So you've probably gathered that it's my birthday (pause for cheers, applause, and offers of chocolate cake...which will be graciously accepted with effusive thanks) and although I'm not thrilled with my actual age this year (it's a Prime Number...I've never liked or trusted them...but that's a psychological study for another time) I do have in mind some criteria that would make it an altogether fabulous day:
A nap! (funny how that's the first thing that came to mind, yes?)
Peace (on both a World and Household level! Is that too much to ask?)
Really nice weather (ideally, 75 degrees and sunny--NOAA says 68, so everyone please wish really hard!)
Icy cold beverage (preferably accompanying a dinner that someone else prepared : )
Lots of chocolate (sensing an underlying theme here?)
2 hours to play outside!
9-game winning streak started by the O's (followed by another one, just so we can be over .500 for the first time since the Jurassic--I mean Angelonean--Age.)
And that would do it (at least for the more-or-less-realistic requests)! Maybe I should go to bed now, so I can wake up and get a head start with the chocolate at breakfast...now that's the way to welcome a birthday!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Good Heavens!
You know how some calendars have symbols on the days when a Full Moon or a New Moon will occur? Today Riley (age 6-1/2) was staring intently at our kitchen calendar, when he suddenly wondered aloud, "Is there a picture for the 'gibbous moon'?" Wait, I'm sorry, the WHAT? As I was still sputtering over my Mini Galileo's inquiry, he mused, "and which of these means 'waxing moon' or 'waning moon'?" (More importantly: since when do you have Astronomy class in 1st grade? Memo to Mom: read that Science Curriculum again, more carefully...)
But, I am proud to report that--thanks to the band Cowboy Junkies, believe it or not--I was able to address at least part of his concerns. That is: when the moon appears to be missing a piece from its left side, it is moving toward the Full Phase (not as poetic and tuneful as the song, but that's the gist). "Oh, so that's waxing," he nodded in grave agreement. Then, from deep within the Vocabulary Vault of my memory, I dredged up the meaning of 'gibbous' (a moon that looks nearly full, but not quite*). And since we seemed to be bonding over the Cosmos, I just couldn't resist one more comment; "You know when it's New Moon, the moon is still there, right?" "Oh, yes," he airily replied, "it has to do with the sun shining on the part that we can see." To my enormous relief, my nerdling abruptly stopped channeling Carl Sagan, and went off to play a nice, childish game with his stuffed animals.
People use the expression "it doesn't take a rocket scientist..." as a metaphor, but if Riley moves on to more complicated investigations of the Universe, I may actually need one! Anyone have the number for NASA's question and answer line, just in case?
(*And of course, later I Googled it, to make sure; I was right. YES! Never going to use it in conversation, but good to know, I guess...)
But, I am proud to report that--thanks to the band Cowboy Junkies, believe it or not--I was able to address at least part of his concerns. That is: when the moon appears to be missing a piece from its left side, it is moving toward the Full Phase (not as poetic and tuneful as the song, but that's the gist). "Oh, so that's waxing," he nodded in grave agreement. Then, from deep within the Vocabulary Vault of my memory, I dredged up the meaning of 'gibbous' (a moon that looks nearly full, but not quite*). And since we seemed to be bonding over the Cosmos, I just couldn't resist one more comment; "You know when it's New Moon, the moon is still there, right?" "Oh, yes," he airily replied, "it has to do with the sun shining on the part that we can see." To my enormous relief, my nerdling abruptly stopped channeling Carl Sagan, and went off to play a nice, childish game with his stuffed animals.
People use the expression "it doesn't take a rocket scientist..." as a metaphor, but if Riley moves on to more complicated investigations of the Universe, I may actually need one! Anyone have the number for NASA's question and answer line, just in case?
(*And of course, later I Googled it, to make sure; I was right. YES! Never going to use it in conversation, but good to know, I guess...)
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
So Random...
