Artichokes, please??

Mom, can I please have some artichokes? You don't hear that often from your child. It hear it quite frequently at our house. Summers and Zander love artichokes. We buy the new Ziplock Steamer Bags and cook them in the microwave. Then they melt some butter and dip the leaves into the butter. After all of the leaves have been eaten, they remove the stuff that looks like hair and eat the heart of the artichoke. They are very expensive and I only get 3 each week. Zander has actually cried in the store and said, plese can I have more artichokes, mom? People in the store usually find it very funny.

Relaxing

I am very lucky to have a flexible, kid friendly work environment. Zander gets out of school every Friday at 3:00. I have to pick him up and take him back to my office with me. Last week, most people were out of the office for the holiday, so I brought along "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and made his a special spot in the cube beside of my desk. He had a snack and snuggled up with his favorite work toys, pillow and roly poly bag. I couldn't resist snapping a picture. The only problem was that this was the first time that he had used head phones and when he talked he was very loud because he couldn't hear himself. I guess it was a good thing that there were only a couple of people in the office.

Out of Zander's mouth

Zander and I went to a couple of parades this weekend. We had a great time.This picture is from the first parade that we attended. We always sit with the Brady bunch.
I know that you have all seen the email about the little boy that is in the bathroom with his mom and starts asking all kinds of questions. Zander has done that to me many times, but I always forget to write it down.
Yesterday at the parade, there were many people there and we had waited a long time. There was a man about my age and his 3 year old son beside of us. We had talked and the kids had played while we waited. Right before time for the parade to start, Zander said, ", do those two have penises?" Well, at that same moment I saw someone on the other side of the street that I knew so I was only paying half attention. I said, "What?" So he did what every child does that is frustrated that they are not being heard, he said, " I SAID, Do those two have PENISES?" Well, that time I assure you that I heard him loud and clear and so did everyone on our side of the street. I said, " I guess so, they are boys." That satisfied him and the parade soon started.
The second thing in the parade were the dancers from the local highschool. They had on little tiny skirts with their panties showing. Zander quickly asked if their privates were under there, and why could we see their panties? Don't you just love that? Three year olds know that panties aren't supposed to show. We went to Granny's afterwards and ate supper with her and PeeWee. Zander and PeeWee were talking about firemen and Zander proceeded to tell him that he needed to take care of Granny because she is very, enormous old. She was smiling so I guess she wasn't offended. That just goes to show that you never know what is going to come out their mouths. I wonder what he tells them at school? I don't think I want to know.

Ho, Ho, Ho

Last weekend, the Brady bunch invited us over to help eat left over Thanksgiving food. We had a great time as usual. The grown ups and Brady played Rook. That is a card game that I remember my parents playing with family and friends when I was a child.
Alana had just put up her Christmas decorations and all of the kids were getting in the Christmas spirit. Around bedtime, all of the little kids had on footy PJ's and Zander was running around with a Santa hat on. They were all so cute that I had to take some pictures. Have you ever tried to get 3 kids to stand still in front of the Christmas tree while you take a picture? Easier said than done. Anyway, they are cute pictures.