Benjamin Pronunciations

Dis-in-solved: What happens to the salt when you sprinkle it on your food. Mommy, you can't see the salt on your food because it disinsolved.

Guh-splode: What happens to something when a bomb hits it. Mommy, Jasper and I threw a million and fifty and infinity bombs at the bad guys and they all guhsploded!! See also guhsplosion, guhsploded, guhsplodes

Pan-chew-ary: The place where you store your food. Benjamin, please put the box of Super Sugary Sweety Pops in the pantuary.

Re-mem-ber-ee: the place where you remember things. Mommy, I already know all of the answers to this paper because I have it in my remembery.

In-spect-ed: To regard as likely to happen. Mommy, that punishment wasn't as bad I inspected it to be.

To you: To feel something towards someone. Mommy, I am mad to you for giving me a better punishment.

Now, can you use them all in a sentence?

Dr. Forringer would be so proud!!

Tonight Benjamin and I were doing some of the questions in the Brain Quest box.

Me: Which star is closest to the Earth?
Benjamin: The Death Star!!
Me: **laughing* That's awesome!
Benjamin: It's true. Jo said!

And why wouldn't Jo know? Not only does his father teach astronomy, but he also loves Star Wars.

Ahhh...science lessons.

Messy Bessy

Tonight Benjamin was doing his reading. He was reading the First Grade thriller Messy Bessy's Holidays. In this book, Bessy is making Kwanzaa cookies with her mother. After making the cookies, Bessy realizes that she is messy and cleans up. This is the common thread in all of these books. You see, the problem that I have with Bessy is that she has not yet seen the error of her ways. She had this little tidiness issue in Messy Bessy's Closet, Messy Bessy's School Desk, Messy Bessy's Garden, Messy Bessy and the Birthday Overnight, and Messy Bessy's Family Reunion (where we learned that Bessy inherited this messiness gene from her litterbug family). Hopefully there will be a book in the future called Less Messy Bessy. Or perhaps Messy Bessy cleans up. The problem with the latter suggestion is that it could imply that Bessy had a substance abuse problem and that is just too deep for 5 year olds. Perhaps Bessy and her mother need Flylady. Despite Bessy's tidiness issues, Benjamin loves her. Since he loves to read her books I don't mind so much. The whole reason for this post was to shamelessly brag on Benjamin (perhaps there should be a book called Kim Bulgrien Can't Just Say What She Means). Tonight he read the words wonderful, everything, and different. I was thrilled!! He sure has picked up this reading thing and gone to town. Good job, Benjamin!!

"Infinity Good Dinner"

Yup, that is how Benjamin described tonight's dinner. Not only did he pay me this great compliment, but he also had 2 helpings of everything! I was very pleased.

I was especially pleased because while I was cooking tonight, I was thinking about how I could "out cook" Martha Stewart and how I could make my dinner prettier than hers even though I don't have (and never will have) capers and I don't do decorative fruit castles! I told myself this was okay because this is what all the normal people do! Sooooo, it was nice to know that I won! In your face, Martha!!!!

**deep breath**

These were the dishes from my imaginary competition:


Curried Chicken and Vegetables
Zucchini, Squash, Onion, Pepper Medley
Chapati Bread

Just so you know, this sort of weird stuff helps me get through the everyday drudgery of making dinner.

Off to polish my crown......

Blog By Benjamin

wil you pray for me ? benjamin
becuz i am sic .
i love you !
i will play cross fire with daddy !
bi

Balloon Fun!

On Monday night, Kevin suggested we go have dinner somewhere. I quickly agreed (I'm no dummy!). Since we believe very strongly in saving the environment and reducing our fuel costs, we drove around for about 40 minutes trying to decide where to go...but we did it in a Volkswagen! We settled on Ryan's. (FYI: Kids Benjamin's age can eat dinner for $1.99 M-Sat. and Olivia was free)

There was a clown at the restaurant who made balloon creations. Benjamin left with a balloon hat, a balloon flower, and a Disney balloon on a stick. Olivia had the same items less the flower. They were very happy!!

Splash Pad Fun!

Wednesday was a fun day!! Laura, Stephanie, and I took the neighborhood kids (11 in all) out to the Splash Pad. We met Adriana and Jessi out there. That added 5 more kids! I didn't know if Olivia would like it because she hates to have water splashed on her face, but she enjoyed herself immensely. Everyone had a great time. All of the children played happily. Yes, it is the truth!! Here's the proof:

Olivia ran around everywhere!

Benjamin was acting like he was going to chase her. She'd get very excited!

Benjamin and Jasper sitting on the sprayers. All of the children thought that was the best thing to do!

Olivia cheerfully running away from the sprayer when it kicked on.

Benjamin "sitting" on a sprayer.

Benjamin taking a drink from the fountain. Gross!

Hanging out with the water dial.

Josiah enjoyed riding his scooter through the sprayers.

Olivia walked over the the swings and frantically made her "help" sign until I put her in the swing. She loves swinging!!

James does too! James is one of Stephanie's sons. He and Livi are very close in age and enjoy each other very much.

Stephanie is so much fun. Such a good mom!

Isaac was doing a hula dance on the sprayer. It was hilarious!

Lucy, Beth Rose, Ethan, and Olivia. The big kids mostly played on the playground and just came to the water to cool off.

The always beautiful, always smiling, Amara Grace!

Adriana's boys and Josiah.

Good times, good times.