A few drops from the WestEnders collective Stream of Consciousness this week:
--Derek, Riley and I were hanging out at the "Breakfast Bar" (a.k.a. our kitchen counter), probably discussing something deeply meaningful like "who wants more Fruit Loops?" when out of left field, Riley suddenly interjected, "Mom, what's a midget?" (He's just SO lucky I didn't spit coffee on him! And I never did find out where that came from in his interesting little brain...) When I stopped gasping, and Derek stopped howling, I gave him a brief definition. But Derek--to my great delight--pulled out a historical baseball reference: Eddie Gaedel (3' 7" tall) was a Little Person who showed up in exactly one Major League game*. Dang, that kid reads a lot!
--Derek asked me to remove all the High School Musical and Glee stuff from his iPod, because "I'm over that phase now." Excuse me? You're not allowed to be having "phases", young man! Apparently, he and his friends discuss this at school (10-year old Music Critics? Yikes!) and agree that "Lady GaGa is weird, and the Black Eyed Peas have gotten boring from being played too much!" (Actually, that sounds about right to me...) He did request that I add a Katy Perry song (Edited Version only, thank you very much) and...Beyonce. Yes!
--Another Derek moment: I wish I could remember what led up to this, but somehow in the midst of a very routine conversation he came out with, "Well, Mom, 4th grade boys have LOTS of names for...you know. One of them is 'hairy pickle'!" Oh. Good. Grief. I instantly held up a hand and announced that I did not need to know any more of these charming euphemisms. Although I guess I'm glad he feels comfortable telling me this stuff.
Tomorrow at breakfast--at least until I finish my coffee--I'm going to try to get them to talk about the weather; that should be safe enough, right?!
*(Derek didn't remember all the specifics, but here they are for those who care: in a very short career, Mr. Gaedel batted one time in game in 1951 as a publicity stunt arranged by the infamous St. Louis Browns owner, Bill Veeck.)
--Derek, Riley and I were hanging out at the "Breakfast Bar" (a.k.a. our kitchen counter), probably discussing something deeply meaningful like "who wants more Fruit Loops?" when out of left field, Riley suddenly interjected, "Mom, what's a midget?" (He's just SO lucky I didn't spit coffee on him! And I never did find out where that came from in his interesting little brain...) When I stopped gasping, and Derek stopped howling, I gave him a brief definition. But Derek--to my great delight--pulled out a historical baseball reference: Eddie Gaedel (3' 7" tall) was a Little Person who showed up in exactly one Major League game*. Dang, that kid reads a lot!
--Derek asked me to remove all the High School Musical and Glee stuff from his iPod, because "I'm over that phase now." Excuse me? You're not allowed to be having "phases", young man! Apparently, he and his friends discuss this at school (10-year old Music Critics? Yikes!) and agree that "Lady GaGa is weird, and the Black Eyed Peas have gotten boring from being played too much!" (Actually, that sounds about right to me...) He did request that I add a Katy Perry song (Edited Version only, thank you very much) and...Beyonce. Yes!
--Another Derek moment: I wish I could remember what led up to this, but somehow in the midst of a very routine conversation he came out with, "Well, Mom, 4th grade boys have LOTS of names for...you know. One of them is 'hairy pickle'!" Oh. Good. Grief. I instantly held up a hand and announced that I did not need to know any more of these charming euphemisms. Although I guess I'm glad he feels comfortable telling me this stuff.
Tomorrow at breakfast--at least until I finish my coffee--I'm going to try to get them to talk about the weather; that should be safe enough, right?!
*(Derek didn't remember all the specifics, but here they are for those who care: in a very short career, Mr. Gaedel batted one time in game in 1951 as a publicity stunt arranged by the infamous St. Louis Browns owner, Bill Veeck.)
Monday, April 19, 2010
Ready, Aim, Fire!
