Funny older kids...

"They shouldn't call it bowling. They should call it boring."(Julia)

We learned today that Amanda has not outgrown her word mispronunciation disorder. She pointed out that Matthew was looking "lash-i-vously at the lin-jerry" while walking through a store (she knows what "lascivious" and "lingere" mean, but she can't pronounce them to save her life!)

Summer quotes so far....

(Julia channeling her inner cousin "It")



At the store with Julia deciding on what dog treats to get for Bucky. We decide on Flavor Snacks (which have Bacon, Turkey, Chicken, Sausage, and Beef flavors). Julia literally says, "Is it bad that I want them too?"


I just saw my dog stick his head under the couch, sneeze, whack his head, and stumble around wondering what had happened.


"Eat her. She tastes better." (Matthew said this - while pointing to Allison - as he talked to the snow leopard at the Santa Barbara Zoo today)

Even Moms Try Hard

I took Matthew and Allison to swim today. Matthew had a brief conversation with a friend of mine who I sometimes lap swim with. The friend mentions to Matthew, "Your mom is a good swimmer."
Matthew responds, "Well, no, but she really tries hard."

He followed up with some interesting comments about how I used to work at Taco Bell but quit so I could swim more.

TRANSIT OF VENUS!!!

"Wow, Venus is really small. And slow. This is neat, but a little bit boring." (Matthew commenting on his viewing of the transit of Venus)

Memorial Day 2012 - Catching up on the latest Matthewisms

Recent quotes and anecdotes:

Quote of the day: (Matthew) "Dad, mom says you can't wear her shoes."


Bad news: Matthew put a hole in air mattress. Good news: He plugged the hole so effectively that Todd didn't know there was a hole until he saw the pen sticking out of the mattress.


We have a gong in our hallway (yes, like the gong show, only smaller). Matthew bangs on it loudly while walking down the stairs a few minutes ago. I exclaim, "Hey!" His response: "What?!? It's not like I killed your wife or something!"


I have often noticed that my dog can be quite lazy. This observation was resoundingly confirmed tonight when he came back into the house with a snail crawling up his back...


Bad part of the night: Locking myself out of the house (by locking my keys in the car at dinner). Only the 3rd time in my life I've done that.
Good part of the night: Getting the girls to try Indian food, finding a really good Indian restaurant, and learning that I am quite skilled at breaking into houses.

RIna

I met Ferdousi (who I called Rina) during the first week of my freshman year of college at the University of Wisconsin - Platteville. She was in my 8am Calculus class. After a few days, this pretty, petite, spunky, dark-haired girl bounced over to my roommate and I as we were leaving class and said, "Hey, you guys know what's going on in here. We need to study together. It'll be fun - when are you free?" My roommate preferred to study alone, and I used to study alone too. But, this girl would not take no for an answer! Plus, she was really nice and seemed fun. We started to study together and became fast friends. Rina was my friend for almost 23 years, and we lost her this past week to stage IV colon cancer that was discovered only 9 1/2 months ago. She leaves behind so many who love and miss her. She was only 42 years old.

Rina, I know you are looking down on us and in a much better place. Thank you for being my friend. You taught me so much - hopefully I will remember it all and live as you did: Happy, free, and true to yourself. !Paz y amor! Love you always.

Ferdousi (Rina) Jamir Gramling

December 20, 1969 - April 4, 2012

"Our loving mother, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, niece, grand-daughter and friend. You are living in our hearts forever."

Yet another way to get your butt kicked by your sisters....by Matthew

Matthew is currently walking around the house with a clipboard assigning his sisters "grades" based on their perceived attitudes. He gave Allison an F+ because she is "mean" and is now informing his other sisters that they are "not smart." Butt kickings to commence in 3...2....1......

Another Matthew Mystery...

Matthew learned that it is possible to fit an entire blanket into one's underpants.

Why one needs to do that is a mystery known only to him...

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2011 !

After a busy 2011, we end the year in a new home, meeting new friends, and in good health. As Julia would say, it’s random. Matthew would call it boring. Allison would call it awesome. Amanda would be ignoring the conversation.

Since surviving another NY winter (only 127 inches of snow), we were excited to trade snowplows for rockplows (just like it sounds, found on the PCH). After visiting family and friends in the Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota, Kelly and the kids arrived in California just in time to meet the moving truck. Todd, traveling with Bucky, arrived a few weeks later.
With kids begging daily for In-N-Out Burger, mom able swim laps OUTSIDE all year, and Dad able to jog anytime he wants on a California beach I think it’s safe to say we’re feeling at home in SoCal.

Just to make everyone up north feel better, yes we are so wimpy now that we could never handle the north ever again. But, that’s okay. Did you know we can swim at the beach and ski in the mountains the same day? If we knew how to ski this would be even more exciting. But, yeah, it’s those difficult decisions that consume our time now instead of shoveling snow, falling on ice, or just plain freezing all the time. But, we acclimate and adjust just as we always have. (Sigh) It’s really been hard this time. Did you know it’ll take an entire HOUR to get to the Rose Bowl and see the Badgers play on January 2nd?!? So, so hard…

This year, the letter is a little shorter and loosely based on “The most interesting man in the world” commercials. All descriptions are (mostly) true 

Amanda
She never feels hurried, no matter how late she is.
8-year old boys are in awe of her Pokemon knowledge.
Not afraid to dance in public at a pep rally. Yeah, that’s right, you heard me.
The entire Twilight series is based on a series of nightmares she had as a child.
Turns into Julia when given laughing gas.


