I Call it “Boy With Kindle”

While this site is currently under re-construction, life goes on and my boys continue to do things that make me laugh (and cringe.) So, here is a short blog:

 

As we sat at dinner last night, I looked across the table at Justin and tried unsuccessfully to get his attention. I called his name, tapped his hand, and even shot him with the paper-wrapper from a straw. Nothing got his attention.

 

The more I looked at him, the more I realized that I couldn’t see him. I thought, “This reminds me of something, but I can’t remember what.” It bugged me all throughout dinner.

 

After putting the kids to bed, I sat on our porch and turned on the TV. I caught the last few minutes of “The Thomas Crown Affair” – and that’s when it dawned on me what Justin looked like! Do you see a similarity?

Justin-in-nature

businessman_in_a_bowler_hat

Pho-Gettaboudit!

Pho2GWE and I were in the car yesterday with the kids on the way to a birthday party when we drove by a Vietnamese restaurant that I had never seen before. Pho (pronounced “Fuh”) is one of my favorite dishes and I’m always open to trying a new place because there aren’t that many Vietnamese restaurants where we live.

I especially like that the owners of these restaurants typically have a good sense of humor about their names. I’ve seen “Pho-King Delicious,” “9021Pho,” “Absolutely Phobulous,” and “Pho Shizzle” just to name a few.

As we drove by the new place, I pointed out that the name was funny. GWE asked, “How so?”

“The restaurant was called Pho CT,” I replied.

Pho

“I don’t get it,” she said.

“What do you get when you put together “Pho” and “CT”?” I asked.

From behind me, I heard Justin ask, “FUCKED???”

The fact that GWE didn’t drive off the road due to uncontrollable laughter is amazing. We both found it enormously difficult to maintain our composure while explaining to Justin why he shouldn’t say that word.

Finally, when the hysterics subsided and the kids where focused on other things, GWE turned to me and said, “This is your fault.”

I turned back to her and replied, “I don’t know what’s funnier: That he said it or that he figured it out faster than you!”

Garrett is Magic

GarretIsMagic

My 3 year old has the best “Appearance” magic trick I’ve ever seen. No matter how often I put him to bed, he silently “re-appears” next to me without saying a word.

In bed by 8:30pm, but re-appears next to me at 8:35pm while I’m making dinner. In bed again by 8:45pm, but re-appears next to me as I’m eating dinner. In bed again by 8:50, but reappears again next to me as I’m in the kitchen going through the mail. In bed again by 9:00pm, but reappears again next to me as I’m coming out of the bathroom.

It’s almost like seeing the twins appear in “The Shining.”

Garrett’s was 12 inches, but Justin’s was 13!! (First Fishing Trip)

Fish 1Several weeks ago, Justin asked me if I had gone fishing when I was a little boy. I told him that I had been many times and that I loved it. But……….I may have embellished my experiences a little. For his benefit, I made the stories sound “homespun,” like they came from the pages of “Huckleberry Finn.” To him, it probably sounded like I had wistful afternoons, lazily sitting on a dock in my overalls, with a fishing pole in one hand and a piece of straw hanging out of my mouth.

The reality was far different. I remember standing on the edge of the main lake at Camp Barney Medintz (about 100 yards away from Poo Pond – it is what you think it is) every year and sweating from the Summer humidity in rural Georgia. I spent more time trying not to pass out from dehydration, avoiding getting stung by bees, and/or hooking myself in the ear with my own fishing hook like my Cousin Scott – than fishing! I remember catching nothing – ever, and being pissed about it. Maybe it was a good thing I never caught anything. Once again, Poo Pond was close by. With my luck, the only thing I would have caught was dysentery!

I guess I made it sound good because Justin liked what he heard and asked if I would take him. I agreed to take him when we had a free day. Yesterday was that day.

Justin, Garrett, and GWE jumped into the car and we drove to a small fishing hole 18 minutes away from the house. Buried in the Santa Monica mountains, we located Troutdale. For $7 a person, we were given parking, bamboo poles with a hooks, a bucket, and corn for bait. (Yes, corn. Justin looked at the corn and astutely asked, “Are we fishing for chicken?”)

The four of us located our “spot” and immediately put our lines in the water. It only took about 15 seconds for Garrett to get antsy. We encouraged him to stick with it for a few more minutes. Just as he began to give up, he handed me his pole…which started to tug back! Garrett caught the first fish. Here is the video:

Determined to do better than his brother, Justin found a new spot and patiently waited for the fish to bite. Nothing happened. 5 minutes passed. 10 minutes passed. Finally, he felt a nibble. As he pulled his hook up to check the bait – it was gone. Fish 1, Justin 0.

Justin must have gotten lonely because he came back and sat next to me. Just as he put his head on my shoulder, there was another nibble. He pulled his hook up once again and the bait was gone again. Fish 2, Justin 0.

Having been outwitted by the trout and feeling frustrated that his three year old brother had accomplished what he could not, Justin began to give up. He was about to hand me his pole when all of a sudden he felt a hard tug. At last, Justin would have his revenge!! Here is that video:

Together, Justin and Garrett took their bounty to the main shack so they could watch their fish be measured, weighed, and filleted. With the excitement and glee that only boys exude when watching something “gross,” they were giddy while watching her fish get dismembered. Justin (in what I hope was scientific curiously and not signs of a “future serial killer”) asked to see the heart. His wish was granted.

Heart

Last night, we grilled and ate the fish. I think yesterday was a great learning experience and a success for all those involved…except for the fish. Their day sucked.

Fish 2Fish 3

 

 

Sent from my iPad

EAT ME!

SmileAs parents, we expect our children to imitate some of our behaviors. Garrett is a smart and funny kid. I’ve seen him repeat things (sometimes inappropriate) that he’s heard…but, this is the first time he’s ever used props!

There are times when Garrett does not want eat the food on his plate. To get him interested, I’ve taken a “Meal Meets Muppet” approach. Basically, I get his food to “speak” and tell him that it wants to be eaten. If there is a sandwich on his plate, I will use both ends of the bread as a “mouth” and I flap them together as I say “Eat Me!” in a high-pitched voice.

I guess this has had a profound impact on Garrett. Here is a video of him at lunch yesterday: