the stable to take off the saddle and brush Levi some more. There was even talk of braiding his mane and tail... wait his tail. Like the tail that is BEHIND him?
Surely that means you take the tail and pull it to the side and braid it. Surely that does not mean stand behind the horse (without a hand on his bottom) and pull his tail... I mean brush and braid his tail. Surely the only rule I knew must be enforced with tail braiding.
Nope.
Emily brushed, braided, then unbraided, brushed and braided again. Look how brave she is. Doesn't even know she's in danger. I am so proud of her. But I did not braid the tail....
um, Becca needed my help up at the mane.
Thanks Mrs. Debbie - We had a great time with you and Levi.
Well, I think there's no better time to get sick than when you have an extra 6 people in your house. That way someone else can hold a crying child or make dinner or run to the store for more meds or caffeinated drinks for the mommies. And now there is a reason to have the TV on 24/7.
We actually have 2 strains of bugs running through thehouse right now, thankfully it remained within the host family and not the guests. So here I am, fighting off the yuckies.
In the first corner, weighing in at stomach flu, throwing up and diahrea: Emily and Becca.
In the second corner, weighing in at painful ear infections: Jacob and Amanda.
So far, Becca dropped out of the fight after 36 hours... and Jacob and Amanda entered the fight a day or so late, but definately not nearly as dedicated to the pain. Emily seems to be the last one standing... I mean last one crying.
Emily got a shot of Phenergan last night and seems to be doing better. She was pretty dehydrated, but she is doing her best to drink all the pedialyte I keep giving her.
Maybe tonight I'll get to sleep all the way through til morning, without anyone else waking up and crying or throwing up or crawling into my bed. Maybe.
What spring break is complete without swimming? Even in Portland, where we have had rain 29 out of 31 days, we still want to swim! And with the grandparents staying at a hotel with an indoor swimming pool, we were on our way to fun.
But sometimes "heated" pool, means not freezing pool. As we overtook the pool (only 9 kids and 2 adults ended up swimming) and ran out the other guests... we were friendly and tried to introduce ourselves :) But they left anyway.
Amanda didn't care... she was trying to collect all the flotation devices. We had a great swim and then froze on the return trip home. We had to walk through cold rain to get to the van, but warm hot chocolate was awaiting us at home.
The kids and I went to Multnomah Falls last month. They were out of school for a teacher workday and we headed out to see the falls. You might remember that we drove past it on our way into Portland this summer, but did not stop because I already needed to go potty. Well, I have discovered they actually have bathrooms near the gift shop, so we could have stopped and saved myself some discomfort...
We found the most interesting caterpillar on our way up to the bridge.
Here's Claire in her new-to-us stroller and that funny "cat-a-pilla".
When Jacob was born, we took pictures on this same bench. Katy was younger than Amanda and Jacob was in the backpack. Since it would require my finding and scanning that one, you'll just have to imagine it.
We sat there for about 20 minutes, watching the water fall and the leaves. The falling leaves were my favorite part. Absolutely beautiful leaves were falling from the trees up on top of the clliffs and floating down like big orange snowflakes. I tried taking pictures, but none of them show how special it was.
I guess you'll have to imagine that one too.
I had a great time with the kids. I think I'll take them up to Mt. Hood next, looks like there is already snow up there on that guy.
(We've been reading a lot of Junie B. Jones around here lately!)
Yesterday, Amanda looked across the cloud covered gorge and asked, "Is that where the giants live?"
It was beautiful. The hills of Camas were poking out above the clouds... not fog, clouds. And it looked like a city above the clouds.
Of course, I said "yes. That is exactly what a giant town looks like." I even thought we'd get to go through that cloud bank as we crossed the river... but alas, we did not.
She was disappointed there were no clouds on the bridge and most of all, "Why can't we go see the giants?" We'll, Aunt Priscila was waiting for us.
However, we could see the clouds up the river a bit. It was an awesome sight and I'll forever think of Camas, Washington as the home of Amanda's giants.
On a side note, Darren asked Amanda what she thought they made at the factory (in Camas)... she said "Clouds?"
Of course, what giant city doesn't have a cloud factory?
Mom: Thinking all the wrong answers - I have more productive stuff I should be doing - Maybe I could have one of the twins read to her - If I read one, she'll ask for another - Later - maybe for naptime
but Mom finds the right one "Yes".
After I move a few boxes off the couch, we sit down with Blueberries for Sal. One of my favorites.
I've read that book so many times! With every child. We'd change the name at the beginning of their season with the book... Blueberries for Katy. Blueberries for Jacob. Blueberries for Becca (and then re-read it in the same sitting) for Emily. Then it would get put on the shelf for a while until the next one started asking for it.
Today was the first time in at least 6 months that I've read Blueberries for Amanda.
A few minutes of my time to read a book, to remind me how ALL these people of mine used to be little, to make sure Amanda has her turn. If Claire will let her.
Darren started a Drupal job yesterday. Seems to like it so far...but I haven't talked to him today :)
Katy got her wish... her own room at grandma's AND her very own Facebook account! Like is good for the pre-teen sect. She actually got her horn out yesterday. Good to hear her squeaking, I mean, practicing. I think she and I are going to start taking advantage of the tennis courts across the street.
Jacob is with the cousins for a few days. I'm sure he's having a great time: food, DS, wrestling, tv, bikes and skateboards, repeat - who wants to come back over here?
The other are all in one room. Katy's old nursery. White picket fence wallpaper and a blue ceiling with clouds and glow in the dark stars. There's bunk beds, crib, toddler bed and dresser.... and that's all the room there is. They are ALL excited that grandma has stairs AND cable tv.
Layla treed a cat the other day... that was funny. I could hear the owner calling his cat, so I "tried" to pull Layla back. She's so strong. I was able to drag her some, so the cat could get down. The tree is on the outside of the fence, but I don't think either the dog or cat knew it :)
How is Jenn? Well, it's a bit tricky to have 6 kids in anyone's home for longer than...3 hours. They hit a lull in their playing and it's time to start making food again.
So being at the in-laws brings all that about, but there is also the joy of sneaking in to bed with grandma and watching early morning cartoons, or family meals with yummy desserts, and working in the garden (my favorite). With more work comes more memories... and a chance to make the kids work.
It really is great to be with the cousins and in-laws. We've been apart for a bit too long. We are trying to pace ourselves, just a little bit. Well, it's a nice theory.
We are praying through our options of where to live, closer to his parents or closer to his brother. The original plan was for us to visit for 2 months, so I figure we have that long to figure it out.
The weather is MUCH cooler than Texas. I am enjoying that. Maybe a bit too much rain, but I'm not complaining (very much).
Guess I'll go check on the raspberries before I head through the woods to find the girls (over at a friends house playing in the sprinkler).
