Tuesday, December 15, 2009

A Wolf In Girls' Clothing

This morning, after her bath, Shea was sitting on the bathroom floor toweling off and babbling to herself. After a minute or two I overheard her shouting (in a mock alarmed tone), "Security! Security!"

So I popped my head in to investigate.

Karin: "What are you saying, Shea?"

Shea: "Security! Security!" she replied, with an impish grin.

Karin: "Do you need help with something?"

Shea: "No."

Karin: "Well, that's kinda like calling for help. Do I need to remind you of the story of the Boy Who Cried Wolf?"

Shea: "Huh?"

After telling her the story, which in my version ends spectacularly with the wolf chomping the boy whole after none of the villagers came to his lying-ass rescue, her face turned from concerned to cynical.

And then she shouted right past me, louder than before:

"Security! She's telling phony stories!"


.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Cutting To The (Not So) Quick

Scene: Dinner table.

John still working. Karin and Finn both finished with their meals, while Shea flexes her champion stalling muscles by firing one question after another to nobody in particular.

Shea: "Why do we eat rice?"

Shea: "Why do we get wreaths?"

Shea: "Why do we sing?"

Shea: "Why do we have vineyards?"

Shea: "Why do we use forks?"

Shea: "Why do we...

Finn: "...TALK SO MUCH?!?"

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Aspirations

Shea, at age 4 1/2, wants to be when she grows up:

"An airplane flier (a pilot) and the guy who takes the tickets at the movie feeter."

Just so you know.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Our Resident Lexicographer

Shea: "Mom, I'm very, very, very, very, very FRUSTRATED."

* beat *

Shea: "Mom, what does frustrated mean?"


Sunday, October 18, 2009

Dethroned

Let's face it: Shea's a lovely girl, but girlfriend can be kinda bossy. Especially with her patient, indulgent older brother.

But even Finn sometimes gets fed up. Like he did this morning.

Shea: "Fiiiinnnnnnn, come in here and fix the TV for me!"

Finn: (No response. Keeps working on his Sodoku puzzle.)

Shea: "Fiiiinnnnnnn, come help me!"

Shea: "Fiiiinnnnnnn, come over here right now!"

Shea: "Fiiiinnnnnnn, you need to do this for me!"

Finn: "It's not like you're my QUEEN or anything, so I'm not going to!"


Monday, October 05, 2009

Getting It

Finn: "Scarecrow doesn't have a brain but he's the one with all the ideas. Weird, right?"

Friday, October 02, 2009

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Yin And Yang

Once again, my children remind me of their polar opposition on most topics:

Shea: "Mommy, ______ got a time out in school again today."

Karin: "Oh no. Have you ever gotten a time out in school, Shea?"

Shea: "No."

Finn: "Me neither!"

Karin: "Good for you guys. It's not cool to get in trouble in school; it's a waste of everyone's time. So remind me again: Why do we go to school?"

(Blurting out their answers at the exact same time:)

Finn: "To learn."

Shea: "So we won't go to jail."

Monday, September 28, 2009

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Tuesday, September 08, 2009

Self Awareness

Karin: "Shea, that was really nice of you to share your chocolate milk with Baby Kui."

Shea: "Yeah, I'm getting nicer."

Friday, July 31, 2009

Friday, June 26, 2009

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Limerick


There once was a young boy named Finn

Who had a million-dollar grin

The girls they would chase

Him all over the place

And led his poor mother to gin.


Saturday, May 09, 2009

Spanky Lives

Apparently tired of taking turns, today Finn took a thick, black permanent marker from the art supply box and attempted to carve out some boy territory for himself by repeatedly inscribing "NO GIRLS" on the grove of strawberry guava trees in the backyard where he and his sister regularly play.



He was promptly scolded for being a repeat vandal (last week he got busted for writing on his closet door and who can forget this doozie?), and sent to his room for a little cool-down time.

And guess who ended up playing in the trees after all, just before we scrubbed off all the offending graffiti before it set into the bark?


Thursday, April 30, 2009

Four Faces of Four

Seems like I was just doing this, but holy smokes -- our baby turns four today!




Thursday, January 15, 2009

With Apologies To Anyone East Of The Rockies

After flipping on Good Morning America this morning I witnessed a frightful weather update for the eastern half of the mainland, with lots of swirling blue graphics, a few negative temperatures sections, and prominent use of the term Wind Chill.

We're expecting a big storm here today and tomorrow, with waves expected to reach an impressive 35 feet on the North Shore and winds of up to 60mph that will likely fell many trees tonight. So when the GMA broadcast cut to our local weather report for the islands, these conditions were highlighted.

But it was the extended forecast that caught my eye and made me laugh, predicting conditions for the weekend would be drier and with cooler-than-usual temps.

While today and tomorrow showed raindrops and clouds, the calendar panels for Satuday and Sunday displayed, in all capital letters, the word CHILLY.

The temperature high meterologists expect? The one that elicited the word "CHILLY?"

77 degrees.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Hey, You Guys!!!

I've been a bit nostalgic lately about my kids' TV choices -- what with the near vapidity of many children's programs (not you, Yo Gabba Gabba) and the impending premiere of the new Electric Company next week -- so I've been recording some episodes of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood for them to watch.

After finishing his dinner tonight, Finn punched up an episode on the DVR and settled, with his sister, into his favorite nook of the couch. Upon hearing the signature theme song begin..."It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...," I said, "Oh, I just love Mister Rogers! You know, he was around when I was a little kid."

F: Really? Was he an old man when you were a little kid?

K: Yep.

F: Well, is he still an old man, or is he dead now?

K: He's dead now, unfortunately.

F: How did he die?

K: He just got old.

F: Oh, it's a good thing nobody shot him.

K: (Expression on face that says: !?!?!?!)

F: I mean, it's a bad thing he's dead, but a good thing nobody shot him.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

So, there's that to think about now.



Tuesday, January 13, 2009

There's A Novel In Him Yet

I noticed this doodle on the back of Finney's homework today and it delighted me in its conciseness.