Sherry Ellis's Blog, page 105
August 25, 2012
Growing Up
My little girl isn't a little girl anymore. Today, she started her first real job. She's a dance assistant at the dance studio. I watched her help the little ballet bears, and couldn't help remembering when she was a three-year-old in a tutu. My, how the time flies!
As we got in the car, she made an announcement. "Mama, I lost my last baby tooth!"
Sure enough, her last molar had popped out, and she was holding it in her hand.
So tonight is the last night the tooth fairy will be visiting my daughter. I hope she doesn't get too emotional!
As we got in the car, she made an announcement. "Mama, I lost my last baby tooth!"
Sure enough, her last molar had popped out, and she was holding it in her hand.
So tonight is the last night the tooth fairy will be visiting my daughter. I hope she doesn't get too emotional!
August 24, 2012
Doing the Happy Dance
It was the first day of school. My son was very excited to get started and see his teacher and classmates. He got up at the crack of dawn, and was ready to go to the bus stop before I even had breakfast on the table.
"Dude, we don't have to leave for forty-five minutes!" I said.
"But I'm ready!"
He most certainly was. We finished breakfast, brushed our teeth, and headed for the bus stop.
At the bus stop, my boy could barely contain himself. He started hopping around.
"Bubba, chill out!" I said.
"I can't, Mama. I'm doing the happy dance!"
Okay then.
Fast forward to the afternoon. Bubba got off the bus with a big grin on his face.
"Did you have a good first day at school?"
"Yeah, Mama! And guess what?"
"What?"
"The teacher did a happy dance, too!"
"Really?" I said.
"Yeah. She said we were the best class ever, because we didn't talk when we weren't supposed to. So she did a little dance, like this." Bubba jumped around with his hands in the air.
That's what I call a good first day. I hope every day makes my boy and his teacher want to do the happy dance!
"Dude, we don't have to leave for forty-five minutes!" I said.
"But I'm ready!"
He most certainly was. We finished breakfast, brushed our teeth, and headed for the bus stop.
At the bus stop, my boy could barely contain himself. He started hopping around.
"Bubba, chill out!" I said.
"I can't, Mama. I'm doing the happy dance!"
Okay then.
Fast forward to the afternoon. Bubba got off the bus with a big grin on his face.
"Did you have a good first day at school?"
"Yeah, Mama! And guess what?"
"What?"
"The teacher did a happy dance, too!"
"Really?" I said.
"Yeah. She said we were the best class ever, because we didn't talk when we weren't supposed to. So she did a little dance, like this." Bubba jumped around with his hands in the air.
That's what I call a good first day. I hope every day makes my boy and his teacher want to do the happy dance!
August 23, 2012
Last Day of Summer Vacation
"Mama," my eight-year-old son said. "I'm sad."
"Why are you sad?" I asked.
"Because it's the last day of summer vacation."
"Yeah," I said. "I guess that is kind of sad. So, what are you going to do?"
He thought about that. "Hmmm. I'm going to fish and look for turtles. Then I'm going to go swimming. Then I'm going to have a picnic. Then I'm going to bike all around the neighborhood. Then I'm going to play with my friends. And I don't know what else."
So, on this last day of summer vacation, we went to the lake. We went to the pool. The kids biked around the block. They played with their friends. And yes, we even had a picnic.
It was a great last day of summer vacation!
"Why are you sad?" I asked.
"Because it's the last day of summer vacation."
"Yeah," I said. "I guess that is kind of sad. So, what are you going to do?"
He thought about that. "Hmmm. I'm going to fish and look for turtles. Then I'm going to go swimming. Then I'm going to have a picnic. Then I'm going to bike all around the neighborhood. Then I'm going to play with my friends. And I don't know what else."
So, on this last day of summer vacation, we went to the lake. We went to the pool. The kids biked around the block. They played with their friends. And yes, we even had a picnic.
It was a great last day of summer vacation!
August 22, 2012
Bubba, the Salesman
"Daddy," my eight-year-old son said. "I need a Wii."
That piqued my interest, so I walked over to the office to hear how this conversation would play out.
My husband listened patiently as Bubba laid out all the reasons he needed a Wii. Then he grinned. "Bubba, do you know what a salesman is?"
Bubba looked at him and scrunched up his eyebrows. "A man who sells things?"
"No, Bubba. A salesman is somebody who tries to make people buy what they don't need."
Bubba didn't get that, so my husband explained. "Do you need a Wii?"
"Yeah."
"No, you don't. You want a Wii, and you're trying to sell me on buying you one. You're a natural born salesman!"
Bubba grinned. "That's what I'm going to be when I grow up. I'm going to be a salesman for Papa John's pizza. And I'm going to make everybody in the world buy Papa John's pizza."
(I'm sure the owner of Papa John's pizza is just thrilled with that news. Now you all should go out and buy some Papa John's pizza, because Bubba says so.)
That piqued my interest, so I walked over to the office to hear how this conversation would play out.
My husband listened patiently as Bubba laid out all the reasons he needed a Wii. Then he grinned. "Bubba, do you know what a salesman is?"
Bubba looked at him and scrunched up his eyebrows. "A man who sells things?"
"No, Bubba. A salesman is somebody who tries to make people buy what they don't need."
Bubba didn't get that, so my husband explained. "Do you need a Wii?"
"Yeah."
"No, you don't. You want a Wii, and you're trying to sell me on buying you one. You're a natural born salesman!"
Bubba grinned. "That's what I'm going to be when I grow up. I'm going to be a salesman for Papa John's pizza. And I'm going to make everybody in the world buy Papa John's pizza."
(I'm sure the owner of Papa John's pizza is just thrilled with that news. Now you all should go out and buy some Papa John's pizza, because Bubba says so.)
August 21, 2012
Impressing the Girlfriend
No, I'm not talking about my son's girlfriend. He's way too young for that sort of thing! I'm talking about my German Shepherd, Schultz's girlfriend. She's a pretty Golden Retriever. You might remember her from a previous post, where Schultz was so busy gawking at her, that he walked right into to bush.
Well, the saga continues. I took Schultz for a walk. Everything was fine until he decided he needed to do his business. He stopped and did what doggies do. I was not aware that his girlfriend was behind us, being biked around the block. As soon as she saw Schultz doing his business, she charged.
Here's what happened next: The kid who was biking the pretty Golden Retriever nearly fell off his bike. The pretty Golden Retriever jumped into Schultz's poo, and Schultz jumped on top of the pretty Golden Retriever. It was a mess. Leashes were tangled, and the kid and I were not too happy. But apparently, Schultz and his girlfriend were very happy. They wagged their tails in sheer glee.
We managed to get dogs and leashes untangled. Then the kid and his dog continued on their way. The Golden Retriever did a quick look back at Schultz and wagged her tail.
Apparently Schultz knows how to impress the ladies!
Well, the saga continues. I took Schultz for a walk. Everything was fine until he decided he needed to do his business. He stopped and did what doggies do. I was not aware that his girlfriend was behind us, being biked around the block. As soon as she saw Schultz doing his business, she charged.
Here's what happened next: The kid who was biking the pretty Golden Retriever nearly fell off his bike. The pretty Golden Retriever jumped into Schultz's poo, and Schultz jumped on top of the pretty Golden Retriever. It was a mess. Leashes were tangled, and the kid and I were not too happy. But apparently, Schultz and his girlfriend were very happy. They wagged their tails in sheer glee.
We managed to get dogs and leashes untangled. Then the kid and his dog continued on their way. The Golden Retriever did a quick look back at Schultz and wagged her tail.
Apparently Schultz knows how to impress the ladies!
August 20, 2012
Graham Cracker Crust
Before I share my graham cracker crust story, I wanted to let you all know that I'm a guest over at Mum and Babies. If you have a chance, please stop by and visit.
Now for the story.
I had gotten the ingredients to make a strawberry pie with graham cracker crust. As the day went on, I knew I was running out of time to make it, so I asked my ten-year-old daughter to do it. She had done it before, so I figured it would be no problem.
A little while later, she presented me with the finished product. "Ta dah!"
I looked at that thing. Yes there were strawberries in there, but the top wasn't quite what I expected. She had taken whole graham crackers, laid them on top of the pie, and scooped cool whip on top of them.
"Um," I said looking at that thing. "That's interesting. What's up with the graham crackers?"
"It's a graham cracker crust," she said. "I didn't think we had enough cool whip, so I did it like this."
Now that's what I call a literal graham cracker crust!
Now for the story.
I had gotten the ingredients to make a strawberry pie with graham cracker crust. As the day went on, I knew I was running out of time to make it, so I asked my ten-year-old daughter to do it. She had done it before, so I figured it would be no problem.
A little while later, she presented me with the finished product. "Ta dah!"
I looked at that thing. Yes there were strawberries in there, but the top wasn't quite what I expected. She had taken whole graham crackers, laid them on top of the pie, and scooped cool whip on top of them.
"Um," I said looking at that thing. "That's interesting. What's up with the graham crackers?"
"It's a graham cracker crust," she said. "I didn't think we had enough cool whip, so I did it like this."
Now that's what I call a literal graham cracker crust!
August 17, 2012
The Big Bike Show
"Mama," my eight-year-old son said, running into the house. "Come and see our bike show!"
"What are you talking about?" I asked.
