Philosophy, Debates, and Childhood Questions

For the last 2 days, Saylor could have won 1st palce in that show, "Kids say the Darndest Things". Last night, she begged, "Mommy, Can I pleeeese please pleeeezzzz, Oh pretty Please with ice cream and a cherry and Cool Whip and everything else that goes on top Can I pleeezzz just have one cookie and be able to eat it in my room? Ohhh, pretty please with anything sweet you want on top of my pretty please like ice cream and sprinkles. But, pleeeezzzz can I have just one cookie and I will put it on a napking and camn I pleeezzzzz eat it in my room?" Of course she is cute as a button b/c she is in her pajamas when she is asking me this and she has her little finger raised up everytime she says "Just One cookie".
David is out of town, so Saylor and I were making popcorn last night and getting a movie ready and she tells me, "Mom, did you know that in the bible it says that when Jesus comes again, He will judge the living and he dead?" I told her she was correct and she asked, "But, I don't understand. What does that mean? How is he gonna judge us? Is he gonna make all of us have a race or something or see how many push-ups or sit-ups we can do?" I explained to her that He was gonna judge us on how good or bad we have behaived and she said, "Oh, thats good. Cause I was worried he was gonna make us do push-ups or something and I am not good at that kind of stuff." PRECIOUS
Finally, Saylor had to sit in Time Out for 7 minutes this afternoon b/c she was arguing. She said her tummy hurt and I said it was b/c she ate junk food. And she said, No I also drank water and I always drink water and that is NOT junk food." So I explained that I wasn't talking about what she drank, I was talking about what she ATE. She had eaten some Cheez-Nips. She then argued that Cheez-Nips were healthy b/c they are made with 100% Real Cheese. Thanks to 1st grade, she can now read labels and food packages. So she proceeded to argue that since Cheez-Nips are made with 100% Real Cheese, it qualifies as healthy. What a nut!

Memorial Day I had the sort of Memorial Day I was hoping for---relaxing. We spent all day outdoors. To the right and to the left and across the water from us, you could here the sounds of neighbors' screen doors opening and shutting soflty as they came in and of of their backyards to check their BBQ pits and enjoy the outdoors. I have always loved the sound of a screen door--perhaps b/c it reminds me of the South, Summer, childhood and home. I don't even mind the grainy screech they can sometimes make when they need to be oiled or the SLAM!-sound they make when the springs are old. We enjoyed hearing, "whoohoo" from the yard next door when their teenage boy caught a fish. Saylor splashed around in her pool, enjoyed a visit from the baby geese and their ever watchful parents. She continuously carried a conversation with the geese which was just plain adorable and forgot that David and I could hear her. She was telling the adult geese, "If you wanna make my backyard your home, you can. We don't mind. You can let your babies live with us and I can babysit them and take good care of them while yall go out and catch fish. I promise I will take care of yall if you live in my backyard with me." David and I got plenty of sun as we sat outside and enjoyed some drinks. We grilled, of course. Montreal Steaks, Mojo Chicken thighs. We also grilled some corn on the cob, vidalia onions, and pineapple. Everything was soooo yummy! Dessert: Raspberry Jello w/ sliced bananas and strawberries in it. Saylor was in charge of serving it--she layered it in cups w/ Cool Whip. Saylor described the pink lemonade I made her as "Glorious" and said, "Mom, I just don't know how you do it." and then took another sip and delighted in it by closing her eyes and licking her lips. Little moments like that are priceless. David and I have fallen in love with Georgia's Vidalia onions which are at the peak of their season. David brought a bunch home form work and we have been using them for onion rings, grilling, meatloaf, etc. They are sooo sweet and flavorful. The grocery stores are running specials on the Vidalia onions, roadside stands are announcing, "Georgia Vidalia Onions" and the Fleming Island Meat Market is selling "Stuffed Georgia Vidalia Onions"---for $6--choose from pork stuffing or beef. Mmmm! Saylor had fun covering the onion in butter, wrapping it in foil, and taking it out to Daddy to put on the pit.We wrapped up the day by flossing corn out of our teeth, and snuggling up on the sofa for a movie---Seven Pounds which happened to be a very good film. The rains eventually came in around 8 p.m. in the form of a serious lightning storm and showers. All in all, it was a lovely Memorial Day and a great start to the summer!

