These Guys

I've had such a fun summer with these guys.  I love that they are at good ages to not only go out and do interesting things, but they also have done very well playing together when we're home.  And I love the ways their personalities continue to develop.  They make me laugh every day, and I only wish I could remember more than the small fraction I typically retain.  But here are a few noteworthy things that they've been doing and saying lately.

Cat and Eliza were talking and playing one day when they told me that they needed me to be the wicked witch.  I asked them what a wicked witch does, and Cat responded "she brushes hair really hard."  Ohhhh, snap.  Then maybe I am a wicked witch sometimes!

Later that day Jack was chasing the girls around the house, pretending that he had fire he was going to pour on them.  They were of course very scared, and therefore screaming loudly and running quickly. They eventually ran into the bathroom and closed the door.  He came to me very frustrated that he couldn't chase them anymore so I told him to knock on the door and kindly say, "It's your friend.  Can I come in?"  So he charged at the door and shouted "I'm a bad guy!  I have fire!"  Not the way to get them to open the door, my friend.  Good thing we have a few years to work on your door approach before you become a missionary.

Over the last several years, I have gradually relinquished right to choose music when we are driving, for the most part.  I am willing to listen to Scripture Scouts, the Curious George soundtrack, narrated fairy tales, Disney, and other music that keeps my kids happy in the car.  I may voice opinions, or only give certain options, but I honestly hardly ever impose "my" music on the kids.  Well one day this summer I had just had enough and simply had to treat myself in some way.  So I didn't ask any questions, I just put on a Beatles CD I had sitting in the car and waited for the rebellion to come from the back seat.  I had my arguments all ready.  I was prepared.  But the rebellion never happened.  In fact, they liked the Beatles.  So we spent the next several weeks listening to the Beatles.  I even charged my long-dead iPod so that we could have more Beatles music to listen to.

Their big favorite is "Yellow Submarine."  Cat wanted to sing it on her Daisy Girl Scout hike, but, surprise surprise, nobody else knew it.  (When we started singing "When Will My Life Begin" from Tangled, though, all the girls chimed in.)  Jack also really likes "Girl."  In fact, I laughed out loud when I told him to listen to my story and he quickly asked "all about the girl??" Love it!  The kids have also been interested in who sings which songs.  I'm not educated enough to know definitively who sings each of the Beatles songs but when I could differentiate between John and Paul, I would tell them who I thought was singing.  After several days of listening to the Beatles and being forced to guess who was singing on just about every song, it was Jack who posed an astute question: "why does John sing all the sad songs?"  Way to go, buddy!  Now, I have no idea if John does sing all the sad songs.  Or if my "discernment" between singers' voices is actually just picking up on the mood and tempo of the song.  Nevertheless, I was still impressed that he was paying attention enough to wonder.