I would describe us as a pretty "Pacifist" household. We (the adults--the kids aren't allowed to have an opinion about this yet) generally shun war-type movies. Violent video games are forbidden. Even when the boys play Imaginary Battle, the most powerful weapon in their arsenal is: a Nerf gun. So I was just a little bit shellshocked when I accompanied Derek to a Laser Tag birthday party at a friend's house last weekend. The man who runs this particular outfit set the scene with his pre-party Orientation Speech. He firmly established the Rules, such as: "When you're 'dead', go to the Graveyard (a.k.a. 'The Patio') and have some snacks until the next game starts." He offered some Tactical Advice from his own experience: "When you shoot someone, and you THINK they're dead...shoot them again, just to make sure!" He even touched on some Military Etiquette: "Don't abandon a teammate on the battlefield; it's not the honorable thing to do." The twenty pint-sized commandos absorbed all of his wisdom, then exploded into the backyard, brandishing their weapons, ducking for cover behind camo-painted boxes, screaming out phrases like "cover me, I'm gonna go sniping!" What the...? All it took was a charged gun and a team bandana, and somehow our adorable sons had morphed into miniature Rambos. (And where do they pick up this stuff? Is 4th grade really such a War Zone? Or is it more of that Boy Brain wiring that I don't understand?)
So for the better part of two hours, they waged a fierce Turf War. They organized themselves. They hotly debated and strategized. They regrouped their squadrons and reloaded their stomachs (with Capri Suns, Doritos and Twizzlers--hearty Soldier Fare). Then the Leader Guy said the magic words..."Who wants to play Adults versus Kids?" Oh, HECK yeah we want to shoot--I mean PLAY with our beloved offspring! He took us Big Kids aside to give us a quick introduction to firing, recharging, holding the perimeter--you know, just some Basic Training. Then we went out there...and got totally creamed. It was twenty maniac boys against eight parents, so we really didn't have a chance. But I have to admit, there was something disturbingly satisfying about lining up a perfect shot in your scope, and nailing your son as he dashed by...in fact, I think this kind of exercise might have to become a regular part of Family Bonding at our house! (Memo to Self: we need more Nerf guns...and Twizzlers!)
So for the better part of two hours, they waged a fierce Turf War. They organized themselves. They hotly debated and strategized. They regrouped their squadrons and reloaded their stomachs (with Capri Suns, Doritos and Twizzlers--hearty Soldier Fare). Then the Leader Guy said the magic words..."Who wants to play Adults versus Kids?" Oh, HECK yeah we want to shoot--I mean PLAY with our beloved offspring! He took us Big Kids aside to give us a quick introduction to firing, recharging, holding the perimeter--you know, just some Basic Training. Then we went out there...and got totally creamed. It was twenty maniac boys against eight parents, so we really didn't have a chance. But I have to admit, there was something disturbingly satisfying about lining up a perfect shot in your scope, and nailing your son as he dashed by...in fact, I think this kind of exercise might have to become a regular part of Family Bonding at our house! (Memo to Self: we need more Nerf guns...and Twizzlers!)
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
"I got a Ni-kon camera, I love to take pho-tographs" (sorry, Paul Simon)
This morning we had another one of our out-of-the-blue Breakfast Discussions. This time it was triggered by both boys mentioning that they had Art class today, which is definitely not their most-loved "special" of the week (that would be "Sprinting Around like Maniacs", I mean PE--duh!). Riley's biggest complaint is apparently that "we always have to make what the teacher wants". So I started explaining that in High School, you get to choose from among different options to fulfill your Art requirement, like Ceramics or Painting or--my personal favorite: Photography. It brought back a flood of happy memories--me with a coveted Hall Pass, wandering around the school, clicking "Candid Shots" for the Yearbook (mostly of cute boys and my friends, as I recall). I enthusiastically described how I even learned to develop my own film in the darkroom which was SOOOO cool...and that's where I noticed that I'd lost him completely. As I trailed off, he stared at me in silence, a quizzical look on his face, until at last he asked the Big Question: "Mom, what's...film?"
