50's Greaser ready for the Sock Hop at school
Benjamin and Mommy's Pumpkin
Ella and Daddy's Pumpkin
"Mommy doesn't know that I got the camera off the computer desk!"
A little light reading...

Is this necessary?

So this week is "Drugs are not for me" week at Benjamin's school. Every day they get to wear something to signify why drugs are bad. Today they wore clothes on backwards because... drum roll please "Drugs turn you inside out". As I was searching the house this morning for pants that wouldn't "itch" while worn inside out and simultaneously answering a million and one questions he had about drugs I got a little irritated with the whole thing!! Is it really necessary for kindergartners and first graders to be part of an anti-drug campaign? I mean come on - He doesn't even know what they are. And trying to explain drugs and their effects to a 1st grader - not so easy.
B: Mommy why do drugs turn you inside out? - I can see his boy brain working - picturing your internal organs on top of your skin...
J: (I'm thinking - you act crazy, sell your soul or your body or both, hallucinate, puke in public, curse, steal, act like a fool, etc.) "Well Benjamin you don't act right - you can be lazy, mean and crazy and all you think about is getting more drugs"
B: still slightly confused "Oh" - " but what about the drugstore"
J: "Well some drugs are good - like the ones that doctors give you - but if you take the ones from the doctor too much or the wrong way or if you get bad drugs from people that aren't doctors - that's bad"
B: slightly more confused - "oh"
J: Now my brain is churning - do other mothers actually call the drugs by name? Well Benjamin there is pot, heroine, crack cocaine, etc...? He is only six!
"Come on with your backwards clothes lets go catch the bus"

Now it’s not really the funny clothes thing that bothers me - the kids love that and its fun. But dramatizing the issue at school for a whole week? Does anyone else think that sometimes the "just say no" thing makes drugs seem cooler? If kids start hearing about it from kindergarten on they are going to have a pretty healthy curiosity by time they actually get confronted with the issue.
Now parents should talk about these things with kids - but saying it all the time and making it this cheesy thing could backfire.

Happy Birthday to me...

I feel the big 3...0 approaching so I am going to enjoy the twenties while I can, although Meg says I have been a thirty year old since I was six.
So this morning I left Ella watching the Today show while I went to the bathroom. When I came back she said I have been watching and "the New Katie Couric" and "Matt Flower" haven't said anything about your birthday yet. LOL

Our new van!!

Here is our new beauty - its a 2003 Toyota Sienna Symphony. We are loving it. My favorite feature is the power sliding door. Now I have to be honest the first time I saw that feature on someone else's van I thought come on that is the height of laziness. But I have to confess it is awesome!! - The kids can easily let themselves in and out. Arms full of groceries - just hit the button or let the kids hit the button. Picking Benjamin up from school - just hit the button and he can let himself in. It is so nice. Its is also much more spacious - I can actually fit groceries without anyone holding stuff in their laps ;)

I have named her Gracie - Ella calls her golden Gracie. Kyle refuses to call her by her name :)

We sold the Kia - so for the time being we are a two minivan family - till the Chevy gives up - but we are hoping that doesn't happen for a while. Did I just jinx us?

Kidisms

Ella - "That person from church realized me at the store because they had seen me before"
"I saw the big mess and I got so ignored with it"
Benjamin's new best friend TJ - "How long did your mom say you could play here?" - "Oh about 12 hours I think" - One hour later - "Time to go home now TJ, we are about to eat dinner" - "But I've only been here like fifteen minutes"
Benjamin was sent to fix his hair this morning and he came back out of the bathroom with completely soapy hair - "I don't think this is the stuff daddy puts in his hair because its turning white." NO Benjamin that is soap and the bus will be here in four minutes!!

not funny anymore...

So Saturday we went and looked at a Toyota Sienna and put an offer on it, then on the way back the Kia died on us in the middle of state highway 121 - the police had to show up and everything. The really bad news is the mechanic said the timing belt went - it would cost more than the entire value of the car to fix just that and there is no way to know if engine damage occured after the timing belt went. AAAAGGGGHHHHHHH! Thank goodness Meg moved with us - until we decide exactly what to do she has the only reliable transportation - wait I better not jinx anything else.