Sherry Ellis's Blog, page 139
July 31, 2011
Bottled Creatures
Today I found my son rummaging through the recycle container.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"You'll see."
A few minutes later he placed an empty water bottle on the table. Except it wasn't really empty. There was a cicada inside.
I looked at my son and shook my head. "How long are you going to keep that thing?"
"I don't know."
He went off, leaving the cicada on my kitchen table.
About twenty minutes later, he came in with an empty milk jug. Except it wasn't really empty. There was a baby toad inside.
"What are you going to do with that?"
"Examine him."
So now I have a cicada and a toad sitting in containers on my kitchen table. What next?
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"You'll see."
A few minutes later he placed an empty water bottle on the table. Except it wasn't really empty. There was a cicada inside.
I looked at my son and shook my head. "How long are you going to keep that thing?"
"I don't know."
He went off, leaving the cicada on my kitchen table.
About twenty minutes later, he came in with an empty milk jug. Except it wasn't really empty. There was a baby toad inside.
"What are you going to do with that?"
"Examine him."
So now I have a cicada and a toad sitting in containers on my kitchen table. What next?
July 29, 2011
Frog Catching
"Mom, can I go catch a frog?" my seven-year-old son asked.
"Uh, sure. It's hot outside. Are you sure you want to do that?"
"Yep."
"Okay."
He went about his business and I went about mine.
A few minutes later, I heard some rustling in the loft. I walked over to investigate.
I found my son holding our aquatic African clawed frog. He had pulled it out of the tank.
"I caught one!"
"Uh, sure. It's hot outside. Are you sure you want to do that?"
"Yep."
"Okay."
He went about his business and I went about mine.
A few minutes later, I heard some rustling in the loft. I walked over to investigate.
I found my son holding our aquatic African clawed frog. He had pulled it out of the tank.
"I caught one!"
July 28, 2011
Peanut Butter War Paint
My son and his buddy were sitting at my kitchen table eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Sounds harmeless enough, doesn't it?
Two minutes later: "Mom, how do carrots and peanut butter taste together?"
"I don't know. I think carrots and ranch dressing would taste better."
"Can I have some ranch dressing...and peanut butter."
I looked at him and grimaced. "Are you sure?"
"Yep."
I gave the boys some peanut butter and ranch dressing along with some carrots. Then I went back to washing dishes.
Oddly enough, they liked the combination. They asked for more peanut butter.
I looked at them kind of funny, but I gave it to them anyway. Big mistake. Two seconds later, they dipped their fingers in it and started applying it to their faces.
"War paint!" they cried as they jumped around like wild Indians.
Unbelievable!
Two minutes later: "Mom, how do carrots and peanut butter taste together?"
"I don't know. I think carrots and ranch dressing would taste better."
"Can I have some ranch dressing...and peanut butter."
I looked at him and grimaced. "Are you sure?"
"Yep."
I gave the boys some peanut butter and ranch dressing along with some carrots. Then I went back to washing dishes.
Oddly enough, they liked the combination. They asked for more peanut butter.
I looked at them kind of funny, but I gave it to them anyway. Big mistake. Two seconds later, they dipped their fingers in it and started applying it to their faces.
"War paint!" they cried as they jumped around like wild Indians.
Unbelievable!
July 27, 2011
Bag of Minnows
My son went to his buddy's house for a playdate. The house is situated right on the lake, so the boys like to play by the lake, searching for frogs and harassing the fish.
When I went to pick up my son, I noticed he had a zip-lock bag in his hands.
"What do you have there?" I asked him.
"Minnows," he responded.
"I think you had better put those little fish back in the lake. They might die if you don't."
"They're in lake water. They'll be fine," my son said.
"They're going to get hungry," I replied, hoping to convince the little guy to return the creatures to their home.
He promptly scooped up some algae and threw it into the bag.
"There. They'll be fine."
So now we have a bag of minnows on our kitchen counter. What next?
When I went to pick up my son, I noticed he had a zip-lock bag in his hands.
"What do you have there?" I asked him.
"Minnows," he responded.
"I think you had better put those little fish back in the lake. They might die if you don't."
"They're in lake water. They'll be fine," my son said.
"They're going to get hungry," I replied, hoping to convince the little guy to return the creatures to their home.
He promptly scooped up some algae and threw it into the bag.
"There. They'll be fine."
So now we have a bag of minnows on our kitchen counter. What next?
July 26, 2011
Cup Castles
Today my kids went to the dentist for their semi-yearly checkup. I don't know what it is about going to the dentist, but my kids seem to have a need to entertain themselves in strange ways whenever we are there. Last time we went, I think my kids brought sheets and pretended to be ghosts in the waiting area.
Cup castles were the order for today's visit. My son promptly walked over to the water jug and usurped a handful of plastic cups.
"Hey, don't do that!" I said. "Those are for customers who are going to drink the water."
"I'm a customer, and I'm going to drink the water," he said.
Then he sat on the floor and began stacking the cups. I sighed as my daughter joined in the fun.
By the time they were called to the back by the hygienist, they had constructed a towering masterpiece.
The receptionist was impressed. I wasn't, because I was the one who cleaned it up!
Cup castles were the order for today's visit. My son promptly walked over to the water jug and usurped a handful of plastic cups.
"Hey, don't do that!" I said. "Those are for customers who are going to drink the water."
"I'm a customer, and I'm going to drink the water," he said.
