Beer, F-Words and Family Time

As the family matures we continue to expose them to more and more of the world.  One of the best ways to maximize the exposure is to attend a College Football game.

Last weekend we took the family to the Holiday Bowl.

Kate (14) had beer spilled on her 3 times.  

The guy behind Ryan (9) was rhythmic in his use of the F-word every 3rd word.

Garrett (11) was perplexed at the tailgating and piles and piles of bottles everywhere.

Paige (17) just thought it all funny.

Nothing a good laugh couldn't deal with.

Please Bless...

(Not Ryan)

Ryan (6) and I have a ritual every night:  we kneel at his bed and say prayers before he goes to sleep.  He usually asks me to say a prayer first, to which I oblige, and then he says his.


Often during Ryan's prayer I will prompt him to help him remember things he could pray about.  For example right now Kate (11) is away at 6th grade camp, so recently I have whispered "bless Kate" during a pause in Ryan's prayer.


Last night we knelt down like usual and Ryan asked me to pray first.  During my prayer I paused for a split second and instantly, without thought, Ryan quietly said "bless Obama".


Ryan has surprised us before with what comes out of his mouth but this left me dumbfounded.  


But as I sneaked a peak at Ryan he still had his head bowed and eyes closed waiting for me to continue.


So what the heck.  I guess everyone could use some blessings.

Gender Confusion

One of our Christmas traditions is to meet our Southern California family members on Balboa Island 

 

for dinner at the dive Chinese restaurant, 

a walk around the island to see the lights, 

and a treat at Dad's.

One luxury of eating at the Chinese restaurant is the use of their bathroom, one of the few restaurants with facilities.

At the end of our dinner, before our walk around the island, Mindy went to use the restroom but found both the Girls and Boys room were occupied.  After patiently waiting, the Boys room became available.  In her typical take charge style Mindy made an executive decision to use the available room.

Shortly after entering the Boys room the door began rattling as someone was trying to enter.  Every few seconds they tried again, and again.  From the voices outside the door it was apparent there were a couple of young boys, maybe 8 years old, wanting to use the restroom.  After they tried the door for the umpteenth time, Mindy politely responded, "Just a minute, I'm almost done".

Silence.

No more door rattling.

Meanwhile back at the table, Mindy's sister Merryann noticed a couple of young boys running to their family table exclaiming "There is a girl in the Boys bathroom!!"  "We swear, we heard her talk!"  

The boys mother calmed them down and instructed them to go back and politely wait.  So they returned to their post outside the Boys room.

When Mindy emerged she encountered the perplexed, wide eyed expressions of two young boys.  Their eyes darting from her to the symbol of a man on the door.

She walked away smiling at the trauma her breech of etiquette had caused for these boys.

At the conclusion of our walk around the island Mindy's sister decided to use the restroom before her drive back to Los Angeles.  Since we had earlier eaten at the Chinese restaurant she decided it would be appropriate to re-enter the restaurant and use their bathroom.

She found herself in the same predicament that Mindy had faced earlier.  After waiting patiently, the Boys room became available while the Girls room remained occupied with no sign of emptying soon.

So....It must be in the genes.  She entered the Boys room.

Here is moment when two young boys became very confused.  When the boys had encountered Mindy earlier in the evening they were just arriving at the restaurant and our party was just leaving.  Now the very same boys were finished with dinner and went to use the restroom.  Once again they found it occupied and just like before they kept trying the door.

 

Unlike Mindy, who spoke up, Merryann kept quiet until she emerged.  The shock and confusion was evident on their faces as she opened the door.  The boys stared dumbfounded, unsure of anything anymore, especially the markings on the door.

Two sisters defying convention and wreaking havoc on young, impressionable minds.

Too Old for Santa but...

It's tough being the youngest kid as Ryan (6) can attest in many ways.  Upon request he can provide a long list of inequities that exist in his life.


But he is unaware of one injustice wrought upon him, mainly by his older brother Garrett (8).  Garrett has educated Ryan, much too early,  about the reality of Santa.


When Ryan first heard the awful truth he was a little reluctant to believe it.  He protested and defended Santa, but the onslaught from Garrett and the older siblings finally convinced him.  


But it seemed as if Ryan wasn't ready to give up believing.  When we brought home a new book about Elf's that are toys during the day, but travel back to Santa each night, Ryan was intrigued.

His intrigue turned to wide eyed belief when he woke up in the morning and went searching for the Elf and found him.  He ran into our room that morning with that look that is so intoxicating to parents:  true belief.  He has been waking up early every morning to go and find the new hiding place, and eagerly shows everyone in the family.


I love having a believer in the home.  


I'm going to miss this.

Only $8.99

That was the cost of 1 week of pure bliss for Mindy and I.

Garrett (8) dominates our family life.  This little guy is a force of nature.  If he is happy life is good.  But if he decides to have a little fun with us we spend our nights reading parenting books convinced we have failed miserably.

Garrett is not swayed by many threats or enticements, leaving us with few means of influence.  But last week we discovered one - that cost me $8.99.

An iPad game that Garrett desperately wanted.  When I saw the price I balked but after being pestered relentlessly, one of his key strengths, I relented with a proposal I was sure he couldn't keep.

One week of good behavior.

The little rascal came through with flying colors and we haven't enjoyed such family bliss in a long time.

Of course I never possessed his uncanny ability to act at either extreme at will.

______

This is the magical game

The First Gift Of Christmas

Proof that I am easy to please.  


A Skull Cap from a friend because I was too cheap, or embarrassed to buy it for myself.


Nothing like a middle aged man in a Skull Cap.  I so enjoyed the taunts from the women in my house when they saw me wearing this.  No respect or appreciation for the physical specimen I am.


But this morning on my MTB ride I was loving it.  When we started the ride it was an un-San Diego like 38 degrees.

Time:                    02:34:07

Distance:              28 mi

Elevation Gain:   2,772 ft

Calories:              2,038 C

Snore, Shake, LICK and Repeat

While in Arizona for Thanksgiving we stayed at my Sister's house and looked after their dog Rusty, a coon hound.


We love Rusty with his unique bark, beautiful coat and pleading eyes.


But....


He sleeps in the Master Bedroom.


I slept through most of the shenanigans but Mindy didn't.


It began with snoring.  Rusty sounds eerily like a human when he snores, and when he sleeps he snores.


After a few hours of snoring Rusty will wake up and give himself a good shake which rattles his jowls and his collar.


Now fully awake Rusty does what any normal dog would do to pass the time in the wee hours of the morning - vigorously lick himself.


It was almost more than Mindy could stand to lay there half awake and listen to the slurping and lip smacking of Rusty as he enjoyed a good lick.


Then....


It started all over again.  Snoring, shaking and another good lick.


Although we love Rusty the kids are not getting a dog any time soon.