7 Quick Takes (Volume 162)

1) How's this for a wonderful teaching moment?

Ladies Man: Mom, is Christmas your favorite holiday?

Me: No.

Ladies Man: What?!

Me: I don't like how Christmas stirs up desire for stuff we didn't think we needed two weeks ago. Suddenly everyone's focused on what they want. It doesn't seem right.

Ladies Man: I hear ya, Dawg.

Dawg?! Should I be happy he got my point or offended he called me Dawg?!

2) We had a great time at Drummer Boy's concert last Friday night.


Each year they start the concert the same way, lining the trumpets at the front of the stage, putting the lights out and playing the theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey. (It's hard to see Drummer Boy in this picture, but he's the dark headed guy standing in front of the middle bass drum, with his head turned slightly. Don't worry if you can't find him. There's no quiz at the end.)


Apparently Ladies Man has never attended this concert with us before. He spent the entire 90 minutes turning to Kevin and I saying, "This is awesome!"

Yes, it was. We enjoyed watching you, Drummer Boy! And great news, the band gets to fly down to Florida for the Huskers appearance in the Capital One bowl. They should have a great time.

3) Miss Innocent One is becoming a regular songbird. No matter what she's doing--cleaning her room, taking a shower, looking at Facebook, you name it--she's singing. She's part of her middle school's show choir and apparently takes it very seriously practicing her songs. She's quite unashamed about it until she sees me in her vicinity.

Miss Innocent One: Are you enjoying my probably terrible voice?

Is this girl a model of teen insecurity or what? And why is it a mother can't say anything to make it better? If you disagree and say, "I think you have a lovely voice," they come back with, "You have to say that. You're my mother." If you say, "Yeah, your voice is a little off," they say, "Rude!" and stomp off. What is a mother to do?

4) I went shopping with Drama Queen and Drummer Boy on Tuesday. It struck me how different shopping is with my older kids than my younger ones. The younger ones have big eyes. They see things they want as opposed to my older kids who understand the cost of things and walk through the mall on a mission to get their shopping done, not for ideas on what they want.

It was quite entertaining to watch Drummer Boy tease Drama Queen. It takes so very little. I can't tell you how many times I told her she makes it too easy.

Drama Queen (taking off her coat right before we exit the mall): Ugh. I'm hot.

Drummer Boy: Oh, so you're like a 5th grader who thinks they're too cool for a coat.

Drama Queen: It's not that cold out.

Drummer Boy: Look at me I'm tough. I don't need a coat.

Drama Queen growls.

Drummer Boy (just stepping outside): Shot gun.

Drama Queen: Nuh uh. You had it last time.

Drummer Boy: You gotta call it.

Growls.

Me: What are we? Five?

Drama Queen (as we're leaving the next place, but before we're out the door): Shotgun!

Drummer Boy: No. Shotgun rules clearly state you can't call it until you're outside.

Drama Queen: What?! No way.

Drummer Boy: It's the rules.

Growls. And guess who remembered to call it upon seeing daylight, producing more growls? Later when she put her coat back on . . .

Drummer Boy: Why are you wearing a coat? It's not that cold out.

And you can imagine, right? When will she learn she asks for it?

5) Ladies Man had a Christmas party with his beloved trombone section and had to wrap a gift for his Secret Santa person. Give the boy some tape and boxes and it's a very dangerous thing, I tell you. He decided to make unwrapping his present an event. He did the classic box in a box in a box move and then added his own flair, sticking the empty paper roll on top, adding a sign, a candy cane, some crepe paper. Isn't this slightly ridiculous?


Do you see why we should have bought stock in Scotch tape when this child was born?

6) There's this children's clothing store in our town which sets a baby doll in a high chair on the corner of a main drag down the block from them. Every single time I drive by that it catches my eye, but probably not in the way intended. It absolutely unnerves me. Immediately my mind goes to someone holding a baby captive or trying to sell it to the highest bidder. At the very least it looks like a kid's been abandoned. And it's a stinkin' doll! Every time I drive by, I'm momentarily alarmed, and then go, "Ooh. I don't like that."

Now I've never been in the actual store. I'm sure it's a perfectly safe place, but that advertising gives me the willies. I'm not sure I could enter without packing heat. (Don't I sound all street smart? No worries. I'm so boring, any lingo I know I picked up from t.v. and it's probably outdated.)

7) This mama is looking forward to having all her kiddos home for over a week. It will be a lively time at the Boesiger house soon. I was a little worried I'm not used to it anymore and the noise level will disintegrate the nerves of this introvert, but then I remembered I live in a house of late sleepers. The morning will always be mine. And the way my hormones are waking me up this week, I'll have lots of morning time.

I hope your weekend is grand and you too, look forward to time with your loved ones soon. Catch more Quick Takes at Conversion Diary.