Little Red is in the Hood

I snapped this picture of Miss Munchkin in the woods behind our house last Fall.

Pharmaceutical Fun

I learned a thing or two about my son this week.  Apparently Master Munchkin is one of those kids who gets an awful itchy rash when taking the antibiotic, Amoxicillan.  The kind that keeps him up at night, scratching madly.  So, like any good mother, I treated his allergic reaction with Benedryl.  Ha!  I bet you didn't know that Benedryl  makes some children hyper instead of sleepy!  I had no idea until this week.  The Master was chirping around, all perky and taking non-stop, generally getting on my nerves. Finally I took him by the shoulders and looked him in the eyes.

Why aren't you getting sleepy?!! 

He stared back, his eyes widening.  "I'm immune!"  And then he laughed his evil scientist laugh.

Happy Fall Y'All

On the first day of Fall, the Munchkins and I were were listening to Vivaldi's Autumn concerto on the car radio.  Or at least I thought they were listening.

Miss Munchkin: Is it pronounced "Ni-vall-di" or "Vi-vall-di"?

Master Munchkin:  I think it's "Na-Baldy."

Me (trying not to laugh): It's "Vivaldi".

Miss Munchkin:  Are you sure?  I always thought it was Nivaldi!

Master Munchkin:  Yeah!  I mean, what kind of idiot would name his kid, "Vivaldi"?!!

(fade to spirited classical music)

Overheard

Overheard at our house recently:

 Miss Munchkin:  Madeline had to have her expendix taken out.

Master Munchkin:  We need to make that again or I will die of Lack of Potato Soupness.

Miss Munchkin:  I walk all-the-day.  And I'm tired.

Sweet Sixteen

Miss Munchkin turned Sixteen this week.  She had a handful of friends over to help celebrate.

The homemade Photo Booth was a big hit.  I had everything set up – the backdrop, props, camera on a tripod, even a fan for flowing hair, and just let the girls (and Master Munchkin) go at it.  I loved what they came up with! :)

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Dear Miss Munchkin

Dear Miss Munchkin,


Please have mercy on your mother!  Yes, I know I showed you Mostly Martha and Julie & Julia and Ratatouille, and now you want to move to Paris and study cooking, but do you really need to practice on me?  You are killing my waistline with your delicious homemade Olive Bread, Apple Crisp, Rainbow Sugar Cookies, Baked Potato Soup and pasta fettuccine. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing your brother wearing an apron and acting as sous chef, but it is time you moved on to the next chapter in the cookbook.  The one with the veggies and low fat recipes.  Please?

Love,
Mom

A Tale Times Two

 Once upon a time, the Master came across a little snake in our yard.  At first he was cautious and had to check things out from a safe distance.
     
That didn’t last long! 

That snake kept him entertained for a long time.


Once upon a time, Frodo came across a little snake in our yard.  At first he was cautious and wanted to check things out from a safe distance. 

That didn’t last long!
 
That snake kept him entertained for a long time.

The end.

And an Eggroll to Go

My nine-year old boy cracks me up.  He has a deadpan way of saying things and will deliver the funniest lines without cracking even a hint of a smile.  We went out today for lunch at our favorite Chinese buffet and throughout the course of the meal, Master Munchkin made the following comments:

"I love shrimp.  Too bad they only come in bite-size."

Me: Here, try some of this squid.
"I made an oath never to eat anything with more than four legs."
Me: Shrimp have more than four legs.
Pause. "Four BIG legs."

Me: Are you done with your food?
"No, I still have ice cream;  Only a fool would give up his dream."

Miss Munchkin

"Look Mom, I can stand on the ceiling!"

Every since Miss Munchkin was little, she has been a very active child.  She was walking at 9 months, climbing trees when she was 2, and ran in places that she should have walked.  Along with her energy, she was very bright, very determined, and very, very busy.   I was exhausted!  I remember taking her to the library when she was two.  She ran away from me and I found her dancing on top of one of the library tables.  Honestly, there is a reason that there is a 7 year age-gap between our children.  I thought, "How can people have more than one of these impossible creatures precious children?!" 

With age came maturity and, thankfully, a drop in her energy level.  She was still determined, however.  She taught herself to ride her bike when she was 5; peddling furiously around the cuald-a-sac, sweaty and red-faced, falling over and over but refusing to give up.  It was the same with swimming and skiing.   When Miss Munchkin was 9, she decided that she wanted to go diving for treasure.  It didn't matter that we lived in land-locked Kansas.  She set her mind to it and, at age 10, became a certified scuba diver.  She passed the adult written test and all of the grueling physical and mental tasks set before her.  I remember standing on the edge of the lake, watching her disappear beneath the cloudy waters, where she had to go down 25 feet, remove her face mask, empty out the water and put it back on.

