Mum's The Word

Grandma & Grandpa L arrived today for a week long visit.

Grandpa L is on the front porch playing some sort of game with Z & J. It involves some bean bag chairs and throwing them at each other.

I heard an unusual noise, and went to go check to make sure everything was okay and nothing was broken. As I approached the front window, I heard Z say (sternly):

"Hmmmm. Let's not talk about it. We'll just pretend it never happened. Don't talk about it again."

I still haven't figured out what "it" he was referring to.

Our Monday Adventure

The Predicament:

I had to call Cr to come home to let me and L, Z, & J out of the school room because the doorknob wouldn't work. Where were M & N, you might ask? Why, they were locked in the playroom.

The way our basement is set up is there is a playroom (with a door that leads upstairs) and a hallway (with a bathroom) that leads to the schoolroom.

I always lock a hook and eye at the top of the basement stairway door to make sure the boys don't go upstairs when I'm working in the schoolroom with their brothers. If they are being noisy, I shut the schoolroom door. The little guys were being noisy.

However, the schoolroom doorknob had come halfway loose, so it no longer engaged the latch to let the door open. I tried getting the screws out all the way to take the knob off, but I couldn't.

To top it off, my 2nd cup of coffee had left me in need of a potty.


The Release:

Cr thought he'd come home, jiggle the handle a bit, and let us out. Ha! He slipped me a screwdriver under the door and I took the handle off. Something on the inside of the doorknob had broken completely off and he had to use a hammer and screwdriver to get the latch to loosen and let us out.

When I called him he had a hard time understanding me because I was laughing so hard (at one point he said "are you laughing or crying?"). But really, when I took the boys downstairs for the start of a new school week, it never dawned on me that we'd get locked in there. The little ones were entertaining me by sliding their fingers under the door and saying toddler/preschooler-ish stuff. The older 3 had watched a history thing on China that morning and it had a bit of the history of Kung Fu in it. They were plotting ways to use their Kung Fu to get the door down.

Unfortunately, the only tools I had in the room were paperclips and pencils and a spoon. MacGyver I am not. We could've gone outside through the basement window, but that would've meant braving a spider-infested window well, and if I had been brave enough to do that I would have had to get the screen out first (our screens are nearly impossible to remove without a screwdriver).

What a way to start the week!

Another Tribute to His Southern Heritage

J (buckling in the van after Judo): "Hey, Mom! Did you know I have several teck-a-neeks and abilities?"

(notice the word "techniques" is drawn out into 3 syllables)

Of Course.

Last night L walked through the room as I was checking his Challenging Word Problems.

L: "Did I get them right?"
Mommy: "Yep. Good job."
L: "Ha! I thought I did. It's been so long since I've done it that I thought I would be smarter now. I mean, I think I was about 8 and a half last time I did them."

(he just turned 9 at the end of July)

Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk

I hurt my ankle/foot again.

I was promoted to brown belt in Judo last night. I was thrown approximately 20 times for this promotion (for those who haven't read previous promotion posts, the reward for a new belt color is being thrown by everyone in the class). I spent 2.5 hours throwing, being thrown, and grappling.

Then I came home, slipped in spilled milk, and twisted my ankle/foot. Ouch.

Just For Entertainment

We've been watching the Olympics. The first time the boys saw diving, J asked "Why are they jumping into the pool in their underwear?!?!"
____________________

We've had a virus running through the house. On Friday M told us he felt "2 inches better". On Sunday he told me he felt "3 inches better".

____________________

While at my parents' house, it looked like M cut his hair. When I asked him if he cut his hair, he said "It just fell off".

____________________

Also while at my parents' house:

Daddy (to N): "You're fancy. How'd you get so fancy?"
N: "Jesus."





These 2 are from December:
____________________

During a Preschool lesson:

Mommy: Okay, M, circle the picture that is the same.
M: Both of them?
Mommy: No, just the first one.
M: Doh!
____________________

While I was working on getting lessons ready today, J was being loud. I called him into the school room and told him to quiet down. "Yes ma'am," he said, and ran back down the hall to the playroom. I overheard him say to M "I can still play M! It's not time for my school. I was just being noxios (Mommy translation: Obnoxious)".

Old Schoolhouse Magazine Giveaway

Jenn over at Classless and Lovin' It is hosting a giveaway for a subscription to the digital version of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. Go and read her blog, but don't enter the contest. I'd like to win. Thanks.