Sarah finished her plaid skirt at the end of the week and wore it today with heels, keeping her heels on all day. "I like wearing heels," she chirped.

I had just finished a triumphant violin/harp practice session, and exclaimed joyfully, "How long did I practice? An hour?!" Peter responded, "More like TWO!"

Rebecca was singing lustily, "I could have danced all night" when Nate, eating his bowl of Lucky Charms, grumped, "Becca! Stop singing!" "Nate, practice tolerance," I chided. "I did," he defended. "Already."

The children put on some dancing music ("The Contradiction" by Celtic Woman). Anna approached Sarah and bowed and extended her hand, asking, "May I take a dance?"

Eliza took a bite out of an orange slice and grimaced. "It tastes kind of awkward...for an orange."

When I commented about the children's choice of maple bars and strawberry milk for breakfast, Nate remembered Bill Cosby and justified, "It has wheat and milk and eggs--a perfect nutritional breakfast, Mom."

"I know how to spell 'Christmas koalas: e-y-i-r. Is that correct?" (Anna)

I asked Rebecca what her favorite part of the Olive Garden was, since she chose it to go out for a birthday lunch: "The breadsticks. Without hesitation, the breadsticks."

After eating lunch out with Rebecca on her birthday, Anna recalled, "I ate the fettucine alfredo, and my tummy poofed out!"

"Man, never has 35 degrees felt so good." Sarah, after a week of record cold temps.

Anna was having a tantrum the other day. I reminded her of the song, "You better not pout, you better not cry." The following night, Anna had been too tired when it was bed time and shed more tears. Peter's prayer reflected his concern for her: "Please bless Anna to be able to get presents for Christmas."

Anna was watching Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer movie when Clarise started singing, "There's always tomorrow." Anna looked at the reindeer incredulously. "Reindeers can sing?" she asked, astonished.

Anna sat near the bowl of mini marshmallows waiting patiently for me to come help her make the ornaments I'd promised. Her cheeks were puffing out slightly. I smiled at her, and she immediately said, with some kind of unknown food in her mouth, "I only had 2!"

I love the individual personalities of my children and how they reflect what I have said to them at various times. Since I had forgotten to start the hard-boiled eggs this morning, Rebecca came to remind me. "I leave [in 18 minutes], so you have just enough time to get it done. Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!"


"Share with one another, for that is the happy way. That's what my step-mom's nanny taught her, and she taught it to me, and now I'm teaching it to you," I told Rebecca this morning. Julia piped up, "Jenny taught us something. I am a long, tall Texan. I ride to Texas on my big, white horse, and people look at me, and they say, 'Yeehoo! Is that your horse?' 'Yeah, that's my horse.' "


Rebecca was practicing her piano and singing at the same time. She announced to me that her class would be having a talent show. "This time, I'm not going to be afraid to sing. I'm gonna sing my heart out!"


I asked Sarah if she would put her camera in her purse before we jumped out of the car. "I'm not bringing my purse," she explained with perfect teenage disdain. "It doesn't match."


"TIME FOR SCRIPTURES!!!" Anna yelled at the top of her lungs, followed immediately (in a very normal, satisfied, conversational tone) by, "That will do."


Peter wanted to finish watching the army movie he and Lane started last night. "It's called 'Bridge at Remagen,' " Lane inserted. "I know," Pete said, condescendingly. "You told me last night." "I know, Lane retorted, "I'm telling you again."Those smart children! (P.S. I don't recommend this movie.)


I worked on a special French dinner tonight which included roast chicken (see food blog). Julia walked in and asked, "Is that Top Ramen?"

Rebecca was hanging the "Mistletoe Testing Done Here" sign over the door and told me, "You make sure you kiss Daddy under here."