This week our girls are in RVR's Day Camp w/three friends from church and a neighbor, and the four moms are taking turns making the commute. The following is a compilation of lines I heard while driving six kids between the ages of four & six during two hour-long segments. I wish I could remember more, it was so incredibly entertaining. If it seems heavily weighted on my friend's son, Ryan, it's because he was riding shotgun and he is one of those kids who enjoys conversing w/adults.
Imagine these snippets being said while the songs from "Enchanted" are playing, followed by a Disney mix:
Ryan: A lot of girls at school like me. They try to kiss me.
Me: Wow--you're a popular guy.
Ryan: My mom says I should save my kisses for my wife.
Me: Your mom is wise.
Evelyn: MOM!! Caleb is BOTHERING me!!
Ryan: I know my times tables.
Me: Caleb, is that true? (Caleb nods.)
Evelyn: He keeps hitting me with his elbow!
Caleb: She's sucking her thumb.
Ryan: I can divide, too. Three divided by two is one and a half.
Me: Caleb, is she bumping you or making noise while she's sucking her thumb?
Caleb: No. It just bothers me. She shouldn't be sucking her thumb.
Ryan: Are you listening to me?
Me: Just a minute, Ryan. Caleb, Evelyn IS a little old to be sucking her thumb. We'll let her suck her thumb every OTHER song on the CD, ok? Did you hear that, Evelyn? (She nods, scowling.)
Amelia: Can somebody hand me my blanket?
Brian: I don't know how big my head is.
Josh: My head is 10 miles.
Ryan: (singing in a little boy falsetto) Sing a happy working song...I watched this movie once at Hamiltopia when I was sick.
Me: I really like this movie.
Brian: How do you draw a house?
Ryan: I can draw a really GOOD house!
Me: Maybe you should become an architect.
Ryan: What's that?
Me: An architect is someone who designs buildings and houses.
Ryan: Oh. Well, I wouldn't be good at that. I have a hard time drawing steps and doorknobs.
Josh: Obi Wan does NOT have two light sabers.
Caleb: I'm just PRETENDING he has two light sabers.
Ryan: Bikini Bottom Jail.
Josh: It's Ryan's song playing! Ryan's song! ("Kiss the Girl" from Little Mermaid has begun. Ryan is smiling. Josh is Ryan's younger brother.)
Me: What did you just say, Ryan?
Ryan: (Grinning) "Bikini Bottom Jail." It's from Spongebob. (Then, turning around, but still grinning) JOSH! This is NOT my song!!
Caleb: Can you change it?
Me: The song should be called "Kiss the Guy," since the girls at school try to kiss you.
Evelyn: MOM! It's not "Kiss the GUY," it's "Kiss the GIRL!" "Kiss the GIRL," "Kiss the GIRL!!"
Caleb: (Hands over his ears) Can you PLEASE change the song? I don't like it.
Me: Ok. Ryan, can you change the song? Not everyone likes it. (Ryan skips to the next song.)
There was SO much more, but I can't remember it all and I don't want to start fictionalizing. Let's just say that I will MISS this soundtrack today, even though I've been so grateful to the other moms for sharing the driving.
It doesn't get better than this. (More pics from our mini trip in June.) This year's trip was the best yet because we bought the ride-all-you-want bracelets, unlike last year.
Note the ride where the girls are in a car w/another girl. My kids are notorious for climbing into rides w/other children (when other children are hoping for rides TO THEMSELVES.) We weren't quick enough to catch them before they added themselves to the car of this full-of-attitude gal who spent the whole ride gesturing to her friend (alone in her own car) about her demise. My girls, as you can see, were too absorbed in the pure ecstasy of the moment to realize that their new friend wasn't crazy about having passengers.
I'm so glad they are, at this point, still living in a fairly self-conscious-free zone. :) Besides, it gave Alan and me an awfully good laugh.
Five hours (yes, five hours!) of riding boardwalk rides, followed by, the next day, six hours on the beach, followed by ice cream at Dumser's (Alan said he can't look at the name w/out thinking "Dumpster's"--I'd never noticed that before! It's always just been this iconic, Ocean City landmark place to knock back a couple of melting, sprinkle-coated cones!)
That's the way we like to spend our beach vacations.
We love trips to the ocean. At this point there are only two things we feel the need to do: go to the boardwalk and play on the beach. And have races on the lawn outside the Princess Royale, where we splurged our yard sale earnings on one night--a two room suite and a dip in the hotel pool, but the girls still said they like "The Little Cottage" best. That's the trailer on the bay side we've rented three years in a row now, and the girls love the tradition.
We vacation on the cheap by cooking our own food, living up the freebies, and spending money on the things that are guaranteed winners (like the all-you-can-ride bracelets on the boardwalk. Totally worth it for our thrill-a-minute family!)
More pics will follow, but I'll start with these: the decapitated portrait Evelyn took of her parents, and her current I-hate-to-have-my-picture-taken attitude caught in, well, a picture.
The videos are evidence that Alan and I have a slight mean streak. Poor Amelia gets SO upset when she cannot win a race. So does Evelyn. You can see her trying to push me out of the way in one of them. But poor Amelia. Some lessons are hard learned--there's always someone faster!
Since July's half over, I figure I better catch up. June disappeared so suddenly--but here's proof that we did enjoy some art on the front porch (I really need to do this more. They LOVE "doing art," but I'm ashamed to say I tend to avoid the mess.)
I also took them to the Battle Monument School graduation, where they sat w/Aunt Lisa and were, miraculously, angelic. I actually had moments during the ceremony when I suddenly thought, "Holy cow! My kids are here! Are they wreaking havoc?!?" and I'd look over and see them quietly coloring or reading or playing with a toy in their seats, with Lisa next to them in her wheelchair, beaming. You can't imagine the rush of amazement, thankfulness, and pride. Good memories. :)
I'm a summer mom. I do not crave the stringent routine that school days dictate, and I have LOVED not having to get the girls up, dressed, fed, hair brushed, bags packed (and a zillion papers sorted, signed, and replaced into respective folders) and out the door on time. Obviously, they've filled the time with their own creative pursuits, such as decorating their rocking horses with stickers and barrettes. Love it.
June nor only saw the cessation of school, but Fathers' Day, when we gathered at Mom and Dad's w/Jon & Courtney & our kids to have a meal and share some memories. Courtney got Dad reminiscing about his favorite parenting memories, and the first thing that he said was "trips to Ocean City. Playing skeeball on the boardwalk." Good to know that the simplest things are always the best memories.
And Lisa and I had an outing--we spent an evening dining and strolling shops, looking through books at Barnes & Noble, and making those simple--but best--memories!
