Jonathan Learned a New Word

Mark this down 2 posts in one day!

Just to warn you, this post could be offensive.

Jonathan came home from school yesterday and announced to Fred that he had learned a new word for privates. I was concentrating on something else, but moms have a special gift. We can be doing something in one room and hear everything that is going on in another room. I snapped to attention as I heard Jonathan declare that he learned that another word for your privates is bichina. Pronounced bih-china (with a short i on the bih and China like the country) Huh?

I asked where he had learned this and he said that he heard it on the playground. A boy in Jonathan’s class got kicked in a “sensitive area” and one of the girls clarified where he had been kicked. Only her clarification was dead wrong.

We had to have a talk and discussed the correct pronunciation of the word and the correct meaning of the word. Only, he didn’t believe me! He is taking the word of a 9 year old girl on the playground over his own mother. The talk seemed oddly familiar. Then I remembered that we had a very similar talk about a year ago. Last year, Jonathan had become very angry and told Jess that she needed to leave him alone or he might just kick her in the nuts. I guess anatomy isn’t his thing….

Ten Long Years

I am normally one that doesn’t get too excited about new cars (except when I was 20 and got a brand new Mustang). Actually, I secretly get annoyed when someone brags about a new car incessantly. Maybe it is my own jealously. Most of you know that I am really not into spending money. Fred and I have had the new car talk over and over for several years. I have continually put it off.

Fred has a Ford Escape through Progressive that he drives to and from work each day. For the last year and a half, I have driven the minivan. Only driving the car on the weekends. However, we have reached the point where I have to stay very close to home with the car. You know, just in case it breaks down and I have to walk home.

I had finally started coming around to the fact that we should replace the car. I thought something small with good gas mileage would be great to drive to and from work. The van would only be used to haul kids around and for weekend driving.

Fred is headed out today for a fishing weekend. He wasn’t comfortable with me driving the car to work and I wasn’t comfortable with him driving the car to some lake out in the middle of nowhere. So, we did our research and went down and bought a new car last Saturday. We traded in my 1998 Mitsubishi Galant (yes, you read that year correctly) for a 2009 Mitsubishi Galant. I think the salesperson was a little embarrassed when he came back with the trade-in amount. We only got $500 for the ’98 Galant! Fred thought that he could get more for salvage, but probably not much more. We just wanted the painful ordeal to end. I said goodbye and good riddance to my old car. I hope I never see it again!

The Dog Whisperer

Jonathan and I were getting ready to watch a Cesar Millan DVD over the weekend. I explained to Jonathan that this DVD would help us train Mollie. He decided that it could also help us with Gracie. Gracie is 11 ½ years old. With the exception of her nightly walk, she has retired from all activity. Her self-appointed job is to hold the couch down… all day, every day.

I guess Jonathan was a little confused on the nature of the DVD. He lined both girls up on the couch (Gracie was already there, of course) and told them to watch the DVD. As you can see, they were REALLY interested in Cesar’s techniques.

Good try buddy!

Slumber Party

Like many of you, we had to take shelter in our closet last Tuesday. The High-Wind sirens went off in Frisco - prompting me to gather my sleeping children and put them in the closet. We currently don't have a DVR (I have no idea why), so Fred couldn't be bothered during one of his shows. He chose to sit in his recliner with two of our pets while I made sure everyone else was in a safe place. I woke Jess up and guided her into the closet. With Jonathan, I practically had to drag him into the closet. Jonathan is long and skinny and 57 pounds of dead weight. Once I got everyone in the closet, I sat just outside the closet door with our puppy and listened to the radio. Fred thought I was completely overreacting. Perhaps... but you never know. Better safe than sorry. I'm thinking that we will be investing in a DVR, so that Fred can be safe during a storm. I sure hope it was a good episode. :o)

Pampered Pooch(es)

Look what I did! These are homemade dog treats. They were fun and so easy to make. Basically, they are peanut butter cookies without the sugar. I used cookie cutters from Jessie's old Easy Bake oven. I also made my own dog food that my girls adore! I'll spare you the picture of the food. It isn't as attractive as the treats. :o)

Both Gracie and Mollie have had tons of ear infections lately. The vet thinks that they are probably allergic to the Iams dog food for Small and Toy dogs. It is most likely the corn meal that is causing the yeast build-up in their ears. While we try to get their ears cleared up, I am trying my hand at making my own dog food and treats.

