Friday, August 7, 2015

7 Quick Takes about Giant Popsicles, Road Rage But With Grilling, and How to Make a Tornado Drill Fun

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week?

1


We're all together again! My two oldest kids went to visit their grandparents for 10 days and it was pretty strange without them around.

Getting minors from the airport is fun. You get a special pass to pick them up at the gate, where they're hand-delivered to you by a flight attendant. The you have to sign for them, just like you're getting an important package from UPS.

—2


Before the big kids arrived home, though, Phillip and I took the little kids to a children's amusement park. Luckily, everyone stopped barfing just in time to actually make the trip happen.

During the drive, Phillip asked if I could make a large neon sign reading "I don't know" to hold up for our 3-year-old's many, many "why" questions.

Why does the road make us go up? I don't know, because it's on a hill?

Why didn't you see the river? I don't know, because it wasn't in the direction my eyes were pointed?

There are just no good answers for questions like these.

3


There were lots of great rides and a few odd adornments in the amusement park.

Outside a winter-themed roller coaster called "The Polar Coaster," there was a 5-foot tall column of ice. I assume it stayed frozen because of whatever was inside.

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week?  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
A little bizarre, but the kids seemed to think it was cool.

I saw it and started to ask Phillip "How many kids do you think have licked" and didn't even get the whole sentence out before I noticed our 3-year-old, licking it.

4


I've always wanted to learn how to grill. Let me rephrase that: I've always liked it when Phillip grills because I hand him raw ingredients, he takes them outside, and they magically reappear in the form of cooked food we can eat.

But Phillip wasn't feeling well this week, so the grilling fell to me. And let me tell you, there's a learning curve.

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week?  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
In about 10 minutes, you're going to need every ounce of willpower not to use those tongs to start whacking the crap out of the grill in frustration.

I'm smiling in this picture because I'd just started and hadn't yet dropped 50% of the veggies into the grill while attempting to flip them over or get them on the plate.

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week?  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
Grilled vegetables: they taste better when someone else makes them.

By the time I was done it looked like a naughty child had been tossing squash and pepper slices between the slats of the grill for fun, except for the kid had superhuman aim.

5


At the library, my 3-year-old picked up a picture of the main character from Super Why! to color.

I had to explain who he was since we don't have a TV, and she apparently misheard me because now she calls him "Super Wide."

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week?  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
Version 2.0: all-yellow and now with a flattering new name!

If you enjoy her antics, you'll want to know that daddy longlegs spiders are called tarantulas, and you'll probably get a kick out of this horrifying moment also brought to you by my preschooler.

6


One hot and boring afternoon, the kids and I put some 5-gallon buckets around the backyard and had a water fight with these water squirters (this is my affiliate link because I want you all to be able to buy them because they're awesome).

Unfortunately we're down to 3 of them because I ran over the 4th with the car (I'm talking about the squirters, not the kids) after someone left it sitting out in the garage.

When they were done (read: after they were all mad at each other for shooting them when they were reloading, shooting them when they weren't ready, or squirting them in the eye) they loved the squirters so much that they hosed off the patio table, which was sorely in need of a cleaning.

It turned out to be a pretty awesome afternoon.

7


I don't often take weather warnings very seriously, but we had a storm pass through that was scary-looking enough that I woke up the baby from his nap and took everybody in the basement.

The kids were all freaking out at the noise of all the hail pinging against the house, so I grabbed some Uno cards and tried to redirect their attention by using a happy, singsong voice to say things like "Your turn! Do you have a blue or a seven?" and "Yay! If the windows break, let's all tuck our heads between our knees and cover our neck with our hands for fun, kay?"

In actuality, the worst of it passed pretty quickly and we didn't have any damage, although some of our neighbors did have downed branches in their yards.

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17 comments:

Jenny said...

Kids licking things. And at public places. At least it wading like eating already chewed gum from a lamp post or something.

Unknown said...

I can't grill to save my life, so kudos for learning on the fly! :) Glad the storm went by quickly and everyone was safe. I remember being hauled down the basement of my parents house once or twice with my a pack of cards, candles, and my dad's radio.

Jenny Evans said...

I grew up in the Midwest so it was a regular occurrence for us. That, and tornado drills at school!

Jenny Evans said...

It's definitely not the worst thing I've ever caught one of my children eating!

Angie said...

What an eventful week! Glad you only ran over a water gun and not a kid. You make humor writing look so easy.

PurpleSlob said...

Haha, the gun, not the kid! I love your style!
The 3 yr old licking, yup!
Did the sing-songy , happy voice work to distract the kids?

Jenny Evans said...

It contained the chaos, but I don't think it was too convincing.

Canvin@ Pressure Cooker Portal said...

Nice post! Maybe I should buy a gas grill.

Jenny Evans said...

I'd advise you to also buy someone to do the grilling part for you.

Charla Holthaus said...

thank you for your share!

beth said...

Thank you for sharing

Jackson said...

I like the kinds, they look cut

Melanie said...

Nice post and good tips for us to learn ,thanks

Bonnie said...

Thanks. I love your post, it really good and interesting.

Aiden Lee said...

Winter's coming and thinking to buy a gas grill is defenitely a good idea. Thank you for sharing your post!

Vivian@ cook ware alb said...

I liked this post! It is really awesome.

Jenny Evans said...

Wow, there are so many spam comments here! This is awesome.