Heck No

While eating our over-sized super yummy chocolate chips.... Henri said, "Mom, you know there is music called 'heck no'."

"Heck no??  No I didn't know about that....  ummm... what kind of music is it??"

Claire being her normal self, chimed in:  "It's not heck no... it's techno."

To be honest... I think Henri's right... if someone asked me if I liked listening to techno, I'd say "heck no"!! :)

Starts With "J"

My last post here was May 2010... yikes!!!... it's been awhile!!  As my friend Jess would say... I'm a slacker ;)

On our way home from the store today, "Stop This Train" by John Mayer came on...




Chase immediately complained saying, "Aww... turn it."

I said, "What now you don't like John Mayer??...  Too bad, I'm not turning it."

Claire then chimes in and sarcastically says, "Chase you don't like anyone whose name starts with a 'J'... you don't like Jack Johnson... you don't like Jason Mraz.... see you don't like any music by people whose name starts with a 'J'."

To which Chase replies, "....I do too... I like Jay-Z."

:D  (that's my boy!!!)

Chase's Pink Ride

The other day, Chase kept stealing Claire's bike.  Claire was so distraught over it... crying wailing, "Chase won't give me back my biiiiiiiiiiiiiiike."  Of course, during his joy rides on Claire's bike, Chase thought that it was hilarious UNTIL Aaron pulled out his phone to take a picture.  Chase tried to get away, but was no match for his quick fingered Dad!

And all Chase could say while laughing was, "Don't put it on Facebook."

HAHA!!  This'll teach him to steal a pink bike ;)

We're Proud!

As I was nicely asked to get my desk cleaned up... I came across this certificate that Claire received the first week of March...

Not Bad Words

I'm not sure what has been going on lately with my kids and bad language.

At dinner tonight, we were talking about "bad words" and Chase says, "Why did people even make bad words up?" I explained to them that it's not necessarily the fact that a "word" is bad, but more so the meaning placed on the word. For instance, someone could've made up Sloppy Joe and it could have been coined as a bad word.

Then Chase chimes in and says, "Yeah, but there are words that aren't even bad. Like shit. Shit is definitely not a bad word, because if you step in dog poop... you might say, 'Aw, shit I just stepped in dog poop.' See that's not bad." (I immediately covered my face) Then Claire added her two cents about what isn't bad (Damn) and then Henri his....he took the more appropriate route by saying "poop is better to use than shit." Nice.

All the while, I was in the midst of holding back laughter because they were SO serious.

Of course, I'm finding it rather funny that they are trying to justify this all at 7, 5, and 3... because I once did the same. Only when I was in middle school... my English teacher didn't like the way I made my cursive f's. She counted a spelling word wrong, and I said out loud, "That's a bunch of crap." She told me not to use bad language in her class... to which I replied, "Crap??? Crap's not a bad word."

Hmmm... for the most part the words they learned didn't come from me (nope... that's ALL Aaron... ok... and maybe Kanye... and a few other artists), but the justifications are all me :)


Come to think of it... here's where Claire got damn:

Piercing (Ears)

For the past month, Claire had been talking about getting her ears pierced.  She even went so far as to ask for earrings for Christmas, but was quick to say that Santa couldn't pierce her ears while she's sleeping.

So...Saturday-- after lunch-- we took her to "Claire's" to get her ears pierced.  As we walked down Main Street, she was visibly nervous and wouldn't let go of my hand.  Once we got into the store, her grip got tighter.  When it was her turn, I sat her up on the chair... clenched to me, I had to say, "Claire, if you don't want to do this... you don't have to."  She was adamant that she wanted to have her ears pierced.  The girl cleaned her ear lobes... "Ugh... that's stinky."  Then held up the little earring guns to her ears... snap... and a shriek that pierced my ears...

"That's a new one." said the Claire's employee (as the others nodded in agreement).

Before she could even finish her words, Claire's tears started flowing.  She cried and she cried and she cried.... she wouldn't look in the mirror and then she wanted them out.  Her pleads almost convinced me that it would be easier to take them out than to listen to her in pain.  Moments later, she calmed down.  We went about our afternoon with little whining, but she didn't look at her ears until just before dinner.

Days have passed and she's so excited about her ears that she's started pulling her hair back from her face-- this my friends is a Christmas miracle ;)

She's happy with her pink daisies.

Mom Gave Names to All Her Children

I've always said it, "Bob Dylan is an amazing song writer, but I just can't listen to him sing." Claire's new favorite song is "Man Gave Names to all the Animals," of course, redone by Jason Mraz. If you don't know what I'm talking about check it out here.

So yesterday, Claire was taking an after school nap on her floor. Trying desperately to wake her up after about an hour, I started singing a new version.... which of course, she thought was funny and drove her mad at the same time. So here it is...

"Mom saw a girl laying on the floor

She slept so much, that she started to snore.

Couldn't see much, just a lot of hair.

She said, 'I...... I think I'll call her Claire.

Mom saw a boy sitting on the ground,

had so many toys that he couldn't be found.

She tried to get him to look her in the face.

She said, 'I..... I think I'll call him Chase.

Mom saw a boy that was super cute.

He liked to eat vegies and lots fruit.

And on his backpack was Bumble Bee.

She said, 'I....I'm gonna call that one Henri."

Different Perspectives

After I picked up Claire and Chase from school, Claire asked why Henri doesn't eat lunch at his school and began a conversation about why Henri should want to go to school. With that came 3 very different opinions on school.

