TWENTY-EIGHT

Getting our free ice cream cones at Beth Maries. 

2018 week twenty-eight

Playing a game that we can only assume is called "Riot."

Helping her sweet brother touch the giraffe at the mall.

Chinese Lion dancers at the local library. They were so fantastic. Every kid got to touch/try on the costumes. What a fun time.

They even let everyone bang the drum or cymbals. I feel a little sorry for the other patrons who might have been at the library to... ahem... read. 

My little lions. 

On a morning walk we found a crane. Theo just had to touch it. After he petted it for a minute he inhaled deeply and said, "It smells so good."

One day we went to the zoo. 

And at the zoo, I fell in love with these Giant Flemish Rabbits. They can be three feet long and 25 pounds. Amazing. I want one.

The kids helped me harvest, pluck and eat all the grapes from our little vine this year. The tag says they are supposed to be dark purple, but they were already starting to turn when we picked them still green. Perhaps I don't know enough about viticulture. I do know that they were delicious and nothing tastes quite like a sun warmed home grown grape. I understand what grape flavored candies are trying to emulate now. 

Saturday morning I introduced the kids to Pokemon. It was a grand success. They spent the rest of the day chanting, "Pika! Pikachu!" and arguing over who would be Pikachu for Halloween.

The most beautiful dinner I made this week. Summer style eggplant parmesan. I was the only one to appreciate it. Theodore told me, "I will pretend this is chicken and then it will be chicken." V complained persistently, and Matthew declared he would probably have to eat a lot of cookies and ice cream later because he was going to be so hungry... I pretended that everyone liked it and I declared that it was a delightful light summery dinner. If you don't have Philistines for family members I would recommend frying up some eggplant parmesan and instead of baking it with sauce and cheese top it with a tomato basil garlic salad and a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. 

We played and played and played at the cousins' house this weekend. 

And we took a lovely family swim on Sunday before lunch. V has just barely figured out swimming and she couldn't be more proud of herself.

Quotes:

Veronica:

"I just don't think it's true. I've been eating crust for YEARS and it hasn't made my hair curly. It's just not true." Debating the veracity of the claim "Bread crust will make your hair curly" brought to our attention by one of my favorite kids books "Hooray for Bread!"

Grandma- "Do you think your mom and dad want you to bang glass things together?"

V- "Yes they do."

Grandma -"Hmm. I don't think you understand. Do you REALLY think they want you to get two glass things and bang them together?"

V- "Yes! I'm allowed to."

Grandma -"No. You're not."

Grandma -"Oh Veronica you need to wash your hands."

V- "No I don't. In our family we only wash our hands after pee, not poop."

Grandma -"WHAT? That's not true. You need to wash your hands."

V- "No! IT'S OUR FAMILY RULE!"

Grandma -"Wash your hands."

I was hiding and wanted to yell out, "Veronica don't betray us!" Snitches get stitches little one...