99111

Let's pretend for a moment my cell phone is actually in a place where my kids could find it in case of an emergency (ok-with that said I'm now going to go make a place for my cell phone to always be in case of an emergency), we might be in a tad bit of trouble it if is left up to Billy to call for help.  He stubbornly believes that 99111 IS the emergency number.

However, after a week of fire safety (during which I accidentally ignited spaghetti noodles, momentarily transforming my stove top into a ball of flames), all of the kids can stop, drop, and roll and know all about poisonous smoke and fire dogs.

I took them on a field trip to our volunteer fire station, where they played with lights, sirens, hoses, and masks.  True to their unpredictable nature, they rushed right through the tour of the big red engine so they could look in the chief's command vehicle:

Smash! Crash! Mash!

 Last week Billy asked how a light bulb worked, and I gave him a simple answer about electricity.  Of course, that was too simple for him, and to mask my ignorance I told him we'd make that a science experiment for another day.

Yesterday I changed a light bulb.  Who throws away a seemingly worthless light bulb with a budding scientist around?  Not I!

After some simple safety warnings, I gave Billy the light bulb and a diagram.

BORING!

Why not put the bulb in a ziplock and add a hammer?

Now that's more like it!

There's no better way to explore a light bulb than to see it in person!

Hello 2011

While they certainly didn't stay up until midnight, Billy and Alexa rang in the new year with a bedroom campout with their new sleeping bags from Grandma and Papa. 

Made With Love

Remember how much Billy loves his grandparents?  For Christmas he made Grandma and Papa grandparent mugs and a coaster.  The coaster is made out of clay, and in a stroke of organizing genius I threw away the box to save space.  The directions for drying were on the box.  We tried letting it air dry.  No.  We tried putting it in front of the heater to dry it out.  It melted.  We tried freezing it.  It got cold.  So, Billy gave the gift with the warning that it needed something under it so it would not stain the counter top.

Here is a guest blog entry from Grandma Susanne:

Billy was so cute today...

I caught him out of the corner of my eye, ever so carefully carrying my grandma coffee mug through the dining room.  I knew it had coffee left in it from this morning, so I didn't say anything, so as to not startle him.  After he set it down on the counter, I walked in to see what he was up to.  He had carefully placed it on the blue coaster he had made me for Christmas.  He was ever so proud, and went on to tell me I could use it for my cup, or put candy in it, and something else I can't remember. Oh, and I really shouldn't put it on a plate (which is where it was). So sweet and sincere.  What a love.

Cookie Jar Grandma

I'm wondering if our family could strike it rich being a subject for a Nature Vs. Nurture study.  Really.  Between Billy, Rocky, Alexa and me, and our biological and social relationships with one another, our family is pretty interesting.  Alexa is a mini-me.  At least we know the high-pitched screaming was proudly passed down the bloodlines.  And Billy, well, he inherited my inability to remember somebody's name no matter how many times he's heard it.  Wait?  How could that happen?

Billy remembers everyone through association.  He has Puppy Grandma (a name borrowed from his cousin Tiff), Callie's dad with the farm, Rocky's Dad Grandpa, and Cookie Jar Grandma (there is also a Cookie Museum-apparently cookies have a considerable impact on him.)

Cookie Jar Grandma is my Grandma Lois.  The kids love to go out to her house and visit, see the horses, look at the pumpkin patch, and, of course, eat cookies out of the "Get Your Hand Out of My Cookie Jar" cookie jar.  Hence, Cookie Jar Grandma.