Amish?

This on the way to school this morning....

Libby:  Mom, tell me again how I'm French and Amish.

Me: K.......um....wait, what?

A Lot of Ones and Water

When Libby was little(r) she used to insist that after I tucked her in I'd come back in to check on her in her bed.  I always did.  I still do.  She'd say, "A lot of ones and water!" which meant, "Check on me a lot and bring water."  It started as her wanting to know exactly how long I was going to wait before coming in to check on her. I'd tell her ten minutes.  She'd try negotiating down to five, and eventually she understood that one minute goes by way faster than either five or ten.  From there she didn't want me to come back in just one minute, but "a lot of ones and water", which essentially meant, "Come in here every minute 'till you go to bed yourself".

I think agreeing to it was easier for my tired-and-done-with-this-day self rather than explaining exactly what sort of madness she was asking for.  So I'd always reply.  "Yep.  Got it.  A lot of ones and water. For sure.  I'm on it."  Eventually Peyton (from her bed) would yell the same.

It's been a while. I don't know how long since they've asked for a lot of ones and water, but long enough that a once so familiar bedtime mantra wasn't so familiar anymore.  Tonight at bedtime Peyton said, "Mom, what did we used to ask for at bedtime? Watermelon wishes and water?"  I couldn't figure out what she meant.

Watermelon wishes and water?

A lot of ones and water. Yep. Got it. For sure. On it.

N.O.

"No.  No scissors while wearing your roller skates.  Absolutely not."

Add this to the long list of things that I thought was just understood....

Frozen

My friends who have daughters are posting Frozen references on facebook one after another.  They're going to see the movie for the first time, or the fourth time.  They're singing the soundtrack, and planning themed birthday parties.  They're linking to Youtube covers of the songs and looking forward to Idina Menzel on tomorrow night's Oscars.

Us too.  I downloaded Let It Go and use it as the girls' morning alarm.  We sing it on the ride to school. Tonight the girls built an ice bridge out of pillows in the living room.  Then, while they danced together in the "snow" Peyton said, "Let's pretend our mom and dad died."

Awesome.

Q

Peyton and I are sitting together working on this week's homework packet. She has to come up with different words that start with certain letters. Like this....

Me: Q, babe. What word starts with q?

Peytie: qu...qu... Quelephant.

Me: Yes. Alright, then. Quelephant. Write that down. 

Lucky?

I'd like to think that I've played a small role in helping the girls become smart consumers. But this morning I can't help think I'm just the world's biggest buzzkill.....

"There isn't actually magic in every charm."  -Libby 

Winter Cleaning

A word to the wise.... If you're going to clean your oven, thereby setting off every smoke detector in the house, thereby needing to open every door and window, summer is probably a better time to do it.  Also, it takes three hours. So be prepared for that. You can thank me later.