"Just come on. You'll see."
I followed the boy outside to a street a few blocks away. In the middle of a cul-de-sac was a bike ramp.
Uh oh, I thought. This can't be good.
About seven boys were biking around, doing all kinds of not-so-safe tricks. I watched as my boy jumped the ramp. Then he whipped around and did some kind of fancy one-foot-on-the-pedal, one-foot-up-in-the-air move. I thought I was going to have a heart-attack.
"Uh, Bubba," I said. "I'm not so sure this is safe."
"Don't worry, Mama. I've been practicing."
Uh huh. He's been practicing.
I watched the show for about a half hour. Miraculously, nobody got hurt. I was glad when his bike was in the garage and he was safe in the house.
Wasn't it just last year that I taught him how to ride his bike?
August 16, 2012
Hat Model
Today, as I sat plunking away at the computer, my daughter came up behind me. She had a rectangular fabric in her hand which she promptly placed on my head.
"What the heck are you doing?" I asked. I wasn't exactly pleased having that thing on me.
"Making a hat," my daughter said.
"A hat?"
"Yeah. For Schultz."
Okay. I don't know what made her think that I'd be a good model for that sort of thing, because the last time I looked, I didn't have large pointy ears sticking up off the top of my head. (Schultz, in case you don't know, is our big German Shepherd dog.)
"Just stay still while I figure out where the ear holes go."
I made a face and continued plunking.
A short while later, the measurements were taken, and the hat was completed. My daughter asked Schultz to sit while she gently placed the hat on his enormous head.
And guess what? It was a perfect fit!
"What the heck are you doing?" I asked. I wasn't exactly pleased having that thing on me.
"Making a hat," my daughter said.
"A hat?"
"Yeah. For Schultz."
Okay. I don't know what made her think that I'd be a good model for that sort of thing, because the last time I looked, I didn't have large pointy ears sticking up off the top of my head. (Schultz, in case you don't know, is our big German Shepherd dog.)
"Just stay still while I figure out where the ear holes go."
I made a face and continued plunking.
A short while later, the measurements were taken, and the hat was completed. My daughter asked Schultz to sit while she gently placed the hat on his enormous head.
And guess what? It was a perfect fit!
August 15, 2012
Messed Up GPS
I took my son into Super Walmart today to get a new fishing reel. That boy has been fishing so much, that he busted his old one.
We walked in, and I took the main aisle to the right - not my usual route.
"Mama," my son said. "You're not going the right way."
"Sure I am," I said.
"No. You're supposed to go straight, and then take a right."
"I can go this way," I reassured him.
"Mama, I think your GPS is broken."
"Nothing wrong with my GPS," I said as I kept walking.
He made a face and followed. I meandered through the aisles, purposely making the journey seem as complicated as possible. Finally we arrived at the sporting goods section. The fishing poles rose victoriously into the air, announcing our arrival.
"See, I told you we'd get here."
"Yeah, but I still think your GPS is seriously messed up!"
We walked in, and I took the main aisle to the right - not my usual route.
"Mama," my son said. "You're not going the right way."
"Sure I am," I said.
"No. You're supposed to go straight, and then take a right."
"I can go this way," I reassured him.
"Mama, I think your GPS is broken."
"Nothing wrong with my GPS," I said as I kept walking.
He made a face and followed. I meandered through the aisles, purposely making the journey seem as complicated as possible. Finally we arrived at the sporting goods section. The fishing poles rose victoriously into the air, announcing our arrival.
"See, I told you we'd get here."
"Yeah, but I still think your GPS is seriously messed up!"
August 14, 2012
Muck Boot Dancing
Today, my daughter had a dance performance at a nursing home. Since my husband was working, I dragged my son along. He was not particularly thrilled about that, until he saw the donut/cookie table. The activity director at the nursing home went all out - there were two ginormous trays of cookies, another tray of donuts, grapes, and carrots. ( I guess the organizer figured there had to be something healthy served with all that junk.)
My son happily raided that table while all the little girls in tutus and tiaras danced around him. After he had his fill, he wiped off his chocolate covered face and started dancing. Now that, in itself, was pretty funny. But what made it even funnier, was the fact that he was wearing black rubber boots.
One of the moms chuckled. "Do you want to dance with us?" she asked.
My boy gave her a big grin. "I don't do ballet. I muck boot."
My son happily raided that table while all the little girls in tutus and tiaras danced around him. After he had his fill, he wiped off his chocolate covered face and started dancing. Now that, in itself, was pretty funny. But what made it even funnier, was the fact that he was wearing black rubber boots.
One of the moms chuckled. "Do you want to dance with us?" she asked.
My boy gave her a big grin. "I don't do ballet. I muck boot."
