Dinner Theatre

The following conversation took place in our kitchen during dinner tonight:
Sara: "Six tacos, Dad? That's disgusting!"
Dad: "That's nothing compared to my personal best."

Christmas Equity

When you're the parents of more than one child,
Christmas can often be hectic and wild.
Of course, there's all of the cooking and baking,
The decorating, the Christmas card making,
And the shopping for friends and relatives dear.
Yet, there is one thing that can fill you with fear:
How to be equitable with your kids' gifts.
You do not want to cause arguments or rifts
About who got the biggest and best Christmas stuff.
You fret and ask yourself, "Do I have enough?"
"Did I spend as much on Jill as I did on Jack?"
"Is there some present I might have to take back?"
I worry and wonder, and might even cry:
"Is there one more present I have yet to buy?"
I run to the store, and get one more gift for Ken.
I count all of the gifts and I count them again.
Everything seems even, so I start to wrap.
Things are looking good, and I take a short nap.
Late Christmas Eve all gifts are under the tree.
I'm feeling relief and as calm as I can be.
It's time to put away the wrapping supplies.
I open the closet, and what a surprise!
And what to my wondering eyes do appear,
But forgotten gifts I'd bought earlier this year!
There are two gifts for Jack, and three gifts for Jill,
And as for Ken, there are even more gifts still.
I stew, fret, then from the closet walk away.
I'll save the contents for the next Christmas day.

WHAT?!?!?!?

Today I made a quick trip to PCC (Puget Consumer Coop--a local grocery store aimed at the Mother Earth crowd) and was amused and shocked to discover something I'd never encountered before: organic mistletoe! Why, I ask, would anyone ever need organic mistletoe? It's not as if it will be eaten. In fact, mistletoe is poisonous if injested, so who cares whether or not it's organic? Please enlighten me.

Random Ramblings

1. Sadie, our dog, has a purple tooth and, according to the vet, needs a root canal. Since Sadie doesn't seem to be in pain, we're waiting to see if we really need to take her to a veterinary dentist in Seattle. Pet ownership can be expensive, but less expensive if one has pet health insurance.

2. Mark was frustrated with his math homework last night. He understood the problem and figured out the solution, but he struggled when he had to write the solution in words instead of numbers. I tried to help, explaining in great detail how he could pen his answer. After I had talked for a few minutes, Mark said, "I've come up with a solution, Mom. I was just getting so bored with your lecturing, I've decided to solve the problem myself." He did, and did it very well.

3. Dogs don't give you very much of a warning before they vomit.

4. Why is it that some children are so averse to resupplying the toilet paper holder with toilet paper?

5. "The reward of charity depends entirely upon the extent of the kindness in it." (Babylonian Talmud)

6. Rachelle, our second pickiest eater, detests beans (except string beans) in all forms, but she loves hummus (ground up garbanzo beans). Trader Joe's Mediterranean Hummus is the best!