What I learned this week...

What I learned this week combined with my favorite quotes of the week.

Check out what others have learned this week over at Musings of a Housewife.


Just settling in for bed. A is at the foot of the bed on the floor in his sleeping bag (don't judge me :)

A: Mom, can you come down here?
me: Oh honey I just got settled in (with my book). I thought he wanted me to lay with him.
A: I just want to tell you something
me: I go down next to him.
A: I just wanted to tell you that I was messing around in class. We had to draw a body and I drew a penis on mine. I erased it but my teacher saw it and I think she might talk to you about it at my conference next week. I'm sorry Mom.
me: (feeling a little horrified but wanting to giggle at the same time, the things teachers must see). I say, well thank you for telling me.
A: I'm sorry Mom.
me: You do realize that it was inappropriate, especially at school.
A: I know.. but so and so drew an afro on his and he didn't get in trouble. EVERYONE was being silly..
me: Everyone??
A: yes.
me: again, you understand why this is inappropriate and you should never do anything like that again?
A: yes.
Me thinking: I bet his teacher gave him the option of telling me before she did.. At least he did tell me. I can't wait to see her at his conference :)


C: Mom, I'm sorry but I really don't like your new haircut.

me: that's ok honey. I got it cut short to get rid of the layers and color. It will grow out.

C: It looks like a bad wig... sorry Mom.

me: That's okay (he is so honest.. he just can't help it. At least he follows it with an apology, the little bugger).

So what I learned this week is that my children are NOT perfect and they may even be a little......obscene at times. "gasp" Also that they may be brutally honest but I'm pretty sure they still love me.

Favorite quotes of the week...

Alex, coming in the house after walking home from school... "Mom!" "That Groundhog was wrong!"

Me, trying to figure out what the heck he is talking about "What?"

Alex: "Feel my neck... it's all sweaty!!"


Me: "Connor, I just hate when you don't feel good and there is nothing I can do."

Connor: "Well, it's no picnic for me either!."


For those of you that don't watch American Idol you may not get this but this year they have changed their format and are going about picking the top 12 a little differently. Well, Alex is my faithful AI watcher companion but he is just not getting this. I'm sure it's hilarious to listen to us go round and round as I'm trying to explain it. It goes something like this.

Alex: "So, did the guy with the glasses whose wife died make it?"

Me: "Yes, his name is Danny, remember last week he was in the top 3?"

Alex: "So where is he tonight?"

Me: "Remember how I explained to you they are doing 12 at a time and picking 3 each week out of the 12 and then at the end they will pick 3 more and that will make the final 12."

Alex: "So where is the guy with the glasses whose wife died?"

And it goes on and on and on............ Mark and Connor are not into it but once in a while will ask a question similar to this and I have to admit last night at the dinner table I got a little exasperated. I said "OK." "Everyone listen, I'm going to explain this once and for all. There are 36 finalists...etc........ by the end they were all just looking at me with blank stares. I know they still didn't get it or more accurately don't really care, and Alex and I will have the same conversation next week...... I can't wait to get to the final 12. Then I can say "OK, forget HOW they got here but here are the final 12" :)

Now that I think about it, doing homework with Alex kind of goes the same way.. by the way if you read this Alex, you know how much I love and adore you. You make me laugh every day....... but sometimes you have a hard time focusing, can't imagine why, you are an 8 yr old boy who would rather be doing anything other than homework.
So sometimes it sounds something like this...

Me: "Okay so 7 + 7 is what?" (doing double digit addition and subtraction)

Alex: "ummmmmmmmmmmm, drops his pencil, tries to lean waaaaaaaaay over in his chair to get it, ends up falling out off the chair. Suddenly when he sees the frustration on my face, he's hurt. But Mom I hurt my leg! on and on

Me: "ok so 7 + 7 is what?"

Alex: "ummmmmmmmmmm, mom did I tell you my teacher sucks on Halls candy ALL day and when I'm reading with her It's REALLY strong?"

Me: "Do you think she has a cough or sore throat?" (oh boy, now I'M getting off track)

Me again: "Okay lets focus, what is 7 + 7?"

Alex: "what?" "Did I tell you when I was playing soccer at recess, Trevor kicked me really hard?!"

Me: "Oh my word, I am going to buy flashcards tomorrow, you know this!!!"

Me: "okay, 19 + 19 ='s........ I'm not kidding he starts counting on his fingers! "Alex are you kidding me? You can't add that with your fingers!"

Alex: "Yes I can." "20,21,22,23.................

Me: "Alexander! how do you do it at school? You round it off, count tens and then the ones or just write it down and carry like I did when I was in school."

Alex: (writes down 19+19) "Mom what's 9 + 9?".

Me: (thinking to myself......... has this child learned nothing? Panicking a little, ok a lot. Surely he knows his math facts better than this! I know we have flashcards around her somewhere.. oh no I sold them at the garage sale because we didn't need them any longer.. :0) I just love to rebuy things I practically gave away...)

From flashcards

Mark: (From the other room) "Bonnie, is everything ok in there?"

Me: "Everything is FINE!!"

Mark: "Ok."

This can go on forever.. then other nights he's done in 15 minutes......... Could it be my husband is right, he is working me and enjoys the attention? Nahhh. couldn't be.

Favorite quotes of the week...

Disclaimer: This post may not be politically correct, it may use words like hippie, black and gay.
none of which are meant to be offensive.

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES..

Alex: "Mom, is Ellen (Degenerous) Gay?"

Me: "Yes". "Do you know what that means?"

Alex: "Yes, it means she likes girls."

Me: "yes, and if a boy is gay, he likes boys".

After a few seconds, I thought the conversation was over for now.. he said,

"Girls liking girls is okay but boys liking boys.............that's just wrong".

(of course this was followed by a short conversation on tolerance and people being different..)


Next quote:

Alex: "Mom, you know that song "Beat It" by Michael Jackson we heard at the skating rink?"

Me: "Yes, but I think it was a remake. I don't think it was Michael Jackson singing".

Alex: "Is Micheal Jackson a hippie?"

Me: "Have you ever seen Michael Jackson?"

Alex: "No".

Me: "He's a black man".

Alex: "He's Black??"

Mark walks into the room and says "He used to be".


*** I'm not sure what Alex's interpretation of a hippie is but the other day he said "Mom, a boy at school told me only hippies play acoustic guitar" "I said, your Grandpa (my Dad) and your uncle Jerry play acoustic guitar... do you think they are hippies??? This got a chuckle out of him. And if you know my Dad and brother, it will make you laugh too.