Save the Couch Foundation

Here is our newest purchase, bought in an effort to preserve our couch. Patrick spends so much time each day jumping on various pieces of furniture that to tell him to stop every time he did it would be like telling him to to stop breathing every time he took a breath. There are various people out there who are to blame for this, and I am not one of them. I won't name names, but you know who you are.
So at Mandy's recommendation, we bought the trampoline (Patrick-speak: "temperature"). It was a good purchase. He knows where to get his jumping fix now. If he forgets, I remind him loudly. Mandy also says it's a good way to get exercise, just bounce while you watch TV. I may try this in the future...right now I'm too tired to get exercise.
Speaking of Mandy (two posts in a row now), you should really check out her blog. She has no bratty kids and therefore has a life instead and can subsequently think of other interesting things to write about on her blog.
I'm having a great day, can't you tell?

What are you trying to say???

I am copying my friend Mandy's blog here (www.xanga.com/mountaineer107).

According to quizgalaxy.com, the name Becky means "A master of storytelling". Are they saying I'm a liar? Rebecca means "A real life terminator". WHAT?!? A killer? That's even worse! Everybody better watch their back around me, I guess. Here's more:

Luke--"Like in nature to a train-riding hobo"
Patrick--"A person who laughs at anything" (sounds about right)
Ben--"A beat poet working the streets" (watch out Jack Kerouac)
Savannah--"Having the texture of congealed cheese"
Wilson--"A deadly strain of projectile vomit"

What a nice family I have!

Spring Fever

We had some really nice weather last week, the kind that makes you want spring to hurry up and get here. It didn't last long...now it's cold and rainy again. We enjoyed the outside time while we could. Patrick helped Daddy stake out the boundary for when we extend the fence, and also picked out a spot for the playset we hope to get him for his birthday. Ben enjoyed the view from his jumpster, which we hung in the open slider.

Let's Go to the Movies

I took Patrick to his first movie in the theatre (did I spell that the British way?) yesterday. There are no pictures of this outing, but it was the movies, so what do you expect? We saw Curious George, which I thought would be tame enough for my EXTREMELY sensitive tyke. I was almost right. Here are his thoughts on going to the movies:

"I'm hungry." (at the very beginning, when the people next to us came in with popcorn)

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!" (the sound his pants made when, as I took him out for popcorn, he spotted the video arcade and took off)

"I'm all done." (climbing out my lap in an effort to leave, about halfway through, after something disturbing--to him, no one else--had happened onscreen)

"It's bigger than a dump truck!" (talking about the movie screen, maybe...I'm not quite sure???)

"I'm so sad." (during the "sad" part)

"I'm so scary." (during the "scary" part)

"Where's George?" (every time I pointed out George the monkey, he looked around for the only George he knows, who happens to be the bulk mail officer in our local post office...needless to say, he was not there, so Patrick remained thouroughly confused the whole time)

It was fun. We'll go back in a year.

Dumb Dog

Our stupid Labrador, Savannah, likes to lick the cement on our back patio. We are not sure why. It could be that the dirt tastes good to her, or it could be that her tongue itches...we have not determined this yet. All I know for sure is that she is dumb, dumb, dumb and her mouth is filthy, filthy, filthy. Notice the trail of slobber that she leaves all over the patio in her wake.

Happy V Day!

Today was Valentine's Day, although I hardly realized it. While clearing the kitchen counter, I uncovered Patrick's February crafts from school. We LOVE Mrs. Marjorie, his teacher, but she has a real thing for preschool-appropriate crafts. Sometimes we get two a day. I usually have no idea what to do with them all (I have long since gotten over wanting to keep every precious creation my child brings home). I decided to immortalize these on film and then dispose of them. Happy Valentine's Day!

A Few Shots of Ben...

A rare moment in which Ben lets down his guard and falls into a deep sleep while napping.

"Never mind...I'm up! What did I miss!?!"

An Insincere Apology

Yesterday Patrick was sent to his room for being a generally bad boy. On his way up, he paused on the stairs and turned around long enough to call Luke a "big blockhead" (and here we thought those Charlie Brown holiday specials were such a good thing for him to watch). After a while, he came back downstairs, the picture of penitence, and we had this conversation:

Patrick to Mommy: "Sorry, Mommy."

Mommy to Patrick: "That's okay. (hug) You need to tell Daddy you're sorry for calling him a blockhead."

Patrick to Daddy: "Sorry, Blockhead."

A Sentimental Moment

This evening as Patrick sat on the upstairs guest bed and watched his dump truck video (starring "Dump Truck Driver Dave"--obnoxious, clumsy, and not a bit likeable...except to Patrick, of course), he absent-mindedly reached down and picked up my old teddy bear to snuggle. It warmed my heart. I smiled inwardly as I thought about the last time I snuggled with that bear--it was the night I learned that I was going to have Patrick, and Luke was a million miles away in the middle of nowhere (Philmont). Funny how things come full circle.

The Life of the Party

Today we went to Rebeckah's 7th birthday party. Patrick is beginning to carry on her legacy of being the life of the party. He has a knack for keeping everyone entertained the way she did when she was his age. I thought at first that she might not like all the attention people gave him at her party, but she was so grown up about it, totally fine with sharing the limelight. She is so sweet to him.

Here are a few of the highlights of the party, at least from my point of view:

Patrick and the birthday girl getting sugared up on cupcakes and ice cream.

Ben visiting with Mary Kate, whom Patrick rechristened as "Mary Cake" (distant relative of Strawberry Shortcake, noted by Schell). Mary Cake is the star of her own blog. I don't know how to post a link, but you can check her out at www.betweentherivers.blogspot.com

Rebeckah got a karaoke machine for her birthday (along with some gift certificates, or as she called them "birth certificates"). She sang a very nice song about Jesus to everybody, then handed over the mike to Patrick, who entertained us all by singing (hollering) "Bob the Builder!" over and over again.

A Very Restricted Gift

We went to church tonight and sat with Luke's mom (Ma). When it was time for the offering, she gave her envelope to Patrick, because he gets such a thrill out of putting it in the basket. When the usher got to our row, Patrick dropped it in, looked him square in the eye and said (quite loudly): "This is for GOD."

Goodbye to a Good Friend

On Monday, Patrick had to say goodbye to a friend that is moving away, although he doesn't really know he said goodbye since he is too young. His buddy Henry is moving to Virginia soon, and Monday was his last day at preschool. The neat thing about Henry is that he was the first friend that Patrick made by himself without moms knowing each other first. We met him at the playground at the mall and when his mom and I noticed how well they played together, we started getting together occasionally and then enrolled them in the same preschool class.

We always really enjoyed our time with Henry and his mom, and we'll miss them a lot. We wish them the best and we're glad that they are able be close to their family now. Take care!