Conversations with Two Fours

Four year olds can be so much fun, or not.  But when they are, they really are.  Lately our conversations (or theirs, as I listen in) have been the kind that need to be remembered.  Thus, this post, for myself.  You can listen in, if you please.

We were driving past the lake in the middle of our town, which is really low right now.  I commented on it, more or less to myself.  They discussed the situation at length, and alas I forgot to write it down as soon as I could.  But later that day, we were driving again, and had been following a truck with a large opaque container of liquid, probably chemicals, sloshing back and forth.  After following it for several miles, suddenly Katie piped up:  "I see a truck with water in it.  I think it's taking water to the lake so the beach won't be so down."

Another day one of them commented on a pretty tree that looks "like broccoli."

The logic of their little minds astounds me at times.  It had rained during the night, and on the way to take the big girls to school, my tires spun a bit as I was leaving a stop sign.  Again, I believe it was Katie who said, "That must be because of the rain on the street."  

Emma:  "Did I cry last night?"  
Me:  "Yes, you screamed your head off."
Emma:  "I screamed, but my head is still on.
 
In the school bathroom:

Emma:  "Where's the bath?"  Good question!  Guess we should call it "rest room" instead.


Another conversation in the car:

Emma:  "Grandma, is my peanut butter sandwich going to turn me into a grownup?"

Katie:  "What about me?  Will my peanut butter sandwich make me big?"

Emma:  "I don't think you ate enough to get big."

We were attending an awards program at school.  Emma was sitting on my lap, facing me.  She caught a glimpse inside my shirt neckline and said, "Grandma, you have a black bra."

Then she turned to my former work friend, who is considerably older than I, and I run into her at school functions where she is watching her great grandchildren, who are the ages of my grandgirls.  Emma pointed to her and said, "Does she have a bra on?"  Yikes!

And then there was the day we were checking out at Sam's - the young man at the next stand was sporting not one, but two, flashy earrings.  I hadn't noticed him until Emma blurted out, "Boys don't wear earrings!"  He and I had an interesting conversation after that.  

I know you remember when Katie cut Emma's hair - it seems lately as though Emma is saying that she did it to herself, but I find it hard to imagine that she could have done that to herself.  Regardless, they are both looking forward to their hair being long again.  In fact, everything that we're discussing from the past, near or far past, Katie will say, "Was that when my hair was long?"

Have a wonderful Memorial Day, and a great week!

Water, Hair, and Autumn Fun

I'm quite sure I blogged this story almost 5 years when it happened - when Livi was about the age the twins are now. I came into the living room to find a pile of pretty blonde hair behind the big chair. Hayley did her thing on Livi's beautiful hair.




It took a long long time for the hair to grow back to any kind of length, by the time all of the pieces were evened out.

Take a good look --

Last night at the dinner table, Dwight had the strangest look on his face. When I zeroed in on what he was staring at, I saw this --



I asked her where her missing hair was, and Emma led me right to the study/playroom closet floor. Later, Katie took credit for the new 'do. When we went to the hair salon, Emma asked Katie as we were going in the door, "Are you going to get your hair fixed, too?" Katie answered, "My hair isn't broken!" As it turned out, she ended up getting hers to match her sissy's. I think they look adorable, and not one bit like a boy (which Grandpa said they do!)




A few weeks ago I wrote a post called When a Lake Isn't a Lake. I told you I'd be back to update you when the beauty came back. If you want the whole story, feel free to go back and see what it looked like when the crops over by Greeley needed the water more than we needed the beauty - and/or the geese, ducks, and pelicans needed a place to paddle around instead of hanging out on sand bars. It's back! Not as high as it was this summer, but beautifully sparkling in the autumn sun, and reflecting the autumn leaves.








On the way home from school today, after I took the pictures of the re-filled lake, we decided to spend a few minutes at the park. I told the girls that I would like to sit in the shade and read while they entertained each other. They had a great time.

Hayley was chillin out in the great new swings.



Livi was a great helper, swinging Katie. For some reason, Emma decided to be afraid of the swings - strange after all these months of loving to swing very high.







Emma finally warmed up to the swing, as long as she was snuggling with Hayley.




The slide kept them going for quite awhile - and I managed to get them to pose.

I have much I want to share about Women of Faith last week-end, but it is hard to put the feelings into words.

Wordful Wednesday

Thank you for your concern and comments and questions about the disgusting ganglion cyst. It is now bigger than it was before I had it aspirated. I have looked up several web sites on the subject. Today I read comments from 26 people who had done various things to rid themselves of their cysts. Some had aspirations that worked, most had aspirations that didn't. Some had surgery that worked, others had it come back after surgery. Some were out of work for weeks after surgery. Some were in terrible pain before they had any treatment. Mine has begun aching recently. Some were unable to even carry a pop can because their hand was so weak. Some actually used the Bible treatment and it worked - only most used a heavy book other than a Bible. The reason the Bible is suggested is that it used to be the heaviest book anyone owned - the old Family Bible, you know - not the one you read for your devotions.

So - my plan is to talk to a surgeon and find out what it would cost. And if they think it's a good idea. I'm quite confused at this point.

Changing the subject to something more pleasant - here is one of the reasons I love Hobby Lobby - their full page Christmas and Easter ads. In case you can't read it, it says, "Son, I want you to Build a Bridge - here are all the tools you will need. See you soon. Love, Dad." And then it quotes I Peter 3:18 from The Message. I just love it.




I mentioned the rainy day we had for Easter - rain, not snow. Yesterday and today have been what you call spring-like. We're looking at more rain and/or snow the rest of the week. What usually happens here in Colorado is that sometime in May, the ridiculous spring weather stops abruptly and it turns into summer instantly.

But - this morning my eyes jerked open at 6:15 and I saw this glorious sunrise. It was hope for a lovely day.



Then I was sitting here in my comfy recliner, getting ready to have my devotions. I looked out the window and saw the cutest little squirrel playing all by him(her)self in our big ash tree. We have a really big squirrel who loves to raid the bird feeders, but this little one hasn't discovered that restaurant yet. I wish I'd had video, but it was such fun watching it. It was just all over that tree - I wish I had caught the part where it was balancing on the end of the slimmest branch possible. I love how you can see the reflection of the eyes.

All the rain and snow has really made the flowers happy. They're really resilient.

I love the abundance of grape hyacinths.

Some regular hyacinths are new this year.

The very cheerful yellow and orange tulips.

Does anybody know what these are?

I just finished the latest Jennifer Chiaverini book The Lost Quilter. Have you read it yet? She is an amazing writer - I say she quilts a really good story. What I love is the way she intertwines the present with the past. But the past almost always involves slavery - and I have to say that every time I read something like that, or watch Roots, I get very distressed. It is a blight on our history.

I just have to end with a great story Kristen just told me. It seems Miss Katie is having a hard time getting to sleep tonight. Kristen was watching the DVR of American Idol. When Adam Lambert (the wildly popular, but really bizarre young man, IMHO) came on, she jerked up straight and clapped through the entire wild performance. She has amazing rhythm and kept time with her body through the whole song. She has even clapping with her hands over her head, as the audience was doing. I wish I could have seen it!

Well, Jess, I did it again - a long, very wordy post. But I have lots of words in me. And they just have to come out!