Fear of Santa?

Quinn calls it claustrophobia.
Of course he does.

Rellim Grands

Merry Christmas from the Rellim Grandkids - so far. But don't look to me for additions to the brood. There's a California sleeper cell with breaking news for spring.

Christmas Eve Quinnism

As we held candles during the Christmas Eve church service and sang Silent Night, I noticed that Quinn's candle wasn't burning very brightly. It sported a small glowing blue orb. He shrugged his shoulders and said, "Yeah, mine's a stud!"

Dud. Dud would be the word he meant to say.

I laughed so hard that my eyes teared. I'm sure people just thought I was caught up in the moment.

Have a Little Faith

Very worth the read. Check it out!

Santa Stopped Here First

We always ask Santa to stop at our house a couple days early, because we spend Christmas with family north of here. I think this is the latest we've ever managed to sleep in. (We made it until 8:00!)

Gingerbread Masterpiece

Created by a classroom of nine- to 12-year-olds at my school. Pretty good despite the fact that one student ate about half of the candies before anyone noticed. Another student told him, "Don't you know that's a good way to get the swine flu!"

Keeping Score

Michelle Malkin has something to say about how the 60 votes were obtained this morning. Read it here.

Gump - like Advice

Life isn't like a box of chocolates. It's more like a jar of jalapenos. What you do today, might burn your butt tomorrow.

Based on the vote in the Senate at 1:30 am today, I believe many of them are going to be living out this bit of wisdom at the 2010 elections.

Bad Mom!

As I was reading over Quinn's graded papers, I noticed a letter that started, "As you know, Mrs. Teacher is on maternity leave for the next six weeks. . . . ."

WHAT?! My son's teacher is on maternity leave? I didn't even know she was expecting. She didn't look expectant at parent/teacher conference time . . . .

I asked Quinn if he knew his teacher was pregnant. He said, "Yeah, but I've been too busy to tell you."

To Our Congressmen:

"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost."

— President John Quincy Adams

Get it Straight!

I received a frantic phone call from Rachel while on my way home from a quick errand. She said, "Mom! Where are you?! Cops are knocking on our door!" I wondered what the heck happened during the fifteen minutes since my absence.

To my great relief, I heard Quinn yelling in the background, "I SAID UPS! UPS! NOT COPS!"

(Oh . . . so that's why they just left a package at the door and walked away.)

What Happened?

Well, that teacher read Rachel's report to each of her classes yesterday, making sure to point out the two typos. Rachel commented that was tolerable because the content was not questioned. Rachel's friends told her to stop being "so radical."

I'm so proud of her.

Stirring It Up

Rachel overheard a teacher at her school scolding another student for questioning any policy of President Obama. This teacher challenged loudly, "Can you tell me even five things that George W. Bush ever did to help this nation??!!" (I don't understand how bashing a former President emboldens the case for the current. Neither does my daughter. It's the same argument as relative morality.)

So, Rachel did some independent research and typed a report for that teacher, signed her name to it and handed it to her this morning. I'll let you know how it goes.

Scissors

Quinn just told me this morning that he needed a pair of scissors for school. I figured that his scissors had been lost. Nope. He says he never took any to school in August. He's been borrowing the teacher's pair for a few months so far.

Chorus Concert

Rachel just had her Christmas concert and did an awesome job. Check out her blue suede shoes.

Debatable

The kids and I are running late this morning (so I decided to blog about it). We have been arguing about whose cold is the worst and who had it first - meaning that person started the whole thing. Because whoever had the cold first is the person who needs to work on universal precautions (one of Rachel's Health Class vocab words).

Interestingly, Quinn informed me that he does not have to go to school today because he received a sign from God. Apparently (much like Gideon), Quinn requested that God give him a sign. It was explained to me like this: "If I blow my nose two times this morning, then I don't have to go to school. If I don't blow my nose this morning, then I will go to school."

I tried not to roll my eyes at him, because blowing one's nose makes as much sense as Gideon's wet sheepskin miracle. However, I'm not sure Gideon was trying to avoid a Science test.

Shopping Czar?

So says Mallard:

Middle School

I dropped off Rachel today at school and she informed me that when I join her for lunch with the requested meal (2 cheese quesadillas from Taco Bell), I had better not "make a scene, like usual."

"Why, what could you ever mean by that?" I asked her casually.

"Like, you walk into the cafeteria with a ginormous smile on your face and then you stop and talk to people!!!!" (gasp!)

I told her I'd work on my entrance. She rolled her eyes and got out of the van.

At least I didn't wear my new t-shirt.

Pyramid Project

Quinn chose to create an ancient Egyptian pyramid with sugar cubes. I didn't realize how much work I'd put into it until he brought home his grade. I was quite disappointed with the 92%.

Date Night

Our exciting date night was crudely interrupted when my husband couldn't remember my birth date.

We had been running errands without the kids and making good time (I didn't say romantic, only exciting.). Our last stop was at the grocery store and I was wheeling and dealing in order to get the sale price on toilet paper, while he was trying to pay for the other items. Suddenly he needs to know my birth date. I wouldn't give it to him even though he asked nicely. He asked again and I just scowled at him. People were waiting behind him in line so he just tried a random PIN number, hoping it was correct. It was not. As the checkout man sighed, I practically shouted the numbers to him in order to move things along. So now, not only did everyone in the store hear my PIN, which I have quickly changed, my husband is totally busted.

Of course, we've only known each other since 1986. There is still time for him to learn details of my life history.