This Week in the Funnies... vol. 1.1

We were all gathered together in the living room playing games.  The kids voted and wanted to play Uno.  It's a perfect game for the family, as Aleana and Trent are at an age where they actually understand the rules and move quickly as they get closer to their quest of winning.  Everyone was down to their last few cards, when it was Trent's turn to play.  The card on top of the pile was a green #3.  Trent, having a puzzled look on his face, seemed like he was having a hard time. To keep the game moving along, I asked Trent if he had a green card or a #3.  He paused, and said: "No, I don't have a #3...BUT (with bright eyes) I have a yellow card, and a blue card...can I play those, because that makes green?!"

Ya, nice try bud...although I have to admit that was some great "thinking outside of the box" for a 5 years old.

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Ever since watching Indiana Jones and Goonies, we have been working with Trent on what words are appropriate  and what words are curse words and should not be said...

We were at church, the meetings had ended, and it was time to go home.  We usually all meet up in the Relief Society room, because it is next to the door where we park.  Aleana and Trent had made their way and we were waiting for Tracy.  While we were waiting, I was visiting with some friends, and Aleana and Trent were writing on the dry-erase board with some other kids.  Then, out of no where , with cutting force, the words shouted out by some crazy little kid: "Don't say Shit!  Shit is a bad word!" rang through the rafters of the now what-seemed-to-be small room.

Silence followed, as all the old ladies had quit speaking and turned their attention toward the front of the room...where the dry-erase board was.  At that dreaded moment, I realized that the "crazy little kid" was no other than my Trent.  With all eyes on me, I made the walk of shame to the front of the room.  I pulled Trent aside, and as sternly and quietly as I could, explained to him that we don't use that kind of language.  Trent had a weird look on his face, as if he couldn't understand what I was trying to say.  He then said, in his raised, whiney voice, "But Moommm, I didn't say Shit, He did (pointing to another little boy), and I was trying to tell him that Shit is a bad word."

Well, apparently Trent has learned what curse words are, and how they shouldn't be used.  But somehow we, as parents, failed to teach him that when someone else says it, you don't have to correct them in that way.  Sigh...Well if people didn't know who the Giles were in church, I am sure they do now. :) 

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Aleana had a little choir performance at a grocery store's re-grand-opening.  The store was a zoo, and the parking lot was even worse.  After her performance, we decided that instead fighting the crowd, we would walk just across the parking lot and eat at Mc Donalds.  This is a big deal.  Eating INSIDE Mc Donalds...the kids were so excited.  They got to play on the in-door playground.  We ordered while they played and called them over when the food was ready.  As we were eating this conversation occurred:

Aleana:  Mom, where did you grow up?

Mom: Winslow, AZ

Aleana: Dad, where did you grow up?

Dad: Las Cruces, NM

Aleana:  If you grew up in Winslow, and you grew up in Las Cruces, then how did you guys meet?

We then told her how we both went to college in the same area, and how we met playing basketball, and how we fell in love.  We then told her about our first date, and how we knew it was something special, how we felt so comfortable talking to each other and how there was a connection.  We told her the story of my bluntness when talking to Tracy and Tracy's relief when he knew that I liked him.

Then with big eyes, Aleana blurted out: "And ttthhheeeennn, you got pregnant so you and dad had to hurry up and get married!!!!"

What?!?!?!  My child left me speechless.  I looked at Tracy, my eyes screaming "Help me out here!" and he had the same speechless look as me.  Did we miss a step in teaching her about the birds and bees?  I know we have told her our story of dating and getting married and having her a YEAR later...but how could she think... what?...confusion.  As calmly as I could, I re-explained things to her and she seemed to be okay with it...for now.

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We were in the car, on the way to church...

Aleana: Mom, did you know that Humans are animals too?

Mom: Yes

Trent: What?!?  Humans aren't animals, they're HUMANS!

Aleana (in her know-it-all tone): No, Humans are part of the animal kingdom.  We are considered animals.

Trent: NOOOOOO!  MOM!  Aleana's saying we are animals, but we're not!

Mom: She's right.  We are animals.

Trent: No, animals are dogs and cats...

Mom: Yes, they are animals too.

Trent: But, why did Heavenly Father make us animals too?

Mom: Heavenly Father put us on the Earth to live and grow.  He put other animals on the Earth to help us. (When I said this, I was thinking about the whole beef, pork, chicken meat thing.  Hoping that I was one step ahead in answering his next question of why we had to eat the animals...Nope.)

Trent: (Pause...you could almost hear his wheels turning).  Ya!  Like pigeons!

Mom: Pigeons?

Trent: Ya, because they deliver messages!