Then he sat on the floor and began stacking the cups. I sighed as my daughter joined in the fun.
By the time they were called to the back by the hygienist, they had constructed a towering masterpiece.
The receptionist was impressed. I wasn't, because I was the one who cleaned it up!
July 24, 2011
Tire Re-tread Problem
There is a major issue here in Cincinnati with truckers losing their tire re-treads! A week ago, I almost ran over a huge chunk of tread in the road. A few days ago, my husband actually did run over a large re-tread because he couldn't get out of the way. If he was on his motorcycle, he would've been killed. Today, my family and I were almost involved in a serious accident because of one.
We were driving along on our way to the Dayton Air Show. Suddenly, the car next to us swerved into our lane to miss a huge re-tread that was in the middle of the freeway. Fortunately, my husband reacted quickly. We swerved onto the shoulder, nearly tipping onto two tires. It was very scary! Had we been just a little further up on the road, in the construction zone, we would have been crushed between the wall and the swerving vehicle!
Something has to be done about this. Either re-treading should not be allowed, or strict regulations should be placed on how much use re-tread tires should have. Most certainly, there should be a better clean-up of re-tread tires on the roads. They're everywhere and they're dangerous!
We were driving along on our way to the Dayton Air Show. Suddenly, the car next to us swerved into our lane to miss a huge re-tread that was in the middle of the freeway. Fortunately, my husband reacted quickly. We swerved onto the shoulder, nearly tipping onto two tires. It was very scary! Had we been just a little further up on the road, in the construction zone, we would have been crushed between the wall and the swerving vehicle!
Something has to be done about this. Either re-treading should not be allowed, or strict regulations should be placed on how much use re-tread tires should have. Most certainly, there should be a better clean-up of re-tread tires on the roads. They're everywhere and they're dangerous!
July 23, 2011
Birthday Present
"Mommy, I have a present for you," my son said.
"That's nice, but it's not quite my birthday," I replied.
"Here, you'll like it." He handed me a folded up leaf. "Open it."
I screamed as a bristly wooly bear caterpiller crawled out into my hand.
My son grinned ear to ear. "Wasn't that nice of me?"
I scowled at him. "Yeah, it's the nicest thing anybody has ever done to me in my entire life."
"That's nice, but it's not quite my birthday," I replied.
"Here, you'll like it." He handed me a folded up leaf. "Open it."
I screamed as a bristly wooly bear caterpiller crawled out into my hand.
My son grinned ear to ear. "Wasn't that nice of me?"
I scowled at him. "Yeah, it's the nicest thing anybody has ever done to me in my entire life."
July 22, 2011
Biker Boy
My son got a new bike for his birthday. He's loves it! He drove that thing up and down the street in the scorching heat for almost an hour.
When he took his helmet off, his head was soaked with sweat.
"Dude, take a break or your going to keel over from heat exhaustion," I said.
"No way! This bike is awesome!"
At least it's better than watching TV!
When he took his helmet off, his head was soaked with sweat.
"Dude, take a break or your going to keel over from heat exhaustion," I said.
"No way! This bike is awesome!"
At least it's better than watching TV!
July 21, 2011
Mud Men
I don't know why my son and his friend decided to spend almost the entire day outside. It was 97 degrees and humid. But that's what they did. They were out in the woods, wading in the creek, harrassing frogs.
I went outside to check on them.
"Aren't you guys hot?"
"No," they said.
Somehow I didn't believe them, since sweat was pouring off of their dirty heads.
I gave them some lemonade, patched up a few wounds, at let them carry on.
Eventually the friend's mother came to get him.
She took one look at him. "Whoa! What happened to you?" His legs were covered in mud. His shirt and shorts were covered in mud, his sandals were coverd in mud (at least my kid had creeking boots).
"Um, sorry about that," I said. "Let me hose him off."
That's what I did. Then I sent him on his merry way. That was one happy little boy!
I went outside to check on them.
"Aren't you guys hot?"
"No," they said.
Somehow I didn't believe them, since sweat was pouring off of their dirty heads.
I gave them some lemonade, patched up a few wounds, at let them carry on.
Eventually the friend's mother came to get him.
She took one look at him. "Whoa! What happened to you?" His legs were covered in mud. His shirt and shorts were covered in mud, his sandals were coverd in mud (at least my kid had creeking boots).
"Um, sorry about that," I said. "Let me hose him off."
That's what I did. Then I sent him on his merry way. That was one happy little boy!
July 20, 2011
Mr. Drool
No, I'm not referring to my dog, although he does drool a lot. I'm referring to my six-year-old son. Today he got his retainer from the orthodontist.
"He's probably going to drool a lot," the orthodontist warned.
Boy, was she right!
That boy stood at the desk as we made our next appointment, drooling all over the floor.
"Hey! That's disgusting!" I admonished.
"Ewww, gross," his big sister exclaimed.
He looked at us with a devilish grin. I knew he was really enjoying himself.
"Keep that slobber under control, or I'm going to have to throw you in the crate with the dog," I said.
I think that did the trick.
"He's probably going to drool a lot," the orthodontist warned.
Boy, was she right!
That boy stood at the desk as we made our next appointment, drooling all over the floor.
"Hey! That's disgusting!" I admonished.
"Ewww, gross," his big sister exclaimed.
He looked at us with a devilish grin. I knew he was really enjoying himself.
"Keep that slobber under control, or I'm going to have to throw you in the crate with the dog," I said.
I think that did the trick.
