kids say the darndest things

In Cordon's preschool class his teacher, Ms. Cathy, does creative thinking pages where she interviews the kids and then writes down their answers. Usually, they are cute answers and I brim over with pride but today they were questioned about the heart and heart health and well you will see why today that pride was put on the shelf:

Well even if his ideas of physical health are a little off at least his spiritual side is right on:

Mmmmm!

Salmon Pasta

This is one of the easiest most scrumptious meals I have made lately and

I am already craving it again. It took less than 20 min. to prepare and was a hit

with the kiddos also. They gobbled it down!

Ingredients:

1 TBS fennel seeds

3/4 cup minced fresh parsley

1 TBS brown sugar

salt & pepper

1 lb salmon fillet

1 lb corkscrew or other short pasta

10 ounces of spinach

1/2 cup sour cream

2 to 3 TBS fresh lemon juice

Step 1. Heat broiler. Crush fennel seeds and put in a small plastic bag, add parsley, brown sugar, salt and pepper and shake to mix.

2. Press mixture onto the skinless side of the salmon. Broil salmon about 8 min.

3. Flake salmon with a fork. Meanwhile cook pasta until al dente, about 13 min. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water.

Drain pasta return it to the warm pot and add spinach and toss.

4.In a small bowl mix together the sour cream, lemon juice to taste, 1/2 tsp. salt and 2 TBS pasta water.

5. Put pasta on plate, top with salmon, drizzle with sour cream mixture.

P.S. so any one that knows me knows that I don't follow recipes. and this recipe can be easily adjusted.

Barker dictionary

So every kid/family has their own language and we

definitely do too. All of it has been made up by my kids

but since it is used so regularly I don't realize I've adopted

their language until I get blank stares or quizzical looks by

other people I am talking to.

Here are some examples of our barker vocabulary;

Han-ga-wer = Hamburger

toy shows = cartoons

to have "feet on" = to have bare feet

cake and brownies = pancakes and berries

panpakes = pancakes

baboogans = bakugan's

moomie = Lighting Mcqueen (Cars was the first movie they ever saw so

they call him "moomie" for movie since Darren couldn't say his v sound)

Crapa = Grandpa

mmm's = m&m's

bullzer = bulldozer

van car = our van

ketchup and white = ketchup and ranch

grills = girls

blue water = powerade

Family home eating = Family home evening

Mictar = guitar

daddy's house = the hospital

Try ordering a happy meal with a han-ga-wer and blue water and you will get a very strange look.

I wanted to get these things documented before they realize the real way to say things.

I know that there are other fun words that have come and gone that seemed so common at the time that I never thought I would forget. I wanted to get these in writing while they are still in our everyday language because someday a hamburger will just be a hamburger.

Cord

I had to put this picture of Cordon because he is my cautious child and usually will not put himself in any situation where he could possibly get hurt. However, he did have a daredevil moment the other day and took a flying leap off of the railing of Cameron's crib and fell short of his bed and smacked his nose on the bed post. It was not as bad as it looked and I was actually proud of my cautious son for attempting such a feat that is so unlike him!

Like I said Cordon is very cautious. He is scared of pretty much everything. Mostly, cars. He is scared of streets, parking lots, driveways anyplace that he could possibly get run over and won't go anywhere near without clutching my hand. He panics when we walk from the car to the grocery store just sure he will get smashed by a car. He is scared of the dark, of monsters, of the cold, any noise above a whisper, etc etc.

He has such a creative imagination. He is always talking to imaginary people. He talks to his toys like they are alive and gets really animated in their conversations.

He loves to watch movies and can quote movies with the best of them. He loves to sing along to music and sing his own version of songs.

Cordon can be easily bribed with food. He loves treats and is often caught sneaking goodies into his playroom.

He loves his preschool class and his amazing teacher, Ms. Cathy, and always talks about all the words of wisdom she gives to him. Now he just needs to apply it!

I love him so much. He looks like a bulldog but he is really a big soft squishy teddy bear!

Cameron

Cameron was by far my best baby. He was a great sleeper and pleasant when he was awake. I thoroughly enjoyed his infant baby time. Now as a toddler he is giving me (actually all of us) a run for our money. Poor Cordon gets the brunt of it. Cameron really knows how to push Cordon's buttons and is not one bit afraid of Cordon's wrath and has figured out Cordon's bark is worse than his bite. So Cord is getting it from both sides now.

Anyway, Cameron is taking after Darren in that he is turning into a Daredevil and climbing and jumping off of everything that he can. He loves riding on the four wheeler at Grandpa's house and so we got him his own for Christmas and he loves it and rides it all over the house. Luckily, the house is still empty and he has lots of room to roam.

He is going through his attachment phase and starts crying if he sees Lance or I get our coats on. He also starts crying as soon as we step foot into church because he does not want to go to the nursery. We left him once and apparently it traumatized him.

He is such a sweet boy though. He loves to cuddle and I have to say that it is a little flattering that he does not want to be away from me.

He has finally learned to say mom. Mommy sounds cuter but I have to settle for just mom. However, whenever he says it it always sounds like he is yelling at me. I'll take what I can get though since his only words for a long time were ball, football, and Ow. Besides, he has yet to learn the word "no" so I'll count my blessings.

Cameron stood at this window the entire time Lance was out plowing the driveway. (about 45 min.).

Our big man!

Can you guess how old Darren just turned?

Darren loves being 5. He knows that now he will get to

go to kindergarten and he is so excited to do that.

In fact last week I took him to his new school where

he will go to kindergarten in the fall to pre-register him.

We went in and he saw the kids in the library reading and the kids

in the gym playing and then he ran down the hall saying,

"I love this place!!!!!!" We picked up his registration form and then went

back out of the doors in front of the school. Darren ran out first as I was

struggling to get double stroller with the other two through the doors.

As I come out I see Darren with his pants down "leaving his mark" in the bus

drop off in front of the school. I guess he really was excited. kind of like a puppy.

Darren has gained a lot of knowledge this past year. He is learning to read and can read most simple word books (like Dr. Suess) all by himself. He loves to learn and his favorite subjects are: Geography (he has learned all 50 states and is now working on countries), Space and planets, dinosaurs, jet fighters, and College football teams. He loves to memorize lists of things and always has a million (at least) questions.

He still is all boy and climbing and jumping and teasing and getting hurt and making huge messes but he wouldn't be Darren if he didn't have enough energy for 50 people.

We love our Dare-Dare and can't wait to see what fun things he comes up with this year!