Claire-- "School's FUN!!"

Chase-- "School's boring."

Henri-- "School STINKS!"

2 Reasons to Cry

According to Claire's behavior yesterday, there are 2 really BIG reasons to cry about school.

1. P.E.: Tennis shoes are not cool and neither is being told that she should wear them. Running around is fun, but in the setting of P.E.... she's just not digging it. So yesterday morning-- in tears-- she asks if we could write her a note so that she can just sit and watch P.E.. Who knew that could start SO young? High school is going to be rough.
2. Opening the car door: When I pick Claire up from school, the teachers always open the car door for her. Yesterday, she gets in the car and immediately starts crying. The problem? "They opened the door for me... I can do it myself."

The things a 5 year old girl can make a disaster!!

Who Did It???

As we were getting the kids ready for bed last night, I walked into Claire's room to see Henri standing next to Claire's refrigerator holding a green marker. Her refrigerator had green marker ALL over it.

I say, "Henri! Did you do that? Who did that?"

Henri replies, "It no me, Chase."

Of course, with him holding the marker in his hand, I say, "Don't lie. Who colored on Claire's refrigerator??"

Again, he says, "I didn't do it. Chase."

With that, I called Chase into Claire's room (Claire is standing by quiet this whole time.). "Chase, did you do that?" I ask knowing full and well that my 7 year old knows not to do that. Of course, he answers while in shock of what he's seen, "No."

I turn around to blame Henri again then I see marker on the top of Claire's dresser. I'm beyond livid and at the time can't believe that Henri hasn't fessed up. THEN, I sit down on Claire's bed and see the side of her dresser. Now I should've taken a picture... but I was in the moment.

I said, "Claire!?? It was YOU!!! Why would you color all over everything???"

Her response, "Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!"

The whole side of her dresser was covered in words that she could write like: mom, dad, chase, and lots of "Claire hieroglyphic letters". After using baking soda and remembering that days earlier I went against my eco-ways and bought Magic Erasers... the marker finally came off.

Two First Days

This morning, Henri had his first day at preschool. We've been talking about it for awhile and the past week, I tried to "prep" him as much as I could for what was going to happen. Before we left the house, he told me that he was "scared". I stayed with him in his class for about 20 minutes and had to leave to take Chase his snack at school. Henri wasn't ready for it. He cried and cried.... it made my heart break. After about 15 minutes, I called to check on him. They said he was calming down. Thank goodness. I, then, for the first time in years went shopping by MYSELF. It was nice. When the time came to pick up Henri from school, I got on my bike and rode up to get him. He was the first one out and he looked so whooped. He was happy, but he just looked sad in his eyes. We hopped on the bike and he said, "Don't go too fast for me.". At that point, I'd do anything he asked... just want my happy, P&V Henri back. We had lots of fun on our bike ride and he told me "I love you" a million times... which hasn't stopped all day.

After Henri and I picked up Claire and Chase from school, Claire had dance. Based on how she ended dance this summer (bad attitude), I was nervous whether or not she would take the classes. I was happily surprised to see her walk right into the class and participate with great enthusiasm!! After her ballet and tap, she asked if she could stay for the jazz class. The boys (well, mainly Chase) were spent after 2 hours of being at the dance studio. But, Claire had lots of fun dancing with Miss Christy and meeting some new friends.

BIG Day!

Yesterday, I woke up Claire at 6:40 am to get ready for her first day of Kindergarten. She was so cute... tired, but so excited. Never once did she complain about being tired or have to be pushed to "get moving". Aaron said that she talked his ear off the whole way to school and was even ahead of him walking in!! When they got to her classroom, she pulled Dad in-- not from nervousness-- from excitement.

So our bossy girl only has one rule for her teacher: with another Claire in her class...she's just Claire, not Claire R..

The day was strange without our Claire Bear. The boys and I went to the barbershop, and to Target (yes, again!) to pick up some forgotten school supplies. That afternoon, the boys and I parked and waited outside on the benches of her school. Henri-- so used to going inside-- was bummed that we weren't walking inside to get her. From the moment we saw Claire, she was so happy. She walked with a hop in her step and kept talking about Chester the Raccoon. Her class-- like Chase's when he started Kindergarten-- went on a "search" around the school for Chester (he leaves clues all around the school... and in turn the kids explore without realizing they're touring the school :) ). So, her first day was a success and she can't wait to go back on Friday to meet all 18 of her friends!!

Once we got home, the kids and I went on a bike ride and took the baby chicks (now a week old!) in the backyard. Now, I wish I could say that the rest of the day was just as perfect as everything that preceded the evening... but it wasn't. After dinner, all of Chase's pent up emotions-- anxiety, fear, disappointment, anger-- about going to school poured out of him. He was a mess...so much so that it was like a 2 year old throwing a temper tantrum. He was so mean and bossy... but I know he didn't mean any of it. Claire helped cheer up the moment by saying, "Mom, I told Henri that we're on Mom's team." Thank goodness they recognized what he was doing was inappropriate. Thankfully, once we got him around for bed, read some books and cuddled... and after many BIG hugs... he calmed down.

While we were putting Claire and Chase to bed, Henri said that he wanted to sleep on his floor (just like his big sister). I told him "ok" and to grab his sleeping bag. After he didn't return, minutes later, I decided to check on him only to find him on his floor, in his sleeping bag... sound asleep. We all had a big day...