Who Knew Bailey Was Even Married?

We’ve been battling the pukes here at our house for the last 10 days, and oh what fun that is. Each kid has been touched by this ever so unpopular visitor, with Bailey holding out the longest, but finally succumbing on Saturday night. But on to more pleasant things (sort of): Tyler’s football season is nearly reached its completion, with the last game being next Saturday. They had a hard fought loss this last Saturday 21-7, but he played really well and came close to scoring so many times, including the long run that ended with a kid diving and kind of tackling him to keep him about two yards short of the end zone. So despite the cold and wet weather, it was still a pretty decent game. He is also working on his Pinewood Derby car, which will be run next Saturday. This will be my first attempt at a Pinewood Derby car as a Dad, and I’m a little nervous, because I don’t have the same car-making abilities as my dad. I’m letting him make all the decisions, though, so hopefully it will turn out well for him. We shall see. Tyler also recently received an honor at his school for “Bucket-Filling” behavior. Basically that means he has a positive attitude with other kids in his class, instead of “emptying their buckets.” Well that’s about all folks. I better get to the funnies, because there are quite a few.

So Trevin likes to play some of Tyler’s Wii video games that are a little too complex for him still. He was playing Backyard Football and he thought he was the “White” team (Carolina Panthers) and the computer was the “Black” (Pittsburgh Steelers) team. So the score is already 18-0 after about 4 or 5 total possessions, and he thinks he is winning. He says look, no one can get me down. So I check things out and, of course, he is actually the Black team and is getting hammered. I tell him that he is the Black team and that the computer is the White team. He argued with me and we went back and forth a few times. Then, about a minute later, he said: “Dad, the referee said I am the White team, so ha ha.”

Bailey loves to play things from church that she sees or hears her mom do. So the other night, Carol and I were giving the three boys a bath. Bailey was in the living room by herself. I came out, unknown to her and she was “on the phone” playing enrichment. Carol had been very busy over the past few weeks with a big enrichment activity. So I hid behind the couch and just sat and listened in. She is hilarious, because she can fake a conversation on the phone so well. She pauses, changes subjects, answers questions and anything else you would do in a normal conversation; and does it seamlessly. After a bit, Tyler was done and came out. She kept going, because she is only embarrassed to do it in front of me. At one point, Tyler thought she was asking him a question, so he answered, and she said: “I’m not talking to you. I’m talking to the girls.” So he apologized and then she says to the “person” on the other line: “I know; that’s my husband. He does that all that time. Anytime, I talk on the phone he just freaks out.”

The kids were having a snack one evening while Carol and I were folding laundry. I called the three older ones back to put their clothes away. So they promptly came and did it. Then, when they got back to the living room, and their snacks, part of Trevin’s was mysteriously missing. “Where’s my licorice?” he asked. Carol had no idea, and I didn’t at first. Then, I looked at squirrel-cheeked Caden, and asked: “Did you take Trevin’s licorice?” “Uhu.” “Is it in your mouth right now?” “Uhu” So I told him not to take other people’s food; that’s not nice. About 15 seconds later, he walks over to me with a 2-inch piece of licorice covered in other pieces of his snack and tries to hand it to me. I guess he was ready to repent, right then.

Bailey was at the dinner table and of course that means time for some “musical” work. I had my back turned and she let one go. I asked: “Who was that?” She responded: “The person who always likes to do tooters.” So I said: “It was you huh?” Bailey: “Yep, I like to do tooters.” We had a good laugh, and then she said: “Please, add that to the blog.” So dainty, our little princess.

I call home from work sometimes to say goodnight to the kids. Bailey loves to answer the phone and she did this time. I used some high-pitched voice and chatted for a second, then asked her if her daddy was home. She said: “No, it’s you dad.” I said: “You’re too smart, I can’t trick you. “She said: “It’s because I go to school everyday, dad. That’s why I’m smart.”

We drove by Grandma Shirts’ old work site and Trevin pointed out that that was where Grandma used to work. Carol said jokingly: “Yep, but then she retired and now she just sits around all day and does nothing, right?” Trevin quickly responded: “No, play the Wii.” So he already has retirement plans ready.

With our pending arrival, we have been looking for a new vehicle. Our van is great, but it does not include a shoulder belt for the fifth passenger in the back, so we need to find something that does. (We wanted to go in the Suburban direction, but in order to get the fifth shoulder belt, you have to get 2007 or newer, and that is not in our price range. So our attention has turned to 2005 or 2006 Honda Odyssey. Not our favorite, but Carol keeps having kids, so what am I going to do?) Anyways, the whole family (minus me) was driving home and Bailey said: “we should get a jeep.” Carol saw a soft-top Wrangler and said, “like that one right there?” Bailey said, yeah, that one. But then she looked at it closer and said: “But it only has four seats. We would get cut off. Me and Tyler would never get to go.”

Our next-door neighbors (or at least one of them) apparently work for a Ford dealer close by, because they have different vehicles quite often and almost all of them have the same dealer license plate cover. Anyways, the guy had a big white truck for a couple of a days and then one morning when Carol opened the blinds he had the same kind of truck, except it was gray. Bailey saw it and said: “He must of painted his truck last night.”

One night I asked what we were having for dinner and Carol said tacos. Trevin then asked: “With beans?” We always have kidney beans with tacos. She said yes, and he said: I don’t want any beans.” Carol asked him: “Who are you Donald Duck?” (Side note: we have a Disney book “Mickey and the Beanstalk”, where Donald says: “I hate beans.”) So I called Trevin Donald Duck. He then called me the same. We went back and forth calling each other Disney characters from these different books we have. I then left the duck category and said: “You’re ‘Goofy on the Hillside!’” (The name of another book we have). He then replied: “You’re just goofy.” Well played, young Jedi Wise-Guy.