Redux

April 2010

February 2008

Overheard

SOPHIE: I have to be the one who names the baby because I am going to be the big sister.

I park my car at the car park

Brooklyn? Boston? We're not sure where she's from.

Overheard

SOPHIE: Graham crackers with marshmallows and chocolate chips are berry good. I think we should have that for lunch today.

Overheard

ANDREW: Was Jesus the first person to have a last name?

Overheard

EMMA: The thing that stinks about shots is they have to put a needle into your body.

Runny babbits

During our trip to the Bug Bowl this morning, Ethan decided he wanted a pet bunny. Then we went home, and voila! There were two baby rabbits in our grass. Like manna from heaven. I discovered them by almost killing them with the weed whacker. (I love it when I'm doing yard work and hidden animals suddenly jump out from under my yard tools. Love. it.)

Anyway, word spread quickly that baby rabbits were in our backyard, and before we knew it, half the kids in the neighborhood were there holding and playing with the bunnies. Kids came in waves, held a bunny, then ran home to ask their parents if they could keep the bunnies as pets. (Every parent said no, including this one.)

After we played with the bunnies (and surely smothered them in human scent) we put them back in their nest in the grass so the mama bunny can find them tomorrow, and hopefully take them far, far away.

Click here or here for more background on rabbits, our yard, and why the two shouldn't mix.

Entymophagy 101

We went to Purdue today for the Bug Bowl. Although the entymology department puts it on every year, this is the first time we've gone. For Andrew, it was three hours of bliss, and an excuse to eat bugs. We recoiled in horror as he swallowed worms and crickets with reckless abandon. We also watched in wonder as he informed (and sometimes corrected) college students about insect origins and habits.

In Indiana, we sometimes spit crickets out of our mouths to impress our friends and neighbors. Just kidding. But there is a cricket spitting contest at the Bug Bowl. Emma joined Andrew in the cricket spitting contest, because she is exceedingly brave. Although if the crickets had been alive, she says she wouldn't have done it.

Stoked.

Emma's cricket carcass flew 3'2", and Andrew's went 3'3". Into a strong headwind. Emma says she forgot to blow air while the cricket was leaving her mouth, so it could have gone farther. I think if we go back the kiddos should try removing the cricket appendages before spitting--this would make the crickets more aerodynamic, and it would prevent pictures like this:

This is Emma after she spat. You'll want to click on the photo to see what's dangling from her lips. Yep, that's a cricket leg. That is probably why she is not smiling. And yes, call me callous for taking a photo before I told her there was a cricket leg on her mouth, but the photo is so worth it.

Mealworm brownie. He couldn't finish because it was "too chocolatey." Seriously.

Tastes like chicken. Just kidding. He said this worm and potato mix tasted like french fries. We took his word for it.

More madness. Crickets on a stick, covered in chocolate. Whatever.

Meanwhile, Ethan decided he wants a pet bunny.

Sophie rode on a pony called Abe.

Enough of the rainbows and unicorns. Emma held a millipede, although not one of the poisonous ones.

I was holding the camera, so I couldn't play with the tarantula. Maybe next year.

In his element.

Overheard

SOPHIE: Dad, the thing is...
ME: What? What's the thing?
SOPHIE: The thing is, why are we not making cupcakes right now?

Overheard

SOPHIE: Can you stop being the Count? [We had just read a Sesame Street book.]
ME: OK. I'll just be daddy again.
SOPHIE: 'Cause if you are in Elmo then I would miss ya.

Overheard

ANDREW: I always get those "I" countries confused, like Iran, Iraq, Ireland...

The chocolate bunny was dispatched swiftly and without mercy

Overheard

SOPHIE: Bamma and Pa, guess what? We're going to have a baby, except it's a boy.

Overheard

ETHAN (while getting dressed this morning): Can you ever quit if you work in a lumber mill?

It's a happy day today.