Talk about a superpower!

"Mom", said the boy, "Is the tooth fairy real?"

"Why do you ask?" I replied.

"Well, it just seems like a pretty big job to do."

"Oh?"

"Yes, I mean how can she lift up the pillow and hold the money and put it under my pillow??"

Why did the turkey cross the road?

We approached the intersection, my three youngest children and I, as we headed to the mall.

"Look, a turkey in the road!" I exclaimed, pointing.

"Turkey!" said my 2 year old.

As we waited for our green light, we watched in amusement as the turkey thwarted a nearby car from making a right turn. The passenger was waving something colorful out her window in an attempt to move the bird out of their way.

The kids and I laughed and the 2 year old pointed.

It was all fun and games, until the turkey ambled over to our car.

As he got closer, I started to edge forward, so to scare him away and keep him from getting in from of our car. As I began to move forward, the turkey quickly walked closer to our car, and got directly in front of the van. I couldn't see him, but we could hear him! "Gobble, gobble!"

I honked and honked, and all we heard was his exasperated gobble. Every now and then I saw his head pop up and his little wattle wiggle as he looked around. He would not move. I was beginning to think I would have to get out and try to shoo him away, but I wasn't precisely sure of his mental state.

About this time, my 7 year old starts crying. "What's the matter?!" I asked him absently, certain he was afraid his dear mother was going to kill the turkey in front of his very eyes.

"If the turkey doesn't move, we're never going to get to go to the toy store!", he replied.

So much for animal love. I don't see a future at PETA for this child.

Finally, after much honking, the (stupid) animal moved to the side of our car. I moved forward as quickly as I dared, fearful he would get in front of the van again. After about five minutes of turkey fun, we were able to finish our trip.

So why did the turkey cross the road? Well, as far as I know, he never actually did cross the road.

But it was obvious he had a death wish. Perhaps he heard Thanksgiving was coming and decided now was a good time to play that game he had always wanted to try - chicken.

Things We've Done Today

Though not exhaustive, this is a list of Things We've Done Today, in no particular order:

Went to church and Sunday School

Cleaned the kitchen floor twice in a matter of an hour due to spilled juice

Sang in two choirs

Said things to several children along the lines of: "Did you think it was a good idea to fling the pitcher around the kitchen?"

Visited a 100 year old house-turned-museum and said "Don't touch that!" and "Don't sit there!" many times

Watched 5 year old string out his piece of gum and place it around his neck as a necklace and show it to everyone joyfully

Vacuumed floor twice

Watched 5 year old have great difficulty trying to remove gum necklace

Ate wonderful chili made by someone else. . . making it taste even better

Googled "how to remove gum from skin"

Scrubbed 5 year old's neck with soybean butter and oil in a (finally successful) attempt to remove gum

Listened to 2 year old smile and say "Poopy in the butt!" more times than I'd care to admit

Removed countless pieces of toilet paper from the bathroom sink where the 5 year old had been working on his own gum-removal-home-remedies

Put children to bed

Hoped for some peace

But Dad!!

"But Dad!" my 5 year old said.

"If I had a nickel for every time I've heard you say 'but, Dad!'. . .", my husband replied.

Later that day. . .

"But Dad, but Dad, but Dad, but Dad!!!" my five year old wailed in the anguish that is quite unique to him.

"See buddy? That's like twenty cents right there!!" my husband said, smiling.

My son became very serious and said, "Do I have to pay you that money?"

Unplug it!

The weather in our neck of the woods has been beautiful lately. Warm temps, sunny days and vibrant trees. A reminder of why one never puts the children's summer clothes away at the first cool temps of September.

In light of the gorgeousness outside, my husband and I decided to declare it an unplugged weekend.

As in no screens whatsoever (for the children, that is - I am obviously staring at a screen right now!).

The children took it amazingly well, even the screen-obsessed ones. I was actually pleasantly surprised at how little balking there was. While we always have limitations on how much they can watch TV, play the Wii and play DS, we have never taken everything away for 2 days unless they have committed heinous household crimes (which does happen from time to time!!).

So today was day one. My husband had to work the entire day, so I was on my own to navigate these waters. Though it wasn't perfect, it went rather well. We played with shrinky dinks. . . the Lionel electric train made an appearance on my dining room table (where it still remains). . . my oldest daughter initiated a game of house that took off well even with some of the boys. . .they all read books and magazines that had been languishing on our end tables. . .we made apple crisp. . .we rode bikes/scooters/roller skates. . .

All in all it was a good day. Tomorrow Daddy is home and we have some plans for enjoying this weather as a family, so the lack of screens won't be so obvious.

But, for a very plugged in family, this being unplugged is working quite well. So far, so good!

A match made in the Halloween aisle

While shopping today at Walgreens, my dear daughter (age 2), pointed to some creepy Halloween decor.

"Mommy!" she cried, looking upward at a ghastly woman with a pointed chin, warts and wild hair.

As I was picking up the pieces of my shattered self image, she pointed next to a man with similar good looks.

"Daddy!" she said, with a smile.

I guess my husband and I make quite a pair.

All in a day's work

I have only one child home during the day now that school has started.

One child.

Why, then, am I so busy? It seems my hair is on fire allthetime. Between shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundry, MOPS-organizing, meetings, and the all-important-but-too-easily-missed playtime with my daughter, it seems I never have a second to breathe. I'm not complaining exactly, since I would much prefer to be busy than bored, but perhaps a little less would be nice. I'm not optimistic, though. I know as my children get older, it will only get hairier. And while part of me relishes these crazy days (and the ones to come) another part of me just wants to take a nap.

After school is no less restful. We've got soccer, after school programs and EATING. Yes, eating. The children are going to die of starvation the moment they walk in the door. They need to eat, and eat now. No time for small talk - just bring on the food and bring it fast. They eat entire meals at 3:15 and are somehow still hungry for dinner (if dinner is not deemed disgusting, which it usually is). I wish I could eat that much and not need Weight Watchers.