Last Day of School/First Day of Summer

Ahhh, never under-estimate a typical wonderfully lazy Saturday. That is what can be nice about the rain sometimes---it forces you to slow down, take a nap, watch a movie, make brownies, play a card game of Go Fish with your child. David, on the other hand, is like a caged rabid animal on rainy days. He can't stand being confined to the indoors. He starts making comments like, "Check the weathe rnad see how long this is gonna last. I can't stay inside all day! Think of some place we can go just so we can get out." He says this with a slight panic in his voice.Custard and Miko love rainy days---they seek out a pile of laundry, curl up, and drift into a blissful sleep.....all day. Do dogs take Catnaps?

Well, yesterday was Saylor's last day of school. She is a 2nd grader now! She hugged some of her friends goodbye and can't saying with a big smile, "Well, Mom" ----she wouldn't say anything else except, "Well, Mom"---these two words translate into what is ahead for the summer, I can't believe the year is over, I can't believe I am a second grader---all summed up into, "Well, Mom" I asked her what she wanted to do and she said, "lets go eat Chinese food!" So that is how we celebrated her last day of school--at the Hong Kong Bistro. That and a little trip to go buy a Webkin which she loves. She had asked about 3 months ago if she could get a new webkin and I told her she could get one of the last day of school. She kept that bit of info at the forefront of her memory bank. Silly Girl. She chose and adorable hedgehog and she has been pampering it like a real baby.

Despite the fact that we are into our 6th day of rain from a Northeasterly rainstorm, Memorial weekend is off to a nice start. Saylor and her friend Sydney played until dark outdoors last night and have played ALLLLLL afternoon together. They looked adorable with their rainboots and umbrellas splashing in puddles and running up and down the sidewalks in the rain. Today, during a break in the clouds, the two of them put on their skates and had some rollerblade fun. They have identical skates which of course is, "soooo cool". When they aren't skating, they are zooming up and down the sidewalks on their scooters.David and I stayed up until almost 1 last night watching movies after Saylor feel asleep around 9. Soooo, Saylor, feeling quite refreshed and rested, woke us up at 6:45 this morning ready to start her day!David and I somehow found the energy to go outside during the break in clouds with thunder in the distance to go pull some weeds and trim some branches. But, it is raining again and expected to rain up until Thusday. Sooo talking inventory: Sodas-Check, Popcorn-check, movies-check.

Day 3 of some serious never-ending downpours. The news have been announcing to folks to stay off the bridges today if at all possible due to tropical strength winds of 50+ MPH. There is flooding everywhere, but nothing like Houston-style flooding....thank goodness. However, the parking lot at the marina is underwater. Saylor went to school in rainboots today. She finds days like this so exciting. When we walked in the classroom, the teacher and some of the other kids who had already arrived already had their socks and shoes off. It'll be an interesting day in 1st grade for sure! Saylor took her Twister game to school today---the kids will be stuck inside all day and a game of Twister might add a nice twist to the day. Chapel has been cancelled due to tornado watches and warnings. The kids need to stay close to the "Tornado Room" which is a large double secured room. Last year, a tornado touched down in Orange Park and the sirens went off. Saylor's class ran from their room to the Tornado Room. She and some other kids were told to get under the tables while the bigger kids stayed in the center of the classroom. The tornado bypassed their school and instead traveled right on over onto Fleming Island and left a minor and sporadic path of broken trees down HWY 17. The school did such a fantastic job on keeping the kids from getting scared or anxious b/c Saylor didn't seem the least bit concerned about the experience. In fact, she enjoyed the added excitement to the day. This just goes to how how naive children can be during these types of circumstances.
This is perfect napping weather. However, I wonder if I shoul get the bible and turn to the page that has the blue prints for the ark and make a quick trip to Home Depot. I wonder what the 5 foot alligator in the water out back does when it floods like this? No doubt, it will have to go on the ark.

Field Day-May 2009

David and I had an enjoyable afternoon. We went to go see Saylor at her school. Today was Field Day. A first for Saylor and quite memorable b/c it rained cats and dogs. Nevertheless, the kids had fun. David filled 100 water balloons the previous night for the 1st grade---a task I voluntered him for..hehehaha! Water Balloons + Pouring Rain = lots of soaked, but smiling kids. Due to the weather, the field day was cut a little short, but the kids had a blast. Saylor really enjoyed herself and is sleeping well tonight. I will be keeping an eye out for the first sign of a sore throat or runny nose---Knock on wood. I hope she doesn't get sick. Last week of school in mid-May and the temps over the last two days have dropped to 58-63 in the middle of the afternoon due to heavy cloud cover and non-stop pouring rain, thunder, lightning. We had wind gusts of up to 50 MPH. Tomorrow will be worse according to the weather news. Rain up until next Tuesday! However, as the streets flood and as branches and limbs continue to scatter the neighborhood, the 1st graders at Grace are giddy with excitment over the last week of school!