Now, I own a 35 mm Nikon, which from the time I was 15 and bought my first "real" camera, until I finally broke down and jumped on the Digital Bandwagon about 2 years ago, was the ONLY kind of camera in the house. (I stubbornly held out until I admitted that I was missing far too many shots of small boys who--shockingly--refused to sit still for photos. Also small boys running. And jumping. And climbing. You get the picture--ha!) I was suddenly stunned to realize that since I went digital, I have barely used my trusty old N65. I know the boys have at least laid eyes on it, because I remember that they used to ask "can I see it?" after I took a shot, and I would have to explain that "it isn't that kind of camera". It became a big Family Joke after a while because they would still ask, even though they knew better. Now they're spoiled because at the tender ages of 10 and 6-1/2, they each have their own Polaroid digital. They take a great many pictures of feet, belly buttons (it used to be butts, until I found out and banned that obnoxious practice) and whatnot. Thus they already fully appreciate the joy of the Delete Function.
Anyway, I had to go to the closet and pull out the Nikon to show Riley...and lo and behold, it had a full roll of film in it! Derek's birthday party is this Saturday, and I just may have to shoot it the old fashioned way. And no, you can't see it until the prints come back. And sit still for 2 seconds so I can get a good Birthday Boy picture! Sigh...we'll see how it goes...there's always the CoolPix for backup...
Now, I own a 35 mm Nikon, which from the time I was 15 and bought my first "real" camera, until I finally broke down and jumped on the Digital Bandwagon about 2 years ago, was the ONLY kind of camera in the house. (I stubbornly held out until I admitted that I was missing far too many shots of small boys who--shockingly--refused to sit still for photos. Also small boys running. And jumping. And climbing. You get the picture--ha!) I was suddenly stunned to realize that since I went digital, I have barely used my trusty old N65. I know the boys have at least laid eyes on it, because I remember that they used to ask "can I see it?" after I took a shot, and I would have to explain that "it isn't that kind of camera". It became a big Family Joke after a while because they would still ask, even though they knew better. Now they're spoiled because at the tender ages of 10 and 6-1/2, they each have their own Polaroid digital. They take a great many pictures of feet, belly buttons (it used to be butts, until I found out and banned that obnoxious practice) and whatnot. Thus they already fully appreciate the joy of the Delete Function.
Anyway, I had to go to the closet and pull out the Nikon to show Riley...and lo and behold, it had a full roll of film in it! Derek's birthday party is this Saturday, and I just may have to shoot it the old fashioned way. And no, you can't see it until the prints come back. And sit still for 2 seconds so I can get a good Birthday Boy picture! Sigh...we'll see how it goes...there's always the CoolPix for backup...
Monday, April 12, 2010
Can we go, maybe, LOW-impact?
In honor of Earth Day, coming soon to a planet near you, I thought it would be a good time to revisit all things environmental (or as I prefer to think of it: Crunchy Granola Issues). First, let me be honest and say that until very recently I was complacently floating along in my little Green Bubble, feeling just a wee bit smug with my current level of awareness and action. I mean, I have a compost container in my back yard! I have been known to dig plastic bottles out of trashcans at work, to place them in the Recycle Bin (and by the way, I work at a college--HOW is it possible that high school graduates do not understand the concept?) Every bulb in the house is a Compact Fluorescent! My new car has a Partial Zero Emissions system to make it run cleaner! I take things to the Consignment Shop rather than throwing them away! And the icing on my (natural, no trans-fat, organic) cake? Royce recently told me that we have been putting out ONE garbage bag per WEEK for our family of four. Yes sirree, give me a pat on the back for doing my part.
