parental supervision

During dinner last night Sam slowly chewed on his hot dog while staring into space. I wave my hand in front of him until I catch his attention. “What’re you thinking about, buddy?” Steven asks. “Ohh, I’m just trying not to think about a video I saw,” Sam replies. “Why don’t you want to think […]

kitchen complaints, episode eight

In the past year the kids have been more willing to eat the food Steven and I cook for ourselves, but it’s still a 50-50 shot. This evening we went simple with some chicken thighs. “Hmmm,” Sam mused while poking at his chicken, “You know, I don’t like this chicken very much. I like it […]

*thunk thunk*

Steven started up the clothes dryer, which immediately began to make an ominous *thunk, thunk* noise.  “Whoa, whose clothes are those?” I asked.  “The girl’s,” he replied.  “Ooh, better check for lip gloss! It’s either that or a rock.” After a few minutes of rummaging, Steven emerged from the laundry room, victorious. “Ah ha!” “What […]

not helping

After a long day of teaching, running errands, and fighting traffic I am glad to be home this evening. Sam warmly greets me with a verbal waterfall filled with tales of Minecraft, playing outside for hours and hours and hours, what he had for lunch, and how much he missed me. “. . . and […]

kitchen complaints, episode seven

Tonight we were scrounging for something to cook, so we ended up having breakfast for dinner. We scored major Parent Brownie Points with this move. Sam, while eating pankcakes: “I’m the luckiest kid in the universe!” Lydia, doubtfully: “Why?” Sam: “I had a regular dinner and a breakfast dinner!*” Lydia: “Well, I had breakfast and […]

stranger danger

The ending of the Elephant & Piggie books has sent Sam on a quest to find another series of books. Recently he’s discovered the wide world of the Berenstain Bears books, so we have been borrowing them from the library in heaps. Earlier I read to him The Berenstain Bears Learn About Strangers. Afterwards, I […]

making the nurses swoon

As we were leaving the allergist’s office today, Sam turned toward the doctor sitting at the nurses’ station and exclaimed, “Thank you for being such a good doctor!” The reaction was immediate. All the nurses surrounding the station went:

spaceshit

“Sam, come get your shit out of my room!” I hear Lydia scream across the house. Sam mumbles incoherently, so Lydia yells again, “Sam! I said to come and get your shit!” What?! Surely I am mishearing her. I quickly hop up and look down the hall. “What’d you say, Lydia?” Lydia stomps her feet […]