Around here lately: July 2022 edition

Y'all, she asked me if this was "an old timey phone." OLD TIMEY.

Hey! We said it in unison!

Shave and a paper cut... Two bits!

Lily: Let's play in the water!
Claire: I think I'm going to stay ashore for a while.

I'm going to be bronked off!
Playing "bucking bronco" in the pool

It takes a lot of screwing up in my mind to think of a birthday present to give.

The Mona Lisa's face is unscrutable and unreadable.

What do we need to unstick-ify the griddle?

There's a smattering of flowers on the ground.

Around here lately: June 2022 edition

I failed at getting more of Claire's comments recorded this month. So, please enjoy this gem and some pictures:

The clouds look like cotton candy... like you could take a stick and swirl it!

Becoming more and more capable in the kitchen

Working on her novel

Late Night artwork

Around here lately: May 2022 edition

She is a very chattering girl!

Her first time reading through Anne of Green Gables

Thank you that Mommy has had such a good life so far! Praying for me on my birthday

I'll be Mithrandir. That sounds like a good girl name. They were VERY into The Hobbit this summer.

Using a cookie sheet to more efficiently pick up Picasso Tiles

Around here lately: April 2022 edition

April was a fail for me, as far as recording Claire quotables went. Part of this is simply due to the sad fact that she's growing up, and part of this is due to the fact that my brain is overloaded most days and I forget things. So, please enjoy pictures, sans quotes this month.

Friends of ours got baby chicks

DJ-ing during family Encanto sing-along

Visiting Duke Gardens

Her favorite way to spend her time <3

Around here lately: March 2022 edition

I'm bar graphing.

Smells like pool!

You know what? We might have to go again in the future because Hallie won't remember.

Disney

It smells a little bit too good.

Strong perfume on a lady walking past

Upon leaving Disney to head home I don't want to leave the magic!

Text I sent to my sister: Last night, Claire came out of her room, teary, and I asked how she was doing. She said, "I've just been telling myself the story of our Disney trip."

Around here lately: February 2022 edition

I'm not trying to be boastful, but I'm kind of an expert at hide and seek.

Mommy showed us your Valentine's day gift, but we are bound to secrecy.

We have a serious distaste for ROC. Russia's designation during the Olympics

We're being engineers, and engineers need to work without interruptions.

Around here lately: January 2022 edition

I didn't do a great job of recording her quotes for January, much to my chagrin.

One of the best parts about traveling is coming home, when you get that home-y feeling.

She's hungry and LOUDLY pronouncing it. Referring to Hallie

If I ever end up playing extreme hide-and-seek, I have this book to help me!

STALT: stop + halt

Around here lately: December 2021 edition

He's cutting its bonds!
Brad cutting the butcher's twine from meat he was smoking

I love being here, but my VERY favorite place to be is home. 

This is one of my favorite places, but it doesn't have the proper affection of home.

She had to get her fair and share.

You can feel sorry for bad guys, can't you, Mommy?
Referring to the thieves on Home Alone

Can I go on the back deck? I won't get in any mischief that way.

Maybe Dr. Seuss heard about this guy...
Watching Scrooge on A Muppet's Christmas Carol and thinking about The Grinch

Antler : antennae on an insect

Around here lately: November 2021 edition

A magnificent idea just flashed through my head!

Can we make it my business to get the tape?

There's a SCORE of ladybugs!

Jesus was just full of surprises.

Lily: Why does our dining room have two doors?
Claire: Because our house is grand.

He can't resist us with our puppy eyes.

Erin: *says something*
Claire: HOW DARE YOU?
Erin: *surprised face*
Claire: I am my father's daughter!
Brad offers an indignant HOW DARE YOU? regularly.

Can I invisible-ize you?

The Thanksgiving parade! I love that episode!

You know...the orange pointy pencil thing.
Down marker at a football game

We need to put the tree's dress on.
Christmas tree skirt

Hold the dickins!
Not entirely sure what she was going for, but she said it with enthusiasm.

Around here lately: October 2021 edition

Does she have a logical path of fear like Winn Dixie?
Pathological fear...referring to Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

Did you know Miss Amanda is a nurse that works at night? She's sort of nocturnal.

I got serious Ramona Quimby vibes from this outfit.

Erin: Yes, well, your mother is fabulous.
Claire: Um, are you boasting?

You know, we've tried a lot kinds of pretzels: big, sticks, round, regular. I think we just need to add a Mickey pretzel to our list...

Composing an email to a friend in Honduras (TCK of an American family)

Claire's Sunday school teach to me, as I picked her up:
You're Claire's mom, right? She is a joy to have in Sunday school.

Comment from the room mom for Claire's class at Community Day:
Claire is a delight!

Reading the much-anticipated response to her email to Honduras

I heard a scary noise and simply made a bolt for it!

Our tigers ate up those sharp-back pigs!
Auburn beat Arkansas, and this is my FAVORITE.

Pocket watches are very British.

I think now would be a good time to explain why water gets higher when ice is in it.

I got to go up the longest ladder! I would never have hoped for such a dream!
Playing Chutes and Ladders

Did you know I'm a little bit like Aravis and a little bit like Lasaraleen? I like dogs and archery and swimming, but I also like jewelry and clothes.
A very good analysis of two characters from The Horse and His Boy

Another mom at church filled me in on an overhead conversation:
Another little girl at dance (at church): Who's Mrs Anne?
Claire: Well, Miss Maggie helps Miss Bethany, and Mrs Anne fixes everything.
She was NOT WRONG. All the moms agree.

Around here lately: September 2021 edition

Despite my failure to post here, I have continued to record the girls' sayings and commentaries. Please enjoy!

Tithe... You know... God's money.

Sometimes, I'm slow on these math problems because they're hidden in the back of my brain. It takes a minute to pull them out.

Sometimes my left hand gets tired, but my right hand has more free time, so I can use it to open hard things.

I'm LONGING for some sunny weather!

No, Lily, you can just SAY "I'm going to be king," like Russia did.
Note: this comment was made last summer, before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. She made this comment after studying Ukrainian history for our Ukraine unit in August 2021. It's still a true comment, though.

Oh, that would be frightful!

Erin: Why was everyone making noise in the hallway this morning?
Claire: Oh, because Trumpkin escaped.

Re: the triple bunk bed in their room
Brad: Claire, you still like sleeping on top?
Claire: Uh yeah! It's the best thing ever!