I had a very important discussion with O. the other day.

O: What does paint taste like?
Me: Bad.
O: Does yellow paint taste different from green paint?
Me: They both taste bad.
O: But a different kind of bad? Or the same kind of bad.
Me: I think the same kind of bad. I don't think the color changes the taste.
O: Is the paint I paint on paper with the same kind Papa is painting the house with?
Then I explained that no, they are not the same kind. Paints are different by what is used to make them spread around. Some spread around with water, some with oil, some with other things. What makes them spread around is probably mostly what makes the way they taste, etc. By the time we arrived at church he seemed to be pretty much satisfied that he had gotten the whole scoop.

I think one of the most important things we can do is talk with our kids and take their questions seriously. Do our best to give them direct, honest answers (keeping in mind their age and ability to handle some information) and not just brush them aside. This is a way of earning their trust, so that when they do have some more serious things they may need to talk about, they won't think they will be brushed aside. This takes time. It takes paying attention. But I think it is one of the most important investments we can make.

Sometimes life is just not bloggable!

Well, I wonder if there is even anyone left around here. :) Oh well.
Nothing has changed much really anyway. The weather is still pretty rainy and cold, though the sun did break out for a couple days. I'm still teaching the boys and S. is still teaching the girls. S. will be having her graduation at the end of May, but she is a little dismayed at some of the cultural differences that are part of the ceremony. They want to walk up to the stage to a Journey song. Anybody remember Journey? I have to laugh. I thought they were dorky when I was a kid! Shh. Don't tell anyone I said that.

I guess we just have different tastes. S. and I always go on these different music kicks where we will listen to one band or genre of music for a while until we drive F. crazy and then eventually we move on. Right now it's this band:



I just love them! And they are all one family-8 siblings. I wish I could get my computer speakers piped downstairs because this is definitely fast housecleaning music!

Well, anyway, that's a quick update with us. I hope all is going well for you too!

And I'll try to be better about updating. Really.

I guess this isn't new, but I thought it was pretty funny and worth posting... Since I don't really have anything intelligent to say anyway...

I hadn't heard about this movie until seeing following the link on Roberta's blog. It definately looks like one to make a point to go see. And I haven't gone to the theater since 'The Little Mermaid" came out, so that's saying something! (Hmmm.. maybe there's a connection there...)

Here's the trailer.

Got this from Joyce

Though I have my doubts. I'm not sure I have enough energy to be a labrador. I think I'm more like a basset hound...

Men are from mars....

The other day Fi and O were playing wedding. For the most part, Fi was directing the whole thing. "Now you stand here, we walk down here, you see the flowers in my hair.." etc. etc.

O who had been pretty quiet and compliant through the whole thing finally had to put his own spin in there.

"And then you looked down and saw my sword, and it was covered with blood."

OK, you Knuckle Draggers. This is news reporting in Canada. How long until this is considered "fair and unbiased" in the US?

Keep your heads up.

From small dead animals.

O Bama nation
O Bama nation
O Bama nation
O Bama nation
OBamanation

Say it five times fast.