True story:

She's just irresistable to strangers. Ha! Just kidding.

I went to a bakery in the next town over and there was an old man in the line in front of me chatting like crazy to the person behind the counter. I was holding Addie so when he turned around he said to her:

Well hello little girl! You are a cutie! Why don't you pick out a treat. I'll buy it for you.

I said: Oh, no. It's okay. She doesn't need anything. (I had gone there to buy treats.)

Old man: No really. Ask her (pointing to the lady behind the counter).

Lady: Yeah, if there are ever any kids in here when he's here, he buys them all treats.

Realizing that he wasn't going to take "no" for an answer I said: Okay, maybe that pink frosted cookie there. Thank you. That's very nice of you.

Old man: So where do you live?

I told him and he said: So you're one of the people who comes through my town are you? What color is your car so I can throw rocks at you as you drive by?

He he. Okay. Bye old man.

Extreme kindness and profuse hostility all in under 5 minutes.

Imagine that

My kids pretend to have imaginary friends. Is that statement contradictory? They don't really have them but they wish they did and so they have made some up. Their names have caused a lot of confusion in our house though. Elli's imaginary friend is Self. She always tells me:

Self can fly.
Who?
Self.
Who is Seff?
My imaginary friend!
Oh, yeah. I keep forgetting.

or

I got in a fight with Self today.
Who did you get in a fight with? Someone at school?
No. With Self.
Oh.

And so Ben must copy but still be different, so his friend's name is Me. Even more confusing than Self.

Me isn't hungry.
You're not hungry?
No, Me isn't hungry.
Mee?
Yeah, Me. My imaginary friend.
Oh yeah.

I have to be reminded about once a day per child about imaginary friends' names and then I can just respond for the rest of the day with feigned interest.

When I'm rich, I'm gonna see all the shows

Willkommen
Bienvenue
Welcome

fremde
etranger
stranger

glücklich zu sehen
je suis enchante
happy to see you

bleibe!
reste!
stay!

Willkommen
Bienvenue
Welcome

im Cabaret
au Cabaret
to Cabaret

Ahhh. I've loved that song ever since I first heard it on the showtunes channel in an airplane flying over the Atlantic 10 years ago. Since I've studied German, I've dabbled in French, and I know a thing or two about English, it's right up my alley. When I got home I researched and found out which show it was from. Turns out: Cabaret. You were never going to guess, were you. (I realize that is a question but I don't want it to read like one.) I borrowed the CD from the library way back when and learned to love all of the songs but I've still never actually seen it. (Live or in movie form.) If anyone sees it ever playing in town, let me know. And come with me! Except it may or may not be about a few risqué topics. That might change your mind about whether you want to see it or not.

(I hope I spelled everything right.)

A title

Some people use their blogs as a journal/scrapbook. Some people use it to write down their crazy thoughts. Some use it to record their past. I do it for all of those reasons. But I admit I have been lacking in the day to day journaling bit. Here are a few things that have happened in the past 2 months:

Elli was baptized. And it was good.Easter egg hunts. They were good too.

(Why, yes. We are trying to grow grass in our flower beds, thanks for noticing. We've worked long and hard to get that to happen. It's really starting to take hold and flourish.)

We've eaten lots of chocolate.

Ben made a playdoh Yoda.

Rachel, Lindsay, Sini, me, Naoma - I'm the shorty of the group

I "ran" the Race for the Cure.

Michelle, Anikka, me, Sini - Ha ha, not so short now eh? He he. Alright fine, she's a child.

Elli performed in "Enchanted"

She did such a good job. We're so proud of her.

And last and least, a little playing in the sprinklers. White trash style. (I couldn't find our sprinkler head.) (And they are not in their swimsuits.) This was the best we could do.

Well, she is happy...

Ben thought he was soooo funny by putting this on Addie's back. It says "happy". He laughed and laughed at himself for coming up with the idea. I don't even know where he learned to do anything like that. He loved the fact that she had no idea it was there. More little boy laughter.

Of course, all the laughing from Ben made Addie laugh and then that in turn made Ben laugh even harder because she just had no idea.