Julia
She sleeps so deeply that she’s been declared legally dead. Twice.
Is offended when people tell jokes she doesn’t understand. Wait, what?
Introduced legislation to have sarcasm declared an official language.
Finds platypuses suspicious, but adorably so.
Believes no shorts are ever too short.
Cannot not talk.

Allison
Has successfully face-planted more than any other living being on the planet.
Finds Boxers irresistible.
Never open her closet door. Just trust me on this one.
Has never found a sport she didn’t like.
Dreams of a Justin Bieber-free world.
Has everyone convinced she’s legally blind.


Matthew
Spins socks with a flair that makes drum majors weep.
Finds school, broccoli, and girls … boring.
Has filed a patent for fanilla ice cream. (It’s like vanilla, but better.)
Plans to be sexy, but not until he grows up.
Never, ever give him a deck of cards.

Bucky
Eats books to digest their knowledge.
Finds lizards intriguing.
Can clear a room without moving a muscle.
His cuteness is intoxicating. Ask anyone.
Would rid the world of cats with his tail and a can-do attitude.

Kelly
Not afraid to throw shovels at snowplows.
Feels sad for Vikings fans.
Chuck Norris is afraid of her driving.
Wallpaper removes itself in her presence.
Has never been to Lambeau Field. Or New Mexico.

Todd
Was able to convince Brett Favre to retire on his birthday.
Signs his name “arghh,” and nobody questions it.
Can solve ANY yard problem with a chainsaw.
He can fly to Hawaii. Just because.
Believes all disputes can be settled by a “Tough Mudder” competition.

Best quotes of the year:
"Mom, are there any sicknesses in our family, like back problems or cankles?"
Matthew got off the bus and said, "A girl told me on the bus that babies DON'T come out of your tummy. They come out somewhere (pointing) 'down there.' We get to find out where that is in 6th grade."

New things we learned:
1) You can’t legally abandon a sibling at the grocery store.
2) You can run away to your imagination, just not during school.
3) Breaking bones will not get you out of school.
4) Bad brakes + mountains = screaming
5) Kelly + wallpaper = screaming

Have a wonderful holiday season and a safe and happy 2012!


Todd, Kelly, Amanda, Julia, Allison, and Matthew

Artwork...by Matthew

It just speaks to me on a special level...

Only men can be sexy...

According to Matthew, he is currently just cute. It will only be when he's older that he can be called "sexy."

Why you should not take advice from a 7-year old

While arguing about something inconsequential, Matthew calmly requested that I "abandon" Allison at the grocery store.

Not good reasons to break bones...

While walking home, Matthew asks if I'd get him a nintendo game if he "accidentally" broke his leg. (Hmmmm?) I said no, that wouldn't make it better. He then leaped to his next thought: "Mom! If I broke my arm, I couldn't write and then I couldn't go to school!" I told him that was not true. I said if he broke every bone in his body, he'd still have to go, even if he was in a wheelchair. He answered, "Yes, but someone would have to push me there or I'd get run over."

The best place to be...

After getting into a bit of trouble, Matthew informed us that he wanted to live in another house. We said fine - go find one. After 15 minutes of alternative plans that included trying to sneak in the back yard and requesting a tent, he finally declared that from now on he was going to live in his imagination.

What I Like About You...

The other day, Matthew was singing "What I Like About You" and being a general goof. Julia overheard him and asked, "What do you like about me, Matthew?" Without missing a beat he answers,

"Nothing."




["Did she beat him with HIS chair?" - Julia - private joke]

Wisconsin Weekend

This is actually a post from a month ago. Blogger was messed up and wouldn't let me post it. It finally did - just late :)

Traveling to California

Only one flat tire, lots of brake testing, lots of really interesting signs along the way, and we are in our new home in California. It has a few quirks, and we need to fix a few things, but it just wouldn't be one of our moves if it were easy!

Some of the signs on the way were just funny. Is there ever an appropriate time to pick up people who look like prisoners (like if they are hiking down a country road, or hanging out at Starbucks?) And, "No Name" for an exit. Did they just run out of ideas or give up? Similarly, "Zzyzx." ?!?!?! Is that a word or a 2-year old playing on a sign machine? I don't know about you, but how can watch for wind? And, finally, I never thought I'd see a sign that said I could go 80. If only my car would have cooperated...

We're glad to be in our new home and welcome anyone who wants to visit :)

Saying Goodbye to Rochester

Goodbyes are not fun. I usually say it's easier to be left than to leave, but leaving stinks too. We made a lot of very good friends here that we will miss (and remember that California is a LOT wamer than New York in the winter and we love visitors!!!)

Thank you to everyone who made our time in Rochester so much fun and we will miss you all!

Kelly, Todd, Amanda, Julia, Allison, Matthew, and Bucky

Apologizing to inanimate objects...by Matthew

After being told he could not open a bag of chips, Matthew turned to stomp away in frustration ...and walked straight into the wall (and nailed the wall switch in the middle of his forehead). He spins with a slightly suprised look on his face and exclaims, "OOPS, my bad!"

Ouch

Walking to the bus stop, Matthew stumbled on some rocks and landed on a rather tender area of his anatomy. He bowleggedly stands up, proceeds to pull down his pants (in someone's front yard, in front of everyone), bends over and asks in pain and loudly, "MOM, IS MY BUTT BLEEDING?!? IT HURTS!!!!"