Now that she is almost 16, I see that some of that same stubbornness determination.  She's decided that she's going to be an "A" student.  She will be testing for her Black Belt in mixed martial arts this year.  As difficult as she was during the early years, she has actually been a delightful teenager.  And I'm really proud to be her parent.

Down but Far from Out

Master Munchkin is sick today.  He was running a slight fever last night and was complaining of a sore throat and headache so I kept him home from school.  Of course I'm concerned, but my gut instinct says it's nothing too major.  After he woke up this morning, I heard him playing in his room.  Pretty soon the strains of Rocky's "Gonna Fly Now" crept out from under his door.  I peeked in to see him jamin' on his keyboard.  Yep, I think he's going to survive. ;)

Winter Princess

Winter Princess, originally uploaded by MrsMama.

Another shot from Miss Munchkin's first formal school dance.

Out of the Mouths of Munchkins

"Mom!  Look at this icicle - it's impeccable!"  Master Munchkin

Miss Munchkin: Does my bottom look weird?
Me: Noooo, why?
Miss Munchkin: I'm wearing corduroy.  Corduroy always makes bottoms look weird.

Master Munchkin, upon seeing his sister's math book, in his best movie announcer voice: Algerbra 2: It's back.  And this time it's bad!

Master Munchkin: What's Calculus?
Me: I don't know; I never took it.
Master Munchkin: Of course you didn't; You're a free spirit!

In Which We are Stealthy

Our family has been enjoying the "Fight Science" TV series on National Geographic.  After watching this, the Munchkins set up their own laser maze in the basement.  They spent quite awhile sneaking though the deadly beams of string while trying to complete specific missions.  Who knew you could have so much fun from a skein of yarn?

My Funny Valentine

My Funny Valentine, originally uploaded by MrsMama.

I put this together for Miss Munchkin's Valentine Day cards this year. I did the post processing in Lightroom and used Big Huge Labs to make the mosaic. I think it turned out really cute!

In Which the Munchkins Compete

A few weeks ago the Munchkins competed in their first martial arts tournament. Master Munchkin entered Board Breaking and Flag Sparring. He set up 5 boards then struck each one, in order, quickly. The judges looked at technique and the degree of difficulty of each strike. He and another boy tied for first place so it came down to a "sudden death" contest. Only there was no death. The Master came in second but he was still pretty happy. I was just happy about the lack-of-death part.



Flag Sparring involves trying to remove the "flags" from your opponent's belt before they remove yours. The kids had a lot of fun with this one.



Miss Munchkin entered Point Sparring. This involves landing a kick or punch to certain areas of the body. Since there weren't any other participants in her belt rank, she had to spar Black Belt guys. Gulp!

Here she is, in the red belt, throwing a kick at her opponent. Of course she didn't win, but she held her own and had a pretty good attitude about the whole thing.



One of the highlights of the event was when the Master's teacher jumped over several children and broke a board. Very impressive!


They tried to get me to compete, but I insisted that they needed a photographer. So I hid behind my camera volunteered my services. I'm nice like that.

Munchkin Math

Master Munchkin came home from school with a math problem that he created. It reads as follows:

Bob has 60 hippos. He bought 19 more hippos.
How many hippos does Bob have now?

Bob has 38 cats. Bob's hippos ate 10 of Bob's cats.
How many cats does Bob have now?

That's my boy! :)

Now That I have you Hooked

Sorry to leave you "hanging" on that fish hook photo for so long. That just wasn't nice! Here's a happier photo: the Master holding the fish hook after it was removed from his foot. He was so relieved to have that over! I think the worst part of it (for me) was the long wait at the doctor's office.


I've been very busy taking photos this week. Last night was a fun Photoshoot. There was apple eating, spit-swapping, lots of laughter, a little blood, and a grown man hanging upside down from a tree! Here is a fun one: the expressions on the boys' faces crack me up!


Ann, your sneak peak is coming!

In Which the Master Finds a Fish Hook

Yesterday, I was in the middle of a Fall photoshoot with a family when the Master interrupted me with this:



Quick, grab your children and say, "See, this is why you wear shoes!"

Details, of both the Photoshoot and subsequent visit to the doctor's, to follow...

Master's Musings

Some gems from the Master:

Dad, do you think there is an anti-matter parallel universe?

(referring to a cartoon) They really have inaccurate theories; bullets don't blow up.

Mom, can you fix me something to devour?

Master Munchkin, age 8

A Truth Universally Acknowledged

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a young boy, when in the possession of an unsupervised computer, will Google websites like Happy Ninja and Extremely Sharp weapons and will be in Little Boy Heaven until his mother discovers him and grounds him for Googling without permission.