Trent.  Trent.  Never a dull moment with you, bud.

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I was in the kitchen getting dinner ready, and Sasha, our dog was laying on the floor right next to me...

Trent (in the living room): EEEWWWW, what's that STINK?

Mom: What stink, I don't smell anything.

Trent:  Well I farted, but...

Mom: Well, son, that's probably why...

Trent: No, that's not it.  My farts don't smell that bad.  It must be Sasha (Sasha has been known to cut some pretty bad ones...)

Mom: But Trent, she's in here with me, and has been for the last 10 minutes.

Trent: Well, it's not me, my farts don't stink like that.

Well, I think you surprised yourself on that one, Trenters.  Poor Sasha, she gets blamed for everything.

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And that sums up the past few weeks, okay maybe months, in the Giles house.

Better Late Than Never part 2

This year I decided that I would make pajamas for the kids.  Joann's was having a great sale on flannel.  Ahhh, nice warm cozy flannel.  I planned plenty of time.  I started in October, so I wouldn't be having to stay up late and stressing on Christmas eve.  Cut the patterns - check. Washed and ironed the material - check.  Accurately cut and marked the material - check.  I was ready to go.  However, like I am with any other project, I procrastinated.  Heck, I had plenty of time.  In my plan of procrastination, I failed to calculate all the time was would be needed with other holiday stuff, say - oh, I don't know... stuff like Christmas parties and shopping, working, cooking...  Yep, before I realized it, the week before Christmas was upon me, and I had a mountain of sewing staring me in the face.  And even though I had to sew on Christmas eve, it wasn't all night.  I finished before dinner.  It was a little crazy, but I must say, I think I did a pretty darn good job.  The kids sure seemed to like them.

Finished products:

Hannah's Baby Kimono

Trent's PJ's

Aleana's night gown

Featuring the Giles Styles models:

Two Step Hannah

Trippin' Trent

Awesome Aleana

Bonus Pictures:

I love this picture.  The way Hannah is looking at Aleana...all cute in their matching jammies.  Tracy says it's the same look that Papa/Sadler family has.  And how about Aleana - there are times when she looks a lot like her Aunt Tessa!

Remember those commercials with the "bitter-beer-face"?  

My attempt to get a good pic of the kids in their new church clothes.  No such luck, this is the best that they would give me.

And last but not least another funny face from Hannah-bear.  Tracy used the flash and I think it was a little too much for her eyes.  Hopefully no permanent damage was done. :)

Better Late Than Never

Christmas in our neck of the woods was wonderful, although I wasn't sure if we would ever make it to December 25th.  With all the hustle and bustle of parties and gift exchanges, Christmas goodies and choir concerts,  not to mention kindergarten productions.  Yep, there's nothing quite like going to Trent's little kindie concert to hear them "sing" about Santa's puppy... Santa's reindeer... Kawanza...snowflakes...jingle bells...and Hanukkah - nothing about actual Christmas I might add, and this is after having to drag the whole family - hungry and tired baby included, to sit on bleachers in a packed gym only to discover Trent bugging the kid in front of him because he's just not that in to singing (well except for Santa'a puppy, because he didn't have to sing - he got to bark instead...) Sigh.  'Tis the holiday season :)

Aleana had two different choir concerts, as well as a "Winter" party (Christmas now being taboo to say in the public school systems...argh!)  She also finished up her basketball season and has been reading like a mad woman to get through her Warrior series.  Watching her read hour after hour amazes me.  I never did that.  In fact, I made it through all of my English classes, High School and College without having to read an entire book.  My thought at the time was "that's what cliff's notes are for".  It's not something I am proud of, but that just goes to show how painful I thought having to read the "classics" were.  Now I absolutely love to read.  It's my escape...my break from reality.  I wish I had the desire to read as a kid.  Aleana seems to have that part figured out.

Hannah just keeps growing.  She's our little dancin' diva.  She LOVES to dance.  She'll smile and show her fangs any chance she gets.  Yes, her top front middle teeth still haven't come in yet, although she's working on it.  Her fang teeth are in already, so she makes quite a cute little vampire.  She's not walking yet, but by the way she stands by herself, it won't be long now.

Christmas day was nice and quiet and perfect.  It was a blast watching the kiddos open presents and seeing their faces light up.  Santa did a great job this year.  

Aleana - look of surprise...

Trent - "But you said no more video games..."  Ya, we lied. :)

A new book by the same author of "Warriors" - Thanks Grandma Buggy and Papa!

The coolest animal book ever!  Has diagrams of the animals insides and everything! Thanks Grandma Buggy and Papa!

Laser Tag!  Picture says 1000 words.  Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Giles!