Then I watched a documentary called No Impact Man, about a writer in NYC who decided to attempt to live for one year without making any negative impression on the Earth at all. Zero carbon footprint. Absolutely no waste. He didn't recycle--because he didn't buy anything in packages. CFL bulbs? Ha! He turned off the electricity in his apartment. Compost bin? Yep...WITH worms (on his windowsill, which turned out to be disgusting, but still!) Car? Nope--nor trains, planes, or even elevators! As for the Consignment Shop, he spent a good chunk of time there, since he and his family didn't buy anything new except socks and underwear for the entire year. (Gives me the shakes, just thinking about it.) He lost me a bit when he got to the "give up toilet paper" bit (don't ask) and "only eat Local Foods" (so no imported things like olives, or kiwis--this I understand. But SALT? COFFEE? Nope, not happening. Not unless I can figure out how to grow the beans in my backyard...)
But anyway, after seeing the movie and reading his book to follow-up, I feel like a wasteful American Loser Consumer. Suddenly I'm not so virtuous, and it's partially my fault that the planet is dying. (Great. Now I'm depressed and guilt-ridden as well.) But seriously, what I took away from his extreme experiment was the realization that I could make some better, more thoughtful choices about "stuff" I buy and use. I'm not saying I'm going to start making my own soap (yes, he did), or washing my clothes by agitating them with my feet in the bathtub (he did...for a while), but I'm sure I can find some other ways to tread more gently on Mother Earth. As long as I can continue to have coffee!
Then I watched a documentary called No Impact Man, about a writer in NYC who decided to attempt to live for one year without making any negative impression on the Earth at all. Zero carbon footprint. Absolutely no waste. He didn't recycle--because he didn't buy anything in packages. CFL bulbs? Ha! He turned off the electricity in his apartment. Compost bin? Yep...WITH worms (on his windowsill, which turned out to be disgusting, but still!) Car? Nope--nor trains, planes, or even elevators! As for the Consignment Shop, he spent a good chunk of time there, since he and his family didn't buy anything new except socks and underwear for the entire year. (Gives me the shakes, just thinking about it.) He lost me a bit when he got to the "give up toilet paper" bit (don't ask) and "only eat Local Foods" (so no imported things like olives, or kiwis--this I understand. But SALT? COFFEE? Nope, not happening. Not unless I can figure out how to grow the beans in my backyard...)
But anyway, after seeing the movie and reading his book to follow-up, I feel like a wasteful American Loser Consumer. Suddenly I'm not so virtuous, and it's partially my fault that the planet is dying. (Great. Now I'm depressed and guilt-ridden as well.) But seriously, what I took away from his extreme experiment was the realization that I could make some better, more thoughtful choices about "stuff" I buy and use. I'm not saying I'm going to start making my own soap (yes, he did), or washing my clothes by agitating them with my feet in the bathtub (he did...for a while), but I'm sure I can find some other ways to tread more gently on Mother Earth. As long as I can continue to have coffee!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Sometimes, It's the Little Things...
Ever have "one of those days"...when everything seems to go RIGHT? Today was one of those rare and beautiful occasions for me (with the slight exception of the incessant sneezing, but let's overlook that for storytelling purposes).
It started with a trip to the dentist. Yes, you read that correctly. Don't misunderstand me: this is NOT something I look forward to, or particularly enjoy (ranks right up there with scrubbing shower scum on my list of faves). However, today's visit was quick, and painless (for someone with "sensitive teeth", this is huge), and ended with the magic words "Everything looks good, see you in six months!"
With my teeth all cleaned and polished, I made my way to the Consignment Shop to "trade in" a few things from around the house (one person's junk is another's treasure...or some such nonsense, I'm told). When the lovely Miss Audrey checked my account, I had $41 coming to me! A wealth of riches, I tell you! I happily pocketed my earnings and drove to the next spot on my Errand List, Kohl's. (Yes, I do see the irony--but I needed capri pants for work, so it was at least semi-justified!) Not only did I find pants that fit me...perfectly...after looking for only 10 minutes or so...without trying on every blessed pair in the stinkin' store...but (here comes the kicker) the total came to: $42. You know what that means in Johna Math? (almost) FREE PANTS, baby!
