But she is

I took the kids out to get an ice cream treat the other night to cool off and have a fun bonding time. After getting our ice cream, we sat down outside of the shop. Shortly after sitting down, a family sat down next to us, along with one of the grandmas of the kids. A little while after snacking on our ice cream, L looks over at the grandma and turns back to J and I and says, "She's fat."

Unfortunately, L has been getting in the habit of saying such blunt things. Thankfully, she said it quiet enough that neither the grandma nor the family heard it. I reminded her that such comments are hurtful and that she wouldn't appreciate having mean things said to her. Initially trying to deny she had said anything wrong, she responded with, "Not everyone is fat...but she is."

Again, thankfully, no one but J & I heard the comment. L finally dropped her commenting after another rebuke or two, but not without commenting on how large a bottom the grandma had.

Kids say the darndest things. Indeed.

Piyana

At an open house for parents at her pre-school, L had the opportunity, along with her classmates, to have a turn at hitting a piñata (or as L likes to call it, a "piyana") in the shape of a donkey. While she had no problem hitting a piñata in the shape of a baseball at her brother's birthday party, she was timid and ultimately refused to hit the donkey, which makes me wonder: What are we teaching these kids as we spur them on with delight to wildly beat on a figure in the likeness of an animal (or person, a la Napoleon Dynamite) until all the fun goodies inside spill out?

Root Beery

Our family loaded up in the car the other day after a lunch stop. After getting buckled in and on the road, L noticed me as I took a sip of mom's standard dining out soda: a 50/50 mix of Diet Coke and Root Beer.

"Dad, what are you drinking?"

"Some Diet Coke and Root Beer."

"Dad, can I have some Root Beery?" (Not to be confused with the lesser known, but scrumptiously tasty, rootberry)

"Sorry, L, it's all gone."

Brain withdrawal

J and I were playing cards recently. At one point in the game he played a card out of turn. Recognizing that I had seen the card which he had to take back, he gave me a look and said, "Now you know what one of my cards is."

I told him I would forget it, to which he responded, "You'll take it out of your brain?"

Chuckling at the mental picture, I answered, "Yep, I'll take it out of my brain."

Feathers

Dad & Mom were in bed the other morning when L, who is an early riser, decided to climb into bed with us. Shortly after L cuddled in and laid her head on dad's chest, she raised her head and made a few "pffsst" sounds. When I (dad) asked her what was wrong, she said, "Your feathers got in my mouth." The next time this scenario happens, I'll be sure to give the kids a warning when I'm molting.

Heaven bound

We've talked with our kids on several occasions about what the Bible has to say about how you get to heaven.

One day we were again on the topic, and I asked L, "How do you get to heaven?"

"You move there," she says.

I wonder if we can get unlimited miles with our rental truck.

Big boy

I was sitting on a bench by the playground the other day passively paying attention to the kids. A little guy they were playing with asked J, "Are you a big boy?"

J replied confidently, "Of course I am. I'm six."

Not to be ignored, L chimed in, "I'm a big girl too."

It doesn't seem quite as funny now, but it was pretty funny at the time. I guess you had to be there.