Does the Tooth Fairy Take Returns?

Ember lost her first tooth on Monday (7/4). She put it under her pillow despite her siblings rolling their eyes and reminding her that she already knew the tooth fairy wasn't real.

The next morning, she woke up to find a quarter in its place. She was very excited about it, showing it off to everyone. But near the end of the day, she grew somber. She missed her tooth and worried about what bizarre purposes that weird little fairy might have collected it for. She wanted it back. I told her that she could try putting the quarter under her pillow, but a refund wasn't guaranteed.

She woke up very disappointed to see that the quarter was still there and the tooth was not. I suggested that perhaps the Tooth Fairy didn't understand her request. It should be submitted in writing. She took this very seriously, going as far as asking her dad to help her spell out each and every letter of every word she wanted the letter to say. Major points to my husband for demonstrating epic patience.

Last night the letter was folded around the quarter like an envelope and placed under the pillow with a great deal of hope.

This morning, her tooth was returned. The quarter was left too. We are speculating that change is too heavy for a fairy to fly around with, and that is why they leave them under the pillows of children—teeth are of course lighter than coins, and fairies love gifts, so mystery solved.

That Kid

"I brought you something from outside," Ember said.  She then presented me with something wrapped tightly in a blanket, handing it over delicately.

I was terrified.

My husband was paralyzed with morbid curiosity.

I reached for it.  I unwrapped it slowly, fully expecting something alive and seriously icky to leap out and claw my face off.

...

It was a rock.

God's Ball

The kids created a game they call "God's Ball."  It's sort of a catch/dodge ball that also requires role-playing a god. 

Rules:

1. You have to throw the ball at the other person's chest
2. You can't bounce the ball on the ground/floor
3. Do not let it get off-course (from what i can tell, this means do not knock down household items)
4. No throwing the ball in someone's face.
5. Try not to injure each other. 
6. If the ball touches the ground you must wrestle for it.
7. Whoever whines and cries gets kicked out.

Exaggerate Much?

Ember: "I haven't had cotton candy in, like, a decade."

Me: "You're 5."

Ember: "Then about 8 years."

The Easter Platypus

Ryvre: "Why is it an Easter Bunny?  Bunnies don't lay eggs."

Me: "The Bunny just delivers the eggs."

Ryvre: "That still doesn't make any sense.  It should be an Easter Chicken.  Or Easter Platypus."


One of many reasons I love having children.

That's What I'm Talkin About

I just overheard the 7-year-old explain (accurately) to the 5-year-old not only how babies are made, but how they can be made without a daddy. Score one for getting these things out of the way early, haha.

Sweet Dreams

"Sleep tight; don't let any bedbugs bite--or crawl in your ear and lay eggs in your brain!" -Ember

Mother May I

Ember is just full of quotable phrases; today, while exasperated over some injustice to befall her via Nintendo DS, she sighed and said, "Oh, 'Mother-May-I'!" as though it were an obscene phrase to use for such an occasion.

Wisdom From a 4-Year-Old

Ember: "Why am i the one that always gets hurt?" 

Me: "Because you fall a lot?" 

Ember: "Life's just made like that..."

Creepy-Cool

Sometimes my little man just amazes me. Last night, we were sitting at the dinner table, and Dale started to tell me about the land he and a friend looked at today, and mapped out using a GPS. Ryvre all of the sudden perked up and said "Ken got numbers from the sky!" Dale said, yes, he did; how did you know that? And Ryvre said "i saw it." Of course Dale kept asking questions, but Ryvre couldn't recall where he saw it. He does stuff like this all the time. He'll say he had a dream about, or saw, something he couldn't possibly know about. It's pretty crazy to think about how a little person's mind works--everyone knows their brains are like sponges, but he's getting information from sources so far out there, and in such vague terms, i can't believe he seems to grasp the concepts.

No Food With a Face

Today, Ryvre was eating a bowl of gummy worms (his special treat when Nana visits), and all of the sudden, he stopped with a look of concern on his face; he said "Nana, these worms have eyes, i not want to eat them anymore" and he handed the bowl to me. i asked if he wanted me to take the heads off, and he said, very seriously, "no mommy, you not eat them either. Put them away now."

Haha, he's going to be the little vegetarian of the family; if it has a face, he won't eat it!

What Long Strange Trip It's Been

Our annual fall road trip was great! The kids were well-behaved (well, for them at least) so we made great driving time there and back.

Our first stop was Camp Gaea, to meet with some internet friends. Only one other guy showed up, but that was probably for the best! We really got to know him and his family, and definitely want to make the gathering a regular event. i have some pics of that prove the Druids did NOT build Stonehenge, hahaha. However, the Bards earned their keep by the campfire with their guitar and drum, respectively.

The camp itself was gorgeous; the rolling, wooded countryside almost reminded us of home; except that the open fields were soft, and full of thick green grass; two things we are not used to. The mist rising from the large pond was also a lovey sight--though i admit i was not brave enough to walk its shores when the other campers arrived--naked as the day they were born, hahaha!

NOT that i have a problem with nudity, of course; i think it's great that alot of people felt comfortable enough to let it all hang out, (no pun intended?) so to speak. But certainly, i was not about to take part in that one. I guess i'm pruder than i thought, lol.

Everyone i met out there was very nice; one man (Iggy?  Pretty sure that wasn't his given name) brought us a cup of coffee and introduced himself. i later visited his camper, to return the cup and thank him (in the form of cranberry irish soda bread), and to my surprise, he was friendly when i knocked on the door and woke him up; in fact, we were invited to his drumming circle later that evening.

We didn't join Iggy that evening; it was bedtime for the kids before the drumming started. Instead, we sat around the campfire with Bill (the Druid) and his wife and daughter, while he sang and played the guitar. And wow, can that man play. A guy from the pagan gathering up the hill came over and introduced himself much later, saying that they could hear the music up there (surprising, since it was very soft, and they were...not) and that it went perfectly with what they were doing. Pretty cool. The drumming across the field lasted until about 5 am, which was great, because it was surprisingly soothing.

Day two, we went to the renaissance festival. Ryvre introduced himself ("Hi, i'm Ryvre Raine Amann!") to every person that would listen (and many that wouldn't), and Willow refused to walk. Besides that, it was ok, but we only spent a few hours out there. Next year we may consider taking the kids out for a couple of hours, and then dropping them off with their aunt for the rest of the day. I had my first glass of mead though :) so the day wasn't a total waste.

For the next two days, we visited family, relaxed, and came home. That part of the trip was uneventful, except when Ryvre tumbled down the stairs of Aunt Bobbie Jo's porch, running out to see the puppies (it was dark, and aparently, he forgot about the stairs in his excitement). He landed face-first in a large flowerpot. When asked what happened, he will tell you "Owie, i got hurt in the dirt" lol.