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31 Days of Tax Season

So you've all heard of the 12 days of Christmas, right? The dear sweet Tiffany has created a little celebration just for me.

It's the 31 Days of Tax Season!

Every day, I have a new present waiting for me. A little something to brighten my day (and satisfy my sweet tooth!). Here's the sampling from day one - four little boxes of 'locolate balls. Yummy.

Each present is prettily wrapped. The boys are taking turns being the picker or the opener. Yesterday, the Ben picked out a large box. The boys were pretty sure it was Whoppers. It was better. Reeses Peanut Butter Whoppers.

Thankfully today's bounty was a lovely little notepad. Gives me time to finish off the Whoppers.

And, when we open the last present, it'll be all over 'cept for the extensions!

Thank you Tiffany! I promise I'll start your return soon.

Ben Loses Again

So I've found a way to work around the wicked strong force field otherwise known as my firewall. Thank you Picassa.

As such, I can share the latest image of my sweet, toothless boy. Ben's been playing with an incredibly loose tooth for the last week. After reading Beverly Cleary's clever solution to this problem in Henry and Ribsy, Ben was willing to try to pull out his tooth. Probably a good thing, too, or he might have swallowed it tonight!

While Ribsy the dog played tug-of-war with Henry's string, resulting in two canine teeth being pulled out simultaneously, we opted for some thread and using our own hands. Ben gave it a go first, but couldn't do it. Then he let me do it and out it flew.

I do have the greatest video, which I will hopefully find a way to upload, and share with all of you.

By the way, Ben's pretty sure we were right near Henry's house when we were on Klickitat Street the other day.

Within Reach

Ry wanted to check to see how tall he's getting, so he asked if I could measure him on the growth chart. I did, saw 37" (which is actually the same as last week when he last wanted to be measured), and exclaimed "You're getting so tall!"

His reply: "Now I can reach pills and chokies!"

Super.

Goofy vu

Overheard at dinner:

"Mama, do you know who's still Goofy?" asks Ben.

"Um, let me think. Could it be that guy Goofy?" Mama asks.

"YES! Ha! Ha! Ha!" chuckles Ben.

Still hi-larious.

Measurement, Smeasurement

While Ben was reading me the recipe for the yummy pancakes we made for breakfast, we were working on fractions. If 1/2 is one half, then it logically follows that 1/3 is "one and three halfs."

Doesn't it?

Where Everybody Knows Your Name ...

Both Ben and Ry attend classes at Portland Indoor Soccer in the Little Kickers program. Ben's been going since he was 18 months old, and Ry has happily joined a class after watching Ben from the sidelines for two years. It's a great program which I recommend without reservations.

At the start of each class, each child tells the others their name and some other tidbit of info. Ry's modus operandi is to say his entire name, very quickly and, surprisingly, very quietly. The coaches know this is coming and usually respond with a "Hi Ry!".

At class this week, it was a repeat performance, with a little twist at the end. After mumbling his name, he continued in a loud, clear voice "But my friends call me Ry."

Where did that come from?