It can't get any better, right? But wait! At bedtime, I asked Riley if I could hug and kiss him. "You can always hug and kiss me," he replied. After a moment's pause, he amended, "Until I have a wife!" I gravely agreed that this was perfectly reasonable, but I could practically see the little wheels still turning in his head as he formulated another question...and finally he came out with: "Will you always be my Mommy?" "Absolutely forever, and I'll always love you, too!" I assured him. Being Riley, he of course had to test this--"Even when I'm sad? happy? mean? angry?" (yes, yes, yes, yes) Finally he smiled peacefully up at me and sighed sleepily, "You're the BEST Mommy!"
YES! I just love it when I'm the Best Mommy! (Believe me, those moments are few and far between!) What a perfect ending to my awesome day. So, to sum up: Tooth Triumph, Consignment Cash, Shopping Success, Parental Praise. On that note, I'd better go to bed before I run out of luck!
It started with a trip to the dentist. Yes, you read that correctly. Don't misunderstand me: this is NOT something I look forward to, or particularly enjoy (ranks right up there with scrubbing shower scum on my list of faves). However, today's visit was quick, and painless (for someone with "sensitive teeth", this is huge), and ended with the magic words "Everything looks good, see you in six months!"
With my teeth all cleaned and polished, I made my way to the Consignment Shop to "trade in" a few things from around the house (one person's junk is another's treasure...or some such nonsense, I'm told). When the lovely Miss Audrey checked my account, I had $41 coming to me! A wealth of riches, I tell you! I happily pocketed my earnings and drove to the next spot on my Errand List, Kohl's. (Yes, I do see the irony--but I needed capri pants for work, so it was at least semi-justified!) Not only did I find pants that fit me...perfectly...after looking for only 10 minutes or so...without trying on every blessed pair in the stinkin' store...but (here comes the kicker) the total came to: $42. You know what that means in Johna Math? (almost) FREE PANTS, baby!
It can't get any better, right? But wait! At bedtime, I asked Riley if I could hug and kiss him. "You can always hug and kiss me," he replied. After a moment's pause, he amended, "Until I have a wife!" I gravely agreed that this was perfectly reasonable, but I could practically see the little wheels still turning in his head as he formulated another question...and finally he came out with: "Will you always be my Mommy?" "Absolutely forever, and I'll always love you, too!" I assured him. Being Riley, he of course had to test this--"Even when I'm sad? happy? mean? angry?" (yes, yes, yes, yes) Finally he smiled peacefully up at me and sighed sleepily, "You're the BEST Mommy!"
YES! I just love it when I'm the Best Mommy! (Believe me, those moments are few and far between!) What a perfect ending to my awesome day. So, to sum up: Tooth Triumph, Consignment Cash, Shopping Success, Parental Praise. On that note, I'd better go to bed before I run out of luck!
Monday, April 5, 2010
He calls 'em like he sees 'em!
My older son Derek has always been a Sporto-Boy. If it involves a ball--any kind--and running around, count him in. When he's on his own--taking solitary hitting practice, practicing foul shots, running football patterns--he also has a tendency to provide his own endless Play-by-Play patter. At first it used to confuse me, when I thought he was by himself and I'd hear his voice outside. When I would sneakily listen in, I'd hear things like "here's the pitch from Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon to start off the 9th inning; it's a good curve ball, but Derek Westman crushes it to the outfield for a double, scoring Brian Roberts from second. The O's take the lead!" He always uses authentic player names, teams, positions, and jersey numbers...for EVERY sport. Oh, and he includes their stats from either the current or the previous season. It's downright scary, I tell you.
