Friday, July 10, 2015

7 Quick Takes about Playing Guessing Games with a Preschooler, the Most Inspirational Cafeteria Ever, and How to Get into the NBA

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! What's that? The last 7 days comin' atcha in 7 quick takes, that's what.

1


Phillip's coworker invited us out on his boat, and it was the perfect day. Seriously perfect, from the moment we pulled into the one open parking space at the wharf to the end of the day when I realized it had been 6 hours and NO ONE HAD SUNK THE BOAT.

7 Quick Takes about Playing Guessing Games with a Preschooler, the Most Inspirational Cafeteria Ever, and How to Get into the NBA  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}


At one point we were anchored near the beach eating lunch when the couple on the next boat called over to us.

Nice Lady: [indicating the 5 kids] They are so well-behaved!
Me: Thank you.
Nice Lady: Are they all one family?
Me: Yes, they're all ours.
Nice Lady: Are you Mormon?

Yes. Yes, we are. Is it that obvious?

2


On the way home my 3-year-old was bored in the car so we started playing a game. After my experience, I don't recommend guessing games for 3-year-olds.

Me: I'm thinking of an animal that has 4 legs, pointy ears, and a long tail.
3yo: A dog?
Me: No, this animal has whiskers and catches mice.
3yo: An octopus?

Next I asked her to give me clues and I'd do the guessing.

3yo: It's purple and has spikes and lives in the water.
Me: A sea anemone?
3yo: No, sometimes it goes out of the water.
Me: ... I don't know, I give up.
3yo: A monkey!

"That's not a real clue," I said. "Try again."

3yo: It has spikes and a body and it's round.
Me: Uh-uh. No more spikes. Think about an animal and give me an actual clue.
3yo: But it's a puffer fish!

Just keeping me on my toes.

3


Phillip and the three oldest kids ran a road race on the 4th of July. Yes, all three ended up running, much to our surprise.

The race registration was in an elementary school cafeteria, and I was equal parts amused and inspired by the 1970s motivational sayings painted on the walls.

7 Quick Takes about Playing Guessing Games with a Preschooler, the Most Inspirational Cafeteria Ever, and How to Get into the NBA  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
Not sure what this means, but okay!

7 Quick Takes about Playing Guessing Games with a Preschooler, the Most Inspirational Cafeteria Ever, and How to Get into the NBA  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
What's the definition of an oxymoron again?

7 Quick Takes about Playing Guessing Games with a Preschooler, the Most Inspirational Cafeteria Ever, and How to Get into the NBA  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
Is that even a word??

4


We had to figure out what to do with all the leftovers when the kids went nuts picking wild spinach, so we found a recipe for muffins that used a ton of it. They're a Halloween thing called Frankenmuffins (the recipe is here,) but the kids call them moldy muffins.

7 Quick Takes about Playing Guessing Games with a Preschooler, the Most Inspirational Cafeteria Ever, and How to Get into the NBA  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
If I look happy enough, they won't know there's 6 cups of spinach in this!

7 Quick Takes about Playing Guessing Games with a Preschooler, the Most Inspirational Cafeteria Ever, and How to Get into the NBA  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
Not as gross as they look.

The kids wanted to know what happens to moldy muffins when they get old. Are they called "moldy moldy muffins?"

5


We got a basketball hoop! The kids have been shooting around a lot in the driveway every day, but my 3-year-old was feeling a little left out. So we ordered her a Little Tikes hoop.

After viewing the images on Amazon, we feel completely sure that this purchase will guarantee her a pro basketball career.

7 Quick Takes about Playing Guessing Games with a Preschooler, the Most Inspirational Cafeteria Ever, and How to Get into the NBA  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
No performance-enhancing drugs were used in the making of this 4-year-old.
photo courtesy of Amazon

Like I said, it's an investment in her future.

6


While we were in the driveway putting our new hoop together, the world's most gigantic beetle came to check it out.

7 Quick Takes about Playing Guessing Games with a Preschooler, the Most Inspirational Cafeteria Ever, and How to Get into the NBA  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
I had to bribe my son to put his hand near it to show the scale of this thing. Enormous.

After this picture was taken we had to fling it into the woods with a stick so it didn't eat the baby.

7


We're making Japanese gyozas this weekend for our educational fake trip around the world, and bought these rice paper wrappers for Phillip, who can't eat gluten. The instructions on the back were extremely helpful:

7 Quick Takes about Playing Guessing Games with a Preschooler, the Most Inspirational Cafeteria Ever, and How to Get into the NBA  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}

We will be sure to "soften rice paper by quick evenly deeping in cold or warm water for 2-3 seconds" when we're ready to use them.


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10 comments:

Jenny said...

I loved boating growin up. So I'm glad you got to go.

You're kids are awesome that they will try those muffins. I have a hard time eating green things. I always imagine it tasting bitter...or like grass. And sometimes I'm not wrong about that.

Rachel said...

#3....those exclamation points...."think interdependently!" ...that is just so bizarrely weird! Thank you so much for sharing!
The Japanese food thing? I have distinct memories of my family doing very much the same sort of "travel the world" at home activities back when we were normal homeschooling Michiganders. Japan was one of our countries, too. I distinctly remember us being so shocked and amazing by seaweed and chopsticks....and another country must have involved papaya for some reason, because I remember a special grocery store trip to buy papaya and it being this super mysterious food. It was really cool, and I have great little memories of learning about the world that way...

Of course then life went crazy and we moved to Asia in 2004 and now my little sisters use chopsticks and eat seaweed on the daily and we had a papaya tree in the backyard until we chopped it down because we were so sick of papaya.

Anonymous said...

I love your writing style!
Congrats on NOT sinking the boat! lol
Bravo to your kids eating the "moldy muffins".
The 3 yr old is so cute!

Jenny Evans said...

It really is a crapshoot when you eat green food... luckily spinach is one of those things that, when shredded and cooked in something, adds color but not flavor!

Jenny Evans said...

I'm so glad to hear that you have fond memories of this growing up. I think my kids will too (that's the only reason I would ever do this, because it's a lot of work!)

If only you'd known how closely you and Asian culture would become when you were homeschooling in Michigan and thought only weirdos ate seaweed...

Jenny Evans said...

She is very cute. I'm convinced it's a survival mechanism.

Carolyn said...

Funny post, cute stories! #sharewithme

Carolyn
http://www.stylishmemories.com

Random Musings said...

I love your writing style! Love the comment about getting rid of the beetle before it ate the baby lol :) #sharewithme
Debbie
www.myrandommusings.blogspot.com

Let's Talk Mommy said...

That's awesome that your kids ate those muffins. Way to go you that's mommy power. Your kids sound awesome and what a great compliment obvious or not. lol Thank you ever so much for linking up to Share With Me #sharewithme

Jenjo Games said...

I really enjoy reading your blogs and it's amazing the way your write. The guessing game part cracked me up... "But it's a pufferfish!"