Saturday, October 8, 2011

Sacagawea

At the end of October, Eric and I are going to a party hosted by his work.  It is a costume party  (how I missed that when I agreed to the party is beyond me…)  Anyway, Eric and I had been looking for costumes on-line, but hadn’t found exactly what we wanted. 

Yesterday, when I was at Fred Meyer with the monkeys, we stopped by the costume section to look for Eric and I.  I was explaining to Owen that I would like two outfits that we can “coordinate” with.

Owen caught on right away and was eager for us to be “boy” and “girl” pirates, “boy” and “girl” vampires.  Owen got so excited when he saw a costume of a traditional “Native American”

Owen.  Oh Mama look!  You could be Sacajawea!

Mama:  That could work.

Owen:   Hmm, but what would Daddy be?

Mama:  Well, I guess he could be Clark.

Owen: (furrowed eyebrows) Clark Kent?

Mama: (Laughing)  Owen!   Is that the first “Clark” you think of when you think of Sacajawea?  (I am wondering if a “Lewis and Clark” reference is a bit of a stretch to expect Owen to remember.)

Owen:  Oh, oh, oh, I know who you mean!  Um… you mean…what’s his name… William!

Now it is my turn to hesitate.  I expecting Owen to say “Lewis” or  “Clark from Lewis and Clark”.  But Owen was one step ahead of me - Meriwether Lewis and William Clark!

Saturday, October 1, 2011

A Week of Breakfasts

The boys are exhausted and starving when I pick them up from school.  Tears are always close at hand, and I wanted to try to give the monkeys a really good breakfast to help ease the “pain” of being in school every day.  Unfortunately, on most mornings the monkeys want cereal, and my attempt to serve anything else, are grounds for protest and tears (no matter how many times that the protest and tears do not result in cereal being served!)  So last weekend, I banned cereal altogether during the week, hoping that a hard-fast rule would help the boys from feeling that there was always a potential for getting cereal.

MONDAY:  We slipped on our clothes and snuck silently out of the house for breakfast at Starbucks to try to allow Eric to sleep in since he was going to have to work a 24 hour shift for his project launch.  The boys had an egg/sausage/cheese sandwich.

Jack and Owen: Yummy! Thank you Mom!

TUESDAY: Eggs/Bacon/Cheese Breakfast Sandwiches

Jack: I want cereal for breakfast. I hate eggs.  Stop cooking that, Mama!  (gets out a bowl) I want cereal.  I am not eating that.  I am throwing that on the floor because it is disgusting!  (goes upstairs for “a break”)

(comes back when breakfast is served)

Jack: Wow Mama, this is SO yummy!  I love this!! I could eat this every day!

WEDNESDAY: Oatmeal

Jack: I want cereal.  I hate oatmeal.    It’s not my favorite! (our current phrase we are teaching Jack to say instead of: wait for it…) Oatmeal  is disgusting! (stomps off to get dressed.)

(Jack returns and tastes the oatmeal)

Jack: Yummy!  This is the best breakfast I have EVER had in my entire life.  Thank-you Mama! (asks for a second bowl)

THURSDAY: Oatmeal

Owen and Jack:  Not oatmeal AGAIN!!  I don’t want that! We already had that YESTERDAY! I want cereal.

Jack: I hate oatmeal.  It is disgusting and not my favorite!

Both boys eat the bowl of oatmeal.

(Mama promises to never consider offering the –gasp!  same breakfast twice in a row again.)

FRIDAY: Egg Casserole with Ham and Cheese

Jack: I HATE eggs.  They are disgusting!   I want oatmeal!