Lately, however, he has expanded into Color Commentary as well. Color Commentators are the ones who provide the interesting facts during games, such as "Did you know Nick Markakis played for the Greek Olympic baseball team in 2004 before becoming an Oriole?" They also get to make witty banter during the broadcast, which is what Derek has apparently been working on recently. For example, during the Butler/Michigan State NCAA basketball game on Saturday, after a shot clanked off the rim, Derek crowed, "Wow, you could build a house with that brick!" The next day, during a hotly-contested driveway basketball game, he exclaimed, "Is it Easter, or St. Patrick's Day...'cause we're gettin' LUCKY!" (Unlike TV or radio personalities, he has the added advantage of reducing his opponent to giggles when he throws out those one-liners!)
Now, can someone tell me how to contact U of ESPN? And do they by any chance recruit 10-year olds?
Lately, however, he has expanded into Color Commentary as well. Color Commentators are the ones who provide the interesting facts during games, such as "Did you know Nick Markakis played for the Greek Olympic baseball team in 2004 before becoming an Oriole?" They also get to make witty banter during the broadcast, which is what Derek has apparently been working on recently. For example, during the Butler/Michigan State NCAA basketball game on Saturday, after a shot clanked off the rim, Derek crowed, "Wow, you could build a house with that brick!" The next day, during a hotly-contested driveway basketball game, he exclaimed, "Is it Easter, or St. Patrick's Day...'cause we're gettin' LUCKY!" (Unlike TV or radio personalities, he has the added advantage of reducing his opponent to giggles when he throws out those one-liners!)
Now, can someone tell me how to contact U of ESPN? And do they by any chance recruit 10-year olds?
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Boys' Day Out!
This week is the kids' Spring Break (like they need one, after a week off for the Snowpocalypse of February, but whatever...) so they're spending a few quality days with Dad while I work. Today was the first really, really nice Spring-weather day, so they decided to go hiking. For them, this represents Male Bonding at its utmost: there's dirt, and rocks, and sweating...and snacks! And they take it pretty seriously--you should see them in their special hiking socks (wool, wicking, non-chafing) and sturdy trail boots, carrying energy bars and water bottles filled with Gatorade. They look like all they need is an experienced guide, and they could tackle Mount Kilamanjaro.
I happened to arrive home at the same time they did, and I watched them straggle into the house...a small bunch of grimy, hot, and hungry explorers. The first thing they rushed to do was proudly show me their various scrapes and bruises from the trek (I'm sorry, I meant Badges of Honor). Apparently, the boulders did not take this invasion lightly, and fought back. (From the sheer number of minor wounds displayed, I'm really not sure who won.) Then Royce told me the funniest comment of their adventure. At some point during the climb, Riley was complaining of being tired. What he actually said was: "My fatigue level is getting high; I need to be subbed out." Strange phrasing for a 6-year old, until you realize he took this directly from Derek's Backyard Basketball DS-game, where your virtual player starts messing up shots and playing poorly if they get too worn out. Yes, even in the Great Outdoors, enjoying the bounty of nature, FAR away from electronics of any kind...my boys can effortlessly work Nintendo-speak into conversation. Sure makes a mother proud...
I happened to arrive home at the same time they did, and I watched them straggle into the house...a small bunch of grimy, hot, and hungry explorers. The first thing they rushed to do was proudly show me their various scrapes and bruises from the trek (I'm sorry, I meant Badges of Honor). Apparently, the boulders did not take this invasion lightly, and fought back. (From the sheer number of minor wounds displayed, I'm really not sure who won.) Then Royce told me the funniest comment of their adventure. At some point during the climb, Riley was complaining of being tired. What he actually said was: "My fatigue level is getting high; I need to be subbed out." Strange phrasing for a 6-year old, until you realize he took this directly from Derek's Backyard Basketball DS-game, where your virtual player starts messing up shots and playing poorly if they get too worn out. Yes, even in the Great Outdoors, enjoying the bounty of nature, FAR away from electronics of any kind...my boys can effortlessly work Nintendo-speak into conversation. Sure makes a mother proud...
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