In Celebration of President's Day

If you have a child in the Frisco school district, then you know that the kids did not have today off. Last night on the way home from my parents' house, we discussed that there would be school on Monday. Everyone seemed fine with this concept.


This morning, Jonathan got himself ready for school and watched TV for about 20-30 minutes before it was time to leave. When I told him that it was time for school, he seemed extremely shocked. I explained to him again that there would be school - despite the fact that it was President's Day. He grudgingly got in the van and looked over at me with a scowl on his face. I kid you not... he said "How exactly do they expect me to celebrate President's Day, if I am at school?"


I was wondering how he had planned to celebrate President's Day. As far as I can remember, we haven't celebrated President's Day as a family. Turns out there was an all day Pokemon Marathon on Cartoon Network in honor of President's Day!

Golden Slumbers

I have a big update that I need to do on Jonathan. He had his Pinewood Derby, had his 3rd grade music performance and participated in an inner-school martial arts tournament. That will be coming soon... I promise.

While I was searching for pictures to use for Jessie's FASST post, I found quite a few pictures of Jonathan - all with the same theme. Jonathan is one of those kids that can go to sleep anywhere. You would think, from looking at these pictures, that he is a great sleeper. Not so. He is 9 years old and has just recently started sleeping through the night. He stopped sleeping the day that Fred converted his baby bed into a toddler bed. He yelled and screamed "Daddy done broke my bed!"

Thanksgiving 2008. Here he is all wrapped up on my dad's lap. He likes to be swaddled like a baby.

October 2008. Crashed on the couch - like always.

Love that little bootie sticking out.

This one was taken in July 2008. Love the water bottle and remote in hand.

Here he is asleep in his popcorn. Like he had no warning that he was getting sleepy. We try to tell him that he would sleep better if he would just go to bed when he gets tired.

This was on the first day of school in 2007. After getting ready, he laid back down and went to sleep. I guess he wasn't quite ready to face 2nd grade.

This is from 2003. There is that little bootie again.

Too tired to finish reading the book. Remnants of an after-dinner snack are all over his shirt and face.

Snuggling with our cat, Princess.

And, of course, the classic.

Eat My Bubbles

When Jessie was in kindergarten, she showed signs of being a strong swimmer. She had aspirations of being a whale trainer at Sea World. After talking with one of the trainers, she learned that Sea World has a rigorous swimming test that you have to pass before you can participate in their shows. Jess set out to be the best swimmer possible.

The next summer she joined Frisco's summer swim team (FASST). She has spent the last 6 summers swimming on the FASST team. Sadly, she has decided that she will not swim this summer. There are so many other things vying for a 12 year old's attention. Plus, I think we are all exhausted and ready for the break.

Still, I'm sad. These are the things I'm going to miss:

May 2003 at the Dennison swim meet. This was Jessie's very first swim meet (and mine). Fred didn't come with us and I had to figure out the whole crazy process by myself. If you've never had a child swim in a meet, it is a very complicated process. She was only 6 and had never been up on the block before, but she didn't seem scared at all.

The top and bottom pics are both from that first year as well. She eventually learned the correct stance for diving. Actually, she became a very strong diver - almost too strong. Occasionally, she dove too deep and had to scurry to get back up to the top.

This group picture along with the picture below are from the 2005 State Competition where she did the breast stroke in a Medley Relay.

Swimming her least favorite stroke - butterfly.

Here she is in 2007 smoking her competitors in her favorite event, breast stroke. When she was younger, we would laugh so hard at her. The coach would run them through drills and would specify which strokes he wanted them to swim. She would wait until he wasn't looking and switch to the breast stroke because it was more enjoyable to her.

Once upon a time she was very speedy in the back stroke. However, when she was about 8 years old, she forgot to watch for the flags and slammed her head into the wall. From then on, she started way far in advance looking for the wall.

Lovin' that breast stroke.

I will miss sitting in the hot sun under canopies waiting for the next event. We look really classy. We would put our canopy next to Mom and Dad's and then run netting across to block some of the sun.

I will miss "back art." I'm not sure that I will ever have the opportunity to write on someone's back again. Especially not the words "Eat my Bubbles," "Surf my Waves," or "Swim Fasst or Be Last."

This is Coach Pat, one of Jessie's favorite coaches. We thought she looked a lot like Auntie Jan and that made her even more of a favorite.

This is what I will miss most of all... that proud look after working so hard!